Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:02:10 EDT
From: BertMcK@aol.com
Subject: Dancing on the Tundra, 23

DANCING ON THE TUNDRA
by Bert McKenzie
Copyright 2010

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction.  Any resemblance to any real
person alive or dead is coincidental and unintentional.

CHAPTER XXIII

     The days flew by swiftly.  The three friends saw all the
sights and attended all the tourist attractions in the area, most
of which Terry had never seen himself.  Of course he had to wear
sunglasses and a dark rinse on his hair to be able to enjoy the
experience with his friends.  And every night there was
incredible love making with Dan.  But what Terry found even more
fulfilling was the bonding with another person.  It was wonderful
to fall asleep in his lover's arms after they had climaxed
together, and to wake up the next morning in the same way.  Every
other lover had always seemed interested in sex, but became
preoccupied once the physical joining was complete.  They all had
other lives to return to, lives that did not include him.  Dan
was the only man he had ever known who seemed content to be a
part of his life, to merge the two lives together into a unified
whole rather than cut him out once love making was over.  When
Terry closed his eyes and examined his spirit, he saw the tundra
retreating just a tiny bit.  It still surrounded him, but now
there was room under the white blanket for two people to cling to
each other and provide mutual warmth.

     But at last their idyllic vacation had to come to an end.
Pete called early one morning with a costume drama that was being
filmed in Europe.  He needed an answer right away and wanted
Terry to read the script, then meet with him to discuss contract
negotiations.  He also had a mountain of paperwork that they
needed to wade through.  "But I'm on vacation," Terry protested.
"I have some old friends here from Dallas and I really don't want
to desert them just to do paperwork."  But Pete was insistent and
said he was on his way over to discuss the matter.  He was
calling from his car.  Terry hung up the phone, angry and
depressed.

     "Hey, it's just like summer vacation when we were kids,"
Paula said as the three sat on the terrace beside the pool.
"Eventually summer was over and we had to go back to school.  I
guess what I'm trying to say is, we've got to be heading home.
It's a long drive and both of us have to be back to work on
Monday."

     Panic set in.  The thought of Paula returning to Dallas was
saddening, but the thought of losing Dan gripped Terry by the
throat.  He quickly stood up and went inside so they wouldn't see
the tears he could feel building.  Paula looked at Dan for a
moment, then moved her head indicating that he should follow
Terry.

     Dan found his lover in the den.  "Hi," he said softly as he
sat on the edge of the antique wooden banker's desk.  Terry
acknowledged him with a slight wave of the hand.  "I take it
you're upset that our vacation was so short."

     Terry forced down the fear and concentrated on his words,
using all his acting skills as well as the tundra inside to mask
his anguish.  "Why do you have to go?"

     "I have a job.  If I don't return I'll be fired."

     "Dan, I love you," Terry said as he looked up at the man,
tears glinting in his eyes.  "I never said it when we were in
college and I lost you.  Now you've walked back into my life and
made it wonderful.  I don't want to lose you again."

     Dan stood up and walked to the glass doors that overlooked
the ocean.  "I love you too, Terry.  I've always loved you, ever
since that first night when you helped put on my makeup, then you
went drinking with me and took me home with you nineteen years
ago.  But you're a big star and I'm just an office worker from
Texas.  I can't stay here now any more than I could back then.  I
can't be a kept man."

     Terry walked up behind the man he loved and put his arms
around him.  "But you said you're a writer.  You sold two books.
Why can't you stay here and write?"

     Dan placed his hands over Terry's.  "I'd love that, but I'm
afraid I'd feel too useless."

     "You and your damned pride," Terry growled.

     "What's going on here?" a male voice asked and the lovers
both jumped.  Terry quickly turned to see his manager standing in
the doorway.

     "Pete, this is my friend Dan," he said as he returned to his
desk.  Dan crossed the room to shake hands with the young
executive.

     Pete shook his hand and then abruptly ignored him, turning
to Terry, all business.  "Sylvia's sick and we'll need someone to
take notes, do the typing and maybe take some dictation.  I'll
call a temp service.  They ought to have a secretary out here in
about an hour.  Meanwhile . . ."  He dropped onto the couch and
grabbed the phone, punching numbers in the key pad.

     "I'll go get packed," Dan said as he turned to leave.

     "No wait," Terry answered as an idea began to form in his
mind.  "Forget the call, Pete.  Dan can help us out."  Pete
paused in mid-dial to stare at Terry.  "He's a secretary back in
Dallas."

     "Can you type?" Pete asked.

     "Seventy-five words a minute."

     "Good enough," Terry said with a smile.  "I know this is
awfully stereotyped, but while Pete's getting the paperwork set
up, would you mind getting us some coffee?"  Dan gave him an
oddly suspicious look.

     Once the man was out of the room Pete wheeled on Terry.
"Don't think I don't know what's going on here.  You and that big
guy are getting it on, aren't you?"

     "Pete, my sex life is none of your business.  And besides,
you've been after me to hire my own secretary and quit bothering
yours.  Okay, I just did."

     "Him?  No way!  I absolutely refuse!"

     "Why?  And I don't see how you've got a right to tell me who
to hire, or who not to sleep with for that matter."  Just then
Dan returned with two steaming cups.  "Dan, Pete's been after me
to hire a personal secretary for about a year now.  Would you be
interested in the job?"

     Dan looked uncomfortable.  "I don't think that would be a
good idea," he said.

     "There, you see?  Your friend agrees with me."

     "Well I don't know if I'd say that," Dan countered, taking
an instant dislike to the manager.

     "So, you'll do it?" Terry asked.

     "Wait a minute.  Hold everything," Pete said, jumping to his
feet.  "This is crazy.  I said you needed a secretary, some woman
who'll take care of your schedule and correspondence.  You need
someone who'll work her tail off for you, not some muscle bound,
macho dude to follow you around, sponge off you and ruin your
career by adding to those rumors that you're gay."

     "I am gay," Terry said, but his words were unheard as Dan
crossed the room and grabbed Pete by the front of the shirt,
lifting him off the floor.

     "Now you listen to me, you little shit.  Who says a
secretary has to be a woman?  I'm a better secretary in my office
back home than two thirds of those lazy cunts.  If I take this
job I will work my tail off for him.  I don't sponge off of
anyone and I don't take shit off of anyone, especially little
pencil pushing geeks like you.  And as to ruining his career, I'd
say that's your job, not mine."  Dan dropped the man back on the
couch.  He then turned to Terry.  "So am I hired?"

     Terry smiled his most photogenic smile.  "I'd say so."

     Dan grabbed a pad and pencil, stationed himself in a chair,
then looked expectantly at Pete.  The man took a moment to
recover, shooting both Terry and Dan angry looks.  He then opened
his brief case and began going over the deal for the film.

                            *   *   *

     Terry and Dan said farewell to Paula the next morning.  They
were both concerned about her driving back to Texas all by
herself, but she insisted that she would be fine.  Dan had called
his supervisor and then FAXed his resignation.  Paula had agreed
to send his things and take care of contacting his landlord.  He
was still unsure about his decision, but he agreed to give it a
try.  He could continue to write, live as Terry's lover, and earn
his keep by working as Terry's secretary/personal
assistant/bodyguard, keeping track of all the paperwork,
scheduling and so on.

     Pete was still unhappy about the situation.  He didn't like
Dan, partly because of the physical conflict they had, and partly
because of what he thought Dan represented.  On the surface he
knew that Dan and Terry had become lovers and he feared that the
rumors which had circulated in the underground ever since Terry
found the dead body of Wesley Strothers in his house might
finally surface.  He was terrified of the general public finding
out about Terry's sexual orientation.  He was certain this would
kill any box office draw and would mean the end of a most
promisingly lucrative career.  But another reason why the manager
resented Dan was because of what he thought the man might do to
Terry.  The actor finally had the balls to put his foot down and
go against Pete's wishes.  Pete feared that this new relationship
might cause Terry to be less dependent upon his manager either
because he would develop a new independence because of his recent
assertions of authority, or worse, he might transfer his
dependency to Dan.  Pete feared this the most.  The big man was
strong and charismatic, but he was naive and would certainly lead
Terry into ruin.  And despite what others might say, Pete cared
for Terry, and he cared deeply for Terry's money, which in a way
he considered his own.

     "You're all packed," Dan said as Terry walked into the
bedroom.

     "And what about you?" Terry asked.

     "I did me first."

     "I wish we were taking a slow train, a nice romantic sleeper
car for two."  Terry reached out and hugged his lover.

     "In the first place we'd be a little soggy.  They haven't
built a railroad bridge over the Atlantic Ocean.  And secondly,
we'd have to have separate compartments.  I promised Pete we'd be
good and I would see that you act like the perfect heterosexual
actor."

     "And how are you going to manage that?" Terry asked.

     "I don't know yet, but I thought I might start by lining you
up some dates with the girls in the cast."

     "No thanks!" Terry said as he punched Dan in the arm.  They
were interrupted in mid kiss by the doorbell.  The car was
waiting to take them to the airport.

                         *     *     *

     The European settings were breathtaking and Dan had to smile
in secret delight as he watched the dashingly handsome blond
galloping across the countryside on his white charger, dressed in
the roguish leather jerkin of the defender of the peasants.  Dan
knew that once the day's filming came to an end, that handsome
man would peel off his costume and surrender his beautiful, naked
body to his secretary and companion.  They had adjoining rooms at
the hotel and once the two had retired for the night the
connecting door opened and they climbed into the same bed.
However, during the day they were no more than business
associates and good friends.  Dan was bothered by this duplicity,
but he didn't really have much time to dwell on it, being kept
busy with the business end of Terry's career.

     There was one very uncomfortable moment when Terry was
interviewed by "Entertainment Tonight."  The interviewer remarked
that she could see a new spark of life in Terry, who in the past
always avoided interviews, coming off rather staid and
unemotional.  He admitted that it was due to changes in his
personal life.  Was there a romantic involvement?  Yes,
definitely.  But he refused to say any more.  Dan received a call
two days later from Pete who had heard about the interview and
was now furious.  "I asked you to keep him out of this kind of
trouble," the manager reprimanded.

     "Hello, hello.  Pete are you there?" Dan said loudly in the
receiver.  He then banged it on the table and clicked the switch
hook a couple of times.  "I can't hear you.  We must have a bad
overseas connection."  He then hung up the phone as the manager
continued to yell.

     The filming was almost complete when one day a messenger
handed Dan a cable gram for Terry.  As soon as the crew took a
break to line up some insertion shots Dan hurried to Terry with
the telegram.  "What is it?" Terry asked.

     "I don't know," Dan replied.  "It's from Springfield so I
thought it might be personal."

     Terry tore open the envelope and read the contents, then
burst out laughing.  "It's from Mom," he said, handing the paper
to his secretary.  "She says my high school graduating class is
having our twenty year reunion and they have been pestering her
to get me to come."

     "Great," Dan replied.  "I'll check your calendar and
schedule it."

     "No thanks.  I've no interest in that."

     "But Terry, it might be fun.  You know, the home town hero
and all that."

     "No, I just want to get this show over with and go home.
I've never been so saddle sore in my life."

     "Well I guess you'll have to give up all that riding at
night," Dan commented with a lecherous grin.

     "Not a chance," Terry replied, reaching for his lover's
crotch.

     "You like riding at night?"  One of the female cast members
asked as she overheard the conversation.  "Me too.  Maybe we can
go out tonight together.  There's a full moon."

     "Gee, I'd love to," Terry said with a winning smile, "but
I'd better listen to my assistant and get some rest for a
change."

     The next day Dan intercepted a phone call for Terry.  It was
from Paula.  She called to beg him to come to the class reunion.
She planned to go, but didn't want to if he wouldn't be there.
"Come on, Dan.  Convince him.  It'll be fun to go back home as a
big Hollywood star.  It'll be his chance to let them all see how
far he came from the little kid they all used to push around.  It
would really be great for his ego."

     "Well, I'll try, but don't count on it."  Dan hung up and
immediately called Pete in L.A.  He explained the situation,
expecting to get a resounding no.  But surprisingly Pete was all
for it.  It would make great headlines.  "Home Town Boy Makes It
Big."  "Movie Star Returns to His Roots."  Dan finally agreed to
try to convince Terry.

     That evening Dan brought up the reunion.  "No," Terry said
firmly.  "You don't know what it was like.  I hated high school.
I was picked on and bullied.  I was abused.  I have no desire to
go back and party with those jerks who made me feel so bad
through my adolescence."

     "But Terry, this will be your chance to show them up.
You're a star.  You've got the life most of them only dream
about."

     "So I should go back for some sort of twisted revenge?"
Terry asked.  "I should go just to make them all envious?"

     Dan realized how selfish and cruel this motivation sounded.
He had to agree with his lover that it was a bad reason to make
the trip.  "No," he said at last.  "I think you should go back to
close the book on that chapter of your life.  By showing the kids
who were mean to you that you turned out okay, it will stamp an
end on that unfinished emotional business.  By going back as a
friend and fellow classmate, it will put you on equal footing
with them as adults.  You'll all realize how foolish you were as
kids and you'll all be able to cleanse the old wounds, bury the
dead emotions and go on."

     Terry sighed as he lay back on the bed.  "What were you
doing working as a secretary?  You should be a psychologist."

     "So we're going?"

     "We?"

     "You don't think I'd let you face this alone, do you?"

     "Okay, check the schedule and make the arrangements."

                            *   *   *

     Dan had to work extra hard to keep things on a low key.  The
mayor wanted to have a parade in Terry's honor, but that was
quickly stopped.  In return Dan scheduled two appearances on a
talk show on the local TV station.  Pete was unhappy about the
low profile on which Terry insisted.  He would have been happy
with a parade, or even bigger fanfare if it could be arranged.
But Dan insisted that if they were going to the reunion, they
would do it on Terry's terms, or not at all.

     When they drove up and walked to the front door of his
house, Terry was suddenly assaulted by photographers who jumped
out of the bushes.  Dan was prepared to chase them away, but he
didn't have a chance.  Terry's mother rushed out the front door,
screaming at the top of her lungs and brandishing a broom.  She
chased the men out of her flower beds, delivering several well
placed blows and demolishing at least one camera in the process.
"Maybe they ought to make a movie star out of her," Dan whispered
as he saw Terry's mother fly after the men.  "She's almost as
good as you in a fight scene."

     "Yeah, but just remember that in my fights it's always
actors who let me win."

     Terry introduced Dan to his mother and they went inside to
the meal she had prepared for the two of them.  After dinner they
sat in the living room and told her stories of Terry's life in
California.  He had only been home twice since his father died,
and although he had repeatedly tried to get his mother to come to
the west coast, she refused to leave the home she had known for
nearly seventy years.  Around eight o'clock that evening the
phone rang.  It was Paula who had just arrived in town.  She
wanted to make sure Terry and Dan had come in for the reunion.

     The next day was taken up with the taping of the TV
appearances and an interview with a newspaper reporter and a
radio DJ.  That evening a car horn honked out in front of the
house just as Terry was about ready to leave.  Paula had planned
to drive them and he figured she was letting him know she was
ready to go.  "I wish you'd reconsider and let me go along," Dan
said.  "After all, you may need some help fighting off all these
star-struck fans you went to high school with."

     "No, it's okay," Terry replied, checking himself out in the
hall mirror and adjusting his tie.  "We'll go, stay for a couple
of dances and then come home."

     "I'll wait up."

     "You better," Terry said as he leaned over to kiss his
lover.

     As they pulled apart, Terry suddenly realized his mom had
just entered from the living room and was looking at them in
stunned surprise.  "Um, it's Jimmy Ragsdale," she said when she
found her voice.  "He says he wants to take you to the dance."

     As Terry walked out on the front porch he saw his old high
school classmate for the first time in twenty years.  Time had
been kind to Jim.  He had matured into a handsome man of 38 with
just a hint of grey coloring his temples.  He carried a little
more weight around the middle than he should, but he still had
the same infectious smile.  "Hey, Terry," he said.  "Let's go.
Paula's waiting in the truck.  I thought I'd take you two, just
like old times, hunh?"  Terry smiled and nodded and they walked
down the front steps to where a new, shiny, black Chevy 4 x 4 sat
waiting at the curb.  Paula opened the door and Terry slipped in.
On the way to the dance Jim kept repeating how 'cool' it was that
the three of them were going together.  Terry had an
uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach because of old
memories that fought their way to the surface of his
consciousness, but he just kept focusing on the tundra inside and
they retreated to a safe distance.

     At the dance everyone was given a name tag as they entered
the doors, everyone except Terry.  At one end of the gym a big
sign was hung that said "Welcome Class of '70."  But at the other
end another sign read "Welcome Home Terry Michaels."  Once inside
he was instantly surrounded by many of his old classmates who
never would have spoken to him twenty years earlier.  Jim took
Paula off to dance and Terry was escorted to a large table where
several of the old high school faculty sat.  Father Joseph seemed
particularly proud of his former student and insisted on having
his picture taken several times with his arm around Terry.

     Although he was never left totally alone, gradually the
novelty began to wear off and the reunion took on a more normal
flavor and became less of a tribute to a home town hero.  "Hey,
how's it going, Tutti?" a harsh voice called out.  Terry turned
to see Mike Myers and Bart Smith leaning against each other and
laughing.  Bart looked much the same only older, but Mike had
changed drastically.  He was now bald and sported a large beer
gut.  It was pretty obvious that they had been drinking.

     "Be careful, Mike," Smith said with a laugh.  "He's a lot
tougher now than he was in high school.  Did you see him kick
those dudes' asses in 'Baja Connection'?"

     "It's okay," Myers replied as he came up and dropped a heavy
paw on Terry's shoulder.  "He doesn't have his stunt man with him
tonight.  He won't make any trouble.  We might mess up his pretty
face."

     "Terry, come dance with me," Paula said as she grabbed her
friend, pulling him onto the basketball court.  "What are those
two goons up to?" she asked.

     "Just the usual," Terry replied.  "Harassing women and
children."

     "Well, just remember, you aren't either one anymore.  You
don't have to take their shit."

     When the number ended, Paula kept her arm linked to Terry.
They wandered back over toward the tables and chairs, but she
noticed Myers and Smith heading their way so she changed
directions, pulling her friend along to the faculty table.  "Hi,
Sister," she said to an aging nun who seemed a little bored with
the festivities.  "You remember Terry Michaelson."

     Sister Mary Leon instantly perked up.  "Oh, Terry Michaels,
come sit down."  Once he was seated she began pumping him with
questions.  "Is Arnold Schwarzenegger as nice as they say?
What's Tom Selleck really like?  He's so cute.  Have you ever met
Rutger Hauer?"  Meanwhile Paula made a mad dash to the pay phones
in the hallway.

     Terry finally managed to slip away from the old nun.  But as
soon as he did Paula and Jim showed up and began following him
like shadows.  "So what do you think of the old place?" Jim
asked.

     "It's all just about the same as I remember it," Terry
replied.

     "Only they now have a computer lab in the room where Sister
Patrick Marie used to teach Latin."

     "Say, where's Ben?" Terry asked as he looked around.  "I
haven't seen him here tonight."

     "Benny's dead," Jim said tensely.

     "Yeah, he got AIDS.  Served the little fruit right," a voice
behind them spoke up.  It was Mike Myers again.  "Yeah, he was a
faggot.  But then I guess you knew that.  Is that why you two
girls were such good friends?"

     "Hey," Bart chimed in.  "You remember when we all porked
Tutti's ass after the prom?  Jesus, when this AIDS thing first
came out I was scared I was gonna die because of that night."

     "Yeah," Myers returned.  "I hope all the faggots die off
soon.  It'll save us decent folk the trouble of goin' out huntin'
'em down and shootin' 'em."

     Paula grabbed Terry's arm in a tight clinch, her strong
fingers digging into his muscles.  "Just let it go," she said
quietly.  "They're just trying to provoke you."

     "What about you, Rags?" Mike asked.  "You used to let Tutti
swing on your bone about every week.  You ever get tested for
AIDS?"

     Jim turned around and swung, but Mike was ready for him,
dodging the blow and delivering a punch in the nose.  Before
Terry could react, a number of other people intervened,
separating the fighters and rushing Mike and Bart out the side
door as Jim made his way to the men's room.  "I'm going to go
check on him," Terry said and pulled free of Paula's grasp,
heading out of the gym and down the hall.

     In the restroom Jim was wiping off the blood as Terry
entered.  "You okay?" he asked.

     "I'll live," Jim replied.  "Man, sorry you had to see that.
Those guys were jerks back then and they never changed."

     "It's okay."

     "And I'm . . . I'm sorry for all the shit I caused you back
in school," Jim continued.  "I mean, I was just a stupid kid.  I
shouldn't have made you . . . you know."

     "Forget it.  I have," Terry said.

     "Okay," Jim agreed holding out his hand.  Terry grabbed it
and they shook.

     "Oh, ain't that touching?" a voice said from the doorway.
Terry turned to see Myers and Smith coming in.  "If we waited
another couple of minutes we could have seen the big movie star
on his knees, sucking cock like in the old days."

     "I thought they threw you out of here," Jim said.

     "Well we came back," Bart replied with a smile.

     "Don't you boys think you ought to take this outside?" a
voice said from behind the two trouble makers.

     "Who the hell are you?" Myers asked as he turned to the
newcomer, a big, muscular looking stranger.

     "I'm Mr. Michaels' secretary," Dan replied.

     "His secretary?" Smith said with a whoop.  "I bet you like
to sit on his lap too."

     "As a matter of fact, I do," Dan answered, the fire building
in his eyes.

     "Dan, I can fight my own battles now," Terry said, his voice
cutting the tense air like a knife.

     "If your bodyguard here doesn't help you out, you're in big
trouble," Myers retorted.  "There ain't no stunt double in here."
He suddenly rushed Terry.

     The blond ducked down, catching Myers in the gut and
flipping him over onto his back on the hard tiles.  He next
leaped into the air, landing a flying kick into Smith's face as
the man also rushed forward.  Smith went crashing into one of the
stalls, not to be heard from again.  But Mike Myers was back on
his feet, coming up behind Terry.  Just as he was about to
connect, Terry gracefully sidestepped him, shooting an elbow out
and into his stomach, then snapping his forearm up so Myers
caught Terry's fist in his face as he was hunching forward.  He
tottered for a moment, then collapsed over backwards.  Terry
looked at Jim who was staring open mouthed at the display,
shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't use a stunt double."
He then reached out and hugged Dan, kissing his lover firmly on
the mouth.  They were oblivious to the gasps coming from several
onlookers crowded into the men's room doorway.