Robert and Johnny-The rest of the story Ch 34

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Robert and Johnny
The rest of the story
(Part three of the trilogy began in My 11th Summer, then Tween to Teen) By: Kewl Dad

Christmas was, and still is, without a doubt my favorite time of the year. Of course when I was a little kid, it was mostly about the gifts, the vacation from school and the food. But as I grew older, my attitudes influenced by my parents' attitudes, I began to understand that Christmas was so much more than that.

Christmas is about people, about love and the spirit of sharing and giving, Peace on Earth and Goodwill toward men, even if only for 25 days each December.

Johnny shared my love of the Holiday, and with my parents', family, and friends' help, we'd taught Mikey to embrace Christmas as well. In fact, I had to say Mikey's enthusiasm for the Holiday might have even exceeded my own at times.

For instance, although dad always decorated the outside of the house for Christmas, Mikey insisted they take it a step farther, and this year there were lights up and down the drive, across the fence, and hanging from a couple of trees in the yard. It was a Christmas wonderland now, the envy of all the neighbors, and a popular attraction among the town folk.

But Mikey wasn't done yet, although mom usually took care of the inside decorations since I'd moved away, Mikey not only stepped in to help, but essentially took charge. Mom didn't protest in the least, however, and in fact she and the rest of us had to admit, he really had a knack for decorating, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. Mikey was good at many things, so it was no shock that this was just one more.

Johnny and I decorated the inside of our little apartment, and as we had the previous year, we put up a live tree the week after Thanksgiving. This year we added some bubble lights and extra tinsel and bought a new tree skirt.

We had Bill and Peter over that weekend and with their help we had the tree up and decked out in no time flat. Afterwards we had pizza and watched TV, then ran the boys home about 10 that night. They'd begged to stay, but Johnny and I had plans the following day and we promised them we'd do a sleepover the following week.

That Christmas would prove to be a very special one for several reasons, but the first of our many blessings would occur that weekend. As I'd written previously, Johnny had his work displayed in several art galleries in the city, and occasionally he would sell something, and although his work was modestly priced, the extra money was very much appreciated.

Because of the extra income, we were now debt free (having paid off my car) and were beginning to think about buying a house. In fact, the plans I'd mentioned earlier were to go on a tour of several houses a real estate agent had hand-picked for us.

The agent, Mike Foster, was in his early 30s, tall and slender, a handsome face and friendly manner, and if he suspected or cared that Johnny and I were more than roommates, he never indicated it either in speech or manner.

We met at his office on Peoria and we took his car, a fairly new Cadillac with power everything and plush velvety-looking upholstery. Though the car was flashy and plush, I just couldn't imagine myself ever owning a car like that. I liked my Monte Carlo and I liked the Bug Bus, and I wasn't in the least bit envious of Mike's ride.

First stop was a neat little bungalow near the fairgrounds, but Johnny and I decided it needed too much work to suit our needs. Neither of us had time to do the sort of remodel the place would need to bring it up to date, nor did we wish to spend money on such an undertaking, even if the house was priced reasonably low.

The next one was a bit better, but the price was out of our range and we quickly moved on. It was around 11 by then, and Bill suggested we stop somewhere and grab an early lunch, his treat, and since Johnny and I hadn't eaten much breakfast, not to mention it was free, we quickly agreed.

Mike drove us to The Village Inn, which boasted that breakfast was served 24 hours a day, and since breakfast was one of our favorite meals, that's what Johnny and I ordered. Mike had a club sandwich and fries, and while Johnny and I had iced-tea, Bill had coffee.

We lingered over our meal, getting to know each other better, and either Mike was a very good liar and con man, or he was a genuinely nice guy with his clients best interests at heart. I would learn that the latter was true as our dealings with him continued, and was happy to know my gut instincts proved to be correct once again.

Mike was single, the youngest of five brothers, the other four married with kids, Mike saying that he'd chosen a career over family and was happy with his decision. I wondered though, was there more to his being single than that?

Johnny and I explained that we'd been friends since grade school. Had gone to college together, then decided to room together after that. Even as we said it, we realized how lame it sounded, and Johnny finally had had enough.

"I'm sorry, I can't go on deceiving you, Mike. Maybe you don't care, maybe it doesn't matter to you, maybe a commission is a commission, but Robert and I are more than just friends."

Mike smiled, and for the first time I felt like he was truly at ease with us, "I thought so, and I'm happy for you two," he said sincerely, "and though what you said about a commission being a commission is true in most cases, I do prefer to build a relationship with my clients so I can serve them better. Relationships are best built on trust, so...I have a confession to make myself, I am gay as well. That is why I never married. My parents refuse to believe that I'm gay, and are convinced when I meet the right woman she will straighten me out. Two of my brothers are very supportive of me, one won't talk to me, and the other is civil at family gatherings, but has made it clear I am not to be alone with his kids," Mike looked sad when he finished, and I couldn't help but reach over and pat his hand.

"I'm so sorry. Johnny and I have been very fortunate. Not only do our parents accept us as we are, our families and friends have our backs as well."

"That's wonderful, you are very lucky. Well, now that we have that out of the way," he said brightening some now that he was back in his element, "let's go look at some more properties..."

It wasn't till late afternoon that we found what we'd been looking for, even if we didn't know that was what we were looking for until we found it. In an area called Brookside, Bill pulled up in front of what at first I thought was a house, but upon further examination, I realized it was actually a duplex. There was a garage between the two units and a car port on the opposite end, which had made it look like two houses rather than a single unit.

"This duplex was not a commercial property until recently. The owner had it built this way to accommodate himself and his aging mother. They both wanted their own space, but wanted to be close enough so that they could visit, and the son could make sure his mom was okay. Unfortunately, the mother died six months after they moved in, and the son rented out the other side after that.

Then in January of this year, the son fell and broke his hip, and had to be put in a convalescence home. And is the fate of many elderly patients who suffer those kind of injuries, he never made a full recovery, thus the duplex wound up on the market."

"Wow, I can't wait to see the inside," Johnny said sounding excited.

I looked at him questioningly but followed the two inside without speaking.

"The furniture comes with the place, if you want it, otherwise we have a guy who will make you a decent offer for it. He has a used furniture store and is always looking for good quality furniture like this."

"This furniture is better than what we have now," I chuckled, "and the appliances look brand new."

"They are less than two years old, and as you can see: hardly used. There is a washer and dryer as well, though it is shared by both units. As I said, this duplex was custom built to serve the needs of the owner. There's a nice backyard too, fenced, but not divided, however, that would be an easy thing to do.

There are three bedrooms in each unit, the master having a private bath, with a full bath located between the other two bedrooms. There's central heat and air, a 50 gallon hot water tank, for each unit, and double pained windows, storm doors, and the units are very well insulated.

Before we go any further I want you to look at the other unit as well, and think about this. Not only is this property priced below market value, you could rent out the other unit and that income could be used to pay your mortgage payment."

Wow, that was a lot to think about, but now that I was confronted by such an idea, I decided it was just what we needed, and I already knew who our first tenant would be.

Unfortunately, buying a house, or in this case, a duplex, was a long drawn out process, but we quickly started the ball rolling and hoped to move in sometime early in the New Year. We were so excited about the prospect of owning our own place (well, us and the bank) that after making the offer and signing some papers, we drove straight to Pryor to talk to mom and dad.

Mikey must've smelled us coming, because his nose was as good as Snoopy's, and he met us in the driveway. He launched himself into my arms, then gave Johnny a big hug and led us inside.

"How..." I started, then just shook my head, and by then mom and dad had appeared at the door.

"Well, look, the prodigal sons have returned," dad teased.

"Oh how wonderful to see you boys," mom said hugging us both, "come in come in, I hope you can stay for supper, I'm fixing meatloaf."

"That's enough incentive to keep me here," Johnny laughed, "but since Robert drove, I'll either have to do what he says or walk home."

"I'd never leave you," I said playfully shoving my lover through the door.

Mom insisted on fixing us all a glass of her sweet iced-tea, and once we were settled dad said, "Well, what do we owe this unexpected visit to." Dad knew us all too well, and the grins on our faces were no doubt a big giveaway as well.

"Well, remember how we said we were thinking about buying a house..."

"Yes, weren't you going to look at some houses today?" mom said, barely able to contain her excitement, "Did you find one?"

"Even better than that," I said proudly, then went on to explain about the duplex and our plans to offer the other unit to Bill and Peter's mom for the same price she was paying for the rundown apartment they were living in now.

Of course dad wanted all the details, pricing, how old the unit was, etc, and I was happy to fill in all the blanks. When I'd finished he sat back and whistled softly.

"Son, that's one hell of a deal," my dad said. He hardly ever used swear words, but we figured he was entitled once in a while, "not only will you save money by living there, by renting out the other unit you'll no doubt actually make money in the end. The value of the duplex will grow the whole time you're living there, and when, and if you decide to move up, your equity will help you afford something bigger and better.

"I wish we'd taken pictures," Johnny said frowning, "we'll go back and take some and send you some copies."

"Why can't we just drive over there and see it now?" Mikey said, causing us all to laugh.

"Well, slugger, that's a long drive there and back, so maybe next weekend you can come over and stay and see it then."

"Or...we could bring Mikey, see the place, then we could all go out to dinner before we headed back."

"But can I still sleep over?" Mikey said with those big puppy dog eyes of his.

"That's up to Robert and Johnny, you know it's always fine with us."

"As long as you don't mind sharing us with Bill and Peter, we kind of promised them they could sleep over next weekend."

"Yaay, I like Bill and Peter, they're cool. We can have lots of fun," Mikey said, and I couldn't help but think he meant something more than regular fun, like maybe fun in bed.

We talked for maybe an hour longer, during which time dad told us several times that if we needed a co-signer he would be happy to do so, but we were hoping Johnny and I could do this alone. However, there was no shame in having dad help us if need be, after all, that's what parents were supposed to do. I had no doubt that if Johnny and I were ever lucky enough to have a child we'd make the same offer should they need it.

Since dinner was an hour or more away, we decided to go visit Johnny's folks, but we only wound up staying about a half hour. They too were excited by the news, and Johnny's dad made the same offer mine had, to co-sign.

Since we passed right by Caleb's house on the way back to my folks' house, we decided to stop in and say hi and deliver our good news to them. Unfortunately, Caleb was still at work, but Tony greeted us with hugs, as did Granny.

Tony had gotten off at noon, but Caleb was keeping his store open on Friday and Saturday till 8, at least until Christmas was over. He was doing quite well, and had even hired another part-timer to help out for the season.

Of course Granny tried to feed us, but we told her mom was fixing meatloaf and we didn't want to fill up, however, we did take some brownies with us to share with the rest of my family.

We got back home just as the meatloaf was coming out of the oven and soon we were all seated around the dining room table and enjoying a nice family dinner together. Mikey excitedly chattered about this and that, buzzing with excitement about Christmas, and most of all being out of school for 10 glorious days.

Oh how I remembered those days as a kid when the most important thing was the gifts under the tree, the Christmas dinner, and all the fun I'd have during my respite from school.

We visited a while longer after dinner, but around 9 Johnny and I headed home with goodbyes and promises to see each other again next weekend. What a wonderful day it had been.

That next weekend, mom, dad, and Mikey arrived around noon and after a quick visit we all loaded up in the Bug Bus and headed to the duplex. We'd called Mike, the realtor, in advance, and he had given us a key that unlocked both front doors, and told us we could keep it since he was 99% sure we were going to be the new owners.

Mom and dad were more than impressed, and Mikey was ecstatic. "This can be my room when I come to stay," he said picking out one of the smaller bedrooms. There were three bedrooms in both duplexes, which seemed strange considering the man lived alone as did his mother, but Mike said the owner had been thinking ahead and decided more bedrooms would mean better resale value.

The master bedroom had a nice bath with a tub/shower set up, a double sink vanity and a toilet in a walled off enclosure with a 3/4 door. There was a second bathroom between the two other bedrooms in the typical layout, sink, toilet, tub.

Mikey slid open the patio door and spilled out into the backyard and the adults soon followed.

"Oh man, this yard is sooo big," the little ball of energy said excitedly as he ran from one fence to the other, then around the perimeter before returning to the covered patio, which had an identical version on the other duplex, however, with the Garage in between there was about 20 feet between them.

"Are you going to divide the backyard?" dad asked.

"Nah, not if Bill and Peter move in. They can have the run of the whole yard this way."

"I'm sure they'd love that. Not to mention, they can come barreling in your back door anytime they want," mom laughed.

"Oh, no, we'll have rules," Johnny said sounding severe, "we've discussed this and we still want our privacy. We just hope we can make the boys understand without being too harsh."

"They seem like sweet and practical boys. It may take some getting used to, but I'm sure they will adjust to this new situation. Have you talked to their mother yet?" mom asked.

"No, we wanted to make sure everything was okay before we got them all excited about moving. But from what Mike tells us, it looks like we're going to be approved for the loan, hopefully before Christmas. The owner is anxious to sell, and even offered to pay half the closing costs."

"Oh, son, that's great. That will save you some money. Are you keeping the furniture in here?"

"Yes, it's pretty nice stuff. We will need to bring the beds from the apartment though, two of the bedrooms don't have one."

"Well, if you need any help moving, just let us know," dad said as he stared out at the backyard. Because of the privacy fence we really couldn't see what our neighbors' yards looked like, but the one to the right had a sprawling shade tree, which in the summer I predicted would shade a large portion of our yard as well. The only tree in our yard was about half way between the two patios, and though now devoid of leaves, though I suspected that come spring it would provide a good amount of shade as well. The rest of the yard was level and smooth and though the grass was brown now, I could envision it green and healthy and inviting.

We dined at Casa Bonita for a late lunch, then we headed back to the apartment. We invited mom and dad in, but mom said she wanted to do some shopping at Southroads Mall.

Dad chuckled and said he was glad he got a big Christmas bonus, cause mom was probably about to spend it. We walked them to their car, and after hugs and a few kisses we waved as they drove off.

"Well, shall we go get Bill and Peter?" I asked of no one in particular.

"Yesss!" Mikey enthused, and we were off.

We stayed in that night, dining on soup and sandwiches, holiday candy and cookies, and watching Christmas movies on TV, and just generally enjoying each other's company. Bill and Peter were like family now, and if our plans worked out, they'd soon be just that close.

Christmas was about a week away, and since we had plans to go home and spend Christmas with our folks, we decided to have Bill and Peter's Christmas that night. We gave them their gifts, and just so Mikey wouldn't feel left out we let him open a couple of his gifts too.

Suddenly Bill jumped up and ran to the spare bedroom and returned a few seconds later with a neatly wrapped package and handed it to me.

"Merry Christmas, guys," he said grinning.

"Where did this come from?" I chuckled.

"From Santa," Bill teased, "but really, it was in our gym bag with...our...clothes."

"Hmm, wonder what it is?" I said looking at Johnny.

"Just...open it," Peter coaxed, his eyes twinkling with merriment, "mom helped us pick it out and she said she hoped you would like it.

"Okay, here goes," I said as I began unwrapping the gift.

It didn't take long to figure out what it was, a nice picture frame, and as I freed it from the rest of the wrapping paper, Johnny hanging over one shoulder, and Mikey the other, I felt myself close to tears. There, smiling up at us were Peter and Bill, a Christmas background behind them.

"We...we made it at Kmart," Bill said proudly, "do you like it?"

"I love it. Oh guys, you couldn't have given us a better gift. We will treasure this forever."

"Nice, guys," Johnny said, "but where was your mom and sister?"

"Oh, we took some with them too," Peter informed us, "but she had this one made just for you guys."

"Well, we love it." I said admiring the photo for several more minutes before sitting it on top of the bookcase for all to see, "we'll find a better place for it later, but for right now this will work."

The rest of the evening went by quickly, the boys on the carpet at our feet as they shared their gifts and watched TV with us. Around nine, Johnny fixed popcorn and we watched 'Miracle on 34th Street' while we munched popcorn and drank sodas.

When it was time to say goodnight, Johnny and I gave the boys a hug and went off to our bedroom, leaving them to figure out their sleeping arrangement. All three knew where we kept extra blankets and quilts, and they'd done this before, so there was no need for us to intervene.

As Johnny and I settled into bed, I heard the unmistakable sound of piss hitting the toilet, or should I say: three streams of piss, and then the flushing of the toilet. Water running, muffled sounds of teeth being brushed, then the bathroom door being opened and feet in the hall. A few minutes later I heard the sound of the linen closet door being opened, then closed, excited voices and giggles that receded down the hall and into the living room. More soft voices, then at last a thump as the boys hit the floor and all was quiet for a while.

"Finally," Johnny chuckled, "now it's time for the fun to begin."

"For us, or for them?" I joked.

"Both, that is if you're in the mood," he teased.

"Always in the mood with you lover, but let's wait a few more minutes, till I'm sure they're settled in for the night."

"Can we smooch while we're waiting?" Johnny said, not bothering to wait for an answer as he began nuzzling my neck.

"Mmm, yeah, that's nice," I purred, "just keep it above the waist for now."

I'm not sure what the boys did that night, but there was some soft panting and a few grunts, and what I thought might be a cry of ecstasy as one or more of them got their jollies.

Anyway, Johnny and I were kind of busy getting our own jollies, but I must admit, thinking about what might be going on with those three boys in the living room certainly added to my excitement and enjoyment.

Soon though Johnny and I fell back exhausted and it seemed the boys had gone quiet as well. I did here one or more of them get up and use the bathroom, but they were quiet and respectful and as soon as they'd settled in once more, I relaxed and was soon asleep. It had been a wonderful evening, filled with love, sharing, and finally pleasure, apparently for all of us.

🎄 🎄 🎄 🎄 🎄

That was a magical weekend for all of us, and when it was at last time to say goodbye we were all a little sad. However, I knew we'd be seeing Mikey and my folks on Christmas Eve, and there would be time for Bill and Peter to sleep over at least once more before Christmas break was over.

Johnny was officially on vacation as well, since the college pretty much kept the same vacation schedule as the public schools. I, however, had to work up until two days before Christmas. Not that my job was very hard. I was mostly an editor, but had also written several articles that were published under my name, and I was constantly submitting stories to other publications, hoping someone would recognize my literary genius, ha ha.

December 23rd, my last for the week, we had an office party at work, but it wasn't mandatory to attend. In fact, we were now officially off for the Holiday and didn't have to be back until Monday. I didn't want to seem ungrateful and I genuinely liked my fellow workers so I hung around for a while, snacking and sipping punch, which I discovered after my first sip had been spiked. I had to be careful, I certainly didn't want to become too drunk to drive and have to call Johnny for a ride. He'd never let me live that down.

By the time I left the party that day, the air had turned cold and the sky was overcast, but this was Oklahoma, and the chances of snow were about as good as me winning the lottery. However, rain was always a possibility, even if December was usually the driest month of the year here.

I slid into my car, started it and let it warm up a few minutes, then headed home. I couldn't wait to get home to Johnny and to spend some quality time with him as I wound down and got myself in the mood for the Holiday festivities ahead of us.

"Honey, I'm hoooome..." I said, imitating Ricky Ricardo from 'I love Lucy'.

Johnny poked his head around the corner from the kitchen and gave me a big smile, "Come give me some sugar, then call your mom, she said it's important."

"Oh?" I said, suddenly worried that something might be wrong at home. Maybe dad was sick, or Mikey.

"Don't worry," Johnny said giving me a hug and a quick kiss, "your mom says it's not bad, and they're all okay."

"Okay, hmmm...wonder what's going on," I said returning Johnny's kiss.

What I really wanted to do was continue to kiss my man, then drag him off to the bedroom, but if mom said it was important that I call, I figured I'd better call. After all, Johnny and I had the rest of the evening to pursue that matter.

"Hi mom, how's dad, how's Mikey, how's Snoopy?" I said once I heard mom's sweet voice on the other end of the line.

"Fine, son. We're all fine, everyone here is just fine. How are you boys doing?"

"Fine mom, I'm off work till Monday and Johnny's off till after the New Year."

"That's good," mom said, but she sounded distracted, "son..." she began.

"Yes, mom?"

She sighed, "You remember I told you about your cousin Zeke, and how his mother had written me about him?"

"Yes, you said she was going to give you more details next time she wrote..."

"Well, she called me the other night...and, well, things have gotten worse for your cousin Zeke. She asked me if your father and I would be willing to let him come stay with us for awhile," she finally blurted out.

"What? Really? What did you say?" Zeke's situation must be very serious if his own mother was willing to send him away just to protect him.

"Well, Robert, what would you have said?" my mom sighed.

"I'd have said, when can he come?" I laughed.

"You know us well," she chuckled, "we're picking him up at the bus station tonight."

"Umm, mom, why are you just now telling me this?"

"It all happened so fast. We've been running around making plans, getting things ready. I hope you don't mind, but we're going to put him in your old room. But...I swear we won't touch anything unless you okay it. We won't make any big changes."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that. A stranger sleeping in my old room, maybe messing with my stuff. I knew it was silly, clinging to my childhood past, but that room had been the focal point of much of mine and Johnny's life and I wasn't keen to give it up.

"How long will he be staying?" I said, purposely ignoring her earlier statement.

"Well, we're not sure. Definitely through Christmas vacation. Then we'll see how things go..."

"Mom, what are you not telling me?"

She sighed, "Robert, son, I really don't want to go into details on the phone. I figured when you two come over Christmas Eve we can discuss the situation and get your input. I think you and Johnny may be better equipped to help this boy than we are."

"What do you mean? OH!" I said, suddenly taking the hint, "so that's his problem?"

"Yes, dear, but it's much worse than that. I don't want to go into detail, but let's just say he was in physical danger. That's one reason your father and I decided to let him stay with us."

"All right, mom. I won't ask any more questions, but can you at least call me after you pick him up? I'd like to know he's safe and sound and in your loving arms."

"Oh, son, you always know the right thing to say," mom said sounding very emotional, "yes, I will call you, and...if you'd like, perhaps you can speak with him."

"Sure, I'd like that."

I talked with Mikey next, but dad was still at work, and when I finally ended the call I turned to Johnny and sighed.

"I gather from what I overheard that your cousin Zeke is coming to visit?"

"Or stay?" I said frowning, "they're putting him in my room, our room."

"Oh, gonna be kind of crowded," Johnny chuckled.

"What? Oh...hell, I hadn't thought of that. Where will we sleep?"

"Relax, we can stay with my mom and dad, in my old room..."

"I guess," I fumed, "hey, maybe Zeke would like to visit your folks..."

"Ha, very funny. Robert, honey, Johnny said taking me in his arms, "try to think how this poor kid must feel. Loaded on a bus, shipped off to strangers, not knowing if they'll be nice or mean, and stuck in some other kid's room and told not to touch anything."

"You're exaggerating," I chuckled, "but I get what you mean. And...as always, you're right. This isn't about me or my room, it's about this poor kid and what's happening to him. I promise I will treat him with love and respect, and make him feel like part of the family."

"That's the boy I know and love," Johnny said kissing the end of my nose, "now, how about an early dinner, some wine, and some whoopee?"

Christmas🎄

On the way to my folks' house that Christmas Eve morning, Johnny and I were bubbling over with excitement. Not only would we be spending the holiday with friends and family, we were about to meet a new member of our family, and we planned to make him welcome in a big way.

We'd gone shopping Christmas Eve, battling the crowds at Kmart, and had bought Zeke several gifts that we thought a 13-year-old might like. When mom had called that first night to tell us Zeke had arrived safely, I'd spoken with him on the phone, but he seemed shy and didn't say much. I hoped to change that once we got to know him, but I knew that it would take time for him to adjust to this new situation.

As usual, Mikey greeted us as we pulled into the drive, but he was not alone this time. Beside him stood a slender, shaggy-haired boy wearing jeans, a flannel shirt, and a ragged looking blue-jean jacket. He was cute, in that boy next door sort of way, but I thought he'd have been a lot cuter if he smiled. For a boy his age, he looked about average, though I thought he could use a little more fat on his bones. Well, with mom cooking for him, that problem would soon be solved. Not to mention granny, who would no doubt be sending the boy food as soon as she learned of his presence.

"Bubber..." Mikey cried as he threw himself into my arms. We'd come in the Bug Bus, so we'd have room for all the presents, and as Johnny climbed out of the driver's side, Mikey left me and headed his way to deliver his hug.

"Hi, you must be Zeke," I said offering my hand to shake. I'd have rather given the boy a hug, but like a timid deer he needed to be coaxed along slowly.

"Howdy," the boy said, blushing deep red, but accepting my hand.

His grip was strong without being overpowering, and he held it for just the right amount of time. You can tell a lot by a man's handshake, and Zeke's said he was timid, but not weak. Deep down inside he believed in himself, but right now he was trying to figure out how to be who he wanted to be without ruffling too many feathers.

"Welcome to our family," I said as Johnny and Mikey joined us.

"Thanks," Zeke said, actually attempting a shy smile. I was right: with a smile on his face he was a very cute boy.

"This is Johnny," I said as Johnny offered his hand to shake, "he's my...roommate and best friend."

Mikey giggled, "They're boyfriends."

I didn't chastise Mikey, he was right of course, and if what I thought was true about Zeke, he would not only understand but be very accepting of our relationship. However, it was hard to read the look on the boy's face, and I thought it best to just move on and leave things as they were for the moment.

"You guys can help us carry in the loot," I chuckled, "but no peeking inside the packages."

"Aww, shucks," Mikey said, "oh, well...we get to open one tonight anyway, and then all the rest tomorrow, first thing."

Zeke seemed neutral on the subject, no doubt believing Santa hadn't dropped off any gifts for him this year, but boy was he in for a surprise.

"Hey, this one is for you, Zeke," Mikey said holding up a brightly wrapped package.

"Huh uh," Zeke said, sure that Mikey was teasing him.

"Uh huh, just read the tag, "to Zeke from Santa. Only Santa is really Robert and Johnny. I know how this works, Santa isn't a person, he's a spirit, and that makes people want to give gifts to each other."

Zeke just shrugged, but again I noticed a little smile on his lips. Johnny had been so right, I was thinking only of myself at first, but now that I'd met the boy, I knew I would do anything in my power to make him happy and to protect him.

Mom and dad met us at the door, and Dad helped us carry in the rest of the gifts and place them beneath the tree. It was a good thing mom and dad always got a big tree, because there was barely room for all of the gifts assembled beneath it.

"Merry Christmas!" I said, finally giving my folks a hug.

Johnny stepped in next and gave them hugs as well, and I noticed Zeke watching us curiously, or was that envy on his face? Well, if he'd allow it, we'd soon be hugging the stuffing out of him too.

Mom had a light lunch fixed for us and we sat around the dining room table and got caught up on things. Dad had some interesting stories to tell about work, as did I, and Johnny talked about how talented his art students were and how much he enjoyed teaching them. I smiled when I thought about how typical it was that Johnny didn't talk about his own talent, so I did that for him.

"You should see Johnny's latest oil. It's a copy of the photo Bill and Peter gave us for Christmas. It's even more lifelike than the actual photo, if that makes sense," I laughed.

Zeke looked at Johnny with what I thought was interest, but he didn't say anything, not then. I suddenly realized how confusing this whole conversation might be to him, and I tried to fill in a few blanks as we went forward. He seemed interested in Bill and Peter, and I thought introducing them might be a good thing. After all, the boys were closer in age than he and Mikey, and they might have a lot in common.

Dessert was mom's chocolate chip cookies and milk, but I noticed Zeke only ate one, eating it slowly and nursing his glass of milk as if to make it last. I tried not to be too obvious as I watched him, but at one point our eyes met, and he quickly looked away, blushing profusely.

"Zeke," I said, blushing a bit myself, "I apologize, I didn't mean to stare. I just want to get to know you better, that's all. Maybe after dinner you and I can sit down and talk a bit."

"Yes, sir," Zeke said, looking worried.

Johnny laughed, "Please, Zeke, don't call him sir. You'll give him the big head and we won't be able to stand him."

"Oh hush," I said swatting Johnny playfully, "but he's right, just not for that reason. We're family, just call me Robert, or Rob, okay. And he's Johnny, not sir, either."

"Yes, s...I mean, Robert," Zeke said grinning.

"Have another cookie, dear," Mom said, not taking no for an answer as she handed him a huge cookie filled with chocolate chips.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said nodding.

"You're welcome, sweetie."

Once we had lunch out of the way, I suggested Zeke and I take a walk, while Johnny and Mikey fed Snoopy and rough-housed with him for a while.

It was a typical December day in Oklahoma, the temps in the 50s, hardly any wind, the sun shining, and a white Christmas a dream that would not be fulfilled. It was so warm, in fact, that we didn't even bother with jackets. We both wore long sleeved-shirts and that was plenty in this weather.

"So, Zeke...do you remember me from when we visited your folks in Arkansas?"

"No, not really," Zeke said, "I was just a dumb little kid then."

I laughed, "You might've been little, but I doubt you were dumb. Uneducated maybe, but not dumb."

"Some say I am, dumb, I mean," Zeke said in a sad voice.

"Well, sometimes people say things like that because they're not very happy with themselves. They put other people down to make themselves feel better, do you understand?"

"Yeah, I reckon," he said looking up at me, and for the first time I noticed his eyes were green, just like mine.

"Hey, you have my eyes," I laughed.

It took him a minute to understand, then he burst out laughing, "I didn't steal em," he joked, "they was given to me when I was born."

I laughed too, then I placed my hand on his shoulder, and at first I thought he might pull away, but after a second or two he relaxed and actually moved a bit closer.

"So, Zeke...I know we just met, but we're family, and I want to help you. But...I can't help if I don't know what the problem is, so...do you think you trust me enough to tell me, or do we need to get to know each other better?"

"I can't talk about it right now," Zeke said turning away, "you'll hate me too."

"No, no, buddy," I said stopping and turning him so I could put my hands on his shoulders. I bent down to his level and our matching green eyes met, "I will not hate you no matter what you tell me. Heck, there are things in my life that some folks might not like, but I don't let that worry me. I am who I am, and screw the rest of them."

"Didn't your momma tell you?"

"No, is that how you want me to hear about it?"

He looked thoughtful, "No sir, I mean, Robert. I reckon I got to own up to what I am and what I done, and be a man about it."

"Good, now, let's find a place to sit and talk a spell..."

We got back to the house around 4 that Christmas Eve, and though Zeke might have felt a bit wrung out, I think he felt better for having shared his story with me. I now knew the problem, and I thought I knew how to help. I also understood what mom had meant about Johnny and I being able to help Zeke the most, and I was prepared to do it, and to do it properly. All I had to do was convince Johnny. Piece of cake.

Christmas Eve dinner was always light, finger sandwiches, chips and dip, veggies and fruit, and of course a variety of desserts. Dad opened a bottle of wine, and we adults shared it while the kiddos drank milk or soda. Zeke seemed to lean toward milk, and I wondered if that was something he didn't get a lot of back home.

The food was left covered on the table even after we'd filled our stomachs, so we could continue to snack throughout the evening as the festivities continued.

Next was the singing of carols, and even though Zeke's voice could barely be heard, he did participate. After a while he seemed to get into the spirit of things and I could hear his volume increasing, revealing that he had a lovely soprano voice. Just one of the many hidden talents we would soon discover in our newest family member.

Movie time was next, and back then we were reliant on television broadcasts. VHS movies and VCRs were still a few years off, but fortunately the local stations played a rotation of Christmas themed movies for our enjoyment.

Seated in the living room watching 'Miracle on 34th Street', I once again turned my attention to Zeke. He seemed to be watching us as much as he was watching the movie, and I felt, rather than saw, a sort of contentment wash over him. When he finally locked eyes with me, this time he did not look away. Instead, he nodded and gave me a smile, the smile that would become synonymous with him from that day forward.

Later, we opened a gift each, and the look of wonder, surprise, and joy on Zeke's face was something I will remember the rest of my life. It was his first Christmas Eve with us, but only one of many to come.

************************

Christmas day dawned sunny and bright, and though it had been chilly overnight, the daytime temperature would eventually reach into the 50s again.

Mikey was first to rise, and of course he came straight to my room to wake Johnny and me first. Yes, we slept in my room thanks to Mikey, who took it upon himself to invite Zeke to share his bed. I don't know why we hadn't considered that option earlier, but it made perfect sense, and though Zeke seemed a bit reluctant at first, he gracefully accepted the invitation.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Mikey said jumping into the middle of our bed and shaking both of us awake.

We both pretended to still be asleep, even though we'd been awake since we'd first heard him barrel through the door. He kept shaking us, harder and harder, till I finally gave up the charade and opened my eyes.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," I cried out as I grabbed Mikey and began tickling him, "you little scamp, I should've known you'd be up at the crack of dawn."

"I don't know what that is, but it's 8 o'clock," Mikey giggled, "and I been awake for a long time, but I waited so you and Johnny could sleep some more."

"Well, I appreciate that. Where's your buddy, Zeke?"

"He's in the bathroom," Mikey said, then he frowned, "he's not a very good snuggler. He kept pushing me away when I tried."

"Well, you're gonna have to be patient with Zeke. He's not used to that kind of thing. From what I understand of his home life, he didn't get much love or affection. We can change that, but we have to go slow, okay?"

"Sure, we got lots of time," Mikey said cheerfully, "now, get up you guys and go pee and I'll go wake mom and dad."

He was off then, like a saber jet, and I rolled into Johnny and kissed him passionately, "Morning, lover."

"Umm, morning," Johnny said, then yawned, "I need to pee really bad, but it's so warm under these covers."

"I know, but we gotta get up anyway or Mikey will have a fit," I chuckled. "Remember how we were at that age, up early and ready to tear into the presents?"

"Yeah," Johnny chuckled, "seems like only yesterday," he said, finally pushing back the covers to reveal the tent in his undies.

"Well, what's this, a Yule log?" I teased, "better slip on some pants before you venture out into the hall, if mom sees that she might pass out.".

"Ha ha, very funny. Anyway, you can run interference for me, go see if the coast is clear."

We finally managed to empty our bladders, wash up a bit, and get dressed, then headed to the living room. Mikey was perched beneath the tree, ready to play Santa, dad was in his favorite chair, and mom and Zeke were sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Johnny and I plopped down on the floor near Mikey and immediately he began to hand out the gifts.

When everyone had a pile of gifts beside them, including Zeke, Mikey fell down beside the biggest pile of all and began to rip into the brightly wrapped packages.

Soon the sound of ripping paper, oohs and ahs, and thank yous filled the air. Zeke seemed too numb to move at first, but soon he got into the spirit of things and his genuine joy and gratitude for the things he'd received was heart-warming.

After the mess was cleaned up, and the bows placed in a bag for reuse next year, mom headed to the kitchen to fix a light breakfast for us. Mikey had gotten an HO gauge model train set as one of his gifts, and soon Zeke was helping him set it up in one corner of the living room.

Dad watched the two with interest and before long he was right down there helping them, and of course Johnny and I had to join in the fun too. Laying there in the floor watching that miniature locomotive pull those tiny train cars around the track brought back so many childhood memories. They were happy memories, but in a way they were sad too. I know most kids want to grow up fast, but I'd never been in a hurry. I relished my childhood, and even though I enjoyed the life I had now, sometimes I still longed for those carefree days as a kid.

Zeke, despite being a young teen, seemed just as enthusiastic and thrilled by the train set as Mikey did. It occurred to me that maybe as a kid he hadn't had that many toys, or at least not toys as neat as this one, and that made me feel kind of sad. I mean, sure some parents can't afford to give their kids everything they want, but kids need toys. Toys are learning tools and help a kid develop. Play was important too, a child using their imagination, just as my friends and I had done.

That made me think of Gerald, who had always loved play acting as a soldier, and how he'd turned that play into the real thing. Today he was married with an adopted son, and flew a helicopter for a major aviation firm. Not to mention the proud father of Lam, the Vietnamese boy he'd met while in the service, and rescued later from an orphanage. Gerald and his little family were spending Christmas with Sherry's folks, who I had no doubt were spoiling their grandson rotten with gifts out the ying yang.

I rose after a while and went in to see if mom needed any help. Stepping up behind her I gave her a hug and peeked into the pan she was stirring.

"Oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins," I said sniffing the air, "yumm"

"I thought you'd be playing with the boys," she chuckled.

"I was, but hunger got to me," I teased, then turning serious I added, "mom, Zeke told me what happened, and I don't think he can ever go back there."

She sighed, "I'm afraid you're right, but what can we do, other than put him up for a while and hope things blow over?"

"Well, what if Johnny and I took Zeke to live with us?" I blurted out.

She smiled, and didn't act at all as surprised as I'd thought she might, "Well, you and Johnny have talked about having a son..."

It was my turn to smile, "You figured out from the start that this was what would happen, didn't you?"

"Maybe, but of course until I met Zeke I wanted to keep an open mind. There was always the fear that he might be a rotten person and that might be his real problem. But from what I've seen so far he's a good boy who hasn't had a very happy life."

"Mom, I don't know exactly what his mom told you, but he told me some pretty disturbing things. Like what happened at school..."

"Yes, she told me everything. I don't have to tell you I was very upset. My first impulse was to tell her to call the police, but when she told me that it was the sheriff's son who was involved, I understood that there was no help there."

"Rotten bastards," I said, hoping I could get away with one little swear word under the circumstances.

"Bastards is right," mom agreed, "but we can't dwell on that. What's important now is helping Zeke. Have you talked to Johnny about this?"

"Yeah, last night, but I already knew what his answer would be. It's perfect for us, really. We wanted a son, preferably one who's potty trained," I chuckled, "and Zeke appears to be that, and more."

Mom turned to hug me, "It won't be easy, but your father and I will help you in any way we can."

"I know, mom, I know, but really it's no different than having Bill and Peter over, or Mikey. We know how to deal with boys," I chuckled.

"Have you considered that if you move Bill and Peter and his mom and sister in next door, you'll have even more on your hands?"

"Actually, I think that will work out fine. Zeke will have friends next door who can help him adjust to a new life."

"We'd need to talk to Zeke's mother, but I'm pretty sure she will agree, and sign any papers necessary. You can use our attorney if you'd like."

"I suppose I should talk to dad about this too."

"Yes, the four of us should sit down and discuss it at some point, but not now. Let's get through the Holidays and enjoy ourselves. That will give Zeke a chance to get used to us before we uproot him once again."

"You're right, I just wanted you to know what we were thinking."

"What are you thinking?" dad said, surprising us by popping in suddenly.

"Later," I chuckled, "today, it's Christmas at the Warren house, HO HO HO."

Christmas dinner was always a splendid affair at our house, and though Zeke seemed a little shy at first, he soon joined in the festivities. He didn't say much, but he responded when one of us spoke to him, and he didn't seem shy at all when it came to eating.

I wondered what kind of food his old family served for the Holiday, maybe roasted squirrel or filet of possum, I thought chuckling to myself. Then I realized they probably had wild turkeys running around in the hills, so there was a good chance they ate good at least that one day.

After dinner, Johnny and I planned to go spend some time with his folks, then drop by Caleb's and take them their gifts. Of course Mikey begged to tag along, and we invited Zeke to go as well. He seemed reluctant at first, but Mikey soon persuaded him to join us.

Johnny's folks were very glad to see us and after exchanging gifts we sat around and talked and got caught up on things. They seemed to accept Zeke as easily as if they'd known him all their lives, but that was how both our families were, warm and accepting. Mikey seemed bored after a while and he and Zeke went outside to toss a ball around that Johnny had provided. That gave us a chance to talk to Johnny's folks about our plans for Zeke.

Johnny's mom seemed excited by the prospect, but his dad seemed a little reserved. Though a good, honest, and decent man, he was not quite as emphatic as his wife. He asked some good hard questions though, and we were able to answer them to his satisfaction, and eventually he came around to our way of thinking.

As expected his folks made us the same offer to help in any way possible, the same offer my folks had made. We thanked them and moved on other things, including our impending purchase of the duplex.

Around 4 we said our goodbyes promising to see them again tomorrow when we would all meet at their house for an after Christmas party.

On the way to Caleb's I explained to Zeke how we had met him and how his Granny and Tony had come into our lives as well. Zeke seemed especially interested to hear about Tony and as soon as I finished speaking he began.

"So, that Tony guy is...black?" Zeke said making a face.

"Yes, do you have a problem with that?" I asked, hoping Zeke wasn't a racist.

"Nah, not really. Just didn't see many black folks where we lived. Is he nice?"

"He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet," I assured him.

"Yeah, Tony is cool," Mikey enthused, "and he's got big muscles, and he's so smart. He can fix anything."

Zeke seemed to relax then, and when we pulled up in front of Caleb's, he seemed to be mesmerized by the sight of the house, which was a far cry from most of the shacks back home.

Mikey led the way as he headed to the door, but Caleb must've heard us pull up because he met us at the door. He quickly ushered us inside where Granny and Tony were waiting.

"Lands sake, who's this handsome young man?" Granny said, giving a blushing Zeke one of her warm welcoming hugs.

"This is my cousin (second cousin?) Zeke," I said proudly, "he's staying with mom and dad for a while," I said, not going into detail."

"Are you hungry, boys?" she said looking excited by the prospect of feeding four more boys.

"Ugh, no, thanks, but we just had Christmas dinner a little while ago. We just came to wish you a Merry Christmas and to bring you your presents."

"Oh, how nice, I think Santa left some things under our tree for you too," she chuckled, "shame he didn't know Zeke would be joining us..."

"Oh, that's okay," Mikey said for Zeke, "Santa left plenty of stuff at our house for him."

I noticed Zeke giving Tony little sideways glances, and I wondered if he was just curious, or if he found Tony as attractive as the rest of us did? Tony, for his part, seemed to accept Zeke's presence without question, and later when he and Caleb walked us to the car Tony struck up a conversation with him.

I don't know what they talked about, because I was too busy gabbing with Caleb, but whatever it was it brought smiles to both their faces. I relaxed then, good old Tony had obviously won over the boy with just a few words.

Back at mom and dad's we ate leftovers later that evening, watching TV and just being a family. Zeke continued to watch us as we interacted, but he was loosening up more and more as each minute passed, and I had no doubt that soon he would feel as comfortable with us, as we did with him.

At bedtime Zeke went off with Mikey to his room while mom, dad, Johnny and I stayed up a bit to talk about Zeke's situation. As I explained to dad what Johnny and I had decided, my dad just sat back and nodded, the expression on his face hard to read at first.

Then with a smile he shook his head and laughed, "So, you want to be a dad?" he said, but not in a condescending way, in fact I could hear some pride in his voice. Pride because his son was making such an important decision.

"Yes, from the start Johnny and I have known we wanted a child, preferably a son, because we know more about boys than girls," I chuckled, "but until now we really had no idea how to make that happen, short of one of getting married and having one the old fashioned way."

"Eww," Johnny laughed, "sorry, mom."

"No offense taken," mom chuckled, "Boys are a challenge, but from what I've heard, girls can be a handful as well."

"You haven't had much time to think about this, son. Don't you think you ought to give it some more time before you decide for sure. I mean, you have the purchase of the duplex to worry about right now, are you financially able to care for a 13-year-old boy?"

"Oh, sure...he can eat scraps," Johnny teased, "but seriously, cooking for three shouldn't be much harder than cooking for two. We tend to throw a lot of food away, neither of us are crazy about leftovers," he confessed.

"It's not just food, there's clothes, fees at school, an allowance, basic needs, and on and on."

"Okay, forget it," I joked, "Seriously, dad, I know we're not wealthy, but we're not poor either. I think we can take care of all that without too much difficulty, but if we get into a pickle, we both have wonderful parents who will help us out," I ended with a smile.

Dad smiled too, "Just testing you to see how committed you were to this. You know your mother and I will help in any way possible, but don't you think you ought to talk to Johnny's folks as well?"

"Already have," Johnny said grinning, "mom was an easy sell, took a bit longer, but after giving us the third degree, he finally gave us his blessing and offered to help in any way possible."

"Yeah, I think his mom is actually pretty excited at the prospect of having a grandson to spoil," I chuckled.