This story may occasionally include explicit depictions of sexual acts between consenting adult males.  If you are underage or it is illegal to view this for any reason, consider yourself warned.  If you find this material offensive, please leave.

 

This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to people, living or dead, is entire a coincidence. As the author, I retain all rights to this story, and it cannot be reproduced or published without explicit consent from me.  This work is copyright © 2014 by Steven Wells.

 

I love to hear any feedback you have, be it positive or negative.  Send me an email with any comments or questions at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.

 

Sam and Chris

Previously

 

"Santa left you one last item, Donny," Chris said.

 

"I only asked for one thing," Donny replied. "Why did he leave me more stuff?"

 

"Because you have been a good boy," I answered. "Besides, he thought, since you hadn't gotten anything in the past few years, he decided to try to make up for some of the years he missed."

 

Chris handed Donny his last present from Santa. Paper again flew in every direction. The dogs were watching each piece fly to a different part of the room.

 

Donny opened the box. It contained swimming trunks, a pail and shovel for the beach, sandals, shorts, polo shits, and a summer weight jacket.

 

"Why did Santa leave these?" Donny asked.

 

"Because he thought you needed them for our trip to Florida," I replied.

 

"Are we going to have fun in Florida?" Donny asked.

 

"Yes, Donny," I replied. "We are going to have a fun time in Florida. We will go to the beach. We will go to Disney World so you can meet Mickey Mouse and his friends. We will take walks. We will see other things around where we are staying."

 

"Goodie," Donny said as he turned his attention to the iPod.

 

Chapter 54: Brothers

 

Our first Christmas with Donny was certainly memorable. He kept explaining how Chris and I were trying to find him a brother and the dogs a brother. By the time Christmas Day dinner was finished and our other guests had headed home, my mother, Chris's mother, and Chris's grandmother were planning a baby shower.

"We really don't need to have a baby shower," I suggested. "It's not likely we will know any time soon when this might happen. It could be months. It could even be years."

 

"Besides, I have graduate school to deal with next year," Chris added.

 

"You've done so well juggling being fathers to Donny and your school work," Chris mother began. "Why wouldn't you be able to handle another child?"

 

"We were hoping for a baby," Chris replied. "We lucked out with Donny. He was three when he came into our lives. We haven't the faintest idea how a newborn would fit into the mix."

 

"What about just adding a brother for the dogs to start with," my mother suggested.

 

"Mom!" I replied. "No more dogs until we are ready. A puppy is a lot of work."

 

"But," Chris's grandfather replied. "He will have three older brothers to help with his upbringing."

 

"This conversation has got to end," I said rather loudly. "I do not want to discuss a baby or a puppy any more this afternoon."

 

"Sam is right," my father intervened. "Sam and Chris are just getting used to having an SUV instead of a sports car. The next step would be a minivan."

 

"Dad!" I said. "You are no help. There is no way we will be getting a minivan. It ain't gonna' happen."

 

"Maybe we should think about going home," Chris's grandmother suggested. "Sam and Chris will need to pack for their trip to Florida. Are you excited, Donny?"

 

"Yup," Donny replied. "We are going to visit Mickey Mouse and his friends. We are going to play in the Ocean. We are staying in hotels on the way down. The doggies are excited too."

 

"How do you know the doggies are excited?" my mother asked.

 

"They told me," Donny replied. "Just like they told me they wanted a little brother."

 

"Which one did all of the talking?" Chris's grandfather asked.

 

"Simon," Donny replied.

 

"Simon is the ringleader," Chris added. "We think they are plotting another adventure for us. I hope it is more pleasant than the last one."

 

"Do you want a girl or a boy?" my mother asked.

 

"We haven't decided," I replied. "However, Donny is looking forward to a brother. So, if it turns out we can adopt a girl, we will need to think about a boy next. Now, can we change the subject?"

 

"When do you hear about graduate school, Chris?" my father asked.

 

"Probably sometime at the beginning of the next semester," Chris replied.

 

"Tell them about you and the other three guys you sing with at school," I suggested.

 

"We are doing an album this summer," Chris explained. "An independent producer in Chicago heard our demo album from the show we did last fall. Some songs will be our own arrangements of popular songs. We will write others. Needless to say, we are excited. We hope people will take notice. As a matter of fact, my graduate school work will be mostly in composition."

 

"So the road tour is out?" Chris's grandfather asked.

 

"Money sources dried up," Chris explained. "As usual, the music business is a little flakey."

 

"How's your creative writing courses, Mom?" I asked. "I haven't heard much about how things are going for you."

 

"I've been too busy to explain much to anyone," my mother began. "My instructors are terrific and inspiring. In one of my courses, I wrote one short story every week. Others were less exhausting. But, overall, I am happy with the experience. And, Sam. I need your help when you get back from Florida. I need a new computer."

 

"Sure," I said. "I'd be happy to help. We should plan a trip to the Microsoft store on Michigan Avenue."

 

After more conversation, everyone started to leave. We were finally alone. Donny had collapsed on the sofa until we put him to bed.

 

"Sam," Chris said as we were sitting at the kitchen island. "I believe we did okay with the celebration this year. What do you think?"

 

"We did good, Chris," I said as I gave my husband a kiss. "It was fun. And, there will be no minivan in our lives—EVER."

 

"Do you miss your Mustang?" Chris asked.

 

"I haven't had time to think about it," I replied. "It's just a car."

 

"Speaking of cars," Chris continued. "The lease on my BMW is about over. What should I get?"

 

"Same as you have now?" I asked.

 

"Maybe," Chris said as he gave me a kiss.

 

"Do you think I can fondle your body tonight, Chris?" I asked as I returned the kiss.

 

"You'd damn well better!" Chris said as he gave me another kiss before taking my hand and leading me into the bedroom.

 

-----------------------------------

 

On December 27, we were on the road to Palm Beach. Donny was actively involved in watching a Disney DVD. The dogs were sleeping. I put the SUV on cruise control and we lumbered along Interstate 65 through Indiana.

 

"Are we there yet?" Chris asked with a smile.

 

"No, Chris," I replied. "We barely have made it out of Indianapolis. We have a few more miles to go. According to the GPS, we have 1,131 more miles to go to be exact. Or, sixteen hours and twenty minutes until we hit the beach. Are you telling me you are bored already?"

 

"No," Chris replied. "Just checking. I was wondering if we should stop and say hello to Dolly Parton before we leave Nashville tomorrow morning."

 

"I don't believe you just drop in on Dolly Parton to say hello," I explained. "At least, I assume you don't."

 

"Okay," Chris said with a smile. "I just wanted your opinion."

 

"You ARE bored, aren't you, Chris?" I asked.

 

"The countryside is a little on the flat side," Chris observed.

 

"It gets better once you are into Kentucky and Tennessee," I reminded Chris.

 

"Speaking of Kentucky," Chris continued. "Where is Morehead? Maybe we should stop by and say hello to Kim Davis."

 

"She's probably not one to welcome you and me with open arms, Chris," I replied. "Not only are we gay, but we are also a multiracial couple."

 

"Something tells me you might be right, Sam," Chris said. "And, we don't want to get arrested on the first day of our trip to Florida."

 

"Are you hungry yet, Chris?" I asked.

 

"I'm always hungry, Sam," Chris replied. "Where do we want to eat?"

 

"How about Columbus, Indiana?" I asked.

 

"The oldest theater in Indiana is in Columbus," Chris explained. "The Crump Theater is on the National Registry of Historic Places."

 

"You are a wealth of information today, Chris," I said. "Does it have anything to do with you googling Columbus, Indiana on your table?"

 

"I've been caught," Chris said with a smile. "How are we going to work eating? We have three dogs who cannot be taken into a restaurant."

 

"McDonalds," Donny interjected.

 

"How about Panera?" I asked.

 

"McDonalds," Donny said again.

 

"Subway?" Chris asked.

 

"McDonalds," Donny insisted.

 

"Okay," I acquiesced. "This is the only time we will do McDonalds. No fries. Grilled chicken."

 

"And, ice cream," Donny interjected.

 

"We'll see," I replied.

 

"We should give our furry friends a chance to exercise before we get to Columbus," Chris suggested. "There is a rest area about 10 miles from here."

 

"I'm on it," I replied.

 

We bundled up in our winter jackets before we walked the dogs. Donny wanted to play in the snow.

 

"We don't want to get wet, Donny," Chris suggested.

 

"Okay, Daddy," Donny said. "But, can I have ice cream if I don't play in the snow."

 

"We'll see," Chris replied as he looked at me and smiled.

 

We wiped the wetness off the dogs before we let them back into the SUV. Then, we headed to our next stop—McDonalds.

 

"Daddy," Donny began as we were eating our grilled chicken sandwiches. "Will Mickey Mouse give me his autograph?"

 

"We can ask," Chris replied. "You can also get something for Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Simon while we are there."

 

"Can't they come with us?" Donny asked.

 

"Dogs are not allowed inside the park," Chris explained. "They will be staying with someone at Doggy Day Care. They will make new friends and have fun with other dogs."

 

"As long as they aren't lonely," Donny replied. "I don't want to hurt their feelings."

 

"They won't be lonely," I assured Donny.

 

"Can they go to the Ocean with us?" Donny asked with concern in his voice.

 

"Yes," I replied. "As long as they are on their leash, they are allowed on the beach."

 

"Can they dig in the sand?" Donny asked.

 

"Ah... I guess so," I replied. "Why?"

 

"If I get to dig in the sand, they will want to dig in the sand," Donny explained.

 

Once we had finished eating our sandwiches, Chris and I tried to get ice cream off Donny's mind.

 

"Are you ready to continue, Donny?" I asked.

 

"What about ice cream?" Donny asked.

 

"Aren't you full?" Chris asked.

 

"Yes," Donny replied. "But, I could still eat some ice cream."

 

"What if we stop later in the day for some ice cream?" I suggested.

 

"Okay," Donny agreed.

 

So, we were on our way to Nashville. Chris drove. Donny fell asleep so ice cream became a nonissue.

 

Our hotel in Nashville was near the Vanderbilt campus.

 

"We need to see how the other half lives tomorrow morning before we leave," Chris suggested as we pulled into the hotel parking lot. "I've always wanted to see Vanderbilt. A friend of mine started his freshman year there. He has since transferred to UCLA. Weather issue."

 

"Sure," I said. "I understand there is a terrific place for breakfast near the campus."

 

As I checked in while Chris was getting Donny awake, I heard a familiar voice from the back of the lobby.

 

"Sam Williamson!" the voice said. I turned around and noticed a high school classmate.

 

"Terrence," I greeted my friend. "What are you doing here?"

 

"My boyfriend and I are on our way down to Florida," Terrence replied. "You?"

 

"My husband, son, and I are on our way down to Florida," I answered.

 

"No way!" Terrence replied. "Wait. You have a son? You work really fast, Sam."

 

"It's a long story," I explained as Chris came into the lobby with Donny in his arms and three dogs on their leashes behind him. "Chris, this is a high school classmate of mine, Terrence Adams. Terrence, this is my husband Chris and our sleeping son, Donny."

 

"Who are the three fur balls?" Terrance asked.

 

"Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Simon," Chris said. "I would shake your hand, but mine are full."

 

"Terrance and his boyfriend are on their way to Florida," I explained. "Where in Florida?"

 

"Fort Lauderdale," Terrence explained. "You?"

 

"Palm Beach," I replied. "Chris's grandparents have a house there. We should try to meet somewhere and talk. It's been a long time since we've had a chance to connect."

 

"I'd like to get together with you, Sam," Terrance agreed. "How long will you be in Palm Beach?"

 

"Almost three weeks," I explained. "You?"

 

"Five days," Terrance replied. "We could only scrape together enough money for five days. It should be fun, though."

 

"Why don't you stay a night or two with us?" Chris asked. "We have plenty of room."

 

"I'll talk to my boyfriend," Terrance said. "Do you need help getting your stuff to your room?"

 

"I have everything except the overnight bag," Chris said. "We should have brought a valet with us. We didn't pack lightly."

 

"I'll get the bag, Chris," you can get Donny settled. "Then we can decide who gets to walk the dogs."

 

Terrance followed me out to our SUV while Chris took Donny and the dogs to our room.

 

When we arrived at the SUV, Terrance stopped in his tracks. "I guess the rumors are true from the looks of your car."

 

"What rumors?" I asked.

 

"Your family's farm," Terrance explained. "Selling your family farm to an organic farm operation."

 

"Yup," I said. "It's true. The farm sold rather quickly. My father decided it was time to get out of the business while the getting was good."

 

"Chris seems nice," Terrance suggested.

 

"Yup," I replied. "He's the light of my life. Donny is pretty special, too. We were fortunate the three of us were in the right place at the right time. Where's your boyfriend from?"

 

"Chicago," Terrance said. "Near Lincoln Park. He went to school at Francis Parker."

 

"So did Chris," I explained. "I guess we do have a lot to catch up on. Why don't you give me a call a little later tonight? Maybe we can talk and catch up."

 

"We would really enjoy the opportunity to get together with the two of you," Terrance said as he took my contact information.

 

When I opened the door to the hotel room, Donny was awake. Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Simon were circling the door. Chris was looking stressed out.

 

"Do you want to take the dogs for a walk or would you prefer I do?" I asked.

 

"I could use the diversion," Chris said as he gave me a kiss. "It may be cold outside, but I enjoy walking with these three hoodlums."

 

"I'll get things sorted out here," I replied. "We can order dinner out. We don't need to go anywhere tonight except to bed."

 

"Sounds like a plan," Chris said as he opened the door of the hotel room. The dogs were pulling Chris down the hallway.

 

"So, Donny," I said. "Can I get you a snack before dinner?"

 

"Ice cream?" Donny asked.

 

"We don't have ice cream. How about some grapes?" I asked.

 

"Sure," Donny said. He wanted to sit on top of the counter to eat his grapes.

 

Chris returned with three wet dogs.

 

"They decided to take the scenic route around the block," Chris said. "They instinctively took the route through a drainage channel. I had no choice but to follow. So, you can say I'm all wet, too."

 

"I'll dry off the dogs if you want to go get cleaned up," I offered.

 

"Thanks," Chris said as he slipped off his wet jeans.

 

"You look good in your boxer briefs, Chris," I said.

 

"Thanks," Chris said. "You look good naked."

 

"Don't start, Chris," I said. "While this room may be fairly large, it does not accommodate certain activities."

 

"Got it, Sam," Chris said with a laugh. "I'll find some dry jeans and socks."

 

"What do you want to eat?" I asked Chris as he returned in dry jeans.

 

"I'm in the mood for something sinful," Chris said. "Pizza? Pasta?"

 

"Since you were all wet, you get to choose," I suggested.

 

"Pizza and a salad," Chris suggested. "Maybe a double vodka on the rocks as an appetizer."

 

My phone began to ring, "Hello, Terrance."

 

"Hello, Sam," Terrance replied. "I mentioned you to my boyfriend Peter. He thinks he knows Chris. Was his name Johnson?"

 

"Yup," I said. "One in the same. What's Peter's last name?"

 

"Humphry," Terrance said.

 

"Do you know Peter Humphry, Chris?" I asked.

 

"Shit yes," Chris replied. "We were in the same high school class. Why?"

 

"He's Terrance's boyfriend," I told Chris.

 

"Do they want to share pizza with us tonight?" Chris asked.

 

"Chris asked if you two would like to share pizza with us tonight," I said. "We are going to order for delivery."

 

"Peter," Terrance said to his boyfriend in the background. "Do you want to have pizza with Sam and Chris tonight?"

 

"Sure!" Peter agreed.

 

"Tell us when and where," Terrance replied.

 

"Room 307," I said. "Around 7?"

 

"Terrific," Terrance said. "We will see you then. Peter even bought some beer. We can bring it."

 

"We will look forward to seeing you at 7," I said.

 

Once we ended the phone call, Chris suddenly was in a better mood. I ordered the pizza and a large salad. And, some ice cream for Donny.

 

Precisely at 7, we heard a knock on our door. The dogs were immediately sitting in front of the door waiting for attention.

 

"Hello, guys!" Chris said as he opened the door. "It's good to see you again, Peter!"

 

"It's been a long time, Chris," Peter replied. "Terry said you were married. Congratulations."

 

"Sam," Chris began introductions. "This is Peter Humphry. Peter, this is my husband Sam. The little one sitting on the kitchen counter is our son, Donny. The dogs from left to right are Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Simon."

 

"Good to meet you, Sam," Peter said as he offered his hand.

 

Donny decided he wanted to be on the floor so he could get some attention from our guests.

 

"How do you know my daddies?" Donny asked.

 

"I went to high school with your daddy Sam," Terrance replied. "Peter went to high school with your daddy Chris."

 

"Do you like doggies?" Donny asked.

 

"Yup," Peter said as he knelt in front of Donny. "We both love dogs. We'd like to get a dog, but we can't have one where we live."

 

"You can play with Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Simon while you are here," Donny suggested.

 

"Thanks, Donny," Peter replied.

 

"They might still be a little wet," Chris cautioned. "There is a wet dog smell lingering in the room."

 

"They took Chris through a drainage channel during their evening walk," I explained. "Never a dull moment around here with a four year old and three dogs."

 

"So, how is your family, Peter?" Chris asked.

 

"I wouldn't know," Peter replied. "I haven't spoken to them for about two years."

 

"Do I dare asked why?" Chris asked.

 

"My father's business interests went down the toilet because of the mortgage crisis a few years ago. He was in a bad mood from then on. The next straw which broke the camel's back—to use a cliché—my sister married a black guy. My father, being the racist he is, went bonkers. He ordered me to cease any contact with my sister. I refused. Lastly, I supported Elizabeth Warren for Senate," Peter said. "I even worked on her campaign. As you know, my father is an ardent Republican. He blames her for the losses he suffered after the mortgage meltdown."

 

"How could someone let money, race, and politics come between family members?" I asked.

 

"My father did. He lost millions," Peter explained. "His daughter doesn't exist as far as he is concerned. So, I am now a struggling undergraduate at Harvard with thousands of dollars of student loans."

 

"What happens when you graduate?" Chris asked.

 

"I have been accepted into Harvard Law, but Terrance and I are weighing the advantages and disadvantages of taking out more student loans," Peter continued. "We want to get married, but we are putting off the decision until we are certain of our next step with my education."

 

I noticed Chris smiling at Peter. I knew the Washington Family Foundation could be involved in another college student project.

 

We continued to talk as we ate pizza. Donny fell asleep beside the dogs on the floor.

 

"We need to let these guys get some rest," Peter suggested. "It looks like Donny is already getting some rest. I have enjoyed myself a lot, guys."

 

"So have we," I agreed. "You should stop at our place in Palm Beach on your way back from Fort Lauderdale. You can stay a few nights with us."

 

"We'd enjoy seeing you again," Terrance said.

 

"You're staying at your grandparents' house, Chris?" Peter asked.

 

"Yup," Chris replied.

 

-------------------------------

 

The morning after we had pizza with Terrance and Peter, Chris, Donny, and I accompanied the three dogs on a walk through the Vanderbilt campus. Then, it was travel time.

 

Traffic through Atlanta was abhorrent. By the time we reached our destination in Valdosta, GA, Donny was asleep and Chris was bored.

 

"So traveling by car is not you thing, is it, Chris?" I asked when we finally had Donny in bed.

 

"What makes you think I am not enjoying myself?" Chris asked.

 

"Chris, I know you. You are bored," I explained. "You don't have your usual spark."

 

"So, we should have borrowed one of my grandfather's jets," Chris admitted. "You know you will need to make it up to me once we hit Palm Beach."

 

"Promise?" I asked.

 

"Yup," Chris said as he pulled me into a kiss. "And, how will you make it up to me?"

 

"I will get your big dick hard and sit on it," I hissed.

 

"In the meantime, can I play with your body?" Chris hissed back.

 

"The last thing we need to explain to Donny is anal or oral sex," I said as I kissed him.

 

"We need a double vodka on the rocks then," Chris suggested.

 

"Are the rocks a metaphor for something?" I asked.

 

"You are a very deviant man, Sam," Chris replied. "But, yes."

 

"What's going to happen to our sex life when we add another kid to the family?" I asked.

 

"We will need to be discrete," Chris suggested. "There is no way I am going without sex with my husband."

 

"I'm happy you are a horny bastard, Chris," I hissed.

 

"No hornier than you," Chris hissed back.

 

"I think we need to change the subject or we will be attacking one another on this sofa," I suggested.

 

"Do we want to go to Plains, Georgia on our way down tomorrow or wait until the return trip?" Chris asked.

 

"Return trip," I replied. "There are two men on the trip down who are impatient."

 

"Whom might those men be?" Chris asked.

 

"Chris and Donny," I said.

 

"And, you're not?" Chris asked.

 

"Nope," I said. "I'm just enjoying the ride."

 

"Liar," Chris said as he took my empty glass and began to refill it.

 

"I like to drive along and look out at the scenery," I added.

 

"What kind of scenery?" Chris asked. He was looking at me with squinty eyes.

 

"Countryside, trees, hills, valleys, rivers, cities, people," I suggested.

 

"What kind of people?" Chris asked.

 

"Mostly men," I admitted.

 

"I thought so," Chris said with a smile. "You are planning on running off with a hot construction worker, aren't you?"

 

"Don't be silly," I relied. "I have the hottest construction worker in the world sitting next to me."

 

"I can't construct anything. I'm all thumbs," Chris said.

 

"I know," I replied. "It's the thought that counts, don't you think?"

 

"Yup," Chris said. "I have a few thoughts."

 

"We'll need to be quiet," I said.

 

"Donny sleeps through almost anything," Chris suggested and he climbed on top of me on the sofa.

 

"What if I scream in ecstasy?" I asked.

 

"We'll lie through our teeth about what we are doing," Chris suggested.

 

"And, what will we be doing?" I asked.

 

"I'm going to start by kissing you," Chris replied.

 

"Hurry," I said. "I need you and I need you now!"

 

-------

 

We finally arrived at the house in Palm Beach. Donny wanted to touch the beach. Donny wanted to touch the ocean. Donny wanted to look for fish. Donny wanted to run through the house. Donny found his bedroom. Donny and the dogs curled up on the bed and were almost instantly asleep.

 

"I guess the excitement finally got the better of him," Chris said as we stood in the doorway and held each other.

 

"Yup," I said. "I didn't think he would last this long. Ever since we let him out of the car seat, he has been running nonstop."

 

"I can't think of a better thing for a four year old boy to do," Chris said as we headed to our room to unpack.

 

There was a lot to unpack. Our clothes. Donny's clothes. Food for the dogs. The team who opened the house had stocked the fridge with goodies.

 

"We won't need to go shopping for a year," Chris said as he surveyed the contents of the fridge. "They also left us a sea food casserole for dinner tonight. And, I see a bottle of wine, soft drinks, bottled water, and all kinds of mixers."

 

"And, I see a bottle of Grey Goose Vodka," I said as I opened the door to the liquor cabinet.

 

"We have everything we need, then," Chris replied. "Do you want to start cocktail hour?"

 

"Yes," I said. "You are right about one thing."

 

"What's that?" Chris asked.

 

"Next time we will need to borrow one of your grandfather's jets," I said. "I loved our trip down, but it became a bit stressful the last few hours on the road."

 

"You are a convert to audacious living," Chris said as he poured two double vodka's on the rocks.

 

"Here's to Florida," I said as we clinked our glasses.

 

"I could get used to this weather in January," I said. "My weather app says it is 4 below zero in Chicago right now."

 

"It's only 73 here," Chris replied.

 

"Tomorrow it will be 80 degrees," I said.

 

"Beach?" Chris asked.

 

"All day," I replied. "I brought lots of suntan lotion."

 

"I won't need a lot," Chris said with a smile.

 

"But, you will need some," I said.

 

"Yup," Chris replied. "We can both get greasy and then come back here and get cuddly in bed."

 

"Pervert," I said.

 

"Thank you," Chris answered. "I specialize in perversion."

 

"I hope your grandparents don't decide to sell this place," I said. "I suspect we could get very used to spending time here during the winter."

 

"We did when I was a kid," Chris replied. "We loved it here. Of course, we ended our run here when my father threw me out of the house for being gay."

 

"You're beyond being thrown out of the house Chris," I said. "You and I are married. We have a son. We have three dogs. We have two condos. We have a life ahead of us. Together and in love. What more could you asked for?"

 

"Nothing," Chris said as he leaned in to kiss me.

 

"We have company," I said as I nodded to Donny and the three dogs. Donny was in his underwear.

 

"We're thirsty, Daddy," Donny said.

 

"What would you like," Chris asked.

 

"The doggies want water," Donny began. "I want chocolate milk."

 

"How about water instead?" I asked Donny.

 

"Okay," he agreed.

 

---------

 

We spent our first full day in Palm Beach on the beach. Donny and the dogs were in and out of the water constantly. We taught Donny how to make sand castles. The dogs also got a lot of attention from beach wanderers.

 

After New Year's Day, we explored Disney World for three full days. Our neighbors 16 year old twin daughters offered to take care of the dogs while we were away. The dogs were happy. The girls were happy. We were happy.

 

After Disney World and autographs from Mickey Mouse and his friends, we returned to Palm Beach for more fun in the sun. On Monday following our visit to Disney World, Chris and I were sitting at the kitchen island while Donny took his evening nap.

 

My phone rang. I noticed it was Jeffery Harris-LeBlanc.

 

"Hello, Jeffery! How is winter in Southern Illinois?" I asked.

 

"Don't rub it in, Sam," Jeffery replied. "It's cold. It's snowy. It's grey. It's not perfect weather by any means. And, we are expecting a blizzard sometime tomorrow. So, what's new with you?"

 

"We are enjoying the sun, sand, and life in South Florida," I replied. "We are not looking forward to returning to winter."

 

"I have something I wanted to talk with you and Chris about," Jeffery continued. "Is he there?"

 

"Yup," I said as I switched the phone to speaker phone. "It's on speaker. What's up?"

 

"I will try to explain this as accurately as possible," Jeffery began. "A girl Trevor knows came to me with a problem. It seems she is pregnant. She has been accepted next year at MIT. She wants to put the baby up for adoption. I thought of you."

 

"Why us?" I asked.

 

"Ah... I don't want to sound horrible, but the father is black. The girl is white. The father didn't know he was HIV positive. The girl has tested positive. She is expecting twins. You two have dealt with an HIV positive son. So, I think the learning curve for you as potentially adoptive fathers would be faster than some other couple," Jeffery spit out all of the information without pausing. "Also, she is expecting twin boys."

 

Chris and I sat looking at one another in silence.

 

"Are you two still there?" Jeffery asked after a long pause.

 

"Ah... Yes," I replied. "We are still here."

 

"This is a lot to take in," Chris explained.

 

"I know," Jeffery continued. "I didn't know how else to tell you about the situation without just blurting out the summary of my thoughts."

 

"When is the girl expecting?" I asked.

 

"The due date is in July," Jeffery added.

 

"I... I... We need to discuss this Jeffery," Chris finally announced.

 

"I thought as much," Jeffery replied. "Obviously, we don't need to make a decision right away, but I immediately thought of you. One last item, would you be willing to cover medical expenses for the girl?"

 

"Let us talk about the situation," I replied. "We need to wrap our heads around this whole idea."

 

"I'm not trying to ruin your vacation, but I wanted to broach the subject with you," Jeffery explained. "Call me when you have had a chance to digest my idea."

 

"Talk soon, Jeffery," I said as I ended the call.

 

"Shit," Chris said. "I didn't expect a situation like this to come up so quickly."

 

"We haven't even decided if we want more kids right away," I added. "I'm in shock at the possibility of having newborn twin boys in our custody."

 

"With health issues to boot," Chris said. We were both still in a daze.

 

"What would this do for you chance at grad school?" I asked.

 

"I don't know," Chris replied. "Either I would need to delay grad school until you graduated or we would need a nanny. I don't think Mrs. Graham could handle Donny and two infants."

 

"What is your gut telling you, Chris?" I asked.

 

"The boys will be born with health issues," I began to explained. "We have experience dealing with the very same issues. They will have a harder time of being adopted, I assume, because of the known health issues. So, I am leaning toward taking them in. You?"

 

"Same," Chris replied.

 

"What are we talking about with medical costs?" I asked.

 

"No clue," Chris replied. "But, it is sort of a nonissue as far as I am concerned."

 

"Can we do this?" I asked.

 

"Yes," Chris replied.

 

"Should we do this?" I asked.

 

"Yes," Chris replied.

 

"How do we do this?" I asked.

 

"What do you mean?" Chris asked.

 

"Who do we tell? When do we tell people?" How do we tell people? What do we tell people Where do we tell people?" I asked several questions in a row.

 

"You learned well in your journalism class, didn't you?" Chris asked.

 

"Sort of," I said.

 

"First, we tell Jeffery yes," Chris explained. "Then, we let him take care of us meeting the girl if she wants to meet us. We will need to speak with an attorney about the whole pregnancy process. After we talk with the girl and the attorney, we tell, in this order, our parents, our grandparents, and our friends. Donny should be told when we are further down the road and we are certain their will not be any major complications."

 

"Do we call Jeffery back now?" I asked.

 

"Sure," Chris replied. "We won't change our minds, I am certain."

 

"Nope," I said as I picked up my phone.

 

"This is Jeffery," he answered.

 

"Jeffery, this is Sam and Chris," I said as I switched the phone to speaker phone.

 

"Is the speed in your return phone call a good sign or a bad sign?" Jeffery asked.

 

"If you want us to adopt the boys, then it is a good sign," I replied. "At first, we were in shock. But, we seem to be a logical choice."

 

"I have every confidence the two of you will be excellent fathers to the two boys," Jeffery replied. "Philip and I talked about adopting them, but we are so far away from decent medical facilities. And, the girl's parents are from the area."

 

"Where do we go from here?" Chris asked.

 

"When can you two meet Emilie?" Jeffery asked. "She is living with her brother in Chicago. The father also wants to meet you. But, I must say, when I talked about the two of you, the mother and the father seemed eager to proceed."

 

"We are scheduled to be back in Chicago on January 14 to celebrate Sam's birthday," Chris explained. "Classes start on January 19. So, we could meet sometime from January 15 through January 17. Will you be there?"

 

"Yes," Jeffery replied.

 

"You can stay with us," I added. "Will Philip join you?"

 

"Yes," Philip answered in the background.

 

 

To be continued...

 

I hope you liked the direction that `Sam and Chris' is taking. I've heard from many people and would like to hear from even more.

 

I would enjoy hearing your comments about this story. You can write to me at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.

 

This is my 54rd posting of my first story on Nifty.org.

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I also have three other stories on Nifty:

 

John's Journey Forward in the `Beginnings' section

Jeffery Comes Home in the `Beginnings' section

 

 

 

Life With Tim in the authoritarian section (Please note, this story is not for everyone because there are several scenes depicting Master/slave and BDSM relationships. So, if you are not interested in this activity, please, please do not read this story.)

 

Please if you can, contribute and keep NIFTY going strong as ever. They need our support so stories like this and so many others can continue to be publish for many hours of reading enjoyment.