Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:25:48 +0000
From: David Lee <dlee169@hotmail.com>
Subject: Tommy and Tanner, Chapter 20

Tommy and Tanner
Chapter 20

Warning:

This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of
similar age.  If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in your
country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this
site immediately and do not proceed further.  If you are under the legal
age to read this, please do not do so.  It is not my intention to offend
anyone or to get you in trouble.

The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original
story.  You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit
authorization from me.

This is not my first attempt at writing fiction.  My longer stories on
Nifty include: "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004), "Jacob and Jacques"
(May 30, 2004), "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Tales from Bentonville"
(November 16, 2008), and "Second Chance" (September 24, 2010) under "High
School" and "Someone to Watch over Me" under "Beginnings" in the gay male
section.  There are a few short stories also: "Brad and Alan's Canoe Trip"
(April 22, 2004 under "Camping", "Of Angels and Dragons" (November 8, 2008)
under "Camping", "A Christmas Tale" (December 22, 2009) under "High
School", "Brazil Affair" (October 1, 2010) under "Beginnings" and "Seth's
Gift" (October 10, 2010) under the Science Fiction/Fantasy category.

I am now listed on Nifty under the category of "Prolific Net Authors" which
will make it easier for you to access earlier stories.  Some of these
stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us along with those of other
writers that may interest you.

My only reward for contributing to Nifty is your emails.  Please write if
you like the story.  Please include the name of the story in the title of
your email because my email service sometimes puts them in the "spam" file.

Finally, thanks and hugs to Tom and David (boxerdude) who edit for me so
that there are fewer mistakes!  They not only proof-read, but make other
valuable suggestions.

David
(dlee169@hotmail.com)

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

Tommy and Tanner,
Chapter 20

True to form, Brenda Frey didn't want to give her husband upsetting news
before dinner.  After he'd had a cocktail and a full meal, he'd be less apt
to pitch a fit.  She wasn't sure how he'd react other than that he'd defend
his younger brother.  Certainly he couldn't blame their son who was the
victim, could he?

For Mason's part, he stayed holed up in his room until dinner time.  It
wasn't out of character for him to be up there doing homework or playing a
video game so everything seemed normal to his father.  Try as he would, he
couldn't concentrate on either.  In fact, his mind had been unsettled since
last week's appointment when all the old memories he'd buried so deep began
to surface in his dreams as well as his waking hours.  He was exhausted and
feeling hopeless again.  For several weeks things were looking up.  He'd
felt his world brightening just as he'd told Mr. Ratliff.  Now with the
possibility that he might not be able to see his therapist again, Mason was
discouraged indeed.

He didn't eat much because his stomach was almost literally tied in
knots. Wanting to avoid the confrontation he knew would come; he excused
himself rather quickly to hide in his room.

About an hour later, he heard his parents arguing loudly.  Since they were
downstairs, he couldn't catch all the words, but he did hear the sounds of
breaking crockery that he assumed were dishes.

In a few minutes, the heavy footsteps on the stairs signaled his father's
imminent arrival.

"Unlock this damned door!" Darrel demanded, rattling the knob.

"No, not until you calm down."

"I'll be calmer after I take a piece out of you, you little lying
son-of-a-bitch!  You're the one who's a cock-sucking queer; you can't blame
Lonny."

"Look at these and tell me I'm lying!" Mason shouted as he slipped copies
of the two incriminating photos under the door.

"These have been doctored with Photoshop.  You're very clever, but you
don't have me fooled."

"They're direct copies of the Polaroid's.  You can't alter them!"

"Show me the originals!"

"You'd destroy them, so they're in a safe place with the police."

"Shit!" Darrel yelled as he put his foot to the door.

Had it been an old house like Dorothy's, the door might have held, but the
hollow core construction was no match for the assault.  Mason looked
frantically for a place of safety, but found none.  It was too late to go
out the window and down the trellis as he'd done before.

Mercifully, he lost consciousness after the third blow.  When he came to an
hour later, he felt like hell.  His head pounded and every part of his body
ached.  His shirt was covered with dried blood.

He rolled over to get up, but stopped when he felt a sharp pain on his
right side that took his breath away.  He must have a broken rib or
something.  Finally, he gritted his teeth and pulled himself into a
standing position fighting the dizziness and nausea that swept over him.

As he surveyed his room, he saw that many of his electronic toys lay in
pieces on the floor.  His laptop was gone.  He went to his closet as
quickly as his aching body would let him.  It was still there!  The
flash-drive with the file containing all of his remembrances of Lonny's
assaults on him was safe.  He slipped it into his pocket.

The house was as still as a tomb.  Mason tiptoed down the hall toward his
parents' bedroom to see where they were.  It was empty.  He went into their
bathroom to find Motrin to help ease his pain.  While he was swallowing
four of them, he happened to see the prescription bottle full of his
anti-depression medication.  His mother had kept it away from him lest he
take too many and overdose.  He put the bottle in his other front pocket.

Next, he eased his way down the steps as quietly as he could.  There was
light coming from the family room, so he crept toward it.  His mother was
asleep or passed out in the recliner with a half empty whisky bottle on the
end table.  From the bruises on her face, he assumed that she'd been used
as a punching bag too.  His eyes filled with tears.  She must have tried to
help him.

Still wondering where his father might be, he checked the garage.  His
dad's car was gone, so he was safe for the moment.  His mind was racing.
Suddenly, he thought to unplug the garage door opener to help keep his
father out.  Then, he made sure the door locks were all set so that they
couldn't be unlocked from the outside.

Mason went to the computer room where his family still had a desktop model.
He fired it up and inserted his flash drive.  He completed the narration of
the abuse he'd suffered at the hands of his uncle and sent a copy to
Mr. Ratliff at the clinic.  At the bottom, he described what his father had
done to his mother and him as well.  Then he wrote a goodbye note to Tommy,
Tanner, and Andy.

After going back to the family room to retrieve the booze bottle, he made
the agonizing trip back to his room and chugged down a small quantity of
the harsh liquid.  He gasped as it burned his throat, but soon felt its
numbing effects.  A sort of warm calm spread over his body.  He stopped to
consider his next move.  He wasn't sure about a lot of things, but he knew
he needed to be free of all the problems life had sent his way.  He
staggered to the bathroom to get water, knowing that he'd never get the
pills down with whisky.  On the way, he prayed that God would forgive him
for what he was about to do.  When he got there, he had second thoughts.
Maybe his maternal grandparents would take him in.  Maybe he didn't have to
die.

----------

When Tommy turned on his mobile phone in the morning, he was surprised to
find a text message from Mason.  Although he didn't have a lot of time to
spare, he turned on his computer to read Mason's email as he'd been asked
to do in the TM.

"Oh my God!" he yelled, loudly enough to startle Tanner who was brushing
his teeth in the bathroom down the hall.

Tanner hurried to their bedroom and read the email over Tommy's shoulder.

"I think he's going to commit suicide," Tanner exclaimed.  "What can we
do?"

Tommy was already punching in Mason's mobile number.  Even though he'd
erased it from his contacts file, he knew it by heart.  After five rings,
it went to the mailbox.  Next, Tommy tried the Frey's land-line.  Again,
there was no answer.  In desperation, he called 911 to report what he
thought might happen.

"What is the nature of your emergency?"

"I don't know if it's an emergency, but I think a classmate is going to
commit suicide."

"What is the address please?"

"It's 927 Pine Street, but I'm not sure he's there!  I got an email that
said goodbye to me and I know that there's no answer on the phones.  I'm
sorry to have bothered you if nothing's wrong, but I'm worried."

"Just a minute, that address sounds familiar...  Yes, we received a 911
call from there a couple of hours ago as I was about to come on duty.  A
response team was sent, so there's nothing that you or I can do at this
point."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't have any information on his condition and couldn't legally divulge
it if I did.  I'm sorry."

"That's okay.  I'm sorry I took up your time."

"Don't worry about that.  You did what you thought best to save a life."

"Okay, thanks.  Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

"Well, at least we know something was done.  I guess we'd better see if
Tim's left yet or if we'll have to ride our bikes and be late for school.

Fortunately, Tim was just heading for his car and waited while the boys
grabbed a few energy bars which would have to tide them over until lunch.

----------

Brenda Frey had been awakened around 5:30 by the sound of someone banging
on the front door.  She looked out the peephole, and seeing that it was her
husband, walked silently away from it and headed upstairs to wake up Mason
so he could escape the house rather than face his father's wrath.  Upon
entering his bedroom, she saw him lying peacefully on his bed.  She almost
hated to disturb him, but felt she must.  When she touched his hand, it was
cold.  There was no pulse.  She screamed for several seconds before pulling
herself together and calling 911.

Darrel Frey was still pounding on the door when the police car and
ambulance arrived.  Brenda didn't unlock it until a policeman had wrestled
him to the ground and put him in handcuffs when he tried to flee the scene.
Only then did she feel safe enough.

"My son's upstairs in his room," she numbly told the rescue squad.  "He's
stone cold; there is no pulse."

The emergency team accompanied by Officer Chris Roberts sprinted up the
stair to see if there was anything that could be done.  They came back a
few minutes later, confirming Brenda's conclusion.

"I've taken several pictures of the scene, so your son's body may be
removed.  There will have to be an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
He's suffered a severe beating, but we cannot conclude whether or not that
is the cause.  If it is, someone may be charged with murder"

"Darrel beat him," Brenda sobbed.  "I tried to stop it, but as you can see,
he punched me around too.  I wish I hadn't passed out.  I should have
called 911 last night.  Maybe I could have saved him.  Please let me say
goodbye to my baby before you take him away."

After Brenda had kissed her son's cold, bruised cheek, she let the men put
him on a stretcher and cover him with a sheet.  Then she descended the
stairs and went to the squad car where her husband was being held.

"You killed him, you damned son-of-a-bitch!  You thought more of your
no-good, lying brother than you did of your own son!  I hope you rot in
prison and then die and burn in Hell!"

"Let the ambulance take you to the hospital," Officer Roberts suggested.
"You need to be treated for shock and perhaps they can keep you for a day
or two to help you heal.  I'll make some calls."

Brenda nodded and followed the men like a zombie, not even thinking to go
back to lock up the house until Chris reminded her.  She really didn't
care; everything she loved had already been stolen from her.

----------

At passing time, there was an intercom announcement requesting that Tommy,
Tanner, and Andy report to the counselors' office.  Tommy and Tanner
weren't surprised, but Andy was because they hadn't had a chance to tell
him about their concern regarding Mason and he hadn't checked his email.

As they entered the counselors' suite, Mr. Parker was there to meet them
and escort them into his office.  Officer Roberts rose from his chair when
they came into the room.  The minute Peter closed the door, Chris gave each
boy a hug, beginning with his son whom he held several seconds longer than
the others.

"Please be seated guys.  I have bad news to tell you."

"He didn't make it?" Tanner asked, hoping he was wrong.

Chris shook his head.  "No, he was dead before we arrived."

"Who?" Andy questioned.

"Mason Frey.  He'd been beaten pretty badly, but given the empty pill
bottle along with the whisky, we're speculating it may have been suicide.
By the way, none of this is to leave this room.  I trust you to remain
silent at least until tomorrow."

They all nodded their agreement.  Tommy, who was sitting between his
friends, instinctively reached over to hold their hands.  All three were
feeling emotional, and it was evident that the men were as well.

"I hope we didn't do anything to put him over the edge." Andy voiced.

"No, in his email he thanked us for stopping him from hurting Brendon and
for treating him decently when school started." Tommy said.  "I know he
sent you a copy too because your address was on with ours."

"I'm sure this will all become public knowledge by tomorrow if not by this
afternoon." Chris told them.  "But I wanted you to know the details first
because you've been closer to him than most of the students.  I also wanted
to let you know that it's not your fault in any way.  You did what human
decency demanded when you turned him in for abusing Brendon and I'm proud
of you.  But that's not all.  I want you to promise me that you'll never
let anything make you despondent enough to end you life.  Everything can be
fixed to some extent.  Mason's life was salvageable despite the seriousness
of what he did.  Truly, where there's life, there's hope.  Now I have
something personal to say to my son and I'd appreciate a few minutes alone
with him.  May I ask you three to wait outside please?"

"Of course," Peter said.  "Come on boys, we'll sit in the waiting area
until they're finished."

The boys didn't have to wait long before the door opened.  The tears
streaming down Andy's face didn't hide his radiant smile as he motioned
them back in.  When the door was closed, he hugged both his friends before
speaking.

"My awesome dad figured out that I'm gay and he loves me anyway!"

"That's so cool!"  Tanner exclaimed as he and Tommy embraced their buddy
again.

"What do you think?" Tommy asked Tanner.  "Should we?"

"Yup, let's."

"Are you guys in each other's heads?" Andy teased.

"You have to ask?" Tanner grinned.  "Okay, shall I make the announcement or
do you want to?"

"How `bout together on the count of three?" Tommy suggested.

Together they counted, "one, two, three, we're gay too."

"Well Chris, you're outnumbered four to one.  As long as they're brave
enough to say it, I will too." Peter stated.  "I'd appreciate it if you all
let me stay in the closet because of my job.  Some parents might not like
having a gay man counseling their sons."

"What is said here will stay here." Chris pronounced.  "A guy has to look
out for his own welfare.  I'm pleased to know that Andy will have someone
on the staff that he can confide in as well as his two best friends.  I was
afraid that I might have been pushing things with my awesome son by opening
the discussion about his orientation, but now I'm glad I did."

"Dad I love you so much!  Thanks for doing it and for understanding!"

"I love you too, Son.  It frightened me that you might someday follow
Mason's example about opting out of life if things got too difficult to
face.  I had to let you know I was okay with it." Chris said, wiping
several tears from his eyes.

"Chris, you have given your son a very precious gift today.  You have no
idea how many boys suffer rejection over their orientation even though they
know they have no control over how they were put together inside.  No one
chooses to be gay!  We are what we are."

"Thanks Peter.  I'm glad a little good could come out of this tragedy."

"Would you let Andy stay with us tonight?" Tommy asked.  "I'm sure Mom and
Dad will be okay with it."

"I think it would be good for all of you to be together and I will let Andy
come if you get permission first," Chris said.  "But I'm sure your mother
won't be thrilled to have to plan for an unexpected guest for dinner even
if she would never admit it.  I need to send money with Andy."

"Nope, the three of us can pool our money and buy Chinese carryout for all
of us for dinner.  Everyone likes it and we can get Tim to take us to the
Dragon when he's done with practice." Tommy announced.

"That's fine.  I'll discuss it with Teri and catch up with you in the lunch
room to let you know if it's a go.  By the way, what's her room number?"

"It's 209.  See you in a few." Tommy said.

Peter wrote excuse notes for the boys so that they wouldn't be counted
tardy to their next class.  It was language arts and most of the class time
that day was to be used for working on their essays, so they wouldn't fall
behind because they could catch up later at home.

Since all three had the class together, they felt less self-conscious about
entering it at the halfway point.  Their teacher looked at the notes and
motioned them to sit in their seats.  They got out their Dell Notebooks and
did their best to concentrate.  It wasn't easy to settle down, knowing that
Mason was probably lying on a cold marble slab.

When Chris Roberts got to Teri's room, he could see that her class was busy
doing seat work and that he wouldn't be interrupting their lesson.  Teri
stepped into the hall when she saw him.  She closed the door, but kept one
eye on her classroom through the glass panel.

"I heard the boys' names called on the intercom.  Is there a problem?"

Chris proceeded to give Teri a short overview of what had transpired with
Mason.  Teri couldn't help but let a couple of tears escape although she
didn't know the boy well.  She was the mother of two boys about that age
after all.

Before he left, Chris told her about her sons' request and the plans for
dinner.  Teri gave her permission and thanked him for personally informing
the boys about Mason's death so they wouldn't hear it first on the news or
from some hearsay at school.

Chris went from there to the cafeteria.  He'd barely arrived when the bell
rang dismissing students to the first lunch period.  He was thankful he
hadn't been caught in the hall when the human tsunami washed through.

----------

Since Andy had ridden his bike to school and the other two had come by car
with Tim, they decided that Andy should go home to get his toothbrush and a
change of clothes while Tanner and Tommy walked home.

Thirty minutes or so later, Andy knocked on the kitchen door and the guys
answered.  They put his bike in the garage with theirs before gathering
around the kitchen table to start their homework.

Tuck was the next one to come home.  He was excited about having Chinese
and also to see Andy.  However, the news about the death of a teen he'd
known only slightly quickly cast a pall over his mood.

"Did he kill himself?"

"The police suspect suicide because they found an empty pill bottle that
had contained a strong antidepressant.  But there's nothing official until
an autopsy's been performed," Tommy informed him.

"Will they cut him up like on TV?"

"I'm afraid that's how it's done," Tommy shuddered.  "Let's not think about
that!"

Tim came home next and was amenable to driving to the Dragon.  Tommy called
ahead so the order would be ready when Tim got there.  Teri and Tark were
due in about 10 minutes.  Tuck went with his oldest brother, while the
others stayed home to set the table.

It was a quiet mealtime other than for an occasional bit of conversation
and the sound of the TV.  Usually, they didn't watch the news while eating,
but tonight was different.

When the local news came on at 6:00, the lead story was about a teen who'd
been found dead at his home early in the morning.  The reporter said that
an anonymous source from the police department had indicated suicide might
be the cause of death, but that the final word awaited an autopsy that
should be performed in a couple of days.  In the meantime, Darrel Frey was
being held in the county jail on charges of beating his wife and son.

Needless to say, the mood at the Torrance residence was somber.

All five boys converged in the family room for a while after the dinner
dishes had been loaded in the dishwasher and the few leftovers put in the
refrigerator.  Tommy opened the email from Mason so that his brothers could
read it for themselves.  They all agreed that it looked as if Mason had
taken his own life because of the terrible circumstances he found himself
in.

Tommy, Tanner, and Andy repeated what Chris had said about never letting
yourself get despondent to the point of wanting to kill yourself.  Tim
nodded agreement.  He was glad that Tuck could hear those words of wisdom
even though he felt that his youngest brother was highly unlikely to be
depressed.  He'd read in the newspaper that 14% of teens had admitted
considering suicide as some point in their lives.

They talked a bit more about Mason and how sad it was that he had to die
before he'd really gotten a chance to live his life.  Andy suggested that
they might remember Mason's mother in their prayers.

Tim and Tuck eventually went off to their rooms, but the other three
remained awhile until they realized they were all exhausted and should
probably go upstairs to bed.

The boys embraced for several seconds before they undressed for bed, but no
one felt anything but brotherly love in the process.  Despite their teenage
libidos, sex was the furthest from anyone's mind that night.  There wasn't
even any teasing or joking when Andy, Tommy, and Tanner stripped.  Like his
hosts, Andy now slept nude.

Although they were dead tired, it took all three a bit of time before they
could drift off, and their sleep wasn't as restful as they'd hoped.
Eventually, Tanner fell asleep wrapped around Tommy's back and the sound of
his deep rhythmic breathing helped the other two to drift off as well.

----------

Lee woke up with a start, momentarily wondering where he was.  The news of
Mason's death had hit him especially hard.  He had felt that the boy had
made a lot of progress and could have been rehabilitated, but now all that
was forever lost.  Why had Mason thrown in the towel instead of giving life
another go?  Well, who was he to judge.  Lee remembered times when the
thought of dying quietly had had its appeal.

His mood changed and he smiled slightly as he cuddled up against Peter's
back.  Peter had helped him through the night and he was very grateful.  He
hoped that nothing would ever destroy what they were beginning to have with
each other.  This man was truly becoming his soul-mate.

Peter yawned and stretched as he roused from his sleep.  Enjoying the
warmth of Lee's presence in his bed, he turned to kiss him in the cheek.

"I'd better not kiss you on the mouth before I brush," he said.  "I might
drive you away forever!"

"I'm not leaving that easily, but I'd better get going so I'm not late for
work.  I do have a longer commute today."

"Yeah, I guess we'd both better get moving.  Care to join me in the shower
to save time and water?"

"We might not save either once we're in there," Lee laughed.

"I'm willing to take a chance.  Columbus did."

The men shaved, brushed their teeth, and climbed into the shower together.
As Lee had predicted, they saved neither time nor natural resources.  What
water might have been conserved was needed to wash their jizz down the
drain.

Together, they made a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and juice.

Then they kissed before heading out to their cars, carrying their morning
coffee with them.

"Will you come back tonight and stay the weekend?" Peter asked.

"You know I will, if you want me."

"Cool!  You know I definitely want you."

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

Author's notes: I know some of you will be angry with me for not preventing
Mason from dying.  I'm sorry about that, but such things happen.  Life is
fragile and not everyone gets to grow up.

Thanks to all who emailed since last posting.  The list includes: JDW
(#96), Walt S, Rutabaga, Douglas and Lawrence, Jim C, John McD, Bill T,
Bert H, Don R, Ott, Bill K, Roger L, Danny A, Gary McC, Tom A, Trish R,
Wayne, Anthony B, Paul R, Paul F, Hans S, Jim W, and Ethan T.

Several good things have happened recently including the ruling against
Prop 8.  Of course it will probably go all the way to the US Supreme Court
before it's over.  Let's hope for a good outcome!

I recently read that bullying of gay kids is back on the rise in schools
here again.  The kids have to be learning this behavior from their parents
who voted out the judges who ruled Iowa's law against same-sex marriage
unconstitutional.  Ironically, they were fairly conservative justices and
had been appointed by a Republican governor.  Hmm...

David