Tripod Chapter 46

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Tripod -- Chapter 46

The next afternoon, Saturday, I got a call from Darius:

"Hey, hot stuff," he purred.

"You can't possibly miss me so much already that you needed to call instead of texting. You only left an hour ago. What's up?"

"I do miss you already, but that's not why I called. Big news. My folks decided at the last second to go to L. A. tomorrow for the week. They gave Ari and me the option to stay or go. She's kinda gotten used to the idea of moving and figures she might as well start meeting kids there, so she's going. I'm staying put."

"Since they're not gonna be around, you think your folks would mind if I fucked you on their dining room table?" I asked.

"Ugh, yeah. Anyhow, it doesn't change much for us. We were going to hang out this week anyway, but now I don't need to spend time with the family. I did promise some of my school friends that I'd make some time for them this week, OK?"

"No worries. I don't own you. Your new friends shouldn't cancel out the old ones, right? I've got stuff to do this week, too. I promised my folks that Asher and I would do the grandparents tour this week. Tomorrow, we're spending the day with my mom's folks in Pilsen. And Friday, we've promised the grandparents on my dad's side down in Hyde Park that we'd visit them. You can come along, if you want, but you don't have to. It's not like every boyfriend's dream to hang out with a bunch of old people."

"Dude, your grandparents are so much more interesting than mine. Even your Abuelo José, who could talk my head off about ancient Persian civilizations, is really a cool guy. He knows a lot more about Persia than my own Persian family, let me tell you. I hope I get professors like him at college.

"Hey, if we're heading down to Hyde Park on Friday, maybe Asher would like the Museum of Science and Industry? What time are we seeing your grandparents that day?"

"I think like around 3:00," I responded, "We're gonna cook dinner together."

"Shocking," Darius laughed, "then that should give us plenty of time to go to the museum in the morning."

"Sounds great. On Wednesday," I continued, "we've got that hot group grope with the guys over at Tyler's and then on Thursday, if you're up for it, we can take Asher, Brandon and Braden down to the Art Institute.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Tuesday is Asher's sixteenth birthday. Mom, Dad, and I are taking him out for dinner tomorrow night, since my dad won't be here on Tuesday, but I'm thinking that a bunch of kids could head out that day to that gaming arcade restaurant at the mall and spend the afternoon there. You up for that?"

"Sure. Sounds like fun. God, it sounds like you've got the whole week planned out. So organized. Maybe I can hang with my school friends on Monday, or maybe tomorrow night when you take Asher for dinner?" Darius asked.

"You don't want to come to dinner with us?" I asked surprised. "Asher loves you, even if you give him shit all the time. He says you remind him of his brother Yaakov, the one he ran into in Daley Plaza last December."

"You didn't invite me," Darius said.

"Babe, it's a given. You're part of the family."

"Don't make me cry again," Darius said. "OK, so, I'll hang with my family today and spend the night here at my place `cause I'm taking them to O'Hare tomorrow early, like 6:00 AM. Then I'll come over to your place ready to spend the week. Remember, when you feel a warm body slip into your bed early tomorrow, don't freak out and beat them to death with that billy club of yours. It's only me. And please tell the rest of your family that I'll be over at like 7:00 AM, so they don't get the shit scared out of them and call the cops. I'll hang with my school friends on Monday."

"Sounds like a plan," I replied.

"You got any free time built into this schedule? Seems like we're pretty jam packed," Darius asked.

"Absolutely. Except for Friday and tomorrow, we're free every night. Why? Did you want to schedule something else?"

"No! I kinda liked feeling like an old, married couple last night. I could get into just some time cuddled up on the couch, binge-watching and playing with your dick under a blanket."

"That sounds awesome," I smiled.

And so, the week of Spring Break began.

On Saturday night, my family watched a couple of films, then Mom and Dad headed upstairs while Asher and I played video games until 1:00 AM. He had gotten so good by then that he won at least half of the games. It also gave us a chance to catch up.

"Do you still miss your old family? Do you think about them much?" I asked.

"Of course, I do. How can you erase people who were a part of your life for fifteen years and pretend like they never existed? I don't wake up crying anymore, but a part of me is gone and will never come back. I don't know what it's like to lose an arm or a leg, but I'm guessing it's kind of like that. You learn to deal with it the best you can."

I leaned in and gave Asher a long hug, then he continued:

"What I do know is that you and Mom & Dad have made it so much better for me. Even if my old family hadn't thrown me out of the house, I would have always been treated like damaged goods. In their eyes, I'm defective. What kind of a life would that have been? Living a lie for the rest of my life? Expected to marry a woman and have ten kids? I'd have been miserable. And think about the poor girl who married me. To always have the feeling that your husband doesn't really love you. That sex is just a way to make babies. That's horrible. Everyone loses. I guess what I'm trying to say, Jaime, is that sometimes, I think, horrible things happen for the best. Getting thrown out was horrible, but look where I am now."

"What would you do if Yaakov showed up on the doorstep and said that everything's forgiven and that you can move back?" I asked.

Asher looked really sad. "We all know that's not going to happen. But if it did, it wouldn't take me a second to decide. This is where I belong. I can't wait until my adoption is final and I can say that you're my real brother. Jaime, last night with Ozzie was amazing. Better than I ever thought it would be because I had my family making it easy and special for me. In my old family, I probably never would have had the chance to be with another boy, and if I did, I would have felt dirty and sick and we would both have thought that what we were doing was wrong. Even with all the kidding from you and Darius, it was fun and felt nice, not wrong or dirty. Ozzie is a really cool kid and I like spending time with him and I don't have to hide that from anyone, and even less from this family."

The next morning, right on time, I was awoken by Darius, under the covers, doing his best to get my dick into his mouth. I was still groggy, but I wasn't exactly fighting it either.

"I'm still tired," I mumbled.

He pulled off me and smiled, "Just lie back and enjoy it. I'll do all the work. You can get me later." And he resumed giving me an amazing blow job. As instructed, I just lay there and let him do what he wanted, alternating between my cock and my balls. Then he slipped a spit-slicked finger into my hole, making me moan. It only took a few minutes for Darius to be rewarded for his efforts with a straight-from-the-source protein shake.

"Mmmm. The breakfast of champions: two jumbo eggs, one extra-extra-large sausage and a big drink of leche. Chef's special," Darius smirked.

"You certainly have learned your way around the kitchen," I laughed. "Jaime's tired. Asher and him were up late talking and gaming. We don't have to get to Pilsen until 11:00. OK?"

Darius just kissed me and smiled, then we snuggled for a few minutes until we both drifted off to sleep.

At 9:30, there was a knock at the door.

"You guys up yet?" Asher said. "Mom sent me to wake you up. We need to get ready to head over to the abuelos."

"You can come in, Asher," I said.

He opened the door and smiled from ear to ear. "That is the cutest thing ever, you two cuddled up together under the covers. Now get your asses out of bed, go shower and get downstairs. Mom said that even on a Sunday, it would take like forty-five minutes to get to Pilsen. If you hurry, you can get a cup of coffee and a muffin. Mom made banana nut muffins."

"I've already had my fill of banana and nuts this morning," Darius laughed.

"Working hard on that sword-swallowing certification again?" Asher smirked.

"Expecting that award any day now, and with record high marks, too, for the length and depth of my...studies," Darius shot back.

"We'll be down in a few. Thanks, Asher," I said, ignoring their banter.

Showered, dressed and lightly fed (the muffins were delicious, by the way), we hopped into the car and headed down Lake Shore Drive, past the Loop, and briefly onto the Dan Ryan before exiting in Pilsen.

The abuelos' house on West 18^th Place had been their family home for over forty years. When they first moved in, Pilsen was a mostly Mexican neighborhood with largely working-class families. Abuela Zyanya, who spoke very little English at the time, felt right at home there. Her handsome, red-headed, Spanish husband caught the eyes of quite a few of her neighbors, but as far as I can tell, Abuelo only has eyes for Abuela.

Over the years, as their fortunes rose, they resisted the urge to move out to the suburbs, so Mom and Uncle Julio grew up in that house.

By the early 2000s, many of the working-class Mexican families had started to move out as this close-in neighborhood gentrified and property taxes soared. But my grandparents stayed put. My mom said that they'd squirreled away money for years, thinking they might want to move downtown after Mom and Julio moved out, but they came to realize that they were already living in what could be their dream home. So, like the new middle-class neighbors who were buying up and renovating, they just used some of their savings to give themselves the modern, comfortable space they'd always wanted. They spared nothing to make the kitchen into a work of art. While the work surfaces and appliances are sleek and modern, the backsplashes are made with Talavera tile, straight from Mexico. Abuela keeps her collection of clay pots on display and puts them into service whenever she invites the family over for a meal.

"Come in! Come in!" Abuela urged, as Darius, Asher and I climbed the stairs, giving each of us a hug in turn.

"Darius! What a nice surprise. Welcome! Welcome! And Asher, I think you've grown at least an inch since I last saw you. How is everything? You know, I'm still officially your social worker until the adoption is final and you become my nieto. Fill me in."

"Things couldn't be better. I love my school. I have great friends. I got the lead in the school musical..."

"And he's got a boyfriend," I interrupted.

Asher blushed. "He's not my boyfriend...well, not quite yet anyway. We haven't made anything official."

"And who is this lucky young man?" Abuela asked.

"A boy from school. His name is Ozzie," Asher responded.

"A math and science nerd," Darius said, "but he's a really great kid. He's got our stamp of approval, not that he needs that."

Abuelo José walked in and greeted each of us.

"I see you've brought the Persian Prince with you, Jaime. So nice to see you again, Darius."

"Persian Prince!!" Asher howled laughing, "Does that make you his sweet, little princess, Jaime?"

"Guilty as charged," I laughed. "Sweet, innocent, little me."

"Wrong on all counts," Darius mumbled.

"I don't smell anything cooking. Are you two feeling OK?" I asked.

"We made our new specialty...reservations. We're heading over to Chinatown for dim sum," Abuelo remarked.

Fifteen minutes later, we were seated around a large table in the vast dining room of one of the city's most famous Chinese restaurants. The room was filled with a rainbow of ethnicities, including, thankfully, many Chinese. I always take it as a good sign when a Chinese restaurant actually has Chinese people eating there. It shows that the food is both good and authentic.

Cart after cart of various dim sum options were wheeled by. We passed on the jellyfish and chicken feet...so much for authenticity, and opted for shiu mai, bao, sticky rice wraps, shrimp dumplings and rice noodle rolls.

After a good, long stretch of mundane banter about Asher's rehearsals for the musical, a new book that Abuelo had started working on about Mesoamerican cultures, and Abuela's worrying about how the Department of Children and Family Services was bracing for yet another budget cut, Abuelo José let the elephant into the room.

"So, Darius, where are you heading for college?"

"I'm not sure yet, Dr. Cruz. It's between Northwestern and UCLA, but I'm having a really hard time making up my mind."

"Both are very fine schools. I have friends in the anthropology departments at both institutions. You certainly can't beat the weather at UCLA, and just a short ride to the ocean, too."

"But Jaime's not there," Darius interjected.

"No, he's not," added Abuelo, "but I imagine that if you want to go into entertainment law, as Nayeli has told us, that UCLA would be the better choice."

"But I need to think about both my career goals and my personal ones," Darius added. "I'm not a sappy, emotional guy, but when I think about being away from Jaime for four years, I feel sick. I know that I could survive without him. I'm a pretty independent person, but he's become like a part of me."

I reached for Darius's hand under the table and squeezed it tight. I had to take a deep breath to keep from crying. I could see that Asher had tensed up.

Abuela grabbed my other hand, but directed her gaze at Darius.

"If UCLA is the right school," she began, "then that is where you should go. Believe me, no one understands better than we do how special this guy is, but we will take care of him while you're gone. And you are not the only person who needs him. I know that Asher needs him, which is why Jaime chose Northwestern. You would have your family near you at UCLA and I'm sure you'd make new friends. I know, they are not Jaime, but sometimes we need to make very tough and painful decisions in our lives, but they turn out to be the right ones. You are still very young. Four years will go by quickly and you will have the rest of your lives ahead of you...together, if that is what is meant to be."

Asher, who by that time had started to tear up, got up and walked into the men's bathroom. I followed him in.

"Asher, why are you crying? What's the matter?"

"I'm the one that's going to keep you from being happy for four years. Why would you do that, Jaime? Why didn't you just apply to UCLA?"

"Asher, I didn't decide on Northwestern because of you. Abuela is wrong. I didn't even know you when I applied. I didn't know Darius either. I had already made my decision to apply there as an early decision because that was the right school for me. If you're admitted early decision, you commit. I got my admission notice in December, remember. You'd only just moved in with us. The fact that you're here now makes me realize that the right decision was even better than I thought. Maybe if I'd known Darius before or if I'd never met you, I would have applied to UCLA, too, but that's not the case. I love being your brother and I want to be here for you. Maybe I could transfer to UCLA for my junior and senior year, if I really want to. But I want to commit for at least two years until you graduate. And this is assuming that Darius goes to UCLA. He could stay here, too, you know."

Asher nodded, blew his nose, and we headed back to the table.

"I'm really sorry," Asher said, as he sat back down.

"Nothing to worry about, hijo," Abuelo responded. But a gray cloud now hung over our table. The dim sum carts rolling by with their assorted colors and smells had lost their appeal. Darius, Asher and I said our thank-yous and goodbyes to my grandparents and got into the car.

"You guys want to go for a walk in the zoo?" I asked. "I mean, it's only 1:00. I think our dinner reservation isn't until 7:30 tonight. Dad is heading out of town for three weeks starting tomorrow. Let's give Mom and Dad some more time to themselves, OK?"

Darius and Asher nodded. It was late March. While there was the possibility of another snowfall through April, and the leaves wouldn't appear on the trees until early May, and we were still weeks away from the tulips blooming, on that day, it was sunny and the chilly temperatures weren't life-threatening.

I managed to find a parking space only a few blocks from the Lincoln Park Zoo and we went for a walk. I let Asher and Darius know that I'd texted the folks about our detour to the zoo.

There's nothing like watching the penguins and polar bears frolicking in the cold to lighten the mood. After a couple of hours, we'd had our fill and were feeling better.

"You know, Asher, as a singer, you've gotta be careful not to damage your vocal cords with all that cock you're shoving down your throat," Darius chided.

"You're so full of shit, Darius. I already researched it online before the other night. I'm not gonna risk being Evan Hansen just to go down on some dude. But as it turns out, no problem. I can suck as much dick as I want."

"He burned you, Darius. This could be a first," I said through my hysterical laughter.

"Ozzie and I are already planning a repeat performance for next weekend. Oh, and Jaime, we need more bananas."

"OK, let's stop at the supermarket on the way home. I need to pick up a few things.

"Honestly, Jaime, the bananas can wait a day or two."

"Nah, we might as well, since we're out and about anyway."

We strolled up and down the supermarket aisles for a while. Darius and I stopped in the "International Foods" aisle in front of the gochujang paste again for a kiss to commemorate our first meeting.

"Jaime, are we done yet? You guys are taking an awful long time to pick up a few things. It's almost 5:00."

"Boy, time sure flies. Let me text Mom just to see if she needs anything while we're here."

Asher rolled his eyes, obviously getting restless and bored at having spent forty-five minutes in the supermarket.

"Nope. We're good. Let me pay and we can head home."

Fifteen minutes later, we pulled into the driveway. Dad's car was gone.

"I guess they must have run out to the gym for a quick workout. Asher, can you get the door? My hands are kind of full."

As Asher pushed open the door and stepped into the entryway, the lights suddenly turned on and the sound of a ton of people shouting, "Surprise" rang through the house.

Mom & Dad, both sets of grandparents, both uncles and their respective spouses, Lincoln Choi, my friends and all the kids who'd attended Asher's "coming out" party back in December, plus a few other kids I didn't know, were all standing there smiling while Asher stood there stunned, his jaw hanging open.

Asher turned to me and said, "You knew, didn't you? No wonder we took so long at the supermarket. I couldn't figure out why you and Darius were spending so much time talking about different types of flour. I mean, the two of you sometimes have boring discussions, but that was the worst."

Then the reality of the situation set in and a tear appeared in Asher's eye. He leaned down and rested his head on my shoulder and the waterworks started in full force.

I grabbed him hard and said, "Don't be such a drama queen. We just love you, that's why."

He let out a little laugh, straightened up and ran over to Mom & Dad for a hug.

At 6:00, the doorbell rang. It was Sho delivering sushi, sashimi and a bunch of other Japanese dishes. Instead of just collecting for the delivery, Sho took off his jacket, gave Brandon a quick kiss, and made himself comfortable. I grabbed him and introduced him to my folks.

"So, this is the guy who came in from the blizzard on New Year's Eve and just stayed," Mom said. "You're right, he is very handsome."

Sho blushed and extended his hand.

Asher flitted like a butterfly from group to group, soaking up the attention and basking in the love of people he'd never even known six months earlier.

By 9:00, Great Grandma Esther was dozing off and the rest of the grandparents were ready to head out, since they had the longest drives anyway. By 10:00, the last of our friends and relatives were gone, except for Darius, of course, and Ozzie.

"Ozzie, isn't your mom coming to pick you up?" Asher asked. "I'm sure Jaime or Darius could give you a ride."

"They didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Asher asked suspiciously.

"I'm your birthday present. I'm spending the night," Ozzie said, barely containing his excitement.

For a split second, Asher looked like he was going to start jumping up and down, then instantly regained his composure and said, "It's been a really long day, everyone. I'm just exhausted. I think that Ozzie and I are gonna head downstairs. Please keep it down, so we can get some rest," Asher said, really not expecting anyone to believe him.

We gathered around and each gave Asher a hug and a kiss.

"Honestly, I didn't want to give a speech in front of tons of people, but now I have the most important people here, so I'm gonna say what I have to say, which is that I have no words. There's just nothing I can say that could ever thank you all for what you've done for me and what you mean to me. I never dreamed I could be this happy. I'm gonna shut up now before I cry again. Good night."

Dad hugged Asher and said goodbye, since he was leaving early the following morning. He promised that he'd speak to Asher on his actual birthday.

Ozzie grabbed Asher's hand and led him down the stairs to Asher's bedroom. Mom, Dad, Darius, and I pitched in to clean up, and by 11:00, everything was done. Mom and Dad headed straight up to bed, as Dad's flight was early the next morning. Darius and I cuddled up on the couch and watched a sappy movie about four high school kids who come out to each other, then get outed at school. Who could possibly relate to that silly plot line?

***

When Darius and I got up around 10:00 the following morning, Mom had already left for work, and Asher and Ozzie were nowhere to be seen. I threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and Darius put on a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. We headed downstairs to make breakfast.

By 10:45, a hot, puffy, golden apple pancake was retrieved from the oven and there was sausages and fruit salad for the four of us. But still no Asher or Ozzie.

"You wanna have a listen?" Darius smirked.

"You're such a perv...OK."

"Takes one to know one," he responded.

We snuck over to the basement door and opened it very slowly. I figured the two of them would probably just be cuddled up asleep. Boy, was I wrong. The sounds of slurping and moaning were hard to miss. Within a couple of minutes, we clearly heard Ozzie's voice saying, "I'm gonna shoot!" and Asher's quick response, "Fuck! Me, too!" followed by moans, which shortly trailed off into sighs.

You can imagine my shock when, two seconds later, the pair emerged fully dressed and stared down Darius and me on the stairs.

"God, Jaime, you two really are like an old married couple, trying to find some porn that works for you. You really should get some lubricant for that door, by the way. The squeak gave you away. We've been up for an hour. What's for breakfast?"

"It smells amazing," Ozzie added.

"Are you gonna tell me that all you did was cuddle up and fall fast asleep?" I asked.

"Fuck no!" Asher responded. "We each came four times. My tank is empty."

"Your brother really knows how to suck a dick, let me tell ya," Ozzie laughed. "And he's got a huge cock. I guess it runs in the family."

Asher blushed. Darius had to sit down he was laughing so hard. I just turned around and served everyone breakfast and tried to ignore the comment.

"Ozzie, are you gonna stick around with Asher all day?" I asked.

"Nah, I wish I could, but I got stuff to do with my family today. But I'll be back soon, trust me."

"And Lincoln's gonna tutor me on some math work this afternoon, then I've got some other homework to catch up on," Asher added.

"Well, Darius is going to have lunch with some friends and then go to the movies with them. See you for dinner, babe?"

"Yup."

"Well, I guess I'll start on that research I promised I'd do for Abuelo José. We're trying to track down his lost relatives in Spain. We already had him take one of those DNA tests that can help you find family, but the test results won't be back for a few more weeks yet, so I'm just gonna start scouring through social media and news archives to see what I can find. I'm also gonna look in the census data."

By 2:00, I'd gotten a few leads for Abuelo and was getting kind of tired searching through census data.

ME: What RU ⬆️ 2?

TYLER: Not much. Eddie and me r hanging at my place. Y?

ME: Bored. Wanna grab a coffee at He-Brew?

TYLER: Sure. Now?

ME: Yup. CU in a few

TYLER: K

It turned out that Brandon was just hanging out at home playing video games with his brother and was up for a coffee, too, so I threw on a jacket, told Asher where I'd be and walked over to our favorite coffee place.

I walked into He-Brew and spotted Miguel behind the counter. He was smiling and asking something of the barista, when he looked up and noticed me.

"Jaime! How's it going? It's been a while."

"It's going great. Yeah, I've been pretty busy. Haven't had much of a chance to stop by, but it's Spring Break this week and I wanted a coffee. Eddie, Tyler, and Brandon are on their way over. How are you doing?"

"Honestly, I'm so much better. I like being assistant manager here. The owner seems happy with me. And the little bit of extra money helps, even though we could always use a little more. I'm still helping my mom out making pupusas and tamales and stuff. But, yeah, I'm OK. It's really great to see you. Extra hot latte?"

"Nah, I think I'll have a double espresso. And maybe a brownie?"

"Coming right up. You still with Darius?"

"Yup. I'll see him tonight. He's hanging with some school buds today."

"Hey, little buddy," Brandon said, giving me a hug from behind.

Eddie and Tyler were seconds behind him.

We sat down on the sofa towards the back of the coffee shop.

"How'd Asher like his party?" Brandon asked.

"You saw it for yourself. He fucking loved it. Totally shocked. We managed to keep the secret. I didn't even tell Darius until yesterday afternoon, `cause I needed his help to keep Asher out of the house all day."

"Well, we all had a great time, too," Eddie added. "Thanks for including us."

Miguel walked over with our orders, plus some extra rugelach.

"It's really great to see you guys. Again, I'm so, so sorry about the Halloween party. The cookies are on me."

Tyler stood up and walked over to Miguel. All eyes were on Tyler, ready to react if things turned ugly. But Tyler wrapped his arms around Miguel and gave him a hug.

"You didn't shoot me. You never did anything to hurt me directly. And I stole from someone once because I didn't think she'd miss the money, so I'm in no place to judge you. I don't forgive you because there's nothing to forgive. OK?"

Miguel broke into a huge smile.

"I'm off on Wednesday," he said. "You think you guys might want to get together? We don't really need to do anything. I could use the company. People hate me in my neighborhood `cause I helped send Rigo to jail. To be honest, I don't have any friends left because of that."

"You did the right thing, Miguel. What you did was brave," Eddie said.

"We were gonna get together at my place on Wednesday, order some pizzas, then hang out. You down for that?" Tyler asked.

Miguel's face lit up.

"That would be amazing." He thought for a second, then said, "Hey, I know it's a lot to ask, but if you guys were gonna order pizzas, would you consider letting me bring pupusas, tamales and pastelitos instead? I can probably do it for the same price you'd pay for pizzas and I wouldn't charge for delivery."

Before Tyler could even open his mouth, I jumped in, "Hey, anything to keep Tyler from ordering pineapple on pizza is fine with me."

"Hey, Miguel, there's probably something else we should tell you," Tyler began. "After lunch, we're all planning to `chill' without the Netflix. You still interested?"

The corners of Miguel's mouth curled up into a sly smile. "God, I haven't had sex since I got out of jail."

The four of us looked at each other, obviously concerned about what Miguel had gotten into in jail.

Miguel picked up on it immediately, "Don't worry, I was no one's `prison wife' and I got tested a week after I got out. All good."

"Darius will be there, too, and Seán and his boyfriend Connor, and Brandon's boyfriend, Sho," I added.

Miguel did some quick addition in his mind, "Fuck! Eight hot dudes at once. Sounds just like the showers in jail...just kidding! Jail was awful. Nothing like in porn vids."

"Cool. Jaime can text you the address. Noon on Wednesday," Tyler said.

***

The following day was Asher's real birthday. Since we all had stayed in the night before, we were up by 9:00, which is pretty reasonable for guys our age when there's no school.

Darius and I had done some fun flip-fucking before dozing off at around 1:00. I'm still amazed that he can take me balls-deep and still beg for more. We really were made for each other.

Mom was already in the kitchen when Darius and I made our appearance. She was making shakshuka.

Asher, having a nose for food, popped his head into the kitchen just a couple of minutes after Darius and I sat down.

"Something smells deeeelicious," Asher beamed.

"Happy birthday," the three of us sang out in unison.

"I made shakshuka. I hope you like it," Mom said.

"Wow. I haven't eaten it since we went to Israel for my Bar Mitzvah three years ago. I love it. And thanks for the birthday wishes."

I pushed Asher into his chair and served him some coffee. Darius grabbed a bowl and served him some fruit and yogurt. And Mom filled his plate with a nice-sized portion of the yummy egg and tomato dish.

"Don't get used to the restaurant-style service," I said, "It's only for your birthday."

Just as Asher took his first bite, his phone rang.

"It's Dad. Video chat. Hi, Dad."

"Happy birthday, Son."

The last word hit Asher like a ton of bricks and he started to tear up.

"Oh, God. Someone's left the faucet running again," I said.

"It's OK, Jaime, I'm just really happy. Where are you?" Asher asked.

"In Cape Town, South Africa."

"Wow. What time is it there?" Asher asked.

"A little after 5:00PM. From here, we head to Croatia next week for a few days, then to London for a week, before heading home. No worries. I'll be home in time for your stage debut."

"We miss you, and thanks for calling. Gotta go. I don't want my shakshuka to get cold."

"No, I certainly wouldn't want that," Dad laughed. "Happy birthday, Asher. I love you."

"I love you, too, Dad."

He pushed a button on the phone to switch to the rear-facing camera, so that Dad could see the rest of us. We all waved.

"We love you, too," we all replied.

"Take care, everyone."

"Thanks for breakfast, Nayeli, this was really great. I don't think I've ever had shakshuka before," Darius said.

Just as Asher was about to take another forkful, the phone rang again. We figured that Dad had forgotten to say something, but when Asher picked up the phone, he said, "Not a number in my contacts. Probably someone trying to sell me an extended warranty on my car."

He declined the call.

Fifteen seconds later, the phone rang again. He decided to accept the call.

"Listen, I really don't need..." then he stopped mid-sentence and took a deep breath once someone started to speak on the other end.

"Yaakov?" he asked, followed by a short pause and the conversation switched to Yiddish. The call only lasted about a minute, but Asher was clearly moved.

"He said he'd found one of the few pay phones left in Illinois and snuck out to call me. He remembered my birthday. He said that everyone was OK there, but that ever since I left, something was different, and not for the better. He said that he hoped I could forgive them. And I told him that sometimes things have to hurt before they get better and that I was in the right place now, even if I still loved them. And that was that."

He reached for another forkful of his shakshuka and grimaced.

"Fuck, it's cold. Well, I guess it was worth it. I'll nuke it for a few seconds and it'll be fine."

Darius and I cleaned up after breakfast and Mom went to make a few video conference calls and follow up on a few emails, then she took the afternoon off to take us over to the combination gaming arcade and restaurant at the mall. Since they had a limit of six kids per adult, and you had to be twenty-five to be considered an adult for supervision purposes, we were a small group. Asher had invited Ozzie, Bentley and Eddie's sister Reggie to come along.

The food was crap. I mean, how many ways can you serve up chicken wings? The pizza was just rubbery "mozzarella" cheese on a cardboard crust with cheap sauce. The nachos were OK, except for that awful, chemical cheese sauce. I'm glad we'd ordered the sauce on the side.

Sorry, I got sidetracked.

Everyone had fun playing a bunch of different videogames and Asher was having a blast. At 4:00, they brought out a birthday cake for him with "Happy Birthday, Asher," written on it. The cake was carried to the table decked out with flaming sparklers on top. A chorus of five, tone-deaf servers sang their special version of "Happy Birthday," and a radiant Asher was loving every second.

The cake was dry and overly sweet, but none of us really cared because we were having such a good time.

At around 5:00, Eddie's mom picked up Reggie, Bentley and Ozzie, and the rest of us headed back to our house.

A few hours later, Asher asked, "Is anyone else hungry yet?"

"Spoken like a true teenager," Mom replied, "I'm still full."

Darius and I looked at one another, "We could eat," I said. "A quick pasta?"

Nods from the guys. Mom shook her head.

Half an hour later, the Penne all'Arrabiata was in three bowls and we were chowing down. Nothing like homemade, especially after eating that crap from the arcade.

After dinner, all of us curled up in the living room and watched a movie together, as Asher began his seventeenth year a world apart from where he'd begun his sixteenth.

***

Wednesday, hump day. Darius and I were totally jazzed for humping everyone in our hot little band of brothers. We had decided to abstain the night before the orgy, so that we could cum multiple times the next day. I have to say, having such a hot guy cuddled up next to me and knowing that I'd have to keep my hands to myself was tough!

Miguel had texted me the night before to ask if I would mind giving him a lift to Tyler's house because he had all the food to carry. It was a perfectly reasonable request and at 12:00, Darius and I stopped by a non-descript apartment building in Rogers Park, just a few blocks south of Howard Street, to give Miguel a lift. He walked out carrying several trays, followed by his mom who had a couple of bags in her hands. Darius and I got out and helped them to load everything into the trunk of my dad's car.

Miguel's Mom came over to the driver's side and I rolled down the window.

(In Spanish) "Hi, Jaime. I hope you boys like the lunch we prepared. Miguel has been in such a good mood for the last couple of days. He couldn't wait to cook all the food for the party with me."

(In Spanish) "I'm sure it's all really delicious. I bet most of our friends have never had Salvadoran food before.

Miguel's mom continued (in Spanish), "Jaime, thank you again for being so nice to Miguel. He's learned from his mistake and he's a good boy."

I introduced her to Darius.

"Mucho gusto, señora," Darius replied, showing off his limited Spanish.

"Tan guapo," she replied. "Tienes buen gusto, Jaime."

"Gracias. Hasta luego," I replied.

"She said she thinks you're hot and I have good taste in men," I explained to Darius.

"You didn't have to translate. I got an `A' in Spanish. Do you think she's right?"

"Fuck yeah," I answered.

Miguel was sitting in the back, somewhat embarrassed by his mom's assessment of Darius.

"Hey, your mom knows hot men when she sees them. No worries," I laughed. "By the way, this food smells amazing."

We arrived at Tyler's place about a half hour later and unloaded the car. Eddie was already there.

"Hey, Ty, can you turn on the oven to 250˚? We just want to keep this stuff warm."

"I think I can handle that."

"This is a really nice place, Tyler. Thanks again for having me over," Miguel said.

"No problem. Really. Thanks for bringing the food. How much do I owe you?"

"Is $100 OK," Miguel asked.

"No problem. Between the pizzas and drinks, we would have spent that much easy. Here you go."

The rest of the guys arrived a few minutes later. Seán and Connor had never met Sho before.

"Wow, it's nice not being the token Asian at the party," Connor said. "You did say that Sho was hot, Brandon. You weren't kidding."

"You guys are pretty hot yourselves," Sho replied.

"Miguel, you wanna tell everyone what we got for lunch?" I asked.

"This stuff is about as typical from El Salvador as you can get. First, we got pupusas, which are kind of like quesadillas, but made with corn flour and these ones are filled with black beans and corn. Then we have tamales that are made with corn masa and filled with pork and veggies and served with cabbage salad, and last, we've got pastelitos, which are like empanadas stuffed with ground beef. Tyler, food first or fun first?"

"You guys hungry or horny?" Tyler asked.

"How about we work up an appetite first?" I said.

Everyone agreed, so we headed down to the basement. Tyler and Eddie had already covered the furniture and floor with sheets. Bottles of lube and condoms were strategically placed around the room. The lighting level could best be described as straight from the bathhouse: just light enough to kind of see, but dim enough to make you want to get a closer look at what you thought you were seeing. The music was an updated take on Tyler's earlier "Music to Fuck By" playlist, with most of the songs hovering around that magic 119 beats per minute mark. If this college thing didn't work out, Tyler and Eddie could definitely start a business as orgy coordinators. They'd even placed lined waste baskets around the room for disposing of used condoms and tissues. So thoughtful.

Tyler wasted no time in grabbing a hold of Miguel and lifting his t-shirt over his head, exposing a nicely toned chest and a six pack. I guess Miguel had been keeping busy with something constructive in jail. Much more buff than I'd remembered. Eddy followed Tyler's lead and had Miguel's jeans around his ankles in seconds. Miguel looked a little nervous, but everyone else took a cue and started to kick off their clothes. Once everyone was naked, Miguel looked around and I could tell he felt like a kid in a candy store.

Then he spotted me and walked over. He looked me in the eye and said, "I really want to make up for what I did to you last time, OK?"

I replied, "Let me fuck you right this time, OK? We'll take it slow. Lots of lube. Remember, you're surrounded by friends here. We're all here to make each other feel good, not just to get ourselves off."

Miguel nodded. Then he leaned in and gave me a long, sensual kiss. Darius came over to us, separated Miguel and me, and leaned in and gave Miguel a kiss, too. Apparently, everyone else had been watching, because one after the other, they came over and gave Miguel a kiss. Then Tyler dropped to his knees and took Miguel's 7" (18cm) cock into his mouth while Eddie started kissing Miguel's neck. I walked around back and slipped my tongue between Miguel's smooth, coffee-and-cream colored butt cheeks, making him moan.

I spent a few more minutes plunging my tongue deep into his ass. Then I stood up and let Darius get on his knees to play with my cock and balls, getting me hot to fuck Miguel.

Standing next to us, Brandon and Sho had paired up with Connor and Seán.

"What a fucking amazing ass!" Miguel said, staring at Seán. "Can I touch it?"

"Everyone else has!" Connor joked. "If it's OK with Seán, I'm OK if you fuck it, too."

Seán blushed, then checked out Miguel top to bottom. "That would be nice."

"I want Jaime to fuck me first, OK?" Miguel said.

Darius grabbed one of the bottles of lube and an XL condom. He slid it on the monster and slicked it up really well. Then he lubed up Miguel's hole and started to play with it, running his fingers around it.

"How about a finger or two, or four, to get you ready for Jaime?"

Miguel just sighed and nodded his approval.

Darius took his time, slipping his fingers in and out of Miguel's hole until Miguel begged me to fuck him.

"Remember. There's no rush. Let me slide it in really slowly. You tell me when to stop, so you can relax. OK?"

Miguel turned his head back to me so that I could kiss him. Then Darius slipped his fingers out of Miguel's ass and placed my cock head on Miguel's loosened pucker. Ever so slowly, I pushed forward and waited for Miguel to let me in. He took a deep breath and I felt the resistance ease. I gave a little push and the end of my cock disappeared into Miguel.

"Are you OK? Should I take it out?"

"Just wait a second...OK. Go slow."

I needed a few minutes, but Miguel followed my lead and let inch after inch slide into him slowly.

"Oh, my God, amazing!" Miguel moaned. "Keep going."

I laughed. "You sound like Darius. You've already got all 11" up your ass. I'm balls deep, dude. Can I start moving?"

"Hell, yeah!" Miguel purred. "Now who wants to suck my cock?"

Seán walked over and got down on his knees in front of Miguel, leaving Brandon on the floor fucking Connor as Sho slipped his cock into Connor's eagerly waiting mouth.

Tyler and Eddie, who had been standing on the sidelines watching, came over to our little grouping. Tyler started kissing Miguel while Miguel stroked Tyler's cock. Seán sucked Miguel, while stroking Eddie's big, black boner, and I picked up speed, pounding Miguel's ass the way he'd wanted me to months earlier, but this time, doing it the right way.

"Man, what a bunch of studs!" Darius shouted, stroking his own cock with one hand while, playing with my ass and hole with the other. "Give it to him, Jaime! Slam that fucking monster into his guts. Make him scream for it!"

And that's exactly what Miguel did, begging me to pound him harder and harder, as Seán went to town on Miguel's cock. By now, Miguel was impaling himself on my dick, getting every last millimeter into his hole and screaming in extasy. In a couple of minutes, I threw my own head back and blasted my load deep inside Miguel.

"Keep pumping me, Jaime! I'm close. Seán, wanna take my load or watch it blast everywhere? I'm a huge shooter."

"I love a good show," Seán giggled, after he'd pulled Miguel's dick from his mouth and started stroking it hard.

"Oh, yeah! Oh, fuck! Shove it in hard, Jaime! Fuck yeah!!"

Miguel wasn't kidding. I'm a big shooter. So is Darius. But Miguel's load blasted a good seven feet (2m) in front of him. Rope after gleaming white rope of jizz shot out of his dick and onto Seán, Brandon and Sho. I counted thirteen shots. I'd never seen anything like it.

Once Miguel's body stopped convulsing in pleasure. He took a deep breath and let me slip from inside him. He turned around and pulled me in for a kiss.

"Jaime, that was amazing. The best fuck of my life. Thanks."

"Just wait until Brandon gets a hold of you," I laughed. "Almost as big. Twice the power."

"Spoken like the son of an ad guy," Darius joked.

Just then, Brandon let out a scream as he unloaded into a dazed and ecstatic Connor, as Sho dumped his load down Connor's throat simultaneously.

"Who hasn't cum yet?" I asked.

Darius, Eddie, Tyler and Seán raised their hands. Playing cruise director, I had Darius get on all fours with Seán next to him. Eddie fucked Darius as Tyler plowed Seán. Seán sucked on Brandon's quickly stiffening dick, while Darius sucked on Sho. That left Connor to slide underneath Darius to suck his cock and me to suck Seán's fat, Irish, flame-pubed sausage. Got the picture? I know, so many bodies, so many positions.

Miguel, who was spent, just sat on the sidelines watching, his jaw gaping open.

As Eddie and Tyler synched up their hip rhythms, they leaned in and kissed each other, not missing a beat, as they slammed into Darius and Seán, respectively.

"I love you, Tyler Jacobs," I overheard Eddie say.

"Love you, too, Eddie Hondo," came the response from Tyler. "Now breed that fine, furry ass with that huge cock of yours."

Everyone broke up laughing, but Eddie and Tyler kept up the rhythm until I heard Darius moan, "Oh, fuck. I'm cumming."

Connor kept Darius's dick firmly down his throat as Darius dumped his seed into the Korean hottie. Then I felt Tyler's pace picking up as he plowed into Seán. I doubled my efforts to get Seán and Tyler to cum together. But then it was Eddie and Tyler who let out a simultaneous groan as both pumped their bottoms full.

"Don't stop," Seán screamed. "I'm really close. Come on, Tyler. You can do it! Pound my ass like you mean it!"

Spoken like a true team captain. Even though Tyler had already cum, he kept up the pace, as did I, sucking and swirling Seán's pretty, pink fuck rod until Seán couldn't hold back and he yelled, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh," as he dumped his sweet juice into my mouth."

All of us collapsed in a heap on the floor, except for Miguel, who stood up and applauded from the sidelines.

"That was fucking amazing. Now who's hungry?"

Eight hands shot into the air. After a few minutes of cleanup, we headed upstairs and helped ourselves to a Salvadoran feast. Tyler showed uncharacteristic foresight and told us all to take our plates downstairs so that we wouldn't be sitting our sweaty asses all over his sofas and chairs or risk dripping the last few drops of cum onto the carpet.

We took our time eating, wanting to regain some strength to go again. By 2:00PM, we'd had our fill of food and were cuddled up together, all nine of us laid out on the sheets on the floor.

It was Brandon who got the next round rolling, telling Tyler to hit the music so he could put on a show. Brandon stood up and grabbed a handful of lube. Within a minute, his huge cock was hard again as he stroked it for all to see as he gyrated to the music. We had all seen Brandon work it live, but Miguel hadn't. He was riveted.

"What a fucking stud! Who knew he was packing all that cock?"

"That's my man you're talking about," Sho joked.

"Are you OK sharing?" Miguel asked Sho.

"There's plenty to go around. No problem."

Miguel stood up and walked over to Brandon, where he began to squeeze Brandon's perfect pecs and nipples, making Brandon suck in a breath. Then he started kissing Brandon's neck and face, as he reached down to grab Brandon's 10" (25cm) cock.

"Jaime was amazing, but he says you're even better. Would you fuck me? Please?"

"Well, since you asked nicely. Bend over, bitch, and let a real man show you how it's done."

That got the crowd hooting and hollering, ready for another one of Brandon's amazing performances.

I handed him the lube and a condom to get ready.

"I know I'm really big, so just like with Jaime, we're gonna start nice and slow."

"If I can take Jaime, I can take you, but have at it. I'm ready for you."

All of us were really turned on by now, but we just watched The Brandon Show, either stroking our own cocks or the ones closest to us. This was going to be a performance not to be missed.

Miguel bent over and presented his ass to Brandon for the taking. Brandon grabbed Miguel's hips and eased his cock in slowly. Within a minute, Miguel was fully spiked on Brandon. And in typical Brandon style, he picked Miguel up and started bouncing him up and down on his cock over and over.

Apparently overcome by the unbelievable sexual heat being generated by the scene, normally-shy Seán stood up and started twerking for Miguel.

"Oh, God, let me see that ass. Fuck, yeah, Seán! Fucking perfection!"

But Brandon was only getting started. He manhandled Miguel like a rag doll, bouncing him mercilessly on his rock-hard cock, impaling Miguel on his ramrod, making Miguel scream out in unabashed pleasure.

This went on for ten minutes with the crowd cheering them on. Finally, Miguel couldn't take any more and shot another impressive load, far and wide, hands-free, as his cock swung back and forth from Brandon's forceful fucking. Egged on by the muscles clenching in Miguel's ass, Brandon opened his mouth and roared as he gushed cum into Miguel.

Brandon slowly slipped from Miguel's asshole and eased him back down onto his feet. Miguel collapsed into a pile on the floor, still dazed from the fuck of a lifetime.

"Jaime, you weren't kidding. That was insane," Miguel mumbled, his eyes still glazed over.

Not wanting to let the energy abate, the rest of us hooked up with anyone who wasn't our boyfriend. So, Darius played with Tyler, Sho played with Connor, Eddie played with Seán and me. We mostly just sucked and jacked off until all of us had cum again. Then we took a little break. Tyler made a big pot of coffee and we opened up a few packages of cookies to help get our energy back up for the final round.

As we lounged around enjoying the coffee and treats, I heard Connor tell Sho that he'd never been with another Asian guy before. Sho admitted the same and said it was really cool and that Brandon, Seán, Connor and him should all get together some time, since he knew that Seán loved getting fucked by Brandon. I mean, who wouldn't?

By 3:30, we were ready for the final round.

As promised, Seán gave up his ass to Miguel, while the rest of us roamed around freely, grabbing onto whoever was free and sucking, fucking and getting fucked until we were all totally spent and most of the orgasms were dry or nearly dry.

We had the house back to its original state by 5:00. All the sheets were washed, dried and folded by the time Carol and Josh walked in at 6:30. Tyler had planned the whole thing perfectly, even remembering to light some candles to get the smell of teenage testosterone out of the air.

Tyler's parents said hello to the crowd, and introduced themselves to Sho and Miguel. I think Josh was more than a little suspicious, but since we'd all managed to wash up and look presentable, and all the evidence had been flushed, washed or swallowed, they had no reason to believe that a bunch of well-mannered young men had done anything but talk, game and eat.

"There's some leftovers for you guys," Tyler said. "Miguel's mom caters Salvadoran food. Super tasty. Just nuke it and dig in. We're all gonna go bowling."

By the time we got home at around 11:00, Darius and I were absolutely exhausted. I had already texted my mom, letting her know when we'd be home, so she wouldn't worry. Asher kept texting asking for the dirty details, but I figured we could fill him in over breakfast the next morning before we headed downtown to the Art Institute.

Darius and I flopped into bed and were asleep within seconds. Hump Day had lived up to its name, and then some.

***

On Thursday, we met up with Brandon and Braden at the Davis Street L stop and headed down to the Loop.

Both Darius's and my family had yearly memberships at The Art Institute of Chicago, so we got in free. Brandon and Braden showed their student ID's and got the discount.

As the son of an art curator, Darius was predictably knowledgeable about a lot of the work at the museum. That kid continually amazed me: smart, athletic, and cultured. How many high school wrestlers can tell you the back story of Grant Wood's "American Gothic"?

As we approached Marc Chagall's "The Praying Jew," Asher stopped in his tracks and stared. He smiled sadly and said, "It's like looking into my past. Was this artist Jewish?"

"Yup," Darius began, "he was originally Russian and grew up in a Chasidic community, but left and moved to France where he became a famous artist. He also spent a lot of time in the US, especially Chicago. He has a mosaic mural on display a few blocks from here and an incredible stained glass right here in this building."

"It must have been hard for him to leave his community behind. But if he hadn't, no one probably would have ever heard of him, right?" Asher asked, his eyes wet.

This time, it was Braden who gave Asher a hug for support.

We couldn't make it through the whole museum. Just too much good stuff to see in a day.

***

Just as planned, Darius, Asher and I spent the morning and early afternoon the following day at the Museum of Science and Industry before taking the short drive over to Hyde Park to see my grandparents and great grandma.

Darius and I had each been to that museum many times, but it was Asher's first visit. He absolutely loved it and asked if we could go back another time.

We pulled up to the house on South University Avenue at 3:00PM, and we were starving. We'd decided to skip lunch at the museum to have more time with the exhibits.

Grandpa David opened the door and welcomed us each in with a bear hug. We followed him right into the kitchen where Mama Bernice and Great Grandma Esther were already getting things ready. And already had some stuff ready for us to snack on.

Mama Bernice was nearing seventy and had finally begun taking Friday afternoons off from the women's health clinic. I had the feeling that this was going to be as close to retirement as she got.

Grandpa David had retired a few years earlier and golfed in the summer and had some buddies he played poker with in the winter. He's an accomplished cook and did most of the cooking around the house. He was also a devoted son and made sure to take Esther around to her doctor's appointments and to visit with the few friends she had who were still alive.

"Great Grandma, how does it feel to be almost ninety-four?"

"Honestly, Jaime, it sucks. Whatever doesn't hurt, doesn't work. Most of my friends are dead. Your great grandpa is long gone. I've even worn out all of my vibrators."

Asher, Darius and I gave one another a look and burst out laughing. David and Bernice rolled their eyes.

Asher walked over and said something to his Alte Bubbe in Yiddish and she started to laugh. Then he gave her a hug.

"What did you say to her?" I asked.

"I told her we'd all chip in and buy her a new vibrator for her hundredth birthday."

"Nuclear powered, so it never runs out of steam," Darius kidded.

"So, what are we making for dinner?" I asked.

"Well," Grandpa David began, "Bernice is in charge tonight and we're having some classic soul food. We figured that Asher was overdue for some exposure to the African-American side of the family."

"Asher, do you like fish?" Mama Bernice asked.

"I love fish. What kind are we having?"

"Catfish, fried in a cornmeal crust," she replied.

"I've never had it before. Catfish isn't kosher, and Jaime's never made it before, so I've never had a chance to try it."

"Wait, I'm confused. I thought all fish was kosher. Just not shellfish," Mama Bernice replied.

"To be kosher, fish have to have scales and bones. Sharks and rays aren't kosher because they don't have either. Catfish have bones, but their skin has no scales. But at this point, I'm eating anything, pretty much. I'm sure your catfish will be amazing."

Mama Bernice looked relieved, but shot David and Esther a look.

"I know, Bernice, we should know better, but we never kept kosher and were barely observant," Grandpa David admitted.

"We're making collard greens, cornbread, mac and cheese, and for dessert, we'll do a peach cobbler," Bernice explained.

"Why are they called collared greens? What have shirts got to do with vegetables?" Asher asked.

"Jaime, what have you been teaching this boy? I think you need to spend some more time with your second cousins here on the South Side. Tell your daddy or your uncle to bring you over when my brothers bring their kids and grandkids over.

"Anyhow, Asher, collard greens are a big leafy vegetable that is kind of bitter until you cook it for a while. We usually throw in some smoked turkey wings and a touch of vinegar to give it some more flavor. And it's spelled C-O-L-L-A-R-D. Nothing to do with shirts. Here, this is what they look like."

Mama Bernice assigned each of us a task and we dove in. Great Grandma did mostly commentary and storytelling, since she was having problems standing for more than a few minutes.

As dinner came together, Mama Bernice, Grandpa David, and Great Grandma Esther all told stories about their lives, the challenges they faced and some funny incidents that each one had had.

We sat down to dinner at 6:00, knowing that Great Grandma would run out of steam if we waited much longer.

We'd gotten most of the way through dinner when the inevitable buzz-kill question came up again:

"So, Darius, will it be Northwestern or UCLA?" It was David who broached the subject.

"I haven't decided yet. It's kind of a sensitive subject right now. I'm really torn," Darius replied.

"Well, Northwestern is a fine school. Barry says that you want to be a lawyer, right? I'm sure with good grades from Northwestern, you can get in almost anywhere for law school," David opined.

"And that way, you can be close to Jaime. You two can head to California after you graduate and you can go to law school at UCLA, if you want to go into entertainment law. You're both smart boys. And it's a great school. I'm sure UCLA is wonderful, too, but Jaime won't be there, right?" Bernice added.

"You both listen to me," Esther began directing her comments at Darius and me. "Jaime's Great Grandfather Morty and I met by chance after we were liberated from the camps when the Nazis lost the war. It was fate that brought us together. We were both sick and starving and found each other. You boys aren't sick or starving, but you've found each other and you should do what you need to do to stay together. And it's not as if going to Northwestern is a step down, Darius."

"Not at all," he replied, "but I've also had my heart set on UCLA most of my life, and my family will be in L. A. now. So, I'm having a hard time deciding."

"Well, I'm sure a nice bowl of peach cobbler won't help you decide, but it will make you feel better," Bernice said.

We ate our fill and thanked the family for a wonderful afternoon and evening.

As we climbed into the car to head home, Asher said, "Families are really all the same, no matter your background. Everyone has an opinion and they make sure you know what it is. You know, sometimes I think everyone should just shut the fuck up."

"Spoken like a true philosopher, brother," I laughed.

"Well, my folks come home tomorrow night," Darius said. "I'm no closer to a decision than I was before, but now I've been pulled all over the place. No one is right, but no one is wrong either. This sucks."

When we got home, we filled Mom in on our day and headed up to bed. Since it was going to be our last chance to sleep together for a while, Darius and I spent a lot of time kissing, cuddling and making love slowly and sweetly before we drifted off to sleep. Spring Break had come to an end, but had revealed no clear path ahead for the two of us.

End -- Tripod -- Chapter 46