Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2013 19:29:34 -0700 (PDT) From: Henry Brooks Subject: David and Jonathan II, Chapter 2 David and Jonathan Part Two Chapter Two Jay and Todd Jay and Todd met at orientation, on their first day at Harvard. They sat next to each other in the auditorium on that beautiful Friday morning. Neither knew another soul at the huge institution, but there were some things they did know. They both knew, and had accepted, their sexual orientation. Another thing they knew was that each of them was very attracted to the other. They sat quietly for a while waiting for the orientation to begin. Neither made a move to introduce himself. Jay was always a bit more forward than Todd, who was very shy. Jay knew that if he didn't try to make a friend soon, he would be lonely, at least until classes began in a couple of days. He turned to Todd, and stuck out his hand. "Hi," he said. "I'm Jay Hoffman from Los Angeles. Todd almost burst with happiness. He was about to make his first college friend. He grabbed Jay's hand enthusiastically. "I'm Todd Moore, and I'm from San Francisco." "I think that it's fate for two Californians to meet at the opposite end of the continent," Jay beamed. His smile was infectious, prompting Todd to offer back an even bigger grin. The orientation began, and for the next two hours they had no opportunity to speak. Finally it ended, and most students ran off like stampeding cattle. Jay and Todd lingered. Where's your dorm?" Jay asked. It turned out that they were in different buildings. They were both disappointed, but it wasn't going to be a hindrance to a budding friendship. "What's your major?" Todd asked, finding his voice at last. "Pre-med. What's yours?" "Pre-law." "Do you have any plans for tonight?" Jay asked. "No plans. How about you?" "Me either. Wanna hang together?" "Sure." They became good friends. They hung out at bars with other students they met, all straight. They played pool in the student union, and studied together in the library. Neither was inclined to pledge for a fraternity. Neither of them dated either, and neither even realized it. For winter break, they took the same plane as far as Dallas, and then went separate ways to LAX and SFO. When they were home, they missed each other, and called several times. They couldn't wait to get back to school, and to be with the other. Still, each one was afraid of revealing his love, for fear that it would destroy their friendship. The sexual tension was constantly building, but each man thought it was one-sided. They were pretty naïve not to have declared their love, but they chose to keep it a secret. They even went down to Ft. Lauderdale for spring break and shared a motel room. They partied with other students, but went back to their motel room without a sexual partner. It didn't even strike them as odd that neither was pussy hunting. Back in the room, they slept naked, and didn't care if they had perpetual hard-ons. It took all their will power not to touch the other. But it did give Jay an idea. "I've been thinking," he said on the plane coming back to Logan Airport. "Uh oh," Todd quipped. "It's dangerous when you think. What are you cooking up?" "Let's look for a place to room together next semester." Todd panicked. He knew that he would not be able to restrain himself if they shared a room. He blurted out. "I wouldn't mind if we lived in the same house, but I need to have a room of my own. I need privacy. As it is, I can't stand the roommate I have now." Jay was clearly disappointed. "OK," he said. "Let's shelve it for now." Two weeks later Jay burst into Todd's room. "I've got the perfect solution," he said. "Read this. There are two small rooms available in a private home, walking distance from campus. The landlord is only asking $500 a month for each room. That would be less than living in this money eating dorm all year." "Wow! That sounds great. Let's call right away." Jay was happy that Todd was so enthusiastic. "I called already, and we can go right over to see it." The two men ran all the way, not wishing to lose out. The house was lovely. It was located on a quiet tree-lined street. They never met the landlord, but they met a rental agent. The rooms were fine. Each had a big window for lots of light, a walk in closet, a dresser, a desk, and a standard size bed. "We'll have the rooms cleaned and freshened before you occupy them, boys," the agent promised. "Who occupies the master bedroom?" Jay asked. "He's a junior. He's lived here for two years and he's re-upped for his senior year. In case you were wondering, he's never caused me any trouble." "We'll take it," Todd said. "I need a month's rent and security deposit from both of you. I have boiler plate leases with me. We can conclude our business right now if you would like." "What's the term of the lease?" Jay asked. "It starts July 1st and ends June 30th, so if you get back to school early, you can move right in." "Will you accept my handshake?" Todd asked. "I didn't bring a check book." "It's OK," Jay said. "I'll cover both of us." When they got back to California for the summer, they spoke, E Mailed and texted each other constantly. They would have returned to Boston on July 1st, but they both had summer jobs and wanted the extra spending money. The summer seemed endless, but by agreement, they both got back to Boston on August 25th, and went straight to their new home. Jay arrived an hour before Todd. He stowed all his stuff neatly away, and went out in the living room to wait for Todd. While he was waiting, he practiced in his mind telling Todd that he was gay, and that he loved him desperately. He actually began to cry when he realized that he could never do that. However when Todd arrived, both men hugged tightly, trying desperately to hide their erections. "Come on," Jay said, "let me help you unpack, and I'll take you out to dinner." They began to unpack, but they had trouble closing the top drawer in the dresser. Todd looked in and saw a wad of paper stuck in the track. He removed the drawer and reached in. He was able to put a thumb and forefinger on the wad. He removed it gingerly, and unraveled it even more carefully. "Look," he said to Jay. "It's a letter and it's dated almost thirteen years ago. It's still pretty legible. ********** Thirteen years ago, David and Jonathan were living, and loving, in the house their dad and uncle had initially rented, and then purchased for them. Their two tenants were brothers, John and Sam Chapman. The twins were very friendly with John. They had all been friends and fuck buddies since their first year at Harvard. One day when David was out, Jonathan went into John's room. "You have a way with words," he said. "Help me compose a letter to David telling him how much I love him, and how empty my life would be without him." "You're a fucking romantic, and I love it," John said. Sure, sit down and we'll get to work." The first draft came out as follows: My beloved David: I love you so much that I ache when we are apart, even for one moment. If I can't wrap my arms around you, and hold you tightly to me, I feel that I am not doing my job as your lover. I am not protecting you, and holding you safe from the dangers of the world. Please, I beg you, stay healthy and keep yourself out of harm's way. If something should happen to you, I would die along with you. These words don't adequately describe my feelings for you, nor my love for you. Please don't ever doubt that I would die for you. My soul is yours, sweet lover, and sweet brother. For all eternity, I remain, your Jonathan. Just then, they heard David coming home. "Quick, hide the letter," Jonathan said. John stuffed it into his top drawer, and they went about their lives. The letter was forgotten and somehow it had fallen behind the dresser drawer. Subsequent tenants wondered why the dresser drawer always remained slightly ajar, but nobody ever investigated, until Jay did. ********** Jay read the letter, and broke into tears. It's so beautiful," he sobbed. "I wonder where they are now and what's become of them." "I guess we'll never know. But you do realize that this is a love letter from one guy to another? When Jonathan said they were brothers, I wonder if he was being figurative or literal." "We'll never know that either." Jay straightened out the crumpled paper as best he could, folded it neatly and placed it in the top drawer of his desk. "How did you feel when you found out it was a love letter between two guys?" Todd asked Jay. This was Jay's moment of truth. He could contain himself no longer. He slumped down on the bed and started to cry. "It's the most beautiful letter I have ever read," he sobbed. I kept thinking that I was Jonathan and I had written it to you, my David." "What?" "I am saying that I'm gay, and I love you as much as Jonathan loved his David." Jay buried his head expecting the worst, but he heard Todd sobbing, so he uncovered his eyes and looked at Todd. "I love you too," Todd said. "What idiots we've been." Jay jumped up and the two men wrapped their arms around one another. Their lips met in a passionate kiss and seconds later their tongues were dueling like two swords, each attempting to take the offensive. Jay broke away long enough to lock the bedroom door, even though Gil had not arrived yet. In seconds the two lovers were in their birthday suits. They had seen each other dozens of times, both soft and hard, but now they looked at each other with different eyes, the eyes of love. All that evening, and all through the night, they made love. They lost count of the number of times they each came in their lover's mouth, or in his ass. Their love had made them drunk, and they had lost all sense of time and reality. For the entire year, they slept together, and one room was a total waste, but they were stuck in a lease. Like John and Jonathan, they completely forgot about the love letter until the following year when the parents of their close friends and roommates, Matt and Alan, came for a visit on parents' weekend. Of course, Jay and Todd recognized everyone from the picture Matt and Alan had shown them, but when Matt introduced his fathers as David and Jonathan, a bell rang in Jay's head, but he couldn't quite bring to mind what he was trying to recall. "Remember the fun we had in this house?" David asked wistfully. "I sure do, Love." "You lived here?" Todd asked. David and Jonathan both nodded. "Yes. Our father and our uncle owned this house. They sold it after we got our MBAs and moved home." Jay remembered the letter. "Wait here," he said, and ran to his room. He returned seconds later with a folded piece of paper. "Which one of you is Jonathan?" he asked, not able to tell the twins apart. "I am. But why are you asking?" Jay handed Jonathan the letter. "You might want to give this to David, but before you do, Todd and I want you to know that this letter brought us together, and for that, we want to thank you." Alan, Matt, Mike and Ben looked at the twins with much curiosity and confusion. One glance at the letter and Jonathan remembered it. He handed it to David and proceeded to cry. David read the letter and his body began to heave as he broke out into tears. He was too overcome to talk, so he handed the letter to Mike and then he grabbed his brother in a bear hug to end all bear hugs. Mike and Ben, Matt and Alan read the letter in turn, and everyone was crying a river. "This is too maudlin," Ben said. "Let's take the boys to dinner, and get going." As they had done the year before, the fathers extended an invitation to Ray Harmon, who now occupied the bedroom Todd had vacated. Unlike Gil, Ray accepted. He was gay, and he had become a close friend, and fuck buddy, of Alan and Matt, Jay and Todd. Now the five students had virtual orgies together almost every night. They had more sex than they could handle, but of course, nobody was going to admit that. To be continued...