A Special Place

By Sequoyah Pendor

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This is a work of fiction; any coincidence is just that, a coincidence.

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(Parts Eleven - Twenty)

Part Eleven

        When we were ready, we went to get Michael since his dad was at the hospital picking up Dr.  Bailey. When I yelled, "Anybody home?" Michael answered from his room. I ran up the stairs and into his room, "Whoa! Who's the stud now?" I asked. Michael had on a dark green silk shirt--loose, but which still managed to show off his build--with off-white jeans. He, too, had gone for the "show off the ass" look rather than the "may fall off the ass at any minute" one..  Michael had eyes which appeared sometimes blue and sometimes green, depending on what he wore. The green shirt made his eyes appear a startling green.  His hair, like Luke's, was blond, but darker. He truly was a sharp looking young man. I knew that inside his great body was a heart too big even for someone his size.
        Michael had taken his mom's illness and death hard--I mean who wouldn't?--and for a time after he was told her cancer was terminal, he overcompensated by putting on super jock airs. He, as all the Gang of Four, is an honors student, but his grades took a nose dive then and he was, generally, an asshole. We all talked about it, but didn't know what could be done. David was so involved with Elizabeth that he unintentionally neglected Michael. Good old Mom, with her usual wisdom and concern, took on the challenge and started calling him Teddy Bear when he was around the house.  One day when he was being a super ass in her class she said, "Teddy Bear, if you don't behave yourself and get to work, I'm going to bust your bare butt as I have done in the past."
        Michael said, "Fuck you, Old Lady!" and stormed out of the room. Mom ignored it at the time and when she got home, Michael was sitting on the front steps.  As Mom approached, Michael ran, threw his arms around her and cried until he ran out of tears. Mom just held him close until he stopped crying then gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, "I think I know a handsome young man who could use something to drink."  When they got into the kitchen, Mom gave him a soda and sat and listened as he poured his heart out. From then on no one saw super jock again. Also Mom and Dad both made a special effort to see that Michael was cared for and loved.
        The loss of his mother had matured him rapidly, but with his maturity, he had kept his wild sense of humor, which he had practically from the time he learned to talk, and his concern for others. In fact, he became, if it were possible, more caring and loving. "If anyone is good enough and deserves Mary Kathryn, then it has to be Michael, "I thought to myself as I stood in his room admiring him for who he was. "I really love this kid and had the greatest respect for him," I said to myself, thinking about what he had been through and what a great human being he had become.
        "Hey, Matt, where are you? You look as if you're on another planet. Thinking of Luke?"
        "Actually, to tell the truth, I was thinking about you?"
        "Hey! Whoa! I'm taken!"
        "Gee, and I was hoping to add another conquest to my record," I laughed. "No, I was just thinking about all you have been through and how you never lost your concern for other people and what a fantastic and wonderful human being you are. I really admire, appreciate and love you, Lil Bro."
        He gave me a hug and say, "Thanks, Bro."
        "And you are a knock out. You can take that from someone who is in love with the most handsome, most beautiful man on the planet. You better watch it or Mary Kathryn will crawl you bod when you walk in the door."
        "I can always hope! But we better go or the family will wonder what happened to us."
        When we arrived at the Larsens', Mom and Dad were met in the living room by Jens and Gabrielle. Gabrielle said the kids were in their rooms. Well, the fact was they were both in Luke's room and as soon as Michael and I walked into the room, Luke kicked the door closed and Michael and I were attacked by the Larsens. When Michael and I escaped the lip locks Mary Kathryn and Luke had placed on us, Michael said, "And I though wild 'breeds' were aggressive.  I'm not sure I CAN handle this wild woman, Matt."
        "Yea, know what you mean. Maybe we need to try again and see if we can take this kind of aggression." With that words, I grabbed Luke and gave him a real french kiss, which he obligingly returned. When we came up for air, Michael and Mary Kathryn were still at it. "Luke, we're going to have to really get into shape so we can go without breathing as long as those two.
        Still holding Mary Kathryn to himself, Michael looked up, grinned, "Matt, I guess you have to breathe because your Larsen doesn't take your breath away the way mine does!" and kissed Mary Kathryn again.
        "Sorry to break up a good thing, but I think I heard David arrive so I guess we best abandon the passion pit and go downstairs."
        "Sad to say, but I guess you're right, Luke," I said, grabbing a quick kiss which had to last for awhile.
        As we passed the window overlooking the front, we crowded around and watched as David walked around the car, opened the door and helped Dr. Bailey out. When she was out of the car, they walked toward the porch, still holding hands. "Hand holding is hot stuff, right?"
        I got three immediate "yeses" and then we all looked at each other and there was a four- way high five and shouted "YES!" from the Gang of Four. Seems Project David and Margaret was moving faster than we dared hope.
        When we got downstairs, David and Dr. Bailey had just entered the den where my parents and the Larsens were. Jens was pouring glasses of wine for them when we walked in. I noticed four empty glasses on the table. "Tonight is a real celebration," Jens said as he handed glasses to David and Dr. Bailey and asked, "Michael, Matt, would you like wine?"  We all nodded and Jens poured four glasses. We had been allowed to have wine on special occasions since we were in grade school. It may seem strange but none of us drink other than with the family. It's something special for special occasions, not a way to show how grown up we are.
        "A toast," Jens said. "Here's to families and friends and especially to the family in this room.  May our friendship remain strong forever. Skoal!"
        "I'd like to propose a toast." As glasses were raised, Michael said, "Here's to failure, the one failure in Luke Hans Larsen's life which brought him back to us!"
        Luke was practically in tears, but proposed the next toast, "Here's to love, the love of family, of friends, of strangers without whom I would not have failed.  And in particular for the special love which David and Dr. Bailey, and especially Matthew, gave me when I thought I wanted to die."
        "You're getting dangerously close to revealing too much, Luke, my love," I thought.
        The room became very silent as we all thought about why we were here this evening. It took Mary Kathryn to lighten the mood. "Here's to us: the family, together and whole and complete with a new member--here's to us and to Margaret!"
        "Dad, does this mean I have a new, older feminine figure in my life?" Michael grinned.
        "Watch it, Michael," I thought, "or YOU'LL give away too much. Then I was reminded of the fact that maybe Luke and I had already given away far too much.  I was suddenly brought back to the present by Mom.
        "It means Margaret is part of the family, whatever that means now and in the future.  Welcome, Margaret," Mom said. "Welcome to the craziest group of people you're likely to meet anywhere."
        There were other toasts and the Gang of Four actually drank a second glass of wine, unheard of in the past, but tonight was the most special occasion the four of us could remember.
        After the toasts, we went into the dining room for dinner.  The food was great; Gabrielle is practically a gourmet cook and we all loved having dinner at the Larsens'. The mood was very festive, a real celebration of having Luke home and well. When desert was served, Dr. Bailey said, "Matt once told me there was a story behind how these three families became one. He promised I would hear it sometime. It seems this is a good time for that, not just for me, but as a kind of reminder of who we... you..."
        "We," Mom said.
        "Of who we are," Dr. Bailey finished.
        "I guess we'll have to use a short version or we'll be here all night," Jens said. "But while I'm the host, I'll have to defer to Greywolf. Lakota are the best story tellers and this is a real story. Greywolf."
        "Well, I'm not sure even a short version won't keep us here all night! So I'll just do the bare essentials." We all laughed because it was a story we had heard a thousand times, but as all good stories, one we all enjoy hearing again, even if were only the bare essentials.
        "All three of us males had been in ROTC in college: David in the Naval ROTC, Jens in one of the few Marine ROTC units and I in the Army. We had all finished college: Jens in accounting, David in pre-med and I in physics. As soon as we graduated, we received our commissions and were assigned duty. After training, I was sent to Korea where I met and married Yong Jin. Jens was sent to Germany where he met and married Gabrielle. Poor David was left in the States and apparently found no one. Actually, he and Elizabeth had met during his last year in college, but he thought it would be unfair to get engaged with his leaving for the Navy and facing med school afterwards. Marriage was definitely out of the question at that time so they more or less broke up. Michael almost wasn't to be and think what that would be like." I glanced at Mary Kathryn; she was looking at Michael, smiling.
        "After Jens and I finished our overseas tour of duty, we were assigned to the Pentagon. There we met David. He was going to school at night to get his RN since he had decided he was more interested in becoming an emergency nurse than being a doctor.  The Larsens and the Greywolfs lived off post in two pretty terrible apartments. David lived off post as well and had a great little efficiency. Jens found a triplex for rent and we decided that by scrimping and being very careful, we could afford to rent it or at least pay the rent. It was hard because both Yong Jin and Gabrielle were in school finishing up their degrees and could only work part-time and military salaries, even for junior officers, was pretty poor."
        "David had became a kind of perpetual visitor and when we pooled our resources for a dinner together every Saturday night, David was always there. When David discovered we had the triplex, he asked about renting the third unit. We were delighted to have someone to share the rent, but were puzzled as to why he wanted to give up his place for a more expensive one. He gave no reason, but told us early in the week he wouldn't be at the Saturday dinner because he had a four day pass and was going home."
        "Late Sunday night he appeared at our door with a beautiful young woman and introduced her as Mrs. David Andrews. It seems that several months before, David had contacted Elizabeth and they had been corresponding on a regular--daily if the truth be known--basis. When we got the triplex, he took that as a sign to propose to Elizabeth, got his four day pass, went home and married her. At the time we had about a year to serve and to finish our schooling."
        "Well, we spent about as much time together as we did apart and when the time approached for us to be separated, we all were very unhappy about breaking up. By that time we called the six of us the family. David, again, solved the problem. He had leave coming so he and Elizabeth went home and when they returned, David told us he had found three adjoining farms for sale.  Of course, we didn't have any money, but David, being from Lexington, knew people there and in Concord who agreed to purchase the farms and rent them to us until we could get VA loans. I certainly didn't want to go back to the res, Jens had no family to speak of and what family David had lived near enough..."
        "Sometimes too near," David interjected...."
         "...It seemed the perfect set up. David made all the arrangements so we all came here without having seen the places. When we looked over the farms for the first time, it was amazing. Each of us immediately knew which farm belonged to whom, even though only David and Elizabeth had seen them and we had never discussed the question."
        "The first Saturday we were here we had packed a picnic lunch and gone to the river. After we had eaten, we decided to walk up the river and that was when we discovered the falls.  Almost from the beginning they became a kind of symbol of the family. When the kids came along and reached the age where some thought skinny dipping was no longer to be permitted, I introduced the Lakota custom of crossed stick indicating a locked entrance. In short, the falls became a place for struggling with things, confessions, meditation, celebrations, all the things that hold the family together and sustain its members." Dad suddenly became quiet as we all had just been reminded Luke had gone to the falls to end his life.
         "Anyway," Dad continued, "in a year's time, Yong Jin and Gabrielle discovered they were pregnant and Matt and Luke were born on the same day....
         "Yes, but I'm the oldest," I had to add. Luke was holding my hand under the table and gave it a hard squeeze. Usually when our births were brought up he gave me a punch on the shoulder.
        "A little over two years later, Michael and Mary Kathryn were born. We had, all six, wanted a troop of kids, but it was not to be, but since we didn't get quantity we got quality." With those words, Dad raise his glass and said, "Here's to the four greatest kids in seven countries and, thank God they are all still here!" The family, including Dr.  Bailey, responded "Hear! Hear!"
        Luke was teary-eyed and, to tell the truth, so was Mary Kathryn, Michael and I. Luke started to wipe his eyes with his napkin and dropped it. He bent over to pick it up and when he came up from under the table, he gave my hand another squeeze, looked at me and winked. I managed to drop my napkin and when I looked under the table saw that Mary Kathryn and Michael, David and Dr. Bailey, Mom and Dad were all holding hands. Gabrielle's hand rested on Jens knee.
        "Thanks for telling me that story. I feel privileged to be included in such a group of friends.  And while I only knew her through my work at the hospital, I know all of you miss Elizabeth very much. She was a wonderful lady."
        "Indeed she was and we do miss her, but we think it's time David moved on in his life and it looks as if the family is willing to accept you as a real inside member," Luke said, cutting to the chase as always.
        "Luke!" Gabrielle exclaimed. The Gang of Four cracked up and was soon joined by all except David and Dr. Bailey, both of whom were blushing like teenagers.
        "Well, I guess we can adjourn to the den for coffee," Jens said.
        "Not just yet," David intervened. "We have a little surprise for you and Gabrielle. We know you both have been through a very trying time and that tomorrow proves, once again, that not all April Fools are fools since one man was wise enough to fool a beautiful German fraulein into marrying him on April Fools' day. We want you two to celebrate and forget about things here for a weekend. The cabin at the lake has been stocked, you have reservations for dinner tomorrow night at the lake lodge and a choice of times for Mass at St. Peter's on the Lake. And, to be honest with you, we'll not take "no" for an answer.
        Jens was speechless and Gabrielle had tears in her eyes as she leaned over and kissed him. I had never seen her do that before in all to time I have been around the Larsens. I wonder where Luke learned to like kissing so much. "Thank you so very, very much. That cabin is very special to us. The last chance we had to be alone together was there. I guess it's been a couple years now. The kids are old enough to take care of themselves...."
        "They may be, but that's not the way it's going to be. All four are going to stay with us," Mom said.
        "What's going on here?" I wondered.
        "There's another little surprise in the works," Dad said.  "David and Margaret , I've taken the liberty of making reservations for dinner and the theater for you two in Lexington Saturday night. Since you'll will be coming home late, we'll babysit for both families."
        Luke gave my hand another squeeze and I thought to myself, "Is this a test or something?"
        "That's awfully nice of you, Greywolf, but I am on duty tomorrow night and I think you are too, aren't you, David?
         "Well, I think both of you were, but not now. I talked with Dr. Walker and he is seeing that your duty is covered, Margaret, and the ogre of ICU has roped someone into taking David's duty. When we decide to railroad someone in this family we do it right. Now, Jens, we can adjourn to the den."
        "Mom, we'll clear the table and when we finish, can we go to the falls? It's such a beautiful and warm night it seems a sin to waste it," Luke said.
        "If it's ok with your father."
        "Sure, since you are all together."
        I was suddenly tempted to be a bit of a devil and said, "David, if you and Dr. Bailey. . . .
        "Matt, what do you call your dad in the classroom?" Dr.  Bailey asked.
        "Mr. Greywolf, why?"
        "And at home?"
        "Dad or Greywolf. What are you getting at?
        "Luke, how about you?"
        "Mr. Greywolf at school and Greywolf at home. Why?"
        "Well, I think if I'm going to be around, we can drop the Dr. Bailey bit. You know when it's appropriate. Otherwise, I'm Margaret, ok?"       "Ok, Margaret. David, if you can forego the coffee, why don't you show Margaret the falls in the moonlight? She has never seen them."
        "Sounds like a good idea," Mom and Gabrielle said together.
        The table was cleared in record time and as soon as Margaret had exchanged her heels for a pair of Mary Kathryn's sneakers, the six of us were walking toward the river.
        The moon was bright and the night warm as we walked. As soon as I thought we were safe, I took Luke's hand in mine. Throwing caution to the winds, he moved in front of me and, walking backwards, faced me and gave me a Luke's special kiss. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Mary Kathryn was a full-blooded Larsen and had done the same with Michael.
        "I guess it's the hormone thing," David said, laughing.
        "Maybe it's just the moonlight," Margaret said and put her arm around David's waist. David put his around hers and they, too, were walking close. The Gang of Four just couldn't resist. We met in a circle, gave each other high fives and shouted, "YES!"
        When we reached the path to the falls, David crossed the canes. Usually that was for privacy, but the family had long ago realized that sometimes you need to talk and you need things kept confidential. So the second Rule of the Canes was, "What happens behind the canes is sacred and not to be repeated except when keeping quiet endangers someone." I guess, come to think of it, David could have pleaded that rule when he came after me when I ran out of Luke's room...and when we came to the falls and found Luke.
        The falls were unbelievably beautiful in the moonlight.  David and Margaret sat on the sand near the entrance path while Mary Kathryn and Michael went in one direction and Luke and I in another. Soon there were three couples sitting on the sand, holding hands and saying nothing. It was a priceless moment. The beauty of the place reflected our loves and I was sure now that there were three loves in this special place. As if to confirm that, I saw David kiss Margaret's hair as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Luke had, of course, unbraided mine.
        I laughed and pointed at Michael and Mary Kathryn who were making out big time. "I think you're letting your little sister show you up, Lover." I had hardly gotten the words out of my mouth when Luke grabbed me and pulled me on top of himself. A cascade of hair, again, created our private world and our lips met, our tongues dueling. Luke started unbuttoning my shirt and started kissing my chest, for the first time kissing each of my nipples. "God, Luke, I am so hard I hurt. I want to make love.... "suddenly a medallion fell across Luke's chest. "Damn, slow and easy strikes again," I whispered.
        Luke laughed, then shouted, "Remember Michael, Mary Kathryn, slow and easy!"
        "Man, you sure know how to ruin a moment," Michael called back. "Dad, are you and Margaret on a slow and easy track, too? If so, we need help from your years of experience."
        By then all six of us were giggling like mad. "I don't think my particular position on that matter is any of your business, Son."
        "He'd better be because I've been taking lessons on how to handle men from Mary Kathryn, " Margaret said.
        "Which lesson? The leave 'em aching on the hall floor or the see how quick you can get 'em panting?" Michael called back, followed by loud panting sounds, then "Ouch!" It was clear Mary Kathryn had struck again.
        Luke and I continuing exploring the touch and feel of each other until David called out, "Well, if you guys can get things under control, I suspect we better get back."
        Reluctantly, all six of us got up. As Luke covered my mouth with his, he buttoned my shirt.  He held his arms around my neck as I quickly braided my hair.  When we were all presentable, the six started walking toward the house. Knowing that there probably wouldn't be another opportunity, Luke and I stopped just before leaving the cane brake and held each other tight for a long, long, deep and, yes, lustful kiss. As our lips parted, Luke said, "Sarang Hanun Pomul, there is no way you can know how much I love you."
        "Yonghon Tongmu, my love for you is a vast as the heavens and then some," I said as we looked into each others eyes. I saw a reflection of the stars overhead in Luke's bright eyes.. With a tender kiss which expressed not only our love for each other as lovers, but also our love and respect for each other as friends, we ended a time of freedom and turned toward the house, remembering to drop hands when we could be seen. I noticed that Michael and Mary Kathryn did the same.
        All six of us had walked in silence for a short distance when that song took over. Walking backwards, facing Luke, I said, "Yonghon Tongmu" and started singing,
         More than the greatest love the world has known.  This is the love I give to you alone
        I was surprised when Margaret took David by one hand and Luke by the other. Michael, being the sharp one, quickly caught on to what was happening and grabbed his dad's hand and then Mary Kathryn's. I caught on--finally-- and grabbed Luke's.
        "Now, Matt, where were we? 'More than the greatest love the world has known...'"  Margaret started singing. I was surprised when David knew the words and added his resonant bass voice. By the time we had finished the song, Michael, Luke, and Mary Kathryn were stumbling along. Margaret then told us we'd have to have the song "lined out, an African practice brought here by slaves. I'll give you the words and then you sing them. 'More than the greatest love...."'
        By the time we got to the house we were singing to our loves at the top of our lungs, swinging hands and it all looked perfectly innocent! We didn't stop and when we got inside Greywolf and Yong Jin started dancing and singing. Gabrielle, laughing, joined the singing and even Jens managed to sing a line or two. When we finally finished, Jens said, "I think I'm going to have to keep a tighter control on the wine...."
        David responded, laughing, "No, it's the moon. Lunacy, you know."
        "Well, I guess we better break up the party since Jens and Gabrielle will want to start for the lake early tomorrow," Dad said. "Luke, do you want to spend tomorrow morning in the lab? I'm keeping it open from eight until noon."
        "Well, I actually wouldn't say I would like to, but I will say I certainly better and thanks for having it open. Can I hitch a ride with you?" Dad nodded his agreement.
        "Mom, Dad, would it be all right if Mary Kathryn and I walked Matt and Michael to the Greywolf's and David can pick Michael up on his way home. It is still a beautiful night and I'd like to spend a little more time enjoying it."
        "I don't see why not," Mom said, "do you have any objections, Jens?"
        "No, no, none at all. Just remember you've got to get up tomorrow as if it were a school day, Luke."
        "Thanks, Dad, Mom," Luke and Mary Kathryn said.
        "David, why don't you let Michael sleep over at our place so you don't have to bother coming after him?"
        "Fine with me. How about you, Michael?"
        "Well, I'm not too sure. If I do that I'll have no idea when you get in and you and Margaret may just be setting this up so you can play around all night. As the other male in the family, I have to keep things respectable. But then again, I take it you are working on that second feminine figure problem, so I guess it's ok."
        If there had been a blushing contest on that one, Margaret and David would have been declared a draw. David gave Michael a punch on the shoulder and said, "You devil, I think you'd better stay out of my reach tonight." The Gang of Four cracked up and the elder Greywolfs and Larsens were just as bad.
         We all said good night and as soon as the three couples who had been at the falls got to the front porch we once again started singing at the top of our lungs. Mom and Dad joined in and we all sang "More" all the way through before David helped Margaret into his car as Dad helped Mom into ours. It was a beautiful moment and one that I knew I would always treasure.
        Maintaining a bit of caution, the Gang of Four walked down to moonlit road arm in arm, something we had done since we were allowed to go from one house to the other by ourselves.
        When we reached the house, the porch light, which was always on, was out. As soon as we were in to shadows of the porch, the Gang of Four became the Pair of Couples. Without discussion, Michael and Mary Kathryn went to one end of the porch, Luke and I to the other. As Luke embraced me, his lips covered mine and his tongue brought the sweetest of my Yonghon Tongmu into my mouth. Our kiss became more and more passionate, more and more lust-filled.  Luke had pressed my body against the wall and his hips were pressing into mine. I could feel his hard manhood pressing against mine. He unbraided my hair again--I think he is going to wear it out. He filled his left hand with my hair, pulling me closer to him while his right hand unbuttoned my shirt again. As soon as it was unbuttoned, his lips planted kisses on my nipples. I realized I was streaming precum as I pulled his shirt up and ran my hands up and down his powerful back. The feel of his bare skin was driving me wild as were his lips on my nipples.  "Luke," I whispered, "I want you so bad.. I need your body to love and if you don't stop, I'm going to...."
        "Me, too, Beloved Treasure." One hand still in my hair and the other around my waist, Luke licked a path down my chest then looked up at me and smiled. In his teeth was my medallion!
        "Luke, one of these days I'm going to strangle you! What a way to destroy a moment!"
        "Had the moment not been destroyed, you'd have had some explaining to do when you walked in with the front of your jeans announcing what the moment was like!"
        "Well, I'm not so sure they won't announce something anyway."
        "Matt, Man, I love you so much and tonight has been so perfect, but it can't end with breaking trust. I want you--all of you--your body as well as you heart, as much as you want me. Little Luke has been hard for so long I ache. Precum has soaked my briefs and jeans. I ache for you really ache. Tonight has been so perfect. It has been so perfect, so very, very perfect. But, because we are who we are, this perfect night has to end with less than we want, but what we want even less is our first time to be a quickie on your porch."
        "I know, Luke, but, Man, you make me so hot. I beginning to think I'm just one big hunk of lust. I dream of making love to you and my Chili Pepper demands that it be now."
        "So does Little Luke. I know it's difficult not to lust after someone as perfect as I am, but you'll just have to control yourself, you wild Lakota Korean 'breed I love more than life itself."  With those words, Luke's lips again covered mine in a long, loving, deep kiss which I returned one filled with love, but with lust turned way down.
        As we ended our kiss, Luke called out, "Ok, Little Sister, get your clothes back on, we've got to go home." As Michael and Mary Kathryn walked back toward the steps, I noticed that he too had something pointing out that some pretty heavy making out had been going on. And that's hard--pun intended --when you're wearing tight jeans. Of course, even in the moonlight, the wet spots on three jeans front were clearly visible and told the same story.
        Soon the two Larsens were walking down the road in the moonlight I noticed they were holding hands as Michael and I went inside.
        When we got to my room, I was anxious as to how Michael would feel about our sleeping together. While he did not sleep over as much as Luke, he did often. He too, had clothes in my closet. But now that he knew about my relationship with Luke, even though we were both still virgins and he knew it, I wasn't sure. He and Luke had slept over so often that after the three of us got some size on us, Mom and Dad had bought me a new king-sized bed. So we continued sharing my bed--sometimes two, sometimes three. But again, now was different....
        "Michael, if you don't want to sleep with a faggot...." and that was as far as I got before Michael blew up.
        "Matthew Sarang Hanun Pomul Greywolf, if I ever, ever hear you use that word or any other derogatory term for yourself or for Luke, I'll beat the living shit out of you! Man, I am not kidding. I am so pissed that I could do it right now! You are my bro whom I love, admire and adore. You are in love with the brother of the woman I love with every fiber of my being and whom I love as I love you. You are my brother, Matt, and nobody, nobody, is going to use words like that about you or Luke, not even you or Luke!" Michael was so upset he had tears in is eyes and I felt lower than dog shit.
        I walked over to him and put my arms around him and started crying too. "I'm sorry, Michael, so very sorry. I was trying to be funny because I didn't know what else to do. I wanted you to have a way out...."
        "Out of what? Are you any different today than you were yesterday, last week, last month, last year? Maybe in some ways because you're in love with a wonderful, magnificent guy and you're happier for it, but you're still my bro. Matt, I'd trust you with my life. You're my friend, Man."
        "Michael, what can I say other than that you have to be the best bro any man has ever had and I love you dearly."
        "Matt, I think I may be number two in the bro department because in my book, you're number one. But right now that we have that settled, my balls are killing me."
         I laughed, "Mine too. Welcome to the slow and easy club and the results of what happens when slow and easy gets hot and heavy for too long. You have first crack at the bathroom and don't yell too loud when you get relief."
        "But what's wrong with me, Matt, I hurt."
         "Some call it having blue balls, others stone aches. It comes from having a hardon too long without release. So are you going or what?"
         "I'm gone," he said as he shot out the door for the bathroom. Meanwhile, I waited and ached.  Not only is this love thing complicated, it can give you a real pain!
        Michael soon reappeared and said, "What a relief!" as I made a beeline for the bathroom.
        Without giving it any further thought, Michael and I undressed and crawled into bed. "God, it has been a wonderful night, Matt," he said as he snuggled up against me and wrapped his arm around my chest. Nothing unusual about that. All three of us hugged each other when we slept, but it made a huge difference to me. It reaffirmed Michael's acceptance of me and my love for Luke.
        "Good night, Matt, Bro.
        "Good night, Bro Michael.
        Within minutes we were both in dreamland and I was sure he was dreaming of the Larsen who were the center of his universe and the love of his life as Luke was of mine.        

Luke

        As Mary Kathryn and I walked down the road toward home, we held hands just as we had done when we were small kids. We walked in silence for sometime.  I was in more than a little pain from my making out with Matt. I had heard guys talk about having stone aches, but had never had the "pleasure." As we walked, the pain gradually grew less until I knew that I would survive.
         "Luke, wasn't tonight one of the most wonderful you have ever known," Mary Kathryn asked.
        Thinking back over all that had happened, I had to disagree a bit. "No, Mary Kathryn, it was not one of the most wonderful nights I have known. It was THE most wonderful night of my life.  And not just because Matt and I did the heaviest making out we have ever done, although that would have made it the best, but also because of you and Michael and your playful love. I really love how you two can make out and play like two kids at the same time. You have something to teach me and Matt there. And because it looks pretty definite that David has found someone to fill a big hole in his life. I have always known and loved David and I loved Elizabeth and miss her very much. But Margaret Bailey is one of the most loving, giving people I have known and she deserves someone as great as David--and Michael--and they deserve her."
        "Didn't you enjoy singing that old song? I guess most of the stuff I listen to just doesn't talk about love, real love, the way that song does."
        "'More than the greatest love the world has known/ This is the love I give to you alone' I sang.  Yea, I guess most of what I listen to doesn't quite match that."
        "And Mom and Dad surely seemed more alive tonight than I have seen them in, perhaps forever. I know they will have a grand time at the lake."
         "Yea, and I bet Dad doesn't have aching balls because he doesn't get to finish what he starts!"
        "Luke, you're awful," Mary Kathryn laughed.
        "You can say that because you only give pain in the balls, not get it." It wasn't in the balls, but Mary Kathryn gave me a punch to the shoulder that left a blue spot the next day.
         When we got home, Mom and Dad had a suitcase sitting by the front door and the lights in their room were out. Mary Kathryn and I were very quiet as we walked upstairs. When we reached the top of the stairs, Mary Kathryn stopped and said, "Luke, I think your love for Matt and his for you is beautiful and magnificent and wonderful and right. I know that too soon it will cause a great deal of heartache for our mom and dad, at least Dad because I think Mom knows and will accept, if not approve, of it. But I want you to know that I am happy for both of you, intend to stand by you, because I love two and I know that it's wonderful and right. Good night, brother mine."
        "Good night, sister mine. Thanks and I love you very much," I said as I kissed her on the cheek.
         I was learning a lot from Matt and even though I was ready for sleep, I say a prayer of thanksgiving for him and his love, for the family and its new addition, Margaret. I offered thanks for the beauty of the night and especially for the river and what it meant to all of us. I then thought of how, as much as we wanted it to be otherwise, both Matt and I had reminded each other of slow and easy, convinced that my loving God understood how difficult it was. I gave special thanks that Michael and Mary Kathryn had found in each other someone to love who was as good, loving and caring as they. Finally I did ask for something. I asked that my parents would understand and accept me and Matt and our love even if they could not approve. I gazed out my window, recalling the wonderful evening the six of us had spent in the moonlight as I fell asleep.
        My alarm went off earlier than I wished as it always did. I put on my sweats and jogged to the Greywolfs. When I looked through the window, I saw Matt and Michael, sleeping arm in arm.  Jealous? Why?  Because Michael was where I wanted to be, but was not? Michael was sleeping peacefully in the arms of the man I loved and in whose arms I would one day sleep. They were my brothers, far closer I suspect, than most blood brothers.  I smiled as I thought about the love among the Gang of Four, not only the love of lovers between Mary Kathryn and Michael and Matt and I, but also the deep, deep love of friends among the four of us. As I watched my two brothers sleeping, also darkness and light, the soft morning light from the yet sun which was just below the horizon illuminating their handsome faces, I was almost overwhelmed with my love for them.
        Finally I couldn't resist. I shouted, "What's going on here?"
        Michael sprang straight up in bed and said, "Shit!" He too has a dirty mouth.
        Matt simply smiled and say, "Good morning, Yonghon Tongmu, Light of my World."
        "Good morning, Yonghon Tongmu, Joy of my Life."
        "Good Lord, what do we have here? You sound like my British lit class!" Michael shouted as he raced for the bathroom and released a stream into the toilet.  He, as was our habit, didn't bother closing the door. Matt wasn't waiting and joined Michael.  When they finished, both grabbed a toothbrush.
        When they finished, Matt came from the bathroom, of course still naked, and instead of grabbing me as expected, he slowly took me into his arms, placed his hands on each side of my head and gently drew me to himself for a morning kiss. Slow, tender, loving, passionate, the kiss continued as I felt as though I had been transported into a land of pure light. When Matt finally broke his kiss, he whispered in my ear, "Luke, Yonghon Tongmu, I love you. I can think of no other words to add. There is nothing beyond that. Luke, Yonghon Tongmu, I love you."
        Wrapping my arms about Matt's neck, under his hair which I so adored, I said, "Matthew, Sarang Hanun Pomul, I love you." We, then, exchanged another soft, loving kiss. Ending the kiss, we placed our foreheads together and gazed into each other's eyes. It was as though we were floating in some delightful place. Our moment was broken by Michael.
        "Hey, you two, I'm being left out."
         Matt was obviously in a playful mood because he grabbed Michael, who was as naked as he, and gave him a huge kiss on the mouth. Michael began sputtering and wiping his mouth with the back of his arm the way a small child does to "wipe off a kiss."  Suddenly all three of us were laughing like crazy. As the two of them put on their sweats I realized that with a morning exchange expressing our love to each other, neither Matt nor I had gotten hard. I first thought it was because Michael was present, but then I realized that I was so transported out of this world that I was not conscious of anything or any one except Matthew and the wonderful world his kiss created for me. Maybe there are expressions of love for your lover without lust after all.  I was jarred out of my thoughts by Michael's "Well, Luke, are you going to stand there daydreaming or you running with the two most handsome men in seven countries?"
        The three of us climbed out the window, down to trellis, and jogged to the road where we started serious running. The sun had almost cleared the horizon as we ran toward morning's light. I had expected to have to call for Michael and Matt to stop at the end of David's pasture because I knew that was my limit, but Michael reached the corner first, shouted "One mile!" and turned to start running back. I managed to get a bit farther than I had yesterday before I had to slow down. When I did, Matt kept pace and soon we had slowed enough to hold hands. Michael continued running full steam. When he reach Matt's house he kept right on running, maybe even faster. "Now what's Michael up to?" I asked.
        Matt started dying laughing. "When are your parents leaving for to lake?"
        "You know Dad is a super morning person. He gets up around 4:30 most mornings. I suspect they were on to road while I was still asleep. I noticed the suitcase they had packed was gone when I left. Why?"
        "And you want to know what Michael is up to?" As we continued walking, I saw two figures emerge from our house and head toward us at top speed. Mary Kathryn can't keep it up for a long, long distance, but on a short mile or two run, she could outrun any one of the guys. Since Michael was warmed up, he was managing to keep up pretty well, but just to let him know who was boss, Mary Kathryn ran ahead of him, turned and ran backwards, motioning him on.
        "I can tell you I'm glad I don't have to tame that one," I laughed.
        "What makes you think Michael wants her tamed?" Matt asked.  "I see little evidence that he wants her any way other than the way she is."
        "And that the way it should be, isn't it?" I asked. Matt nodded agreement.
        By the time we reached the front walk, Mary Kathryn and Michael were waiting for us. The four of us grabbed hands as we went inside. Now how did Yong Jin know there would be two Larsens to feed? I don't know, but she had a breakfast laid out which more than adequate I thought.
        "Mom I thought you'd sleep in since Dad is going to school to open the lab today," Matt said.
        "I figured I needed to get up to prepare breakfast for you and your Dad and our guest. I also had a feeling that you and our guest might pick up some lost or strayed children and drag them in for food," she laughed.
        "Are we running a restaurant as well as a bed and breakfast?" Greywolf laughed as he came into the kitchen where breakfast was laid out on the kitchen table. After he had given Yong Jin a good morning kiss, long and passionate I observed, but without any obvious lust, he joined us and said grace. The "amen" was a kind of signal for what must have looked like a plague of locust descending up the food.
        After breakfast, Michael and Mary Kathryn left for their respective homes. Greywolf and I kissed our respective loves and left for school. Matt was going to work on one or both of the compositions he was writing for his recital.
        Things went extremely well in the physics lab. There were two other students making up labs, Eugene Joyce and Larry Watley. I didn't know them extremely well, but had enjoyed being lab partners with one or the other on several occasions. Since a couple of the experiments they needed to make up were the same as two I had to make up, we joined up and got them done much quicker than I would have been able to do myself. A couple times they apologized when they started laughing at an inside joke.
        "You two must know each other very well," I observed.
        "Yea, the first day I started school here as a sophomore, Eugene befriended me. I was a real runt then and was being picked on by a couple of the jocks who beat up Gregory...." We all became very silent, deep, I suspect in our own thoughts.  "Anyway, Eugene was a lot bigger than I and had taken martial arts so he took both of them out in no time flat."
        "You were smaller than Eugene? I can't believe it. You must be three inches taller and out weight Eugene by fifty pounds!"
        They both started laughing. "Yea, he was as big then as he is now. I got a growth spurt that year and haven't stopped since. Also, Eugene got me working out here at school and I filled out some."
        "I'll say. You're what, six two and weigh close to two hundred twenty or twenty-five and Eugene is about five ten, five eleven and weighs what? One seventy, seventy-five.
        "You should join the circus as one of those guess your weight guys. You hit close enough in both cases. Anyway, we became best buds at school, but seldom saw each other outside school or some school event because Eugene lived in town and I lived in the country. Then, just after Christmas last year, my dad just up and left me and my mom. He blamed it all on m...my mom, but there was another woman. Since Mom worked in town and we couldn't handle the farm alone, she sold the farm and we moved into town."
        "Yea, and Larry had been so torn up by the whole mess that we didn't talk about a whole lot else. In fact, when he said they were selling the farm and moving, we were both so afraid we'd be separated that when Larry's mom decided to move into town, we were just so happy we could still be ...buds that it was almost a month before we found out we only live a couple blocks from each other. Now we practically live together, sometimes at one place and sometimes the other."
        "That sounds like me and my two best buds. We have clothes at each others' houses."
        "Who's that?" Larry asked.
        "Michael Andrews and Matt Greywolf, Mr. Greywolf's son. We live on three adjoining farms out in the country. Maybe you guys would like to come out sometime when I get caught up with the shit load of school work I have to make up."
        "Yea, I bet you do since you were out so long. Sure glad you weren't successful with the suicide attempt and seem happy now."
        "You are so right. Right now I'm almost as happy as I can even dream of being."
        "Hey, I know Matt Greywolf." Eugene finally got in another word. "He was in my music class last year. Haven't seen him in music this year though. I heard he was doing an independent study and has to present a recital for his whole grade."
        "You're right. In fact, he's home right now working on a composition."
        "You mean he writes music as well as plays?"
        "Sure does. He's doing two pieces for his recital. I think he's kinda keeping it a secret since he's not played any for me, or the other two of the Gang of Four, as we call ourselves."
         "Who's the other one?"
         "My sister, Mary Kathryn."
         "Wow, she is one foxy lady. And I loved it last year when she sent the jock to his knees. And, if I may say so, the rest of the Gang of Four are not ugly," Eugene said. Larry blushed. Was I getting vibes here?
        "Well, since we have nothing special to do until time to go, how 'bout we pitch in and help Luke knock out a few more experiments?" Larry asked. Eugene nodded agreement and they pitched in, helping set up experiments, recording data, and tearing down when an experiment was finished, all the time we were taking our heads off about music, movies, school, everything.  These two guys were good and they were fast. When Greywolf came from his office to check on us, I had finished gathering data for all the experiments I had to make up. Now all I had to do was the calculations and write up the experiments.
        "I don't know how to thank you guys. It would have taken me at least one more Saturday and probably two to get this much work done."
        "Glad to help a fellow out," Eugene said.
        "Don't worry about it. Actually getting to know you better was worth it," Larry added.
        "How are you guys getting home? Did you ride bikes?"
        "No, it was a nice day so we walked over. We thought we'd get caught up, then maybe catch the afternoon movie."
        "Gee, I'm sorry. You'll never make the movie now since it starts in fifteen minutes. I'm sorry I messed up your plans."
        "It's time to go," Greywolf announced, "and I'll be more than happy to drop you two off at the movies. Anyone who helps another student as you two have helped Luke deserve to be appreciated. I'll drop you off and the soda and popcorn will be on him!"
        "It was nothing, really. We had fun doing it and what's life about if it's not about helping each other? Larry asked.
        "You are so right, Larry, but most folks don't see it that way," Greywolf responded. "But get a rush on or you'll be late for the movies."
        After we dropped off Larry and Eugene at the movies--they didn't want to take money for sodas and popcorn, but I insisted, telling them that it was something I wanted to do, not an obligation--we went home where Yong Jin had lunch waiting.  Margaret and David were seated at the kitchen table.
        "Where's...."
         "Matt's upstairs in his room. I called him when I heard you and Greywolf arrive, but he doesn't seem to be responding. I suspect he's working at his keyboard and has earphones on.  Want to check?"
         When I got to his room, Matt was oblivious to the world, working hard at his keyboard. I walked up behind him and surrounded his waist with my arms. I expected him to be startled, but he just looked up, smiled and reached behind himself to pull my lips to his. After a short kiss, he sat back down, removed the earphones and said, "Luke, you have been my whole world for hours. I looked at the notation pad on his keyboard and read "Yonghon Tongmu: Variations on 'More'." Apparently he had been busy for there were several other pages of notation lying on the keyboard.
        "Matt, you mom called you to lunch awhile ago. Are you ready to eat?"
        "I'm ready to eat you with a spoon," he replied as he got up from his bench. We once again embraced and headed down stairs.
        When we got to the kitchen, Mary Kathryn and Michael had showed up. "Greywolf, did you put up a sign outside which said stray kids would be fed here?"  Yong Jin laughed. Obviously she had expected the strays because there were places set for them already.
        After lunch the table was cleared and we all went into the library for the family meeting. I had expected it to be Saturday night, but Greywolf had contributed to Project David and Margaret by arranging a night on the town for the two.
        Matt's dad was the acknowledged leader of the family so everyone waited for him to begin. We all knew how Greywolf ran a family meeting. Everything was as structured and organized as one of his physics classes. No horsing around and no small talk.  Family meetings were serious business and this one was very serious.
        "We all know why we are here so let's get on with it. Matt, Luke, you have the family here, why don't you begin."
        "I want to say about three or four things then I'll listen.  First, all of you know why I attempted suicide and the results so there's no discussion for this group about that, right? Second, I love Matthew Sarang Hanun Pomul Greywolf with every fiber of my being and want to spend the rest of my life with him. Third, I know that we face a hard road, smoothed considerably by all of you for which I will never be able to repay you or even express my thanks adequately. Finally, while I am almost convinced Mom knows about me and Matt, my dad does not and what he will do when finds out scares me half to death.  Also, I remembered today that Matt and I had been very excited when we were accepted at our first choice of schools Julliard and Ringling. Now the idea of his being in New York and me in Florida really sucks. That's it for now.
        Matt then spoke up, "I must admit I really hadn't thought too far ahead because I was too involved with the moment and having the man I love, love me in return. When Luke asked Fr.  Tom about a commitment ceremony, I was overwhelmed. Since that time I have been thinking about spending my whole life with Luke Yonghon Tongmu Larsen. We already face problems and we are going to need all the help we can get. You all have been so wonderful to us already that I hate to ask more, but if we are to survive as a couple--and that is the only way I can survive--we are going to need your help and support. Since we have always had it, I know we will have it in the future and for that I am eternally grateful.  I too, am almost certain Gabrielle knows about Luke and me and I too, fear Jens reaction to learning his son loves a man. That's it for me.
        "Well, Luke, you have a promise of two weeks before the question of your suicide becomes open for discussion in your family. What is your feeling about that?" Margaret asked.
        "Frankly, I'd like to put it off forever, but since that is not an option, I'd like to get it over with because my life, and Matt's is on hold until the question is dealt with."
        "Luke, I know Dad has a two day audit in Jackson Monday and Tuesday. What I think you should consider is talking to Mom Monday evening. I'm not almost sure she knows about you and Matt. I am positive she knows. Since she hasn't gone nuts yet, it seems to me that she is at least willing to accept reality whether she likes it or not.  Frankly, I can't see her approving, but I certainly don't think she will reject you or Matt. She certainly seems more open in expressing her love and affection for both of us since you did the high dive bit.
        "What's your reaction to that, Luke? Or do you need more time to think about it?" Greywolf asked.
        "No, I think Sis is right. Mom has gone out of her way to show me affection and she has made some very strange remarks which, when I think about them, can only mean that she either knows about us or thinks she knows why I tried to kill myself.  Several times since I has been home she has made statements such as, 'Luke, you are my beloved man-child'-- a term she used when I was very young-- 'always have been and always will be regardless.' I didn't know Dad was going to be out-of-town Monday and Tuesday, but now that I do, I think it will be a good time to talk to Mom.
        "Just you or do you want someone with you?" asked David.  "You know any or all of us are willing to be with you if you like."
         "I hadn't thought much about having anyone with me. I think if several of us showed up, Mom would feel she was being ganged up on and I don't want that.  Maybe Sis, but she's got her own situation to deal with later so I think she better stay clear. I think I'd like Matt with me, yes Matt, if you're willing."
        "Of course I'm willing," Matt responded immediately. He was sitting on the floor between my legs and I realized I was so nervous I had twisted a handful of his hair around my hand. If I was this nervous among friends....
        "Anything else need to be said about that? ... I guess your silence answers 'no' to that. Next item, school."
        The rest of the family meeting went on for another hour, structured as only Greywolf can structure something. When we were all talked out, Greywolf had a prayer for me and Matt, for Mom and Dad and for all of us. By the time the meeting was over, it was time for David and Margaret to get ready and leave for Lexington. Greywolf and Yong Jin left to do some things around the farm. "Matt, I'd like to go to the river. I need some time and space to think about all that was said and decided."
        "That's ok. I'll get back to work."
        "What do you mean you'll get back to work?"
        "I'll get back to my composing so you can have the time and space you need."
        "Matt, you make my time and my space; you're going with me."
        "You're sure you don't want to be alone?"
        "Not now, not ever."
        "You guys going to the river?" Mary Kathryn asked.
        "Yea," I answered.
        "Good. Be sure to cross the canes 'cause you two need time to talk and think and to digest what was said here today."
        We grabbed the blanket from Matt's Jeep, joined hands, and walked to the falls. Neither of us said anything and there was a solemnness about us as we walked.  When we reached the falls, we spread the blanket and lay back on it looking at the sky above.  For the next hour and a half we talked about what had been discussed. Looked at objectively it seemed pretty simple. In typical Greywolf logic, to whole situation could be listed:
        Mom probably knew, but in any event, Matt and I would talk with her Monday night, telling her about us.     Based on what Mom thought, we would tell Dad as soon as possible. David and Matt would both be present for that since there was no telling how Dad might react.
        Academically, Matt was in excellent shape and I had made rapid progress to regaining my 4.0. We should have no problems academically.
        Since we both had a whole semester's grade riding on a recital and exhibition, we would talk to Fr. Tom about holding them together.
        We needed to appear as "normal" as possible at school.  Provided the girls were clear that the date was just for the prom and knew we were not using them--we probably should have dates for the prom coming up in three weeks.
        The Greywolfs and Michael and Mary Kathryn would warn us when they noticed anything which might give away our secret.
        We needed to think about next year. We had already been accepted to our first choices for next year: Matt at Julliard and I at Ringling, but he would be in New York and I in Sarasota, Florida.
        We both had planned to do a summer program: Matt the Music Conference at The University of the South, Sewanee--St. Mary's was paying the expenses of that expensive, but top- notch program--I Ringling's Summer Art Camp. This would be important for our development as artists and a trial separation. A kind of test for next year.
        David had suggested we look at different schools, even though it was pretty late for applying, and consider joint programs since we both were very good in science and math. Maybe our two arts and engineering.
        Yes, it all looked so simple laid out that way, but the list didn't include all the emotions and prejudices and unforeseen events which made it very complex.  Matt and I both felt completely drained emotionally and physically when arrived but, as we gathered up the blanket to leave, the falls had worked their magic. We both knew the future would be difficult, but confidence in our love for each other and the support of family and friends sustained and would sustain us. After a single soft, loving kiss we walked back to Matt's home.

Part Twelve

Luke      
                         
        As we walked away from the falls, it was sunset. The sky was absolutely aglow with reds, oranges, patches of blue and streaks of sunlight shining through clouds. It was so beautiful that Matt and I, without comment, stopped in the middle of the meadow and stood still and silent, holding hands and enjoying the beauty before us. Matt slipped an arm around my waist and I one around his, holding each other close for a very long time.  Finally Matt said, "Yonghon Tongmu, the very heavens proclaim the beauty of our love.  It is a sign. There are clouds, but without them, the sunset would not be as beautiful. So it will be for us. There are hard times ahead, but through them through your near-death our love will be made stronger and more beautiful."
        How do you respond to such words? My response was simply to
        pull Matt closer and keep silent. Finally, after a long silence, I turned and looked into the face of my beloved. His hair was loose and it was blowing in a soft spring breeze as our lips met in a kiss as beautiful and as innocent as the sunset. We then resumed our walk in the twilight.
        Supper--dinner was when you went all out, supper was when
        you just had good, plain food--was an unusually quiet affair, especially in light of the fact that the Gang of Four was present. Conversation was sadly lacking until Greywolf asked, "Have you four failed to tell me of the death of a friend? You surely are solemn this evening."
         "This afternoon was pretty heavy, Dad," Matt said. "Luke and I spent a long time at the falls talking about what lies ahead and it was not light stuff."
        "True," Yong Jin agreed, "but I can tell you from some pretty tough experiences growing up, you--both--are made of strong stuff and can weather the storms, especially with the support you have and if you continue to support each other. Also, you need to remember to ask for help from those who love you. We have our lives and our problems and may seem neglectful, but we'll not be. Ask."
        "Yea, I really wish I had known that when Mom was sick and dying. Now I know that Dad never intended to neglect or forget me, but it seemed that way. But all I would have had to do was ask. I guess I was just too young and immature to know so I let the hurt and pain eat away at me. Had it not been for Yong Jin I might well have ended up one of those super assholes--sorry Yong Jin, Mary Kathryn--at school. I was sure trying to get into that crowd. I thought if I became a big enough ass, Dad would have to pay attention. Not that I'm suggesting you two might become jerks, just that you might not ask for help when you need it."
        "You didn't do a very good job of being a jerk very long. First of all, because no one puts something over on Mom for very long and second because you are too great a guy to play a jerk, much less be one," Matt laughingly assured Michael.
        "Well, this is a bit better," Greywolf said. "I want all of you to know that Luke cleaned up his lab work in physics today. I expected him to have
        to spend at least one more Saturday in the lab."
         "I couldn't have done it without help. Two guys who were making up work finished theirs and helped me get mine done. While one helped me set up, the other took down equipment and one or the other was recorder for my data so it went really fast. I also had a grand time talking with them."
         "Who were they?" Matt asked.
        "Eugene Joyce and Larry Watley."
        "I know Eugene, not extremely well, but he was in my music class last year.  Both he and Larry have been one of my lab partners at one time or another, but you really don't get to know someone just working on experiments," Matt said.
         "Man, we talked about everything: movies, music, school...."
        "Relationships?" Mary Kathryn asked.
        "What do you mean?"
        "Well, I may be wrong, although I don't recall ever being wrong so maybe there's one chance in a million that I am, but I think those two guys have a very special relationship too."
        "You know, I thought I picked up some vibes there today.  Man, if they have they better be careful if you picked up on it and I thought I had."
         "Got to remember, Big Brother, we have a certain advantage here."
        "You may be right about both things," Greywolf said, "but also if they are lovers, they need to be very careful as do you Matt and Luke. The tolerance level at Independence High School is pretty low as it is in most high schools."
         "Well, intolerance is a daily practice at Independence.  And teachers often encourage it, usually by not doing or saying something, but sometimes they do or say things which encourage it. What particularly really burns me up is name-calling: African American kids calling each other nigger and guys calling each other faggot. It happens all the time in the halls and I know that a lot of teachers hear and ignore it," Michael said.
        "Which explains why Michael almost slugged hell out of me last night when I said,  'Michael, if you don't want to sleep with a faggot...' Before I knew it, he exploded and had his fist ready to slug me," Matt said.
        "Damn right. And next time, IF there is a next time, I'll do it too!"
        "I guess most people fear anything different and in the case of high school males, there's a real fear of not being macho enough and a fear of being gay because it is a very rare high school male who doesn't at one time or another, questioned his sexuality," Greywolf said.
        "Present company excepted, I hope," Matt said. "I have never questioned the fact that I loved only one person--I mean with that kind of love--and that's Luke."
        "But you didn't want to face the question of whether or not you were gay. You just blinded yourself to what loving me meant, at least to the man on the street."
        "You're right. I remember saying to Margaret, after I told her how much I loved you, 'I guess that makes me gay.' I GUESS that makes me gay."
        "I knew I was gay, devoted to Matt and Matt alone, but there was no question in my mind about my being gay."
        "When I told Margaret about my love for Luke and said I guess that made me gay, she said she hated labels. I guess--I know--I'm gay if loving a man makes me gay and that's no problem.  The problem comes when that label starts determining who I am to people and when they think it gives them the right to treat me differently," Matt commented.
        Michael said, "I worried about being different, about being gay, but the worst part was not being gay, but being different. I understand the questioning. I also understand how the super macho bit is often a cover up. What I don't understand is gay bashing. What does that prove? That you're a man? Hardly, especially when it takes five guys to beat up Gregory.  And I think what is even worse are those who aren't really bad guys but who go along because they are afraid someone will question their sexuality. To me, being gay or straight gives no privileges and takes away none. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all and if you don't interfere with those for me, I have no leave to attempt to take them from you." Michael had really gotten impassioned as he talked.
        "Well, I think that just about covers the issue. And I'll have to admit that while I do not condone or let derogatory name calling I hear pass , I have not done what I should have done in regard to my fellow teachers who, I know, passively encourage intolerance by their silence or actively by their own comments... And now, after this light supper conversation, what would you four like to do? Matt could run into town and rent a video, we can watch TV, you can all go to Matt's room and make out...."
        "After our songfest last night, I vote we listen to some of the music you and Yong Jin listened to when you were our age or even older tunes and just sit in the library and cuddle," Mary Kathryn suggested.
        "Well, that's what I had in mind for Yong Jin and myself, if she's willing to cuddle with me. I'd be happy to have you four join us," Greywolf said.
        "Hell yea--sorry," I exclaimed as Michael bowed in front of Mary Kathryn and took her arm, leading her to the library. Greywolf and I bowed to our loves and soon we were all in the library: Greywolf and Yong Jin on the love seat, Michael and I in the overstuffed chairs with our loves sitting on the floor between our legs.
         "I think I know where we start," Greywolf said as he gently and lovingly took a real record out of its sleeve and placed it on the turntable.
         "Dad, before you start the record, will you pop in a tape and make a recording of this old stuff."
        "What do you mean 'old stuff' Mr. Greywolf? Why half these tunes were written when I was about your age. Old stuff indeed," Greywolf laughed as he put a blank cassette in, then started the record.
        Soon the room was filled with Perry Como singing "More" and we all six sang along.  Other songs followed and the mood was mellow. Matt's hair was unbraided and I noticed, as I stroked it, Yong Jin was doing the same to Greywolf's loose hair. Michael was running his fingers through Mary Kathryn's hair, which was not as long as the Greywolfs', but wasn't short either. I guess we were just a room full of people with hair fetishes. Actually, we were three couples very much in love.
        "Well, I know we are all enjoying this and it is delightful, but it's time to break up the party. Michael, you were going to St. Mary's with Matt in the morning?"
        "Yea. And Dad is coming to go with you and Yong Jin later, right?"
        "Right. Luke, Mary Kathryn, which Mass do you want to attend at Immaculate Conception?"
        "I think I'll go with Michael. Mom and Dad needn't know and I want to if you don't mind. Since we Larsens can never settle on any one Mass, we go at different times. No one at Immaculate Conception will be the wiser since Fr. Muller has an assistant who does Mass as well as he."
        "We don't want to lead you astray, Mary Kathryn," Greywolf said, "but if that's what you want to do...."
        "I do."
        "Luke?"
        "I think I better show up since Fr. Muller will be sure to notice if I'm not there and will probably ask Fr. O'Brian if I was at one of his Masses. There's a plain Mass at 9:15 which is over by 10:10 at the latest. What time are you and Michael going in, Matt?"
        "I usually leave about 9:00 which would cut it close, but if we leave at five minutes of nine, we could drop you off."
        "And when's Mass at St. Mary's?"
         "The one I play for and everyone is attending is at 10:30."
        "Great! I can go to Immaculate Conception at 9:15 and have plenty of time to join the rest of you at St. Mary's for the 10:30 Mass."
        "Oh," Michael suddenly exclaimed, "I was supposed to ask  you about taking communion at St. Mary's. Since Dad will be coming with you later, I needed to know and I would probably forget it in the morning. I am NOT a morning person."
        "You are all welcome to receive the Sacrament. It's there for everyone who has been baptized and no one would turn you away if you weren't, mainly I guess because Fr.  Tom wouldn't know, but he'd never embarrass someone in church.  Mary Kathryn, Luke, your church says you cannot--should not--but so far as St.  Mary's is concerned, you're welcome," Greywolf said. "Well, it's time to break it up since it's about my bedtime. Of course I'm sure you four will be up half the night, but remember getting up time is like a school day."
        "Mary Kathryn, you're sleeping in the guest room--alone I trust," Yong Jin said with a laugh. "Boys, make your own arrangements."
        "Mrs. Greywolf...."
        "This must be serious business, Michael, Mrs. Greywolf indeed."
        "It is serious business. I'm really new at this love thing and I'd like to know the rules.  I don't expect to sleep with Mary Kathryn...."
        "Good to know you'll not be disappointed, Lover Boy," Mary Kathryn said in her you-want-your-legs-broken voice.
        "...but what about being in the room with her?"
        "Michael, I am willing to leave that to your and Mary Kathryn's judgement. On the one hand, you've been friends for years and I hope you will be for many years to come.  Being in the room with Mary Kathryn has never been a problem before but, on the other hand, you're in a new relationship now and at an age where control can pass by the boards...."
        "Tell me about it!"
        "What do you want to do? Or perhaps I better put it this way, what do you think you should do?"
        "I think the open door policy Matt and Luke have established for themselves sounds like a good one for us."
        "Then when you are in Mary Kathryn's room, leave the door open. That's a reminder for you two, not a means of keeping tabs on you," Yong Jin said,
        dumping the problem right back in the two young lovers' laps. Hard and fast rules are sure easier, but then hard and fast rules are just rules to be broken. Decisions and responsibility for them are much harder to live with, but make you feel like a real person. "Good going, Mom Greywolf," I thought.
        "Oh, I almost forgot. Matt, Luke, Margaret left something for you when she came this afternoon. Her instructions were that I was to give it to you when you were ready to go upstairs. You are not to open it until the two of you are alone." With these words, Yong Jin handed me a beautifully wrapped box which had an envelope addressed to Sarang Hanun Pomul and Yonghon Tongmu on top.
         "Thanks, Mom Greywolf."
        "Yea, thanks, Mom," Matt said.
        The four of us went upstairs. The guys had dibs on the bathroom so all three of us piled in to pee and brush our teeth. We were all out in about the same time it took Mary Kathryn alone. When Mary Kathryn finished, Michael asked Matt if he had a robe. Matt reached in the back of his closet and came up with a stunning black silk robe, floor length, richly embroidered with dragons. "Mom got this for me on her last trip to Korea. I think its great, but I seldom wear it." He handed it to Michael who was now completely naked.
        Michael disappeared in the bathroom and we heard the shower
        and Michael-- Michael!--singing at the top of his lungs "More than the greatest love the world has known.... " When he emerged from the bathroom he had on the robe and, to tell the truth, he looked good enough to eat. The silk allowed his build to show through and its blackness made his eyes look dark, dark green and accented his blond hair which set off a beautiful face. "I'm not sure an open door is going to protect you from getting your bod crawled when you walk in with that on," I laughed.
        "I keep hoping, but you Larsens just lead your lovers on, right Matt?"
        "Right. Michael, when you get ready, just crawl in the bed.
        If we're asleep...."
        "Not likely."
        "...just shove Luke over."
        "Look. guys, I know you two want to be alone tonight just like I want more than anything to go down the hall and crawl in bed with Mary Kathryn and fuck...."
        "Don't you dare ever use that word again Michael Jacob Andrews!" I exploded at Michael as he had at Matt the night before. "When the time comes I hope you make such mad passionate love to my sister that you both see stars, but if you ever fuck her, I will beat the shit out of you. I'll beat you within an inch of your life. What do you think Mary Kathryn would say if she heard you say you wanted to fuck her? You wouldn't have balls enough to fuck anything. If you went to her room right now and said, 'Let's fuck.' I'd place money on hearing your ass bounce in the hall. If, on the other hand, you went down to her room and told her how much you loved her and that you wanted to make love to her, she might or might not go along, but I think she'd tell you she wanted to make love to you just as badly. But I'll bet you both my balls that she'd not say, "Ok, let's fuck." I was livid.
        "Hey, Luke, Bro, I was being a total jerk and ass. I know exactly what you mean and how you feel. It IS the same way I felt last night when Matt called himself a faggot. I was pulling the super macho bit again, I guess, because, to tell the truth, I'm scared and put on a front to hide how nervous I am right now. I'm new at this love game and I'm scared shitless that I'll screw it up. I am not only sorry, but humiliated and utterly ashamed of myself. I feel like shit, but you know I really didn't mean that... damn I really feel lower than shit." Michael's eyes filled with tears. He was having a hard time talking through them, but managed to say, "I have managed to fuck up one of the most perfect evenings I can remember.  I've fucked up a friendship; I have, even though she doesn't know it, insulted the woman I love more than life itself. I've cheapened my relationship to her."
        "Michael, you're my brother and one asshole remark is not going to change that. And if you think your remark ruined a perfect evening, you've got another think coming. I'll place money on Mary Kathryn proving that before you get through the open door. I just got angry way more than I should have, not only because she's my sister, but also because I've become overly sensitive about words and what they say, as obviously you have yourself since you got angry at Matt for a word we hear over and over everyday in school. I've seen your love and devotion to Mary Kathryn and I should have taken a much more calm approach to simply remind you that certain words are not used about the person you love. Maybe I would have said the same thing about Matt, but Greywolf said that if he ever heard either of us talking about fucking the other there'd be a high price to pay. 'Dogs and people who are like dogs fuck,' he said, 'people who are people make love.' I then embraced Michael and Matt joined in.
        "Thanks, guys, thanks for loving me enough to set me straight. Thanks a million."
        "You ok now?"
        "Yea. Mind if I talk about this conversation with Mary Kathryn?"
        "It's your life you're risking bro. See you later. Leave the door open when you go out and when you come back."
        As Michael walked to the closet I was again struck by how stunning he looked. He reached into the closet and, as he turned, he was holding a sleeping bag. "I won't be coming back. I'm going to sleep downstairs on the living room sofa. I want you guys to have this night together to do whatever you want to do.
        "Well, Michael, I seriously doubt that we will do what we want to do. Need I remind you that our decision is to put off having sex until we are eighteen? So just as you are probably not going to do what you want to do...."
        "Make love to Mary Kathryn."
        "Neither are we going to do what we WANT to do, make love--if making love ONLY means having sex. But it doesn't, does it?"
         "Nope, and thanks for everything, guys, you're the greatest. Good night." And with those words, he walked down to hall to Mary Kathryn's room and, as if to make his intentions clear, tossed the sleeping bag down the steps as he passed the stairs.
        When Michael left the room, Matt pulled me to himself and gave me a deep french kiss which I returned with equal fervor. When we broke our kiss, I started unbuttoning Matt's shirt and he mine. I looked into his eyes and asked, "Ok, Matt, boxers or briefs?"
        "Boxers or briefs, what?"
        "Didn't you say that one of the things we would have to do if we continued sleep overs was to wear something to bed? So is it to be boxers or briefs?" I asked
        again as I walked to the chest where Michael, Matt and I all have both.
         "Luke, I know I said it, but I think it's the dumbest thing I have ever said. At least I can't think of anything dumber than believing that two layers of cloth--barbed wire for that matter--would stop our making love if we decided to do so. I know it will be hard....
         "Both of them...."
         "I know it will be DIFFICULT for me not to hop you body because I want you so bad, but I trust you and I know you trust me to keep our promises to each other. The evening has been perfect and I'm not sure but that making love to you and having you to make love to me tonight would not be a very, very special first time, but...."
         "Babe, I love you so much," I said as I pulled Matt to me and in doing so, fell on the bed. My head hit the box Margaret had left for us. Matt, who was lying between my legs, reached behind my head and got the box. "Matt, I love you dearly, but you're mashing my balls!" Matt laughed, got up and sat on the bed. I sat with Matt between my legs, looking over his shoulder. "Well, it's addressed to both of us; open it."
        Inside the envelope was a card which read, "This is for two men I love very, very much and who I know have made promises they are finding difficult to keep. Maybe this will help." It was signed, "With my deepest love and affection, Margaret."
        I was holding the box while Matt opened the envelope. When I opened the box the whole room, it seemed, was filled with a faint fragrance, the fragrance of Matt's hair which always drove me wild. There was another card inside the box:
        Menu for Slow and Easy Light Fare: Talking to each other about slow and easy Kissing and hugging Listening to music and/or dancing together Undressing each other Back rubs, foot rubs, & body rubs while undressed Rubbing body oil on each other Kissing or licking or fondling (except for you know) Caressing, tickling, pinching, & nibbling each other Showering together Stroking, brushing, or playing with each other's hair
        Entrees: Petting with no clothes on Stroking, caressing, tickling, pinching, & nibbling each other& fondling (except you know)
        Desserts: Licking flavored nonpetroleum-based oil off your partner's body
        Holding each other Sleeping together
        Under the card was bottle of body oil, shampoo, and soap, all with the same great fragrance: the fragrance of Matt's hair.
         About the time we finished reading the menu, there was a shout from Mary Kathryn's room.  Without thinking, we both jumped off the bed and raced down the hall, shirtless. Just as we reached the open door, there was another scream from Michael. As soon as we saw inside the room, Matt and I both started laughing our heads off. Mary Kathryn, dressed in a very feminine robe, was sitting astride Michael's stomach TICKLING him.  Michael has tears in his eyes and was begging her to stop and when it got to be too much, he let out a shriek.
        Between shrieks Michael finally was able to say, "Rescue me, please." Mary Kathryn looked up, saw us, and quickly released Michael and did her "cat licking its paw" routine. You know like a cat which has been caught doing something that it thinks it shouldn't starts licking it's paw as if to say, "I don't know what you're talking about."
        While Michael was catching his breath, Mary Kathryn sat back on her bed and became very serious, "Brothers Matt and Luke, Michael had the guts to tell me about using the F word and I admire him for being so honest with me and I do appreciate you jumping him about it. But as he said, we're both brand new at this love stuff and frankly, I'm as nervous as he is. I guess women just have a different way of hiding. But again, thanks. You may have to get him back on the right path again, but probably not since I remembered how ticklish he is." And with those words, she made a grab across the bed, snatched Michael to herself and gave
        him a grand kiss. Just when he was really getting into it, she goosed him in the ribs and he exploded.
        "Well, I guess we have done all the rescue work needed here, Matt. I'm surprised Greywolf hasn't rushed up the stairs to see what's going on."
        "I guess Mom and Dad meant it when they said we'd have our privacy. Well, you two, carry on," Matt said and we returned to his room.
        When we got back to the room, Matt looked at me with a strange look in his eye. "Luke, you know one reason we are finding slow and easy so difficult?
        "Yea, I think I do if you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking. Friday night at the river I mentioned that you and I needed to learn something from Michael and Mary Kathryn about playful love. There is not the slightest doubt that tickling session we interrupted is one of the ways they show their love and affection for each other. Babe, I think we're just way too serious."
         "That's exactly what I was thinking. But right now I'm ready to get to work on the slow and easy menu and I don't think I want to start with tickling!" Matt was standing in front of me and reached out and took me into his arms. Just as he did, the tape Greywolf had made, reversed itself and Perry Como started singing "More." As the music started, Matt started dancing, holding me to himself. "Who would have thought all those hated Saturday dance lessons Gabrielle dragged us to would come in handy?" he asked as we danced.
        "Who'd have thought that we'd end up each other's arms when we decided to put them to use?" I asked Matt as I pressed my forehead to his and gazed deeply into his black, beautiful almond eyes.
        "Hate to break in, but Mary Kathryn and I heard the music and, well, if you guys don't mind, we'd like to put into practice those dance lessons we hated so much." I turned and saw Michael and Mary Kathryn standing in the door, holding hands.
        "Sure," Matt said. "And you won't have the problem of deciding who will lead."
        "You can put money on that, Sir Matthew," Mary Kathryn laughed as she took Michael in her arms and started dancing--leading.
        After "More" was over and the next song started, I winked at Matt and he walked up behind Michael and tapped him on the shoulder, "Mind if I cut in?"
        "No, but don't expect to lead."
         As he stepped back, Mary Kathryn demurely placed one hand on Matt's shoulder and the other in his hand. "You just have to let Michael know who's in charge," she laughed. Meanwhile, Michael walked over to me, bowed, and we started dancing, he leading.
        When the song ended, we changed partners again and danced to two or three more songs before Michael and Mary Kathryn said good night and went back to
        her room. Matt and continued to dance, our lips pressed together, our bodies close.
        As we danced, Matt's hand found the button to my jeans, unbuttoned it and slid down the zipper.  When my jeans fell to my ankles, I didn't miss a beat as I kicked them off: one leg then the other. Taking my cue from Matt, I opened his jeans and he, too, kicked them off as we continued dancing, I in my briefs, Matt in his boxers.
        "Matt, we've got a problem here. We established an open door policy for our sleep overs, but now we have Mary Kathryn down the hall and it hardly seems appropriate to have the door open since she may need to come by."
         "Luke, we didn't say how far open and it was to be a reminder for us," Matt said, as he walked to the door and partially closed it. "That's open enough to be a reminder, but gives anyone walking down the hall the opportunity not to look in."
        Another song had just started when Matt came back and, as he stood before me, I hooked my thumbs in the waistband of his boxers and slipped them to the floor. As I stood up, Matt took my face between his hands and gave me a passionate french kiss. As the kiss continued, he slipped my briefs from my body. When the song ended we stepped back, standing naked before each other. Standing before me was not only the man I loved, but also the hard sculptured body I craved. Matt was so beautiful in his darkness. His almond eyes were sparkling as he drew me to himself and covered my lips with his. Before the kiss ended, I felt Matt's hard manhood against my body as I am sure he felt mine.
        As the next song started, I pulled Matt to the bed and as I lay down on my back, pulled him on top of me. We managed to do that without breaking our kiss.  As Matt lay on top of me, I saw him reach over my head and take the bottle of oil from the night stand where we had left it after opening the box from Margaret. As he lifted his lips from mine he had a devilish smile on his face and a gleam in his eye. He opened the bottle of oil--the fragrance of Matt completely filled my world--and poured a trickle down my chest. His hands began to gently rub the oil over my chest, giving special attention to my nipples. He continued to cover my body with oil as he started massaging my chest and stomach. "You know if you keep moving down, things are going to...."
         "Just relax, Luke Babe, this is slow and easy so don't let yourself get all hot and bothered," Matt laughed as he rocked back on his heels and poured a stream of oil on my legs. He continued to massage down my body, rubbing the oil into my thighs and legs then said, "Ok, turn over."
        When I turned over, lying on my stomach, Matt poured oil on my back and began to massage my back and shoulders. He poured oil on my ass and started kneading my cheeks. A couple times his fingers had brushed my rosebud and I started getting hard. Before I could say anything to him, he oiled my thighs and legs and was massaging them. It felt so good. His hands on my body felt so good. "Ok, turn over," he said. When I did he saw my hard cock and said, "Luke, I told you this was slow and easy and not to get hot and bothered." He laughed, bent over and kissed first one nipple then the other.
        "Matt, how can I keep a cool tool when your body alone sets        me off and now all this." Matt again started massaging down my body, moving his hands down until he reached my crotch where he moved a hand down each leg. "Matt, I told you that if you kept on... yipes!"
        Matt had been massaging a foot and suddenly started tickling the bottom of it. His hands were slippery from the oil so he couldn't hold on long, thank goodness, since the bottoms of my feet are extremely ticklish. When I escaped his grip, I grabbed the bottle from his hand, pushed him backwards on the bed and started pouring oil on him. We were soon wrestling on the bed and getting oil all over the two of us as first one then the other had the bottle. When it was almost empty, Matt was lying on his back laughing, holding the bottle above his head. I lunged for it and missed, falling on top of him. I immediately slid off. This was fun! We kept trying to grab and hold each other, but mostly our naked bodies were just slipping and sliding over each other. Both of us were laughing like crazy. I was finally able to catch and hold Matt but as I bent forward to kiss him, I slipped and again slid off his body.
        When we finally were able to stop laughing, we faced each other with Matt sitting in my lap, his legs out behind me and mine stretched behind him. After a kiss, which was broken up when Matt started sliding off my lap, we were giggling so hard we couldn't do anything."Sarang Hanun Pomul, " I said when I was able to stop giggling long enough, "turn around." Matt sat between my legs with his back to me and I slowly began to massage his shoulders and back. I then reached around him and opened my hands wide, rubbing them across his chest and then placing my palms over his nipples, moved my hands in small circles. Matt turned his head around and leaned back until I could kiss him.
        "Luke, I love you so much. So very, very much. I have your heart, but Babe, I want your body as well."
         "Yea, I know, Babe, I want your body too. But right now I think we had better clean up the mess we have made."
        "Man, that sure is a romantic statement if I've ever heard one," Matt said in little kid's pouty voice. He reached back and grabbed my head and did a kind of flip until he was facing me. We started wrestling again and once again kept sliding off each other. Finally, between giggles, Matt said, "On the other hand, I don't think there's anything very romantic we can do when we can't hold on to each other, so cleaning up the mess is probably a good idea. Where do you suggest we start?"
        "It would probably be a good idea to start by taking the sheet off the bed and then hit another item from the menu like taking a shower together."
        We managed to get the sheet off the bed and use it to cover        the carpet to the bathroom, all the time still giggling our heads off. Before we crossed the hall to the bathroom, which was directly opposite Matt's door, Matt stuck his head out the door to make sure the coast was clear. As we walked to the bathroom, I noticed Mary Kathryn's door was closed        and the sleeping bag was no longer on the stairs--not that I was checking up on Mary Kathryn and Michael.
        Matt had brought the soap and shampoo and when we got to the bathroom he said, "I hope playing with my hair is on the agenda Luke Hans Larsen because it's oily as all get out and it will take forever to dry unless you to dry it for me."
        "I don't know about that. I really am not much on the hair thing NOT!"
        Matt turned on the shower and when the water got hot, adjusted the temperature. We got into the shower and embraced for a kiss. Matt then turned me around and put my head under the shower. When my hair was wet, he started shampooing it. I loved it! No one had shampooed my hair since Mom stopped giving me a bath. As soon as Matt had finished my hair, I shampooed his. A major job since it was long enough to cover his ass. Once we had finished with each other's hair, Matt took the soap and started washing my body.  "Turn around so I can wash your back," he said. After a quick kiss, I turned my back to him and he started washing and massaging my back.
        "God, that feels wonderful, Matt." He was kneading the muscles of my back and shoulders and it really felt great.
        "Ok, turn around, Babe, so I can do your front." As Matt ran the soap over my chest and stomach I wondered where he would stop. As if to answer my question, he knelt and washed each of my legs. "Hold up a foot so I can do a good job." I held up one, then the other foot and remembered too late that my lover would probably go for the bottom of the last foot he washed.  He did and suddenly we were both a bundle of giggles again.
        When Matt stood up, he bent forward, kissed me and started washing Little Luke. As Matt washed my most private part, Little Luke came to life. I just looked into Matt's eyes as he finished. "You realize that is the first time you or any man has ever touched me there?" I asked.
        Matt smiled and said, "I'm the first and I had better be the last, and one day soon, when Little Luke comes alive it will be my pleasure to put him in his place!" He kissed me and handed me the soap.
        I washed Matt as he had done me. As I washed his Chili Pepper, it got hard as Little Luke had done, but when I gazed into Matt's eyes I saw love, not lust. "Do you think there's something wrong with us? I mean we are in a shower together and have touched each other in a way we never have before and neither of us lost control even after we got hard as rocks."
        "Might be there's something very right about us. I suspect it wouldn't take ten seconds for us to be so hard we could drive holes in the wall with our manhood if that's what we were about.  But I think maybe with the help of Margaret and Michael and Mary Kathryn we have added several more to the list of a thousand ways to show love and affection tonight. But I think we had better get out of the shower before we turn to prunes."
        Matt grabbed two towels from the linen closet and we dried each other. Damn it was erotic and great fun! When we had dried our hair as best we could with towels, Matt grabbed his brush and a hair dryer and we streaked across the hall to his room.  Since it was going to take so long, I started brushing and drying Matt's hair. Ever so often I had to stop and kiss this man I loved so much. When his hair was finally dry I realized that as much as I loved it, it sure took a lot of effort as he quickly braided it. "You realize that's probably a waste of time," I said as he finished.
        "Yea, but I don't want to take away your fun. Now let me do your hair." While Matt's hair is long and thick, it is easy to brush. My hair was curly and I hadn't had it cut in ages so it was just a mass of tight curls. Matt worked on it carefully, but finally I realized that if it was going to be dry tonight, I'd have to work on it. While I was finishing my hair, Matt remade the bed with the clean sheet.
        "No boxers and no briefs?"
        "No boxer and no briefs," Matt echoed. While he started the
        tape again and turned out the lights, I crawled in bed. The fresh cool sheet felt great on my naked body, but nothing in comparison to the body of my love, my life, which was soon pressed against mine. We lay, facing each other, our faces dim in the light of the full moon shining through a window. I put my arms around Matt and unbraided his hair. When it was free, he raised up on an elbow, leaned over me and his hair did its special magic of creating a world in which there were only the two of us. Our lips slowly came together in a long, long, tender and        passionate kiss.  As  we ended the kiss, Matt said, "Yonghon Tongmu, every time I think I couldn't possibly love you more, another day passes and I discover more love for you than I had the day before. Today has been a wondrous day.  Even with all the reality we had to face with the family meeting and in looking at our future, it was a wondrous day. For the first time I am sleeping with the man I love and even though I know that making love... no, I was going to say that making love would be a thousand times what we have had today, but that would be wrong. We have made love. All day long we have made love. We have made love when we were apart. So I guess all I can say is 'Yonghon Tongmu, I love you with my whole heart and being with you and knowing you love me is enough, not forever, but for now."
        Matt lay beside me, our legs entwined as we embraced each other. "Sarang Hanun Pomul, if I loved you any more I would have to be twins. And you're right.  Today was one of the happiest days of my life, as was yesterday, as will be tomorrow for I know you love me as I love you and, regardless of what happens, nothing and no one can take away the happiness you give me. And you want to know a secret? I was scared to death of tonight. I so feared that our raging hormones would get the better of us, but the touch of your body, the fragrance of your hair, the kiss of your lips has had an amazing effect on me. Somehow or other what I feared would make me nothing more than a lust-filled horndog has made me just want to hold you and feel your body next to mine." Matt pulled my face to his for another long, tender kiss, his tongue finding its way into my mouth bringing to me the wonderful taste of Sarang Hanun Pomul. Holding each other we slowly drifted into dreamland where Sarang Hanun Pomul and Yonghon Tongmu lived happy ever after.
        But I was to discover before I was ready for it that the real world is not the dreamworld' and that raging hormones have a way of their own. We had been asleep for about an hour when I felt something hot and sticky on my legs. "Holy shit," I exclaimed, "what the..."  As soon as I was awake I knew exactly what it was. Matt had just ejaculated on me! "Matt! What the hell..."
        "What's up, Luke?" Matt said, still half asleep.
        "Man, I hope you just had a wet dream."
        By this time Matt was awake. He looked at me, sitting up in bed, grinned and said " Did I ever, Hot Stuff, and you were the star."
        "Well, you just shot cum all over your porno star!"
        Matt laughed, then said, "Well, I guess we both better clean up and get another sheet."
        After cleaning ourselves up and remaking the bed with the second clean sheet, we once again crawled in bed and kissed each other good night. Before I went back to sleep, Matt had turned his back to me and I spooned myself against him, my arm across his chest. Not an hour later I was awoken by Matt. "Ok, we're even now. I didn't have to ask what he was talking about, the sticky mess on him and me told the tale. Giggling like mad, we got up cleaned up and changed the sheets for the third time. After that, we slept arm in arm until Mom Greywolf called.
        We tossed on clothes and went downstairs where breakfast was waiting. "Mom Greywolf...."
        "Luke, you've never called me Mom Greywolf until yesterday and now this morning."
        "Well, I guess I'm about as close to being a son-in-law as I'll ever be and calling you Mom Greywolf kinda makes that real for me."
        "Well, I am honored, Son." I walked over to Mom Greywolf and gave her a big hug. It felt great!
        Michael and Mary Kathryn walked into the kitchen as I released Mom Greywolf. Michael was wearing the robe Matt had given him and Mary Kathryn was dressed in the robe she wore last night. "Michael, that robe must have been meant for you," Yong Jin said, "it makes you even more handsome than usual."
        "It makes him look good enough to eat," Mary Kathryn said as she gave him a kiss.
        "Luke, you started to say something before I interrupted," Yong Jin said.
        "Well, what I was going to say was that there're three sheets upstairs which need washing.  You can blame Margaret for one of them, the one with the oil...."
        "I don't want to know," she laughed.
        "And I want you to know that the stains on the other two are
        the result of normal adolescence, not hanky panky. Matt and I both had wet dreams. Perfectly normal."
        "Well, I see my lover cut straight to the chase as usual," Matt laughed.
         "Since you're going to be washing sheets, Yong Jin, I guess you can throw the sleeping bag in as well," Michael said and blushed. And I thought this kid never blushed.
        "Oh the joys of adolescence!" Greywolf exclaimed. "Matt, Luke, I have a confession to make.  Yong Jin and I promised we would not invade your privacy and we intend to keep that promise, but this morning when she went upstairs to awaken you, you were so beautiful sleeping in each other's arms, Luke's golden curls resting on Matt's hair, she couldn't resist. She came back down and got me and the digital camera. I hope you two will treasure the picture forever as I intend to do." With those words he placed a picture on the table. Matt's hair covered both pillows, the cover was back revealing half our bodies and we were arm in arm, my head resting beside Matt's.
        "Thanks, Greywolf,"
        "Yea, thanks, Dad."
        "Well, if we have all that out of the way, we better get breakfast so you three fellows can be out of here," Greywolf reminded us.
        After breakfast, Michael said, "Look, if Mary Kathryn is going to St. Mary's, I think I'll just come later with her."
        "Makes good sense to me," Matt said as he and I bounded upstairs and got dressed. When we got into Matt's Jeep and headed for town, neither of us said anything for awhile. "Why so quiet, Luke?" Matt asked.
        "I'm not really sure. Why are you so quiet?"
        "I'm not sure either. I think maybe it's because last night proved something to me and I'm kinda digesting it. You got to know that you really get me aroused and had it not been for you, there have been several times when I would have taken your body.
        Yet, I know that you want me just as bad as I want you, but it's mostly been you who has drawn the line. I'm not complaining, it's just something I was thinking about. And last night I THINK we both worked hard at staying within the boundaries we set for ourselves and I feel good about that. I guess I'm trying to digest the fact that even though everyone talks about how mature I am, you made me really grow up last night."
        "I hadn't thought about that; I guess because it never occurred to me that you were anything but mature. I think I'm quiet because I have to make a decision that only I can make. I feel like a hypocrite going to Immaculate Conception this morning because I know that I cannot and will not accept the church's condemnation of our love. I would be willing to bet that there's not another nearly-eighteen-year old who will be at Mass who has his love condemned even if he and his girlfriend are fucking each other's brains out; even if they don't have any love for each other. Oh, there'd be a tsk tsk about their having sex outside marriage and using contraception but their love would not be condemned. And they could be married and make it all nice and legal and holy. But we cannot. In fact, the way I have lusted after your body, I'm already damned and I don't believe or accept a bit of it. My loving God loves me and you and our love, period. So I'll go, but it may well be my last time. And that's something else for Dad to go ballistic over."
        "Slow and easy may be the way we're trying to handle sex, but Luke Babe, easy our love is not." We stopped at a stoplight and after making sure no other car was around, Matt leaned over and kissed me and said, "But Yonghon Tongmu, our love IS!"
        After Matt dropped me off, I walked into Immaculate Conception and prayed God that Matt's love would sustain me through the next hour when I saw Fr.  Muller approach the altar.
        After Mass, Fr. Muller greeted me at the door with, "I'm pleased to see you are once more among the faithful, Luke."
        "Thank you, Father. Mom and Dad are away this weekend and will be attending Mass at St.  Peter's by the Lake. Have a good day, Father," I said, not wanting to get asked about Mary Kathryn.
        The day was beautiful and spring was definitely in the air as I took my time walking to St.  Mary's. When I arrived, I went into the church and saw the Greywolfs, David, Michael and Mary Kathryn sitting about halfway down the nave. Somehow or other I was not surprised to see Margaret sitting beside David. It was almost the whole family had finally gotten together on the one thing that had separated us, religion. As I joined them, Matt started the prelude. Somehow I had a feeling I was where I was supposed to be. After kneeling and offering a thanksgiving for the family and for Matt and his love, I sat back and listened to the prelude. It had a definite calming effect on me and, again, I felt I was home.
        The service was not very much different from Immaculate Conception, but I guess it was the fact that I knew that Fr. Tom KNEW and had not condemn me or Matt that made it seem very personal.
        When it came time to approach the altar for the Blessed Sacrament, I did not hesitate. I expected Michael and David and maybe Margaret to join the Greywolfs, but I was somewhat surprised to see Mary Kathryn go forward, even holding hands with Michael as she went.
        After Mass, the Greywolfs introduced us to several people including Millie Willingham. "I hear you are an artist," she said. "There's too many technicians these days and not enough artists. I hope you're going to pursue art."
        "I hope to be able to do so, Mrs. Willingham," I replied.
        "Call me Millie, only people who are trying to get something out of me call me Mrs.  Willingham. I'd like to see some of your work sometime."
        "Well, Matt is doing a recital here at St. Mary's and we thought about doing the recital and an exhibition of my work since I have to do one this spring and a place has not been selected.  We've got to talk to Fr. Tom soon about that."
         "Consider it approved. Tom just thinks he's in charge around here!"
        "Millie, has anyone ever defied you?" Greywolf laughed.
        "Only those resting peacefully in the town cemetery.  Actually, Matt had mentioned the possibility of a joint art exhibition and recital to Tom before church and Tom asked if I would organize the event, including a reception, so I know he's planning on it. Luke, how'd you and Matthew like to come by the house this afternoon so we can get the ball rolling for the cultural event of the century for Concord."
        "Why, sure. If it's ok with Matt."
        "It is. I have already spoken to him. See you about 4:30."
         Sunday dinner immediately after church often found the family all together and today was no exception except my parents hadn't returned from the lake and probably wouldn't do so until late.  "Well, how was your evening, David, Margaret?" I asked as soon as we were all seated. "Margaret, did you order everything on the menu?" The Gang of Four started laughing like mad.  Margaret blushed.
        "While it's none of your business, we covered only a couple things the menu had to offer," Margaret said, still blushing and laughing.
         "What's this about a menu?" David asked.
         "I'll tell you one of these days," Margaret said. David just looked puzzled. "How about you and Matt? Did you order everything on the menu?"
        "Well, I think there were a few items left. By the way, Yong Jin will probably make you do a load of washing after dinner. Seems there were several sheets which had to be changed last night. One, strangely enough, had oil all over it." Matt was laughing like crazy.
        "Well, if the outcome was what was hoped for, I'll be delighted to do the laundry, Yong Jin."
        "You'll have to toss in a sleeping bag as well, I'm afraid," Yong Jin sai