Kyle - Part 3 (#5)

Chapter 1

(Kevin's Perspective)
       We beat Gene, Rita, and George home by a good half hour on Christmas Eve. We had a great trip, and I think all of us were tired from laughing as much as we had.
       We unloaded all of our stuff, including the very large cooler of food from the party my mom had sent home with us, and we got ready for a nice at-home family evening. The other car load pulled up around six. I expected them to go home for at least a little while, but they didn't. They came into our house like they were ready to stay.
       "Midnight" Mass was at nine o'clock. That was one of Jerry's innovations, and it worked for us. We all went, and his homily that night was about the Incarnation of Jesus and it's implications for Christian community. He looked at us a lot while he was talking, and I knew he had our family in mind. He talked about acceptance of others, being non-judgmental, and loving everyone who presented themselves in our lives.
       "Jerry is talking about you guys. About us," Kyle whispered to Rick and me.
       "I know. Shut the fuck up and listen to him," Rick said.
       "Ohhhhhh, you said 'fuck' in church. Your ass is gonna fry in hell, Bubba," Kyle said.
       "Kyle, shut up and listen to him," I said. "He's talking about us."
       "I know. I've heard it before, remember," he said.
       "Yeah, I know. But I want to hear it again, so shut up," I said.
       He was quiet after that. I knew he was still excited from the trip and excited about the fun we would soon be having. Rick looked at me and grinned, and I knew he was amused with Kyle's antics.
       Back home, after Mass, Jerry, Pat, and Father Larson joined us. Rick had made some hors d'ouevres after we had gotten home that afternoon. They were simple things, like a cheese ball with crackers, raw vegetables with a creamy dip, and a tray of sliced summer sausage with crackers. He put out a bowl of pickled okra and a bowl of peanuts. Rick made the drinks, too, and he did his evil-twin-Craig imitation as far as the boys were concerned.
       Father Larson, or Tony as he told us to call him, was a nice man. He was around 40 and somewhat quiet. He was interested in our trip to New Orleans, so we regaled him with stories of that.
       "Kyle, did you save those slide shows you and Tim made," I asked.
       "Yes, sir," Kyle said.
       I got out my laptop from work and he set it up. He had all of his slide shows on a couple of zip disks, and he put the first one in the machine to show the slides. We enjoyed watching them.
       Kyle did something that was sort of out of character for him. He got on the sofa next to his mom and snuggled up with her. She put her arm around him like she was protecting him or something. I knew she was thinking about Clay and was missing him at that moment. She needed to hold her boy right then, and I was glad Kyle did what he did.
       Jerry, Pat, and Tony didn't stay very long. In fact, they left by 11:30. The household agreed that we would assemble at nine the next morning in the den around the Christmas tree, and we all went to bed, tired and happy.
       * * *
       Rick and I woke up at 6:30 on Christmas morning. He kissed me good morning and wished me a Merry Christmas.
       "I'm going to get up and run, okay, Babe," he said. "I'll be back in an hour or so, okay?"
       I kissed him.
       "Have a good one, Baby," I said. He hadn't run since the day before we left for New Orleans, and I knew he was probably hurting from not giving his body the dose of endorphins it had come to depend on.
       I dozed a little. It was warm and comfortable in bed, and I could faintly detect Rick's aroma on his pillow beside me. I hugged it to me for a little while. Before long, I became aware of my very full bladder, so I got up to empty it. I went ahead and jumped in the shower, got dressed, and went out into the public part of the house. I suddenly remembered the pool table and the weight equipment we were supposed to have gotten, so I slipped out the back door to go check on that. It was certainly daylight, but the light still wasn't the full, strong light of day. It was chilly enough for the light jacket I was wearing but not really cold.
       I punched the combination into the lock and opened the cabana. It had a sort of sour odor from the local paper mill. I propped the door open to let some fresh air in, and then I opened a couple of windows, too. The pool table was right where it was supposed to be, and somebody had screwed a rack for the cue sticks to the wall. The ping pong table was there too, folded up and out of the way. I rolled it out to the middle of the room and unfolded it.
       I turned the light on in the weight room, and I was rather amazed at the amount of equipment George and Rita had given us. There were two stationary bicycles, a treadmill, a couple of standard weight benches with a ton of free weights, an ab machine, a pec machine, a delt machine, a machine for doing chin ups, leg lifts, and dips, a machine for doing squats and leg presses, and a bench for doing preacher curls. It was really an impressive array of equipment. The room had mirrors on one whole wall so you could watch yourself work out. There was even a water cooler in the corner.
       After I had finished checking out all of the equipment in the cabana, I went back inside. Kyle and Tim were in the kitchen in just their underwear.
       "Morning, guys," I said brightly. "Merry Christmas."
       They were obviously in a good mood.
       "Merry Christmas, Kevin," they both said. Then Kyle did something he had never done before. He gave me a kiss on the cheek. It surprised me a little.
       "That was nice, Kyle," I said. "Did you catch me under the mistletoe?"
       He laughed his good-natured laugh.
       "No. Kevin, I want to thank you for taking us to New Orleans. We really had a good time."
       "You're welcome, Bubba," I said.
       "Yeah, me, too, Kev," Tim said. "Thank you so much."
       "You're welcome, too, Tim."
       "What were you doing outside," Kyle asked.
       "Just checking on something," I said. "Say, did you forget your parents are here, Kyle?"
       "Huh?"
       "Your mom and dad spent the night here last night, remember," I said.
       "Oh, yeah. We did forget. Let's go get dressed, Tim."
       They went up the back stairs to get dressed. Rick came home after they left the room.
       "Merry Christmas again," he said, and then he kissed me.
       "Did you have a good run?"
       "Kind of slow today. It's amazing how much you lose in just a few days."
       "You probably ought to try to get in at least a short run every day, even when we're traveling," I said.
       "I know. I'll be able to do that in Sarasota, I think," he said.
       "I went out and checked on the stuff in the cabana. You should see the exercise equipment Gene bought. It looks like a gym," I said.
       "Let me get a shower, and then let's go look at it," he said.
       "Okay."
       I poured myself a cup of coffee and went into the den. I plugged in the Christmas tree and went out front to get the newspaper. It was as thin as it ever gets. I sat down to look at it. Kyle and Tim came back down, all dressed for the day.
       "What are we going to do until it's time," Kyle asked.
       "I'm going to read the paper," I said.
       "Can Tim and I go down to my house," Kyle asked.
       "Sure. Just remember to be back by nine," I said.
       "Okay." Then they left.
       Rick came back down, and he got himself some coffee, too. Then he and I walked out back. It was much brighter than it had been earlier.
       "Damn," Rick said when we went into the work out room. "He must have spent a fortune on all this stuff. Man, this is first class."
       "Do you think they'll use it," I asked.
       "I'll use it," he said. "If I can get Kyle interested in using it, the others will because they'll want to be like him. He worked out on the beach last summer, didn't he?"
       "Yeah, he did. I forgot about that. Tim and Justin did, too. Maybe they'll do it, then."
       "Kyle will. I'll make him," Rick said.
       I laughed. "What do you want to bet that if they do use it, they'll want to do it nude," I said.
       "I don't see any problem with that, do you?" Rick was actually serious.
       "No, I don't. As far as I'm concerned, they can stay nude out here, even playing basketball, if they want to. And certainly swimming. We're going to need some furniture for the other room, don't you think?"
       "Yeah. What's in that room now?"
       We walked into the main room of the cabana to check out the furniture. There was a ratty vinyl- covered sofa and a couple of threadbare upholstered easy chairs. There was a coffee table and a card table with four folding chairs.
       "What are you thinking we need," Rick asked.
       "This place would make a great clubhouse sort of thing, you know? What do you have in a clubhouse?"
       "You're right. Probably a couple of game tables, for starters. How about an entertainment center with a TV, stereo, VCR, that kind of stuff?"
       "Yeah, I like that idea. You know, a couple of sofas that can open out into beds wouldn't be a bad idea. I know we've got lots of places to sleep in the house, but the guys might like to have a gang sleepover some time. Or we might, for that matter," I said. "Or maybe an orgy."
       Rick laughed hard.
       "Should we put a computer out here," he asked.
       "Not a bad idea. If Kyle keeps up with his photography, it would be nice to be able to see the pictures during a party or something. It was fun being able to see them every day while we were in New Orleans."
       "Yeah, it was. You know, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have a washer and dryer out here for towels," Rick said.
       "You're right. I think there's actually a hookup in a little room off one of those bathrooms"
       There were two bathrooms that were accessible both from inside and from outside. The first one we looked in was obviously intended for men, since there were four urinals, in addition to two toilet stalls, and a shower room with four shower heads, two each on opposite walls. It was bigger than I remembered it being. In fact, the whole cabana seemed larger than I remembered. We had only lived in the house a little over a month, and, frankly, I hadn't bothered to even go out to the cabana more than once or twice. The other bathroom had four little rooms with toilets in them and four private shower stalls. Both bathrooms had ten lockers with padlocks. The keys to the padlocks were attached to safety pins, presumably to pin to your bathing suit while you were swimming. I didn't think those pins would get much use with our crowd.
       "This one must be for women," Rick said.
       "No, Baby. They use the urinals," I said. I rubbed his butt. "Are we having a blond moment this morning?"
       He was laughing hard at me and my foolishness.
       "Shut up, shithead," he said through his laughter.
       I opened a door off the ladies' room, and, sure enough, there was the place for the washer and dryer.
       "Here it is," I said.
       The room was actually like a utility room. There was a large sink and a counter with cabinets above and below it. There were wire utility shelves and a small closet that presumably was for brooms.
       "This is a lot nicer than I thought it was," I said.
       "Kevin! Rick! Are you guys out here." It was the voice of Gene.
       We walked into the main room.
       "Hi, Gene. Merry Christmas," we said, more or less in unison.
       "Merry Christmas, guys. Did you check out the equipment?"
       "Absolutely," Rick said. "Gene, man, thank you so much. But you kind of went overboard, don't you think? It's better than the gym I belong to."
       Gene was grinning. He was happy.
       "Rick, once you start buying stuff like that, you just don't know where to stop. Besides, it only cost about half as much as I thought it would. Do you like it?"
       "Do we like it," I asked. "We love it, man. Are you kidding?"
       "I can't wait to see the reaction of the kids," he said. What he meant was, I can't wait to see Kyle's reaction, and we knew from previous experience that Kyle knew how to carry on appropriately when he received a gift.
       "Is everybody up," I asked.
       "Pretty much, I think. We had said nine o'clock, but..."
       "But that was totally arbitrary," Rick said. "If everybody's ready, there's no point in waiting. I need to put breakfast casseroles and a pastry in the oven, and that needs to cook for about an hour. Let's go."
       * * *
       When we walked into the den, we were greeted with a chorus of "Merry Christmas" from everybody. They were all there, and they all seemed pretty excited. There was a fire going in the fireplace, but I also noticed they had a couple of windows open to let in some cooler air so it wouldn't get too hot. The room was very cozy.
       "Is everybody ready for Christmas," Rick asked.
       "Yeah," the boys all shouted.
       "Does anybody need coffee or egg nog or anything else before we start."
       "Rick, I haven't had any egg nog in years. I would love a cup, if that's not too much trouble," Rita said. George said he would like some, too.
       "I'm afraid it's store-bought and not homemade," Rick said.
       "Rick, that is my favorite kind," Rita said. "I find the homemade kind rather watery."
       "Any of you guys for egg nog," he asked.
       "What does it come with," Justin asked in a completely innocent voice.
       "It doesn't come with anything, you little elf," Rick said.
       Rick, the five boys, and I burst out laughing.
       "I'm afraid I don't get the joke," Rita said.
       "Mamma, you don't want to get this joke," Kyle said, still laughing.
       "It's kind of a fam...a thing with us," I said.
       "You started to say 'family,' Kevin, and this is your family. And thank you so much for making Gene and me and George a part of it," Rita said.
       "I'd certainly drink to that, if I had something to drink," George said. He smiled a smug smile, proud of his witticism.
       "Point well made, George. I'll bring out coffee and egg nog and mugs, and you can help yourselves. Give me a hand, stud," Rick said.
       Kyle and Justin both leaped up.
       He chuckled. "Okay, then. Give me a hand, studs," Rick said. George and Gene laughed.
       It took about five minutes for them to get the refreshments, but they also brought in a couple of trays of pastries that had been part of the party leftovers we had brought home the day before. When I saw the heaping trays, I thought the boys might eat too much and ruin their appetites for brunch. Rick makes great brunch casseroles, and I wanted the boys to enjoy them. Then I thought, Kevin!!! They could eat twice that much and still have room for a whole casserole each!
       "Brian, you did a good job giving out the presents in New Orleans. How about doing that again, would you, buddy," I asked.
       "Sure," Brian said.
       Brian was cute scampering around giving out the presents. By then I had forgotten how many we were supposed to get by the rules I had promulgated. As it turned out, everybody ended up with three presents.
       We took turns opening gifts. When it was Justin's turn, all eyes were on him.
       "Open the smallest one first," Kyle said.
       Jus picked up a present to open it.
       "No. The other smallest one," Kyle said.
       Everybody laughed.
       Justin opened his "other smallest" gift, and it was from Brian. It was a gold neck chain, and Justin had a fit over it. He hadn't had any gold jewelry before then. Rick, Tim, Kyle, and I had the gold ankle bracelets the boys had given us and each other for Easter earlier that year. Kyle also had the gold ID bracelet that Tim had given him for his birthday. Jus kissed Brian, and then put the necklace on. There were tears in Justin's eyes but a bright grin on his face. Brian was happy, too.
       The next gift Jus opened was the "other smallest one" from Tim and Kyle, and, yes, it was a pack of condoms. His third gift was also from Tim and Kyle, and it was a carton of cigarettes. Justin went crazy. He was laughing as hard as I'd ever seen him laugh. He jumped up and ran over to Tim and Kyle. They stood up from their places on the floor, and the three brothers hugged one another, dancing up and down.
       Rita, Gene, and George were definitely puzzled, and I could tell they rather questioned the appropriateness of Justin's gifts.
       "Jus, tell everybody why you reacted the way you did just now," Rick said.
       "It's a long and kinda ugly story," he said, "but the bottom line to it is this is all that I got last year for Christmas," he said, holding up the pack of condoms and the cigarettes. "Kyle, I thought you said you were going to put them under my pillow."
       "I tried, Bubba, but the door was locked this morning," Kyle said.
       "I love you, Kyle. You know that, don't you," Jus said.
       "Yeah, and you know the other part," Kyle said.
       "Yeah, you and Tim just showed me that," Jus said.
       Rita had tears in her eyes. I suppose in some ways, Justin had replaced Clay as Kyle's living brother. Certainly the affection between Jus and Kyle was that of two very close blood brothers, and it showed. Jeff was up next, and I knew that was going to be a weep-a-thon when he opened his gift from Clay, via Kyle. I decided we needed a break.
       "Why don't we stop for a few minutes so everybody can go to the bathroom," I said.
       "Good idea," Rick said. He gathered up the pots of coffee and egg nog to replenish them.
       Justin opened his carton of cigarettes and took out a pack. "Let's go outside, Bubba," he said to Kyle. Kyle grinned and got up to go with him.
       I went into the kitchen with Rick.
       "Is Rita going to make it through the gift from Clay to Jeff," I asked him.
       "Your guess is as good as mine. She was really moved by what Kyle did for Jus, wasn't she?"
       "Yeah. I say we prepare for a fucking breakdown."
       "I know. What are we going to do," Rick asked.
       "Well, at least they'll be happy tears, I guess," I said.
       "No question about that. Do you think we should say something to Gene," Rick asked.
       "That's probably a good idea," I said.
       I went into the den and asked Gene to join us in the kitchen. The stuff in the ovens was done, and Rick turned them off and took it all out.
       "Gene, we wanted to give you a head's up on what's about to happen. Jeff is going to open his gifts next, and there's one there from Clay. Actually, it's from Kyle, acting as Clay's representative," Rick said.
       "What is it," Gene asked.
       "It's a shadow box, and it's really beautiful. It has Clay's Boy Scout ring, his Eagle badge, all of his merit badges, and his picture," I said.
       "Oh, my God," Gene said. He got huge tears in his eyes. "All of that meant so much to him."
       "And I think Kyle wrote a poem or a letter or something to go with it, Gene. It's to Jeff from Clay," Rick said.
       Gene was biting his bottom lip.
       "Guys, I'm about to be a basket case right now, but I'm much more happy than I am sad. Kyle is too much, isn't he? How did he think of that?" Gene wiped his eyes with his fingers, and he took several deep breaths. "Rita will cry, and Jeff will cry," he said.
       "All of us are going to cry, Gene," Rick said.
       "I know. But it will be a huge step forward for us, guys, and we need this. Did either of you see what Kyle wrote?"
       "Yes, Gene, and it's magnificent," I said.
       Gene stepped over to the sink and washed his face. Rick handed him a paper towel to dry off. Rick and I did the same thing, and then we went out to the den.
       "Okay, Jeff. You're up, buddy. It looks like you've got three strikes," I said.
       "When I saw him, he had three balls," Justin said.
       Rita was the first to react to that, and she laughed out loud. Jeff reacted by laughing and ripping a stick-on bow off one of his gifts and throwing it at Jus. Jus caught it and put it in his mouth, which only made us laugh more.
       Jeff's first gift was from Rick and me. It was a toy car with a gift certificate for a car wash.
       "He needs that," Kyle said. "His car smells like ass."
       Rick laughed hard at that one, but the rest just chuckled politely.
       His second gift was from Gene and Rita, and it was a leather-bound copy of Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations. Jeff was clearly appreciative of the gift, but it was also clear he didn't understand it.
       "Look at the bookmark," Gene said.
       Something was sticking out from the middle of the book, and it looked like a check. Jeff opened the book to the bookmark, and his eyes got the size of saucers when he read what was written on the bookmark.
       "Oh, Gene. Mr. Goodson. I can't...."
       "Oh, yes, you can, and, yes, you will cash it, Jeff. It's your company bonus. These guys got a Christmas bonus, too. It's company policy," Gene said.
       Rick and I had each gotten fifteen thousand, and I wondered if that was what Jeff had gotten, too.
       "Mr. Goodson, thank you so much," Jeff said. "I don't know what to say."
       "Take the money and shut up," Kyle said. "They're rich, and you've got another present to open."
       "I'm rich, too, now," Jeff said. "Who's it from? It doesn't say."
       "Open it and see, man," Kyle said.
       Jeff opened the gift slowly. I was on pins and needles, and I knew Rick, Kyle, and the other boys were, too. We had all seen it when Kyle got it from the framer.
       "Oh, my God!! Oh, my God!!" Jeff said. "This is unbelievable. Who did this?"
       "Read the letter," Kyle said.
       Jeff started reading the letter silently, but he broke down.
       "Give it to me. I'll read it," Kyle said.
       "My beloved," Kyle started, "this shadow box contains many of the triumphs of my youth. These were awards for hard work and diligence, and they represented my best self at the time. And then, still in my youth, I met you. All of these things, which had once been so important to me, suddenly meant nothing compared to you. At one time, merit badges and the rank of Eagle were everything to me. They consumed all of my thought and all of my time. I put those things aside the moment I met you. I have never thought of them since. I have only thought of you.
       "I'm not gone, Jeff. I'm there with you and with my parents and with my brother. Love does not die.
       "Yours forever,
       "Clay."
       "He is here with us, isn't he," Rita said. "Love does not die. My son is here. Clay is here with us, isn't he?" She was crying, but she was also smiling.
       Jeff grabbed Kyle.
       "Thank you so much. How can I ever say thanks for that?"
       "Thank you for loving my brother and making him happy, Jeff. He's here with us now, and he's happy," Kyle said.
       "You're right, Kyle. You are so right. Thank you so much."
       Justin, ever the pragmatist, got up, went to the stereo, and put on his favorite song, "I've Got Friends in Low Places." He walked over to Jeff and pulled him up off the floor. In a second they were dancing. Kyle pulled his mom up, and they started dancing. The rest of us grabbed partners, too. When the song finished, Justin pressed "replay," and we did it again, only that time we all sang it. Everybody knew the words, and it was the perfect transition into the rest of the day. We kept playing that song over and over, and we danced away the tears.
       "Let's do the stockings," Kyle said. He got them and gave everybody theirs. "Let's don't take turns, okay?"
       We agreed, but we were all eager to see what people were able to come up with for two dollars or less. There were lots of single handkerchiefs and pairs of socks. Somebody had busted out with water guns. The smokers all got cheap plastic lighters, and everybody, including Rita, got a disposable razor. We all got homemade CD's. Mine had a note on it in Kyle's handwriting that said "Look at this with Rick before you let anybody else see it." I looked at Rick's, and his had the same message on it. When I looked at Kyle, he winked at me so I figured there were monkeyshines involved with that. There were lots of other little things, and all of them were fairly useful. Apparently everybody had figured out that you could buy a box of cheap pens, say, for ten bucks and give everybody one each and stay under the limit. The stockings were fun, and I was glad we had decided to do that.
       * * *
       The brunch casseroles Rick had made were delicious. There were three different kinds. It was basically the same recipe made with ham, sausage, and chunks of beef steak. They were made with slices of bread for the bottom crust, then an egg and meat mixture, then they were topped with sharp cheddar cheese. They had the consistency of quiche We had a bowl of cheese grits, a bowl of curried fruit, and a platter of bread, half biscuits and half corn bread.
       "These casseroles are all wonderful, but I like the sausage one the best," Kyle said.
       "Yeah, you would, stud," Justin said, in total deadpan.
       Rita was the first to laugh at that joke, and everyone else did, too, once they knew it was all right to laugh.
       "You got me last there, Bubba," Kyle said.
       "Kyle, I think you and Justin are good friends," Rita said.
       "He's better than my friend, Mamma. He's my brother now."
       Justin had no idea of the implications that statement by Kyle would have for the rest of his life, but I did. I knew that the Goodsons, with their many millions, would see to it that Justin had money. He would have to work, of course, just as Kyle would, but Justin would never be without means. Kyle was already a multi-millionaire, even if the business went bankrupt tomorrow, but Kyle would be expected to work in the business, too. So would Jus, but it would always be there for him.
       After we had finished eating, Kyle said, "I thought somebody said something about some big presents for us."
       "Yeah, there are some more presents," I said.
       "Let's do them," Gene said.
       "Get jackets, guys," I said. They were all wearing their short sleeve "Crew of The Clay" shirts, and it was in the mid-fifties outside.
       "Where are we going," Kyle asked.
       "Outside to the back yard," I said to him.
       "Did y'all get us another boat," he said excitedly.
       "Wait and see, dude," I said.
       We all marched out to the cabana. I pressed in the numbers on the cipher lock, and I held open the door for them. Rick led the crowd in.
       "Le Pool Table," he said in fractured French.
       The kids burst into cheers.
       "Kevin, Rick, Dad, Mom. This is so good, y'all. I love pool. I'm totally encaptured," he said.
       "Do you mean 'enraptured,'" Rick asked.
       "Yeah, whatever the word is. I'm totally that. And that's a ping pong table, too. Is that part of the present? I love ping pong," he said. "Mom and Dad, thank you so much!"
       "Son, these are the gifts from Kevin and Rick. These and the basketball goal outside," Gene said.
       Kyle, as the spokesman for the boys, grabbed us.
       "This is too much, guys. You got my three favorite things right in a row. Thank you so much."
       Kyle kissed each of us on the cheek. That was my second-ever kiss from Kyle, and I felt pretty sure it was Rick's first.
       Justin and Jeff were already shooting a game of pool.
       "Who wants to lose at ping pong," Kyle asked.
       "I'll take your ass on," Rick said.
       I knew they were both athletes, but I had no idea they would be that good at that game. They slammed balls back and forth at one another at speeds that I couldn't keep up with. I knew Kyle could slam a volleyball down Rick's throat if he had to, but I had never seen anybody play ping pong the way they played it. By their third game, the rubber match, all of us were watching. Kyle had an awesome serve wherein he cut the ball so that it bounced just over the net. Rick had wised up to that strategy, though, and he slammed a couple back. Rick slammed his serves hard, and Kyle got about half of them. I had never thought of ping pong as a demanding sport before, but it was that day. Rick won the third game 21-19.
       "I'll be getting your ass next time, Bubba," Kyle said.
       "Did you ever play this game before," Rick asked.
       "Asshole," Kyle said.
       Rick laughed.
       "Guys, this isn't all your present," I said.
       "What else is there," Kyle asked excitedly.
       "Do you see that room over there," I asked, point in the direction of the work out room. "Go see what's in there."
       Tim and Kyle got to the room before anybody else. One of them switched on the light, and then we heard Kyle let out a shout of excitement. "Whoooooooo! Whoooooooo!"
       "Come see this," he screamed. "You're not going to believe all of this!"
       Gene and Rita were beaming.
       "Mom! Dad! This is fantastic! I can't believe it," he shouted. "Thank you so much!"
       The others were excited, too. Even Justin, who ordinarily didn't express excitement the way the others did, was sort of jumping around. He and Kyle hugged, and then Justin made a muscle for Kyle to admire. Justin had told us more than once that he had been forced to lift weights, and his physique showed it.
       "I'm going to get all of you big and strong like me," Jus said. "Rick, will you help me set up programs for all of them?"
       "I sure will, Bubba," Rick said. "In fact, we can get started today, if you all want to."
       "I do," Kyle said. "I worked out all last summer, and I'm sorry I didn't keep up with it. I need to develop my ping pong muscles."
       Jus said, "I'm going to need you to help me improve in my pool game. In fact, how about right now?"
       "I thought we were going to work out," Kyle said.
       "Can't we do both," Jus asked.
       "Sure," Rick said. "You can't work out in those clothes, though. Go put on some shorts and some better shoes. I'll meet you guys back here in about thirty minutes."
       We all went inside. Rick and I put away the leftovers and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Then we joined the others in the den.
       "What time is your flight, Gene," George asked.
       "Two o'clock," he said. "We probably need to head on home to repack our luggage."
       "I need to be getting on home, too," George said. "I want to call my parents, and I'm supposed to go over to Sonya's house this afternoon. Her sister and her family are visiting, and they want to meet me."
       "Kevin and Rick, I don't think I've ever had more fun in New Orleans, or anywhere, than we had on the trip, and this morning has been wonderful, too," Gene said.
       "I had been worried that I would have trouble getting through the holiday, boys. That's why I insisted on going to New York. It hasn't been easy, but it would have been so much harder without you and your folks," Rita said.
       "Well, it's been wonderful for us, too," I said.
       "This looks like the beginning of a tradition to me," Rick said.
       "It could well become that," George said. "I had a wonderful time, as well, fellows, and I know Tim did. And Kyle."
       They went upstairs to get their things, and then they left. The boys came in all ready to work out.
       "Did you guys tell your parents bye," I asked Tim and Kyle.
       They said they had upstairs.
       "Do you like your stuff, guys," I asked.
       "You guys are too good to us," Kyle said. "I think I can speak for everybody. We love our stuff, big brothers. But we love you all more."
       "We love all of you, too," I said.
       "Are we ready yet," Kyle asked.
       "Let me go change," Rick said. He did, and he and the boys went out to the clubhouse.

Chapter 2

(Justin's Perspective)
       The trip to New Orleans was the best thing I had ever done, and the most fun. Kevin's parents and his brother and sister-in-law were about the nicest people I'd ever known, and I got to know them even better than I had over Thanksgiving. Beth, Kevin's mom, loved me, and I knew it. That fact alone was enough to make my whole year, let alone a vacation.
       It was during that trip that I got over my fear of butt sex. We had bought these tube-shaped things--dildos, Kyle called them--at a gay shop in the French Quarter, and Kyle had showed us how to use them. I was the guinea pig because Brian wanted to know how to do it. Kyle was a boy I could be in serious lust with, but I knew he was taken, and taken good. But, oh, did he ever know how to make that dildo thing feel good in me! When I came, I came so hard I thought I was going to break it off inside me.
       The best thing was, it didn't hurt a bit. The doctor had fixed my ass real good, but I think it also had to do with Kyle's method of doing it. He did it real slow, taking his time. He even licked and kissed and sucked on my hole before he even put his finger in me. Nobody had ever done anything like that to me before, and I think that added to the enjoyment I had. Ole Brian must have gotten an eye full of it, too, because later on that same night we did that stuff again, and Brian did exactly like Kyle had done. I did it to Brian, too, and he got off on it big time. Later on my sweet little angel asked me if I would do it to him again, only using my dick instead of the dildo.
       "I've only ever done it one time," I said. "I don't think I do it very good."
       "You don't have to if you don't want to, but I'd like to try it, if you would."
       "I don't have any condoms," I said.
       "Do you think Kyle has any," Brian asked.
       "I kind of doubt it. They don't use 'em."
       "Didn't the doctor tell you that you don't have any diseases," he asked.
       We were in bed together having that conversation, and my dick was almost hurting me it was so hard for him. The doc had told me I was completely disease free, but he said it was a good idea to keep on using condoms. I had told him my ass-fucking days were over (not in so many words, of course), but I asked him if he thought it should be a requirement for me. He said, no, not a requirement if I was in a relationship with a guy and neither of us was fucking around on the other one, but it was a good idea, regardless.
       "Brian, I love you, and I want you in every way, Baby, but I'm not going to risk it, even now. But I'll buy some tomorrow, if you still want me to," I said.
       "Yeah, that'll be good. I love you, too, Justin. I really, really do," he said.
       He said it so cute, it almost melted my heart.
       The next day I did buy some condoms, and some lube, too. That afternoon, while we were getting dressed for the party, Brian and I played around. I slipped it to him after I took a long time getting him ready for it. When I had done it that one time with Jason, we were just experimenting so he could see what it felt like. I had come in about thirty seconds after I was in him, though, and it wasn't very good for him.
       "Buddy, jerk me off or suck me off before we do it," I said to Brian that afternoon.
       "Why?"
       "I don't want to shoot as soon as I get inside you," I said.
       "Is that what happened with Jason," he asked.
       "Yeah."
       Brian had developed him some pretty good oral skills, and he put them to work on me that day. I got hard again right away after he did that, which is something I don't ever have a problem doing, and I eased into my boy. I kept a close eye on his face to make sure I wasn't going too fast or hurting him in some way, and all I saw was the look of feel-good.
       That night we were shooting pool with Tim and Kyle at that leather bar, and Brian spoke up.
       "Something happened this afternoon," he said. "Something very special."
       "What was it? Did Justin finally get a hard-on," Kyle asked. He was concentrating on his game but not so hard he couldn't find a way to tease me.
       "He gets 'em all the time, Kyle," Brian said, like he was defending me or something.
       "I know, Buddy. I'm just busting his balls a little bit," Kyle said, laughing at Brian for being so serious. "Hell, he just about lives with one, don't you, stud." He groped me when he said that. I didn't mind, and nobody in there who might have seen it minded, either.
       "This afternoon, we did it," Brian said, "and it was wonderful."
       "You did what," Kyle asked.
       "I made love to him up the butt," I said.
       "Noooo, shitttttt," Kyle said. He shook my hand and shook Brian's hand. "You really are a stud, aren't you, big boy?" Kyle was grinning and laughing all over himself. He seemed really happy for us.
       "It's cool, isn't it," Tim asked. "It didn't hurt, either, did it?"
       "It really didn't," Brian said.
       "So when are you going to take it up yours, or did you do that today, too," Kyle asked me.
       "We didn't have time today, but it'll happen soon. Maybe even tonight. Or tomorrow morning. Or both," I said.
       "So you really are ready for it," Kyle asked me
       I took his hand and put in on the hard bulge in my jeans.
       "Yep, you're ready," he said, laughing. "Let's get the hell out of here so you guys can have some fun. We might need to have us some fun tonight, too. What do you think, Tim?"
       "Don't we every night?"
       "Y'all fuck every night," I asked.
       "Not butt fucking every night, no. We make love some way, though, even if it's just kissing and holding each other," Kyle said.
       "We do that, too," I said.
       "That guy who was talking to Kevin just left," Kyle said. "Let's go see if we can go home."
       We did go home then, and that night I had a dick inside me for the first time in a long time. The big difference was I wanted that one there. And they were all correct in what they had said. It didn't hurt, and it did feel good. Real good.

(Kevin's Perspective)
       The kids' reactions to the pool table, the ping pong table, and the exercise equipment were perfect. They were surprised and excited, and they started using them right away. Rick went out there with them as soon as the company left, and he came back inside a little later covered with sweat.
       "Did you get them set up," I asked.
       "Yeah. I'm going to write out an individualized program for each of them, but I basically showed them how to use the various machines. Brian said he had taken weightlifting in middle school," Rick said.
       "What are they doing now," I asked.
       "When I left, they were getting ready to play strip pool," he said.
       "How were they going to play that," I asked.
       "Oh, Kyle had it all figured out. They were going to play Eight Ball, and whenever you scratch, you have to take something off. Considering all they had on was shorts, a jock, and shoes and socks, I don't think it'll take them too long to get naked," he said. "They wanted to put the heat on in the pool, but I told them no because it's too cold for that."
       "Did anybody try out the basketball goal," I asked.
       "Jeff was shooting baskets by himself a few minutes ago. Jeff probably won't turn into a body builder anytime soon," he said.
       "He didn't like it," I asked.
       "Naw. He did it because that's what we were doing, but if Kyle and Jus did three sets of ten reps, Jeff did one set of five," he said.
       "He sounds like me," I said.
       "I know." He chuckled.
       The guys came in around 4:30. They took showers and came back downstairs looking kind of tired.
       "Did you guys have a good day," I asked.
       "Yes, sir," Kyle answered. "Is there any more stuff from breakfast?"
       "Yeah, heat it up, Kyle," Rick said.
       "Okay. I'll heat it all up for whoever wants it," he said.
       He came back in in a few minutes with a plate full of food. The rest of them got up then and went to get food of their own. Rick and I were going to have dinner at some friends' house, so we didn't eat with them.
       "I like the way we did this," Tim said. "When we were at my grandparents' house in Boston for Christmas, we always had a huge dinner. This is better."
       "We've had so much rich food lately, we probably need a rest from it," Rick said. "The friends we're eating with tonight have what they call a Christmas anti-dinner. It's going to be red beans and rice, roast, and salad. That's it. We ate with them last year on Christmas night, and they said they have the same thing every year."
       "I reckon we'll want to stay clear of these two tomorrow, boys," Justin said.
       "Why?" Brian seemed annoyed that Jus would say that.
       "Big plates of red beans? Figure it out, Buddy," he said.
       Kyle let out a loud fart just then for comic effect.
       "See? Just talking about the beans got the stud going," Jus said.
       We all laughed, both at Justin and Kyle.
       "Ok," Kyle said. "Three gay guys are naked in a hot tub, like that one in North Carolina, right?
       "All of a sudden, this big wad of cum comes floating to the surface.
       "They see it and look at one another.
       "'Okay,' one guy says. 'Who farted?'"
       We all laughed, but we knew that was gross.
       "Jesus Christ, Kyle. That's as gross a one as I've ever heard," Rick said.
       "Yeah, except a guy in that hot tub named Rick smashed his head against the head of a guy named Kevin when they both went after it," Justin said.
       Kyle thought that was hilarious, and he and Justin laughed their asses off over it.
       "I've got one more," Kyle said.
       "Is it nasty like that one," I asked.
       "No, sir. It's a good one. You'll like it.
       "This guy goes into a bar with an alligator on a leash. He jumps up on the bar with the gator and says, 'Who in here will buy me a drink if I put my entire package into this gator's mouth without him biting it off?'
       "Everybody said they would buy him a drink, but they thought the guy was crazy.
       "The guy drops trou and puts his dick and balls in the gator's mouth. The gator closes his mouth, and the guy cracks the gator on the head with a beer bottle to get him to open up. The guy comes out of the gator's mouth fine. They all cheer and buy him a drink.
       "A little while later, he jumps back up on the bar and says, 'I'll give a hundred dollars to the next guy who is willing to do the same thing.' Everybody in the place said 'no way.' Then this one guy in the back raises his hand. 'I'll do it,' he said, 'but you have to promise not to hit me in the head with the beer bottle.'"
       Everybody laughed, and Kyle and Tim tapped knuckles over it.
       "That was cute, Kyle," I said.
       "Kyle didn't say it, but the gator's name was Rick," Justin said.
       More laughter.
       "Are the friends coming over tomorrow night," Kyle asked after the jokes had been put to bed.
       "That's the plan," I said. "We're going to grill steaks. Y'all can organize pool and ping pong tournaments, since we won't be able to swim."
       "We can dance," Justin said.
       "True. We'll probably cut the rug," I said.
       They all looked at me with total incomprehension.
       "'Cut the rug' means dance," I said.
       "That comes from cowboy days. They used to dance with their spurs on, and that would tear up a rug," Kyle said.
       "How'd you know that," Rick asked.
       Tim laughed. "He just made it up, Rick."
       "You little shit," Rick said to Kyle, laughing.
       "It makes sense though, doesn't it," Kyle asked.
       "Yeah, I guess so," Rick said.
       "What are you guys going to do tonight," I asked.
       Kyle pantomimed shooting pool.
       "Is the table pretty good," I asked. "Is it level and all?"
       "Yeah, it's great," Jus said. "I played on a pool table one time where the felt was so nappy the balls would hardly roll. This one is the total opposite of that. This one is perfect."
       "Rick said you were playing strip pool. Did anybody have to get naked?"
       They all started laughing.
       "Who was it," I asked.
       Kyle raised one finger of his right hand and grinned sheepishly.
       "I thought you were good at pool, stud," Rick said.
       "I thought so, too, until today," he said.
       "Did you have your camera out there," Rick asked.
       "Does he go anywhere without his camera," Tim asked.
       "So we're going to see some pictures of a naked stud, right," Rick asked.
       "Kevin's got to screen them before I do anything with them," he said.
       "I'm sure those are fine, Kyle," I said. "I told you, nudity in a natural setting isn't against the law. It's sexual pictures that are porn, man."
       "Yeah, but he grew his own cue stick, Kevin," Justin said.
       "Shit! Whose side are you on, dude," Kyle asked Jus.
       "I'm on the side of truth, justice, and the American way, Bubba," Jus said.
       "And somebody took pictures of this natural cue stick," I asked.
       "I felt it was my duty," Justin said.
       "I want you to look at those, Kev, and there's one of him I want you to look at, too. It's as cute of him as it can be, but he might be just a little bit hard," Kyle said. "I can crop that out though and just keep his upper body and face. That's what's so cute. That other thing ain't hardly worth looking at, anyway."
       "Your ass is mine, Bubba," Justin said, laughing.
       "Remind us about that tomorrow, okay, Kyle," I said. "Guys, Rick and I need to get going. Are you going to be okay without us?"
       "Naw. Probably not. I'm going to light up the Christmas tree as soon as y'all are out of here, since we missed those bonfires in New Orleans," Justin said. He flicked his lighter when he said that.
       We all laughed.
       "Seriously, guys. Have fun tonight," I said. "We'll see you in the morning, or tomorrow at least."
       "If y'all get hungry later, eat some of that shit left over from the party," Rick said. "Kyle, you're in charge, okay?"
       "What is this? Y'all never put anybody in charge before," Kyle said.
       "I know. We forgot to tell you. This is a new military dictatorship, and we put the biggest prick in charge when we leave. That could only be you, Kyle."
       "You need a more accurate measuring tape, son, if you think that prick is big," Justin said.
       "Shit. Kevin, let's get out of here before the pun-ishment starts for real," Rick said.
       All of us laughed, and Rick and I left to go out.

(Kyle's Perspective)
       Jeff really liked his gift from Clay. I was so happy I thought of doing that. Kevin helped me some with the letter from Clay to Jeff, but it was mostly my words. I can do words; I just can't do numbers too good.
       I loved Jeff because my brother did, but I didn't know him very well. He was kind of a hard guy to get to know. He was kind of quiet, which was okay with me, and he wasn't like the rest of us. But we loved and accepted everybody, so Jeff was right there with the rest of us. I knew he was Clay's Tim, so I loved him for that reason alone, if no other.
       I couldn't believe the presents we all got for Christmas. We basically got a recreation center: the swimming pool was already there; the basketball goal, the pool table, the ping pong table, and that incredible weight room. That on top of my boat for my birthday. I knew my parents had a lot of money, and I knew Kevin and Rick probably did, too. I wasn't naive. I knew I had a lot of money, too. I didn't have any idea how much, but I knew it was a good bit. But that Christmas was totally awesome for us. Usually it was clothes, a couple of books, a few CD's, maybe a bike or a new stereo if we needed those, but my parents had never been extravagant in their gifts before. It might have just been because there were so many of us.
       And, hell, my mom was going on about needing a trip after Christmas because of Clay. We always took a trip after Christmas. It was a custom in our family. Three or four times that I remembered we had gone to Europe for that week or so, but we always took a trip somewhere after Christmas. I was just glad they let me stay home this time. I wanted to hang with Tim and my home boys. Tim and those other guys were my life. They were my family, and I didn't want to go skating in Rockefeller Plaza for the tenth time, or something like that, and see Ground Zero. I hated all that shit that happened there, but I would much rather go with Kevin and Rick and the others to Sarasota. Plus, Tim and I were going to New York in March, anyway.
       Christmas night it was just the five of us boys.
       "Do y'all want to shoot some pool," I asked.
       "Hell, yeah," Justin said.
       "Do y'all want to get drunk," I asked.
       "Hell, yeah," Justin said.
       Justin was turning out to be just like me, more and more. I mean, we liked to do the same things, we both had great boyfriends, we were both pretty good athletes, and we were both the same age and size, more or less. He still had a really thick Alabama accent, which I thought was cute and funny, but he wasn't nearly as country as he was when he first came to us. He had the kind of physique I wanted: strong and muscular without being a body builder.
       Plus, his sense of humor was great. It was real dry. He would say stuff that would have the rest of us doubled over in laughter, and he wouldn't even crack a smile most of the time.
       He was damn good looking, too. He had some crooked teeth in his mouth, but Tim's daddy had already talked to him about that. That Sonya lady that Doc was dating was itching to get her hands on him for those teeth, and I told Jus that a couple of years in braces would be worth it in the long run. I told him he just needed to be careful with Brian when he had all those wires in his mouth. I expected to see some bloody lips on Brian, from time to time. I was just glad Brian didn't have a foreskin like Tim to get caught in the braces.
       "It's going to have to be bourbon and coke, cause that's all I've got," I said.
       "No bourbon and 7-Up," Jus asked.
       "Yeah, that, too," I said, laughing at him.
       "I think I'm going to go upstairs and read," Jeff said. "Kyle, what you did this morning was so incredible, man. Thank you so much. I'll never forget that for the rest of my life."
       "You are most welcome, my brother," I said. "I did it for Clay as much as for you, though. You should know that."
       "I figured as much, and that even makes it better. I forget how close the two of you were, Kyle. Thank you, though. We're brothers for life, right?"
       "Right, Jeff. Absolutely, man," I said. I hugged ole Jeff for the first time, as far as I could remember, and I even gave him a kiss on the cheek.
       The rest of us went out to the clubhouse to shoot pool. I took the bottle of bourbon I had snarked, a liter of coke, a bucket of ice, and four plastic cups. We made drinks as soon as we got out there. Brian didn't want any bourbon, and Tim just wanted a little bit, but I gave it good to me and Justin. I didn't want to get so drunk that I was puking and shit, though. I had done that a time or two, and that was awful. I just wanted to get a pleasant little buzz.
       We played strip pool again, but that time Justin and Tim were the losers, and they started with a hell of a lot more clothes on than I had that afternoon. I kept my jeans on, at least. I was never embarrassed to be naked in front of those guys, but I had been a little bit that afternoon when I was the only naked one and had gotten a boner. Sheesh!
       We shot pool for a long time, and I had a great time. I think Tim and the rest of them did, too.
       "I need a cigrette," Jus finally said.
       "Me, too, but I think you're starting to slur your words a little bit, Bubba."
       "I know. Let's go smoke."
       "You can smoke in here," I said.
       "I know, but let's go outside and get a little fresh air."
       All four of us went outside. Jus and I smoked, but the other boys didn't.
       "I don't think you guys know how wunnerful this has all been for me," Jus said.
       "Yeah, we do. You told us about that, Jus," I said.
       "I know I have, Kyle, but you don't know what it's like to get a whole new life. Kevin wants to make me a manager trainee, man. Do you know what that means?"
       "Not exactly, but I guess he does," I said.
       "Kyle, it means a life for me that I never even dreamed of," I said. "I don't exactly know what it means either, as far as the job, but it might mean I have some kind of future. A year ago, I didn't have a future, man."
       "You might have a very good future, if you stay with Goodson," Kyle said. "I know the owner."
       "Who? You?"
       "Yeah, someday, probably. Eventually. And you know what?"
       "What?"
       "You'll still be my brother. Even then."
       "I hope so," Jus said, "but not for that reason."
       "I know, Bubba. It'll be forever."
       "Kyle, where are those movies you bought on the trip," Brian asked.
       "They're upstairs. I forgot I had those. Do you guys want to watch 'em," I asked.
       "What are they," Justin asked.
       "One is called Frisky Summer, and the other one is An American in Prague. There are some really hot-looking boys on the covers," I said.
       "Go get 'em," Jus said.
       We went inside and I got the movies for us to watch in the den. At one point, I had to get up to get a roll of paper towels from the kitchen. We all needed them.

(Kevin's Perspective)
       The boys were all in bed when we got home Christmas night. They had obviously watched movies while we were gone, and the cardboard cases were on the coffee table. There was a partial roll of paper towels on the table, too.
       "What do you reckon they needed these for," Rick asked with a grin, pointing to the towels.
       "Beats me," I said, grinning back.
       We turned off the lights and went to bed.
       * * *
       The next day was pretty leisurely and laid back. We had been very busy for almost a full week, and we all needed some "down" time to rest and re-charge. The kids drifted in and out of the house, and I heard the thump of the basketball off and on all day. At one point, I looked out into the yard and saw two boys I didn't recognize playing basketball with Brian and Tim.
       "Who were those two guys out there with you," I asked them when they came in to get some lunch.
       "Blake and Riley," Tim said.
       "Oh," I said.
       "Blake lives next door. I know him from school. Riley is his friend. He lives around here, too, somewhere. He was at Blake's house," Tim revealed.
       "Are they nice guys," I asked.
       "Uh-huh," he said. "Blake's brother is out there, too, shooting pool with Jus and Kyle."
       "What's his name?" I felt like George, pulling teeth.
       "Morgan. He's a junior," Tim said.
       "What grade are Blake and Riley in," I asked. Come on, Tim, I thought, give me the 411 on these guys.
       "They're freshmen," Tim said.
       "Do you talk to them, Tim?"
       He grinned a quizzical grin. "Yeah. What do you mean," he asked.
       "Nothing. You're just not talking much today," I said.
       "What do you want to talk about?"
       "Never mind. Just eat," I said.
       In about two minutes, Kyle and Justin came inside, with Morgan, Blake, and Riley in tow. They introduced the new boys to me. Morgan and Blake, the brothers, each had a gold loop in their left ear.
       "Get something to eat, guys, if you want," I said.
       Kyle got out a couple of bowls of leftovers from New Orleans and from the day before.
       "This is good shit, guys," Kyle said.
       Morgan looked a little embarrassed that Kyle had said "shit" in front of me, but they didn't comment. They made plates for each of them, and Jus got glasses of ice for soft drinks. They made small talk about pool and what they had gotten for Christmas. Morgan had gotten a car, which the boys all admired. Blake and Riley had gotten smaller, more ordinary gifts.
       "Where's Rick," Jus asked.
       "I don't know. He said he was going to work on individual weight programs for you guys. I guess that's what he's doing," I said.
       They finished eating, and Justin lit up a smoke. The three new boys looked at him in surprise, but he didn't flinch. Nobody said anything, though.
       "Kevin, can I take the boat out this afternoon," Kyle asked.
       "Yeah, I don't see why not," I said.
       "You guys want to go out on the boat," he asked Morgan and the others.
       "Yeah, I guess. Where do you want to go," Morgan asked.
       "Just out to the island. I haven't been there yet in that boat," Kyle said. "I just got it last month for my birthday."
       "Sure," Morgan said.
       "You guys stay here and play with us," Tim said to Blake and Riley.
       "My mom wouldn't let me go, anyway," Riley said. "She doesn't know Kyle."
       The older boys went out on Kyle's boat, and the younger ones stayed home to shoot hoops, shoot pool, and play ping pong.
       * * *
       Kyle and Justin got home around five o'clock. It was almost dark.
       "How was the boat trip," I asked.
       Kyle and Jus were both wearing jeans and a short-sleeve polo shirt. Kyle had worn his jeans jacket, and Jus had taken a light jacket, too.
       "Why didn't you tell us it was so cold, Kevin," Kyle asked.
       "Was it cold out there," I asked.
       "Yeah, it was cold," he said.
       "It is wintertime you know, Bubba," Jus said. "I figured you knew what the hell you were doing. You've lived here all your life, man."
       "I know, but I had never been out on that island in the winter, though. It was the wind," Kyle said.
       "Is Morgan a friend of yours, Kyle," I asked.
       "Yeah. They live next door. They just moved in about a week ago, but I know him from school. His dad's company built that house. They had to sell their old house, and they had to live in a trailer while the new one was being built," Kyle said.
       "Is his dad a contractor," I asked.
       "No. He has a construction company," Kyle answered.
       "That's the same thing, dummy," Justin said.
       "Oh. I guess he is, then," Kyle said.
       "What's their last name," I asked.
       "Crawford," Kyle said. "What time is everybody coming over?"
       "Six-thirty. If you guys need a shower, you better go ahead," I said.
       "I took a shower this morning," Kyle said. "Are we having oysters tonight?"
       "Yeah. Are you going to take care of those for us," I asked.
       "That's my job, ain't it?" He grinned. "Let's get some music set up outside, Jus."
       "What are you going to play it on," Jus asked.
       "My boom box, I guess," he said.
       "Rick and I were talking yesterday about setting that up like a clubhouse," I said. "Be thinking about what you want in there, okay?"
       "Cool," they both said.
       They went off to see about the music and the oysters. I went into the kitchen to see if Rick needed any help.
       "Hey," Rick said, when I went into the kitchen.
       "Do you need any help," I asked.
       "I wish Kyle would get home," he said. "He needs to get those oysters on ice."
       "He and Jus are doing that right now," I said.
       "Good. Did they have a good time on the boat?"
       "Yeah, but they said it was cold on the island. Windy," I said.
       "What did they expect at this time of year," Rick asked.
       "I don't know. Kyle is pretty deceptive, in some ways, without meaning to be," I said.
       "What do you mean?"
       "Well, about 80% of the time he seems like a full-grown adult. But then he does something like that. Not taking heavier jackets. And tonight he didn't know that a building contractor is the same thing as somebody who owns a construction company," I said.
       Rick laughed. "I know what you mean. Most of the time you think he's 27. Then, every once in a while, he lets us know he's really only 17."
       "He and Justin have certainly become good friends lately. I really like that," I said.
       "I know. Me, too. He's been really great about taking care of Jeff, too."
       "Yeah, he has. That has made me very proud of him. Jeff's a lucky guy to have those boys as his friends," I said.
       "For sure," Rick said.
       * * *
       The company started coming in around 6:30. Rick had made lots of hors d'ouerves, and, of course, we had the raw oysters for those who liked them. There was lots of music and laughing and fun.
       "Kevin, can Ryan and I show you something," Phillip asked at one point.
       "Sure, guys. Do you want privacy for this," I asked. I could tell they did.
       "Ryan and I gave each other these for Christmas," Philip said. They pulled off their shirts and showed me two brand new tattoos. They were still kind of pink around the ink lines. They were on their left shoulders, and they were of hot air balloons. The colors in the balloons approximated the colors of the gay rainbow flag. Philip's had "Ryan" written underneath it, and Ryan's had "Philip."
       "Those are really cool, guys," I said. "I'm glad you got them high up like that, though."
       "Yeah, a tee shirt covers them," Philip said. "It's really just for us and some select friends, like you and Rick," he said.
       "Have your parents seen them," I asked.
       "Oh, no, sir. No way," Ryan said.
       "Well, you might just want to keep them covered up around your parents, you know? But congratulations, boys. Does this mean 'forever' for you guys?"
       They grinned and laughed and carried on.
       "We knew you'd realize that, Kevin," Philip said. "You're the first one we've showed them to. Not even Kyle yet."
       "He and Tim are going to want them, too," I said.
       "We've talked about tattoos before with them. We know they want 'em, Kev," Philip said.
       "Well, yours are very nice and tasteful," I said. "If they have to have them, they have to have them. I just hope they're as tasteful as yours are."
       "This ink won't ever fade, either," Ryan said.
       Yeah, right!, I thought. Just wait till it's a dark blue mass on your arm.
       "Have fun with those, guys," I said. "They're beautiful pieces of work."
       * * *
       The party headquarters were in the house, but it didn't take much time for everybody to congregate in the clubhouse. There were pool and ping pong tournaments going on, and there were paper charts of the standings posted around the room.
       "Kevin, this clubhouse is incredible, man," Jerry said to me at one point.
       "Yeah, but is there a nicotine stain on his index finger?"
       "What?"
       "You heard me. That's a line from The Music Man, a play," I said.
       "Oh, okay. That's the one about them selling band instruments to a town to combat a pool table, right?"
       "Right. Very good," I said.
       "Did the guys have a good Christmas," Jerry asked. "It sounded like you had a fabulous time in New Orleans when I was here Christmas Eve."
       "We did, Jerry. We had a great time."
       "Gay family matters. Right?"
       "That sounds like a story title, man," I said.
       "Maybe it should be," he said.
       * * *
       We put the party away around one o'clock. The boys were wonderful about helping clean up, as they always were.
       "Turn the alarm on in the clubhouse," I said.
       "How do you do that," Tim asked.
       "I'll show 'em," Rick said. He showed the boys how to set the alarms for both the clubhouse and the regular house. Once we got everything cleaned up, we all went to bed.

Chapter 3

(Rick's Perspective)
       The party with our friends the night after Christmas was a whole lot of fun. The meal part was in the house, but the real party, after we ate, was in the clubhouse. It was all about pool and ping pong, and some of the guys wanted to play HORSE at the basketball goal, too. Justin, Chad, and Gage got a bunch of guys up and dancing, too.
       "Did you ever imagine that combination," Sam asked.
       "What do you mean," I asked.
       "Big macho Justin with Chad and Gage," Sam said. "Look at 'em. It's almost like the three of them are partners, or something."
       "They are partners in having fun, Sam," I said.
       "I know, and I'm so grateful to Jus for having accepted those guys," Sam said.
       "Justin loves to dance, and you have no idea how many times in the last week or two he's told people that his friends Chad and Gage taught him how to dance," I said.
       "Really?"
       "Yeah, really," I said. "He still alludes occasionally to the fact that Chad was wearing makeup the first night he met him, but he loves those guys, Sam. Believe me on this. And he and Kyle will do serious damage to anybody who fucks with them, of that I am convinced."
       Sam just laughed and drifted away, but I was sure that was true.
       Kyle, ever the entrepreneur, set up a table to sell CD's he had made with pictures of everyone who was there, plus some X-rated photos and videos he had gotten from the Internet. He made a sign explaining that the CD's were $5 a piece and that the money would go to the Empty Stocking Fund. He set out the stack of CD's, the sign, and a little wooden box for the money. It was strictly on the honor system.
       Next to his wares he had set up a laptop with a copy of the CD in it so the purchasers could check out his product before they bought it. Several times I noticed two or three guys standing at the machine looking at the pictures.
       "Kyle, those pictures are excellent," Jerry told him. The three of us were standing around talking.
       "Thanks. Did you see the naked ones," he asked devilishly.
       "Not yet. Did you take those, too," Jerry asked.
       "Oh, no sir. Those are from the Internet. Next year I've already decided I'm going to have a ton more pictures of all of us. In fact, I might produce two different CD's, one of us and one of just Internet boys," he said.
       "I think the first one sounds great, but I don't like the idea of the second one," I said.
       "Why not?"
       "Well, it's pornography, Bubba. What you did for us this year is fine, I think, but these are just for our friends here tonight, right? I mean, you're not going to be selling them at school or anything, right?"
       "I wouldn't do that, Rick." He thought for a few minutes. "Okay, I won't do the second kind. I wouldn't have put those pictures on this one except that I didn't have enough of just us to make it worthwhile. Now I'm kind of worried."
       "From the reaction, I think the guys appreciate those, too," Jerry said. "There's nothing to worry about, Kyle."
       "Phew! That's a relief," Kyle said.
       We drifted away after that to find other people to talk with. By the end of the evening, the Empty Stocking Fund for next year was already $100 richer.
       We got up around nine the next morning, and everybody drifted down to the den for coffee and coffee cake that I had made. We would be leaving for Sarasota to see my mom in a little while.
       "Is everybody packed for Christmas Road Trip, Part Two," Kevin asked.
       They said they were.
       "Brian, were you born in Tampa," I asked him.
       "No. I was born in New York. We moved there when I was four. I don't really remember New York, though," Brian said.
       "I was born in New Jersey," Jeff said. "We moved to Ft. Lauderdale when I was eight."
       "Kyle, it looks like you and I are the only native crackers here," I said.
       "Yeah. I'm a nut cracker. How about you? Do you need your nuts cracked?"
       "You're certainly a nut. No question. And, since you were born in Florida, you're a cracker, too. So, yeah, I guess you are a nut cracker," I said.
       "I can sure crack a nut," Kyle said. "Right, Tim?"
       "You guys are confusing me," Tim said.
       "Tim, there are so many layers of puns going on right now, I'm a little confused myself," Kevin said.
       "Do y'all want me to explain it," Kyle asked.
       "No, just sit there, shut up, and look cute," Justin said. "I get it."
       "Guys, we need to get going," I said.
       "Are you excited about this trip, Babe," Kevin asked me.
       "I am very excited. I haven't seen my mom in way too long, and I can't wait for her to meet all of these guys," I said. "It's not every day you get to take a full family home to meet your mother for the first time."
       "Do you think she'll like us," Tim asked.
       "Is the pope a Catholic, Tim," I asked. "She is going to love you guys. It's a different kind of lifestyle there than in New Orleans, but I guarantee you she is going to have a fit when she meets you boys."
       "Do we need to take our suits," Jeff asked.
       I thought for a few seconds. "Good question, Jeff, but nah. You won't need 'em. Go get your stuff now, so we can leave."
       We were on the road in fifteen minutes.
       * * *
       "Did anybody here see the tattoos Philip and Ryan got for Christmas," Kyle asked.
       "I didn't see 'em," Jus said. What did they get?"
       "I didn't either," I said. "Where was I?"
       "I don't know where you were, Rick, because they both specifically said they wanted you to see 'em," Kyle said.
       "I saw 'em," Kevin said. "They're small and tasteful and colorful. They're on their left biceps."
       "Didn't you think they were kick-ass," Kyle asked.
       "Kyle, in my opinion, no tattoo can be kick-ass, man. I know a lot of people of our generation have 'em, but I don't want one, and most that I've seen have been pretty grotesque to me," Kevin said.
       "Rick's got one," Kyle said.
       "I know, Kyle. I don't disrespect people who have them. Rick's says 'Ironman 2000,' and I actually encouraged him to get that. Finishing that race was a lifetime achievement, and I think that's fitting."
       "Where the hell is it? I've never seen it," Justin said.
       "Yeah, 'cause you've been too busy looking at his dick," Kyle said. "It's about an inch above his pubic hair, and it's very small. Very small."
       "His dick is small, but it ain't all that small," Justin said.
       I shot Justin the finger, and they all laughed.
       "Stop talking about my dick," I said.
       "I've seen what you're talking about, but, seriously, I thought it was a vein sticking out. He's got all those big veins all over," Jus said.
       "Kyle, if you decide to get a tattoo, please make it tasteful and please make it easily hidden, okay," Kevin said.
       "Did you think I wouldn't do that, Kevin," Kyle asked.
       "No, not really. What do you want? Do you know yet," I asked.
       "Yep. I want my little monkey on me," Kyle said. "About two inches big, and I want it where Rick has his. I want it to show when I'm in my briefs or a Speedo."
       "That won't be bad, little brother," I said. "Do you want one, too, Tim?"
       "Yes," Tim said with a blush.
       "What do you want, dude," I asked.
       "I want a banana, on the side opposite Kyle's monkey," he said.
       "Oh, I see. So the monkey can eat the banana," Justin said. "Under certain circumstances, of course. The monkey likes to eat the banana, doesn't he?"
       We laughed at Justin.
       "Shut up, Justin," Tim said. Tim was blushing furiously.
       "Tim, there's nobody in this car who doesn't like to eat the banana, Bubba," Jus said. "In fact, if we pass a fruit stand, let's buy us some bananas. I can always eat a fruit, especially a banana."
       I started laughing so hard at Justin that I almost lost control of the car.
       * * *
       After we calmed down from the hilarity of the tattoos and the bananas, I felt like I needed to speak up.
       "Guys, there is something you all need to know. My step-father is not exactly fond of homosexuals," I said.
       I saw Kyle look at Tim and then turn back to look at Justin.
       "Kyle, before you get your underwear in a wad and start mobilizing your boys, just know this. He's not going to insult you or make fun of you or anything like that. At the worst, he's going to be cool to you. He'll probably go do something by himself while the rest of us do stuff together. He's not a bad man, but I just wanted to warn you," I said.
       "What's he going to do while we're off doing stuff," Kyle asked.
       "He'll probably go fishing," I said.
       "Do you think we can fish together," Kyle asked
       "Yeah, probably. If you want to," I said.
       "Y'all just let me go out with him," Kyle said.
       We made a pit stop right about then, and then we went to a fast-food place to get burgers and fries. Kyle and Justin each ordered four cheese burgers and two large fries. I just got three and one. Where did they put all that food, I wondered.
       Back on the road, I wanted to explore why Kyle would want to go fishing with my step-father.
       "Kyle, were you serious about wanting to go fishing with Arnold," I asked.
       "With who?"
       "With Arnold. That's my step-father's name," I said.
       "Yeah. Do you think that would be all right," Kyle asked. "He probably doesn't know any normal gay guys, since the only one he knows is you."
       "Very funny," I said sarcastically. The rest of them thought it was hilarious, though, and everybody laughed at what Kyle had said.
       "You know, Kyle might be right," Kevin said. "Not about you, Babe, but about not really knowing any gay men or boys. I mean, the best way to destroy stereotypes is by being exposed to the opposite of the stereotype, isn't it?"
       "I'll go fishing with you guys, too," Justin said. "If somebody teaches me how to fish."
       "It's easy, Jus. You just stick your worm in the water and wait for a fish to bite," Kyle said.
       "I might let a monkey eat my banana, but I ain't letting no fish get to my worm," Justin said.
       More laughter.
       "Babe, it might not be a bad idea," Kevin said. "Are there charter boats in Sarasota? Maybe we could all go on a deep sea fishing trip. Have you guys ever done that?"
       Kyle and Jeff had, but the others had not.
       "Of course they have charter boats. A lot of 'em, too, but I don't know about this time of year, Kev," I said.
       "That would be so much fun," Kyle said. "As far south as it is, I'll bet they go out now. Don't they have a lot of visitors in the winter?"
       "Mostly starting around February 1st," I said. "They might go out. We can check. In fact, somebody look in my small bag. There's a book about Sarasota attractions in there. Look and see if there's anything about deep sea fishing."
       Jeff was closest to the bag, and he got the book. He found the reference and read aloud to us. "This is what it says," Jeff said. "'Winter season is December, January, and February. Winter grouper and snapper fishing is outstanding and occasionally we run into hog snapper. Grouper and snapper can be found inside of 12 miles, usually in the same locations. They are suckers for shrimp or live pinfish and will punish the unsuspecting angler. Amberjack are extremely cooperative on the deeper reefs, 30 miles or more. They school heavily over the reefs, and it’s not uncommon to see several following up the unlucky one you have just hooked. Just drop a bait to one and hang on!'"
       "Are there boats listed," I asked.
       "Yeah. A bunch of them, in fact," Jeff said. "There are phone numbers, too."
       "Let's call one," Kyle said.
       "Not so fast, mister," I said. "What day do you think we should go, assuming we can get a reservation?"
       "What does your mom have planned," I asked.
       "The only definite things are a night at the Asolo and a trip to the Ringling Circus Museum. After the New Orleans museum pig-a-thon I told her we'd save the historical stuff till next time," I said.
       "Do you think we could go fishing on Monday," Kevin asked.
       "Somebody give me a phone. Let me call my mom and see what she says. Kev, dial it for me, please," I said.
       I recited the number, and Kevin got Mom on the phone. He handed the phone to me after they had exchanged greetings and the usual pleasantries.
       "Hi, Mom. Are you ready for us?"
       "You know I am. I can't wait to see you boys. All of you boys," she said.
       "We've been talking about what we might like to do while we're there, and we thought about a deep sea fishing trip. How does that sound?"
       "That sounds like fun. Arnold might even like to do that," she said.
       "Well, we hope he does. It was actually Kyle's idea to have Arnold spend some time with them doing typical guy things. Kyle said he thought that maybe Arnie had the wrong idea about gay men because he'd only been around me, never any normal ones."
       She howled. "Let me ask him. He's right here."
       There was silence for a few minutes.
       "I told him what you said, and he got a big kick out of it. I can't wait to meet that Kyle. And he said he'd love to join you," she said.
       "You, too. We're not leaving you home," I said.
       "Well, in that case, we'd both love to join you. Monday might be a good day for that. You're leaving Tuesday, aren't you?"
       "Yes, ma'am," I said.
       "That'll be perfect. Do you want me to call and make a reservation?"
       "No, ma'am, we'll do it. We have a list of boats and their numbers. We'll just call from the car. It'll give us something to do," I said. "We're about halfway there. We'll see you around four or 4:30. And we're excited."
       "Not as excited as I am," she said. "Well, let me let you go so you can call the boat."
       We said goodbye and hung up.
       "She said Arnold got a kick out of what you said about me, Kyle," I said.
       "See? He knows the truth," Kyle said.
       I handed Kyle his phone back. "Call and make reservations," I said.
       Kyle was Johnny-on-the-spot with that chore. The first boat he called was already booked for Monday, but the second one took our reservation. Kyle pulled out his credit card and gave them the number.
       "We're all set. We have to be there at seven o'clock, and we get back at five or 5:30. He asked me if we wanted fried chicken or deli sandwiches from Publix, and I said we wanted both. Also soft drinks for Rick and beer for the rest of us."
       "How much is it," I asked.
       "None of your business," Kyle said.
       "Kyle, don't start," Kevin said. "How much is it?"
       "It's $610, and I put it on the company credit card," he said.
       "We're paying for this, Kyle," I said.
       "Fine with me. Just work it out with Mister Gene when we get back. Knowing what a skin flint he is, he'll probably charge you double interest," Kyle said.
       Kevin and I both laughed, knowing full well we'd never pay a dime for that fishing trip under those circumstances.
       "Kyle, and all of you, I want to talk about Kyle's comment just now about beer for the rest of us. Things have been pretty loose during the holidays. I know you've all been drinking, and you've handled yourselves very responsibly about that," I said. "The culture in New Orleans sort of blinks at young guys drinking, and Tim and Kyle, your parents obviously don't mind if you have a drink at a party or something like that. I'm going to ask you guys to stay away from the booze in Sarasota, though."
       "I was just teasing before, Kevin," Kyle said.
       "I know you were, Bubba, but I'm not teasing now," Kevin said.
       "What if they offer us a drink, say at home on even on that boat," Justin asked.
       "At home is one thing, don't you think, Babe? Are they likely to offer them a drink?"
       "Frankly, Babe, they probably will. There was always beer and liquor in the house when I was growing up, and I'd have a drink or two on special occasions when I was as old as Kyle and Jus, and certainly when I was Jeff's age. Or maybe a glass of wine with a special dinner," I said.
       "It'll be illegal on the boat, though, won't it," Kevin asked.
       "Not after we're in international waters, it won't," Jeff said.
       "Well, like I said, Rick and I have not been at all disappointed in the way you've handled drinking so far. Let's just play it by ear on the boat, then, okay guys," I said. "And Brian, I think you're definitely too young, legal or not legal."
       "I don't think Brian has had a single drink since the holidays started," Jus said.
       "Have you, Brian?"
       "No, sir. I've had a few sips out of Justin's a couple of times, but I haven't had a whole drink just for me," Bri said.
       "Kevin, if it makes you nervous, we don't have to drink," Kyle said. "We don't need to drink to have fun. You know that."
       "I appreciate that, Kyle," Kevin said. "Now you know how I feel about it, though. I trust you. All of you."
       "This was kind of like a group 'private talk with Kevin,' wasn't it," Justin said.
       That made everybody laugh, and we were back to joking around in no time.
       The traffic started getting heavy north of Tampa, and it was awful going through the city.
       "That's the school I used to go to," Brian said as we were passing a middle school. It didn't face the Interstate, so all we saw was the back of it.
       "Cool," Tim said.
       "Do you wish you still went there," Kevin asked him really gently. I knew Kevin worried about the kids, and I knew he was thinking Brian was probably having some emotional reactions right about then.
       "Hell, no," Brian said.
       "You don't," I asked. I was a little surprised.
       "No. It's a middle school. I'm in high school now," Bri said.
       We all laughed.
       "I'm telling you guys," Jus said. "This boy's a stud."
       "Well, you should know," Kyle said.
       "I can't believe how open you guys all are about sex," Jeff said. "It just seems so natural and so healthy to me."
       "It is healthy for you," Jus said. "Kyle's worked him up quite a nice pair of biceps from all those push-ups he does."
       We all laughed.
       "You know what I mean," Jeff said, after everybody was finished laughing.
       "Yeah, we do know what you mean, Jeff," I said, "and I think you're right."
       "Do you miss having sex, Jeff," Tim asked.
       "Timmy, that's sort of personal, don't you think," Kevin asked.
       "That's okay, Kev. I'd be lying if I said I didn't, Tim. It was something very special for us, but Clay was my soul mate, not just my bed mate," Jeff said.
       "Are you feeling any better, Jeff," I asked.
       "Yeah, I am, Rick. Little Clay caused a turning point Christmas morning," Jeff said.
       "Little Clay," Brian asked.
       "Kyle, Bri. You never met Clay. None of you knew him very well, except Kyle. For one thing, they look a tremendous amount alike," Jeff said.
       "Clay was ugly," Justin shot out instantly.
       "No, he looked like me, not like you," Kyle said.
       "And he had an incredible sense of humor, just like Kyle has," Jeff said. "Clay was a lot of fun. When Kyle named his boat The Clay , he said that we were all going to have fun on the boat and we would have had fun with Clay, too. He was absolutely right. Kyle, if I misspeak and call you Clay sometimes, please don't get upset, okay?"
       "Jeff, I'd be proud to bear my brother's name. You all didn't see this, but I got big tears in my eyes a few minutes ago when he called me Little Clay. If I ever have a son, his name is going to be Clay Goodson the second," Kyle said.
       "Who knows, son, maybe one of these days the people of Florida will wake up and let us adopt children," Kevin said.
       "If you adopt one in another state and bring it here, can you keep it," Kyle asked.
       "Sure, but you have to live in another state in order to adopt in that state," I said.
       "If we go to college and Tim goes to medical school in Louisiana, couldn't we adopt a baby or a little kid there and bring him here," Kyle asked.
       "It could happen. It certainly could happen," Kevin said. "And I know some people in Louisiana who would bend over backwards to make that happen."
       "Timmy, we've got a lot to look forward to, Babe," Kyle said. "A lot."
       "It would be just your luck you'd get a girl," Jus said.
       "If we do, we'll name it Justin," Kyle said, "after her sweetie-pie uncle."
       Justin was laughing so hard he could hardly speak. "I'm gonna get you, you little shitass," he said.
       "The perfect note on which to end this trip," I said. "Here we are, guys. The hotel."
       "We're not going to your house," Kyle asked.
       "Of course we are, but this is where we're staying," Kevin said. "You knew we were staying in a hotel."
       "Kevin and I want a little time to talk to my mom and Arnold before they meet you guys," I said. "We're going to check in and Kev and I are going to my house. Then we'll come back for you all."
       "How many rooms did you get," Kyle asked.
       "Four," Kevin said.
       "Kevin, we don't need four rooms. We just need two. The kids can all sleep together," Kyle said. "It'll be more fun if we're all together, man. Come on."
       "It'll be a hell of a lot cheaper, too. You can give the extra money to us," Jus said.
       "Are you sure, guys," Kevin asked.
       "There isn't anything we haven't all seen a million times. You guys want us to be brothers. Well, hell, we are," Kyle said.
       "Jeff, are you okay with everybody in the same room," Kevin asked him.
       "Kevin, the people in this truck are the most important people in my life. Really, the only people in my life," he said. "I'm just glad to be here. Besides, I think it would be fun, too."
       "We'll see if they have a fold-up bed they can bring in," I said.
       "We don't need that, Rick," Kyle said. "Jeff can take turns sleeping with us. Just get two king size beds."
       "No, we're getting a fold-up," I said. "If you choose not to use it, that's your business, but we're getting one."
       I had made the reservations, and I had been tempted to get non-smoking rooms. Then I thought, Why be a prick? and got smoking rooms. I had quit smoking by choice, and I didn't think it was right to force my decision, however temporarily, on my husband and two of my sons. Besides, they smoked so little it probably wouldn't be an issue for me or for the three boys who weren't smokers.
       * * *
       When we got to my house, my mom's house, really, she was overjoyed to see us.
       "Where are the boys," she asked immediately.
       "They're at the hotel. We'll get them in a few minutes. We wanted to talk to you and Arnie alone first," I said.
       "I understand, Rick, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by his attitude," she said. "He and I have had many long talks about homosexuality, and he's done a lot of reading and thinking about the subject. He was on the phone a minute ago. Let me see if he's through."
       Arnie came into the room wearing a smile. That, in itself, was a surprise. I didn't ever remember seeing the man smile before.
       "Hi, guys," he said, extending his hand.
       We shook hands. I thought about the warm hugs, and kisses even, we always got from Kevin's dad and brother, but I wasn't ready to hug him yet.
       "We've been excited about seeing you. Can I offer you a holiday cocktail," he asked.
       "I'll have a diet soda, Arnie," I said.
       "I'll have whatever you're having," Kevin said.
       "Me, too," Mom put in.
       "Is scotch okay," Arnie asked.
       "That's fine," Kevin said.
       Once we were settled down with our drinks, Arnie began the conversation.
       "The first thing I want to say is that I'm glad you're here. Both of you. Sarah and I have talked a lot about the two of you and about your relationship in the last year. She was terribly upset that the two of you got married without her being there, and I know that was my fault. And Kevin, when you didn't come home with Rick last year after Christmas, it just about broke her heart. But that was my fault, not yours or Rick's."
       "I don't know what to say," Rick said. "We're here now, though, and we've got a pack of boys with us who are just as queer as Kevin and I are. Those are our sons. They're our family, and we love them. Can you handle that?"
       "I can, Rick. I'm looking forward to meeting them," Arnie said.
       "There are some things you need to know about them before you meet them," I said. "First, you would never know they're gay to look at them or to talk to them. They don't fit any of the media stereotypes of gay men. We have friends who do, but these boys don't."
       "You guys don't, either," Arnie said.
       "Well, we'd be proud of them if they did, though, Arnie. It just so happens this bunch doesn't," I said.
       "Any athletes in the group? Like you?"
       "None of them is playing an organized sport right now, but at least two of them have been on school sports teams, and a third one, Jus, hasn't really had the opportunity," Kevin said. "But Tim, Kyle, and Justin are very athletic types."
       "All five of them are very intelligent. Kyle and Justin are particularly quick witted, and they're liable to come out with a pun or a joke that might be a little off-color. They tried really hard to watch their language when we were in New Orleans around Kev's mother, sister-in-law, and Kyle's mother, and they were pretty successful at that. I wanted to warn you, though," I said.
       "Son, you're talking to two secondary school educators. Together Arnie and I have over fifty years of experience working with adolescents. We know what boys are like, don't we, Dear?"
       "I'll say," Arnie said. "I'm no prude, Rick, and neither is your mother. We've both got thick skins, I can assure you."
       "Well, they won't be vulgar or coarse toward the two of you, that's for sure, but you might overhear a comment made to one another that might shock you a bit," Kevin said.
       "I doubt it, son," Mom said.
       "Good," I replied.
       "Why don't we cut this bullshit and you go get those boys," Arnie said.
       "What's on tap for tonight," I asked.
       "Well, first we'll eat, and then we were thinking they might like to go on the Christmas Walk," Mom said.
       "More lights," Kevin asked.
       "More lights," I said.
       "Will they like doing that," Mom asked.
       "They loved it in New Orleans. There's no reason they won't love it here, too," I said.
       "Kevin, let us freshen your drink, and Rick, you go get your boys," Mom said.
       "Okay, and, Babe, try to be upright when we get here, okay?"
       "You assh. . ." Kevin said. And then he caught himself.
       "Kevin, when he acts like an asshole, call him an asshole," my own mother said.
       We all laughed at what she said, and I felt like I was on a cloud, it was so good. I hauled my butt back to that hotel as fast as I could to get those kids. They were all ready. They had showered and put on nicer clothes than they had worn on the trip down. The ones who had needed to shave had actually done so, and it was a mighty good looking bunch I hauled back to my mom's house.
       My mother went apeshit over those kids, and so did Arnie, in a less effusive way. The dinner was pretty informal--basically lasagna and salad, but there was lots of it. The dessert was chocolate mousse that my mom had bought somewhere, but it was excellent.
       The boys' table manners were impeccable, without being put-on or out of character. There was lots of cheerful banter at the table, and one time I thought Tim and Kyle were going to have to give Arnie mouth-to-mouth, he was laughing so hard. They told about school, about their friends, about the gifts they had gotten for Christmas, about the trip to New Orleans. The adults, including Jeff, were offered wine, but the boys got cokes. It was like we had scripted the whole thing. Kyle, Jus, and Tim even cleaned up the kitchen, over my mother's protest.
       "It's our job, Grandma," Kyle said.
       Huge tears came to her eyes when he said that.
       "Let 'em do it, Mom. They know what they're doing," I said.
       She just nodded, afraid to talk for fear she would break down.
       We went to see the Christmas lights. About 11:30 I finally said, "We'll see everybody tomorrow, guys, but it's late. We need to go. Mom, what Mass do you go to?"
       "The ten o'clock. You mean. . ."
       "Oh, yeah. We'll see you there. Tell everybody good night, guys," I said, and they did.
       My mom grabbed Kevin and me on the way out.
       "Rick, they are unbelievable, son," she said.
       "I would never have thought those boys are gay," Arnie said.
       "Oh, yeah. They're all gay. On the way to New Orleans, Kyle and Justin got into an argument about which one was queerer," Kevin said. "It was hilarious."
       "Well, I don't care what they are. Those are some great kids, son," Arnie said to me. That was the first endearment of any kind he had ever used toward me, and it wasn't lost on my mother. "Thanks for coming guys. Kyle was right, Rick."
       "What do you mean," I asked.
       "I did just need to be around some normal gay people," he said with a grin.
       "I'm out of here," I said, laughing.

Chapter 4

(Kyle's Perspectiv