Chance Encounter, Chapter 8
With the boys sitting side by side in the back seat, Karen drove us to the parking lot where Chance vaguely remembered leaving his car. He was pretty sure of its location, but wasn't positive because some details of that day weren't completely clear in his mind.
When we spotted it in the nearly empty lot, I was upset to see there was a Denver boot on one of the wheels so it couldn't be moved.
"What the hell!" I exclaimed.
Karen produced a flashlight to allow us a better look in the receding daylight. There was a note under the driver's side wiper explaining the parking fine and giving a number to call to take care of it. I called it immediately, hoping it would be answered at night.
"Campus Security, Officer Blunt speaking. How may I help you?"
"How soon can you send someone to remove the boot from my friend's car?"
"That depends. Who is he and where are you?"
"I'm sure you know those details because I doubt the university has more than one of these contraptions. The car is registered to Chance Monroe, and it's in student blue lot B. I can't believe the university did this!"
"Okay, the ticket is for $50 because it's been left in the lot overnight which is against the rules. He should have moved it before midnight. If it's not out of there tonight, it will cost another $50, and beyond that, it will be towed."
"It's a bit difficult to move it with that mechanism attached, and I have no intention of paying ANY fine. Don't you people realize who Chance is? He's the guy who was nearly killed saving the life of another student yesterday. How the hell was he supposed move it when he was in the hospital fighting for his life? I guess the adage is true that no good deed ever goes unpunished!"
"Well, I don't have the authority to cancel a fine."
"I suggest you call someone who has that authority and that the school send a written apology to Chance as well."
"And what are you going to do about it if I don't? You're rude, and I don't have to take that."
"Hear me out before you take that attitude, Officer Blunt. Mark Hanson of the Daily Herald is running a front-page story on Chance tomorrow. I'm sure I can get him to add a bit about this incident before the deadline tonight. I doubt that President Belington would welcome the bad press, especially after last spring's sex scandal."
"Okay, okay, keep your shirt on; I'll see what I can do."
"It had better be quick because as soon as I get off the phone with you, I plan to take pictures to send to the reporter. If someone isn't here in 15 minutes, I'll tell him to add this to the story!"
"I'm sorry about getting so angry with that campus cop!" I apologized when I had ended the call.
"No need to be sorry," Karen assured me. "I had dealings with that man when he was on the city police force. He's a pompous ass, and a real jerk. I think you've put the fear of God in him, and I'm all for it!"
"I'm glad you stood up to him," Gavin chimed in.
"Me too," Seth agreed.
As I was taking pictures a few minutes later, a security car came into the lot with emergency lights flashing.
"I'll get that boot off in a second. Please don't send the photos or Blunt will have my ass!" the young officer pleaded.
"It's not your ass that's on the line. If there's any fallout, I'll make sure it lands on his!" I vowed. "I do plan to bring the incident up with Dr. Belington's mother when I go over her finances with her on Thursday if we don't get any satisfaction before then."
"Are you serious?" Officer Smith grinned.
"Very serious!"
"Cool; I hope Blunt gets his butt in a sling. He's certainly a pain in ours!"
The boys rode home with me, in the back seat of Chance's car, because they had decided to stay at my house overnight. Karen was fine with the change in plans, and I suspected they might feel freer to cuddle in bed having me in the next room instead of her. I still felt that she would understand, but after my talk with them, the boys knew for sure that I wouldn't be judgmental in any way.
Despite my promise to sleep in, I got up early the following morning so that I could grab a copy of the newspaper as I hurried to have breakfast with Chance in his room. On my way out of the house, I passed the partially open bedroom door where the boys were sleeping.
They had evidently gotten warm enough to kick off the sheet as well as the covers. Both were nude, Gavin on his stomach, displaying his cute butt, and Kip on his back sprouting morning wood that would make any guy proud.
It was none of my business, but I wondered if they'd had some fun before going to sleep. As attractive as both are, it would have been nigh unto impossible for them to keep their hands to themselves. I just hoped that neither would end up hurt if, in the long run, things didn't go the way they anticipated.
"Did you see me on the front page?" Chance grinned as I entered his room with my tray from the cafeteria. "I think I look pretty good in spite of having a couple of days of stubble.!"
"Yes, I think you're HOT with that scruffy facial hair. I brought the paper, but is seems you've already obtained a copy."
"That reporter, Mark, stopped by early with two of them. He asked me to autograph one for him and he signed the other for me! He thinks the story could go national and get him recognition. Did you see the article right next to it where Mimi Hague has started a GoFundMe account for me? I can't believe it! It's got the kind of corny title you might have thought up – `Give Chance a chance'. According to Mark, there's already $3,000 pledged to help with my bills."
"I'll bet that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Let's check it online."
I typed in the link on my mobile phone, and the figure came up at just over $10,000. It looked like everyone who had read about his story felt the need to send at least a few dollars.
"That'll help make up for my lost income too!" Chance smiled broadly. "If it keeps on growing, I may have to reconsider and marry you before I graduate."
"That would make me the happiest man in the state! I can't wait to be your husband."
"I always figured you for one of those opportunistic types who'd marry a man who was coming into enough money to keep him in style," he teased.
"Is that how you thought you looked when I pushed you to marry me?" I asked, quietly.
"I guess I was afraid I might appear like that," Chance admitted, "though you never made me feel that way. You know my damned macho pride."
"I want to spring you from this joint so I can get my mouth on your macho pride," I quipped.
"Believe me, I want that as much as you do. By the way, did you find my car okay?"
His question led to the retelling of the run-in with the campus cop. Chance loved every minute of the story.
I was allowed to take Chance for his walk around the halls after breakfast without any hospital personnel accompanying us. We went to the 4th floor where there was a walking course laid out in the hall with markers on the wall to indicate the distance traveled. He managed to go a quarter of a mile, stopping only once for a drink. However, he looked exhausted at the end of it.
"Do you want me to find a wheelchair to take you back," I asked.
"Nah, I'll have another drink of water and sit for a few minutes and then I'll be fine. I have to get my stamina back and that's not gonna happen if I sit on my lazy ass while you wheel me around."
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I'd be willing to wheel your sweet ass wherever you wanted to go for the rest of our lives."
He leaned into me and kissed my cheek. Then our lips met for several seconds, as our tears mingled. Both of us realized how much deeper our mutual affection had grown since our first kiss.
After a few minutes of companionable silence, Chance pushed himself to his feet and we continued our journey back to his room.
"It looks like you must have a secret admirer," Nurse Laura joked as one of the volunteers wheeled in a cart with a gigantic bouquet of flowers on it.
From the size and variety of the blossoms, I speculated that it must have cost in excess of $60. The attached note was signed by President Belington, himself, and included an apology for the "mix-up" over the parking ticket. I was gratified that the head of the university took responsibility to make amends. An institution may not have a heart, but the people who run it can! Now I wouldn't have to tattle on him to his mother!
Chance had several other well-wishers. His boss from Allied Glass called to bid him a speedy recovery, and let him know that his job was secure, so he needn't come back before he was fully up to it.
Gavin called to say that Kip and he would ride their bikes to the hospital soon. He just wanted to make sure Chance wasn't going to be released before they got there.
Mimi phoned to say how excited she was with the response to her fund-raising campaign. It was rapidly closing in on $20,000. Chance had the opportunity to thank her personally for it. I think I could hear tears in her voice on the other end of the line as she again expressed her gratitude to him for saving her life. I could see them on his face.
And finally, the most unexpected call of all came from Max who ran the rundown place he had lived in before moving in with me. It was as if Max wanted to receive absolution for the nastiness he'd shown when Chance moved out. I was proud of my lover's graciousness as he sincerely thanked Max for his concern.
The afternoon mail brought several get-well cards. Some of Chance's teachers had taken the time to wish him a rapid recovery, and there was one from Landon and Michael. All in all, Chance had to know that people cared.
The boys arrived at the hospital in time to get the good news that, barring any unforeseen problem, Chance would be released the following day. We celebrated by going down to the cafeteria for ice cream. Chance was thrilled to be out of his room, and in an environment with ordinary people – not just nurses and doctors.
"Can Kip stay with me next week?" Gavin asked as we were enjoying our treat.
"I don't see any problem with that. Is Karen throwing him out?" I joked.
"Well, actually, Mom has to fly to London on business. She's the coordinator on a very important engineering project," Kip said proudly. "She'll be gone a week or two and she's not sure what to do with me. Her mother is too ill for me to go there, and my other grandmother is a nut-case. My father would take me in a New York minute, but I sure as hell don't want to be with him! He's made it plain that he doesn't like queers, and thinks I should be sent away for `reparative' therapy. Due to his homophobic attitude, I've requested not to have any visitations with him. Mom was hesitant to ask you guys because she didn't want to burden you with another person in the house while Chance is getting well."
"It will work out fine for me!" Chance laughed. "I'll have another slave to do my bidding. I'm gonna make the most of my convalescence."
"You'd better be nice to my boyfriend!" Gavin exclaimed, and then blushed, saying, "me and my big mouth," before going completely silent.
"So, is that your status now?" Chance asked, wrinkling his brow in thought, as he often did.
"It wasn't his idea! I asked him to be my boyfriend," Kip spoke up in defense of Gavin. "He said he's okay with it. We're not, like, doing serious stuff!"
"I think my little brother is more than `okay' with it," Chance grinned. "I suspect you weren't going to make it official right now, but that's not a problem as far as I'm concerned. Congratulations!"
"Thanks," Gavin breathed a sigh of relief.
I supposed the boys would have loved sharing a celebratory kiss right then and there, but they were too mindful of being in a public place to do that. Unfortunately, as a same-sex couple, that would often be their lot. Hetero couples could have expressed their love in a quick smooch and received friendly looks from bystanders – possibly applause. Same-sex pairs could expect the opposite. The first scenario would have been considered "cute" while the second would be thought of as "flaunting" it.
We encouraged Kip to text his mom about our desire to have him as a house-guest while she was abroad. He received an almost immediate reply with a message to thank us very much.
The following day, I went alone to bring Chance home. Gavin had gone back to work at the store after his brother had insisted he do so. It wasn't for the money, but Chance wanted everyone to know he was well enough to take care of himself.
When I got to his room, he was already dressed in the clothes I had left the day before. The doctor had yet to release him, but he was raring to get out as soon as possible. I teased him a bit about acting like a kid, and he took it all good-naturedly, sticking out his tongue to validate my assessment.
We had to wait nearly another hour before everything was cleared and he was being wheeled to the curb. Despite his insistence that he could walk to the car, I went ahead to pull up to the curb and help him in.
On the way home, I stopped at Boston Fish so he could get his favorite grease fix. It wasn't the best meal for guys watching their body-fat, but it was what he wanted. He said it reminded him of the first time we'd met, and I must admit that it made me nostalgic going there.
We sat outside at one of the small patio tables they'd started putting out in the good weather. Our conversation was pretty light, but our feelings were deep. At the end, when I picked up our disposable dishes to put in the trash can, Chance squeezed my hand, and gazed into my eyes.
"Damn, I love you," he said.
In bed at home, about a half hour later, I let him know how much I loved him and had missed him. After I satisfied him with my mouth, I accused him of trying to drown me with his seed. He had stored up what felt like a cupful. Of course, I didn't complain. He wanted to return the favor, but sleep overtook him a few minutes later. He was drained in more ways than one. I just snuggled up behind him and enjoyed the comfort of having him home.
Evidently, I had drifted off too, because my next conscious thought was how awesome I felt. He was between my legs giving he a blowjob that was without equal! My lover was indeed healing rapidly.
My consultation with Bernice Belington the next day went smoothly. She was quite appreciative of the way I'd directed her to invest. Even though a couple of accounts hadn't performed as well as we had hoped, the others had more than made up the difference.
At the end of our visit, she asked me how my friend was doing. She told me how horrified her son had been over his wounds, and how much worse he had felt when he heard about the parking ticket fiasco.
"He called me to ask what he should do to make amends. I suggested the flowers. I hope they helped."
"They were fantastic! Chance and I were pleased to find that the head of the university took the time to make amends, especially when it wasn't his doing in the first place."
"He feels that everything should be made right under his administration. It's like old Harry Truman when he said `the buck stops here' instead of trying to pass blame. Too many people point fingers today instead of dealing with messes."
"I agree! Your son has certainly shown he's not afraid to get involved in situations that most university presidents would delegate to underlings. He's a good man."
One might have thought that Gavin and Kip were planning an expedition to the Arctic with all the time they spent discussing Kip's stay at our house. They paid attention to details, even adding another hook in the garage to hang his bike on when he was here.
The adults planned for a number of contingencies as well. Karen felt it would be good to have at least one of us designated as Seth's custodian in the event he needed medical treatment or had some other situation which would require the signature of a parent or guardian. I wholeheartedly agreed, and volunteered to fill that role. Chance said he'd like to be on the list too.
Karen, Chance, and I, along with the boys, met with Michael Day to fill out the papers and have them notarized. Having recently been in the situation of needing power of attorney for Chance, I could see the advisability of covering all bases.
While we were at it, we asked Karen to be Gavin's guardian in case both Chance and I were unable to make decisions for him, for whatever reason. We all felt better about having emergency plans in place since we didn't have any family close that we would trust with that responsibility. Lord knows, we didn't want his mother to get him in her clutches!
When the day came for Karen to depart, we all went to the airport in her SUV which was more comfortable for that many passengers and luggage than Chance's vehicle. We would park it back in her garage and keep an eye on the place from time to time.
Although he was putting on a brave face, it was easy to see that Kip was sad to see his mother go that far away and be gone for a week or more. They had become closer than some mothers and sons since his father's departure and subsequent alienation. He would miss her a lot.
She whispered something in his ear as she hugged him before going through the security check. It made him smile.
Later he told Gavin that she had suggested he cuddle up with his boyfriend so he wouldn't be lonesome.
And cuddle they did. I wasn't sure if it had to do with his mother's endorsement, the boys' new status of being boyfriends, or their time in an all-gay household. Possibly it was all of the above. Either way, they didn't miss an opportunity to enjoy the closeness of each other's body.
One evening in the early part of the week, Chance and I were snuggled on the sofa in the living room watching our DVD of "Brokeback Mountain" when the boys came in to join us. Since it had barely begun, we started it over so they wouldn't miss the beginning. They sat on the love seat nearby, nestled together with an afghan over them despite the fact that the room wasn't particularly chilly. I suspected its purpose was to cover personal activities that they might not want to share with us.
Chance and I didn't tease them. We didn't want to make them feel uncomfortable over their activities, and we appreciated their discretion.
At breakfast, they showed up in the kitchen clad only in underwear, as Chance and I did. Kip seemed to be adapting well to his surroundings, and didn't seem all that lonesome for his mother after all.
Author's notes: I heard from John M, Chandra B, Wayne, Dan B, Don, Randy M, Geoff S, Walter Sz, Jim W, Bill K, Jim M, Walt S, Randy M, Jeremy R, Tom A, Mendy D, Ott H, and Jonathon V since last posting. I hope I didn't leave anyone off. I've had trouble with the files!