Clean Hands and a Pure Heart, Chapter 3
When the boys went to the eating area for their complimentary breakfast buffet, they were disappointed that neither Lawrence nor Douglas was in sight. It would have been nice to have conversed more.
They chose their breakfast items carefully, loading up on protein more than starches because they would need solid food in case road conditions kept them from eating a proper lunch.
They were nearly finished when they spotted their new friends entering the room. Dave rose to wave them over to join them. The dining room was crowded and it was good to be able to return the favor from yesterday. Douglas and Lawrence picked up their food and soon joined the boys.
"My, this is a lovely surprise," Douglas enthused. "We had planned to be at breakfast earlier, but didn't get ready as quickly as we had hoped to."
"We're usually up early because of swimming practice," Dave said. "We watched the news about the snow removal progress and it looks like the Interstate highways and the toll-ways are greatly improved. If we start out pretty soon, we should reach Hoffman Estates by mid afternoon."
"We won't be all that far away," Lawrence said. "We're visiting old friends in Boys Town."
"Where is that?" Jon asked. "I've grown up around Chicago and I've never heard of it."
"Oh, it's not a suburb," Douglas chuckled. "It's the nickname for a section of the city on the near north side which is heavily populated with gays and lesbians."
"Wow! That shows how naïve I am!"
"Not to worry. It's nice to find young gay men who have a degree of innocence. Never be ashamed of that." Lawrence smiled.
"I see that you're both finished eating," Douglas observed. "Please don't feel you need to wait on us. I know you're eager to get on the road."
"Thanks," Jon said. "If you'll excuse us, we will be going."
Lawrence and Douglas rose and hugged their companions, wishing them a safe trip.
It was going on 4:00 when the guys pulled up to the well-kept four-bedroom ranch in a tidy middle-class neighborhood. Dave estimated its worth at between $350,000 and $400,000, given the size of the lot and the amount trees and shrubs, possibly more. Jon's parents must be better off than he'd suspected.
The greetings they got from most of the family were polite and pleasant as might be expected. However, Shirley's behavior was rather bizarre, even for her. She practically ignored her firstborn and doted on David. Her other two children rolled their eyes in discomfiture. Their dad, Roger, had a difficult time not openly showing his displeasure.
Jonathan didn't seem to be fazed by it because he'd expected something like this, but David was uncomfortable, feeling that she should show more warmth toward her own son.
Instead of asking how Jon's first term had gone, Shirley wanted all of the details about Dave's. For his part, Dave tried to pull Jon's accomplishments into the conversation when he mentioned the swim team and their senior thesis. Every time he did, it seemed that she changed the subject to something else about David.
Dinner time passed in a similar manner. Shirley had prepared a medium rare roast beef with mashed potatoes and a green bean casserole which she had found out from Jon was Dave's favorite meal. The table conversation centered on the mission work his parents were doing and how he had fit in when he was there.
Around 8:00 p.m., at Shirley's prompting, Roger read the Christmas story from the book of Matthew as he traditionally did. Everyone sat quietly to hear it. Afterwards, he said a prayer asking for blessing on all of them and for peace on earth for the year to come.
It wasn't until close to bedtime that anyone else got to talk to Dave after Shirley showed him the guest room which she had done up especially for him. At that point, Dave politely, but firmly, let her know that wasn't sleeping in it.
"As you know, I invited Jon to be my roommate because I feel very comfortable with him. I'll sleep better if we are in the same room. I've already talked to James and he said he'll be happy to trade with me."
"Well, I had thought you'd like to be by yourself, but that's okay if James hasn't pushed you into trading. I want you to be happy. I changed both of the twin beds in the boys' room, so it's not a problem. I'll bid you good night because I'm sure you're tired from the trip."
Jim, as he preferred to be called, spent awhile with the older boys before retreating to the guest room.
"I thought Mother was particularly obnoxious tonight. I hope she doesn't scare you away, Dave."
"It did feel a bit awkward to be the center of attention. I'm not comfortable with that, especially when she hasn't seen Jon for several months."
"She'd be just as happy not to have me here at all," Jon observed.
"Oh, Jon, I'm sorry you feel that way. Had I known the outcome, I would have stayed back at school and made an attempt to visit Grandma Val on Christmas Day."
"Having you here didn't make any difference in her attitude. In fact your presence made it possible for the family to catch up on how my life has been going."
"He's right," Jim agreed. "It seems like Mom doesn't have much time for Jon. I've never understood why."
"I'll tell you," Jon said. "Back when I was about four years younger than you are, she caught Brent and me comparing out little dicks and she hasn't been much more than civil to me since. She made up her mind that I was going to be gay if she didn't send me to Freedom."
"It's a good thing she never caught Cy and me," Jim snorted. "I'd have been sent to someplace stricter."
"You played around too?"
"Doesn't every boy? Sorry, Dave, I didn't mean to imply that you..."
"No worries, Jim. I was pretty naïve, but I did learn to jack off all by myself and felt guilty about it."
"Cool!" Jim high-fived him.
"So Mom loves you more because she doesn't know you as well," Jon grinned.
"You're not going to tell her, are you?"
"Never! You're my bro and I have no intention of messing up your life. By the way, how did you get to choose a state school like DeKalb?"
"I pretty well set my foot down when she mentioned Freedom. I told her it was far too expensive. I'd heard enough horror stories about its purity code. Do they really expect you not to masturbate?"
"They expect it, but not everyone follows, and there are ways around it."
"I'll bet it doesn't count if someone else does it for you," Jim smirked, seeing a possible loophole.
Dave and Jon blushed, and found it difficult to make their mouths move.
"Um, I won't tell on you either," Jim assured them. "Are you two, um, together?"
"Uh-uh..." Jon couldn't find the words to express how he really felt about his roommate, but simply hugged him instead.
"That's totally cool!" Jim grinned. "I know a couple of guys at school who are boyfriends. I think I prefer girls, but I've never done it with a boy."
"So you've done it with a girl then?" Jon asked, finding his tongue again.
"Yup; once."
"My baby bro isn't a baby anymore," Jon grinned. "So you know about the pleasures of the flesh first hand."
"Yeah, and I'm guessing you do to. Are you planning to get married or anything?"
"Yeah," Dave spoke up, finding his resolve. "I love your brother more than anyone else. I beg you to keep our secret."
"You can count on it. Mom will have a shit-fit when she finds out, and I'm not going to be the one to set it off. I won't even share this info with Beth. Loose lips sink ships, as Grandpa used to say."
"So, what made you suspect that Dave and I cared for one another?" Jon asked.
"It wasn't anything real obvious, but I noticed how protective he was when Mom kept slighting you. He always bragged about what you were doing. It was like he cared about your feelings more than she did."
"That wouldn't take much!" Jon shook his head.
"I do love him a lot," Dave agreed, drawing Jon close again as they sat on the bed side by side.
"You can go ahead and kiss if you want to, or I can get the heck out of the room so you can."
"We've only held hands in front of anyone else, and that was with a couple of older men who were total strangers." Jon informed him.
"I guess I'm curious how guys kiss, but I won't pressure you," Jim smiled.
"And I guess we need to kiss around someone else sometime," Jon blushed.
Dave and he embraced and kissed passionately as if they were alone in the room. In that brief time, both boned up, making their jeans feel about two sizes too small.
"Oh dude! That was hot!" Jim gasped, glancing at their crotches. "I can see that both of you were turned on. I'd better leave you alone so you can finish what you started.
Um, do you want to go to the Y in the morning to swim laps? It would get us away from the dragon lady for a few hours."
"That would be great!" Jon enthused. "Thanks for understanding."
"Thanks for the kissing lesson."
After they were alone at last, Jon locked the door and they stripped each other. Then they stood for several minutes making out to reignite the fire they'd started earlier.
Lying down in the 69 position, they mutually nursed their cocks to an awesome, and almost simultaneous, climax.
"I'm glad you pushed Mom about the sleeping arrangements."
"I was happy to do so. It was really selfish on my part because I wanted my bedtime snack," he grinned, opening his mouth and moving his tongue suggestively.
They fell asleep snuggling naked in Dave's bed, but Jon awoke about an hour later and climbed into his own after unlocking the door.
Jim's light tapping awakened them early in the morning. They invited him in, as they climbed out of bed still naked.
"You'd better put on something before heading to the bathroom," Jim cautioned. "If Beth should see those hard tools, she'd probably be afraid to ever get married for fear of ending up run-through!"
"Oops," Jon said. "I didn't mean to flash you, but I guess you've seen me nude plenty of times before."
"Yeah, but not hard. That's a beauty; so's yours Dave."
"Thanks, it looks like you're packing too."
After putting on their skimpy swim suits with sweats covering them, they followed Jim to the kitchen where he handed them both a towel and pulled out a box of energy bars as they headed for his vehicle.
"I'm sorry; I didn't intend to usurp the third car," Jim apologized. "I'm sure you assumed it was yours."
"That's okay; I never expected to have it after high school anyway. Will they let you take to the university, or will they save it for Beth?"
"Supposedly I'll get to take it so I can come home some weekends. It might be better not to have it in that case."
"That could be a two-edged sword," Jon agreed.
Dave enjoyed watching the brothers compete with each other when he took a breather. Jon was the stronger swimmer, but Jim held his own pretty well. It was obvious why both of them had been awarded athletic scholarships.
After swimming their usual amount of laps, the three stripped and sat in the steam room to relax their muscles. It felt good to be nude and free in the presence of other guys. They were almost sorry that the facility would be closed all day tomorrow for Christmas.
Shirley made a huge breakfast for the returning athletes and they did justice to it. They could eat like that and not really gain weight during the season. Once it was over, they'd have to be careful not to pig out.
Jim took the other two out to show Dave around the area. Shirley wouldn't have been as proud of his gracious company manners had she known that he wanted an excuse to be out of the house and away from her.
After driving past the park where they'd played as children and the high school Jim still attended, Jim pointed the car toward Woodfield Mall to see the decorations and watch the last-minute shoppers. He also wanted to purchase something for Dave whose name he had drawn for the gift exchange the next day.
"I found a couple of things in the price range we're limited to, and I want to make sure I get what you'd really use. I think surprises are over-rated compared to satisfaction."
"That's kind of you."
Jim took them to Macy's to see the scarves and gloves, and then to Penney's to see the sweaters. Dave opted for a zip-up hoodie which he felt would be great in the Virginia's changeable climate since layers were practical, especially if the outer ones could be removed easily.
He was delighted with the one Jim thought would look good on him. Being a missionary kid, his wardrobe had often been made up largely of castoffs from people who supported his family. A brand new thing to wear was always welcome.
The guys ate lunch in the food court, as planned, so they could spend more time away from the parental roof.
Jim drove skillfully back to Hoffman Estates in the busy late-afternoon traffic. Dave envied him of how unruffled he was in the crush. Jim explained that, even with the eleventh-hour shoppers, it wasn't as bad as a real rush hour on a regular business day.
The dinner menu was a new experience for David. It consisted mainly of ebelskivers, sausages and bacon, along with cutup fruits and vegetables. The Minor children had grown up with the tradition handed down from their maternal grandmother, so for them the apple-filled pancake-like delicacies weren't that big a deal.
Dave didn't resist when Shirley kept insisting that he eat more. He did remember his manners and avoided making a pig of himself, but he consumed more than the other young people did.
Shortly after the table was cleared and the kitchen straightened up, the family all piled into the minivan to attend the Christmas Eve service at Calvary Baptist Church.
During the pastoral prayer, Dave's family was mentioned. He wasn't taken off guard because Shirley had mentioned several times how pleased she was to be hosting the son of one of the missionary families they helped to support. He dreaded the time after service when he'd be expected to meet lots of people who seemed to feel that it made them more important if they could say they'd rubbed shoulders with a member of one of their missionary families. He had to be polite and attentive to make sure support money kept flowing in on a regular schedule. It made him feel like a pimp! The thought of "pimping" for Jesus kept a smile on his face through the ordeal.
Interestingly, Shirley saved him from being tortured too long, because she didn't want others to monopolize his time. She wanted it known that he was HER guest. It was something that raised her status among her peers.
Soon they were home again.
Roger admonished the younger generation not to stay up too late lest Santa pass over the house without stopping. He handed them each a stocking to hang by the fireplace in the family room.
"I'll leave the gas log unlit so the old elf doesn't get his backside singed," he joked.
"I can't understand why you keep on emphasizing that pagan tradition!" Shirley exclaimed. "We've just been to an uplifting service about the real meaning of the season and you've spoiled it!"
"If I'm not mistaken, love and giving are a part of the season," Roger said. "I think that spirit is embodied in the Santa myth. After all, St. Nicholas of Bari is the origin of the story, and he was known for his charitable acts."
"Humph! A Catholic saint too boot, which makes it even worse!"
"Despite your father's opinion, the Catholic Church isn't the Anti-Christ," Roger observed. "They're fighting the culture wars as much as we are. Anyway, I like Santa and that's how it is!"
Christmas Day was a fairly quiet affair in the Minor household. The younger set lolled around in bed longer than usual. Jim hung around with Jon and Dave after they responded to his knock around 9:00. Dave offered his bed for Jim to use and crawled in with Jon. They enjoyed his company and the opportunity to be close in the presence of someone else. They talked about a number of things including same sex marriage. The lovers were impressed at how open-minded Jim and his friends seemed to be. It gave them hope.
Eventually, the aroma of breakfast cooking brought them to the kitchen after hastily washing up and dressing enough to be polite.
"I think we should see if Santa left anything," Roger announced, after they'd eaten.
The boys and Beth grinned as they went to check out the stocking. Each one had a hastily-pinned label identifying whose it was. Inside, they found an orange, a pomegranate, three cumquats, an apple, and an envelope. The latter contained two crisp hundred dollar bills.
"Whoa, this is too much," Dave exclaimed. "I'm not a member of the family."
"I want you to know that I will always think of you that way," Roger smiled. "You are a fine young man and I hope you and Jon always remain close."
Dave accepted Roger's embrace with a few tears in his eyes. He was moved that Jon's father showed him such affection, more than his own father had in years. He also felt sad at the prospect of how that was likely to change when Roger discovered their true relationship.
The other three hugged their father too. They were thrilled at his show of generosity. Shirley, alone, remained unsmiling.
Turkey and the usual trimmings comprised their 2:00 p.m. meal. Shirley was an excellent cook and everything tasted wonderful. It was several notches above the Thanksgiving dinner at Freedom, though that had been very good.
After tiding up the kitchen and storing the leftovers, the family gathered in front of the fireplace. At Shirley's insistence, Jim sat down at the electronic piano and played carols while they all sang. Beth had a fine soprano voice, Shirley was a passable alto, Roger carried the tenor part well, and the boys all sang bass unless there was a baritone part which Jim handled quite well. Though heavy on the low parts, they sounded rather good. It was a pleasant way to pass part of the afternoon without having to hear Shirley pontificate about something or other.
On December 27th, Jon and Dave arose early to get on the road back to Virginia, after eating a quick breakfast and thanking the rest of the family for their hospitality.
Jim promised to email or text daily to keep in touch. He hinted that he'd like to visit them at school, but his parents quickly pointed out that the drive was too long for a boy of his age. He pouted silently, not wanting to rock the boat at the moment, but feeling that at 18, he should be trusted to drive that distance since he was considered old enough to die for his country on a foreign shore.
It was quite dark out, but the weather prognosticators had predicted clearing skies and warming temperatures. The main traffic arteries had long since been cleared, so the prospect of making the drive in one long day, instead of two, looked promising.
Their return trip was almost the exact opposite of the one to Illinois in more ways than the direction traveled. The Interstates and toll-ways were clear and dry, allowing the guys to drive the legal limit with no difficulty. They changed spots about every two hours to keep from feeling stressed, and actually napped a bit when the other was behind the wheel.
Despite making good time, it was getting dark by the time they got to the dorm. They already had keys to the four-man accommodation, so they could access their quarters without having to find someone to let them in.
When they entered the living room area of the suite with their luggage and laptops, they heard noises coming from one of the bedrooms. The door was open and the room was illuminated by a small lamp. Their curiosity overcame their sense of good manners and they peeked in. From the moaning, it sounded like someone might be in pain, but what they witnessed was two young men in the throes of sexual ecstasy.
Not wanting to disturb the lovers in the midst of the act, they quietly crept into the bedroom that was supposed to be David's.
"I guess we don't have to worry about being outed if we make love tonight," Jon whispered.
"That's a no-brainer, but how are we going to let them know that their secret is safe with us?"
"I think we just have to tell them that they aren't alone."
"Wow, that's going to be another step toward total disclosure of our relationship. It was kinda cool coming out to your brother because he accepted us so quickly. I hope we can count on these two."
"They will likely feel the same about us, so I think we'll be even." Jon replied.
"I love you more than anything, Sasha!" Vlad exclaimed.
" You know I feel the same. What are we going to do when those other two share these quarters?"
"We'll have to be very careful and quiet! We can't be discovered. When are they supposed to arrive anyway?"
"I think the 27th, around dinner time," Alexi said.
"Good, that gives us another – OOPS! Today is the 27th; we must get showered and dressed quickly before they arrive," Vlad cried
"Oh no! That bedroom door has a light showing under it. We are doomed!"
Overhearing the conversation, Jon and Dave came out of the bedroom clad only in their underwear to meet their temporary housemates who were both still naked.
"Hi guys, I'm Jon and this is my buddy, Dave. It's good to meet you at last," he said extending his hand.
"Oh, uh, I'm Vladimir and this is Alexi, but we usually go by our nicknames, Vlad and Sasha. How long have you been here?"
"Probably longer than you had hoped," Dave said with a grin.
"On no! Please don't tell on us, we'll do whatever you ask!" Sasha cried.
"We're not into bargaining or blackmail," Jon shook his head.
"Then we have no hope! We'll be sent back and you know from the Sochi Olympics how homophobic Russia is! Please have mercy!"
"I'm sorry if I didn't express myself well," Jon frowned. "I meant that we don't need to be bribed to keep your secret. We understand completely. We're boyfriends too."
Vlad began to sob and shake as the rush of adrenalin left his body. Jon hugged him tightly in an attempt to bring him comfort. Dave did the same to Sasha.
"Please sit down and try to relax," Dave counseled. "I have some instant cocoa mix that might help you to settle down."
While Dave searched for the drink powder in his luggage, Jon wrapped a blanket around their two housemates and got them settled on the sofa. A few minutes later, they were all seated enjoying the hot beverage.
"Oh, I was so frightened that I thought I might die!" Vlad exclaimed.
"I'm sorry we scared you like that," Jon apologized. "We weren't sure what to do, but we knew we needed to do something quickly so you wouldn't be in a state of worry for hours or days. We are very much like you are, as we said. We assume that you'll keep our secret too. We all have to get through the next few months without being found out so we can graduate on time and not lose any credits. I see that it means even more to you than to us, but believe me, it's important to us."
"I'm so relieved," Alexi sighed. "My heart nearly stopped beating."
"I'm relieved too," Dave joined the conversation. "We had been discussing how we could keep you from finding out about us and how we couldn't show any affection for each other until we got back to our own room after New Year's. Now, that's all changed."
"Would you guys like to go for pizza at Sam's?" Jon asked. "It will be my treat. I got some unexpected cash from Santa Claus."
"Awesome!" Sasha exclaimed. "But we need to shower and dress first. I'm sure we smell of, um, um..."
"Yeah, I think you do, and it makes me horny!" Jon laughed, sniffing in an exaggerated manner. "We need to freshen up a bit too."
Author's notes: Thanks to the following who emailed since last posting: Neville E, Ott H, Wayne, Douglas and Lawrence, Bill K, Jim W, Tom A, Jake C, Walt S, Zero, Trish R, Jack W, Don S, and JPC. Jake C, I hit "respond" and I still get the failure to deliver message.
Here are a couple of links you might like:
http://www.sharecare.com/health/mens-health/health-guide/mens-sexual-health/mens-sexual-health-how-masturbation-impacts-your-sexual-health
https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/the-emotional-roller-coaster-of-coming-out-to-107994752712.html