Devil Dawg Donnelly's
Standard disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people or actual events is purely coincidental.
You may contact the author at ulfr57@gmail.com All comments, suggestions and/or observations are welcome if presented respectfully.
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Part eight:
Carl McGregor was finishing cleaning the grill they'd used that evening to cook the steaks and potatoes they had that night. He'd enlisted Baxter to help him in the attempt to lift the boy's mood.
Max and he both had observed Billy and him talking at lunch that afternoon, and while outwardly he seemed to be more upbeat and even playful with Billy and JD, they had sensed a change in him; obviously imperceptible by Billy, who seemed to accept the sudden mood change in his friend. But it didn't fool Max or Carl. Underneath it all, they both sensed a deep sadness veiled by a very thin veneer of fake frivolity. The boy was hurting inside, and even without their superior senses, they could perceive the difference from this morning to this afternoon.
It further flummoxed them that Billy was so blind to it. For the last 20 minutes, Carl had tried to get Baxter to open up and talk to him while they cleaned everything up after their meal. But Baxter was being stubborn; and with each gentle nudge Carl issued, it only seemed to make Baxter withdraw within himself even more, causing Carl to think that what Max and he had feared the most might happen. It seems the only chance that could now resolve this issue between them was still weeks away.
"He's in pain." he shared with Max as they stood together later, leaning over the island counter in the kitchen, watching the boys noisily play some card game while finishing their first beers of the evening.
"That's obvious," Max groaned, his eye's never leaving Baxter. "We both know what the problem is;" he continued. "But there's little either of us can do about it until they've both gone through the ceremony."
Carl knew he was right, but knowing that didn't make it any easier to accept, let alone watch.
Max could feel his long-time companion's stare burn right into the side of his peripheral vision.
"Dammit Carl," He said curtly, "I know what you want me to do and you also know why I can't!"
Carl cast his eye's downward before responding: "I know, I'm sorry." He brought his hand up and gently touched Max's arm "It's just so frustrating watching this happen when I know what he's feeling right now..."
Max turned and looked Carl squarely in the eyes. "It will resolve itself after the ceremony; we both know this." Max nodded his head in the direction of the boys. "We both know that right now all we can do is some damage control until then."
"Is there any way we can push up your plans for Baxter and extend them until right before his ceremony?" Carl mused, knowing the distance and different surroundings might help ease some of Baxter's hurt.
Max smiled at Carl, "You're like a mother hen, ya know that?" he whispered with a huge smile. "I'll talk to his mom when I take him home tomorrow okay?"
"Somebody has to keep an eye on them and keep some semblance of order around here." Carl said jovially: "If it was left up to you, they'd all be running around feral and out of control."
"Quit your bitchin'," Max growled, "You know you love it!" he stated matter of factly before smacking Carl's naked ass and giving it a playful squeeze.
"Hey, hey! None of that in front of the kids!" Carl grunted before pulling away, wiggling his ass suggestively as he walked away from him.
"Keep doing that bitch, and I'll take what's mine right here and now in front of them!" he muttered under his breath, admiring the bounce of the twin melons that passed for Carl's hairy muscular ass made.
Sunday morning, they finished up what yard work they had left before noon. After a quick swim and a cold cut sandwich lunch, they decided to pack everything up and head back to civilization. Carl could tell the strain of keeping up a happy facade was beginning to wear on Baxter and he wasn't the least bit surprised when he climbed into the passenger side of his truck instead of JD for their journey home.
"You don't mind if I ride with you, do ya?" Baxter asked, "I've got a bit of a headache and just need some peace and quiet for a while." he offered as an explanation.
"Not at all" Carl smiled. "I could use some of that myself after almost three days of Max." Carl knew the real reason Baxter wanted to ride with him; it was because he didn't want to be so close to Billy right now, trapped in a long-distance ride in such close quarters was just too emotionally taxing for him right now.
Billy was hurt that Baxter would choose to ride alone with Carl instead of him, his little brother, and his dad. He was about to say something to him when his dad tossed his truck keys at him and told him he was driving back; he was riding with Carl.
"What the hell?" Billy said aloud but silently wondered what was going on. His dad never let him drive his truck on his own.
No one was more surprised than Baxter when Max opened the passenger-side door to Carl's truck and ordered him to scoot over; he was riding with them.
Awkward didn't cover it for the way Baxter felt, sandwiched there between the two large, muscular, adult males as Max instructed Carl to get his ass in gear and they pulled out, leaving Billy and JD to follow behind them.
They mostly road in silence as country music played softly on the cab radio. As they hit the main road and started the return trek down the highway, Baxter felt Max move his arm behind him and his large hand began absentmindedly stroking the neck and the back of Baxter's head. At first, it felt uncomfortable, like an invasion into his personal space. But after a few minutes, he found himself starting to relax and not long after that he began to find it comforting.
Despite what had transpired with Billy, he knew deep down that it didn't and wouldn't affect his relationship with Max; not unless he wanted it too. Right now, at this moment in time, he was beginning to find his presence and the warmth of his touch comforting; and before long, his head eased over sideways and rested upon Max's strong shoulder and Baxter found himself drifting off into a dozing half-sleep.
As, always, the trip back home seemed to go a lot quicker than the trip there, and before long they found themselves pulling into the Donnelly residence driveway. It was still mid-afternoon, and as Max and Carl unloaded what they needed from Carl's truck, Billy, JD, and Baxter unloaded the stuff from Max's truck and hauled it into the trailer.
Billy was about to suggest to Baxter that he stay the night; he wanted to spend some time alone with him because he was getting an uncomfortable feeling that maybe things still weren't right between them and he wanted, no needed, to make sure things were good. He needed Baxter to understand, needed him to know that there was nothing or no one in his life more important to him than his best friend. But before he could suggest it, his dad came in and told him and JD to go with Carl and help him unload the mower at his place while he took Baxter home; that he needed to talk to him and his mom about something.
Baxter looked questioningly at Max, who just nudged him off in the direction of the front door, reassuring him there was nothing wrong and they'd discuss it along the way. Billy just stood there, wondering what that was all about and more sure than ever that something was going on with Baxter that he didn't know about. He was definitely going to make it his mission to find out though, one way or another. If Baxter had a problem, then he had a problem and he'd move heaven and earth to help his friend with whatever it was!
Baxter Whitmore sat fidgeting in the passenger seat of Max Donnelly's truck as he drove down the road in the direction of Baxter's home not five miles away, wondering what was up, or more importantly if he did something he shouldn't have.
"Quit squirmin'. " Max chided him with a big smile on his face as he concentrated on the road.
"Did I do something wrong?" Baxter asked questioningly, the worry thick in his voice.
Max laughed out loud: "Boy, I can't think of a single time you've ever done anything wrong." Max wasn't exaggerating. "Why do you think I like having you around Billy so much?" He posited: "You keep him grounded, and he's a better person when he's with you." he stated matter of factly before continuing: "You mean more to him than anyone else in the world Baxter. Surely by now, you get that don't ya?"
Baxter suddenly felt awful, finding himself wishing he'd never gone on this three day weekend. Still though, Max's words changed nothing. He didn't know what he knew; hell, none of them did, not even his mom; and after yesterday's conversation with Billy, he knew Billy understood him least of all.
Max could feel he wasn't getting through to him, but he hoped he had at least planted some seeds of doubt to the dilemma in his head. Max hoped that Baxter would go for what he was about to propose. If he didn't, he didn't really know what he could do; at least not until he came into his Heritage; go through his ceremony as Max had promised his dad he would.
Max made one more attempt: "Baxter I hope you know you can talk to me about anything," he paused before continuing: " I promised your dad I'd keep an eye on you, to protect you and your mom."
Baxter bowed his head, at the mention of his father. "I'm not going to push you right now Baxter, but only if you make me one promise..." again he paused waiting for some sort of acknowledgment from Baxter, who briefly lifted his head and gave him a quick glance, eye to eye and nodded his head slightly. "All I ask Baxter is that you make no drastic decisions between now and your birthday without talking to me first. Can you do that?" Max asked almost pleadingly.
"I'll try sir," Baxter responded barely louder than a whisper.
"Do more than try, Baxter" Max insisted before proclaiming: " I've already lost one son because he wouldn't talk to me; I'll be damned if I lose another, do you hear me?"
Baxter could hear the emotion in that voice and he knew that he was talking about Michael, his eldest son. But it also warmed Baxter's heart that Max thought of him as a son, as his son.
Baxter tried to straighten up, lifting his head and facing Max head-on. "I promise sir, I won't do anything stupid without discussing it with you or my mom."
Pulling into Baxter's driveway and stopping, he reached over and ruffled Baxter's hair playfully.
"You've grown on me kid and I like having you around." Max beamed a grin as wide as his face, a grin so infectious that it couldn't help but lift Baxter's somber mood. Max opened his door and stepped out of his truck. "Let's go talk to your mom; I have a mission for you, and we're gonna need your mom's permission first." Baxter, not for the first time that day, looked questioningly at Max and wondered what the heck he was up to.
"What do you want for dinner boys?" Carl asked as he pulled out of his driveway after unloading the riding mower and putting it away with the rest of the lawn equipment in his garage. Carl lived off-base in a ranch-style two-bedroom home situated back in the woods by itself away from the main road, about a mile or so past the base.
As he headed into town to pick up some food, he sat patiently waiting for a response to his query. Billy sat silently, staring out the passenger side window of his truck tapping his index finger on his right hand against his front teeth. This was something Carl had noticed many times over the years, that he did when he was deep in thought, while JD busily typed out messages to his "friend" Timmy, letting him know they were back and wondering if he could come over later.
"Earth to boys," Carl grumbled, attempting once again to get their attention. They both looked at him simultaneously with the same dumb expression on their faces.
"Food, dinner, and where?" Carl reiterated, "and don't say pizza!" he quickly added, realizing he was talking to two teenage boys.
"How about tacos?" JD casually suggested, his attention already back on his phone as he responded to another text.
"Crunch wrap supreme sounds good to me," Billy said, not really giving it any thought before drifting off again.
"Can we get Timmy something just in case he comes over too?" JD asked, his vision never once leaving the screen of his phone.
Carl just sighed. "What does he like?"
JD gave him a side glance, shrugging his shoulders before responding: "How should I know? We've never gone to Taco Bell before."
"Well of course not. What was I thinking?"Carl mockingly sighed before he moaned out loud to no one in particular: "Teenagers!"
Baxter Whitmore watched from the dining room in his house as Max Donnelly and his mom chatted outside on the back deck of their small two-story home. Max had told him that he had something he wanted him to do but needed to talk to his mom first, mainly to see if she not only approved but to get her input as well. Baxter had no clue what they were discussing and wished right now that he could read lips. He knew Max and his mom talked frequently; she often turned to him for advice, especially about Baxter; and he also knew that she was aware of this Heritage ceremony that Max, Carl, and others talked about.
His mom had assured him that it would be what his father wanted since she knew he had undergone such a ceremony when he was eighteen, right before he joined the Marine Corps. It was while he was on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan that his dad met up again with his old squad buddy Hank Bauers, who he had served with in Kuwait, when everyone in their squad, except Hank and his dad, had been killed; that was all years before he met his mom. Hank was the one who introduced him to Max and Carl. His dad had been so impressed with them, he even put in for a transfer so he could move here after his first tour because his dad wanted to join Max's squadron.
Baxter noticed that Max was doing most of the talking and occasionally his mom would look at him through the window and give him a faint reassuring smile. Whatever Max was saying seemed to agree with his mom, as she kept nodding her head in agreement with whatever he was saying. After about 20 to 25 minutes, they came back in and asked Baxter to sit down so they could talk to him.
"Baxter," his mom started out, "Max has made me aware that Hank Bauers, one of your dad's closets friends and old squad buddies has decided to retire and move here to Albany in a few weeks." she paused to let Baxter take that in, looking at Max and then letting her continue,
"Hank's coming into town in two weeks to stay for the week of Billy's 18th birthday so he can attend his Heritage ceremony."
"What's that got to do with me?" Baxter asked; "I'm not even allowed to go." A fact Baxter was still a bit miffed about and was sure that it came across in the timber of his voice.
Max ignored Baxter's almost accusatory tone and continued: "Well, after the ceremony, Hank will be returning to North Carolina to finalize his retirement and will be packing up to move here."
"Billy's already told me that much," Baxter said, wondering again what this had to do with him? This time his mom took over the conversation. "Well honey, as you know, Hank was a real good friend of your father, and he has asked if you'd like to go back with him for a couple of weeks after Billy's ceremony?"
Baxter looked from one to the other, wondering what the deal was. His mom continued: "I know that you have expressed an interest in following in your father's footsteps in joining the Marines when you graduate, and when Hank extended his invitation, "I..." she paused; "No we," meaning Max and her, "Thought you might like to go to Camp Lejeune and look around." she paused again before explaining further: "That's where your father went to boot camp."
"Plus," Max added, "Hank could use some help packing up and getting his stuff ready for the movers."
Baxter pondered for a moment before responding: "What about my birthday ceremony?"
Max smiled, "Don't worry Baxter; Hank knows he has to have you back here on time for that; and just so you know, he and his son Jake will be attending your ceremony. Hank was one of your dad's best friends Baxter, and I think he's looking forward to seeing you through your ceremony as much as I am."
That made Baxter feel better, and the offer did intrigue him. Plus it would get him away from here for a while, give him some breathing room to figure out where his head was at and would have the chance to talk to someone who served with his dad before he had married his mom when he was Baxters age.
That thought alone sold Baxter. "I'm in" He smiled thoughtfully.
Max hugged him. "You're an amazing young man, Baxter," he said, before holding him an arm's length away, looking him right in the eyes, "Don't ever let anyone tell you differently, you hear me?"
Baxter could hear the sincerity in his voice. He may not think so much of Billy right now, but he still very much looked up to Max and would try to do his best.
Timmy Anderson wracked his brain for some excuse he could give his parents for going out. He so wanted to meet up with JD, it had been two, almost three whole days since he and JD had last been together, and he was really missing him. No one made him laugh as JD did; and though JD teased him relentlessly, he knew he secretly loved the attention and he knew that JD realized it too. Yeah, JD could be really aggressive, but Timmy had come to accept that he liked that too. Truthfully, he liked it a lot. He had especially enjoyed it when JD and his big, hot, muscular brother had done spit-roasted him together; that and his brother's big dick. Just thinking about that thing made Timmy's hole twitch in anticipation. God, he had been fantasizing about that cock for the last two days, hoping he would get another chance at that big thing.
Timmy also thought about their dad, he knew it was crazy to think so, but he was sure their dad was flirting with him and had to admit that he was the hottest, most masculine man he had ever met. Just the very thought of that man made his boy parts grow bigger; it made his hole tingle at the possibilities as well.
There was a knock on his bedroom door and Timmy quickly answered it. He was greeted by the stern countenance of his overbearing father.
"Timothy, can you come downstairs; your mother and I have something to discuss with you."
His father spoke softly and Timmy sensed that something was wrong and he feared what that something could be.
After his dad had delivered his proclamation, he turned and headed back down the hall and the stairs, looking back only once to make sure that he was following him.
Timmy joined his mother and father in the living room, his mom looked like she had been crying, not unusual to see; she seemed to cry a lot. Timmy was sure it was just her natural defense against everything, unless she and his father were raving about some godless heathen or whore they haplessly landed on while searching for something good and wholesome to watch on TV, not an easy task according to his father who was hyper-critical about almost every show that was currently on it. Even at the age of 18, they still wouldn't allow Timmy to watch anything that was above a "G" rating. His dad told him to sit down, indicating the chair opposite the pristine, plastic-covered, white couch his parents stiffly sat on.
"We have some sad news," his father began, his mother thrusting a tissue under her nose right on cue to stifle a sob.
"Your grandmother Ericson," meaning his mother's mother, "has fallen ill and has become bedridden and she's wanting your mother to come stay with her for a while." He frowned and shook his head slowly side to side as if he thought this news should be devastating to Timmy. Timmy not being stupid, feigned an "Oh no, will she be okay?"
Timmy knew his grandmother did this routinely; it was her way of forcing her children to come visit her when everyone knew that what was usually wrong is she drank too much of that cooking sherry she kept hidden in her bedside nightstand, and probably too many Xanax, her drug de jour. His dad continued after what Timmy knew he thought was the appropriate amount of time had passed so as to not to further upset his mother's delicate sensibilities even further.
"I've already notified work that I'll be taking a few days off to immediately take your mother to tend your sick grandmother." He paused again, reaching his hand over to pat his mother's.
Timmy was already moaning inside, certain what was coming next, meaning he'd be expected to pack his bags and miss his workout routine every day for the next week just so they could go fawn over his grandmother so she didn't write them out of her will.
Imagine Timmy's surprise when his father said "your mother and I understand that you have obligations to your coach, your gymnastics team, and to maintain your workout schedule. So, we've decided to trust you to stay home by yourself, so long as you promise to not have any guests over while they were away. Especially girls," his dad added and cautioned sternly: "I know how you young boys are." he scolded, "Every pretty girl turns your head and makes you think impure thoughts. But we have agreed to trust you," he went on, "since you've shown so much dedication to your academics, and of course, your sport."
His dad stood up and patted Timmy on the shoulder (the single most affectionate thing his dad has done since he was like 13). "We are already packed and will be leaving shortly. he announced as he helped his mother to her feet and guided her back to their bedroom.
"I would appreciate your help son in loading the luggage out to the vehicle." which Timmy knew actually translated into he expected him to carry it all out there and to load it all into their SUV for them. Timmy did this ecstatically, barely able to contain his jubilation and unexpected good fortune.
As they pulled out, Timmy fought the urge to jump up and down with joy as his parent's car disappeared from sight. Timmy raced into the house to his phone and begin deliriously typing a message to JD:
"I'm on my way stud!!!"
A special thank you goes out to Sam who has graciously taken up the mantle of beta reader and grammar checker.
Thanks Sam!