Family Matters, Chapter 21
Rory and Austin showered together, each helping the other wash his dick. Austin was so horny that he nearly came under the cascading water, but he distracted his mind enough to hold off so that they got to finish the job in bed. Rory gently covered Austin's body with his, being careful not to put pressure on his chest. Then he adjusted their favorite parts between them in a way to provide maximum stimulation. Their open-mouthed tongue-wrestling added greatly to the sensual effect. It didn't take long for their juices to reach the boiling point and spill over. They smeared the resulting stickiness all over each other, licking the residue off of their fingers.
"I love you," Austin declared, his voice husky with passion.
"I love you, too."
They slept until 9:00 in the morning because Rory had the day off. One of the newly hired bag boys was eager to work more hours. It appeared to Rory as if the kid really needed the bucks, and he didn't mind having a few days off before spring break was over. He had used up much of the holiday at the hospital with Austin. Of course, he wouldn't have been anywhere else while his boyfriend was recovering.
When they had showered, dressed, and eaten a late breakfast, the boys loaded a few things in the car to drive to an area down near the reservoir where they could lie in the sun and relax on that warm spring day. The spot was pretty secluded, so they thought they might sun bare-assed part of the time. Naturally, they didn't feel they needed to divulge that detail to Austin's parents.
Jennifer packed a big picnic lunch for them to eat whenever they felt hungry. She asked Austin to send a text message or call when they were on the way home so she could time dinner.
The boys grinned when they got out of her sight. They had a pretty good idea of what Ron and she would be doing while they were gone.
"I think it's kinda cute how lovey-dovey your parents are acting. I hope we'll still be that hot and horny for one another when we've been married as long as they have.
"I love hearing you say that word."
"Which one, hot or horny?"
"Married. I want that when we're a little older. Actually, I feel like we almost are right now. You watched over me like a spouse."
"I love you like that. I was so afraid that I'd lose you," Rory said, starting to choke up.
"But you stayed strong for me. I think I could feel your strength flowing into my body. Nurse Tom said you rarely left my side. I know you helped me get better."
At the reservoir, the boys kissed and cuddled as they dwelt on their feelings for one another. The trauma of the past several days had drawn them even closer than they'd been at Christmas.
They stripped out of their shorts and made out naked on the blanket, but didn't take things to their logical conclusion. Mostly, they enjoyed feeling very lustful in the warm spring sunshine.
Eventually their stomachs rumbled, bringing them back to the more mundane side of life. Opening the picnic basket, they discovered a delightful spread to assuage their hunger.
With their tummies full, they felt lethargic and began to drift off. Before they did, Rory insisted that they move into a shadier spot to make sure they didn't get too much sun. They also put their shorts back on in case someone discovered them while they were napping.
Austin woke up about 20 minutes later feeling refreshed. He sat up with his back to a tree trunk to study his boyfriend's face and body. Rory was a good-looking young stud. He seemed angelic as he slept. Austin suddenly had an overwhelming desire to kiss him. When he did, he brought Rory gently back to consciousness.
The house seemed too quiet. Rory was off with Austin. Corbin was taking a nap, as was Charlie. Marian puttered in the kitchen, and Landon had time to get quite a bit of work done. He was about ready to tell Marian that he was going to the office when he was startled by the sound of the doorbell.
He went quickly to answer it lest the noise awaken Corbin early. When he opened the door, there was a woman and a little boy standing on the porch. They had a small suitcase and a large plastic bag. The boy was crying.
"Are you Michael or Landon?" the lady asked immediately.
"I'm Landon. Who are you?"
"That's not important. Does Marian Thompson work for you?"
"I don't give out information like that to strangers who don't identify themselves," Landon responded icily.
"Margo, what are you doing here? How did you find me?" Marian said as she stood on Landon's right side.
"None of that is important and I don't have time to explain. You need to keep this boy so he'll be safe."
With that, Margo turned on her heel and hurried to her car. She nearly caused an accident in her haste to depart, as she backed into the street.
"Mama!" the boy cried. "Come back Mama; come back!"
"Come to Grandma, Ryan. I'll take care of you," Marian said softly.
The little boy ran to his grandmother who got down on her knees to hug him.
"Ryan, this is Landon. He's a very nice man. Can you give him a hug too?"
"No!" Ryan exclaimed. "Big men aren't nice."
"Some aren't, but this one is."
"Will he hit me?"
"No, he won't. He never hits anyone. He's really good to your brother."
"Is Rory here?" Ryan brightened.
"No, he's out with a friend, but he'll be back later. Do you want to come in and meet Charlie?"
"Who is he?"
"He's a very nice little black and white dog."
"Come on in, Ryan," Landon smiled. "Charlie is taking a nap in the family room, but it's about time for him to wake up. He naps a lot when Rory's gone."
Ryan warmed up at the prospect of meeting Charlie. He even allowed Landon to take his hand.
Charlie woke up the minute the pair entered the room. He seemed to sense that Ryan wasn't a threat to the household and didn't bark at him. He did, however, sniff Ryan and then he licked his face in a gesture of acceptance. Ryan giggled.
Landon sat on the floor with them so that Ryan wouldn't feel intimidated by the difference in their size. Not that Landon was huge, but he felt that the presence of a man towering over him might upset the little guy.
"I got to pee!" Ryan exclaimed, looking distressed.
"Here, I'll show you where you can go," Landon offered.
Meanwhile, Marian had gone to the kitchen to prepare a snack for her grandson. Knowing how her daughter-in-law operated, she assumed the child might be hungry.
"Ryan, would you like to come to the kitchen for something to eat?"
"Yes, please," he answered as he headed in the direction of her voice.
"Let's wash your hands first. Charlie is a clean dog, but it's always a good idea to wash your hands before you touch your food when you've been playing with animals. Besides, you've been to the potty."
As soon as that task was completed, Ryan dug in like he hadn't eaten in awhile. Marian had remembered Rory saying how much the boy loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Along with apple slices and a glass of milk, Ryan felt like he was having a feast.
Rory's phone alerted him to a text message from Landon telling him that his little brother was at their house. It also said that he needn't rush home because he wouldn't be able to see Ryan until after a social worker had interviewed him, and that process could take right up until dinner time. Rory should decide if he wanted to eat with Austin, or if they both wanted to come to Rory's house since Marian would make plenty for dinner to accommodate everyone.
The two boys discussed the situation and decided to let Jennifer know that there was a change in plans and not to expect them for dinner.
"I'll bet Dad and she will have their meal in bed," Austin snickered.
"You're a naughty boy!" Rory grinned. "You make it sound like they're having non-stop sex."
"They probably are. They've been apart far too long. Can't you imagine how we'd be at their age if we had been separated like that?"
"Yeah, I can. If you can sleep with me in my bed tonight, they can run around your house with naked abandon. I'd say that's a win/win situation. But, I'm not sure how much lovin' we'll get if Ryan is there. I was practically his daddy. I often bathed him and put him to bed, reading a story to him and all. There were many nights when my mother and Ralph went out on the town and left me home to babysit. She'd gone out a lot even before she was pregnant with Ryan, supposedly with the girls, but I think she was cheating on Dad before he was killed. I'll bet that's why Ralph assumed Ryan was his baby. She probably led him on so he'd marry her.
I guess he was what people call an `anchor baby'."
"You sound bitter."
"I am! You'd be too if your mother whored around and married someone else when your dad was barely in the ground, and then let her new man throw you out like trash a few years later. I think the only reason they kept me around as long as they did was because I was useful, taking care of what Ralph thought was his kid!"
"Jenna, we really appreciate it that you were willing to see Ryan on a moment's notice."
"I'm pleased to do it, Michael. Two clients in a row canceled on me today, but I'd have figured out some way to squeeze you in even if they hadn't. Our family owes your dad for getting my dad cleared of those charges when it looked hopeless. If this helps to pay you back even a little, I'm happy. Besides, I have a soft heart for kids who've been `dumped' on someone's doorstep. I'm going to have him tell me a story with puppets to see if I can determine what's been going on. You said he's very talkative for his age, so I'll bet he'll be expressive. I'm going to set up a video camera to record all the details. If he does reveal anything significant, I want to be able to prove that I didn't lead him on with the questions I asked."
Marian introduced Jenna to Ryan, saying that she had come to play with him. He seemed content to sit in the family room with her after she showed him the hand puppets and said she wanted him to tell a story about a family.
Jenna began the story by having the mommy and daddy puppet kiss and then kiss the little boy puppet. She had the daddy read to him and put him to bed.
When it was Ryan's turn to tell a story, he had the daddy hit the mommy and say bad words to her. Then he had the daddy spank the little boy and throw him on the make-believe bed, telling him he wasn't his son.
As Jenna enquired of Ryan why he told that story, he said that Ralph did that. More play revealed additional inappropriate actions.
"No supper for you, you little bas'ard!" Ryan had the daddy puppet say. "Big boys don't wet the bed!"
Jenna maintained a very professional demeanor, but she was crying inside. It was evident to her that this little boy had been mistreated at the very least, and possibly abused. It became her mission to remove him from the situation he'd been living in.
By texting back and forth, Rory learned that Austin and he should try to sneak down to the basement when they came home, without letting Ryan know of their presence until after the social worker had left.
Rory was about ready to burst in anticipation, but Austin kept him occupied until they heard the front door close, followed by the sound of a little boy and a dog bounding down the stairs.
"Rory, are you here?"
"Yes, I'm on the sofa with my friend, Austin."
Ryan ran across the floor at top speed and hurled his body into Rory's arms, as Rory knelt on the floor.
"Hey little bud, you remember me."
"Yes! You remember me too."
"Indeed I do. This is my friend, Austin. Can you give him a hug too?"
"Does he hit?"
"No, he gives good hugs. Watch while he hugs me."
Austin got down on the floor and hugged Rory tightly. Seeing this, Ryan let Austin hug him too.
"You're nice," Ryan proclaimed. "I like you. You give good hugs."
"I like you too," Austin smiled.
There was no more time for small talk because Landon called the boys up to have dinner.
Ryan had to pee again before going upstairs.
Ryan had a good appetite for his meal. He seemed to like everything and didn't stop until the adults were concerned that he would get sick from overeating.
"I think you should have a quick bath," Marian told the tot. "Do you want me to take you up now?"
"No, Rory do it," Ryan requested.
"Sure, little bud. Do you want Austin to come too?"
"Okay, he's nice."
Landon and Michael cleared the table and put away the leftovers while Marian went through the suitcase and the plastic bag to find something clean for Ryan to wear to bed. It wasn't easy. The contents of both were all jumbled together and it was difficult to ascertain what was clean and what was dirty. Most of it seemed to fall in the latter category. She finally found a pair of underwear which passed the sniff test, so she took those up to the boys, after she'd put the rest into the washer.
Marian watched from the doorway a couple of minutes before intruding. She smiled at how well her older grandson was doing with his little brother. At the same time, she began to fret about what might happen to Ryan. Like Jenna, she hoped she might be able to do something to keep him from being brought up in his present situation. But, what could she do? She would find it difficult to raise a young child to adulthood at her age. However, she would fight for the chance.
After Ryan was clean, dry, and dressed in his underwear, the boys showed him to the bedroom directly across from the bathroom and turned on night lights so he could find his way there if he had to pee in the night. He seemed to understand, but he wouldn't get in the bed unless Rory lay down beside him. He said that Rory's friend could lie there too. So, Ryan lay in the middle of the bed with a big boy on each side of him. Very quickly, he closed his eyes and drifted off.
Joining the adults in the family room after Ryan was asleep; the boys took part in the conversation about him.
"Do kids pee that much?" Austin asked.
"Sometimes when they're in a new situation they feel stressed," Marian said.
"But, his urine smells strong." Rory wrinkled his nose.
"I'll take him to the doctor tomorrow to have him checked," Landon offered. I should probably take Rory with me since he's the one Ryan relates to the most."
"I'm good with that," Rory grinned. "Could we take Austin with us?"
"Of course; Austin you're always welcome."
"Jenna wants a doctor to give him a physical soon anyway since she doesn't feel that some of his bruises could have resulted from the usual bumps kids that age get from playground mishaps.
"Is there any legal action we can take to get him away from Margo and Ralph?" Marian turned to Michael.
"We can certainly try. After talking to Jenna, I think we can prove that he's been neglected at least. We may be able to build a case that his step-father has been abusive.
Charlie, who had been on the floor snuggled against Corbin, suddenly jumped up and ran to the stairs. Before he could climb them, there was a cry of distress from the second floor.
Landon scooped up Corbin, and everyone hastened to see what was going on. Rory and Austin got there first.
"What's the matter, little bud?" Rory asked as he picked his brother up. The minute he held the boy, he had the answer. Ryan's underwear was sopping wet. "Did you pee your pants?"
"BIG BOYS DON'T DO THAT! Are you gonna spank me?" he cried.
"No one is going to punish you. Everyone has accidents sometimes. We need to get you washed off and into clean clothes."
"I'll get him fresh underwear," Marian said. "They're in the dryer."
"I've got the bathtub going," Austin called.
"Michael and I can change the bed," Landon offered. "We'll put one of those rubberized sheets we use in Corbin's crib under where Ryan will sleep."
With all of them but Corbin pitching in, everything was remedied in a short time. Actually Corbin and Charlie did their part by entertaining Ryan the moment he was freshened up. They distracted him from his earlier fear of being chastised.
"I'm gonna get out of this wet shirt, rinse off, and put on my sleep shorts," Rory announced. I think maybe Austin and I should sleep with Ryan all night. That might head off more problems."
"That's fine with me," Austin said. "I still tire easily. I wonder when I'll get my strength back."
"I'm sorry, Babe," Rory smiled sadly. "I've been neglecting you."
"No you haven't. Little ones come first anyway."
Before long, they settled in bed with Rory in the middle holding onto his little brother, and Austin behind him cuddling up to his back. All three slept with little interruption other than Ryan getting up to pee around 3:00.
Ryan awoke in the morning happy to find that Rory was still there.
Author's notes: I heard from more readers than usual this past week. The list includes: Wayne, Michael B, Mike C, Mike D, Jon S, Mendy D, Ott H, Bill K, Tony w, Martel D, Bill T, Lane W, Neal H, Jeremy R, Tom A, Jim W, Dick M, Bill H, Zero, Tim M, Sammy H, Peter M, Paul F, Walt S, and David T. Thanks!
I don't know if you're interested, but there is a movement to get Greg Louganis a Wheaties box of his own. Many feel he was intentionally slighted because of his orientation. I've included the link below. I signed the petition.
https://www.change.org/p/general-mills-put-greg-louganis-on-the-wheaties-box