Love that Dare Not Speak its Name, Chapter 15
As he had hoped, Ryan would get to spend the summer in Iowa instead of going to California. His father, Craig, would be returning to the company headquarters beginning July 1st. With his promotion, he would receive a sizeable raise in salary. It would prove to be well worth the time he'd spent away.
The whole family was looking forward to getting settled in their own home again. There was one hitch; their house was leased out until August 1st. Craig's company was willing to pay his living expenses for the time he'd have to stay in a hotel or whatever. He still hated to be away from his wife and other two sons.
Michael's parents came up with a solution which they felt would be beneficial to everyone. Michael could give up his room with the queen sized bed for Craig and Lisa, while he slept next door with Ryan. The younger boys, Randy and Brad could use the twin beds in Liam's room and he could sleep in the larger bed in the guest room.
Craig agreed to it so long as he could share the money his company had allotted for his expenses. He would spend it on groceries so Tom and Marjory wouldn't be out anything for feeding his bunch. Some of it could be used for eating out to spare the ladies extra kitchen duty.
It looked like a winning situation for all involved.
Paul and Kyle were spending their summer in Ames again doing painting jobs. Word had spread about the quality of their work and the fair prices they charged.
Both had also signed up for one three-hour credit course to keep on track to graduate in four years. They wouldn't have a lot of free time, but they would be able to build a nest egg to use after they graduated. Their presence in the house would be welcomed by Michael and Ryan, despite the fact that they would be eating next door with their families. They felt a kinship with the college guys because Paul had counseled them through the rough spot in their relationship.
The other housemates would be busy, either erecting buildings with Larry, or working on the corporate farm. It was much like the past summer in that regard.
The big event of this season was Molly and Aaron's wedding. Aaron's best man would be his best friend in College. Molly chose her favorite cousin as her maid of honor. Molly's other attendants were two young ladies she'd been close to in college. The couple also included members of their extended family in the ceremony. Cy and Beau were groomsmen; Chet and Derek were ushers.
When the day finally arrived, Jen and Larry were seated with Len in the place where the bride's family traditionally sat. It was fitting since Jen had filled in as the mother figure – even to the extent of lighting her candle. Aaron's mother lighted his, of course.
The ceremony followed the traditional Episcopal form with the "I do's" instead of personalized vows. That was in deference to Aaron who thought he would get too emotional to remember his lines.
The reception which followed was a festive one filled with good food and dancing. The bridal party danced mainly with others in the group. Molly had told the guys that they were welcome to dance with each other. However, knowing that some of the relatives might be offended, they chose not to stir up any controversy on her special day.
The newlyweds spent their honeymoon at Niagara Falls. It was a tradition in Aaron's family for the past three generations. Molly wanted to honor his custom rather than go on a cruise as her parents had. She wanted to distance herself from anything that her mother had done.
Because of all the activities, summer sped by rapidly. Toward the end of it, the six college guys again used the Airstream for a week's getaway. This time, they went to Kent Lake which was much closer than their last adventure. It was more laid back, but there was plenty of opportunity to be in the water canoeing and swimming, or just lying on the beach soaking up the rays. Having that break between summer jobs and the beginning of school helped them get off to a fresh start.
Their junior year in college meant more intense courses in their majors. There was less free time, but they managed to go to the gym often enough to release stress and keep from putting on extra weight. They had all managed to remain as trim as they had been their freshman year.
As in previous years, they went home to the farm on some weekends during the harvest season. They didn't work in Larry's business because he was slowly turning it over to his foreman who was interested in buying it. After his scare with cancer, Larry was planning to retire early so Jen and he could do some traveling as soon as she had enough years in to draw retirement. Even after leaving, she'd be able to pick up some extra money subbing, and the farm income was more than enough to keep them in style.
The holidays were celebrated in much the same was as they'd been in the past. The major difference was that Molly's in-laws were usually included in the mix. That was especially good for Thanksgiving because it helped lessen the memories of the previous one.
At Christmas, Molly announced that she was pregnant and was expecting a son in April. Everyone was thrilled for the young couple. Aaron treated her like a queen. He was delighted that she was giving him an heir, and he wanted to make sure that nothing would prevent his firstborn from being as perfect as possible.
The entire school year passed with few glitches. Everyone did well, including the two college freshmen, Michael and Ryan. Early on, they found that there were times when dorm life wasn't conducive to helping them stay on task. In those instances, they were always welcome to come over to the house of their older college friends. During exam times, they lived there for several days in a row.
Toward the end of their freshman year, they decided to move into the house the next year if that was acceptable to everyone. Of course, their older mentors were pleased to have them. They even purchased a queen sized bed for the little bedroom so they'd have a larger "playpen." That gesture let them know how welcome they were.
During the next summer, of the original occupants, it was only Chet and Derek who went home to the farm. The other couples had internships which came with a small stipend but also gave them invaluable experience in their fields.
Michael and Ryan also chose to live there. Their parents were fine with their decision. Larry said that no one had to pay rent that summer. He had enough income from the school year for upkeep and taxes, so he wasn't hurting. That was frosting on the cake for all the guys.
For the original six guys in the house, their senior year past even more rapidly that previous ones. It seemed like no time until graduation rolled around. All of the graduated well in the upper third of their class. They credited their success to the strong bond they'd built as a group. All those joint study sessions as freshmen and sophomores had given them a good foundation and fostered their work ethic. Through all their years, no one had ever faced a problem without the support of the rest.
Larry had been talking about selling the house once the guys had received their bachelor's degrees, but his plans changed when Beau, Cy, Paul, and Kyle decided to stay another year to get their master's degrees. Chet and Derek were planning to farm fulltime.
So, the next year, it would be those four plus Michael and Ryan. Michael's father, Tom said he'd be interested in purchasing the place the following year, so the younger boys could continue to live there. They had several friends who were eager to move in when the opportunity arose. In fact, two of them were hoping to take over the small bedroom where Ryan and Michael had resided. They were boyfriends who wanted to try living together to make sure they were compatible. Their presence could be a kind of transition for filling the house when the original owners were gone.
Given his health scare of a few years previous, Larry wanted to simplify his life. He knew his family would be taken care of with the income from the corporate farm in the event that his life was cut short.
Shortly after the guys had graduated, Larry sold his business to his employees. His foreman had wanted to become the new owner, but he didn't have the capital. However, by forming a partnership with the others, his dream became a reality.
Larry included the vehicles and all the tools in the deal. He knew that he wouldn't be using them again, and felt it was best to dispose of everything at once. Before he let go of everything, he remodeled the shop into a kind of "party-barn" with a kitchen at one end which could be closed off with sliding panels. He envisioned renting it out for large gatherings like graduation parties and wedding receptions. There would be quite a bit of space for dancing as well as dining.
Postscript:
Eleven years after Beau, Cy, Chet, Derek, Paul, and Ryan graduated, they got together with their two younger friends for an occasion they'd anticipated for a long time – namely, their weddings. Finally, in 2009, the Supreme Court of Iowa had legalized same-sex unions. The first ruling by a judge in Polk County, which said it was unconstitutional to prohibit couples of the same gender from marrying, had come in 2007. Only one couple, Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan had been able to marry before the same judge put a hold on issuing licenses because there would be an appeal. The battle went on for the next couple of years. Eventually, it was won, when the Supreme Court Justices agreed with the lower court ruling. Sadly, those judges lost their appointments when right-wing groups managed to get enough people to vote them out in the next election.
A lot of other events had taken place since their years at Iowa State University. On the national level, the World Trade Center had been destroyed by terrorist seizing control of jet planes. The shock and devastation had been tremendous. "Thine alabaster cities gleam, Undimmed by human tears!" no longer rang true. A new grim reality gripped the nation.
Politically, America saw the election of its first President of color in 2008. With the new administration, the Great Recession began to lessen, and the economy had begun to grow again. Some people declared it to be the end of racism in the country. Many were hopeful that it heralded a new era of peace and unity. Sadly, that would prove untrue.
On the local level, Larry Stephen's cancer returned with a vengeance, and he'd passed away in 2005 with his loved ones at his side. Len had been the family's major emotional support during that time. No one was surprised that Len and Jen married three years later.
Beau, Cy, Chet, Derek, Paul, and Kyle had stayed in close contact during those years, attending each other's commitment ceremonies and other family events.
Paul and Kyle had found their ideal jobs in the suburban Chicago area. Kyle ran a decorating service out of the interiors shop they owned together in Schaumburg. Paul had a job as counselor at the local high school, so neither of them had to contend with commuting any great distance. They were raising two boys. Both had been adopted at a young age, and neither seemed to think it strange that they had two fathers instead of having a mother.
Whenever possible, they came back to Iowa to celebrate holidays with their families. Those trips always included time spent with their college buddies. They were eager to have their children connect with everyone in the extended clan.
Beau and Cy found computer tech jobs in Cedar Rapids at the two competing hospitals. They loved having employment in their field, but they hated the rivalry between the institutions. It was sad that there couldn't be cooperation in having the same systems so patient's records could be easily accessed by either hospital. But it was what it was.
They took up residence in the house Beau had grown up in and their kids loved to camp out in the Airstream and swim in the pond. They had those two sons through surrogacy. Because the egg donor was the same for both, they were half-brothers. Grandma Jen often took care of them when school wasn't in session and their dads were at work.
Besides having jobs in the city, the two men provided tech support for the corporate farm. As predicted, farming was becoming more technologically advanced.
Chet and Derek were childless at present, but they had plans to start a family as well. In preparation for that, they were renovating a farmhouse which was on one of the properties the corporation had recently purchased.
A quadruple wedding sounds like something which would take a lot of effort to pull off. However, since the guests were mainly family members, it wasn't all that difficult.
Jen helped coordinate the plans, and Beau and Cy used their computer skills to create an overview of what they'd all discussed. With the advances in technology, they could easily be shared among the participants.
They decided to hold the ceremony and the reception all in the same spot – the Stephen's property. The party barn would be ideal for the reception and the mowed area near the timber would be a beautiful setting for them to take their vows, if the weather was good. If not, those rites could be held in the same structure with a bit of rearranging.
The nuptials took place on the date of the summer solstice. It was well after the crops had been planted and a week and a half before the hay would be cut. This would allow the farmers in the family to have a leisurely time for their honeymoon.
The grooms were all attired in dress-casual clothes so that they would look good in the photos but not feel too warm when they exchanged their vows out-of-doors.
They had hired a pastor from a Presbyterian church in the city who was happy to perform same-sex marriages. No doubt, she was even more pleased that each couple insisted on paying for her services as if she were doing all of them separately. She promised to donate more than half of it to LGBT causes in the area.
The weather turned out to be perfect for the outdoor ceremony. It was held at 11:30 AM to make sure the temperature would be comfortable. After the vows had been exchanged and the pronouncements made, everyone headed for the party barn. Since it was well insulated and had been left open overnight, there was little need for the air conditioning to be run.
The catered lunch was sumptuous. Having several people pooling their funds meant that they could easily afford lots of delicacies.
The various grandparents were pleased to keep the young ones while their parents went on their honeymoons.
Ryan and Michael went on a cruise in the Bahamas. Chet and Derek chose to see Alaska. Paul and Kyle wanted to do the old fashioned thing and visit Niagara Falls. Beau and Cy decided to celebrate in a way similar to the first time they had confessed their love for one another. They used Cy's new Dodge Ram pickup to tow their beloved Airstream camper to Backbone State Park. They might have just stayed in it at the back of the acreage, but that would have been too close to family and other distractions.
For old time's sake, Beau cooked hasenpfeffer for their supper. He'd purchased the meat from the son of the guy he'd sold his rabbits to many years ago.
Later in the evening, they consummated their love again, but this time as a legally married couple. Their lives had come full circle.
At last, they had declared the love that former generations hadn't dared to mention. Life was indeed getting better.
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Author's notes: Okay, I know some of you wanted this story to continue longer; however, I felt that I was running out of plot. I hope you'll forgive the hasty ending. My aim was to take the characters to the point at which same-sex marriage was legal in Iowa. There was a lot of hope at that time. It seemed like a lot of progress had been made. Unfortunately, my state has turned against LGBTQ+ people in recent months.
I plan to take a bit of a break, but I will probably be posting another short story from time to time. I doubt they'll extend beyond five chapters in length.
Thanks to the following who emailed this past week, Ott H, Tony C, Andy R, Bill T, Ken McC, Mendy D, Frank K, John L, Geoff (2), Tim T, Brad W, Jim W, Paul R, Hotrod, Jim H, and Peter S. I truly appreciate hearing from you.
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