Love the Dare Not Speak its Name, Chapter 7
Beau was initially a bit peeved that he'd been kept out of the loop about his father's illness. However, as he thought it through, he could see that his parents were trying to prevent him from being distracted during finals week. He had to admit they'd made a wise decision because he tended to obsess over such things.
He had thought his father looked tired when he'd come to Ames the week before, but he had assumed it was due to the busy spring building season. Beau felt better about everything since his father had hired more help and had put his new foreman in charge of much of the day-to-day operation, freeing up his time to concentrate on his treatments and therapy.
Beau was pleased with Len's plan to expand the farm to include the land which belonged to his family. It would be a good move in an era when more and more property was being developed for housing subdivisions and arable acreage was shrinking at the same time that the population of the world was expanding and the need for food was increasing.
The house Larry had purchased in Ames was in deplorable condition. It had been owned by people who had gotten in over their heads financially and couldn't afford to keep it up. They had sold it to a "slum landlord" who had done little to improve it, while renting it out students who were looking for a cheap place to hang out while getting their education. No doubt, it had been the scene of many wild parties.
Practically no one in town had wanted to take it on as a project. The cost of hiring professional help to restore it would have been prohibitive. Larry, however, could see numerous possibilities. It was structurally sound and had a newer roof. The main thing it needed was a lot of detail work, something his son and friends could do with a little supervision.
Not only would it provide them with decent accommodations for the rest of their college stay, but it would also be an educational opportunity for the teens. And he stood to make a profit selling it when they graduated.
Larry knew from experience that a good do-it-yourselfer could save a ton of money. Likewise, poor ones could rack up a lot of bills from paying professionals to redo the messes they made.
The layout of the split-level house had been well-thought-out. The living room, kitchen, dining area, and a half-bath were all on the ground floor. A short set of stairs led down to the basement which contained the family room, bathroom, laundry, and mechanicals. Another short stairway went up from the main floor to the bedrooms and a full bathroom with shower and tub. The master bedroom had an additional bathroom with a large free-standing shower and a big vanity with two basins.
The double garage sat on the right side of the kitchen. There was even a concrete slab beside it where another vehicle could be parked to keep it off the street. All in all, it was quite user-friendly.
The backyard had a deck and a privacy fence that was in disrepair. There was also a hot-tub which didn't seem to work either. There was a lot to be done.
Having taken possession of the house quickly, Larry had invited the guys to store their dorm furniture in the garage instead of moving it home. The sofas and lofts would come in handy for sleeping while they were renovating it. The dorm fridges and microwaves could be used for food preparation in case the appliances in the house weren't useable. Larry had a feeling they might be unreliable.
And so it was, about a week after classes let out, that Larry, Beau, Cy, Paul, and Kyle headed to Ames in two vehicles. Cy drove his pickup and Beau drove one of the shop vehicles loaded with tools and several gallons of off-white paint that they would need for redecorating the interior.
They arrived around 10:00 AM which gave them time to get started before lunch. The first thing they did, after putting away the food they'd brought, was to take up the carpet in one of the bedrooms. Its condition was too bad to even consider shampooing it.
To their surprise, there was a hardwood floor under it which was in good condition. A light sanding and several coats of varnish would bring it up to a like-new condition. Larry was thrilled. If the rest were in similar shape, it would save him a lot of money in floor coverings. They decided to leave the remaining carpeting in place while they repaired and painted the ceilings and walls. That way, they wouldn't have to worry about using drop cloths to catch the drips and splatters in the rest of the carpeted rooms.
At noon, they broke for lunch and began to work on wall repair after they'd eaten. There were a number of holes in the drywall. After Larry demonstrated the way to repair one, he turned the guys loose to do the rest.
The boys set up a sofa bed for Larry in the cleanest bedroom so he could rest. He was beginning to tire, and they didn't want him to overdo.
Having worked hard all day, no one felt like cooking, so Beau and Cy got carryout from a Chinese restaurant they liked. It was reasonably priced and filling.
After they ate, they set up sofa beds in the basement family room. There was a three-quarter bath on that level which they could use. It would give them a bit of privacy away from Larry, and they were used to being naked or nearly so in each other's presence.
In the course of a week's time, the guys had made a lot of progress. Two bedrooms were completely repainted and had their floors finished as well.
On the Saturday, they all went home in Cy's pickup, locking the shop vehicle in the garage where it would be safe. Larry had another treatment the next week, so the teens would return to work on their own while he stayed home to recuperate.
"Where's my Airstream?" Beau exclaimed. "Did you sell it off for scrap metal without telling me?"
"Nope, I'd never do that to you," Larry responded. "The shop told me they could have the brakes replaced and have it back where it was in a week, but they ran into a problem getting the parts, so it will be at least another week. I was hoping to surprise you. They did get the new tires mounted on new rims. It will be roadworthy when they're done. It's being repaired at a place where I built their new shop last year, and I'm getting a discount."
"Oh, Dad! That's wonderful! You shouldn't be spending your money on me."
"Of course, I should! You're my only son and I'm proud of you. I'll bet the six of you could camp in it for a week before school starts. I know there will be some down-time at the farm because the hay should be cut ahead of that and other crops won't come in until later in the fall."
Beau felt kind of guilty about going back to Ames to work on the house next week while his father was having another treatment. Jen's school term had ended Saturday when she'd finished packing up her room for the summer. Now, she was free to take care of her husband. Teaching might not be the most financially rewarding career, but it did provide some free time in the summer to take courses or to be with family. This year, she was especially happy that her chosen profession gave her some time off.
This next round of treatments was harder on Larry's body than the previous one. He was sick as a dog. At times, he wondered if the cure might not be worse than the alternative... He could empathize with those who chose to give up.
Jen watched over him without making him feel like he was a helpless child. He appreciated that, though at times he felt as if he were a dependent little kid.
When his hair began to fall out in big clumps, he asked her to shave his head. Now, there was no hiding the toll that the treatments were taking on his body. He faced it stoically, adjusting his favorite baseball cap to fit his hairless scalp. With it on, he looked more like himself.
Obviously, he didn't travel to Ames that week.
The four young men got a lot more done on the house the next week and weekend. They finished the master bedroom and tiny fourth one. Both rooms were ready to be occupied. They'd even installed new cellular shades which would provide insulation in addition to privacy.
They had some questions about what to tackle next; and went to find a payphone to call home.
Larry suggested having phone service hooked up to the house so it would be more convenient to stay in contact. With an active line, they could use their computers too. Dialup service wasn't always perfect, but it was less expensive than long-distance calling.
He also said that Jen and he would be coming for a few days and asked that Beau purchase a good queen-sized mattress and springs along with a bed frame for the master bedroom. The guys could choose a headboard later when they would be using it.
While Larry and Jen were in Ames, they made several major decisions so the boys' progress wouldn't be slowed down by having to call back and forth to get their approval. The first was to have the airducts professionally vacuumed out. Then, they would have a new heating and cooling system installed. The local Lenox dealer was running a special which would save them money if the furnace and air conditioner were replaced as a pair. It was too late in the season to need heating and too early to require A/C. Therefore, some of their workers were idle. It was better to offer consumers a deal than to have them standing around.
The other big decision was replacing the carpet in the living room. When the guys had pealed some of it back, they discovered that the floor wasn't in very good shape and would require major work to restore it. It would be quicker and less expensive to recarpet, so that was what they decided to do.
Jen busied herself cooking for her guys and shopping for good used furniture to make the house into a home. She also added decorator touches to the rooms which were finished. She consulted with Kyle who was planning to major in design. She enjoyed working with him because he had an idea of what his buddies would like as far as color was concerned. None of them liked bright red, so she was careful to plan around that.
The rest of the guys deferred to Jen and Kyle when it came to decorating.
The college boys were back to all bunking in the basement family room while Larry and Jen were there. Jen didn't invade their territory unless invited. She didn't want them to feel self-conscious about running around in their underwear. She knew Cy and Beau wouldn't be embarrassed, but she thought Paul and Kyle probably would be.
In the middle of the week the four young men were getting ready for bed after taking their showers. As usual, they spent a few minutes in conversation, discussing what they would tackle first in the morning. This time, another subject came up.
"I'll bet you're as horny as Kyle and I are," "Paul grinned, glancing at the bulges in his friends' boxers.
"Fer sure!" Beau agreed. "I love having my parents around, but it was nice when we had a little more privacy for, um sleeping and such."
"Yeah, I'm really missing the `and such!'" Cy joked.
"Okay, I know we've all been pretty circumspect, but we're all guys and we're all gay," Paul continued his line of reasoning. "I don't see why we couldn't make love with our boyfriends in the same room once the lights are out, or even with them on."
"I'm so hard-up that I could do it in the middle of campus with a bunch of people standing around watching!" Cy giggled.
"You're a big showoff," Beau agreed. "We probably could do something."
"Okay, so let's not hold back tonight. It might be exciting," Kyle grinned.
Cy made the first move when he stood and pulled his underwear down, exposing his erection which stood out at a 90 degree angle. Beau followed his lead immediately. Paul and Kyle helped each other strip. No one could have any doubt that they all shared lascivious feelings. They'd been naked in each other's presence at the gym locker room, but this was the first time they'd all seen one another sporting full-blown erections. It was enough to raise their level of lust while lowering their inhibitions.
After having a good look, Beau turned out the overhead light. With a dim ambient illumination from the streetlight, the couples sprawled on their beds and started to make out with abandon. It was one of those times when the need to nut prevented them from engaging in very much foreplay before going for the gold. Everyone was thoroughly turned on. The sense of naughtiness that came with making out in the company of others, increased their libidos. With moans and grunts, they all came within a couple of minutes of each other.
Tenderness came in the afterglow as they petted and kissed while coming down from their orgasmic high.
"Next time, I'm gonna see how long I can keep Beau on the edge," Cy said. "This was great, and I needed it, but I'd like to have made it last awhile."
The others agreed. They also felt that they didn't need to be quite as private as they'd been in the past. From the locker room talk they'd overheard; they were certain that some frat boys got laid in each other's presence. Why should gay boys be any different?
After Jen and Larry drove home on Thursday, the boys moved their sofa beds into the other two good-sized bedrooms. Both couples felt a bit self-conscious about having too much sex around each other, despite how hot it had been. Besides, it was time to work on repairing the walls of the family room and repainting it.
The floor in the basement had been done in vinyl tiles. Instead of trying to scrape them all up and lay new ones, Larry had decided to have industrial office carpeting installed which would hold up well to heavy usage and be warmer underfoot as well.
The guys took time off around the Fourth of July holiday to celebrate at home. Due to bridge construction in the downtown area, Cedar Rapids was holding their big "Freedom Festival" on the campus of the junior college instead. The location would provide a large venue without having to block off streets.
Chet picked up the other guys in his big pickup to drive them to the event. He liked being able to show it off.
They were all eager to catch up with each other's lives. Chet and Derek were especially interested in hearing about the house they would all share during the coming school year. Beau had documented most of the details with his digital camera. He had printed off a few "before and after" pictures and brought them along to share as they were traveling to the festival. He planned to leave them with Chet so he could get a better look when he didn't have to keep his eyes on the road.
There were a number of carnival rides and lots of food venders spread across several acres of ground. The guys took advantage of a number of each. The highlight, for them, was the climbing wall. Since they were young, in good shape, and not lacking in confidence, they decided to go for the most challenging section immediately. Well, all but Derek who was the thinnest of the group. He stood back, fearing he'd make a fool of himself.
Of the rest, only Chet made it to the top of the medium level. He urged Derek to go for the hardest section because he felt his boyfriend could do it. Derek was long and lean and had a lot of upper-body strength. So, with everyone's encouragement, Derek gave in.
Amazingly, he made it to the top in record time. His extended reach and lighter weight were definite advantages. As a prize for his efforts, he received a bunch of free tickets from the group running the attraction to use at any of the food venders. Naturally, he shared them with his buds, and all had a bag of kettle corn for their dessert.
Their time at the festival would have been perfect had they not spotted Derek's old nemesis, Kevin in the crowd. Fortunately, he didn't see them, so they could observe him from afar. He was with another dude who had a pink tint in his hair and was dressed in formfitting shorts. That guy set everyone's gaydar off instantly. Either Kevin wasn't as straight as he claimed to be, or he was setting the kid up. If the latter were true, this guy might be in for a bruising later. The boys kept their distance.
The evening ended with a concert by a military band, followed by the fireworks display.
Most people rushed to their vehicles in an attempt to avoid a traffic jam, and in doing so, they created one. The guys sat in Chet's pickup for a while waiting until the parking lot was mostly cleared out. They listened to his awesome sound system and he took a closer look at the photos Beau had brought.
Back in Ames, four of the friends continued their restoration of the house. Since they'd done all they could on the inside and were waiting for the basement carpet to be laid, they turned their attention to the exterior. They weren't as fast as professional house-painters, but that didn't matter to Larry. He was interested in having a good job, not a fast one.
On the third day, when only the trim was left to do, a neighbor came over to get an up-close look at the progress.
"Hi, I'm Tom Charles, and I live next door. You've probably seen me come and go. My house needs painting too and I don't have time to take it on. Do you guys have any openings in your schedule or are you all booked up?"
"We don't do this for a living," Beau said. "My father bought the place for us to live in and we're just doing what he wants done."
"Your work looks quite professional. Is there a chance I could hire you guys?"
"Um Cy and I are going to help my dad in his construction business when we're finished, but these two might be interested," he said, indicating Paul and Kyle. "They could continue to live here if they did."
"We might be able to do that," Paul agreed. "We don't have anything at home to do for employment except when Beau's dad needs extra help."
"Well, if you'd give me an estimate, I'd be interested. By the way, is there a possibility of seeing what you've done to the inside? I looked at this with a view to fixing it up and flipping it, but it was more than I wanted to take on, and hiring competent workers is expensive."
"Sure! We'd love to show off our handywork," Cy said. "Beau should give you the tour since his family owns it."
"Let's wrap up our brushes in Saran and all do it. We don't have much more to finish before dinner anyway."
Mr. Charles was quite impressed with the restoration the guys had done. He could scarcely believe it was the same house he'd looked at a couple of months earlier.
"There was a show on TV years ago about a suburban housewife who was a witch. She could twitch her nose and make things happen instantly. She doesn't happen to be working with you, does she?"
"Um, I don't understand what you're saying," Beau frowned.
"I mean, it doesn't seem like mere mortals could make all this happen without some kind of witchcraft or something," Tom laughed.
"Nah, it's the four of us, plus my mom and dad at times to make the important decisions," Beau replied.
"Your mother must be an interior decorator. I can't imagine four college guys making this look like a photo op for Better Homes and Gardens."
"Actually," Paul said, "Kyle and she worked together. He's been accepted in the design program at ISU and knows a lot about what colors and shapes go together."
Kyle appreciated his boyfriend's mention of his involvement in the decorating. He had contributed quite a bit to the effort.
When Tom saw the bedroom floors, he really got excited.
"Did you guys refinish the floors as well? Or did you hire professionals?"
"We had a hand in everything that's been done," Beau assured him. "My dad is a professional, but his expertise is more in the area of prefab commercial structures, though he did build our house a bunch of years ago."
"I'd like to have Marge see the floors. I think we might find more work for you guys if you're interested."
The guys were really pumped from having their efforts appreciated by someone outside of the family. Larry had given them praise, but, no doubt, he wasn't entirely impartial.
When Tom left, they scurried to finish the trim while there was still plenty of daylight. They would shower and go to Golden Corral for supper to celebrate the end of the painting job. Despite the new kitchen appliances, no one felt like cooking.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who emailed since last posting - Paul F, Peter S, Don S, Tony C, Geoff (2), Mendy D, John L, Andy R, Joe W (1), Gordon, Frank K, Joe W (2), Peter S, Bill T, Chandra B, Si R, Geoff S (1), Ott H, Hotrod, Paul R, Jim W, and Ken McC. Your encouragement means a lot to me.
If you enjoyed this chapter, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. Please put the story title in the subject line in case your email goes into the spam folder.
Thanks to David S for editing. He finds the typos and missing words! He also makes valuable suggestions. I let him know when readers comment about his great job!
Thanks to Nifty for providing this free service. It costs the site to do it, so please consider donating to defray their expenses.
https://donate.nifty.org/
Thanks, David
P.S. I have a chronological list of all my posted stories which I can email to you if you have an interest.