Second Chance, Chapter 80
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Second Chance, Chapter 80
Eric had been correct about Ben's ability to recover rapidly. Other than being sore from stitches and weak from blood loss (though he received a pint from Scott), he seemed nearly like himself by the following afternoon. The doctors could see no justification for keeping him hospitalized longer and released him to Scott's care. Eric and Josh went to get them. Blake and Rob had been in briefly to see him early in the morning (as had Dr. Mann). Jay and Isaac had planned to come in the evening, but now he'd be home by then.
When Scott helped him ease into their own recliner in the den, Ben felt much happier being in his own house than in the hospital. He sat there misty-eyed, reminded again of all the love that filled their home. What a different place it was than it had been before Scott, Eric, and the rest of the extended family had moved in.
Even on the sidewalk feeling his life seeping from his body less than 24 hours before, he had been at peace knowing Josh would have a family whether or not he lived. That and Scott's loving care had kept him calm in the presence of death. Fortunately for all concerned, the Grim Reaper had been kept at bay.
Josh grinned watching how Scott mothered Ben. It seemed almost comical to him, not realizing that he'd done the same to Eric after his emergency appendectomy. Ben would remind him of that when they discussed it later.
Their evening meal was provided by Sophia who worked with her cook to whip up the kind of Italian meal she would have served to special company, complete with tiramisu from the recipe handed down in her family. Naturally everyone in the Larson-Brady household loved it. It was certainly up to her high standards. Rob said she had outdone herself. Jay said he'd never tasted anything to compare with it and Isaac agreed it was the best Italian food he'd ever put in his mouth.
After dinner, Isaac and Jay asked Scott and Ben if Isaac could stay with them for the rest of the semester. They explained the confrontation with Isaac's roommate when they were caught in bed together. (They didn't go into detail.) Isaac said he'd pay them the money he was getting back for his half of the room and his grandfather would add to it so that the men wouldn't be out for the groceries and utilities they used. They were going to buy things like toilet paper and dishwasher detergent as well.
Ben smiled at how the two young men had thought through all of the details. He and Scott said that it would be fine. After all, they'd discussed the possibility of having Jay and Isaac nearby next year and this would be just an early start on it. The boys were much relieved.
During that week, Eric and Josh spent several hours planning what they would do for the "gay" retreat the following weekend. They tried to anticipate all of the questions participants might have. They met on Wednesday night with Dr. Mann who counseled them to relax and go with the flow.
"You can't be expected to know the answers to everything the guys might want to know. You can give your point of view and then open it up to others in the group to give their ideas. Obviously those of you who are married will have a different perspective on some things. You have important insight. You can also decline to answer any questions you feel are too personal. There may be a boy or two who will try to embarrass you, but I suspect that you both think on your feet quickly enough to deflect those kinds of questions if they should arise. Besides, I'll be around to intervene if necessary as will your fathers -- assuming Ben is strong enough to come."
"Dad's doing very well," Josh beamed. "Thanks for your concern and a special thanks for visiting him in the hospital. I know he's already told you that, but you need to hear it from us as well."
"It was the least I could do -- going to visit one of my flock. I had a great time visiting with him. When I left, I felt like I was the one who was the most blessed from our time together.
Let's hope this is the last hospital stay for anyone in your household. There's an old adage about things coming in threes. Let me see, Eric had an emergency appendectomy, I understand Isaac was hit by a car, and now Ben's recovering from being stabbed; that makes three traumatic emergency room scenes for people closely connected with you. You certainly don't need any more of those!"
When Friday night arrived, Josh and Eric were both a little nervous before the start of the retreat. They needn't have been, as all the groundwork had been laid and they were both good speakers. Then too, it didn't all rest on their shoulders. Several people would be leading discussions including Ms. Hovland and Dr. Evans.
Prior to attending the event, all of the boys under the age of 18 had to turn in permission slips signed by a parent or guardian. Those 18 and up were not required to do so, but all had to agree to simple guidelines - that they would be respectful of others' opinions and that they understood their behavior needed to be "G" rated. Information accompanying their registration materials reminded them that the purpose of the retreat was not to explore their sexuality in a sensual way, but to increase their understanding of what it means to be gay in a world that is primarily straight. This disclaimer was added to allay the fears of parents and to head off thoughts that some horny teen might have had about hooking up.
Twenty-five young men had signed up, ranging in age from 13 to 19, Jay and Isaac being among the older ones. All who had registered showed up. Only two were late in arriving and that was because of a theater rehearsal which had run overtime.
Many of the gay kids that Josh and Eric knew didn't choose to attend because they didn't feel the need to. They already knew that they were gay and, having had bull sessions with the guys about marriage and monogamy on numerous occasions, their close friends felt they knew most of the answers already. Also, they didn't want to overload the program. Sam and Aaron were the exception.
The evening began with pizza for supper. It was a fairly balanced meal with salad and fruit to offset the cheese and sausage calories. As athletes, Josh and Eric had insisted on it. The small registration fee defrayed most of the cost of meals, though the church supplemented it to keep the price affordable for everyone who wanted to attend.
After their meal, the group went into the chapel/auditorium to view the video of the interview with Blake and Rob that had been broadcast on Channel 10. Everyone sat attentively. When it was over, Rob and Blake were available to answer questions along with the rest of the panel consisting of Ben, Scott, Josh and Eric.
Most of the questions revolved around how the married couples had met and how they'd known that they wanted to make a life together. Some of the guys wondered about having children as gay couples - especially how Blake and Rob got Robbie. Rob told them as delicately as he could without denying that he'd had unprotected sex with a girl he'd dated.
"I shouldn't have gotten into that situation. I'm sorry that I put her through that, but I'm not sorry about the results. I don't think God planned for me to get her pregnant, but it's an example of how he brings awesome things out of what could be bad situations. The same is true for my getting kicked out of my home. It was tough, but I have a great extended family because of it."
His response led to a lively discussion of the pros and cons of coming out to one's family. Dr. Mann eventually brought a close to the evening activities because it was getting late and there would be a session on the subject the following day.
After a light snack, the guys spread out their sleeping bags in the gym and got ready to bed down. Rob, Blake, Ben, Scott, and Robbie went home to sleep, but Josh and Eric stayed.
Since there was a fairly large group all sleeping in the same room, no one attempted to make out or do anything that could be considered inappropriate. A couple of guys, like Aaron and Sam, held hands with each other, but that was it.
Someone got up to go to the men's room around 3:00 and someone else followed shortly thereafter. Eric had awakened when the first one left. He stayed awake for a while, but fell asleep before they returned.
The next morning's session, after breakfast, was on the topic of how did a guy know whether or not he was gay? It began with a large group discussion and broke up into smaller sections of no more than five or six. Scott, Ben, Rob, Blake, Josh, and Eric each hosted a group.
The younger members tended to migrate toward Josh and Eric because they seemed closer in age. Both guys had the maximum of six in their session. In Josh's group, a fourteen-year-old named Tommy said he'd always known he was gay from the time he was a little boy.
"I didn't act any different from my friends, but I knew that I liked having a boy next to me instead of a girl and that didn't change when my hormones started to kick in," he volunteered.
"You sound just like me," Josh said. "That was a point I was going to bring up, but you saved me the trouble. My husband didn't know at an early age. He really wasn't sure until be met and we fell in love."
"Wow," Tommy responded. "Could you tell us about it?"
Josh related a "G-rated" version of the canoe trip that had thrown them unexpectedly into each other's lives. He looked as if in a dream world as he related how love-struck they'd both been.
"I hope I can find a guy like that," Tommy commented.
"Me too," agreed a handsome 15-year-old named Shane.
"Uh, how can you tell if your friend is gay too?" he wanted to know. "I have a best friend that I'd love as a boyfriend, but I'm afraid to tell him because I don't want to lose him. I could even stand rejection from some of the other kids, but not from him. We've been buds since kindergarten."
"I'd recommend watching carefully for how he feels about celebrities who are gay -- say Adam Lambert, Ricky Martin, Clay Aiken, or Elton John. If he acts like they're gross, you have your answer. If he thinks they're cool, you have an opening to steer toward the subject of how he would feel if a friend turned out to be gay. You don't have to reveal too much at once."
In Eric's session, there was a boy about the same age asking similar questions. His name was Tyler.
"I have something to say, but I want everyone to swear they'll keep it a secret." Tyler said.
"Everyone signed the agreement that they would," Eric reminded him.
"I know, but I'd like the guys in this group to swear to it again and I want to see your hands so you're not crossing your fingers."
"I swear," everyone answered, allowing him to see their hands.
"Okay, I'm coming out to you guys. You're the first to hear this. I'm gay. I think my parents suspect and they've acted very cool about it. In fact, they thought I should come to this retreat before I even brought it up."
Eric took Tyler's hand and pulled him into a hug. The other members of the small group congratulated him on his bravery, some dapping fists and others hugging. Before long, another guy said he was pretty sure he was gay or at least bi. One by one, the rest admitted that their presence at the retreat was spurred by more than idle curiosity and all came out to each other to some degree.
"This is so cool!" Tyler exclaimed. "Lee, I was afraid you'd harass me if you knew."
"How could I since I'm a lot like you, dude?"
"Wow, I wish my friend were here. It would be easier to tell him with others around. I'm so afraid of losing him. I think I'd kill myself if he hated me."
"Dude, don't even say such a thing," Eric exclaimed. "Way too many gay guys commit suicide. That's a topic we want to cover before this retreat is over. I know we can't expect to prevent a suicide by saying a few things in a discussion group, but perhaps it would be a beginning."
"I'm not saying I'd be suicidal," Tyler insisted. "But I'd be really broken up if I lost him as a friend."
"It's Shane; isn't it?" Lee asked.
"I'm not telling!" Tyler nearly yelled.
"It's cool with me if it is," Lee continued. "When I see you together, it's like you're really close buddies. I even thought you might be doing it. He's so cute!"
"Please don't even go there," Tyler pleaded.
"I won't. I have a crush on Tommy. There, I've said it and now you know something about me that I want to keep secret too."
"Do you really?" Tommy exclaimed. "I really like you too!"
"Guys, that's good of you to share this with Tyler and the rest of us," Eric smiled. "It draws us closer knowing more details about each other. It helps to have brothers to rely on. I think the guys in this group could be like that. You can have each other's backs when times are bad. I know several of you are already in the alliance at school, but this weekend can draw you closer -- like family."
Discussions in the other small groups were similar in some respects. Jay and Isaac attended Ben's session together as did some other couples who were young adults. They already knew that they were gay and they had steady boyfriends. It turned into a kind of testimonial time as they shared.
Scott's group was much the same, so the two of them combined their groups after taking a consensus vote. With a larger group, there could be even more bonding.
At lunch, Josh told Eric that he'd had a young man in his group who was afraid to come out to his friend for fear of losing him. Eric replied that he'd had a similar situation.
"By chance is he sitting next to Tyler -- the kid in the red shirt?"
"Uh, yes he is. We all vowed not to reveal his secret, but we didn't say we couldn't talk about who he was sitting next to. I think we should take the two of them into the small conference room before the next session. I believe we might be able to relieve the fears of two very likeable young men."
"Let's do it!" Josh agreed. "Let me start it because I have an idea of how to break the ice for them."
As soon as Tyler and Shane took their plates to the kitchen, Josh followed them and asked them to join Eric and him. When they got to the room and closed the door, Josh said he was taking a survey of teens' attitudes about gay singers. He got out a printed piece of paper and proceeded to act as if he were reading from it.
"Tyler, do you like Elton John?"
"Yeah, he's cool, but he's getting kinda old."
"Whom do you like better?"
"I don't know," Tyler responded looking at his feet. "Some of the guys on American Idol are cool."
"I think Adam Lambert is really hot," Shane said with a grin. "And I know this is a put-up job. Let me see that paper!"
"You caught me," Josh admitted, handing him the fake survey. "Did it work?"
"Close enough. Tyler, I'm gay and I hope you are too," Shane said looking his buddy in the eyes. "I care about you a lot and I hope I haven't driven you away. I'm taking an awful risk by..."
He didn't get to finish his sentence because Tyler jumped up and pulled him into a hug, planting a kiss on his mouth which was more than a friendly peck.
"Oops, I guess we're not here to, uh, what did the agreement say -- `explore our sexuality in a sensual manner?'" Tyler giggled.
"I think coming out to your best bud is exempt from those guidelines," Eric smiled. "Unless you two get naked, I think you're not breaking the rules."
"Oh Tyler, you have no idea how great I feel at this moment!" Shane asked.
"Yeah I do! I've wanted to tell you for about a year. I nearly did on your last birthday when we both slept in your bed. I wanted to hold you so-o-o bad!"
"I wish you had. I've been agonizing over this since that night too. I wanted to hold you too."
"Okay guys, this is turning into a love story that we probably shouldn't be witnessing," Josh grinned. "Besides we have the formal session on coming out starting in a few minutes."
"Thanks for bringing us together!" Tyler enthused. "This is so awesome."
"You'd have done it sooner or later without our help," Eric said. "We just greased the wheels a bit."
"Maybe we would have," Tyler agreed. "But sometime `later' can be too late. What if one of us had gotten killed or something without ever knowing for sure? That would have been awful!"
The two boys left the room hand in hand not caring who saw them or what anyone else thought if they did.
The session on the pros and cons of coming out was done in a large group setting. Rob asked Jay to tell his story because it was so much like his own. Isaac told of being forced to go to a dreadful camp for the "cure."
But to balance it, Sam and Aaron told about how accepting their parents had been. All the anguish they'd experienced leading up to the big moment had been for nothing. They said their friend, Garret, had been in a very similar situation.
Various participants voiced their fears of broaching the subject with their families, but most seemed to think it wouldn't be a trauma - at least not like Jay and Isaac had experienced.
"I'm coming out to you guys today," Tyler said standing up and facing the rest. "And I'm gonna tell my parents when I get home. After all, they sent me here with their blessing. I think that means they're cool with it."
"I'm coming out too," Shane said joining him. "I think we'll get the families together so we can be there for each other and get it over all at once."
From that point in the session, several kids felt more optimistic about how things might go for them. Tyler had a valid point. If parents knew about the subjects of the retreat, they shouldn't be surprised if their sons actually were gay or at least questioning.
There were two more topics on the agenda before the evening meal. (Dinner would mark the end of the retreat so that participants could have Sunday free for church or homework or whatever.) Suicide and HIV infection in teens and young adults would be covered together. Ms. Hovland and Dr. Evans had agreed to discuss this material.
Dr. Evans began by saying that he was a gay man living in a monogamous relationship with his partner. They had both been tested several times before engaging in sex without using condoms. He didn't pull any punches as he gave statistics which showed the alarming trend of new HIV infections among teens. He stressed that monogamy and trust were the cornerstones for remaining safe, but that if couples were in open relationships, it was vital that they not take chances. Safety first was his motto.
Ms Hovland spoke about the alarming rate of suicide among gay teens and young adults. She pled with the guys to bond with each other to prevent them from taking a drastic step when they were depressed. She encouraged them to share feelings with peers they trusted.
At the end of the final discussion, Eric summed up the sessions and handed out slips of paper with a link to web-sites that might be a source of help (http://www.bonusround.com/gayyouth/).
"If any of you ever want a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to your problems or joys, my cell number is on there too - so is Josh's. We feel strongly about this. Don't be afraid to call. I'd recommend that you all exchange similar info with each other. You can never have too many friends.
After dinner, you're welcome to hang out and talk for an hour or so unless you need to leave immediately. The cooks would appreciate help in cleaning up. By the way, how about a hand for them? You've probably been smelling the great aroma from the kitchen."
Everyone applauded.
"Oh, and don't forget to fill out the evaluation sheets. You don't need to sign them. Give honest answers so we can know how to plan if we do another one next year."
Dinner was nearly like Thanksgiving. Scott and Ben had started turkeys in large roasters earlier in the day. Dr. Mann's wife, Lindsay, and a couple of women from the deacons group had prepared dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casseroles, and a number of salads. All the guys loved the spread and dug into it as if they'd been starving for a week.
After helping to clean up, several of the men and boys went on their way. Some stayed for a while getting better acquainted and sharing stories. Tyler and Shane called their parents to pick them up soon because they wanted to talk to them.
The rest of Saturday evening was quiet for the men in the Larson-Brady house. Ben's energy level plummeted once he got home. Scott got them both clean in the shower and then settled in bed cuddling.
"I'm sorry to be such a party-pooper," Ben sighed. "I thought I was completely over my wounds, but guess I'm getting too old to bounce right back."
"You're not old, my love. Your body's been through hell. You can't expect not to have it give out unless you allow it to rest completely. Remember how Eric felt after his appendectomy? He's a teenager and he still lacked stamina for a while."
"Thanks for understanding. I feel kind of guilty when I can't fulfill my spousal duties in bed. I'm horny, but I don't have the strength to carry through. I understand why old guys joke about their minds making commitments that their bodies can't keep!"
"Do you have the strength to cum?"
"Well yeah, but not the energy to make it happen for us."
"Then lie back and let me show you how much you've taught me with your talented tongue..."
Scott was especially gentle as he stimulated Ben's body. Once they started to kiss, Ben proved that he had more energy than he had feared as they "tongue wrestled."
Next, Scott spent a lot of time licking Ben's masculine body until Ben was nearly reduced to a quivering mass of protoplasm. He clawed at the sheets and whimpered before Scott took pity on him and stroked him just three long pulls to bring him release. The blasts came so quickly that Scott barely got his mouth over the fountain to catch the flood.
Moments later, Ben fell into a very restful sleep. Scott pumped his own cock for a few minutes before he too unloaded. Too tired to get up, he spread his cum over his abs and chest in a thin layer that would soon crust over.
Ironically, while the "old guys" were getting off, their sons were content with cuddling. Friday night and all day Saturday at the retreat had been draining on them because they felt responsible for everything that went on. They were relieved that no one had been a smart-ass and that several good things had apparently come out of it. As they were discussing it, Eric's cell phone rang. It wasn't a number he was familiar with.
"Hello, Eric here... No, no problem. Let me put the phone between us so Josh and hear too."
"This is Shane."
"This is Tyler. We came out tonight to both families at once and it was awesome! They still love us and they had us figured out before we had ourselves figured out."
"Yeah," Shane chimed in. "After hearing horror stories like Jay's, Isaac's, and Blake's, we were kinda nervous, but you kept telling us our parents sounded like they'd be okay and you were right."
"Uh, they're letting us both sleep together in my bed," Tyler said. "My older brother said it wasn't fair because they won't let his girlfriend sleep over with him, but Dad said this was different because we can't get pregnant. We haven't done anything more than kissing, but we're naked!"
"Wow, you dudes didn't waste any time," Josh laughed.
"We're thinking about what we want to do first. I'm not sure I can take Shane up my butt -- any suggestions?"
"We took it pretty slowly," Eric said. "I'd honestly recommend waiting for anal sex until you're a little older. We waited until we got married. There're lots of fun things to explore besides that."
"Do you know what frottage is?" Josh asked.
"No," the boys said in chorus.
"It's rubbing your bods together, often face to face, with your dicks trapped between you. You both get to enjoy genital stimulation, and the joy of holding each other like that is awesome too. It's hot and loving at the same time."
"Cool!" both boys responded.
"We gotta go now; something's come up," Tyler giggled.
"I'll just bet it has -- maybe two something's if I don't miss my guess," Eric responded. "Bye guys. Have fun."
"Bye. We will!"
"Aren't they the cutest?" he said when they'd ended the call. "Your prescription for frottage was right on the money, Dr. Larson-Brady."
"It's my standard suggestion for beginners, but I think it has a lot of merit for married couples who are tired, but horny."
"Right on!" Eric agreed. "You want top or bottom?"
"Bottom!"
Author's notes: These guys were inadvertently left off the last list: Paul F, Carroll, Karserus, Jian, Bert, and Vann. Sorry about that! Responders this week include: Tim K, Rutabaga, Walt, Roger L, Michael P, Bill K, Jim W, Ott, Jian, Jim C, Chris B, Vann, Paul R, Steve, Six, Mike W, and Paul F.
I just heard that the amendment banning same-sex marriage in Wisconsin was upheld in court. Now there are people trying to make same-sex civil unions illegal too. Shame on them! What is wrong with live and let live?
David