The Metamorphosis of Jeremiah Long, Chapter 28
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of similar age. If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so.
The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit authorization from me.
I have written several other stories. My longer ones on Nifty include: "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004), "Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004), "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Tales from Bentonville" (November 16, 2008), "Second Chance" (September 24, 2010), and "Tommy and Tanner (October 21, 2012)under "High School" and "Someone to Watch over Me" under "Beginnings" in the gay male section.
My short stories include: "Brad and Alan's Canoe Trip" (April 22, 2004 under "Camping", "Of Angels and Dragons" (November 8, 2008) under "Camping", "A Christmas Tale" (December 22, 2009), "Wyatt's Thanksgiving" (November 20, 2012)under "High School", "Brazil Affair" (October 1, 2010), "A Technological Christmas" (December 23, 2011), and "Patrick's Christmas (December 19, 2012) under "Beginnings," I have one story in the Sci Fi/Fantasy category called, "Seth's Gift" (October 10, 2010).
You can easily access most of my tales by going to the "Author" button in Nifty's home page and scrolling down to David Lee. Some of these stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us and www.saberpeak.com.
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Thanks and hugs to Tom and David (boxerdude) who edit for me so that there are fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable suggestions.
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David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
The Metamorphosis of Jeremiah Long, Chapter 28
Billy wasn't the only one to receive apologies. In the middle of the week when Todd and Jim were able to have a meal with the extended clan, Todd took Spence aside and talked to him.
"Spencer, I think I've misjudged you, and I'm sorry for that. You seem to be a fine young man. I assumed you were a troubled kid who would lead Jon and Davy down the wrong path."
"No, Mr. Watson, I was exactly as you perceived me to be. I tried to get Jon to smoke pot with me, but he refused. That was on the night I was supposedly sick and you took me home. I was going to blackmail him into doing other things by threatening to tell you that he and Dave were, um, romantically involved. That didn't work out well because you already knew they were boyfriends and it left me looking like the jerk I was."
"Perhaps you were like that once, but I don't see those characteristics in you now," Todd remarked.
"I think I've changed a lot after accepting myself as a gay person and finding a really nice guy to share my life with. Billy has become my anchor."
"He seems to be a real catch," Todd grinned. "I hope you'll have the happiness Jim and I do. Some of us definitely find our lives more complete with the right partner."
"That's for sure!" Spence agreed. "Thanks for being understanding and giving me a second chance."
The following day, David and Amanda said their goodbyes and headed for Wisconsin. They had had a great time with their family, but felt they shouldn't overstay their welcome. Besides, they were eager to get the lake place ready for summer. Although they would have plenty of help on the major maintenance projects, there were many other things to be done, like readying the flowerbeds and doing little odd jobs. David was antsy after spending the winter in their condo where about everything was done for them. He had enjoyed their time of leisure, but he wasn't used to being idle.
Their grandsons, plus Jon, Bradon, Mark and even Spence, hugged them and wished them safe travels. Billy shook hands with them, but Amanda insisted on giving him a hug too. The boys warmed their hearts. It was as if those kids all belonged to them, and in a way they did.
On Friday, another of the guys had a visitor for a long weekend as their spring breaks overlapped. Micah came by bus to spend those few days with Bradon.
Their extended embrace at the depot made Phil wonder if he had two gay sons instead of one. While the boys didn't kiss in public, they appeared to be very enamored of each other, more than a couple of buddies normally would be in front of strangers. Phil was happy that he'd already let Bradon know it was okay for him to pursue whatever life-style felt comfortable with. Perhaps tonight's announcement would help further.
On the ride to the Witte house, Phil's car was filled with excited chatter between Bradon and Micah, who were together in the back seat. Mark had called shotgun in order to make sure they sat side by side. Bradon would thank him later.
Mickey had prepared a dinner featuring meatloaf, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli and a lettuce salad since she had learned these were some of Micah's favorites. She was rewarded with a hug from their guest the minute he saw what she had done.
Everyone dug in with gusto, except Mickey. She looked pale, and excused herself to get an antacid tablet in the middle of the meal.
"Sorry about interrupting your meal," she said. "Please don't stop eating on my account. I'll be back in a short time."
When she returned, she looked toward her husband who smiled and nodded.
"We've decided this is a good time to make an announcement," she told them. "I'm just a little different from the majority of women and I tend to have discomfort in the evening instead of having morning sickness. I did the same with my first two."
"Mom!" Bradon exclaimed. "Are we getting a baby brother or sister?"
"Possibly one of each or two of either; we're having twins, but it's too early to determine the sex. We might possibly know in a couple of months, but sometimes it's more difficult to judge with a multiple birth because one baby may obstruct the view of the other."
"This is awesome!" Mark beamed. "I get to be an older brother and you have more chances of being a grandma, since I might not have kids. You were smart to do it."
"Having a gay son had nothing to do with our decision," Phil assured him. "My time in the war made me more aware of how fragile life is. I guess I wanted to up the chances of having my descendents continue into the next century. Besides, there's no reason you can't have children of your own or by adoption. They'll be loved no matter how they arrive."
"I'm really pleased for you all," Micah contributed. "Now I feel better about telling you our news. Mom is expecting too! I'm gonna have a baby brother."
"That's really cool!" Bradon high-fived him.
"Well, we can celebrate with a piece of southern-style chocolate cake," Mickey announced. "It's from scratch and contains buttermilk as well as butter, so it's very rich. I'll start with small slices, but you're welcome to have several helpings if you wish. Who wants a scoop of vanilla ice cream along side?"
Soon everyone was enjoying the treat. They were all thankful she had served small pieces because they had already eaten a sizeable meal. They ate slowly, savoring the delicious taste that no boxed cake mix could rival.
After dinner, Davy, Jon, and Joe came over to hang out with the guys. They ended up playing Monopoly like they had sometimes at the lake instead of opting for video games. It reminded them of their fun times in the bunkhouse on rainy days. However, since they were playing in the family room, they didn't hang out in their underwear or less.
Mark had his overnight bag packed to sleep over with Joe. Phil would be driving the four over to Davy's house around 9:30, but he said they should all have a piece of cake before departing. No one turned it down!
"Do you have any other good news to share?" Bradon asked of Micah when they were alone in his bedroom.
"There's no word yet, but Dad's hopeful he'll get hired. He talked to Davy's dads about his chances and both of them said he has the skills Rockwell is looking for, especially since the new CEO is hoping to get more civilian contracts. It would be so awesome if we could be in school together. I think I've nearly got the `rents convinced I should transfer here even if the job doesn't come through. They know how close we are."
"Do they REALLY know how much we care about one another?"
"I think they suspect that our relationship has a physical side as well as an emotional connection. Dad told me recently that he had a kind of bromance with a high school friend. He didn't come right out and tell me they played around, but I'm guessing they did."
"Wow! Dad and I have already talked about you and me, and he and Mom have probably discussed it too."
"I'll bet they did. I think your mom's announcement, and that bit your dad said about ensuring his descendents continuing into the next century, could have been their way of saying they've got their bases covered if you don't do the traditional thing and get married to a girl."
"Who knows, we might still get married," Bradon mused. "If we could find girls who understood that we would always want time for `fishing' trips or something together..."
"Jeez! We need to think of something else that interest guys and not girls as well so we can get together when it's not fishing season. Besides, I'm not big on baiting hooks."
"How can you say that? When it comes to baiting, you're the master!"
"That's so corny, but I'll take the compliment and give it right back. I can hardly wait to get my hands on your hook!"
"Talk about corny!"
There wasn't much more conversation, as the boys reveled in the physical side of their relationship.
On Saturday morning, Micah received a call from his father. His face was beaming as he punched the "talk" key, but it soon changed.
"Micah, your mother and I have talked it over and we don't think we can afford to send you away to another state for the last two years of high school. With the new baby, and Mom not working as much, we'll have to watch our pennies. I hope you understand."
"Yeah, I understand." Micah sighed. "It's not like the end of the world."
"You make me proud, son. I had high hopes that you'd react as you have. I know Bradon means a lot to you...
In other news, I GOT THE JOB! We won't be sending you away; we'll be coming with you."
"AWESOME!" Micah yelled. "Bradon, we're moving here; Dad got the job!"
"Cool!"
"There's more," Wally added. "My salary will increase by a bit over $30,000 more than I've been making. So, if we can sell the house at a profit or at least without losing too much, your mother can stay at home with the baby for a while and possibly go back to nursing part-time in the future. It's all going well."
"Oh, Dad, you really had me fooled and I was feeling pretty sad, but now I'm so excited! Do you think you could get my ticket changed to come home on Tuesday? I'd only be missing one day of school and I could go to school with Bradon to look it over because they have to go back on Monday."
"I'll make some calls. You may have to go to the bus depot to exchange your ticket in person. It's possible they'll do it by Internet, but I don't know for sure. Yes, I think it would be a good idea to spy out the land, so to speak."
"Thanks, Dad! I love you."
"Love you too, Son."
Saturday turned out to be a busier day than usual at the Mason-Hart home. Among their errands was the trip to the airport to put Billy on his flight back to Montana. It was a bitter-sweet occasion. Billy had won the hearts of the entire extended family and they would miss him greatly. Of course Spence was hit hardest of all.
That was the bitter part, but the sweet part was in the memories the pair had made together in the past week. Spence would rely on those to keep him upbeat on days when the two couldn't Skype or IM as much as they would like.
All the boys, including Micah, went to see him off. Brock and Brent both drove so there'd be room for everyone.
At the airport, Spence embraced Billy in a bear hug and kissed him lovingly on the lips, oblivious to whether anyone was looking at them or not. Then, after another short peck, Billy entered the security screening area where Spence could only watch him from a distance.
They caught sight of each other once again as Billy turned around on the escalator to give one last wave. Then he disappeared out of sight.
Spence stood smiling through his tears. He was more determined than ever to do well in school during the coming months. This unexpected visit had given him renewed strength and hope that they could soon start to carve out a new life for themselves. He looked at his silver and turquoise ring and the sight of it made all their plans seem possible.
On the way home, Brent swung by the bus station with Micah, Bradon, Mark, and Joe to change Micah's ticket while the rest went home with Brock. It seemed pointless to leave it to Phil to deal with it later since it wouldn't be much out of the way.
On Sunday, Micah went to church with the Witte family. He'd been aware that he would see the rest of the guys he knew, but was amazed that there were other high school kids in the service who came to introduce themselves during the social time after.
He was quite taken with Jenna and Willa. He was surprised that two young college dudes, Wyatt and Jesse, made no attempt to hide the fact that they were a couple. It appeared he would easily make friends with more of his peers in the community. He smiled the whole time.
Phil drove his sons and Micah to school on Monday morning early enough to get Micah cleared with a visitor's pass so he could spend the day with Bradon. After explaining to the main office personnel that Micah would be transferring there in the fall, it was a piece of cake. In fact, Dr. Campbell set up a meeting with one of the counselors for the period Bradon normally had study hall, so they could go together. It could give Micah a head start on getting registered for next year.
Micah was a big hit in all the classes he attended with Bradon in the morning. Since he was personable as well as good looking, he charmed everyone he met. Some of the girls were jealous that he seemed to know Jenna and Willa already. Would anyone else have a chance to date him if those two were in the picture?
At lunch, the kids snagged an empty chair from another table so Micah could join them. He felt like king for a day the way everyone looked out for him to make sure he knew the ropes in the cafeteria line. Willa went back to purchase a different salad for him after he realized he'd put the wrong dressing on the one he had. It seemed to him that these were the friendliest kids he'd ever met.
Megan scowled from a distance. After seeing him earlier in the day, she had hoped to get to meet him, but with her ex seated on one side of him and Jenna on the other, there was no chance of that happening, at least not today.
During 5th hour, Micah and Bradon went to the counselors' office for their appointed session with Ms. Proctor. She met them at the door with a warm smile as Bradon introduced Micah.
"Here's the list of the classes I've taken at my old school and I think the grades I've jotted down are correct. I know it's not an official transcript, but I thought it might be of help in determining what I need to take next year." Micah said.
"I'm impressed that you're so on the ball, but I guess I shouldn't be, knowing who you kept company with at lunch."
"You know who I sat with?"
"Yes, I took the duty for a sub who has a disability that prevents her from standing for long periods of time; so, knowing you were Bradon's guest, I looked to see where he was. That's a fine bunch of kids!
Now, let's see, may I assume that the classes you've taken are not remedial sections?"
"Yes, Ma'am. They're all upper level."
"That bodes well. I'll tentatively add your name to the list of students we expect will be in honors sections for next year. You may have to test into some of them, but we'll have a better handle on that when we have your official transcript. Is it possible to have it sent soon?"
"I'm traveling home tomorrow, but I can have them fax it to you on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on my parents' schedules. I assume the school won't let me request it."
"You're probably correct, though I'll see if I can request it. It would be great if we can have it before next week because that's preregistration time. Will you want to be in sections with Bradon when possible?"
"Yes, Ma'am, but if not, I'd be happy to be in sections with Davy, Jon, Willa, or Jenna."
"I'm sure that's likely to happen even if I don't meddle with the system," Ms. Proctor chuckled. "Most of them have at least some classes together and this school isn't large enough to have scads of sections, particularly in honors classes."
Micah was beaming from ear to ear as he left the meeting. His plans were all dovetailing smoothly. He was elated that he'd stayed the extra day to get this started.
The last period for Bradon was language arts. Micah had already read the book they were discussing, so the teacher gave him copies of the study materials and allowed him to participate. He held back so as not to look like a showoff, but he knew it all well and scored 100% on the quiz she gave. It made him feel that he would be right at home there next fall.
By chance, there was a meeting of the gay/straight alliance after dinner and Micah was eager to attend that as well. He was favorably impressed by the large turnout of kids, many of whom seemed to be ordinary students who didn't appear to be gay or lesbian, but then, neither did guys like Davy or Jon.
The main event was a short talk by a guest speaker about how to deal with coming out in high school and the problems created when someone else purposely outed you before you were ready.
The question and answer session which followed took about as much time as the presentation. When it was winding down, Spence asked if he could address the group.
"Hi, if you don't know me, my name is Spencer Bruce. My friends call me "Spence" and I can't repeat what my enemies call me," he quipped.
Everyone laughed at his comment.
"Tonight's discussion has been painful for me because I was one of the jerks who outed some very nice guys in revenge for something I thought they had done. I'm lucky that they haven't held a grudge. I realize that most of you are here either because you're gay or have friends who are, but if you're someone looking to cause trouble like I was, I plead with you to keep your mouth shut about someone else who may be gay or lesbian. Your thoughtlessness could cause them all kinds of grief by spreading rumors. If they give you permission to tell, that's okay, but otherwise it's none of your business!
By the way, I'm also taking this opportunity to come out, myself. I'm gay and finally I'm not ashamed to admit it. I hope you'll all accept me anyway."
Spence sat down wondering what his fate would be. He had agonized about coming out publicly and had nearly decided against it, but he felt he owed it to Davy and Jon. To his surprise, many of his new friends jumped to their feet and applauded him. Several more hugged him after the meeting broke up. He had his answer, and he felt better about himself than he had in a long time. Yes, he was a changed young man.
The following week was a busy one for the guys at school. Preregistration for next year's classes took place in homerooms on Monday. Bradon got a pass from study hall to check with Ms. Proctor to inquire about Micah's schedule for fall.
"I'm sorry, I'm not supposed to tell you about other people's schedules, but you are welcome to look at the sections you're in."
She handed him the lists and he saw that Micah's name was on all but one of them. He left grinning, after exchanging a high-five with her.
Although track practice had already begun, there was an assembly in the gym early in the week to introduce participants who were on the various teams, and also to recognize a number of achievements. The usual kids paraded out on the floor to the cheers of their classmates.
Spence held his head high as he joined his friends from the track team. He had decided his last semester in this school would be one in which he participated fully. Next year, he'd be finishing his studies mostly through long-distance learning and wouldn't have the camaraderie of team sports. That didn't matter as long as he got to be with Billy, but this year he was going to enjoy the opportunity.
After the teams had sat down in the bleachers, several awards were handed out. These involved mainly seniors and so Davy and Jon were kind of spacing off when they heard their names called.
"Gentlemen, will you please come up to the podium?" Dr. Campbell invited.
"Some of you may remember that the computer club got involved in designing video games for a national contest. The first 10 runner-up teams have been awarded scholarships. I'm pleased to announce that you two placed fifth in the nation and will receive $10,000 each to use for expenses at the college or university of your choice."
As the boys shook hands with their associate principal, the auditorium broke into an extended round of applause and cheering. The boys blushed visibly as they went back to their seats.
They couldn't wait to tell their families the good news, so both found a chance to text their dads before the assembly was over.
That evening, their dads took them all out for a celebratory dinner at El Rancho. The four fathers were as proud as any parents could be. Not only had their sons achieved recognition at the national level, but extra money for college was always welcome.
After receiving praise from the family, the boys said a few words of appreciation to their fathers.
"If all you dads hadn't insisted that we consider school as our real job instead of working lots of hours as grocery sackers or something, we wouldn't have had the time or energy to design the game," Jon said. "Besides, having a couple of Rockwell engineers to consult didn't hurt either."
"I'm sure many of the contestants came from families with similar opportunities," Brock demurred. "You had the ideas pretty well worked out without input from us, and Jim knows a thing or two about video games. Those aren't our specialties."
"I would never have even considered getting involved if I hadn't met my boyfriend," Jon smiled, gazing lovingly into Davy's eyes.
"Get a room," Joe said in a stage whisper, to everyone's amusement.
"And if you guys hadn't helped me reconnect with my dad," Davy said looking toward Todd. "I wouldn't have been in public school and wouldn't even have known much about video games in the first place. Sometimes I feel like someone's been watching over me and guiding my life."
"I know what you mean," Joe piped up. "If anyone's been fortunate, it's me!"
Joe found an official-looking letter in the mailbox with his name on it when the guys got home from track practice on Monday. He opened it excitedly after seeing the return address. He grinned broadly and was about to shout the news to the household, but decided to wait until after dinner when everyone would be home to share it.
As a result, Joe was antsy all through the meal. Brent felt a bit anxious too, wondering what had gotten into his son. He was certain it wasn't drugs, but he hoped it didn't turn out to be some deep-seated emotional thing which had just come to the surface. He made a mental note to have a talk with Joe later.
"I made a Jell-O thing for dessert," Joe announced. "It's a sugar-free one and I think it won't mess up anyone's diet."
He scurried off the get it while the other guys cleared the table and put away the leftovers.
Brent sighed in relief, figuring this must be what had made Joe fidgety.
"This is to celebrate the news I got today," Joe announced as he passed the dessert around. "I've been officially accepted as a peer counselor for the abuse hotline. I don't have to spend lots of hours fielding calls, but I will have to set aside time to either talk or text with kids who have been abused and I need to take training classes. Dr. Troxel agreed that I'm strong enough to do it and that it will help me in the long run. Besides, I'm seriously considering doing counseling as my career if all goes well in this program. I hope you'll all support me in this."
Brent was the first to jump up and hug Joe, but certainly not the last. Everyone congratulated him, telling him that he was a smart, compassionate young man who could help change lives. Since he had first-hand knowledge of what it was like to be hurt, he could offer insights that couldn't be learned from textbooks.
"You have to be very proud of your son," Brock said to Brent as they cuddled in bed after making love.
"Um, he's your son too,"
"I know, and I love him as such, but you're the one who means the most to him. As I've said before, I'm not jealous. It was you who rescued him and it's only natural that he sees you as his hero."
"Yeah, I really have bonded with Joe," Brent admitted. "He's like me in a number of ways, and physically, he could almost pass for my offspring."
"He's like you on the inside too, unassuming, but compassionate and loving. You've done a lot to make him what he is because he models his actions after yours."
"Do you think I've influenced him that much in such a short time?"
"Yes, I do."
"But, a lot of it is from his own nature. He has a resilient spirit. He's faced a lot of suffering and hasn't ended up being bitter or hateful. He's about as perfect as a kid can be."
"I have to agree with you there, but I still say your nurturing has gone a long way in his recovery."
"I love you, Brock, more than I can ever express in words."
"You don't need words; you express it with your body and your actions."
"Thanks," Brent said, as he cuddled against his husband's back.
Author's notes: Thanks to all who emailed this past week. The list includes: Bill T, Paul R, Wayne, Jim W, Bill K, Mendy D, Neal H, Jeff M, Lace, Ott H, Walt S, Vern, Trish R, Roger L, RC, Stan A (Bentonville), George B, Oz, and Vanyel. You keep me going!
Here are a couple of links you might find interesting. The last one is the same dude who sang, "American Boy" about lost love. This one is different!
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/09/09/us-westboro-baptist-churchs-local-city-council-to-hear-gay-rights-proposal
http://www.cravemcc.com/sexuality-scripture/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3G3xm1-spg&feature=youtu.be