The Families in Rossford

[ChrisGibson]

Thank you so much, Matt. I hope you have a wonderful Easter as well.

 

[ChrisGibson]

“I think this is the worst idea you’ve had yet,” a very pregnant Meredith Affren told her stepmother.
“We couldn’t just leave him,” Nell told her stepdaughter. “Ruthven is my nephew.”
“Ruthven should be babysitting,” Meredith said.
“Thank, you, family,” the tall young man said, “for talking like I’m not here.”
Ruthven Meradan looked a lot like a taller version of Bill with very defined cheekbones and fine features, but Meredith reminded him, “Actually, we’re not related at all. And I’m going to go into the kitchen and see if Fenn is here.”
Nell nodded, “I’ll go find Adele. You take this one,” Nell gestured to Ruthven, “and keep him out of trouble.”
Meredith shrugged and said, to Maia, “Am I going to have to use my big old belly to push you out of the way? Com’on Matthew, move aside? Elias, where’s your other half. Eh? Nevermind. Kids!”
Entering the kitchen, Meredith exclaimed “Merry Christmas every—oh, shit!”
As her tone changed she noticed that in the kitchen were Laurel Houghton, Dylan Mesda and Lance Bishop. They had initially stopped talking because she entered, but now they stopped because behind her came Ruthven.
Ruthven tried to put a good face on it, held out his hands and said, “Hey, guys, what’s crackin’?”
But Laurel got up, took her glass of punch in one hand and her cookies in the other and said, “What’s cracking is me getting the fuck up out of here.”
Meredith took a deep breath and, turning around to head back into the dining room said, “Amen!”

When the women had left, the three young men stood in the kitchen looking at each other.
Dylan thought it was his responsibility to speak. After all this was his house, and he was the link between these two.
“Did you just get in?” he said.
“Yup,” said Ruthven. “I got in this afternoon. Meredith and her husband got me in Chicago.”
“Yeah,” Dylan said. “I was always sorry Meredith didn’t stay with Mathan.”
“It was too bad,” said Lance. “But then, when something’s over, it’s best if everyone involved knows it.”
“Except with some people you can’t tell when its over,” Ruthven said, dipping his ladle into the punch bowl on the table.”
“But usually you can,” said Lance.
Ruthven looked at him.
“You’re that Lance Bishop guy.”
“You know who Lance is,” Dylan said, trying to keep his voice even.
“Yeah,” Lance said, “that’s who I am.”
“You played a little football in high school, didn’t you?”
“Lance plays at Union State now,” Dylan said.
“Well, that is something.”
“Lance is on a football scholarship,” Dylan said.
Ruthven chuckled and bit into a cookie.
“Scholarship is the poor man’s friend,” Ruthven noted.
Lance opened his mouth, but Ruthven continued, “I remember you when you were younger. All ears and hands and feet. And big forehead. Man, you had a forehead! You’ve grown up now.”
“That’s right, I have,” Lance said, stepping forward, but just then the kitchen door swung open and Fenn walked in, followed by Adele.
“Well?” Adele Davis said.
“Sis, can you take the chicken out?”
“Gotcha, Chief.” She took oven mitts and picked up the roast chicken on the stove. Walking out she noted, “The most interesting people meet at your Christmas parties, Brother.”
When the door swung shut, Fenn stood looking from Ruthven to Dylan to Lance, and then back to Dylan.
“What?” his son said, somewhat irritably.
“Nothing,” Fenn said, “Nothing at all.”
And then he picked up the punch bowl and headed back into the dining room.

Bryant went upstairs into Fenn’s bedroom where he was getting dressed before the mirror and he cried, “Wow, Fenn!”
“If you’ve come to say something stupid, you can turn around and leave.”
“I was just going to say,” Bryant said, stepping forward, “that when you bother to make an effort, you’re really something.”
“And now you can turn around and leave.”
“Oh, stop,” Bryant said, “Now, you turn around.”
Fenn turned around.
“And let me get your tie.”
As Bryant began to undo and redo Fenn’s tie, he said, “You are the classiest man I know, and that’s a fact. But I can do a much better Windsor knot. Ah, see. There!”
“You’re right, Bryant. Did you come up here to do my Windsor knot?”
“Not so much. No pun intended.”
“Why would there be a pun—Oh,” Fenn said. “Yeah.”
“My sister’s in town.”
“Shelley’s mother.”
“Yes,” Bryant said. “And she doesn’t know anything about me and Sean. She is thrilled.”
“About what?”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you.”
Blowing out his cheeks and sticking his fingers in the hair oil, Fenn said, “Must you always be like this? Can’t you start something from the beginning?”
“Shelley invited Sean over for Christmas and he’s in town.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes,” Bryant said.
“Why?”
“She never knew the truth, either,” Bryant explained. “She thought it was a tiff or… something, and bringing him back would be good for us. The last time I saw him was when Uncle Frank died.”
Bryant suddenly looked very sad.
“I miss him so much.”
Fenn knew he meant Frank Slaughter, the old priest at Saint Agatha’s downtown, not Sean Babcock.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met your brother.”
“Yes you have,” Bryant said.
“Well, then I don’t remember him.”
Bryant smiled and said, “That sort of makes me feel good.”
“I thought it would.”
“Well, if you want to meet him, he’s downstairs.”
“Really?”
“I didn’t know what else to do with him.”
“Good God—” Fenn began. But just then Dylan came to the door.
Fenn sighed and then said, “Bryant, will you excuse me?”
“Sure,” Bryant said, and heading out he added, “Merry Christmas, Dylan.”
“Christmas, Uncle Bryant.”
“When did Bryant make it to honorary Uncle stage?” Fenn wondered while Dylan said, “Nevermind. Not the point.”
“Well, what is the point?”
“I don’t know what to do with Ruthven and Lance.”
“I learned to deal with all of my exes and handle my business,” Fenn said, “and, unfortunately, now you have to do the same.”
“That’s your advice?”
“There isn’t any other,” Fenn said, walking into the bathroom and washing his hands.
“You’re not going to help me… At all?”
Fenn came out of the bathroom with a towel in his hand and said, at last: “Downstairs are Todd, your father, and a man they’ve both slept with, and the one he’s sleeping with now. Before Christmas who knows who else will show up who’s shone up in this bed you’re so glibly sitting on? My advice? Be courteous to everyone, but let them all know who’s the one you’re with. And… Keep everyone’s glass full.
“That’s my advice, Dyl. And it’s a hell of lot better than what Tom would give you. Off with you. I need to finish dressing.
And so Dylan blew out his cheeks and headed downstairs.

Dylan went to his room to regroup, but Lance was sitting on his bed.
“Lance.”
“You should go talk to him,” Lance said. “He came here to see you.”
Dylan didn’t say anything.
“I haven’t been to see my parents, not really. I need to go hang out with them for a while.”
“I thought you were going to Midnight Mass with me.”
“You know I’m not religious.”
“And I’m not Catholic. I have a Krishna altar under the window. What’s your point?”
“My point is,” Lance said, standing up, “You should go talk to Ruthven, and I’m going to go.”
“I thought you were going to stay the night.”
“I could come back. If you want me to.”
“I do want you to,” Dylan said earnestly.
“Now go,” Lance said to him. “The reason he’s hear is because you decided to love him. Remember?”
“I made my bed. Is that what you’re saying?”
Lance reached for his jacket, and then stooped down and kissed Dylan on his forehead.
“Something like that,” he told him.
And then he left.

“Kenneth, have you met…?”
“I’m Sean,” Sean Babcock said when Chad North seemed at a loss for what to call him.
“Bryant’s brother?” Kenny said.
“That’s right.”
“I don’t know Bryant very well,” Kenny said.
“But me and Kenny are old friends,” Chad touched his shoulder.
“I’m going to get some punch,” Sean told them. “They just brought the bowl out. Do you two want anything?”
“I’m good,” Chad said.
“I’m thirsty,” said Kenny. “I’ll take a glass.”
While Sean went off, Kenny said, “So that’s the one?”
“Yeah,” Chad said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“He looks a lot like Bryant. Or like Bryant a long time ago.”
Chad nodded.
“So, what’s he doing here?”
“Shelley brought him as a surprise for Christmas. She doesn’t know anything about me and Sean.”
“But how are you?”
“Whaddo you mean?”
“I think I meant do you feel awkward around him? But now I think I mean are you still in love with him?”
Chad looked after the approaching Sean, and said, “No. Not anymore. After me and Bryant broke up that first time, Sean and I… didn’t split up right away. We had five years to work through what we had. And what we had—” Sean was close now, and so Chad whispered, “wasn’t that much.”
“Here you go,” Sean handed Kenny the glass of punch.
“Thank you, sir.”
“So how do you know Chad?”
“We’ve been friends a long time,” Kenny said. “It’s kind of hard figuring how we don’t know each other.”
“That’s the truth,” Chad told him.
“Are you attached?” Sean said.
“Are you talking to me?” Kenny said.
“He’s with that guy over there. The blond one with the glasses.”
“Oh,” Sean looked over. “Well, he is sort of competition. I bet you make one hell of a couple on a gay cruise.”
Chad snorted and while Sean said, “What’s so funny about that?” Chad said:
“What’s funny is how cheesy that line is added to how unlikely the idea of Kenny and Brendan on a gay cruise is.”
Kenny shrugged. “It’s pretty damn unlikely.”
“How long have you guys been together?”
“They’ve been together about eighteen years,” Chad said. “So, pull your fangs in.”
“We were together eighteen years,” Kenny clarified.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chad raised an eyebrow.
“And it was on again off again,” Kenny added. “And now it’s pretty much off. For good.”
“What?”
“It’s been off for a while. Now it’s official. So,” Kenny shrugged, “if you want to keep hitting on me, go right on ahead.”

 

[CharmedFan28]

That was an excellent portion! I hope Dylan is able to sort out things with Ruthven and decide whether or not he wants to be with him or Lance. Lots of drama with Sean to come I think. Bryant has a lot of hurt feelings because of him and I don't know what is going to happen but I hope he can sort that out. Great writing and I look forward to more soon!

 

[ChrisGibson]

No, no, you might want to go back and read Dylan again. There isn't anything between him and Ruthven, nor has he brought him up. There might be more later to fill in what took place when they were able to be together, but it has been established that nothing came of it. If something were in danger of coming from it, even a new and improved Lance would not be cool with Dylan talking to him. Ofcourse, your younger brother running off with your partner would cause hurt feelings, especially if they hadn't been in the same room for eight years, but Sean is back in Rossford, and this time it isn't about Chad at all.

 

[CharmedFan28]

Oh ok my mistake, I must have misread about Dylan. Sorry! I hope then that Dylan and Lance can sort things out with their relationship.

 

[ChrisGibson]

Maia tapped Laurel on the shoulder and Laurel turned from her boyfriend to look at her cousin.
“Have you seen Bennett?”
Laurel looked around before answering, “No. I haven’t seen him the whole night.”
“I don’t think he’s here,” Alex said. He saw Elias and called to him.
“He’s not here,” Elias told them. “Bennett went to a party tonight.”
“But this is the party he’s supposed to be at tonight,” Maia insisted.
“Well,” Elias shrugged, not knowing what else to say.
“Elias?” Maia demanded. “Where is the party?”
“Why?”
“Cause I’m going there.”
“Uh,” Elias definitely looked uncertain about telling her anything else, but now Matthew, a year younger showed up beside Elias and said, “What is it?”
“I want to know where the party is that Bennett went to.”
“But why?” Elias said.
“So I can bring him back.”
“And how are you going to do that? You don’t drive.”
“But Laurel does—”
“What?” Laurel began.
“And she’ll be glad to take me.”
Matthew told his older brother, “You might as well let her know. She’ll find out in the end.”
“You might as well,” Maia agreed.
“It’s on Woodmeadow. Out in Edgefield. 4981 Woodmeadow.”
“Laurel?” Maia turned to her cousin.
“Do we really have to go out there and bring Bennett back?”
“Bennett belongs here, and really,” Maia said, “Who the hell knows what type of trouble he’ll get into?”
“Hold on, hold on!” Alex raised a lazy hand. “I’ll drive you guys.”
“I’m not going,” Elias said, stalwartly.
“I almost want to,” Matthew differed.
“Then come on,” Maia said.
“What I said,” Matthew clarified, “is that I almost want to go.”
Maia and Laurel went for their coats, and as they were putting them on, Tara said, “Young lady, where are you going?”
“We’re just going to get Bennett.”
“So is he your boyfriend yet or not?” Tara asked her.
“Mother,” Maia forced all the derision she could into the first syllable of the word.
“Hey, I told you a long time ago that everyone can’t be a lesbian, and I accept you just the way you are.”
Maia sighed, looked at Laurel and then said, “And on that, I’m out of here.”

“I just never really learned to make sensible decisions,” Sean told Kenny. They were sitting by the living room window.
“I have been all about romance, and romance is nice, but it’s not the real thing. People act like it’s what matters. Me and Chad had romance, and it was hot and crazy until it tore his world apart. I said it tore my world apart, but it didn’t. Not really. I didn’t have much of a world to ruin.
“My Uncle Frank, he used to be the priest at Saint Agatha’s, but he died a while ago. I remember I told him how sorry I was for what I did to Bryant. He told me I wasn’t, not really. But that one day… when I finally grew up, I would be. When I realized what I had done.
“I thought he was crazy,” Sean said. “I continued on with Chad until that was through, and then I didn’t have him or my family, really. I was drifting and out of place. Drifting in style, mind you, the way very middle class people with higher degrees do, but I was drifting. And I had been like that for a long time before I finally realized how much I had lost. And how much I had taken. My Uncle Frank was dead when I understood it, and I wished I could have told him. But I couldn’t tell anyone.”
Sean looked up at Kenny and said, “I am talking too much, and not listening at all.”
“Sometimes it’s nice to be the one who listens,” Kenny said. “I mean, for me, it’s nice. Please keep on.”
“I can’t imagine you do anything but listen,” Sean said.
“Whaddo you mean?”
“You just seem like the kind of person who would put yourself second.”
“Eventually, with Brendan, I did. I became the housewife. Now, I’m the house friend.”
“Ouch. That’s too bad.”
“It’s just that Bren has so much more going on in his life than me. He’s an attorney and works as an advocate and… I don’t want to make it sound like he made me a housewife. He’s always wanted the best for me. I have been happy to support him. Happy to put him first. I still am. And he always put me first. Only… well, the truth is I’ve been so into Brendan’s life story for so long that mine had kind of taken a backseat.”
“Well, what is your story?” Sean said. “Maybe you could tell me.”
“Failed artist,” Kenny said. “That is my story.”
Sean shook his head. “Every artist is a failed artist.”
“What about the ones getting paid? What about you? Aren’t you an organist or something? Church musician?”
“Yes,” Sean said. “I smile and sing for Jesus and don’t give a shit about him, which is less than either he or I deserve.”
They sat side by side and Kenny was sure that Sean was pushing his thigh into his.
“What do you want more than anything else, Kenny?”
“Right now?” Kenny said. “I want to go back to my house and have sex with you.”
“That could be arranged.”
“But that seems like a horrible misuse of our… Chad would say nascent… relationship.”
“Nascent,” Sean smiled and murmured. “Don’t get to use that word often.”
“In fact,” Kenny said, standing up, “I’m definitely not going to bed with you, so I should probably stretch my legs.”
Sean reached out and caught Kenny’s hand.
“Yes.”
“My curly auburn haired prince—”
“Really?” said Kenny
“How do I find you again?”
Kenneth McGrath grinned down at him and said, “It’s a really, really small city and, as you said, I am a curly auburn haired prince, so…. You’ll find me pretty easily.”


“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Look,” Dylan said, sitting down on his bed and regretting that his room, the scene of so many crimes, was the only place he could talk to Ruthven in private.
“I should have said thank you for coming. I forgot my manners.”
“That’s alright,” Ruthven said, standing up.
“No, it isn’t,” Dylan disagreed. “And we’re family, whatever we are. You’ve been in my life a long time.”
Ruthven nodded. He said, “Dylan, you were always a little smarter, a little more together than me.”
“I’m three years younger than you.”
“That doesn’t seem to matter,” he said.
“So, are you with Lance now?”
“I’m not with anybody now,” Dylan said. “I did a really stupid thing. I’ve been crawling in and out of bed with someone since I was a kid. They say things like that make you a slut or whatever.” Dylan shook his head. “They make you half a person, because you don’t know how to be alone. I’ve always had to have somebody, some drama. I didn’t break up with you for Lance. I did it because I had never been alone.”
“I thought you did it so you could sleep around.”
Dylan couldn’t tell if Ruthven was joking with him, and he really didn’t want to ask.
“Well, are you still sleeping around?”
“That’s the second time you’ve said that in one minute.”
“Cause I know you.”
“I know you too, a little,” Dylan said. He was about to remind him of a night in California when they’d gone back with his much older friends and spent the night in something like an orgy. But that was a thing they never discussed, and he couldn’t open his mouth to form those words in his father’s house. That was a secret buried deep inside of him, and he’d never told anyone, not even Laurel, about it.
“I wasn’t trying to piss you off, Dyl. God. It’s just you always had a way with the boys. And the men. And you are good looking. So…”
Dylan sighed and said, “If you’re asking if I’ve been celibate since we broke up, then no.”
“Oh, well, I knew that,” Ruthven said, reminding Dylan of exactly why they weren’t together. “But you and Lance?”
“You wanna know if I’m fucking him?”
“Well, are you?”
Dylan frowned at him. Then he said, “Are you asking because you’re curious, or asking because you thought you’d fuck me while you were here?”
“Well, we were together. We have been together. You used to think I was the best you ever had.”
Dylan wanted to say that at the time Ruthven was the only man he’d ever been with. His experience had been Lance, still very much a boy. Later his curiosity had led him to affairs with grown men, much too old. Ruthven would have, by necessity, been the best he’d ever had. Lance was a grown man now, and what was more, a man who had grown with him. Dylan had never himself felt like a grown man until the same time Lance had, so they discovered adult friendship and adult love together. What was between them was so different from what Dylan had shared with Ruthven.
“Lance is grown now.”
“Yeah,” Ruthven said, sourly. “I bet now he really is fun to fuck.”
Tiredly, Dylan said, “If you wanna be reductionist about it, sure.”
“You love him?”
“Yes.”
“Is he staying here tonight?”
“Probably.” Then Dylan added, “Definitely.”
“With your Dad’s blessings, no doubt.”
Dylan didn’t say anything to this.
“Damn, I remember when you despised Lance Bishop—”
“I never despised Lance—”
“You left him for me, and now, even though you won’t admit it, you left me for him. I get it. He turned out hot. Hell, I’d fuck him too except I think we probably hate each other. Well,” Ruthven stood up, “you two have fun with that.”
“Hey,” Dylan said. “This whole thing would have been taken care of much faster if you had just said, from the beginning, ‘Dylan, can I fuck you tonight?’”
“Well,” Ruthven came back to the bed, where Dylan sat. He leaned into his ear until his lips touched Dylan, and the soft roughness of his little beard stroked Dylan’s neck.
“Can I fuck you?”
He hated how Ruthven could make his body respond. He hated that part of him yearned—yes, this stretching, this hardening was what the word yearn must mean—to say yes.
Dylan looked at him.
“No.”

HOPE YOU ENJOYED: TOMORROW NIGHT: THE BLOOD. wE WILL RETURN TO ROSSFORD ON THURSDAY

 

[CharmedFan28]

I did enjoy this portion! Sounds like Ruthven isn't over Dylan even though Dylan is over him. As much as I dislike Sean I hope he makes up with Bryant eventually. Maia is turning out to be a very interesting character indeed. Great writing and I look forward to The Blood tomorrow night! I hope you are having a good week.

 

[ChrisGibson]

Ruthven is definitely.... something. And we're about to see what his somethingness is going to create in the lives of other people. Do you dislike Sean? That makes sense, It's just realized that since I created him and know all about him and what happens to him I would have a very different idea about him. I didn't create him to be likeable, but I forgot that he wasn't. In a way he's like a mini Bryant. All the Babcocks are dislikeable when you meet them--except for Father Frank I guess. Let's see how you feel about Sean by the end of the book. Oh, and yes, I am having a lovely week. Hope you are too.

 

[ChrisGibson]

A LOT HAPPENING TONIGHT. TIME TO GET TO KNOW THE ANDERSON-STANLEY BROTHERS A LITTLE MORE, THE END OF CHAPTER TWO AND THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER THREE

“Oh, I’m so sorry, man.”
“That’s alright.”
“Let me clean that up for you.”
“Never mind,” Kenny said. “I got it.”
He wiped up the punch, dabbing at his sweat jacket and said, “That’s why I always wear something over my good clothes when I go to a party.”
Ruthven laughed and shrugged, He had on a tee shirt over a long sleeve and said, “That’s why I never wear good clothes.”
“You look like a deeply distracted soul.”
“I am a deeply angered soul.” Ruthven said, frankly.
“About?”
“That was out of place,” Ruthven said. “I shouldn’t have… I need better manners.”
Kenny shrugged and said, “You were just saying what was on your mind.”
“My ex boyfriend is on my mind. It’s like things work out for one day, and then the next day you’re split up and how the hell did you get here?”
“I know exactly what you mean?” Kenny said.
“You do?”
“Exactly. I’m a little distracted. My ex is here and so is the man who’s trying to bone me.”
“Get out! Do they know each other?”
“I don’t think so, and I just met this one tonight.”
“Well, hell yeah!” Ruthven toasted him.
“Hell, no. I think he’s a bad idea.”
“Why?”
“Cause I’ll fall in love with him.
“Say…” Kenny snapped his fingers. “I know you.”
“You know Todd Meradan?”
“Of course.”
“I’m his nephew.”
“Oh, alright. You’re Ruthven. Your ex… Dylan?”
“Right?”
“Wow, that was a whole relationship that wasn’t supposed to happen. That was a lot of drama.”
“And now it turns out very unnecessary drama. Crap that didn’t even need to happen.”
Kenny shook his head.
“Sometimes I wonder if any of it needs to happen.”




Dylan, I love you. I want you to know that. I don’t think I say it unless we’re in bed together or half asleep, but I do love you. I never stopped. When I’m gone from you I wait for your calls and your letters and when I’m back in town I hate being away from you.
Why’d that son of a bitch have to come tonight? I wish I could punch him in the fucking face, but instead I say, “Go be with him. Go talk to him. I’ll be back.”
Because I’m afraid. I remember what I was like when I was desperate, what we both were like. You said claustrophobic. You were right, that’s exactly what it was. And I remember that day… I can’t think about it, but I can’t stop thinking about it. What happened? What we did to each other. What I did to you. It makes me not trust myself, not trust being angry. I’m so afraid that monster will come out again. I’m so afraid I’ll never get away from him, or that when we’re together, when we’re making love, when it’s intense, then that demon will come agaian. And now look at me, look at you. If we ever slipped into that place again who knows what would happen? I’m too big, too strong, too out of control. I don’t ever want to be out of control like that again.
When it happened, all those years ago, when I knew what I had done I felt so sick. So dirty. There are moments now, years later, when the day is bright and everything seems so beautiful, and then I slip into that darkness. I’m in that day again where I did what I did. I want to die.
So that’s why I’m careful with us. That’s why I walked away tonight and won’t come back until after midnight. That’s why I keep my distance, always try to check my emotions, my lust. That’s why I always whisper, “Are you okay? Are you alright?” when we make love.
That’s why we can be friends, friends who sleep in the same bed, but why I would never be your boyfriend again, not in a million years, Dylan Mesda.

@@@@@@@@@@@@



IN THE BACK OF the car she sits on his lap while he fucks her. Once it felt good, or twice, but the bulk of the time she just went with it. Hunter’s good looking and that’s supposed to mean something. The moment when he enters her is supposed to be the moment when life begins. That first time how strange it was. Now she’s used to it.
Under her he moves up and down, pushing his cock into her, pulling her down harder and harder. Her thighs ache straddling his waist, but it’s beginning to feel good. It feels so nice, so good. Right now. It’s feeling good for the first time in a while and then—”
“Oooooh,” he groans.
“Fuck.”
He pulls out of her, and rolling to the side, zips his pants back up.
“You’re done?” Maris said, sitting back down and attempting to straighten her underwear, pull down her skirt.
“Yup,” Hunter says.
After a moment he says, “Well, what are you still doing here?”
He leans past her, opens the car door and shows her the way out.
The car drives off and there Maris stands on Demming Street. The air’s getting cool. Winter’s approaching.
She hears laughing and wants to hide in an entryway or in an alley. She moves into a corner and across the street she sees them.
That girl is Maia Meradan, and she is in the middle of boys she probably would never let treat her badly. The Anderson Twins. Their parents are a gay couple. Everyone at school knows that. Smiling, Bennett he looks at Maia like he might kiss her or something. But the moment passes. Elias, good looking enough, says something, and they all head off into the dark, laughing.
“Bennett Anderson,” Maris thinks. “Now, he would treat a girl good.”






THREE



PRESENTS

Sheridan arrived at the party with Logan Banford, and Logan, looking around, said, “Maybe we should have gone someplace else. This place is crowded.”
“Hey you guys!”
Sheridan turned around for the voice and saw Kenny standing with… Dylan’s ex boyfriend.
“Merry Christmas, Kenny,” Sheridan said, looking at him carefully.
“Are you guys just getting here?”
“Yeah,” said Sheridan. “You heading out?”
“Uh, uh. Me and this guy over here are seeing what else is going on in town.”
“On Christmas Eve?” Logan said.
“Yes, Logan,” said Kenny. “On Christmas Eve.”
Kenny handed Ruthven his coat, and then he directed Ruthven Meradan to the door saying, “If a certain dark haired man asks where the auburn prince has gone, tell him he’s retired for the evening.”
“Auburn…” Sheridan began.
But Ruthven hooked an arm through Kenny’s and said, “Come along, auburn prince.”
The two men tittered, heading out the door and Logan, looking at Sheridan, wondered: “What the fuck was that?”


“Hey, Bennett!” Maris shouted over the blaring music. “What’s that in your cup?”
“I’m thinking it’s beer.”
Maris looked into the cup and grinned. She took it and sipped.
“You’re thinking?”
He shrugged.
“Yeah, Bennett, that’s some cheap beer. So what’s up? What brought you out?”
“Whaddo you mean? I come out all the time.”
“You don’t,” Maris said. “And that’s a fact. You’re one of the good boys.”
“Oh, I can be bad when I want to be.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Maris gave him a silly look and he grinned and shrugged.
“I don’t really know.”
“Bennett!” he heard his name called sharply.
He looked around this semi dark room of half drunk teenagers, and couldn’t see a one who would have called out to him like that. Then, suddenly, there she was.
“Maia?”
“Bennett,” Maia said again.
“You’re Maia Meradan,” Maris said.
“Yes,” Maia said, calmly.
“Well, that’s the second person at this party I didn’t expect to see, Siddown and have a drink.”
“Not just yet. Bennett, can I talk to you?”
“I’m having a conversation with the lady.”
Maia looked at Maris who said, “You know what? It’s alright. I’ll be right over there.”
She pointed past her.
“Why are you here?” Bennett said, not unkindly.
“Why are you here?” Maia demanded.
“I got invited.”
“And I’m inviting you to get up and be where you should be.”
“Oh, my God, Maia! You’re not my mother.”
“No. If I was, I’d be some college student who needed money and didn’t care where her babies went after she had them.”
“That’s low.”
“It can get lower, and it can get considerably,” her eyes roved the room, “Blacker, if you don’t go over to your little friend—who’s everybody’s friend by the way—and say goodnight.”
“Are you—?” Bennett realized he was getting loud and lowered his voice. “Are you threatening me?”
“Yes,” Maia said.
The two of them looked at each other, and then Bennett took a breath and said, “I’ll be right back.”
He moved a few paces over and sat down next to Maris.
“You back?”
“I gotta go,” Bennett said. “It’s a family thing.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah, I know. Nice meeting you, though.”
Bennett stood up.
“Hey,” Maris said.
“Um hum.”
“Would you like to go out later or something?”
“Aren’t I supposed to ask you that?”
Maris chuckled and said, “That’s cute.
“Sure. Ask me out.”
“Would you like to go out with me, Maris?”
Maris stood up, and reaching into her pocket she pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled on it.
“Here,” she said, stuffing it in his breast pocket, “is my number.”
She pushed him away a little and said, before turning around, “Good night.”
When Bennett approached Maia, she said, “You like her or something?”
“Why not?” Bennett said, as he and Maia threaded their way through the party goers and out of the door.
“Because she’s a slut,” said Maia.

“Dylan, are you alright?”
“What’s that?” Dylan shook his head and turned around. “Oh, Elias!”
“I said, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Dylan put his hand on Elias’s arm. “What about you?”
“Well, of course I’m fine,” Elias told him. “But you—with Lance and… everything. I just wanted to ask if you were okay.”
Dylan hugged Elias quickly and said, “I’m just fine. You going to the church now?”
“Well Mass is a little more than an hour off, and I’m in the choir.”
“You need a ride?”
“I was just going to walk. Or go over with Meredith.”
“No,” Dylan told him. “Let me get the keys from Dad. I’ll be right back.”
“I really don’t mind,” Elias began, but Dylan was already gone.
The front door opened and Matthew came up behind Elias saying, “Your twin is back.”
He was in the middle of Laurel, Maia and Alex.
“I wonder if Maia knows she likes Bennett?”
“What?” Elias said. “No she doesn’t.”
Then he looked at his younger brother. Bennett was special because they really were twins. They had shared a womb. They had the same birth mother and the same egg donor. Matthew was not genetically linked to either of them. He came out of nowhere and was in some way closed to Elias. He was the one who looked like him, though.
“Are you sure?” he said. Matthew always knew things.
Matthew shrugged and said, “I probably shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Alright, you ready?” Dylan came back. “You going too, Matthew?”
Matthew looked at Elias who said, “Yeah, he is.”
“Well then come on, kids,” Dylan said, throwing an arm over both boys. “Let’s go.”


“This years been so busy we don’t even really get to see each other,” Dylan said.
“Well, you’ve got graduation and planning for college and everything,” Elias told him.
“I still don’t know where I’m going to go.”
“You could go to Loretto,” Elias suggested.
“Dylan probably wants to go to Union,” Matthew said from the backseat.
Elias and Dylan were both quiet.
“Did I say something I wasn’t supposed to? I only meant… Well, for Lance.”
They were quiet and then Matthew said, “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“The kid knows stuff,” Elias said, leaning back to ruffle his younger brother’s hair.
“It’s alright,” Dylan leaned back and told Matthew. “I just didn’t know I was that obvious.”
“Well, he’s your best friend, and you love him,” Matthew said. “And when people love each other they should be together. That’s all.”
“Hey,” Dylan said, as they came out onto Dorr. “You guys wanna drive in circles a bit before I drop you off. Just… look around town a bit? See some lights? It’s been a while.”
“Yeah,” Elias said. “Let’s go.”
They went in the opposite direction of Saint Barbara’s, southwest down Dorr, seeing the patterns of the Christmas lights on the ranch houses that lined the street.
“Do you remember when we built that ice house?” Elias asked.
“I remember you almost had frostbite, and me and Sheridan had to rush you home before your fingers fell off.”
“And Aunt Claire went nuts,” Matthew said.
“I wasn’t worried,” Elias said, solemnly.
He elaborated: “I was scared a bit. At first. And then Dylan had me and I knew I’d be okay.”
Dylan looked at Elias quickly and then looked away, paying attention to the road.
“That’s why even though I understand you going to school with Lance,” Elias said, “I’d still be happy if you stayed here.”



“It’s almost eleven thirty,” Fenn announced. “Time for folks to start rolling up out of here.”
“When are you coming?” Adele said.
“I want to get this house straightened up a little,” her brother said.
“I can help.”
“I can help too,” Nell said.
“That’s when it’s good to have dependable old friends.”
Adele shouted in the direction of Tom and Lee, who were putting on their coats, “That’s when it’s good to have dependable old friends.”
Tom, looking forlorn, said, “Do you need me to help?”
“No,” Fenn greeted him with a flat look.
Tom gave a sigh of relief and Fenn told Lee, “Take him, please.”
Brendan came out of the kitchen asking: “Has anyone seen Kenny?”
The very pregnant Meredith had followed him, and she looked to Dena.
“Kenny left about an hour ago,” she said. “He was talking about the Auburn Prince has left the building. Or something.”
“What the fuck?” Fenn muttered, picking up the nearly empty punch bowl.
“Fenn!” Adele reprimanded. He shrugged, and said, as he was going into the kitchen, “Everybody’s grown here.”
“He went off with Ruthven,” Sheridan said, frankly.
“Ruthven?” Brendan began at the same time that Todd, sitting on the sofa, said, “My nephew?”
“Yeah,” Sheridan said. “I guess they went to… look around town.”
“What the hell is there to look at in Rossford at eleven thirty,” Adele said and Sheridan answered, “Bars. Go to a restaurant or something.”
It seemed a little unlikely, and Sheridan stood up and steered Brendan to the front of the house, near the door.
“I shouldn’t have said that outloud the way I did.”
“It’s all right,” Brendan said.
“Do they even know?”
Brendan shook his head.
“I didn’t feel the need to share it with the whole world right away.”
“Well… are you still going to church?”
“It’s Christmas midnight Mass. Of course.”
“Then go with me and Logan.”
“I didn’t know you and Logan went to church,” Brendan said in a tone that meant he knew Sheridan and Logan didn’t go to church.
“Oh, yeah, we love this old one off the Belmont El stop. Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Not far from Logan’s place.”
He did love it. Sheridan had even been inside of it and looked around. He had never worshiped in it, though, and while Brendan suspected this was the case, he nodded his head and said, “Alright. Let me go get my coat.”
“Are you coming or not?” they asked Meredith.
Meredith yawned, and placing her hands on her belly, said, “Not.”
“You never miss a midnight Mass,” Chay informed her.
“I know. But this one I am going to miss. Cayla and Elijah have been sleeping upstairs. I can wake them up enough to get home, but not to keep them up for church, and I don’t know if I have the energy for it myself.”
“Well, you know,” Chay told her. “I’m not greatly attached to the idea of going to church. We could stay with you.”
“That’s alright,” Meredith began. And then she said, “Really?”
Chay looked to Casey, and the older man nodded and said, “Really.”
“Oh, good. I didn’t want to sit in Nell’s big ole house alone.”

SEE YOU IN A FEW DAYS

 

[CharmedFan28]

Wow you were right, lots going on! A lot to process. Brendan is still one of my favourite characters so I feel sorry for him at the moment. I hope he finds happiness either with someone new or just happiness within himself. I am still enjoying this story a lot and that was some great writing! See you in a few days.

 

[ChrisGibson]

I don't know what to add to that. Brendan finding happiness is going to be a big part of this story.

 

[ChrisGibson]

POSTING A LITTLE LATE TONIGHT


IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

As the choir sang above them, Logan looked about Saint Barbara’s. It didn’t remind him of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at all. The seats were slowly filling, and at the altar was the manger scene. He didn’t believe in much about Christianity or Jesus, but he believed in this He believed in Christmas and couldn’t exactly explain what he meant by that.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

“This is a nice little church,” Logan said. “I’ve never been in here before. I’ve only been in Saint Aggie’s.”
“Um,” Brendan frowned.
“Brendan is Saint Barbara’s for life,” Sheridan explained.
“Seriously? Does it make a difference?”
Brendan did not explain. Sheridan did.
“There is an intense rivalry between Saint Agatha’s and Saint Barbara’s. I mean, it’s so serious that even though Saint Barbara’s has the only Catholic high school in town, parishioners from Saint Agatha’s send their kids out of town.
“They’re snooty,” Brendan shrugged.
“Except Kenny’s family went to Saint Agatha’s, I think.”
“Well, there are exceptions.”
“I think I remember Kirk Stanley’s family goes there,” Logan said. “Though I can’t be sure.”
“Like I said,” Brendan repeated, “there are exceptions.”
“Bryant Babcock is the head of music there.”
“Well, that just proves it,” Brendan nodded triumphantly.
But while the two around him chuckled, Brendan became instantly melancholy again.
“You know, since I was a senior in high school, me and Kenny have always gone to Midnight Mass together. Except for one year,” Brendan remembered, accurately.
“Well, how about this?” Logan wrapped an around Brendan.
“We’ll be going to Sheridan’s family after this, and so you can start a new tradition with us. How’s that?”





“I’ll go put some tea on,” Meredith said. “Or cocoa? Cocoa is better.”
“I’ll go make cocoa,” Chay told her, moving to the stove, “and you can just go sit down and relax.”
Meredith smiled and nodded.
“I’ll be in the library,” she said, and headed there.
Old books lined the sizable library of the Meradan house where Nell had grown up, and having inherited it from her mother, lived with two husbands. There had been a large television in it as long as Meredith could remember, an old console like a piece of furniture, and she turned this on struggling, for some reception. Digital TV was worse than analog, no fuzzy screens. Either it worked or it didn’t. Most of the time, in this room, it didn’t. Meredith shrugged and opened the cabinet above to turn on the stereo.
“From Cambridge earlier today we will be running this season’s Festival of Lessons and Carols.”
“That suits,” Meredith decided. There was really nothing like British children singing to make her feel like Christmas had come.
She looked from the large window out onto the backyard dusted from the remnants of snow. This was not a white Christmas. And then she pulled them close a little, found her favorite couch, maneuvered herself onto it, and lay back, waiting for Casey and Chay.
When Chay was coming in, in his sportsjacket, followed by Casey, Meredith realized she must have drifted off.
“You really did need to stay home tonight,” Casey assessed.
“Here you go,” Chay said, putting the mug of cocoa before her.
“Oh, wow,” Meredith marveled, moving her feet so Casey could sit down. “This is great. Thanks guys.” She yawned again, “I’m a terrible hostess.”
Chay, who looked so different with short hair and that beard, gave her a white toothed smile. He was so handsome and little, Meredith thought. She’d never actually looked at him like a man, but now she understood what Casey saw in him.
“Just think of me as the hostess,” said Chay.

Casey was snoring on the sofa, and Meredith, in the windowseat, said, “If you’re in Chicago and I’m in Chicago, how come we never see each other?”
“Because Casey’s studio is in Chicago, but we’re always flying to LA and to conventions.”
“What’s that like, Chay?” Meredith said, amazed. “To be high flying porn people?”
“It keeps money in the bank,” Chay shrugged. “But really, it’s about making a name for a lot of former clients. And the thing is I’ve been with Casey so long. I remember when he first started out. It was just him. And now he doesn’t even direct most of the things he does let alone participate.”
“You stood by him all those years,” Meredith marveled.
“Well, he was worth standing by. And he stood by me. I know no one understood it. We didn’t even understand it. But…” Chay turned around and watched Casey, mouth a little open, arms flung back, asleep on the couch.
“He needed someone to love him,” Chay reflected. “I don’t think anyone ever realized how much he needed to be loved. And how much he needs to love. It took me a long time to understand it, but with him it’s so powerful. I love him so much. He loves me so much. That’s the real secret.”
“When I hear you speak that way I wonder if I’ve ever been in love at all.”
“You’re married.”
“I know that, Chay. I don’t need you to tell me that.”
“What about Mathan?”
“I loved him,” Meredith said quietly. “But not with the love you’re talking about.”
Chay was bothered by this and said, “But that’s just the way I talk. You know me. I like drama. I love the drama. My love life has been crazy.”
“You’ve slept with two people in your life and you loved both of them. That’s not crazy.”
“I was fifteen and Casey was—”
“Much older. But still.”
After a while Chay reflected.
“I loved Sheridan.”
“Do you still?”
“Well, I love Casey.”
“It’s that easy?”
“Yes. I loved Sheridan but he did me wrong too many times. He wasn’t evil about it. It was just… I don’t know. That last time, when he left me for Logan I realized that Logan was deep inside of him in a way I couldn’t be. Didn’t care about being. And the love I’d had for Casey, the love that had always been so complicated suddenly became a lot less complicated.
“I never looked back.”
“Before Mathan and I split up we spent this period just having sex anywhere we could.”
Chay waited for her to continue.
“I was in love with Kip Danley.”
“The guy that was involved with Robin and the rape.”
“Yes. I wrote him in juvy. I wrote him after he got out, and for some reason I thought I was bound to him. And then when I finally got the courage for it I went to him before I realized that it was crazy. And then even though things were dead with Mathan, I kept it up with him too, thinking that somehow sex could make the spark come back. It couldn’t, and I’ve been trying to get the spark back ever since.”
“Maybe…” Chay took a breath. The cup of cocoa hung in his hand.
“Maybe what?” said Meredith.
“Maybe everyone isn’t supposed to have a spark.”

Organ music blared over the exiting congregation, and Dylan, touching Fenn, said, “I’m going up to hang out with Dad.”
Fenn nodded and touched Dylan on the back of his head while his son exited to head up into the choir loft.
“Where is everyone off to?” Todd asked.
“Off to bed, it’s one in the morning.”
“We were gonna hang out a little,” Sheridan said, encompassing Logan.
“At the house?” Will said.
“I thought you and Layla were coming.”
“Will and Layla have their own place,” Layla said. “And aren’t your folks sleeping?”
“Well, we’ll be in the basement.”
“Do you really want to go to sleep?” Will asked Layla.
“I could be persuaded to stay up,” she shrugged.
“Dena,” she whispered as Dena approached with Rob holding her hand and Cara asleep in Milo’s arms.
“Hum?”
“I was just about to ask if you all were going to bed, but now I see that was a stupid question.”
“Not so much stupid as woefully optimistic,” Dena told her. “I’ve got to get these creatures into bed and the whole thing is they’ll have us up before six.”
“Bren,” Dena said, “Why don’t you hang out at their little Christmas after party?”
“Not tonight,” Brendan shook his head. “Tonight, I’m going to sleep.”
“You,” Logan told him, “are no fun.”
“I’m not going to argue you,” Brendan said. “I’m just going home.”
As he began hugging them all, working his way to Fenn and Todd he said, “Goodnight you guys.”

 

[CharmedFan28]

That was an excellent portion! I am glad Brendan is moving on in life even if it is just in small ways. I still think Meredith and Mathan might get back together but I could be wrong. Great writing and I look forward to more soon! I hope you are having a nice weekend.

 

[ChrisGibson]

Well, now, anything can happen in Rossford. I am sleepy weekend, and continue to sleep some more. You have a good Sunday. See you tomorrow.

 

[ChrisGibson]

TONIGHT, BRENDAN LEARNS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SINGLE

Dylan watched his father on the organ. For a moment Tom Mesda looked up and said, “Do you need me, Son?”
“Not really,” Dylan told him, sitting down beside his father. “I just like watching you play.”
Tom played like a lover, eyes closed, shoulders heaving, body swaying as the instrument moaned under him. Tom urged it to great and greater heights, before bringing it down. His fingers were so gentle on the keys. For a moment the shock went through him that Tom was his father. Yes, Fenn was his father, and in a way his mother, and if he thought about it, the final word rested with him. Fenn was also, for better or worse, his secret keeper and his chief advice giver. But this man right here was the one from whom his physical traits, his musical ability, his lauded good looks that got him into so much trouble had all come. This was the man he felt somehow protective of, the father he didn’t tell everything to, the one who, once he had fought with violently. He watched Tom finish, and when Tom was done, he looked up at Dylan and smiled.
“I remember the first time your mother put you in my arms… I almost cried. I loved you so much, and you were mine. You were my son. You were me. I named you Dylan without even thinking about it.
“Are you ready to go, Son?” he said.
“Yes,” Dylan told him.

If only they had said nothing. Things were not bad, Brendan thought. Things could have gone on like this forever. Kenny would have been beside him tonight.
Christmas did not make him think of the present, and he’d never had the sort of mind that went into the future. Brendan thought of what had been, and every Christmas he remembered that first Christmas party with Kenny. It had, in fact, been the same one where Layla, having discovered Julian and Vanessa, brought her aunt to Fenn’s house. It had been that same Christmas that Fenn and Tom had been given Dylan. That night he and Kenny had been in matching clothes, new and full of hope, and the whole ugliness with Dena was finally past. In Kenny’s house, in Kenny’s bed, they had made love and fallen asleep. The memory of Christmas party, of holy Mass and fucking in the dark combined to stir something deep in Brendan.
“Maybe tonight,” he thought. “Maybe tonight, a seasonal miracle, something would be rekindled. He had gone home and forsaken parties because he couldn’t bear to go to a party alone, firstly. And then because he thought, in the back of his mind, something would happen with Kenny.
He parked on the street before their house, and on his way up the little hill, took off his glove and fiddled for the house key. He unlocked the door, and the house was in darkness.
Don’t wake Kenny. Or wake him gently.
He stood in the living room wondering if he should or not, and then decided he wanted to go to him. He took off his noisy shoes and padded up the steps, then down the hall.
“Damn, Kenneth,” he muttered walking into a pile of Kenny’s clothes, tossed on the hall floor.
He heard a startled sound, and went to the open door.
The window curtains were open, and the moonlight shone in. Kenny was kneeling in the middle of the bed, grinding as he fucked himself on the man lying beneath him. His eyes were closed, and his beautiful face was arched as he pumped up and down, up and down. Brendan allowed himself to walk into the room, standing in the shadows. Glassy eyed, mouth open, Ruthven Meradan was under him. Brendan stood there a little and then, as a gasp escaped Ruthven’s mouth, and Kenny panted: “Oh… fuck!” Brendan turned to leave.



A relationship of nearly eighteen years prevented one from the knowledge of one night stands. He had broken up with Brendan a few times, and once or twice there had been someone during those break ups. The last time it had been Chad North, but that had turned into a prolonged affair and ended up in friendship.
That night, at the Christmas party, Kenneth McGrath felt that there was nothing he would rather do than go to bed with Sean Babcock. This was strange for him. When he’d met Brendan they were both boys, and the desire that had grown between them was nothing like this. The desire for Chad was the desire for being touched and being with a warm person. This adult fire in him, as he stood across from Sean Babcock, was something very different. The moment he was able to get away from Sean, he turned the full force of his lust upon Ruthven Meradan.
It wasn’t that Ruthven wasn’t good looking. He was, very much so. It was only that Kenny hated the idea of casual sex with someone it made more sense to begin a relationship with instead. The more he talked to him, the more it seemed like nothing but sex and maybe acquaintanceship would come from Ruthven, and when he began to gauge that Ruthven might want the same thing, then it made sense to extricate himself from Sean and go around the town building up a vibe with this boy. It had been so long since he’d just taken a virtual stranger to bed, but in the end it was so hot and so exciting. As he rode him into the night he realized it was the most intense sex he’d had in years, something he had not experienced with Brendan in a very long time.
As Kenny lay in the half dark, a little exhausted, Ruthven sat on the edge of the bed. Kenny sat up as well, admiring his body, but what he said was: “Brendan never came home.”
To this Ruthven said, “I’m getting hard again.”
He was. That was true.
“I don’t think he’s coming home,” Kenny realized.
“Last night was hot,” said Ruthven “Especially going down on you.”
Kenny was instantly hard. For a moment he reflected that this Ruthven wasn’t very complicated. He was, in fact, the boy that had been screwing Dylan Mesda for years. Kenny didn’t know what to make of it, and then he decided there really wasn’t anything to make of it.
He took Ruthven’s hand and pressed it between his legs, urging him to rub.
“Do you think that this time you would like to fuck me?” Ruthven said.
“Yes,” said Kenny.

“Alright,” Fenn said, “Dylan’s with Tom, Maia’s with Tara. No one’s coming over until at least eleven.”
Todd sighed and looked around the living room.
“The house is ours again,” he declared. “Atleast for the next ten hours.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Oh, fuck!” Fenn stomped his foot.
“Who would that be?” Todd wondered, going to the front door.
“Who wouldn’t it be?” Fenn said and followed him.
“Brendan?” Todd said, opening the door while Brendan Miller stepped in.
“Oh, Brendan,” Fenn said, joining him. “You look terrible.”
“Guys,” Brendan began, “would it be too much to get back my old key to the apartment?”


It was the time when, with Brendan there would be close hugging and spooning, lifting the covers to drift off to sleep, when he and Ruthven lay naked, looking at the ceiling and then Ruthven stretched, yawned and said, “I should probably be going. It’s a big day tomorrow.”
Kenny nodded and Ruthven rose from the bed.
“Can I use your restroom?”
“It’s right down the hall,” Kenny told him.
A few moments later, Kenny could hear the water running, but chiefest on his mind was the question of Brendan’s whereabouts. He didn’t want Ruthven to stay, that would have been not so much awkward as… an imposition. He remembered waking up next to Chad after their first time and not being put off by it. But he couldn’t imagine waking up with Ruthven.
Ruthven came back in, dressing, and Kenny got out of bed to dress as well. He had to let Ruthven out and be a gentleman about it. He didn’t have a lot of experience outside of Brendan, but he remembered men who had dirty houses, men who tried to chew gum while having sex, men who had no hometraining.
“Can I get you something before you go?”
“No, man, that’s alright,” Ruthven said, pulling on his sweater. He wasn’t a bad sort.
“I’ll walk you,” Kenny said, flipping on a light. “Let me just make sure you’ve got everything.”
Ruthven patted himself down and Kenny looked around the room.
“Yup,” he said. “That’s about it.”
They went downstairs through the house and then at the door, Ruthven turned and kissed him on the mouth.
“Night, stranger,” he said, adjusting his baseball cap. He headed out, shuffling to his car. Kenny left the porch light on until the car drove off, and then he turned around and went back to bed.


In the early morning, Todd Meradan opened his eyes and looked around the semi darkness of his bedroom. He lay in that half conscious space of weighing if he could go back to sleep before going to the bathroom, or if he dared to walk the ten feet across the room and shut the door with a grunt. A very long time ago, Fenn had said, “Once I went to a friend’s house, and her husband went to the bathroom with the door wide open. Everything about him was wide open, his pants, his gas, his clothes all over the floor. And I always disapproved of that.”
In the bathroom Todd took two of the generic Excedrins as well because he was feeling his age today, and when he came out Fenn was sitting up half awake.
“Are we going back to bed?”
“I was waiting for you to get out of the restroom,” Fenn said. “Nature is calling.”
In the darkness he went in now, and when he came out Todd scooted over in bed and pulled back the covers for him.
“I gargled in there,” Todd said. “And cleaned up a little.”
Fenn pulled the covers around himself and pulled Todd to him.
“Are you trying to say something.”
“I noticed you did too.”
“No, my breath is always minty fresh.”
Leaning on his side, Todd kissed him.
“There’s no one here,” he said, kissing Fenn again. “No one’s going to be here until at least eleven.”
“What time is it?” Fenn asked him, although he was already on his back, and Todd was pushing the covers away, and placing his body between Fenn’s legs.
“Time for this,” Todd told him, kissing down his neck, and taking his tongue up and down his body. “Time for this.”
While Todd made love to him lower and lower, and Fenn planted his hands in Todd’s hair and massaged his neck, he said, somewhat breathlessly, “I think you’re right.”

MORE TOMORROW NIGHT!

 

[CharmedFan28]

Poor Brendan. I guess he has learnt for sure that Kenny is moving on. I look forward to reading what happens with him next. It is always nice to read some of Todd and Fenn together. Great writing and I look forward to more soon!

 

[ChrisGibson]

Certainly poor Bren! What a way for it to be driven home that things are over. I know how he feels. He was trying to go back to the past, but now he must move ahead. Perhaps the love of Fenn and Todd shows a map of what that looks like.

 

[ChrisGibson]

CHAPTER THREE CONTINUED

Dylan Mesda woke up bright and alive that morning. His body sang with a longing for Lance. In the end they both decided that him being with his family and Dylan staying with Tom was more important, that they would have all the nights until New Year, and so Dylan woke up in his room at Tom and Lee’s.
From the living room he could hear his father playing the piano. It was no Christmas song. It was Dave Brubeck. It was Time Out. Dylan lay in the covers listening, and then he closed his eyes tight, clenched his feet, clenched, his toes and let the music thrust through him. His eyes flew open and he pushed out of bed going to the corner of the room for his saxophone. He knew it so well he didn’t needed to turn on the light. Trumpet was well and good sometimes, but this was a saxophone morning. He pulled on his top and pj bottoms and slipped his feet into house shoes, and then headed out of his room, playing along to the piano. He came to the top of the stairs, looked down into the living room, and then went down into it. Tom was looking up at him, and he was looking down at Tom and the two of them were in perfect sync playing to each other, trying not to smile, dipping in and out of the others rhythms. Danasia, Ron and Lee sat on the couch, and the children were waking. Even though it was scarcely seven in the morning, Danny had a drink in her hand, and she stood up and held her hand out to her husband. Ron rose and as Dylan came down the steps, the Lewises did an intricate waltz in the middle of the living room, Ron dipping his wife, Danny being dipped in an ecstasy. Lee, snapping his fingers began to scat as the music intensified and Dylan, now by his father played on.

The grey Christmas morning light was not working hard to push through the drawn curtains. He smelled so good. He was so close to him. He was in him. It was like he was young again, just a boy again. In a way Todd would always be his boy. And there was no need to be quiet, to worry about the noise of the bed. It was just like that paradise when he first had the house, and it was the first place he had ever lived alone, and Todd came over to do whatever. Fenn lifted his legs for him, he pulled him in deeper, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth and wrapped his arms tight around Todd, running his hands up and down his back, reaching down and down to run his hands over the ass that flexed, the ass that pumped in and out as the man moved in him, his head arching up, his mouth open, head descending, face enraptured, now eyes demonlike, now face buried in his shoulder. They moved like this into the morning until Todd suddenly shouted, shuddered and twisted. They twisted together as he came, his body convulsing as Fenn held him.
For a long time the shock ran through Todd’s long body. Mouth open he lay back, shaking and seizing, and then they were quiet while, with his large hand he stroked Fenn.
“Come here, baby,” Todd said, eyes still closed, moving like a blind child. He pulled Fenn on top of him. “Come and get yours. I wanna see you get yours.”

Tom’s playing grew more and more frantic, Lee’s scatting reached fever pitch; he made up words with the power of tongues tripping over each other. Dylan blew till his lips nearly exploded, the notes of the sax reaching past the ceiling, into the rafters until Danny and Ron stopped dancing and stood in wonder. They all stood in wonder, and then there was only silence.
Dylan stood there white and shaken, blinking, the saxophone hanging loose in his hands and Lee looked at the boy and said, “My God! My God!”

“My God,” Fenn whispered.
There was that deep silence that always came after. And then the sound of both their breaths and their chests heaving. They looked up into the dark, lying on their backs, side by side.
“If you were to ever be with someone else who would it be?”
“Seriously?” Fenn turned and looked at him.
“Yes?”
“On Christmas morning, after this, you’re asking me that?”
Todd lay on his side, his back to Fenn, and stretched out in comfort.
“You’ve got a point.”
Fenn, still on his back, said, “What about you?”
“I have no idea why I asked that question, now,” Todd said.
“Bryant.”
“No, it wouldn’t be Bryant,” Todd told him.
“That wasn’t a question. That was my answer. It would be Bryant Babcock.”
Todd turned and said, “Why?”
“You are my spouse. Tom is my ex. You were both with him. It seems fitting somehow. The two of you remind me of each other. Since you asked.”
“I just think that’s strange,” Todd said.
“I think it’s strange that you brought it up.”
“I agree,” Todd said. “Because I don’t think of being with anyone else. I don’t want to be with anyone else.”
“Not even if it was me and Bryant at the same time.”
“I don’t even think that would work.”
Todd lay back and laughed. Fenn sat up and reached around Todd to push his hand through his lover’s hair.
“I thought you would say Tom,” Todd told him.
“Really?”
“I think Tom is the man you loved as much as me.”
“I do love Tom,” Fenn said. “Do you want me to tell you the truth?”
“We’re both too old to lie,” Todd said.
“I do love Tom. I think… in another world or with another psychology where a man could have two husbands, I might even have him for one. We do have the same child. And a lot else. The fire is still there.”
“Oh, thanks—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Fenn said tenderly, putting his fingers over Todd’s lips.
“Whatever fire I have ever felt for anyone else, when I see you it is gone. Just to come in the house and see you with your legs sticking out under the sink while you’re fixing the disposal or… half asleep on the coach in an old plaid shirt and feed cap… There is nothing that heats me up more than that. And when you start to kiss me, to make love to me, it’s like you’re that boy fresh out of college, so full of fire that wanted me so much even though I couldn’t see why. And still can’t.”
“I’m no boy anymore,” Todd murmured, laughing as he curled his body closer to Fenn’s.
“No,” Fenn agreed, running the back of his hand up and down Todd’s cheek. “No, you’re not. You’re something much better.
“Now you’re a man.”

Someone was poking him in his face. Someone wouldn’t stop.
“Knock it off, would you?” Brendan demanded.
“Wake up, Uncle Bren! Get up!” the child’s voice insisted.
He blinked, and the curly haired caramel colored boy was looking down at him.
“Huston, that’s really enough.”
But the little boy, who was on the bed, who Brendan could see had made a stack of pillows in order to climb up the bed, climbed up to Brendan’s face and squeezed his cheeks.
“Mewwy Chwistmas, Uncle Brendan,” he said, kissing him full on the lips.
“Huston!” Brendan could hear his sister calling.
“Huston!”
“Mommy he’s up!” Huston told Carol as she walked in the room, one hand on her hip.
“Well,” Carol said, picking up Huston, “I would apologize, but it is time to get up and open presents.
“Mathan!” she called down the hall as she went out the door with Huston crowing, “Get up, Uncle Bwen! Get up!”
Outside in the hall, Carol made a noise and said, “Excuse me, sir,” and then a moment later, Sheridan Klasko walked in.
“What are you doing here?” Brendan said, climbing out of the bed.
“And a Merry Ass Christmas to you too,” said Sheridan. He held out a small box.
“I called over to your house early this morning, but Kenny said you weren’t there.”
“It’s a long story.”
“I got time.”
“I don’t, though,” Brendan said, feeling around on his childhood dresser and picking up his glasses case.
“I mean I need coffee.”
“Well, that’s right downstairs.”
Brendan put on his glasses and squinted through them, “How long have you been here?”
“Hour or so,” Sheridan shrugged. “This was the second place I called.”
“Let’s go get some coffee.”
Brendan motioned for Sheridan to follow and then said, “Is that for me?”
“Yes. Open it.”
“I didn’t get you anything.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“I got Kenny something. I got him something nice.”
“Just rub the salt in the old wound, Bren.”
“I hadn’t meant to,” Brendan said, sounding more serious that Sheridan had meant for him to. “I was just thinking.”
“Well think downstairs. Not there. And maybe you can get that sad look off your face.”
Brendan took the proffered present and then said, “But I don’t want to open it. Not just yet. I like to savor a present.”
“Alright then,” Sheridan said, shrugging. “But you gotta get out of this room.”

Downstairs by the fire, Brendan said, “I came home last night, and didn’t want to be there.”
“Is there a reason you didn’t want to be there?”
“Well, there’s always a reason. Isn’t there? For everything?”
“That’s not much of an answer.”
“At the moment I don’t know that I feel like giving much more of one. All you need to know is I got up right away and drove to Fenn and Todd’s. I asked for my old key back. But… I couldn’t be in that apartment alone. I just couldn’t. So I came back here. Mom and Dad and Carol and Mathan were still up.”
Sheridan shook his head.
“I can’t believe Mathan Houghton married your sister.”
“And one day Layla might marry your brother. We’ve been Houghtonized.”
“Does that make us related?”
“My brother-in-law is Layla’s … let me work this out…Adele and Fenn… Fenn and Lee… Layla is Lee’s first cousin once removed, so…”
“Mathan is Layla’s second cousin once removed.”
“Wait, that’s not right,” Brendan said. “Hold on.”
Sheridan took a scrap of paper from his pocket, “Cut out Lee and cut out Fenn, Adele’s first cousin is Mathan’s mother so Layla and Mathan are second cousins which makes Will and Carol second cousins-in-law, which makes us—”
“Nothing,” Brendan interjected.
“You’re just being a jerk. It makes us cousins… Sort of.”
Brendan chuckled, shrugged and turned away. “I can be kind of jerky sometimes.”
“Did you think that if we went through all that you would distract me from asking why you left your house last night?”
“Yes,” Brendan admitted. “I actually did.”
Sheridan shrugged and said, “But I’m still here.”
“I know me and Kenny are broken up,” Brendan explained. “And I know it’s my doing. But… I felt warm about him last night. It’s Christmas. I thought we might rekindle some things.”
“What happened with that guy, Ruthven?” Sheridan said, anticipating trouble.
“Kenny fucked him.”

 

[CharmedFan28]

I hope you are right and Brendan finds someone to be with in a relationship like Fenn and Todd's. I am sad that he is so down at the moment but I am sure that will change with time. It was interesting to read about Tom playing the piano. Sounds like he had fun. Great writing and I look forward to more soon! I hope you have a wonderful week!

 

[ChrisGibson]

I had to go back and read the piano scene, and you always knew Tom was a musician, but I think from now on it's about to become a lot more important. I don't know if until now I've emphasized that Chad and Bryant and Tom are all pretty important musicians. As for Bren... well, I just have to bite my tongue because I've been building up to something since book four. That's all I'll say.