Watching Brad

[upyrkilt469]

I agree, that was a very descriptive chapter, it made you feel you were there. Thanks again, Neil.
Vic

 

[harry113]

Great chapter Neil, the description on it's own confirmed that the house was a total loss!!
Poor Ted's hopes have evaporated. Lets hope he can find the safebox in all the rubble.
Thanks, look forward to the next
Harry

 

[caddymac]

Another great chapter. There are not too many times that I have seen a house being rebuilt after a big fire. At least they have their lives and the love will help them get through this. They can rebuild a house--- home is where the heart is.
Thank you Neil.

 

[danielwolf]

I just started reading "Watching Brad" 2 days ago. I haven't seen the TV, watched the new movies(even resisting the premiere of Stardust here in Manila). This is, for me and many others, the best story/literature that has captured the meaning of being human.

I was depressed the pas week but when I started reading and injecting Brad and Ted with their love into my life. I have felt something that I have never felt for a few months now. I feel like staring at my first crush. I feel like falling in love again. I feel like a human again. This story pumped blood back into my life. Thank you very much, Neil. I'm still in the early chapters, but I'd be catching up soon.

I LOVE IT!

To my hero, may be someday, I'll have to drive myself to Canada and have a chat with you. I owe you at least a nice warm hug.

Daniel

 

[sheep]

To my hero, may be someday, I'll have to drive myself to Canada and have a chat with you. I owe you at least a nice warm hug.

Daniel

When you get to Vancouver turn right, drive for 5 or 6 days until you get to Toronto. It's only another 2 hours. I guess the really difficult drive is Manila to Vancouver

 

[gsdx]

Well, if non-Jews can be verklempt, then that's what I am. Thank you all so very much for your wonderful comments, and a special thank you to the newbies who have honoured me so.

The past few months have been extremely difficult for me and your kind words mean so much. I can only hope that I can continue to do justice to this story.

And now, for those fans who are waiting for an update on my 'other' sorry, I have got over losing what I had written and am now well along in rewriting it. I should be posting it soon.

 

[danielwolf]

When you get to Vancouver turn right, drive for 5 or 6 days until you get to Toronto. It's only another 2 hours. I guess the really difficult drive is Manila to Vancouver

Hehe. For us Filipinos, driving/flying around the world isn't really an issue. The hardest part really would be getting a Visa The nice thing about forums and this story is that not only can we follow Brad and Leo's love life but we can also see so many stories, and characters among the readers(especially regular posters like sheep for instance )

Keep it up, Neil. I hope this gets published, if not for the money, at least for the millions of people who would like to read a good love story.

and now unto page 14 for me

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part 174​

It has often been said that, when a person believes he is about to die, his entire life flashes before his eyes. That's what happened to me when I heard John Hayes' final words to me and I realized that my life and the home I knew and loved so much was lost to me forever.

This story began with that home, and it began the day that a beautiful, powerfully-built, and sexy, blond-headed young man named Bradley Nelson Hayes, who had bright, sparkling green eyes and a chipped-tooth smile, walked into my life. All the memories in that house included Brad, and those memories flooded my mind in a single instant. I saw the good and I saw the bad. I saw the happy times and I saw the sad times. I saw them all in minuscule snippets, but I saw them all as clearly as if they had happened to me only moments ago..

In that instant, I saw Brad's muscles straining as he lifted my furniture out of the truck. I saw him in his shorts, sitting on my sofa and drinking beer and eating pizza. I saw him through his bedroom window, fresh from his shower and enjoying the pleasures his body could give to him, and he to himself. I saw him, terrified and crying and lying on my bathroom floor in his own vomit, begging me to help him. I saw him shaking in panic as he drove me and my daughter to the hospital. I saw the look of anger and warning in his eyes when he grabbed my wrist and said he'd put me on the floor if I hit the children. I saw the excitement in his face as I pulled out a box of condoms for him to use that night we'd gone to Niagara Falls together. I saw it all.

My life with Brad had begun with that house. In my mind, it was what had brought us together and what held us together. Perhaps that is why I denied its fate for all those days following the storm. Perhaps I felt that the destruction of the house would lead to the destruction of my relationship with Brad and the destruction of the family unit which I had worked so hard to create and cultivate. Perhaps I felt that I was being punished for making the choices I had made. Perhaps allowing myself to fall in love with Brad and, ultimately, to marry him was the wrong thing for me to do. Perhaps. . .

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. There were a lot of them. Far too many of them.

I shoved them all into a distant, remote, lost corner of my mind and left them there where they could simmer for awhile until I could sort them out.

* * * * *

David and John were in charge of assembling the pony wall. Brad and I were in charge of measuring and sawing the lumber to size. The twins helped me carry for the first five two-by-fours - me carrying one end whilst Justin and Jeremy carried the other end between them - until Jeremy picked up a tiny splinter in the fourth finger of his left hand. Fortunately, Dr. Grandma and Dr. Ouma were quick with a tweezer and a bandage and had Justin fixed up nicely and ready to get back to helping us in two shakes of a dog's tail. This time, though, the boys wore mittens which Grandma Bernice had found tucked away on the top shelf of her hallway coat closet.

The work went relatively swiftly, but there was still more work to do by the time I had to leave to pick up Lindsay and Brook. I had expected the boys to be enjoying a nap in Bernice's house by that time, but they had stayed awake all afternoon, anxious to help with the work, and weren't about to let me go anywhere without them, so they jumped into the van, buckled themselves in, and off we went.

Lindsay wasn't standing where she usually stood as she waited for my arrival and I was momentarily concerned until I saw lunch cooler sitting on the ground and located her standing with her back to me and talking to a young fellow who looked to be a bit taller than her and about her age. They seemed to be very intent in their conversation and the boy seemed to be doing more listening than conversing. He also did a lot of head shaking back and forth with the occasional nod thrown in for good measure.

I didn't recognize him, but he apparently recognized me. Or, at least, the van. He glanced toward the parking lot, then said something to my daughter and pointed in my direction. Lindsay glanced over her shoulder, then began talking energetically to him once more, beckoning with her hand for the boy to follow her. After a bit more head shaking, Lindsay finally picked up her cooler in her left hand and grabbed the boy's left hand with her right. She turned around and literally dragged him along behind her as she hurried toward the van. The poor boy had little choice except to follow in her wake.

"Stay in your seats," I told the boys as I stepped out of the van and moved around to stand at the front.

As they approached, I got a less hindered view of the boy. His lightly-freckled face shone in the afternoon sunlight and he reminded me very much of a slightly taller version of Bobby Brady, the youngest son on The Brady Bunch. Except for dimples set in his cheeks, this boy bore a striking resemblance to Mike Lookinland.

Lindsay released his wrist as she drew near and I bent down to give her a kiss on her cheek. "Hi, Sweetheart."

"Hi, Daddy," she said, then turned to her friend. "Daddy, this is Daniel."

I held out my hand to him. "Hello, Daniel," I said, smiling. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

"Hello, Mr. de Villiers," he replied as he shook my hand in greeting. His cheeks dimpled deeply. Not only did he not have a problem saying the name, he even pronounced it correctly.

"Daniel has to walk home today, Daddy. His mother can't come to get him. Can we give him a ride? Please, Daddy?"

"Where do you live?" I asked him.

He told me, but quickly added that he didn't want to take us out of our way. I knew the street. It was only a few blocks beyond our house.

"It's no problem," I assured him. To Lindsay, I said, "We have to go pick up Brook at the GO station first. Is that okay?"

Both heads shook ‘yes'.

"Okay, let's go."

I was about to walk with them to the side door when Lindsay grabbed me by the arms and tugged me down so she could return the kiss on my own cheek. "Thank you, Daddy," she said quietly into my ear.

My little girl was growing up.

I pulled the side door open and Lindsay jumped in first, followed by her young friend. "Daniel, these are my brothers, J and J."

Daniel quickly glanced back at me. I could see the confusion in his face. "The one closest to you is Jeremy," I explained. "The one near the window is Justin."

He turned back to my sons, held up his hand is a stationary wave, and said, "Hi."

With index fingers hooked over bottom teeth, both boys muttered, "Hi."

"Come on, Daniel," Lindsay coaxed as she went to the back bench seat and sat down. Daniel quickly joined her and buckled himself in as I slid the door closed.

After I had entered the traffic once more and stopped at red light, I glanced in the rearview mirror. The twins were craning their necks around to look at their sister who was sitting with her head tilted toward her new friend with her hand hiding her mouth from view and chatting secretly.

As the light turned green and I began driving through the intersection, suddenly announced, "Daddy, Lindsay gots a boyfriend."

"Daddy!" came my daughter's horrified voice from the back of the van.

"Boys?" I said warningly. "Face the front and stop teasing your sister."

"We're not teasing, Daddy," Jeremy said quickly.

"Well, just stop, okay?" I told them. "Your sister thinks you're teasing her."

"Okay," both said.

Brook was waiting for us right where David had told him to wait - standing in front of the GO station and looking stunningly gorgeous in his suit and tie, if I might add. He carried a plastic bag with the name and logo of the store he worked at and I rather expected he had bought a change of clothes. I would later be proven correct. He jumped into the front passenger seat of the van, wisely not mentioning the house, and offered me a cheerful "hello" and a bright smile in greeting before spinning himself around and looking between the seats to say hello to the kids behind us.

Four young voiced responded.

"Brook," I said, "that young man at the back is Daniel. We're giving him a ride home today."

"Hello, Daniel. Nice to meet you."

"Hi," Daniel returned the greeting.

Brook turned to me and winked. "New boyfriend?"

"Daddy!"

"Brook!"

As we pulled out of the lot, Brook asked, "Aren't the boys getting a little old for those seats?"

I shook my head ‘no'. "They're in them until they're either old enough, tall enough, or heavy enough. It's the law now."

"Okay, so how old, heavy, or tall do they have to be?"

"Eight, a hundred and forty-five centimetres, or thirty-six kilos."

"Wow. Since when?"

"Since last September," I told him.

Brook glanced between the front seats once more. "Poor little guys."

"Yeah," I said in a breathy whisper. Then, "Speaking of little guys, I hear you and David are quite the item now."

Brook chuckled his delightful baritone chuckle. "You might say that, Ted. I'm surprised his niece hasn't put out a missing person's bulletin on him." Brook leaned toward me, stretching the shoulder belt so he could do so. His voice dropped to a private whisper. "He's not so little, actually. He's quite the grower."

"Really?" I was truly surprised.

"Oh-h-h-h, yeah," Brook replied with a satisfied sigh. "You're not the only lucky one, Ted."

Before my pants got any tighter, I cleared my throat and asked a question to which I already knew the answer: "He's heading back home this weekend, isn't he?"

"Sunday," Brook said with a bit of melancholy seeping into his voice.

"Sounds like you don't want him to leave."

I didn't look at him directly, but, out of the corner of my eye, I could see Brook tilting his head down and turning it toward me. I could feel him looking at me from under his eyebrows. "Come off it, Ted. I know David well enough to know that the only reason he asked me to come here today is so you can find out how I feel about him."

I took a deep breath and let it back out before responding. "Okay, you got us. So, how do you feel about him?"

I sensed more than saw the smile crossing Brook's darkly-handsome face. "You may tell David that I truly wish he didn't have to go away."

My eyes left the road for a moment and turned toward Brook's face. He was, indeed, looking at me from under his eyebrows and he was smiling, but I saw nothing but sincerity and seriousness in his face and eyes. I turned my gaze back to the traffic and nodded. "He'll be happy to hear that, Brook. He really doesn't want to go home, either."

Brook settled back into the seat. "It didn't start out that way, you know," he said, keeping his voice low and private. "Did he tell you?"

"No," I assured him. "And I didn't ask."

"Well, I didn't expect much more than a quickie on Saturday night," Brook continued. "I thought David was cute, but I knew he was American and I didn't want to become seriously involved with him. Long distance relationships rarely work out. I didn't even expect him to stay over Saturday night, but the night just went on and on and the next thing we knew, it was morning before we fell asleep. When I woke up on Sunday morning, David wasn't in bed. He was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, and he served it to me in bed. No-one has ever served me breakfast in bed before, Ted. It was really nice."

Brook paused for a few short moments. I could hear the twins giggling at something and I could hear Lindsay chittering softly with Daniel. Brook continued: "I can see myself going a long way with David, Ted. I can only hope that we get the chance to go there together."

So, their feelings for each other appeared to be mutual. I debated in my mind for a short time to tell him of David's other request and, in the end, decided to do so. "You know, Brook, David asked me to check into how he could stay here in Canada. You know, just in case."

"Have you?"

"Not yet," I told him. "Haven't had time."

"Don't bother, my friend," Brook said as he sat back into his seat. "I've already looked into it." He reached out his left hand and patted my thigh twice. "You know. . . just in case."

* * * * *

So far, life had done a pretty good job of keeping my mind preoccupied and off the worries and frets I had about my destroyed home and family. Those thoughts still simmered on the back burner of my mind and bubbled and boiled just enough to let me know that it was still something I must deal with sooner or later.

Brook stayed at the house waiting for Brad and David to finish building the pony wall. We had decided that David and Brook would follow Brad when he drove home in his truck and David would shower and change in Maple Grove. We would go out for dinner from there. At five, I took the kids to our new home down the road and sat with them at the table as they ate supper with Mom and Dad before getting the boys into the bathtub for their nightly bath. As they bathed, I sat with Lindsay on the sofa and cuddled her, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her close to me. Mom and Dad were, as they often were, sitting in the kitchen and enjoying their after-dinner tea.

"Sweetheart? Would you like to talk?"

"About what?"

"Daniel."

"Daddy!" she complained as she tried to push herself away from my chest.

I held onto her and pulled her close once more. "I'm not teasing you, Sweetheart. I thought you might not understand what's happening and you might have some questions you'd like to ask me."

Lindsay settled herself against me again and stated rather bluntly, "He's not my boyfriend, Daddy."

"I didn't say he was, Sweetheart, but I think you like him, and I think you like him more than you've liked any other boy, and that's got you confused. Am I right?"

Lindsay remained still and silent until I said softly, "Would you rather talk to Terry or your Grandma about this?"

She shook her head back and forth and said, "No." Again she fell silent for a few moments, then said, "Sometimes when I'm talking to Daniel, I feel like. . . like I've got tonnes of spiders crawling around in my tummy and I feel all funny inside. Is that sex?"

Somehow I managed to keep myself from laughing at her question. Instead, I hugged my daughter and assured her that she was only feeling nervousness and excitement and that it was perfectly normal to feel them. We would talk about sex later, but that didn't seem to be the appropriate time to do so.

"Sweetheart, you're getting to the age where you don't think boys are yucky anymore," I explained as I gently rubbed her upper arm with my fingertips. "And Daniel's discovering that girls aren't yucky, either. It means you're growing up."

For the first time in a very long time, Lindsay sat there in my arms, tapping her lip with her index finger. I knew some serious things were going through her head.

"Daddy?" Lindsay said after a short time as she lifted her head from my chest to look at me. "Can Daniel come here on Sunday to go swimming in the pool?"

"Would you like him to?"

She nodded.

I nodded back and said, "Let's go ask Grandma and Grandpa then. It's their pool, remember."

We did. Not only would Lindsay invite Daniel for an afternoon of swimming on Sunday, he would also be invited to a barbeque dinner as well. From the huge, familiar smile on her face and the glint of excitement and anticipation in her eyes, I could tell that Lindsay, indeed, had her first boyfriend. She just wasn't ready to admit it to anyone just yet.

* * * * *

"There's three ways for you to stay in Canada," I told David as we sat at the table in one of our favourite restaurants. "Four if you count just staying here and hoping you don't get caught. Brook had already confessed his feelings for David, and a very relieved David had confessed his own feelings for Brook. By mutual consent, they were willing to do whatever was necessary to make the relationship work.

During our ride in the van from the GO station on our way to dropping Daniel off at his home, Brook had told me about what he'd learnt concerning visas, but he left it to me to relate the information to David, especially since it was me he had asked.

"One," I continued as I counted them off on the fingers of my left hand, "get married. That one is instant. Two, can apply for a work visa. You can do that online if you want but it will take anywhere from six months to a year or so before the visa comes through. Three, you can try to find yourself a sponsor. That can get you a visa within a few weeks."

"What do you mean?" David asked curiously, his face full of intent and interest. "A sponsor?"

I really wasn't certain what ‘finding a sponsor' entailed and Brook must have seen the momentary panic in my face and jumped at the explanation. "I know a few Americans who are working in Toronto," he said, probably lying. "They're here on sponsored visas. It just means you find someone who is willing to hire you and then you apply for the visa. Once you find a sponsor, it goes through much faster because the government doesn't have to support you while you're looking for a job. And it certainly helps if you have a skill that the employer has trouble filling."

David sat up straight, almost bubbling with excitement. "I'm short and I'm fast and I'm strong. I can do just about everything and I can go places and do things that a lot of bigger guys in construction can't. That's got to be worth something."

It wouldn't be long before David would show us how much it was worth to him.

* * * * *

Try as I might, I couldn't fall asleep that night. The house was silent except for all the nighttime country sounds. All those thoughts that I'd shoved onto the back burner came to the forefront shortly after Brad kissed me goodnight. We had settled in for sleep with Brad lying on his left side, facing away from me. I lay on my side as well, spooning myself against his back with my arm tossed over his chest.

After what seemed like hours, with still no sign of sleep in the immediate future, I carefully rolled away from Brad and slid out of bed and made my way to the upstairs bathroom down the hall beside the twins' room. I finished and came back to the bedroom and walked to the window at the foot of the bed. Mom had place a light brown wing chair there and I picked up the small, square cushion and sat naked in the chair, clutching the cushion to my chest and resting my chin upon it. The night-time breeze, ripe with the refreshing scent of clean, lakeshore air, blew gently through the screened and open window and across my body. I leaned back into the chair and stared out into the night as my mind fought with the thoughts which had suddenly invaded it.

What in hell was I going to do? My family was homeless and practically destitute, and I had no immediate solution. It was my job to take care of them, to provide for them, to see that they had everything they needed. . . to keep them healthy and safe and clothed and warm and dry and fed. It was my job to quench their thirst when they were thirsty, to clean them when they got dirty, to feed them when they were hungry. They depended upon me for everything and I was giving them nothing. I was failing them all, and I was doing it so miserably. People seemed eager to help, but it wasn't really their responsibility. It was mine. All mine. Only mine.

I'll never know how Brad managed to get out of bed and step up behind the chair and wrap his arms around me from behind, but I started, and then I recoiled from his touch and pushed his hands away from me. "Please, Brad, I'm trying to think."

Brad moved to the side of the chair and knelt down, leaning his crossed arms on the upholstered arm of the chair. "We've been thinking since Tuesday morning, Ted. It's time for us - especially you - to relax for a bit and have some fun for a change." One hand left the arm of the chair and came to rest on my thigh, moving upwards until he could gently rub my balls with his thumb.

I lifted his hand away and put it back on the arm of the chair.

"Come on, Pops," he said. "We're supposed to be on our honeymoon, remember? Let's. . ."

I turned on him. "Brad, please!" I said in a loud whisper. "I've got to figure out what in hell we're going to do! I don't have time for this nonsense! Just go back to bed and leave me the hell alone!"

Unfortunately, the words were out before I realized that my brain was going to tell my mouth to say them. By then it was too late to stop them.

To Be Continued​

 

[consult28]

Having only read the last two paragraphs of this chapter I believe it is the perfect time foe Sheep to move on Brad. Looks to me like Ted is going off his rocker again.
Still a great story Neil even after all this time.
Geo.

 

[sheep]

Hey Brad! Ted is being an asshole again. He tells you he loves you but by his actions, he couldn't care less about your needs, your libido. I think you need a little vacation on my yacht down in South Beach. You'll have tons of fun (remember the last time?) and give Ted some time alone which seems to be pretty important to him.
Call me
905-555-2212
Sheep
P.S. bring a change of clothes in case we decide to get off the boat and head off to a restaurant.

 

[upyrkilt469]

Very good chapter, Neil. I hope Ted recovers from his doldrums soon. Brad isn't one that should be shoved aside. Waiting patiently for the next installment.
Vic

 

[riddlebm]

And yet another awesome chapter. You all need to leave Ted alone. It's hard for him right now. He justs wants the best for his family. Neil, wonderful yet again. Can't wait for the next chapter. Have a good weekend.

 

[Kyanimal]

Hey Brad! Ted is being an asshole again. He tells you he loves you but by his actions, he couldn't care less about your needs, your libido. I think you need a little vacation on my yacht down in South Beach. You'll have tons of fun (remember the last time?) and give Ted some time alone which seems to be pretty important to him.
Call me
905-555-2212
Sheep
P.S. bring a change of clothes in case we decide to get off the boat and head off to a restaurant.

Hey, Sheep!

I do believe I remember "pretending" to send the keys to that "Puppy" back to you! But, guess what I just found on my dresser?

Now, if Anyone would care to join Me, on Sheep's boat ...

And, Neil! Great Chapter!! I can't believe how much I feel ALL of what You've written is "Real"!!!

To use an old, tired, word, that still might carry some "Umppphhh!" ... AWESOME!!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[harry113]

Oh Dear!!! Thank you Neil, another great chapter.
Poor Ted's getting depressed again; but he's married now! So I hope Brad can sort him out with some straight talking .... It's certainly time for Brad to take over. It isn't just Ted that's lost everything ........
Hugs
Harry

 

[pmpinla]

Neil - A truly wonderful story. Thank you so very much. And harry113, you've made a very good point. Ted is acting as if it's only he who has lost everything. Time for him to realize that marriage is a union of equals who share the good and the bad. I'm sure Ted will come around to realize this sooner rather than later.

 

[wyndhampaul]

"What in hell was I going to do? My family was homeless and practically destitute, and I had no immediate solution."

If Ted has not insured his house and contents, then he truly has been an arsehole. However, I think he's just having one of his "Ted" moments, and "things" can be replaced! People can't!
Still. It makes for an interesting tale.

 

[caddymac]

Ted should be thankful he has his family! He has his head up his butt again and can not see what is in front of him.
Great chapter Neil.

 

[kcm17480]

Ouch! That one had to sting a bit. It looks like Ted has to be reminded that he is not the only one in the family. Can't wait to find out how this turn of events effect Ted's thinking and see how Brad responds. Excellent job.

 

[consult28]

Ted's actions prove that growing up straight leaves you with no common sence, The SOB probably had his house way overinsured and doesn't want to share any of the profits with poor Brad.
Sheep, take the poor boy south and really show him how the gay people live. Neil can easily add you to the story line and give us all a real thrill.
Geo.

 

[gsdx]

Next Update on Monday

Sorry, everyone. I decided not to post the update today. I was proofreading the next chapter yesterday and I was bored silly reading the final two-thirds, and if it bored me, I know it would bore you as well.

I began to correct it but soon discovered that I was rewriting it entirely, so I decided to scrap the idea of trying to correct it and am going for the rewrite.

I have to admit, though, that writing about the aftermath of the fire is much more difficult than I had anticipated. I know where I want the story to go, but it's not as easy to get there as I had hoped it would be.

I'll keep plugging along, though. I'm certainly not about to give up.

Thanks again for understanding.

Take care, always.
Neil