Watching Brad

[bhtupstateny]

Geee-sus Murphy!!! Sorry, couldn't resist... You know, I have a nasty day at work, I come home and read your next installments, and sudenly I feel okay. Thanks for yet another outstanding job!!!

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part XXII​

"Hi, Teddy." Warren's voice could barely be classified as a hoarse whisper, but it screamed in my ear. I squeezed my eyes shut, closing off the tears. Brad's strong arm pulled me against him and his other hand clamped onto my thigh. "Still here," he added.

I found my voice somewhere. "Hi, Warren."

There was a rustling sound, and then Bill's voice came over the receiver. "Hi, Ted. Bill here. Sorry for the keeping you up so late. Warren made me make a promise before they took him in for surgery. If he survived, he wanted to be the one to tell you."

I couldn't talk. My body was shaking and I was crying my relief. Every tear washed a little bit of the anxiety of the past few days out of me. Brad grabbed my hand to hold the phone steady.

"Hi, Bill," Brad said. "It's Brad. Ted can't talk right now, but he can hear you."

"Okay, thanks, Brad," Bill went on. "Ted? Warren's asleep again already. He woke up just a few minutes ago and I called you. He's still fifty-fifty, but the doctor said the odds would get a lot better if he makes it through the night."

I nodded. "Thanks, Bill," Brad said. "How are you holding up?"

"I've been prepared for this for a long time. That counsellor Ted found for us was a dream. I think that's why I'm not a dish of Jell-o. Is Ted alright?"

"I'm okay," I said raggedly. It didn't sound like my voice. "I was just so scared, Bill."

"I was, too, pal," Bill said. "But I knew I would be when I signed up for this." He paused only a moment. "Look, Ted, I'm not sure what you said to him, but everything changed when you came up with Lindsay that day and Brad didn't come with you. Warren loves you more than you know, pal. After your visit, it was like he couldn't die without knowing that you were okay, and when he found out that you were, it was like he didn't want to die just so he could see how happy you are now. If it wasn't for you, Ted, I think I'd be dressed in black right now."

"Thanks, Bill. Is there anything I can do?" I asked. My voice still wavered.

"No," Bill answered. "It's up to Warren now, but he's not going to give up without one helluva fight. He'll be here awhile before he can come home, but when he does, the first people he wants to see is you and Lindsay and Brad."

"Is he allowed visitors?"

"Just me. He'll be in intensive care for awhile yet, but I'll call as soon as he's in a room. You could visit him then."

"Thanks, Bill."

"Okay, pal. Talk to you later, eh? I'll call you tomorrow and let you know how he is."

"Thanks for calling. Goodbye."

"Bye."

Brad had to hang up the phone. I was a goner. I just collapsed in tears. He was wonderful. He got me to my feet and led me to the bedroom. He undressed me and put me to bed, then he went out to shut down the house for the night. He came back in, undressed, made sure the alarm clock was set, turned out the table lamp, and got into bed. He kissed me goodnight, and then he held me all night long as I slept.

* * * * *

By lunchtime the next day, Warren's chances were bumped up to sixty-forty. By the time I got home from work that afternoon, they were seventy-thirty. I don't know what the odds were when I went to bed. Seventy-thirty was good enough for me, and I slept like a baby that night.

* * * * *

Brad and I spent the whole weekend alone. Bernice and John had taken Lindsay to stay overnight on Friday and we had spent the whole night making the best love we could, experimenting and trying new things, but only with our mouths and hands. We hadn't advanced to other more exotic things yet.

Somehow, Brad managed to coax three orgasms out of me. I can't remember the last time I'd had three orgasms in one day, let alone just a few hours. I managed to get four orgasms out of him. The first one was with just my mouth. My jaws were killing me, but I refused to give in and stuck with it to the very end. I still couldn't get much more than the head in my mouth, but Brad was more than happy with that. He showed me how happy he was by pumping his juice into me. The first shot almost sent me into a panic. I knew his power and amount, and I thought I was prepared for it, but it was like a whole package of Pop Rocks going of in my mouth all at the same time. I almost gagged, but I managed to swallow it, ready for the next volley. It was something I wanted desperately, and I made myself do it. I took it right to the very end.

Brad kissed me for ten minutes after that.

Later, as we sat in the bathtub together - for the first time, but certainly not the last - he said, "You can call me Bradley if you want."

"Don't you like me calling you Brad?"

"Yes, but I don't mind if you want to call me Bradley."

"You don't even like that name."

"I do if you say it."

"Do you mind if I just call you Brad?"

"No."

"Then I want to call you Brad."

"Okay," he said. And then he said, "And I want to live here. Can I?"

By noon on Saturday noon, all of Brad's things were in my house and his old bedroom was officially the Hayes' guestroom. Lindsay had talked me into letting her stay another night with Grandma and Grandpa.

"She's no trouble, Ted," Bernice had assured me. "We love having her here."

"Grandma's going to help me make brownies!" Lindsay said as I held her in my arms. "Please let me stay, Daddy?"

"Well," I said, "as long as Grandma and Grandpa don't mind." Lindsay had begun calling John ‘Grandpa' a few days ago.

John spoke up. "Believe me, Ted," he said quietly and with a kind smile on his face, "this house hasn't felt this happy since Bradley was a boy." His eyes glanced at his wife and I knew precisely what he meant.

"Okay, Sweetheart," I told my daughter. "You can stay." She kissed me with a loud smack on the lips. "I'll go home and get some clean clothes and a clean nightgown, okay?"

"Perhaps you could bring some things she could leave here?" Bernice added hopefully. "Bradley's dresser looks so empty now."

"Sure," I smiled. "I can find some things to bring over."

So, Brad had moved out and Lindsay had moved in. Brad left his television and gaming system there for Lindsay whenever she visited, including all his hand-held games. She had more than enough to keep her occupied while she was there.

We left his things still packed in garbage bags and boxes, lying on the bedroom floor. We showered together, changed, and went out for the rest of the day. I wore shorts and a shirt. It was too hot for pants. Brad was the ‘man in white' again, with white, thigh-length shorts and a crisp, white T-shirt. I have to admit, I enjoyed the attention he garnered. He was stunningly beautiful if I may say so myself.

His shorts were loose enough to hide him, but not so loose that people couldn't see how lucky he was. His T-shirt was another thing, though. Skin-tight. His nipples poked out in little bumps and it clung to his pecs and stomach and back as if he had simply painted himself white. There wasn't anything on it - no decals or witty sayings - but it certainly did its job in drawing people's attention away from what lingered below.

The first thing we did, which I had decided upon since we'd had our first bath together the night before, was to go shopping for a hot tub. I wanted one. I'd wanted one for a long time, and now I could afford it. It would fit nicely on the back patio. I found a nice kit. Small, but big enough for four people, and it came complete with steps, privacy fencing, locking gate, a surrounding deck, and an insulating cover. The tub was certified for Canadian winters, but I didn't expect to be using it when the windchill is thirty below. The price included installation, which would be done before the next weekend.

Oh, and I bought Lindsay one of those Dolphino pools from Canadian Tire. We couldn't dive in it, but it looked like it would be fun to splash around in. And I couldn't wait to see Brad in a Speedo. I made him buy a few. As Eric Idle would say, "Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge. Say no more. Say no more."

Brad didn't think he could install the security fence I wanted around the pool, so we went fence shopping and ordered one. I told them the size of the pool and they calculated the size of fence I would need. It would take two days to drill the holes, pour the concrete, and erect the fence. They could do the drilling and pouring the next Saturday and finish up on Monday. That was fine with me. Of course, we'd have to wait until Lindsay's cast came off before she could really enjoy it, but at least we could get her wet.

We stopped off at a pub for a beer and watched some cricket on the big-screen television for awhile. I didn't understand the game, but it was interesting to watch. "Man!" Brad said. "F-Zero would look incredible on something like that!"

"Dream on, Brad," I told him with a small grin. But, I knew what Brad was going to get for Christmas.

We just talked and laughed and sipped at our beers, and then it happened. It wasn't the beer. We hadn't had enough of that to get even light-headed. Brad was just looking at me, and then he said, "I love you," and he kissed me - right there - on the lips. It wasn't a big kiss. Just big enough to show his words in action. When he pulled away again, I took a quick glance around. Everyone was going on with their own business. The only people looking at us were a pair of gentlemen about my age, and one of them smiled at me and winked.

Brad apologized soon after. "I shouldn't have done that to you, but I had to see if I could."

I just looked at him for a moment and said, "I love you, too, Brad." And I kissed him back.

We didn't kiss in the restaurant I took him to later for dinner, but we held hands.

* * * * *

"The days with you just keep getting better and better," Brad said as we sat on the sofa at home, our feet propped up on the coffee table. A DVD was playing on television, but I don't even remember which movie it was. It doesn't matter, really. I wasn't watching it. The lights were turned down low and we sat there in just our underwear. My mind wasn't focused on the television screen.

I was feeling quite comfortable in these new briefs now. I liked the way they felt and Brad liked the way they looked on me. I made a mental note to toss the tightie-whities the next day.

The movie finished and I clicked it off and shut down the television. When I settled back into the sofa, Brad started kissing me. It was just a kiss at first, and it became a whole lot more quickly enough. His hand was in my underwear and pulling my swiftly-hardening cock free of the cotton polyester blend. He hooked the waistband under my balls and sank my shaft into his mouth. I put my hand on his back and my hips pushed upward.

I could feel the head of my cock pressing against his throat and I could feel it tightening and closing. Brad pulled back a bit, sucked air through his nose, and moved downward again. Once more, I was pressed against the entrance to his throat, but he didn't stop this time. I could feel his throat relaxing, and suddenly I was slipping inside. His face dropped then and, a moment later, I could feel the stubble of his cheek tickling my balls.

I'm glad Lindsay wasn't there. My groan of pleasure exploded into the silence of the livingroom like a crash of thunder. I called out Brad's name. He'd done it! I could feel him swallow around me, and then his head was moving - up and down, and each time it went down, I pushed into his throat.

I didn't last long. I couldn't. I'd never felt anything so incredible in my life. Only minutes later, I was grasping his hair in ecstacy as I pumped my seed into him.

I fell back into the sofa, exhausted beyond belief. My eyes were closed as I waited for my body to come down from the highest high it had ever known. And then I felt the shaking. I opened my eyes and turned my head. Brad had his left thumb holding his underwear under his balls, his right hand flying fast and furiously over his cock. He wasn't just jerking off. He was making himself cum, and that was all. There was no time for fun and games. His orgasm was the only thing on his mind, and it was the only thing on my mind, too.

I bent over and took the head of his cock into me. He stiffened significantly, his entire body tensing at the new sensations, and he continued stroking himself. I sucked as hard as I could, and Brad's groan of ecstasy was soon echoing mine. I steeled myself for the barrage, and I wasn't disappointed. It came hard and fast this time, and with far more power than before, but I held on valiantly and took it all. Brad was much too precious to allow any part of him escape me.

It took a long time for him to calm down after that one, and I held him and kissed him until he did. When he could speak again, his first words were, "It was so-o-o-o-o worth waiting nineteen years for you to come along."

I replied, "It was more than worth the thirty-two years I had to wait for you."

We kissed again, and then we went to bed.

* * * * *

We were eating breakfast the next morning. We hadn't dressed following our shower together, and we were sitting there, naked. I'd never eaten a meal while I was naked in my life. But Brad wanted to do it, so I wanted to do it with him. It wasn't too bad after my ass warmed up the chair.

I was just about to take a bite of toast when Brad said, "Your cum tastes different."

I grinned, my eyebrows rising in surprise. "Say what?"

"Your cum," he explained. He kept on eating breakfast as if he were talking about the weather. "It doesn't taste the same as it did before."

"Maybe you're just getting used to it," I offered.

"No. It's different. It's not as bitter as it was before."

"Sorry," I apologized. "I didn't know I was bitter."

"It was. I didn't mind it. I still liked it because it was yours, but I like it better now. I think it was the cigarettes."

"I didn't know cigarettes could change the taste of semen."

"Sure. I read about it. Now I can taste the beer instead of the cigarettes."

"Aw, come on, Brad," I said. "Now I know you're pulling my leg."

"No, I'm not. Honest."

"Are you telling me you can get drunk giving a blowjob to an alcoholic?" I couldn't help but laugh at all this.

"No, of course not," he said. "But you would be able to tell what he drinks." He looked at me. "I'm not joking, Ted. It's true. Haven't you noticed?"

I stopped laughing and began remembering. "No."

"Well, maybe not," he admitted as he went back to eating his breakfast. "I haven't been drinking beer that long. The next time you cum, taste it. You'll see."

I did. That night. He was right.

* * * * *

It was a fun weekend. Lindsay didn't want to come home and, frankly, I don't think Bernice wanted her to come home, either. She finally came home, though, with a plate full of chocolate brownies and a promise that she could go back again for another weekend.

Before I left for work the next morning, Brad asked me, "How much can I spend on the landscaping?"

"I haven't even seen your pictures yet."

He winked. "I want it to be a surprise. How much can I have?"

"How much do you need?"

"I can do a so-so job for about a grand."

"How much would you like to have then?"

"Fifteen hundred?"

There was no resisting that beautiful face, especially when he held his mouth open like that and showed me his chipped tooth. "Two grand, tops," I said, and he grinned, wrapped his arms around me and gave me a great, big kiss. Lindsay giggled from somewhere nearby.

I shoved Brad back and pulled my wallet out of my pocket. I fished through the credit cards until I found the one I wanted and handed it to him. "I've already added your name to it."

He took the card and looked at it, then he looked at me. "You really trust me this much?"

"Yes, I do, Brad."

He kissed me again and I had to push him away again. "I'm going to be late for work. See you tonight."

When I drove into the driveway, Brad was still digging. He wore his sneakers and his cut-offs. My front yard was a mess. There were holes and piles of dirt and sod everywhere. I walked up to him and kissed him.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"I've got a pretty good idea now," he said with a grin. "It only took me twenty minutes to figure out which end of this spade to stick in the ground."

I looked around at the instruments propped up against the house and lying about the yard. "I've never owned a spade in my life. Where did these come from?"

"Some from Dad, but I had to go out and buy a few," he said proudly. "Don't worry, Ted. I won't go a penny over two grand."

"I know you won't. Look, I'm going to go change. Need any help here?"

"No," he said as he glanced around. "I want to do this by myself. Could you call me when supper's ready? All I had was a bologna sandwich for lunch. I'm kinda hungry. Oh, the pool was delivered."

"Good. I'll get right on dinner." I gave him another peck on the lips and went inside. "Lindsay! I'm home!"

Lindsay came running from the livingroom. "Daddy! Look!", she yelled. "Look what I'm making for you!"

She held up a square piece of thin plastic with a grid pattern on it. Part of it was already stitched with strips of blue yarn and a thread of it was dangling with a large, fat needle hanging on the end of it.

"It's a coaster!" she said proudly, her face beaming up at me.

"You shouldn't be running with this needle, Sweetheart."

"It's round, Daddy," she said, taking the needle in one hand and pushing it against the palm of her other hand. "It's not sharp. See?"

"Still, I don't want you to run with it, okay? If you fall, it can still stick in you."

"Okay, Daddy, I won't."

I looked at my coaster again and I was very impressed.

"Terry's teaching me to do it," she announced. Terry appeared behind Lindsay, holding her handbag. "I tried to stop her, Mr. Dee, but she was gone before I could. I hope you don't mind. I was just teaching her how to do plastic canvas needlework."

"It's very beautiful," I said, looking back at my coaster. I handed it back to Lindsay, then picked her up and gave her the proudest kiss I could give her. "I love it, Sweetheart. I can't wait to use it."

"Oh," Terry said, "I thawed out some steaks for your dinner for you. The potatoes and carrots are peeled and on the stove. Mrs. Hayes brought over an apple pie for dessert."

"Thank you, Terry," I said, "but that's not part of your job."

"I don't mind. Besides, Lindsay helps me, too, so I'm sort of doing my job." Her smile was enchanting and I knew she was doing all these extra things because she wanted to and not because she had to.

Terry squatted down in front of Lindsay. "If you can finish this all the way around the outside tonight, I'll show you how to fill in the middle tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Terry."

"Do you remember how to tuck the yarn underneath and go around corners?"

"Yup," my daughter said with a proud grin.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow morning." She stood up. To me, she said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Terry," I said. "Thank you."

She blinked and nodded. "She really can't hurt herself with that needle, but just keep your eye on her."

"I will," I promised.

Lindsay sat at the kitchen table working on her needlework while I prepared dinner. "Sweetheart, would you tell Brad to start cleaning up? Dinner's almost ready and I want him to shower, first."

She was off without a word.

I was getting to enjoy this family life again. Even my best years with Connie had never been like this. I was content, and, between you and me, I didn't care what Brad did when he finished college. I felt it was my job to take care of him now, just like any other partner I had been with. I didn't care if he was a man. He was my man, and I was the breadwinner in the family. Mind you, I didn't want him to become a housewife or anything. He had his own life to live just the same. He had to do what he wanted to do. I'm just saying that I was prepared to look after him as long as I was able.

Lindsay came back in, ran to the bathroom, and grabbed a towel. "Where are you going with that?" I shouted as she ran through the kitchen again.

"Brad needs it!" she shouted back.

"Is he okay!?"

"Yes!"

And then I heard the front door slam shut.

She came back in, set her needlework aside, and began setting the table. It was her daily chore.

Brad came in the back door a few minutes later, barefoot, and his shorts and underwear in his hand. The towel was wrapped around his waist. He went to the basement door and tossed his clothes down the steps. "I'll wash them when I'm showered." He trucked himself off to the bathroom and, moments later, I heard the shower running.

"He was dirty," Lindsay said with a titter. "And he stinked."

Brad devoured his steak and I gave him half of mine as well. Guess he'd worked up quite the appetite digging up my yard. I watched him eat. I liked watching him eat. I liked watching him do nothing at all, actually.

That's when I thought about my favourite thing to watch him do. And that's when I thought about ‘my little secret'. I chuckled to myself then, because now I had two little secrets.

To Be Continued​

 

[tommy296]

Neil, Another awesome chapter. Thanks for taking the time to write this (and all your other stories as well - different, but equally good in their own way!).

 

[sheep]

I just can't get enough of this story.

 

[gsdx]

Flattered to see you used my line, great to be a small part of this saga

You have to believe me when I tell you that I had already written the first part of that scene. The cursor was flashing, waiting for me to type, when I read your line. The balcony scene flowed out of that when you gave me permission to use it. I didn't have to insert it anywhere. That scene was simply waiting to be written.

(PS. . . Sorry for being responsible for your sleep deprivation.)

 

[reachingout]

Thanks for sharing your story telling gift with us out here on the web.
Your characters are rich, warm, and full of life.

 

[sweet~boy]

so when is the story complete? and by the way good work u got me on edge cant wait!!!

 

[kcm17480]

Beautiful story. You do have a gift. It would be nice to be that gifted with words. I am looking forward to the next part.

 

[gsdx]

so when is the story complete?

I'm afraid I can't tell you that because I have no idea. The story, as has been said before, is writing itself. I dont have anything particular in mind. However, I suppose the story will be complete when I write: The End.

(PS - Thanks for your kind comments.)

I'll give you a hint for the near future. Several delightful new characters will be making an appearance within the next few chapters. Who knows where the story will go from there?

 

[rustyone23]

Neil:

Like everyone else, I can't wait to read the next chapter. This story was already underway when I started reading. I read chapter after chapter till 4AM one morning. I love the love in your story. I feel terribly inadequate with the words I have to express my enjoyment of your work.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[mexamor]

This is beautiful. I really don't have words to describe how good it is.

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part XXIII​

By the following weekend, the hot tub was installed on the wooden patio deck and the fencing for the swimming pool had been started. The holes had been dug on Friday and filled with concrete and poles. The team would return on Monday to erect the fencing itself after the concrete has set. The pool had been a surprise for Lindsay. She didn't know about it until she helped Brad and me set it up Thursday night. It wasn't anything fancy, really. Round, about five and a half metres wide, just over a metre deep. But it was blue and it was pretty and it would keep us cool and it would keep Lindsay happy.

Early Saturday morning, Brad, Lindsay, and I, headed out for Canadian Tire to buy an early birthday gift for Lindsay. Her birthday wasn't until Tuesday and Bernice was planning a surprise party for her, but I thought it would be fun to let her enjoy her present at least one present while I was home for the weekend.

I took Lindsay to the bicycles and let her pick out the one she wanted. She chose a neon-pink bicycle with fat tires and multi-coloured plastic streamers hanging out of the white, rubber handlebars. There was a bell attached that she could ring with a push of her thumb, and lights were on both the front and back. I found a pink helmet to match, and even pink elbow and knee pads.

"Aw, Daddy," she said. "I'm grown up now. I don't need all that stuff."

"Yes, you do, Sweetheart," I told her, "and if I see you riding this bike without it, the bike goes into the basement for a month."

She looked up at Brad.

"A month, Lindsay," he repeated.

"You could at least be on my side once in awhile."

"I don't want to see you get hurt any more than your Dad does," Brad said. "If I see you riding without the pads or helmet when your Dad's not home, I'll take the bike away and put it in the basement, too." Then he added for emphasis, "For a month."

She looked at me again and I nodded my agreement. Her head dropped and she kicked at the floor. "Okay, I'll wear them. I promise."

* * * * *

Lindsay wasn't sad for long. When we got home, I told her that she could ride the bike only to the corners of our street and only on the sidewalk on our side of the street. If she went out of those boundaries, the bike went to the basement. She promised she wouldn't, and she knew very well that I would hold her to that promise. Then she was padded up and riding as if she were riding in a Rolls Royce.

I watched her first round and was pleased to see her stop at the corner, get off her bike, turn it around, and get back on. She rode past me as Brad changed clothes and gathered his gardening tools. She waved proudly and grinned and tinkled her bell. She turned again at the other corner and came back. When she passed me the second time, I gave her a smile and a ‘thumbs up' and went to help Brad.

She passed twice more, ringing and waving each time, and then she didn't pass us again. I went to the street and looked down the walk. She was standing beside her bike talking to a little boy I didn't recognize. "Be right back, Brad," I said and walked down to meet him.

He was a cute kid, but I'd never seen him in the neighbourhood before. I say ‘cute' because he had beautiful mulatto skin and almost blond, curly hair. He looked about the same age as Lindsay, but a bit shorter than she. Lindsay saw me coming. "Hi, Daddy," she said. "This is Tyler. He's my new friend. Can he come have dinner with us?"

That's Lindsay for you. No wonder she didn't miss her old school friends. She made new ones so easily.

"Hi, Tyler," I said as I held out my hand to shake. He took it. His reserved face broke into a timid smile. "Have you asked if you can come yet?" He shook his head ‘no'. "Where do you live?"

He turned away from me and pointed. "Down there. We're just moving in."

"Okay," I said. "Is your Father there?"

"I don't have a Dad."

"Okay, then. Is your Mother there?"

He shook his head ‘yes'.

"Let's go ask her."

We approached the house and I saw the U-Haul parked in the driveway. One woman, obviously Tyler's mother, but with much darker skin, was struggling with a large sofa and it was about to end up on the asphalt. "Whoa!" I shouted and hurried to help. I grabbed the end dangling dangerously off the end of the truck. Another woman was inside the truck, holding the other end of the sofa. Man, that sofa must have come straight from the Flintstone's cave. It felt like it was made of granite.

"Sweetheart," I called over my shoulder, "go get Brad. Tell him we need his help. Hurry!"

"Okay, Daddy!" And off she went, tinkling her bell all the way. Tyler came over to stand beside the truck.

"Let's move this back onto the truck a bit." We maneuvered the sofa back onto the truck.

"Thank you, Mr. . . ." Tyler's Mother said as she held out her hand. She was a pretty woman. Her hair was just as curly as Tyler's, but black. She wore very little make-up.

"de Villiers," I said as I shook her hand. "Please, call me Ted."

"Thank you, Ted," she said. "I'm Cali, and this is my son, Tyler."

I smiled back at him. "We've met."

"And this is Mags," she said, indicating her friend, a pretty lady with short, blond hair and skin that matched tone with Lindsay's.

Mags moved around the sofa to the back of the truck. I reached up and she stretched and our hands met and shook. "Pleased to meet you, Ted." Her smile was rather shy and reserved.

I could hear Lindsay's bell ringing again. "Ah. Help's coming." She rode right across the grass with Brad trotting close behind. He'd put on his old cut-offs again and had left his T-shirt at home. "Well," I thought to myself, "there's strike one against Tyler's invitation to dinner."

"Don't ride on their lawn, Sweetheart. Ride on the sidewalk."

"Sorry, Daddy," she said and laid her bike on the ground so she could talk to Tyler.

"Brad? This is Cali and Mags," I said. "Cali? Mags? This is Brad."

Brad shook hands with both ladies.

"So, Bradley," Cali said, "you live around here, too, eh?"

"Yes," he smiled pleasantly. "Five houses down."

She looked at me. "And where do you live, Ted."

"Um," I stammered.

"Same house," Brad said with his chipped-tooth smile. "We live together." His candor surprised me. I'm not at all certain he knew what he had just said.

There goes strike two. I glanced at Tyler. Three strikes and you're out, kid. Brad glanced at him, too.

I turned back to Cali in time to hear her say, "So, you two. . ." Her finger moved from one to the other. I glanced at Brad, who was greeting Tyler.

"Yes," I said.

Cali looked at Mags.

"Well," Mags said with a growing smile, "Isn't this a coincidence. Sounds like we're all going to get along just fine."

"Oh," I said. "You two, too, eh?"

"Yup," Cali said proudly. "Going on seven years." She looked at Brad, who had joined us again.

"Not even that many weeks yet."

"Newlyweds," Mags said.

Cali looked at Brad again, her eyes zeroing in on Brad's shorts. "Well, Ted, it looks like you've scored the Super Lotto."

Brad's blush was significantly brighter in the afternoon sunlight, and I'm sure mine was, too. Cali noticed and gave Brad a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry, Sweetie," she said, grinning. "I won the Lotto, too." She glanced at Mags and puckered her lips and made a kissing sound.

"I think we all won," Brad said. He was smiling again, but still blushing.

"Right," Cali said. She reached out and grabbed Brad's biceps. "Well, Bradley. Do you use these things only to hug your boyfriend or do you think they'll pick up this whale?" She pointed to the sofa.

"I think I can handle it," Brad said. "You know? I think I'm going to like you."

"Oh, Honey," she replied. "I already know I'm going to like you! Now get that pretty little bum of yours in that truck and do something besides looking pretty for Ted. And don't turn around too fast. Give Mags a chance to get out of the way."

Brad hopped up into the truck and moved to the end of the sofa. I moved to join Cali at the back of the truck.

"Tyler, Honey, could you open the door for us, please?" Tyler ran off to open the door with Lindsay right behind him.

The four of us had the truck unloaded in a matter of minutes. Most of the things were large furniture items, including two beds and mattresses.

"Thank you, boys," Cali said. "You've been a great help."

"Our pleasure," I said. "Is there more to come?"

"At least two more loads, I think," Mags said.

"We can help," Brad offered.

Cali pinched his cheek, her shiny, pastel-purple nail polish reflecting off Brad's perspiration. "You're a sweetie, Bradley," she said, "but those shorts will gather tourists, and we need the room to move around." She let go of his cheek and planted a kiss there instead. She looked down at his crotch again. "Besides, you'd have to load that thing in the back of the truck, and we need to put our junk there."

Brad blushed and smiled again. It was going to be one of those days. Still, it surprised me that he was taking all that attention so well.

"We have help loading it," Mags explained, "but, if you could help us unload it, we could move it all today instead of having to do it tomorrow morning."

"We'll be here," I told her. "We'll be out front, working on the yard. Just send Tyler down to get us. Oh! I almost forgot. Lindsay invited Tyler for dinner. Would you like to join us as well? I'm sure you won't feel like cooking after moving all day."

"We were going to pick up some pizza or something," Cali said.

"Do you like Chinese?"

"We all do," Mags said.

"Then I'll order Chinese when you're ready."

"Mags, how much money do you have, Babe?"

Mags reached into her pocket and pulled out a small wad of bills.

"That's okay," I said. "My treat."

Cali reached out for the twenty dollar bill. "Teddy, you're a sweetie, too. The help is appreciated, but the food we pay for." She added her own thirty dollars to it. "That should be enough for all of us."

I held up my hands to show her I wouldn't take her money. She started to reach for my shirt pocket, stopped, then stuffed the bill deeply into Brad's front pocket.

"You know?" she said. "That's the closest I'll ever come to climbing K-2."

We all laughed, and I had a feeling we were going to become good friends.

* * * * *

We were tired, but we weren't hungry anymore. Dinner was delicious and now we sat around the kitchen table, relaxing with coffee and some of Bernice's home-made cookies. The kids were in the livingroom playing Nintendo.

Brad had pulled on a T-shirt.

Cali and Mags turned out to be as delightful as we first thought, and they were eternally grateful that we had been there to help them move. All their belongings were now in their new house. All they had to do was to take the U-Haul back in the morning. Brad and I had even taken the time to set up their beds for them as the ladies tracked down the bedding.

It was almost eight o'clock when Brad got up to go to the bathroom. He came back a moment later. "Ted? Ladies?" he said quietly, wiggling his finger for us to follow him. He had a gentle smile on his face. We followed him to the livingroom. Lindsay was sound asleep on Tyler's shoulder, and Tyler was sound asleep as well, his head resting against Lindsay's. The game was still flashing ‘Game Over', and they still held the paddles in their hands.

Cali placed her fingers over her lips as she looked at them. "Oh, I wish I knew where my camera was."

"We have one," Brad said, and headed off to get it. He came back a moment later and took several pictures from different angles. "I'll print these off and give you a copy."

He got another peck on the cheek from Cali and a peck on the other cheek from Mags.

We let the kids sleep and went back to our coffees while Brad continued to the bathroom. When he returned, Cali mentioned, "I'm surprised you can't reach the toilet from here."

It certainly was Brad's day for blushing.

Cali put her hand on Brad's arm. "You know I'm joshing you, don't you?" she asked. She had such a gentle look about her, and her voice danced in the room. I liked her.

Brad grinned and nodded.

Cali sat back in her chair. "So, Bradley, does it have its own bed or does it sleep with you?"

Like I said. It was Brad's day for blushing.

* * * * *

Lindsay was asleep in bed now. She'd awakened only long enough to say ‘bye' to Tyler and to go to the bathroom. She was sound asleep again as I changed her for bed. Later, Brad and I sat together in the tub, having a long, hot, relaxing soak after a rather grueling day.

"I hope no-one else moves into the neighbourhood soon," I said, squeezing out a washcloth of water over my head. "I hate moving."

"I'm glad Cali and Mags did, though," Brad said. "I like them."

"Well, Cali really likes you. I'm surprised you didn't get upset with all her attention to your manly prowess."

Brad showed me his chipped tooth again. "I didn't really mind that. She's pretty funny. It was a lot better than having her drooling all over me."

"I drool all over you."

"I don't mind your drool," he said. "At least you're doing something with it besides making my shorts soggy."

"She calls you ‘Bradley'."

Brad shrugged. "Yeah, well," he said. "If she wants to call me Bradley. . ."

Now, tell me. How could you not fall in love with a boy like that?

We were quiet for awhile, just letting the heat soak itself into our tired and sore muscles. At least mine were. Brad never said anything. He had worked twice as hard as me, so he should have been at least half as sore. I couldn't wait for that hot tub.

"Did you see Tyler?" Brad asked. "He was scared to death when I first met him, and then he seemed to calm right down."

"He was just shy."

"No, Ted," Brad continued. "It was more than that. He watched us. I mean, he watched you. And he stayed right beside Lindsay all the time at first."

"They're friends, Brad."

"I know. But didn't you see his eyes?"

"No. I didn't pay any attention."

"He was watching you, especially when you were talking to Cali. There was something in his eyes."

I waited as Brad tilted his head down as if trying to figure out what it had been that he had seen. "I think, if I had to put a name to it, I think it would be ‘hope'."

I can't remember seeing anything except a quiet, shy little boy a bit shorter than Lindsay.

"And then it changed to ‘relief'."

I shook my head. "Sorry, Brad, you're going to have to draw me another map."

Brad sat up and moved toward me in the tub. He took my hands in his and his eyes locked on mine. "Don't you see, Ted? He was afraid you would take Lindsay away from him when you found out his mother was a lesbian."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it's happened before. Not with Lindsay, but with other children. As soon as their parents found out, they took their children away from him. That's what he was hoping you wouldn't do. And he was so relieved that you didn't."

I looked away and down. I sank myself into the tub, as deep in thought as I was in the water. "Gee-sus, Murphy," I said. I looked back up and into Brad's handsome face. My eyes sought the sparkling green I knew I would find there. "That's what happened with Wendy."

Brad nodded. "You have to be ready for that, Ted." He paused. "We have to be ready."

I dropped my head again. "How do you explain something like that to a child?"

"Lindsay's a smart kid, Ted," Brad said. "Don't underestimate her. She may not understand what's going on, but she'll figure it out. Kids are going to say things to her about it. That's one of the reasons I went away. I didn't know if I could put her through that."

My eyes shot up to his again. "But you came back."

"Yes," Brad said quietly, "because I knew that, if I didn't, you'd find someone to take my place, and I couldn't be certain he would love Lindsay as much as I do. He might not be able to help you the way I can."

"How do you know it would be another ‘he'." It was dumb, I know.

"You can't tell me that you would be out looking for another woman, another wife, if I didn't come back. Not now. You'd be looking for another man."

I thought back on that boy in the rollerblades, standing in front of the store the other day. Brad was right. If he hadn't come back to me, I would have got over him eventually and set out to find someone else. And it would have been a man. Someone like the boy with the rollerblades.

"What am I going to do, Brad?"

"You'll deal with it, Ted," he said with his chipped-tooth smile. "And I'll be right there beside you to help you. That's why I came back. I think I could have left you, but I couldn't leave Lindsay, too."

I slid forward in the tub and captured Brad in my arms and I kissed that chipped-tooth smile.

"I love you so much, Brad."

"And I love you, too, Ted." He smiled at me again. "We can do this. Somehow, we have to find a way to do this."

I was pretty sure we could.

* * * * *

Brad rolled up against me as we lay in bed later. I was too tired to do anything else other than lay there. His cock pressed up against my hip. It wasn't hard, but it was full.

I pressed my hip against him. "Tomorrow," I said, "we'll go out and buy another bed for that thing."

He rolled away from me and, the next thing I knew, a pillow was flying at my face.

To Be Continued​

 

[caddymac]

I have enjoyed this story so much. Thank you.

 

[mushka]

I'm really savoring this story... It's very flavorful and savory. Thank you very much for writing this, and sorry for all the food adjectives, I'm cooking. >.<

 

[mushka]

Dear god... I'm enjoying the word 'savory' too much...

 

[gsdx]

Dear god... I'm enjoying the word 'savory' too much...

I'm glad you were cooking. I'd hate to see what you would have come up with if you were changing the oil in your car.

Then again. . .

 

[mushka]

I'm glad you were cooking. I'd hate to see what you would have come up with if you were changing the oil in your car.

Then again. . .

Hmm... Slick, slippery, greasy and ever dirty... I like!

 

[Kyanimal]

Still here! Still reading! But, also getting ready to go to sleep, so I can go to work tonight!

But ... guess what I'll be thinking about as I drift off to Dream Land!

THANKS, Neil!!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[mushka]

He's gathered quite a following...

Keep up the good work... uhm... Neil?

 

[sheep]

It's getting better all the time.