Watching Brad

[sheep]

Darn, I'll be in Montréal for the weekend. I guess I will have to catch up when I get back.

 

[harry113]

Thank you Neil ..... Brad really got Ted out of it, didn't he? !!!!
Wonderful chapter & worth the wait,

Harry

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part LXII​

We didn't know it at the time, but back in the store was the first time either of the boys had been astraddle any kind of cycle. They'd never even ridden a tricycle before. I had visions of running up and down the walk for weeks on end with one hand on the back of the seat, holding them up as they learned how to ride one with only two wheels. I voiced my concerns to Brad.

"They'll learn fast enough," he said. "They have balance. Look how fast they learned to skate."

"Wheels are different," said. "It took Dad ages to teach me how to ride a bike."

"That is because I did not know how to ride one myself," Dad interjected. "We had to learn together. One cannot teach what one does not know."

"Just do as I do, Ted," Brad said. "They'll be riding in no time."

The twins were kitted out in their shiny new helmets and pads. Brad adjusted the pedals vertically, then held onto the handlebar near the frame on Jeremy's bike, supporting the front wheel between his knees. I followed suit with Justin's bike. "Okay, boys," he said. "Get on."

"Aren't we going to help them?"

"Nope," Brad said. "Get on," he repeated.

Jeremy stared at his bike, perplexed, but Justin met the challenge, grabbed the handles in his little hands, put his left foot on the lower pedal, and swung his leg over the seat. He missed on the first try and caught his leg, but succeed on the second and was soon settled into place on his bike. He'd obviously seen someone do this before. Jeremy copied his brother's moves and was sitting in the seat a few moments later. He had more trouble than his brother, but he managed it.

"Now," Brad said. "You push forward on the pedals to go and you push back on the pedals to stop. Got it?" The boys nodded. "We'll hold onto the seats and jog along beside you. Try to keep the bikes up straight, okay? If you feel yourself falling to one side, turn the wheel that way a little bit." Again, the boys nodded. "You'll figure it out."

Dad, Mom, and Lindsay looked on as Brad and I stepped to the sides and grabbed hold of the back of the seat with one hand.

"It's easy," Lindsay said, encouraging them. "If I can do it, so can you."

The boys' excited grins beamed over at her and their grandparents.

"Don't hold them up, Ted," Brad said to me. "Just keep them from falling over." To the twins, he asked, "Ready?" The boys nodded in unison. "Okay, start pushing."

We worked with the twins right through their nap time. Up and down the walk we went, with Justin and I following Brad and Jeremy. I could hear Brad giving Jeremy instructions, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I was of very little help to Justin.

By four o'clock, I was pooped. The boys were faring much better than I was. I called it quits for the day. The boys didn't want to stop, but Brad assured them we'd try again tomorrow morning. We got them into the house finally and took off their protective gear and their coats and boots and we leaned the bikes against the wall in the entryway.

As the twins talked excitedly, I went into the livingroom and dropped to the sofa with a great sigh of relief. I hadn't done that much running in years. Brad joined me and kissed my cheek. "Admit it," he said. "You had fun."

I looked at him and then I smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I had fun."

A moment later, Justin was jumping into my lap, wrapping his arms around my neck, and planting a great, big, sloppy kiss on my cheek.

"Thank you, Daddy," he said. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Justin," I said as he drew back to look at me. I puckered my lips and Justin puckered his as well, then smacked them loudly against mine. He hugged me once more before twisting himself around and settling down against my chest and shoulder. Brad had received the same treatment from Jeremy. I leaned to my left to get my kiss from my other son.

Before Mom brought in our coffee, the boys were sound asleep in our arms.

* * * * *

"Justin," I said, gently shaking the little boy still sleeping against my chest. "Time to wake up, Son."

He roused himself and looked up at me.

"Supper's ready," I told him. "Let's go to the bathroom and get washed up, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy," he said sleepily.

Brad had awakened Jeremy. I stood up and reached for my other son, took them to the bathroom, and let them do their business as I waited, then I held them up to the sink one at a time so they could wash their hands. I sent them out to the kitchen so I could take a leak myself. Brad came in, closing the door behind him.

"I hope your parents don't mind," he said as he unzipped his jeans. "My teeth are doing the backstroke." He pulled his dick out of his jeans, aimed, and let fly. My piss joined his shortly thereafter.

"We still have to talk," Brad reminded me as he pissed.

"I know," I said. "We will." I was done and zipped up again before Brad finished. He was definitely topped to the gills. When he was zipped up, I pulled him into my arms and held him.

"You're still scared, aren't you?" he asked into my ear.

"Yes," I replied. "What do I say to them?"

"Just tell them why you're scared."

I sighed against him, feeling his heart beating against mine. Many things were easier said than done. What Brad had just recommended I do was one of those things.

* * * * *

Supper was simple but delicious, as always, topped up by genuine English trifle, without the liqueurs, of course, which would satisfy even the most finicky taste buds. The boys had never had it before, but devoured theirs and asked for seconds. Fortunately, Mom had made extra. Brad had never had it before, either, and asked Mom for the recipe. She was more than happy to give it to him.

After supper, I picked up the twins. "Come on, boys," I said, "time for your bath. You missed it last night."

"May I?" Dad asked.

"If you want to, sure," I said. "I'll get the water ready. Could you grab their robes and clean PJs out of their suitcase?"

"Of course," he said happily. I could see now why Dad wanted a grandson. He was reliving my childhood through the twins.

I took the boys to the bathroom and set them on the floor. They immediately started taking off their clothes as I ran the water. Dad arrived a few moments later, slippers, robes, and pyjamas in hand. He closed the door behind him before setting the night clothes on the vanity. I knelt down in front of the twins. "Now, promise to be good for Oupa. Don't splash him and don't make a mess on the floor. Promise?"

"We promise, Daddy," they said.

I kissed their cheeks and turned off the faucets when the tub was full enough, giving the temperature one final check.

"I assume blue is for Justin?" Dad asked.

"Yup," I answered as I picked up Justin.

"Which one is Justin?"

"This one right here," I said as I set him in the water. "And don't try to trick Oupa, either. You hear me?" Justin nodded. I set Jeremy at the other end of the tub. "Well, Dad, they're all yours. They don't need their hair washed tonight. Call me if you need me."

"That will not be necessary, Son," Dad said as he sat on the edge of the tub.

I stopped at the door and looked at Dad as he watched the boys splashing gently about. He was an entirely new man. He was the man I remembered when I was a little boy. The love I could see he had for the twins was the same love he must have had for me. I felt a lump growing in my throat, so I left quickly, closing the door behind me.

I joined Mom, Brad, and Lindsay in the livingroom. Lindsay crawled into my lap and I hugged her and kissed her hair. "Dad looks so happy," I said to Mom.

"He's very happy," Mom said. "He's listing the house tomorrow."

"Really? So soon?"

"The position becomes available on the fifth of June. I believe he had made up his mind to move the moment he was offered the position in Whitby," she said softly. "He was simply awaiting your consent."

"My consent?" I asked, somewhat perplexed. "He didn't need my consent."

"Yes, he did. He has accepted your relationship with Brad, and even your up-coming marriage. He has accepted it all, but he is unsure if you have accepted him."

"I don't understand," I said.

"You are not comfortable around us, Teddy," Mom continued. "How many times have you kissed Brad since you came here this weekend?"

"Lots," I said.

"In front of us," Mom amended the parameters.

I thought for a moment. "Quite a few."

"Not once," Mom corrected. "Brad has kissed you, but you haven't kissed him. You rarely show Brad any affection. You don't wish to offend your father, and that is why he needed your consent. He didn't want to make you any more uncomfortable than you are now."

"But I'm not uncomfortable."

"Yes, Teddy, you are. If you were at home right now, sitting on your divan, would you and Brad be holding each other?"

I looked at Brad. He answered for me. "Yes, we would."

"Yet, you will not do so here," Mom concluded with a heavy sigh. "Your Father doesn't hide you from his friends, Teddy. He is as proud of you and Brad as he is of his grandsons. When he shows photos of the twins to his friends, he shows them also the photos of their two fathers, and if anyone comments to his dislike, he stands up for you. He is not ashamed of you, and neither am I. We are both very proud of what you have accomplished with your life."

Again, I felt that lump growing in my throat. "Gee-sus, Murphy," I whispered. All this time I was trying to protect my Dad and he was still protecting me.

"You are truly happy for the first time in your life, Teddy, and that makes your Father truly happy as well. Don't be afraid to show him."

* * * * *

The twins sat with us after their bath and I sent Lindsay in to have her own bath. Dad came out of it almost unscathed, although he had to change his shirt. When it finally came time for the twins to go to bed, they got their hugs and kisses from Ouma and Oupa, then Brad and I tucked them into bed, gave them their own hugs and kisses and ‘I love yous' and Teddy bears, and went back to join Mom and Dad in the livingroom. I stopped off at the bathroom to check on Lindsay.

"Is everything okay, Sweetheart?"

"Will you wash my hair, Daddy?" she called through the door.

"Sure will," I said. "Do you have a bowl?"

"Yes!"

"Okay," I said. "I'm coming in."

I almost burst out laughing when I entered, but I managed to keep my cool. Lindsay was up to her neck in bubbles. I stepped to the tub and began digging into the suds. "Lindsay!" I called. "Are you in there, Sweetheart!?"

Lindsay giggled. "Oh, Daddy," she said. "You're so silly!"

I set a towel on the edge of the tub and sat down. "Does Grandma know you used so much of her bubble bath?"

"No," she said guiltily. "Are you mad?"

"No, Sweetheart," I smiled, "but why so much?"

"Because you won't let me do this at home."

"Do you like this many bubbles?"

"Yeah," she said. "They're fun and they make me smell nice."

"Well, then," I said, "as long as you don't make a big mess at home, you can make as many bubbles as you want." I bent down and kissed her hair.

"Thank you, Daddy."

"So, you want me to wash your hair. I thought you were getting to old for that."

Lindsay shrugged shyly. "I miss it sometimes."

"So do I, Sweetheart."

I set about washing her hair. I did, indeed, miss these moments, but I knew there wouldn't be many more of them. It wouldn't be long before my daughter would graduate to showers and boyfriends and lipstick and. . .

I was beginning to understand how my Dad felt.

"Daddy? When Grandma and Grandpa move in with us, will we be able to come back here again?"

"I'm afraid not, Sweetheart," I told her honestly. "Another family will be living here. We won't be able to come back."

"I'll miss it."

"I will, too, but you'll be able to visit Grandma and Grandpa a lot more."

"Really?"

"Sure," I said. "They'll buy a new house near where we live and you can go see them any time you want."

"Every day?" she asked excitedly.

"Maybe not every day, but a whole lot more than a few times a year."

She thought quietly for a few moments. "I think I'll like that better."

"I will, too, Sweetheart," I said. "I will too."

* * * * *

After I put Lindsay to bed and tucked her in for the night, I peeked in on the boys before going back to join Mom, Dad, and Brad.

Brad took the initiative, turning himself slightly to cuddle his back against me. My left arm was tossed over his shoulder and chest as his right arm rested upon my leg, his hand draped over my knee. His left hand came up to entwine his fingers with mine. He was amazingly relaxed, but I was scared out of my wits at his boldness. My eyes found Dad's.

"Your children are comfortable with this?" Dad asked quietly.

"Yes," I said.

"Then do not be uncomfortable with us."

Brad squeezed my hand in his.

"Your Mother told me what you talked about whilst I was giving the boys their bath. She spoke the truth. It pains me to see you so frightened of me."

"I'm not afraid of you, Dad," I said.

"Yes, Theodore, you are," he continued. "If I am to give up my life here and move, I must know that you are not frightened of me." He paused a moment, as if searching for words. He looked at Brad for a long, terrifying, few seconds, then back to me.

During that pause, I wondered if my Dad was a mind reader. I glanced at Brad. He merely shrugged his shoulder.

"There are many things that I do not understand," Dad continued, "but I believe I understand now the feelings you have for each other. I have grown to love Brad as a son. He has a. . . way. . . of ingratiating himself into peoples' hearts."

Dad glanced briefly at Brad and smiled."I have seen more love in him for you these past two days than I saw in Lindsay's mother all the years you were together. His love is not false, and even these tired old eyes can see the love you have for him. Times have changed, Son, and I must change with them or be left alone in the past. You are to be married soon, and it is my intention to be there to see it and to be part of it and to welcome Brad into the family officially."

"Actually," I said, "I wanted to talk to you about that."

Brad squeezed my hand in warning.

"We can postpone the wedding if you think it's best."

Brad pulled himself out of my arms and spun around to face me. "Postpone it!?" he said loudly. "Last night you wanted to call it off! What in hell's going on here, Ted? What in hell are you doing to me?"

"Call it off?" Mom repeated. I could hear the shock and surprise in her voice.

"Brad," I said in a loud, hushed whisper, "the kids are asleep!"

Brad was on the brink of tears, and they began to flow as he spoke. "Damn it, Ted, what kind of sick fuckin' game are you playing with me? If you don't want to marry me, then, damn it, just tell me! But stop fucking around with my emotions!"

He suddenly realized the language he was using. His head whipped around toward Mom and Dad. "Oh, God," he said. "I'm sorry!" He jumped up from the sofa, running past them toward the guestroom. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

I jumped to my feet as well to go after him, but Dad was faster and stepped in front of me. He grabbed my arms. The look in his eyes told me I'd best pay attention to him. "Leave him be, Son," he said.

"Dad!"

"I will bring him back. You are not the one he needs right now. Stay here and help your mother prepare another pot of tea. I shall speak with Brad and bring him back, and then we shall all speak together."

"Dad," I said again, pleading.

"Trust me, my Sonskyn." He held my arms and my gaze for several more seconds, then released me, turned, and followed Brad.

"Come, dear," Mom said. She took my arm in her hand and led me into the kitchen.

We said nothing as we prepared the pot of tea. We were sitting back in the livingroom, still in silence when Dad finally returned with Brad. His arm was over Brad's shoulder, leading him along. A large, wet spot was on Dad's shirt over his left shoulder and Brad's eyes were wet and tinted red. He was still sniffling and wiping at his eyes and nose with the back of his hand.

I stood up as they came forward. With a gentle push, Brad came to my arms. I hugged him to me, pulling his cheek to my shoulder and kissing his hair. "I'm sorry, Babe," I said softly. "I'll fix this. I promise."

Brad squeezed his arms around me. He mumbled into my chest. "I'm so scared, Ted."

I kissed his hair again as I stroked the side of his head. A short while later, I pushed him gently away so I could look into his eyes. My fingers went to his cheeks, wiping away the stray tears. "Don't be afraid. I love you, Brad. I'll make this right. I swear." I kissed him then. Brad needed me to love him at that moment and I loved him. If Mom and Dad still had any doubts as to what they were getting themselves into by moving, they would have them no longer.

It wasn't a passionate kiss. It wasn't erotic. It was a tender, loving kiss - one which my parents had seen many times before with past girlfriends and my ex-wife. But this one was with a young, handsome man, and a man I loved dearly. I wouldn't have cared who was in the room with us. I had made Brad cry and it was my duty to take away the hurt from him.

We kissed for a long time, and when the kiss was finished, I hugged him some more. "I love you, Brad. I'm sorry I made you cry."

"Help me to understand, Ted," Brad said. "I need to understand."

"You will," I said with a smile. "Come on."

I led Brad back to the sofa, pulling him down beside me and wrapping him in my arms, holding him against me as if we were alone at home. The ice was cracked, and now it was time to see if we would fall through or if we would make it to shore.

I looked at Mom and Dad, took a deep, calming breath, and said, "This is what I was protecting you from."

Dad looked from me to Brad, then back to me. "I do not understand."

"Last night, I wanted to call off the wedding because you were moving to Durham. Brad told me that I was afraid of you, Dad, and I thought I was, too. But I was wrong. We were both wrong. I stayed awake for a long time thinking after everyone fell asleep. Brad had said something to me, but I couldn't remember what it was. And then it came to me. He had said, ‘They don't care. They know what they're up against and they're willing to take that chance.' I suddenly realized that I wasn't afraid of you, Dad. I was afraid for you."

Dad looked at me, shaking his head back and forth. "Ek is jammer, my Sonskyn," he said. "Ek verstaan nie."

Brad turned his head toward me. "What did he say?"

"He's sorry, he doesn't understand," I translated.

"That's good, because I don't understand, either."

"I believe I do," Mom said.

Our eyes turned to her. She smiled a tiny smile at me. I had a feeling Mom would be the one to figure it out.

"Ted is not afraid of this," she said, indicating Brad and I cuddling together on the sofa. "He is afraid of other people's reactions when they learn that our son has married another man. He was willing to call off the wedding to prevent that shame from falling upon us."

"Is this true, Son?" Dad asked immediately.

"Yes," I said. "It can't be easy for either of you. If you were to stay here, you'd be away from it and you wouldn't have to deal with it. At home, though, you're going to be faced with it all the time. I didn't want you to have to go through all that."

"And you were willing to cancel your wedding because of us?"

"Yes, Dad," I said, "I was."

"Then, we would not have moved," Dad said.

"See?" Brad said. "I told you, Ted."

Dad looked at Brad and smiled his acknowledgment, then back at me once more. "You had best begin listening to him, Son," Dad said. "He is wise beyond his years. This is a new world, my Sonskyn. It is changing every day, and we must change with it. You and Brad have made the decision to commit yourselves to each other, and we have made the decision to support you in every way possible. You need not fear for us. We are prepared. We are not frightened of what we will encounter. Neither should you be."

The lump in my throat had returned. As if we were reading each other's minds, Dad and I stood up at the same time and I fell into his arms. They came around me and held me close. I was a little boy again, and my Pa was taking away all my hurt.

"Ek het jou lief, my Sonskyn," he said quietly.

"I love you, too, Dad," I croaked. And then I cried.

I don't know how long Dad held me, but it wasn't long enough.

* * * * *

We washed and dried our hands and I was about to reach for the door handle when Brad stopped me. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me hard on the lips. "Do you know it's been almost two hours since I told you I love you?"

I shook my head. "I don't keep track."

Brad smiled. "I do. I love you, Ted," he said, and he kissed me again, pressing his body warm and tight against me.

"I love you, too, Brad," I said softly after he'd released me.

His hand came to my hair, his wonderful green eyes watching as his fingers stroked themselves through it, and then his eyes found mine again and his palm came to my cheek. The thumb rubbed tenderly and slowly across my lips.

"You are so handsome," he whispered quietly. "Will you marry me, Ted de Villiers?"

My hands left his hips and moved to his cheeks. I held his face gently and lovingly. I may not have understood his love for me, but I could see it in his eyes. "Yes, Bradley Hayes," I said softly. "I will marry you."

We stared into each other's eyes for a time and then Brad wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me into his body again, laying his cheek against my shoulder. I held him as well, luxuriating in the heat and the feel and the smell of the man I loved so much.

"Don't ever leave me, Ted," Brad said in a hushed whisper. "I'll die if you ever leave me."

I had no intention of going anywhere without him. Not anymore.

* * * * *

That night, Brad slept with his head on my shoulder. Justin tried to squeeze between us and failed. He slept on my chest instead of beside me. Jeremy slept on Brad's chest, and my arms were holding onto all of them.

I slept very well that night.

To Be Continued​

 

[gmoney]

That is the sweetest chapter yet! Thank you! *goes to get more tissue*

 

[harry113]

Wonderful, Wonderful chapter Neil
So sensitively written
Thankyou

Harry

 

[gsdx]

Thanks, guys. These past two chapters were two of the toughtest ones I've had to write. I was stuck on it for a long time. I couldn't see an 'out'. And then, as I was writing the final confrontation, I took a break and started proofing Chapter LXI. That line Brad said stuck in my mind and I realized I had my 'out'. I went back to the final confrontation, deleted it, and rewrote the whole thing all over again and Brad's 'breakdown' happened.

Everything worked. At least for me.

 

[shea]

It worked beautifully Neil.
Another wonderful chapter has been written. What a
gift you have. Thank you for another beautiful piece
of work.
shea

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part LXIII​

"Hurry up, Daddy!" Justin shouted.

"You eat too slow," Jeremy added.

They stood at my elbow, already dressed for outdoors and wearing their helmets and pads. To emphasis his urgency, Justin stretched up on his tiptoes, grabbed a piece of bacon from my plate, and shoved it in my mouth. I almost choked as I began laughing and chewing and trying to keep the food in my mouth all at the same time.

"Eat faster, Daddy!"

"‘Now' is not soon enough for anxious little boys," Dad said, chuckling along with everyone else.

Jeremy reached for Brad's plate. "Don't even think about it, Kiddo," Brad said. Jeremy just smiled, picked up a piece of bacon and held it out to Brad. Brad returned the smile and bit off a huge chunk.

Twenty minutes later, with breakfast behind us, we were outside once more with the twins and their new bicycles. Brad laid Jeremy's bike on the lawn and told me to do the same with Justin's bike.

"Okay, boys," Brad said as he stood back. "Get on."

"Help us, Brad," Jeremy said.

"Nope. See if you can do it yourselves first."

Jeremy watched his adventurous brother tackle the challenge. Justin picked up the bicycle and examined it, trying to figure out what to do. Jeremy picked up his own bike and continued watching Justin.

"Don't try to ride it," Brad said. "Just try to get on the seat and stand on the ground."

Justin made several attempts, with both Brad and I ready to get him out of trouble if he should get into it, but all his attempts failed. He couldn't get his leg over the seat. On his forth attempt, though, he began to lose his balance. The bike leaned toward him and I reached for him, but he caught himself and suddenly the bike was beneath him. He stood up, wiggled his little bum onto the seat, and smiled triumphantly.

"Bend it, Jeremy!" he shouted.

With Justin's encouragement and instructions, Jeremy was soon astraddle his own bicycle and smiling as broadly as his twin. Brad and I gave them a healthy round of applause and three cheers. Brad did that tongue whistle which I could never do. We were four very proud boys.

Unfortunately, our celebrations were short-lived. The boys were on their bikes and they wanted to ride them, which meant more running for me. I prayed for a very short lesson that morning. My prayers were answered.

Less than an hour later, as I was jogging along with Justin, I heard a loud ‘Yeah!' and glanced up to see Brad with his fists punching the sky. Jeremy was riding the bicycle all by himself. He allowed Jeremy to ride a few seconds more before grabbing the bike to stop him, then grabbed Jeremy in his arms and gave him a big hug of congratulations.

"I did it!" Jeremy shouted. "I did it!"

"You sure did, pal!" Brad replied with an enormous grin.

Justin and I stopped beside them.

Jeremy turned to his twin brother. "It's easy, Justin," he said. "Brad will show you."

I eagerly gave up my position as Justin's teacher and let Brad take over. I joined Jeremy and guided him to the front lawn of Dad's house. I gave him a push to get him started, then stood back and walked in a small circle as he rode his bike around and around me. It was much easier than jogging, and far-less tiring.

Jeremy fell a few times, of course, and I ran to help him, but, after his third fall, I was about to push-start him when he said, "Let me try, Daddy." He put his foot on the high pedal, pushed off with his other foot, and started riding. His screeches of success and his happy laughter brought a tear to my eye and a smile to my face.

A few minutes later, another little boy zipped past me on his own bicycle, laughing and screaming, and following his brother around the lawn. Brad came up beside me and put his arm around my waist. My arm went to his broad shoulders and I pulled him close. I kissed his cheek and said, "Thank you, Brad."

Brad looked at me and kissed my lips. "Are you as happy as I am, Ted?"

"Oh, yeah," I told him.

Neither of us saw Dad standing in the doorway taking pictures.

* * * * *

"Did you see us, Ouma?" Justin shouted excitedly as Brad and I took off the twins' coats and boots. "We were riding our bikes!"

"Yes," Mom said with a big smile. "I saw you."

"Daddy said we can ride in our yard at home," Jeremy added.

"We're not big enough to ride on the streets yet."

"Well, you just be careful," Mom said. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please," they said eagerly. "With mushmellows?"

"Hot chocolate with marshmallows coming right up."

Brad made a coffee for himself and me as I plopped into a kitchen chair beside Dad. Justin climbed into my lap and waited for his treat.

"Summer is coming, Son," Dad said with a smirk. "I suggest you stock up on those power bars I see advertised on the telly. You will need them."

"The boys will get him into shape," Brad said as he set a mug of steaming coffee in front of me. He picked up Jeremy, who was sitting in Brad's chair, and set him in his lap. Lindsay sat across from me, already drinking her hot chocolate.

"Did you see us, Oupa?" Justin asked.

"Yes, I did, my Sonskyn," Dad said. "Now, you can do something I cannot do."

"You can't ride a bike?" Jeremy asked.

Dad shook his head. "No, I can't."

"Brad will teach you."

"I will be happy just to stand back and watch you. When we get the film developed, you will see the photos I took of you riding your bicycles by yourself."

"You took pictures?" I asked.

"Many," Dad added. "It was a moment to be remembered and you were too busy to take them."

Mom arrived with the twins' hot chocolate. It wasn't really hot. She cheated. She would make half a cup with boiling milk, add the marshmallows and allow them to melt, then top it up with cold milk. It was more like lukewarm chocolate, but the boys didn't mind. They could still dunk their cookies in it.

* * * * *

We were sitting together in the livingroom. The kids were playing on the floor together and Brad was cuddled into my arms on the sofa. Dad had just asked me about the PODS.

"It's simple," I explained. "You hire one of them. It's like a big box, really. They unload it into your yard where you want it and you fill it up. Brad has already checked. You can hire one big enough to move everything in this house, and it's only a few hundred bucks. When you're loaded and ready to move, they come, pick it up, and take it where you want. We'll have them bring it to my house until you find a new one. When you're ready to move in, you call them back and they'll move it to the new place. You'll probably have to pay extra for the second move, though, but the PODS is yours until you're finished with it. When it's empty, they come and pick it up."

"Sounds much easier than a lorry,." Dad said, nodding. "We will not be rushed."

"The only thing is that you have to load and unload it yourself. We could come down to help."

"You will be too busy. I have friends who can help, or I can hire some students from the Youth Employment."

"Well, we could come down with the van anyway when you move," I offered. "We can fold down the bench seat and fill it up. Lindsay can ride back with you."

"That would be helpful," Mom said. "We won't be bringing much except clothing, but I was concerned about getting it all in the car."

"Good," I said. "Then it's settled. I'll arrange the PODS when you're ready."

"Your Mother has asked me to pick up packing boxes tomorrow," Dad said with a smile. "She is very anxious to move."

Mom smiled proudly. "I shall enjoy being a full-time grandmother again."

* * * * *

As Mom prepared lunch, I got the twins and Lindsay busy packing up their toys and clothes. Brad loaded the bicycles into the back of the van.

I didn't expect much traffic that Sunday afternoon, but I wanted to get an early start anyway. The twins would probably sleep most of the way and I wanted to be on the road before their nap time.

With lunch and all the hugs and kisses out of the way, we piled into the van and were on our way north by one-thirty. Finding Nemo was playing on the DVD. Brad's hand found its way to my leg.

By the time we hit the QEW, the twins were asleep, their earphones still plugged into their ears. Lindsay sat in the back seat, listening to the movie through her own earplugs whilst working on her plastic canvas.

"I'm glad you changed your mind, Ted," he said, giving my leg a squeeze of thanks.

"So am I," I told him.

"I was afraid you were using your parents as an excuse to get out of marrying me."

I glanced quickly at him. "Seriously?"

"I couldn't think of any other reason," he said. "I knew your parents were cool with it. I thought you didn't like me anymore."

"Don't ever think that, Brad."

"You'll tell me if you stop loving me?"

"That's never going to happen."

"Promise me you won't just kick me out or lock the door or something if you do. You'll tell me?"

I glanced up into the rearview mirror. Lindsay was still preoccupied. I looked at Brad. "Where in hell is this coming from?"

"Drive," he said and my attention went back to the highway. "When you said you wanted to call off the wedding, I thought you were going to ask me to move out."

"Gee-sus, Murphy, Ted," I thought to myself, "when you screw up, you do it big time!"

"Don't worry, Brad. If I ever get the urge to kick your pretty little ass out on the street, you'll be the first to know."

Brad took a panicked peek between the seats to see if anyone had heard.

"I already checked," I said, chuckling mildly.

He looked back at me and dug his fingers into my leg. "You prick," he said with a laugh. When he was finished, he said, "Seriously, though, you're going to be okay with your parents moving?"

"I think so. It's going to be weird having them living so close."

"More weird than my parents living right next door?"

My eyes opened wide at the sudden realization. "Gee-sus, Murphy! I hadn't even thought of that!"

"There, you see? It's no big deal."

As if on cue, Brad's phone began ringing. He pulled it out of his jeans pocket. "Hello. . . . Oh, hi, Mom. . . . We're on our way home right now. . . . Oh, four-thirty. Five maybe. Depends on traffic in TO. . . . Oh, okay. Sounds good. . . . Okay, see you then. Love you. Bye."

He disconnected and tucked the phone back in his jeans. "Mom invited us for supper. She's making a roast."

"Maybe we should stop and pick up something for dessert," I suggested.

"Te-e-e-ed," Brad said.

"Oh, yeah, right. Stupid suggestion."

* * * * *

Of course, there was no eating until Grandma and Grandpa Hayes had come outside to see the twins on their new bikes. They got on by themselves and even started riding without any help.

Bernice clapped with delight. "Oh, how wonderful!"

"Would you believe they've never ridden a bike until yesterday?" Brad asked. "Not even a tricycle like that big wheel low-rider thing I had when I was a kid."

"You were the terror of the neighbourhood, Bradley," John snickered. "People knew to get out of your way when you rode down the walks."

"I loved that thing," Brad said with fond remembrances. "I wish they made them for big kids."

"They do," I said. "They're called. . ."

"Daddy!" one of the twins shouted. "Stop me!"

I turned around in time to see Justin about to run me over. I grabbed the handlebars and brought my son to an abrupt stop. "Whoa!" I shouted as I laughed. "You're supposed to push back on the pedals to stop."

"Oh, yeah," he said with a huge grin. "I forgot. Grandma! Did you see me?"

"I sure did. You were wonderful!"

"Let go, Daddy," Justin said. "I want to go again."

I let him go and away he went.

"They're doing very well for just learning this morning."

"Brad taught them," Lindsay said. "Daddy just got tired a lot."

"Gee, thanks, Sweetheart," I said as I squatted down. "Now, how about some sugar so I can get my energy back?"

Lindsay puckered up her lips and waited. I kissed her. "Mmmmm. The sweetest sugar in the whole world."

"Oh, Daddy," she said, looking down shyly and kicking at the grass.

"Don't you ‘Oh, Daddy' me, little girl," I grinned and grabbed her cheeks, giving her a half dozen loud, rapid, soggy-wet smacks on the lips, each one accompanied by a ‘mwa!' Lindsay laughed through the last four. "There," I said as I let her go. "That should hold me until bedtime."

Her arms came around my neck and we hugged. "I love you, Daddy," she said.

"I love you, too, Sweetheart," I replied softly. "Now and forever and ever."

* * * * *

"Mrs. Grace was over yesterday, Bradley," Bernice was saying as we ate. "She was admiring your work here and at Ted's. She wants to know if you can do a Zen-type garden."

"I don't even know what that is," Brad said.

"She wants someplace to go where she can sit and relax in the shade," Bernice added.

"Oh." Already, I could see Brad's mind working. "Yeah," he said. "I think I could do that."

"I told her I'd send you over to talk to her about it," Bernice added.

We finished our dinner, talking about Mom and Dad's move to the Durham region, but Brad was still lost in deep thought. At one point, just before Bernice served the cake for dessert, Brad announced suddenly, "I have to learn how to build ponds and waterfalls."

"Isn't that a bit ambitious, Bradley?" John asked.

Brad looked up at him. "I need one." And he went back to thinking.

* * * * *

Brad unloaded the van for me as I sent Lindsay off for her bath and prepared the bath for the twins. By the time I turned off the faucets, their clothes were all over the floor and two naked little boys were anxious to be picked up. I took one in each arm and my cheeks were attacked from both sides. Their arms were wrapped around my neck.

"You're the bestest Daddy in the whole world," Justin said.

"Thank you," I said to them and returned their kisses. "And you're the bestest sons in the whole world. I love you so much." I kissed them again as they hugged my neck.

I set them in the tub, deftly avoiding their sunken and floating toys, then set about washing their hair. When I finished, I gathered up their clothes and dropped them into the laundry hamper in their bathroom, then said, "Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes. No messes, you hear?" I stood in the doorway for a minute or so, watching them. I wished they could stay that age forever.

I found Brad in the bedroom, working on the computer and researching ponds and relaxing gardens and such. I stood behind him and wrapped my arms around his chest, kissing his neck as I bent down to see what he was doing.

"How's it going, Tiger?" I asked.

"Good," he replied and turned his head so we could kiss properly. "It doesn't look very hard. You can buy pond kits, but that's like cheating."

"Sounds like it might be easier for learning."

"Not really. You have to dig the hole to fit the plastic pond. If you use a waterproof membrane, you dig the pond the way you want it and cut the membrane to fit it. Waterfalls should be fun, though."

I gave him a squeeze. "You're really getting into this, aren't you?"

"Who knew, eh? One day I want to build bridges and the next day I want to build gardens." He lifted his hands from the keyboard and turned in his chair. "I need you to be honest, Ted," he said. "Am I good enough? Can I make gardens for a living?"

"I'm biased, so I won't answer that. Just think about the comments you've heard about the garden you made for me."

He stood up and took me in his arms, hugging me hard. "What if I stink at this and do a face dive in the mud?"

"Then you take a shower and wash your clothes and go on to something else."

Brad leaned back, putting his hands on my shoulders. "It scares me, Ted," he said.

"It should. It means you'll work harder and do a better job."

Still, he was skeptical.

"Okay, if I gave you a job tomorrow, would you rather build me a bridge or build me a garden?"

His eyes moved down to my chest as he thought about my question. "I want to build bridges, but I want to build gardens, too."

"Then think about this. People look at a bridge once and go ‘ooo' and ‘ahh' and then they drive over it and never look at it again. How many times will they ‘ooo' and ‘ahh' over one of your gardens every time they see it?" I kissed him. "Build your gardens, Brad."

Brad kissed me back. "I love you, Pops."

"I love you, too, Tiger."

* * * * *

I got the boys out of the tub, dried and dressed for the night, and they sat in my lap as we watched some cartoons on television. Brad was still busy on the computer doing his research. Lindsay joined us after awhile and curled up beside me.

At eight o'clock, I put the boys to bed and sat with Lindsay in my lap until nine, then sent her off to bed as well. I locked up the house for the night, turned out the lights, and joined Brad in the bedroom. It stepped up behind him again and wrapped my arms tightly around his chest.

"Shut it down," I said into his ear.

"Just another hour," he said without looking at me.

My hands slid down his chest and stomach to the mound in his jeans. They settled there and began a slow, gentle massage. I could feel Brad's cock stirring beneath my touch.

"I'm not stopping and I'm not taking it out," I said. "If you don't want to break it in half, shut down the computer."

Brad's hand left the keyboard and came to rest upon my own hands, pressing them into his denim-covered flesh. His head twisted around and his lips found mine. As we kissed, Brad rose out of the chair. My hands left his crotch and slid around his back as he moved into me and dove into the kiss with his entire, youthful, strong body. We kissed and hugged until our cocks were filled up to dangerous, painful levels.

Brad broke away from me, gasping for breath. "I'll shut this down. Go start the shower."

I left him reluctantly and headed for the bathroom where I turned on the shower and set the temperature, and then I began taking off my clothes. Brad entered, closing the door behind him. He was starkly and beautifully naked, his magnificent cock leading the way.

He helped me take off what was left of my clothes, took my cock into his grasp, and led me into the shower. We said nothing. We kissed and hugged and rubbed our wet bodies against each other, trapping our hard cocks between us.

Brad stopped the kiss and began to sink to his knees, kissing his way down my body as he dropped lower and lower. His left hand came to my balls and his right hand found my cock. And then his lips were there.

He sucked me into his mouth and buried his face into my groin, his nose pressing into my stomach. My balls pressed against his chin. My hands found his shoulders and I leaned back against the shower stall, closing my eyes and trying to keep my anxious groan from becoming too loud.

Brad had a way of making every blowjob feel like it was the very first one for me. I felt like a teenager, experiencing sex for the very first time. I admired his talent, but I appreciated it even more.

His lips and tongue and throat worked in unison, bringing the wonderful feelings to the surface and spreading them throughout my entire body. His head moved and twisted and swirled, sucking all those wonderful feelings back into my cock. I exploded into his mouth and Brad took me into himself. His arms wrapped around me, holding me up as my fingers dug into his shoulders. A long, low groan of pleasure filled the shower stall.

He held me in his mouth long after my orgasm finished, teasing and taunting me and draining every single drop of fluid from me he could find. And then he pulled his mouth away from me, rose to his feet, and kissed me.

It was my turn. As we kissed, I spun us around until his back was against the wall. I began my trip down his body, but my journey was excruciatingly slow. I stopped at his chest, licking and sucking at his mounded pectorals, squeezing them in my hands and teasing and tonguing his nipples into hardened buttons. I licked at them and nipped them with my lips and teeth as Brad's moans rumbled through his chest.

Brad's hands came to my head, pulling my mouth against him, mashing my lips against his soft, smooth flesh. "Oh, God," he whispered, and his whisper screamed in my ears. His hands moved to the top of my head, encouraging me to go lower. I let him guide me as I dropped easily to my knees.

He stopped pushing when my cheek came to rest beside the towering cock, but I ignored it. Instead, my hands grasped his hips and guided him around until his was facing the wall. He knew what was about to happen and brought his arms up, crossing them in front of him against the tiles and resting his forehead against them. His legs instinctively opened for me.

My hands found his ass cheeks, molding themselves over them, my fingers pressing into the solid, muscled flesh. My thumbs moved into the cleft between them and pulled them apart. Brad's asshole winked at me, clenching and relaxing in anticipation. I pursed my lips and blew a jet of air against it and Brad's ass pushed back toward me. His knees bent slightly and his back arched toward the wall, opening his ass to me and allowing my face to enter until my lips were pressed against that most tender and secret spot. My tongue joined in the exploration of that exceptional ass.

I tongued him and teased him and Brad ground his ass against me, urging me on with twitches of his body and soft, anxious moans of pleasure. I could have stayed there for hours, making love to my Tiger, but there was something else I wanted more, and something Brad needed more.

I turned and twisted myself until I was sitting on the floor of the shower, facing away from Brad's ass. My head was moving between his legs, my tongue teasing the skin from his asshole to his balls. The back of my head came to rest against the shower wall and Brad's huge, heavy, cum-laden balls fell into my open mouth. I tongued them and teased them and nipped at them. I sucked them carefully and gently between my lips one at a time and warmed them inside my mouth.

Brad's balls began to lift in their sack and I knew he was close to orgasm. My hands pressed gently against his hips and he moved them back. I glanced up at him. His eyes were opened, staring down at me, his face contorted in pre-orgasmic bliss.

"It's time," he whispered in a harsh, jagged whisper.

I tilted my head back and opened my mouth wide. Brad's hand came down to his cock, his fingers and thumb grasping it in his finger tips, and pushing it into line with my mouth. His hips moved forward and his enormous cockhead slipped inside.

Brad moved his hips in slow, easy strokes, pressing into me only as far as he dared. My lips wrapped around him and my tongue teased him to his climax. The head swelled and began to pulsate, and then his cream was flowing into me in blasts which pounded against my pallets. Brad stifled his groans and moans, and he failed. They echoed within the tiled walls.

I sucked and swallowed, taking him into me forever. Above me, I watched his stomach and chest spasm in release. His entire body jerked against me.

Brad's orgasm continued long after it was finished. Long after he stopped pumping out his semen into me, his cock spasmed and twitched and his breath came in short, desperate gasps. Slowly, his body relaxed, although his cock remained mostly hard within me.

I released him finally, and Brad bent down, hooking his hands into my armpits and lifting me effortlessly to my feet. He pulled me into his arms again and hugged me and kissed me. I could taste myself in his mouth and I'm sure he could taste himself in mine.

We stood there for several minutes, hugging and kissing and allowing the water to wash over us, and then we turned off the shower, dried each other, and went to bed where we pleased each other all over again.

To Be Continued​

 

[Kyanimal]

Beautiful chapter, Neil!

And, therefore, I'm feeling a bit "inappropriate" when I find myself thinking about the similarities of: "Once you've learned to ride a bike ... " and "Once you've learned to suck a cock ..."

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[gmoney]

Superb! As usual. Thanks Neil.

 

[harry113]

Wonderful, Neil
Great chapter
Thanks

Harry

 

[gsdx]

I've even started sayin' Gee-sus Murphy when am talkin at ma mates.

That is, indeed, an homage to my grandfather. The phrase came from him, and I haven't heard it said since he died in 1972.

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part LXIV​

Monday, March 20. The beginning of the week from Hell.

Brad came home from classes in the early evening, a bit later than usual. Instead of his usual, cheery "I'm home!" greeting, I was met with quiet as he took off his coat and boots. Something was bothering him. I stopped cooking supper to go meet him in the entryway. I didn't get my customary hug and kiss. He just came to my arms and wanted me to hold him.

The twins were beside us, tugging on our pant legs, waiting impatiently for their usual hug and kiss. Brad pushed away from me, squatted down with a forced smile on his face, and gave the boys their daily greeting before sending them off with a pat on the bum to go play until supper was ready.

"What's wrong, Brad?" I asked quietly.

He simply pulled a paper out of his shirt pocket and handed it to me before heading into the kitchen to take over the cooking duties.

My hands shook as I opened the paper, and they shook even more as I read it.

I folded the paper again and stood there at the door in the entryway, thinking about what this would mean for us. I drew in a deep, calming breath. We would survive. I went to join him in the kitchen. Brad was busy making a lettuce salad.

I slid the paper into the back pocket of his jeans, letting my hand remain there as I said, "Thunder Bay? I thought your job placement was going to be in Pickering."

Brad didn't stop his chores as he spoke. "There was a fire last week," he said sadly. "The place is shut down. Ryerson had to find new places for five people. I got Thunder Bay."

"Gee-sus, Murphy," I said. "Can't you change it to somewhere closer?"

Brad turned slowly, being careful not to pull my hand out of his back pocket. I liked it there, and so did he. His arms came around me for a quick hug. "It's too late for that now. We can't change it. Lakehead found two placements. McGill found two, and Sir Sanford Flemming found one. They didn't have much time, Ted, and they had to take what they could get. We drew lots and I ended up in Thunder Bay. We can't change it."

He pulled me into another hug. "I've never been away from home that long, Ted. I don't know how I'm going to manage being away from you and the kids. Mostly you."

"It's only two weeks, isn't it?"

He leaned back to look into my eyes.

He nodded. "Yes."

"We'll all manage," I assured him.

"I don't have to go," he said.

"And what happens if you don't?"

"I just lose the extra credit, that's all."

"You have to go."

"I know," he said as he hugged me again. "God, I'm going to miss you."

"It's not forever, Brad," I said with a chuckle. I'd miss him, too, but I wanted to keep my spirits up for him. "Like I said, it's only for two weeks. We can do that standing on our heads."

His eyes found mine, his hands still on my arms. "I can barely make it through the day without you. How am I going to make it through two whole weeks?"

"Oh, you'll be so busy up there you won't even have time to think about me."

I couldn't believe how hard Brad was taking all this. I could hardly make it through the day myself without him, but it was only for two weeks. It would be over before we knew it. "I'll buy you a fistful of phone cards. You can call us every night," I suggested.

Brad was teetering on the edge of tears. I felt so sorry for him then. "Would you think it's stupid if I slept with your picture when I'm up there?"

"I hope not," I said, "because I'll be sleeping with your pictures from our private album all over the bed while I'm down here."

Brad's eyes suddenly lit up. "There's an idea. I could take a few of yours from the album to keep me happy."

Trying to keep the mood light, I smiled. "Oh, a little JO material, eh?"

Brad smiled his own smile. "Never without you, Pops."

"Tell you what, Tiger," I said in a hushed whisper. "I'll buy extra phone cards and I'll listen to you jerk off all Saturday night if you want."

"Only if you do it with me," he winked. "It's no fun without you anymore."

* * * * *

On Tuesday afternoon, as I was heading home from, I was broadsided on the passenger side by some nimnoe running a red light. I wasn't hurt, but if anyone had been in the car with me, they would have been hurt, even with the air bags. He hit me so hard, he pushed me across lanes and into the path of a car coming from the opposite direction. He hit me head-on. There was no time for him even to get his foot to the brakes.

I got out of my car and called the police first, then exchanged information with the nimnoe. I called my insurance broker next. My car was going to be a write-off, I was certain, but Mr. Nimnoe tried to lay the blame on me. There was a strong hint of alcohol on his breath. Fortunately for me and the other driver who front-ended me, there were dozens of eye-witnesses who eagerly waited around for the police in case Mr. Nimnoe decided to make trouble for me. His insurance company would be buying me a new car.

I should have called home, but I didn't want to worry them. I was standing on the sidewalk talking to one of the police officers who responded to the call when my phone started to ring in my pocket. I checked my watch. It was probably Brad. He'd be home by now.

"Would you mind if I answer this?" I asked the officer. "It's probably my fiancé wondering where I am."

The officer smiled and nodded his understanding.

"Thanks," I said. I pulled out my phone and turned aside. "Hello? . . . Hi, Brad. Yeah, I'm okay. Just had a bit of an accident on the way home. . . . No. No ambulances or anything. My car's pretty-much totalled, though. . . . Really, Brad, I'm okay. Not even a scratch. . . . No, no bumps, no bruises. Nothing. . . . That's not necessary. I can grab a taxi home. . . . Brad! . . . Okay, um. . . ." I checked the street signs and told him where I was. "Okay, see you in a few. . . . I love you, too. Drive carefully."

I hung up and tucked the phone back into my pocket.

"Thanks," I said to the officer.

"May I ask why you didn't want him to come pick you up?" he asked quietly.

I shrugged. "He has to dress the kids and load them into the van."

"He has children?" He seemed surprised.

"No. I do," I said. "A daughter and I'm adopting twin sons."

"Wow," he said. "I hope I'm still here to meet them when he gets here."

I smiled. "If I know Brad, he'll be here in about ten minutes. We live just a few blocks away. My guess is he's packing the kids in the van by now."

"Congratulations on your engagement, by the way."

"Thank you."

As the officer continued taking statements, the tow truck came and hooked up my car to tow it away. I would be able to empty it of my personal belongings after the insurance companies were through with it. Another officer was taking statements from the driver who hit me. Yet another, a female, was talking to the gentleman who inadvertently ran into me from the front and a fourth officer was directing traffic around the chaos.

My officer was talking to one of the witnesses when I felt a tap on my shoulder. A young lady was standing beside me. "Excuse me," she said. "I think someone is trying to get your attention." I followed her pointing finger. Brad was parked on the street across the intersection and waving frantically in my direction. I waved back and held up one finger.

"Thanks," I said to the woman. I interrupted the officer. "My kids are here. Can I go get them?"

"Sure," he smiled.

I turned back to the young woman and put my hand on her arm. "Thank you," I said again. I made my way across the street. Brad was already unbuckling the twins and Lindsay was standing on the sidewalk, waiting for me. She ran to me when it was safe and I picked her up and hugged and kissed her. She was sobbing.

"I'm okay, Sweetheart," I told her. "I wasn't hurt."

"J and J are really scared, too, Daddy," she said as I walked to the van. "You can put me down, Daddy. I think J and J need you more."

"Thank you, Sweetheart." I set her down and held out my arm to Jeremy as he stood in the open doorway of the van. He climbed into my arm, crying, and wrapped his arms around my neck. Justin was next, and I grabbed him up in my other arm. With two kids kissing my cheeks, Brad latched onto my lips from the front as he tried to hug me around the boys. Lindsay had her arm wrapped around my leg.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked when he finally leaned away from me. His beautiful face was full of concern and fear.

"I'm fine," I told him. "Look, I've got to get back to the police. Sweetheart? Could you hold Brad's hand?" I knew there was no way I was going to get Jeremy to go to Brad this time. Fortunately, the twins had stopped crying almost as soon as I picked them up and they knew I was alright, but they weren't about to let go of me.

We crossed the street again and made our way back to the officer. The boys straddled my hips and held onto my neck with one hand. Brad, somehow, managed to worm his right arm over my shoulder as well as he stood beside me and Lindsay once again wrapper herself around my leg.

When the officer finished with the witnesses, he turned and found me and my family standing nearby. "Well, this is quite the family you have here," he said.

"Thank you," I said as he pulled out a card from the shirt pocket hidden beneath his jacket.

He wrote a name on the card and handed it to me. Brad reached out for it instead. My hands were full of little boys at the moment. "This is where your car is going. You'll have to look up the number and address yourself, I'm afraid."

"That's okay, thanks."

"Give them a call and they will let you know when you can clean out your car. Unless there's something vital you need out of it now? I can accompany you to pick it up."

I thought quickly. "No, I don't think so."

"If you can wait a few minutes more, I'll talk with the other officers and then you should be able to go home."

"Thanks again," I said.

"What happened?" Brad asked when the officer had left.

I explained the accident to him, somewhat grateful that the car had been towed before he had arrived. He would have taken me to the hospital if he'd seen it. "I'll have to rent a car, I suppose, at least until the insurance company pays up and I can buy another one. Either that or we'll have to switch the car seats from the van to Terry's car and back every day. It will be just as easy to rent."

"Are you sure you're okay? I think you should go to the hospital."

"I'm fine, Brad," I assured him. "Really. I just got bounced around a bit is all."

"So help me, Ted, if you end up in a neck brace or something. . ."

It was another ten minutes before the officer returned. The man who hit me, apparently, was over the legal limit and was being arrested. "No charges will be laid against you, of course."

"That's good," Brad said.

"Oh," the officer said as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out some lollipops and held them up. "I got these from my partner. We keep them around for times like this."

The boys reached out their free hands, as did Lindsay. "Just one," I said. They each took their favourite flavour. "Thanks again," I said.

"My pleasure," the officer said with a kind smile. "What are their names?"

"Well the one attached to my leg is my daughter, Lindsay. The one beside her is Justin and the other is Jeremy. And this is my partner, Brad."

The officer nodded. "Pleased to meet you all. Well, I guess you can take your family home now. If I need any other information, I'll call you."

"Better give you my work number, then," I said. He opened up his pad again and wrote down the number I gave him.

He flipped the pad closed again and said, "Drive safely."

* * * * *

Wednesday morning, Terry dropped me off in the van so I could pick up my rental car before taking Lindsay to school. I'd phoned around and found a reasonable car the night before and reserved it. I simply had to show them my papers, pay up, and drive it away. After work, I was able to go clean out my car and wave goodbye to it. Both insurance companies had written it off.

That night, as I slept, I was awakened just before three AM by a tiny hand shaking my shoulder and a tiny, worried voice calling my name. I knew immediately that it was Jeremy. Justin always knocked on my chest to wake me up. Jeremy shook my shoulder and called out to me. There was a distinctive smell about him.

I sat up and swung my legs out of bed. I could hear Brad stirring behind me. "Jeremy?" I said. "What the matter?" Jeremy's pyjamas were spotted with splashes of vomit.

"Justin's sick."

I grabbed Jeremy up and handed him to Brad. I jumped out of bed, grabbed my robe, and put it on as I ran toward the twins' room. I flipped on the overhead light. Justin was lying in bed, sobbing. I hurried to the bed and sat beside him. He was lying on his side, a spray of vomit near his face and on the blankets and pillow cases. I could see his face was flushed and small beads of perspiration dotted his face. I placed my hand on his forehead and found it to be very warm. He had a fever.

"Justin?" I called out softly as I put my hand on his shoulder to roll him onto his back.

"Daddy?" he said weakly when his eyes found mine.

I reached for him and gently picked him up, setting him in my lap.

"Ted?"

I looked toward the door. Brad was approaching with Jeremy in one arm and Jeremy's soiled pyjamas and the aural thermometer in the other. He held out the thermometer to me and I took it. I placed it in Justin's ear and pushed the button. A few moments later, I read the temperature: 39.2 degrees celcius. I checked his other ear, and then his first one again. His temperature wasn't serious yet, but it was above the accepted 37 degrees.

I placed my fingers against his lower stomach and pressed gently. "Justin? Does your tummy hurt?" He shook his head ‘no'. "Do you just feel yucky?" He nodded his head ‘yes'.

I could hear Brad washing Jeremy in the bathroom. "Brad? Do you know what kind of juice we have in the fridge?

"Um," he called back. "Grape and apple and orange, I think. There's cranberry and tomato juice downstairs."

"Thanks," I said. "I'll be right back."

I carried Justin with me into the kitchen and got out the jug of apple juice and grabbed a clean glass out of the cupboard. I retrieved the liquid children's Acetaminophen and a spoon and carried everything to the table and sat down with Justin in my lap. I poured out a spoonful and held it to Justin's lips. "Drink this, Justin. It will make you feel better."

Justin drank it and I poured another dose. I knew a double dose was safe when you begin treating a fever. Justin drank that as well. I closed the bottle and grabbed the juice and glass and headed back to the bedroom. Brad was changing the blankets on the bed. Jeremy was sitting on the floor in clean pyjamas. They looked up at me as I entered.

"It's just the flu," I said. "I'll stay with him tonight, Brad. Could you take Jeremy back with you?"

"Want us to stay here with you?"

"No. Jeremy will probably get it, too, but maybe not. He'll sleep in our bed until Justin is better." I set the juice and glass on the bedside table.

"Okay," Brad said. "Get his pyjamas off and I'll toss everything in the washing machine. I'll get you some underwear so I can wash your robe, too."

I took Justin into the bathroom and took off his PJs and my robe and ran water in the sink so I could wash him down. Jeremy joined us. The bed was made by the time we got back to the bedroom.

"I'll be right back," Brad said.

"Can you grab a bowl of cool water while you're at it?" Brad nodded and left the room. I got a clean pair of pyjamas from Justin's dresser and dressed him, then I went to the table and poured some juice.

"Can I have some, Daddy?" Jeremy asked.

"Go find Brad and he'll get you a glass, okay? I don't want you to drink out of Justin's glass for awhile." Jeremy was running after Brad a moment later. "Here, Babe," I said, "drink some of this."

Justin took the glass and drank a few swallows. I took the glass and set it on the table and cuddled him to me as we waited for Brad to return, rocking him gently. Jeremy arrived first, carrying his glass. Brad came in with a bowl of water and a clean washcloth and some clothes for me. He poured some juice for Jeremy.

"I'll put the stuff in the washer and come back for Jeremy," Brad said.

I nodded and stood up. The blankets were already pulled back and Brad had wisely laid out a bath towel for Justin in case he was sick again. I put Justin into bed and pulled the blankets over him. I pulled on my underwear, sweat pants, and pull-over, then sat and soaked the cloth and wrung it out before folding it into a narrow strip and laying it on Justin's forehead.

"Is Justin going to be okay, Daddy?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes, he is," I smiled at my other son. "He'll be fine in a day or two. He's just feeling sick."

I replaced the cloth twice before Brad returned.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay here with you?"

"No," I replied. "I won't be sleeping anymore tonight. Take Jeremy and get some sleep."

He bent down to kiss me. "See you in the morning."

Jeremy kissed me as well. "Nitey nite, Daddy," he said.

"Goodnight," I said.

Justin fell asleep, but I didn't. I stayed awake so I could take care of my son.

* * * * *

Thursday.

I had managed to keep Justin's fever under control. It was still high, but didn't get any higher. Brad was amazing as always, taking care of Lindsay and Jeremy and getting their breakfast for them. I woke Justin for his next dose of medicine, then took him to the bathroom.

I put him back to bed and he fell asleep again almost immediately. I joined the others in the kitchen for a quick coffee and a few slices of toast. As I munched, I called Terry and explained the situation and asked if she could go to the drug store and pick up as much Pedialyte and freezer pops as she could carry and afford. I'd pay her when she got here. I would always have some on hand from now on.

"Want me to stay home?" Brad asked.

"No, Babe," I said quietly. "I'll manage. And Terry will be here."

Terry arrived later with eight bottles of Pedialyte and four boxes of freezer pops. She found room in the fridge for two bottles and put one box of pops into the freezer. The others I carried downstairs. The pops went into the large freezer. The liquids joined the other juices in the downstairs pantry. That's when I decided I would go out as soon as I could to buy another refrigerator for downstairs and a small bar fridge for the kitchen where we could put the juices and get them out of the big one.

Brad headed off to school in Toronto and Jeremy stayed with me as Terry walked Lindsay to school. Bernice showed up at the house shortly thereafter, concerned as to why I hadn't gone to work. She thought maybe I was suddenly suffering injuries from the accident. Of course, when she found out about Justin, she had to check up on him. She wouldn't use a thermometer. She used her lips on his cheek, as any good mother does.

"I'll bring some soup for the twins for lunch," she said.

"We have soup here," I reminded her.

"Not mine," she said with a smile. "If you need me, just call me."

"I will," I said.

She kissed Jeremy ‘goodbye' and went back home.

Terry kept Jeremy busy as usual. I don't know what I would do without her. She was a wonder and a bottomless pit of energy and she cared for the children as if they were her own. She was most definitely worth her weight in gold.

Meanwhile, I stayed with Justin all morning, watching over him as he slept and waking him only for his medicine. At noon, Bernice arrived with a large container of hot, homemade chicken noodle soup.

"I made lots so you can reheat it," she said. She stayed with us as the boys ate.

Jeremy had two bowls, apparently. Justin almost finished his bowl. He ate in the bedroom with me. I still wanted to keep him away from his brother. Poor baby. I felt so sorry for him. The flu drained all the energy out of him. He could barely stand, let alone walk anywhere. He sat in my lap as I fed him his soup. He fell asleep in my arms and I laid him back in bed and covered him up. I lay down beside him, my hand resting on his chest, and fell into slumber myself.

Terry woke me in the early afternoon. "Mr. Dee," she said softly so as not to wake Justin. "Officer McCallum is on the phone for you."

"Who's that?" I asked, still groggy from my nap.

"The officer from the accident."

"Oh!" I crawled out of bed and went to the phone in the livingroom. "Hello?"

"It's Officer Barry McCallum here, Mr. de Villiers," the officer said. "I called your work but they told me you were at home with the flu."

"Not me," I said. "One of the boys. And please, call me Ted."

"Okay, Ted. How is he?"

"As well as can be expected," I said. "He'll be fine."

"That's good. Look, I just called to see if everything was okay from the accident."

"Yes, we're all okay." But there was something more to his call. Police officers don't usually make follow-up calls just to see how people are doing. "Why are you really calling me?" I asked.

"That obvious, eh?" he chuckled.

"Yeah," I said.

"Okay, I was wondering if you and your friend would like to join me and my partner for dinner some night."

"Your partner? The one who arrested the nimnoe? Why?"

"Oh, not him!" he added quickly. "Not my police partner. I'm talking about my life partner. I told Nathan about you and your family and he's a bit of a sentimentalist. He wants to meet you and your fiancé."

"Oh," I said, somewhat surprised and a wee bit stunned. "Um, sure," I said. "When?"

"This weekend, maybe?"

"We'll have to take a rain check, I'm afraid," I said. "What with the flu and all."

"Sure," he said. "Perhaps next weekend?"

"I'd like that, and I'm sure Brad will, too."

"Great," he said cheerily. "We don't have many gay friends."

"Neither do we, actually," I said. "I'm kinda new to all this. I wouldn't know how to look for them."

"I wouldn't have known if your boyfriend hadn't called you that day," he said. "I'm a strong believer in serendipity."

"Too bad my car had to get schmucked just so we could meet, though," I said as I smiled to myself.

"Yeah, well. I'll let you get back to your kid. I'll call you next week, then?"

"Any night," I told him. "We'll be here."

"Thanks, Ted. Take care, now. Bye."

"Goodbye."

By bedtime, I had two sick little boys on my hands.

* * * * *

Friday saw Justin on the road to recovery and Jeremy just beginning the trip down the rough road. Fortunately, I was able to nip it before it got serious and Jeremy's dose of the flu wasn't nearly as heavy-duty as Justin's had been.

Bernice made another batch of soup for us and took over watching the twins whilst I went to my bedroom for a good, long, refreshing nap.

* * * * *

Saturday and Sunday saw Brad being the ‘man of the house', taking care of both the children and their father who was now stuck in his bed with his own case of the flu. Brad let me take real Aspirin for my fever. Not that horrible liquid fruit-flavoured stuff I give to the kids.

Fortunately, neither he nor Lindsay nor Terry got it.

It had definitely been the week from Hell, and I hoped that it would be a long time before we saw another one like it.

To Be Continued​

 

[gmoney]

Neil, yet again another great chapter! I want to comment after each one, but I don't know what to say without being redundant, so once again I will just say thank you!

 

[harry113]

Oh the joys of a family!!
great chapter Neil, as usual
Your story is so enjoyable ... all the ups & downs of family life plus the love of these two guys for each other .... a wonderful read
Thanks

Harry

 

[dragonpearls333]

I have loved your story since the very first sentence, and I still love it now. You make everything seem so realistic. You have also been a great inspiration to me for my writing, as I have finally discovered how writing can help control and express emotions.

And now for a little bit of criticism (gasp!). I LOVED it when you put Cali and Mags into the story, and now, they have pretty much dissapeared. Some of the users complained about the "lezzie" content, but they were extremely vivid characters, and I'd like to see them again. Actually, that wasn't criticism.

Now for some real criticism: Brad really is perfect isn't he? Besides being a little emotionally unstable, he's basically perfect. I was enjoying the story until I got to that chapter where Brad started playing piano. I kind of lost it when I read that Brad was gifted at piano, as well as everything else he does. I mean, piano takes at least a decade of intensive practice to master, and he could just play it without any training? This is coming from a piano player who would really like to know the possibility of that happening. No.....I think I'm just upset because Brad can play piano and landscape and is hot. Since well....all I can really do is play piano and violin....... I think I need to go to the help forum.....Forget what I just said! I need to go take antidepressants........

That wasn't criticism, was it?

Your story is so good that I actually became jealous of Brad.........

What I meant by that long and useless rant is that I love your story and keep up the good work.

 

[gsdx]

^^ Physically, Brad is patterned off a friend of mine, as I've mentioned several before. Characteristically, he is patterened off a great many people. I'm certain there are Brads still existing in this world. They are talented, eager to learn, and extremely versitile and complex (which comes from one of my favourite television characters, Angus MacGyver). Brad can't build a Jeep out of elastic bands and empty tuna fish tins, but he's creative and imaginative, and, he would at least try if he had to.

His gardening skills come from my mother. She never took a lesson in her life, nor read a single book, but she made beautiful gardens around our house when I was younger. His piano playing comes from my cousin. I always envied her so much. She never had a lesson in her life, and the piano she played was an old upright, but man, could she play! She taught herself to read music, but, most of the time, she would simply sit down a play a song she'd heard, and she would play it well. She had an ear for the piano and knew how to put all the notes together to make music. Brad was taught the piano by his grandmother. Nothing else was said about her talent or background.

Would he have to be classically trained to play the piano? I don't know. Some people are just 'born with it'. And the people who are listening are not classically trained to listen. Although Ted believes Brad could give Murray Perahia a run for his money, he's also the first to admit that he's extremely biased when it comes to Brad. Can he play Moonlight Sonata to Carengie Hall standards? Probably not. But he can play it well enough to livingroom standards.

Brad's character comes from his devotion to others and his deep need to be loved. That he found that love in Ted makes no difference to him. He accepted it and worked with it. He can do a lot of things, but there's a lot more things he can't do. He can't make loose English tea, he's a mediocre cook, and he's terrified of heights to name just a few. But he's far from perfect. Oh, and he can't really knit.

Ted is everything I would like to be (except for the hairy chest). His love of children and classical music comes from me, and that worked its way into Brad with the piano. As much as I would like to play, I can't. Brad can, and that's fine with me.

Lindsay is patterned after my first niece. She is married now, and has her own children, but she still calls my older brother 'Daddy' when they are with family. The twins are patterned after my first real nephew and my pseudo-nephew, the son of the man on whom I based Brad's physical attributes. The twins are very much like those two boys when they were 4 years old.

Cali and her family were, apparently, a big mistake and I deeply regretted bringing them into the picture later. I had hoped to use them to be everything Ted's family wasn't. Shunned, unaccepted, frightened. Cali and Mags wouldn't have gone beyond being naked in the hot tub, but even the two kissing was more than people here wanted to know about. I couldn't change them, so I more or less wrote them out of the story. Mags may join Brad in Baie Dankie Landscaping. I haven't decided. If she does, it will be in a very minor role. But that's a long way down the road.

So, is Brad real? No, he isn't. But from the posts and all the PMs I've received, he's everything a lot of the readers wish for, and, in their eyes, he is very real indeed. Readers are looking beyond Brad's physical attributes now and looking at the young man inside, and that's the important part. I couldn't have asked for much more than that.

So, now, on with the story. . .

 

[gsdx]

WATCHING BRAD
Part LXV​

Early in the week, Brad filled the hot tub and cranked it up. We took our first dip of the year in it on Wednesday night. Naked, of course.

The nights were still cool, but the water was hot and soothing. Brad and I sat on one of the benches and cuddled and kissed like a couple of teenagers on their first date. It never got old for me.

I was still suffering from the lingering effects of the flu, but that didn't stop me from stroking Brad to the first hot tub orgasm of the season. Not a single drop of his ball juice hit the water. I figured the extra protein would only help my recovery. At least that's the excuse I used.

Saturday morning, we all went for haircuts. Lindsay wanted hers cut shorter and Brad wanted his trimmed up and thinned out. It was beginning to look like a lion's mane. I wasn't going to say anything about it, but I'm happy he did what he did. He's much prettier with shorter hair.

The boys wanted their hair cut the way Brad's had been when I first met him - short and spiked on top and longer at the sides and back. They'd seen a photo of Brad back then and wanted to look like him. The same man did both cuts so he could be certain they were as close to identical as he could get them. He did a magnificent job, too. Me? I just got my usual trim.

We went to a used appliance store and I bought a large refrigerator for the basement and an apartment-sized fridge for the kitchen. They would be delivered on Monday.

In the afternoon, we packed up the kids and took them over to Grandma and Grandpa Hayes' for the rest of the weekend. Brad and I would have the rest of the weekend to ourselves. We were to meet Barry and Nathan at seven at a restaurant I'd never been to before. After dinner, they would come back to our place for a visit and, perhaps, a dip in the hot tub. I'd told them to bring their swimsuits, just in case.

We spent the first two hours of our freedom in bed, making love with each other. It was nice when we didn't have to be all sedate and politely quiet. We could let loose and thoroughly enjoy ourselves. And we did. Twice.

* * * * *

Brad was a vision of beauty when we set out for the restaurant. The ‘man in white'. Along with his white pants and white shirt, he now wore a white jacket to match. I'd given it to him for Christmas. With the contrasting black shoes and belt, he was absolutely stunning. Even without that package he carried between his legs, he could still turn heads. And, out of all the people in the world to fall in love with, he had picked me. I was walking on air when we entered the restaurant.

Barry and his partner were waiting for us and stood up from the table as we were led to it by the maître d'.

Barry looked a whole lot different in his civies. He was about my height, but he was built like Brad, and his well-toned body was no-longer hidden beneath his uniform. His hair, about the same colour as Brads, was cut very short, but suited his rounded face. His lips were thin and his jaw was square, but his smile was pleasant and he had kind, steely-blue eyes. Even under his clothes, I could see a well-developed chest and massive thighs. He was a cop who could take care of himself when push came to shove. Over all, he was a very handsome man.

Nathan was built more like me, and probably about my age. His hair, though, was black and heavily streaked with grey. I'm not sure if it was natural or artificially coloured. It didn't make him look older, though. It was really quite distinguishing and attractive. His thin face was clean- shaven, as was his partner's, and his nose was long and thin. He, too, had thin lips, but they were much narrower. Whether it was natural or intentional, Nathan always looked like he had one eyebrow cocked. Of the two, Nathan was probably the elder by several years.

Both gentlemen were dressed for the class of the restaurant.

"Glad you could come," Barry said. "This is my friend, Nathan."

I extended my hand. "Ted," I said. Nathan took it in his long, thin hand and shook it. His grip was surprisingly strong.

"Nathan," he said. "Please don't call me ‘Nat'." He didn't say it as a warning. It was more a request, and it was one we would honour. There was a slight Maritime lilt to his voice.

"Hi, I'm Brad."

Nathan released my hand and took Brad's. "Barry told me all about you. His descriptions were horrifyingly lacking. I'm very pleased to meet you."

"Thank you," Brad said, flashing his chipped-tooth smile. "Good to meet you, too." He released Nathan's hand and held it out to Barry. "We weren't introduced before," he said.

Barry took his hand and shook it. Brad matched his grip. He glanced at me. "Yeah, well, someone had other things on his mind that day. I'm sure etiquette wasn't one of them." He released Brad's hand and indicated the chairs. "Please."

They returned to their seats. I took the chair across from Barry. Brad sat across from Nathan. If Brad was beautiful, then Barry was strikingly handsome. I hadn't really noticed under his uniform and cap, but he was an immensely attractive young man. When he smiled, small dimples appeared in his cheeks, giving him a youthful look. Still, I wouldn't want to scrap with him. He'd rip me apart.

The waiter came to us. "Good evening. I'm Michael and I'll be serving you tonight. May I get you something to drink?" he asked.

"Two Blues, please," I said.

"Excuse me, Sir," he said to Brad. "Do you have ID?"

Brad pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and held out his driver's license and Proof of Age card.

Nathan sighed as he sat there with his chin cupped in his hand. "You know? I've never been carded in my life. It's these damned streaks."

One question answered.

The waiter looked at Brad's ID and returned them to him. "Thank you, Sir," he said politely.

To the other two, the asked, "Can I get you another?"

"Just one, please," Barry said. "My friend's driving tonight. He's only allowed one."

Nathan sighed again. "Coffee for me," he said almost sadly.

"Very good, Sir," the waiter said and turned to retrieve our drinks.

I picked up the menu, and so did Brad. Brad opened his menu and his eyes widened at the prices. "Gee-sus, Murphy!" he said. "No wonder you never bring me here!"

Nathan burst out laughing. "I do believe we're going to be wonderful friends. Bradley? You are delightful. May I call you Bradley? It suits you."

"Thank you, and sure, you can call me Bradley if you want. A lot of people do." To me, he asked, "What are you having, Ted?"

"I don't know," I said. I looked up at our new friends "Any recommendations?"

"They do the best steaks in town," Barry said.

"If you're into seafood," Nathan suggested, "I recommend their seafood platter. It reminds me of home."

Another question answered, and I hadn't even had to ask.

"I thought so," I said. "New Brunswick?"

"PEI," Nathan clarified. "North shore. Cavendish, actually."

"Where have I heard that name before?" Brad asked.

"Anne of Green Gables? Road to Avonlea?"

"Oh, right. That's where I heard it," Brad said. "I knew it sounded familiar."

Michael brought us our drinks. "Are you ready to order yet?" he asked.

"Just a few more minutes, please," Barry said. "We're still deciding."

"Very good, Sir," Michael said and went to tend to his other tables.

"Maybe we should settle dinner first before we get to chatting," Barry suggested. "I'm having the steak. Nathan? Chicken?"

"Please."

"I think I'll have a steak, too?" Brad asked as he looked at me. He was getting permission for spending so much.

"My treat," Barry said. "Have the steak."

"I'll pay our share," I said.

"Not on your life," Barry said. "You're our guests."

I smiled and nodded. "Thank you," I said. "How's their trout?"

"Melt-in-your-mouth delicious," Nathan told me. "In fact, I think I'll have that instead of the chicken."

"You've sold me. Trout it is."

Barry gave our orders when Michael returned, then we settled down to chat and to wait for our dinners to arrive.

Over the next hour, Barry and Nathan knew our story - or most of it, anyway. Of course, Nathan had to see every picture of the kids I had with me. "What a beautiful family," he said. "You must be extremely proud, Ted."

"I am," I said as I reached out and squeezed Brad's hand. I left it there. "I'm proud of everyone."

Nathan noticed and sighed yet again before saying, "As well you should be. When do you adopt the twins?"

"May 8," I said. "I'm counting the minutes."

"I believe I'd have it narrowed down to seconds," Nathan said. "I do hope I get to meet them sometime."

"See?" Barry said, grinning. "Sentimentalist."

"It's not sentimentality. It's envy. Besides, I love children. They're so free to do what they wish without people pointing fingers at them and whispering behind their backs."

We learned Barry and Nathan's story as well. They'd met in Victoria, BC, where Barry was working for the provincial police. Nathan had moved there seven years ago and they've been together as a couple for three years. They'd moved to the Durham region six months ago when Nathan was transferred to Toronto with his accounting firm. Barry came with him and had been fortunate enough to get hired by the city police. They were renting an apartment.

Brad had a second beer. Barry had a third. And Nathan and I were stuck with coffee. To say that we ‘hit it off' would be an understatement. By the time dinner was finished and we were on our way home, it was like we'd been friends for years instead of a few hours.

Nathan drove and followed us to our place. I parked behind the van and they parked beside it. "If you don't mind," I said, "I'd like to go check on the kids."

"They're not here?" Barry asked as he looked at the lights in the window.

"No," Brad replied. "The lights are part of the security system. My parents are watching the kids. Why don't you come meet them?"

"We don't wish to intrude," Nathan said.

"No intrusion," Brad said, smiling. "They'll be happy to meet you."

"As long as you're certain," Barry said.

"Come on," Brad said, and he led the way across the lawn to the Hayes' front door. He knocked and tried the door, but it was locked. John answered it a few moments later.

"Hi, Dad. We came to check on the kids."

"Of course," John said as he stepped aside.

We entered and Bernice joined us. Introductions were made all around.

"The boys are asleep," Bernice told me, "but Lindsay is still awake."

"Would you like to see the twins?" I asked our new friends.

"Oh, please," Nathan said. Now, before we get any further along, please understand that there is nothing effeminate about Nathan. Despite his narrow features and polite way of talking, he is surprisingly masculine. Warren comes across as a bit of a queen. Nathan doesn't.

"This way." I led them into the livingroom where the fold-away bed was placed. The lights from the kitchen fell over them. I knelt on the side of the bed, tucked them in, and bent over to give them each a kiss on the cheek. Justin roused long enough to whisper, "Hi, Daddy," and promptly fell asleep again.

"Oh, Barry," Nathan whispered as I joined the others. "Look at them. Have you seen anything so sweet in your life? They're beautiful, Ted."

"Thank you, Nathan. I'll go get Lindsay so you can meet her, too." I turned and stopped. "Well, speak of the devil. Hi, Sweetheart," I said with a smile. I went and picked her up from where she stood in the doorway, dressed in her slippers and nightgown and robe.

"I thought I heard your voice, Daddy," she said shyly.

I hugged her and gave her a kiss as I walked back to the others. "Perhaps we should go back to the kitchen." Brad led the way. Bernice set about making coffee for us.

"Sweetheart? Do you remember Officer McCallum? He was the policeman who gave you the lollipop."

"Hi," Lindsay said.

"Nice to see you again, Lindsay. You got your hair cut, I see. It's very pretty."

"Thank you."

"And this is his friend, Nathan," I told her.

"My, but you are pretty girl," Nathan said to her.

"Thank you," Lindsay repeated. "Can I sit with you awhile, Daddy?"

"Sure, but just a little while, okay? It's past your bedtime. Have you been playing Nintendo again?"

Lindsay nodded. "I'm done playing now."

We took our seats around the table. "So, what kind of cookies did you and Grandma make today?"

"Sugar cookies and pecan tarts, but she has lots of others."

"This house has never been empty of cookies," Brad told Nathan and Barry.

"I'm lucky if I get hot dogs for supper," John said, "but the kids always have their cookies."

"Oh, John. You just hush!" Bernice said scoldingly. "I see you sneaking as many cookies as the children do." She set a plate of cookies and tarts on the table and set a half-glass of milk in front of Lindsay. "Coffee will be ready in a few minutes. Unless you prefer tea?" She looked to her new guests.

"Coffee is fine," Barry said. "Thank you."

Nathan smiled at Brad's father. "It's not easy to grow up sometimes, is it?"

John smiled back and winked as he sneakily reached for a pecan tart.

Lindsay grabbed one as well and held it out for me to take a bite. "I mixed all the stuff," she said.

I took a bite. "Mmm. De-e-e-e-licious."

"Well, I can't pass up an endorsement like that," Nathan said as he grabbed up a tart. He took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. "Why does everyone speak in understatements around here?" He looked at Lindsay. "These are incredible. You're an excellent baker, Lindsay."

"Thank you."

"And very polite, too," he added.

We talked after that, getting to know each other even more. As soon as Lindsay finished her milk, I excused myself and took her to bed. "Did you have fun today, Sweetheart?" I asked as I tucked her in.

"Lots," she said. "Grandma really likes my hair now."

"So do I," I told her. "It makes you look so pretty."

"Thank you, Daddy. You're pretty, too."

"Well, thank you, Sweetheart," I said as I bent down to kiss her. "Now, you go to sleep, okay? I'll be over tomorrow to get you."

"Nite, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Sweetheart." I gave her a final kiss on the forehead and left her to sleep, turning off the light and pulling the door almost closed behind me.

* * * * *

"You're a very lucky man, Ted," Barry said. We were back in our own house now. I sat on the sofa, waiting for Brad to bring in the beers, and Barry and Nathan were sitting on the settee.

"I'll say," Nathan said. "The children are a delight and Bradley is a very handsome young man." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "And, might I add, extremely fortunate."

"Speak of the devil and who should appear?" Barry said as Brad entered with four opened beers in his hands.

"Oh, none for me, thanks, Bradley," Nathan said. "I'm still driving."

"Not if you stay in our guestroom tonight." He set two bottles on the coffee table in front of our guests and handed one to me before sitting next to me and curling up against me. My arm went around him and I kissed his hair.

"We've imposed enough," Barry said. "We couldn't possibly. . ."

"Nonsense," I said. "If you can't trust a cop. . ." Barry laughed and we joined in. "You're more than welcome to stay if you wish."

"Please, Barry," Nathan said. "You don't have to work tomorrow and we rarely have time to get out anymore."

"Try it with three kids sometime," I said.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Barry asked.

"Not at all," I assured him. "We're enjoying your company."

"Well, thank you, then. We're enjoying your company as well."

"So it's settled?" I asked.

"I guess so," Nathan said as he reached for a bottle of Blue.

"Where's your can?" Barry asked.

"There's one right there," I said, pointing to the door behind him.

"Thanks," he said and stood up.

"Hey," Brad said. "Why don't you get changed and we'll hit the hot tub?"

"Uh oh," Nathan said. "I think I left our suits over at your parents' place."

"You're wearing underwear, aren't you?"

"Yes, but. . ."

After a short pause, Barry said, "Mine isn't really for public viewing."

"It's very private back there," I said.

"Still," Barry continued, "We're. . . um. . ."

"I'll go get your suits," Brad said, taking the onus off Barry. "Be right back."

As Brad headed out the door, Barry headed for the bathroom.

"Bradley is a wonderful young man, Ted. Is he always this friendly and obliging?"

"Yup."

"That is so rare in this day and age."

"Brad is rare."

"Indeed he is, my friend. Indeed he is."

To Be Continued​

 

[Kyanimal]

Neil! That chapter is just TOO short! Well ... not really! But ... like all the others, another "cliff hanger" to look forward to!

Throughout this entire Thread, anxiously followed by so many, Your own story has been emerging along with the one you are writing. And I would like to THANK YOU! for that, also!!

Though all of our stories are quite different, there are certain "basics" that bind us together. And YOU have been artfully touching, reminding us, of many of those warm "Human" qualities that we all hold in common.

THANK YOU!, Neil! Beyond "mere" words ...

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[Blktiger58]

Thank you Neil once again. I am enjoying this story. Also thank you to all the jubbers out there. Thank you Kyanimal.
You mention earlier Neil that everyone is looking for a Brad. That is so true. I like Ted... I like all the characters. However....I am waiting for you to drop a bombshell. I hope you don't. I won't tell you what I perceive the bombshell to be. If that bombshell doesn't come then I would truly say.. "yes...Neil is definitely a true writer. Someone who knows his readers that keep them guessing and not following the cligue's of others.
Thus far you haven't.

Thank you for the insight of the inspiration for each of your characters.