Stories

A collection of poems by Wayne Gray

It is August of 2004, the month that the Olympics were held in Athens. Will Schluter will be there, then he'll start his freshman year at Harvard with his cousin Marie. It's a bittersweet event because the man he loves, Travis Buck, has to remain in Hollywood to work on his acting career, and they'll have to deal with being separated by thousands of miles.

Meanwhile, Will's brother JJ is firmly established in New York City, trying to deal with the inevitable challenges life throws at him, while his father Brad will face a crisis that could ruin his marriage.

Sometimes you need to lose it all to do things the right way with your second shot...

For Roman Cruz, that meant spending 8 years in prison then starting over with the help of a friend to rebrand and restart as a Miami club owner with style, class and enough OCD tendencies to make a therapist sigh. To Max it means letting go of the mistakes he made in his failed romantic endeavor, to allow himself to possibly find the home in someone else that he's been missing.

This is the story Enrique Alberto, just another ordinary guy. But not everything is as ordinary as it seems.

December, 2023 was a high point in eighteen-year-old Kevin Lewiston's life. He'd finally lost his virginity. For the first time in recent memory he didn't get a 'C' or a 'D' on his report card. His parents gave him their old Chevy Equinox for Christmas. Everything was looking up for the young man.

The calendar changed. Kevin's world changed. By June, he was on the verge of giving up. Then he saw something on TV that changed his mind; saved his life even. He packed everything he needed or cared about into his car, hit the road, and never looked back.

Chris has always been seen as one of the lucky ones. Normal beyond normal. Nice looking, good grades, popular, basketball team, and the envy of most with a girlfriend like Chelsea. However, it's his new best friend, Conner, that has suddenly thrown a monkey wrench into the machine. And while Chris' sexuality has never been something that he had to question or think about in the past...his confusing new feelings for this new boy may just rattle him to the point of redefining what love and attraction really is.

The Agean Resort in Las Vegas has finished a major remodeling and upgrade. As part of the grand re-opening, they plan a week of celebration events. Chipper headlines the festivities with his 30^th birthday pool party and a concert. The entire Squad attends, and some cause a stir of their own.

CJ Abelló returns to Georgetown in the fall of 2022 for an advanced degree. During the two years back on the Hilltop, his education is not limited to the classroom; his analytical mind and his ability to articulate complex matters in a way his audience could assimilate the matter helped. He was asked to write articles for professional journals, attend seminars by both liberal and conservative think tanks, and speak at schools and conferences.

A friend from Mexico visits, a Squad member moves south, a California teen prepares to start his freshman year at Georgetown University, and a local artist delivers a commission. From Cuban food at Abuela’s, to cocktails at The Alex, an excursion to the National Gallery of Art, and brunch at Everhope, the weekend is full of laughs, food, and fine art.

A week’s trip to New York City has Owen and CJ mixing business and pleasure. Meetings with high-powered attorneys and financial high-rollers combine with Broadway, Sag Harbor, and Fire Island for a memorable vacation. The couple’s efforts to increase CJ’s name recognition moves forward with TV appearances on multiple networks.