Cards on the Table - 50. Chapter 50 Building a Solid Hand

Cards on the Table

Chapter 50

Kendall laughed as Michael pouted. Expecting a replay of yesterday’s fun in the shower, he was profoundly disappointed. Kendall wished he didn’t have to order the poor man out of the bathroom, but he was too damn distracting when he was naked. Kendall was running later than usual, and that was unacceptable on this particular morning. He’d scheduled a meeting of his supervisors for today, and there were some preparations to take care of first.

Upon realizing he’d slept longer than planned, his exclamation had caused an out-cold Nate to leap up in total disorientation, and a momentarily startled Michael to attempt to keep his hold on him, unsuccessfully. He couldn’t help but laugh at the bewildered look on the teenager’s face as he'd leaned down and kissed his compliant partner, who'd tried again to subtly pull him back into bed.

“What… what did I do?” Nate had asked as he stared wide-eyed at Kendall.

“You didn’t do anything… why would you think you did something?” Kendall had gently disengaged himself from his fiancé and headed for the bathroom.

“You yelled ‘Nate,’ didn’t you?”

“No. I said ‘late.’ I said, ‘Shit! I’m late.'”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh,” Michael had said, calling after Kendall, “Babe, you’re not that late… you should be there in plenty of time.” He'd turned his attention to the still uncertain boy. “How did you sleep, buddy? Did you have a good talk with your Uncle Kendall last night?”

“I slept awesome, and Unc was great. I’m still tired though.” Listening from the bathroom, Kendall had smiled to himself.

“Then I think you should hit your own bed for a few more hours while I help your uncle get ready.”

“I’m outta here. You go help your sweetie-pie."

“I can hear you, guys, and I don’t need any help,” Kendall had called out, but that hadn't stopped Michael.

“Babe, we need some alone time.” Michael had just finished brushing his teeth, and was watching Kendall perform a dangerously quick shave. He winced when Kendall did, at the facial nick he had inflicted on himself. “Slow down. You’re the boss, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember, and it won’t do to have the boss late for one of his own meetings, especially when one of the items on his agenda is about cutting it too close for shift starts,” he explained to his partner as he wiped the remaining shaving foam off his face. “That’ll have to do,” he determined as he surveyed the job he’d done in the mirror. “And we had ‘alone time’ yesterday morning.”

“Yeah, we did, and it was incredible, but I mean real ‘alone time’ in our own bed.” He was close to whining, but only got a pensive look from his partner. “Anyway, is there something I can do to help you get ready… maybe relax you for the meeting?” Michael had an innocent look on his face, but Kendall could see right through it.

“Yeah, you can leave the bathroom. Your erection is not helping me one bit. I know what you’re thinking, and I would love to, I really would," he insisted, "but I’m going to have to regretfully decline.” He heaved a sigh in commiseration.

“Aww, Babe, it would only take a couple of minutes, and you’d feel better all day."

“Michael, you know I would love nothing better, but you have to leave, and take that big thing with you. Seriously, I’ve thought of a few things I should include in the meeting so I need the extra time to brief Jeremy. Otherwise, you know I'd be all in. Rain-check?”

“Of course, yeah… rain-check,” Michael said as upbeat as he could muster, but he wasn’t able to completely hide his adorable little pout from Kendall. “I’ll shower later. A bagel and coffee for the drive?”

“That would be great… love you,” he said as he closed the door of the glassed-in shower.

“Love you too, you sexy bastard,” Michael mumbled to the running water, leaving the bathroom with his chastened hard-on leading the way. Kendall heard him as he watched him exit in frustration. God, what a beautiful ass. Another sigh escaped Kendall. He felt bad, but he’d be sure to make it up to him.

Kendall had much on his mind as he pulled out of the driveway and headed to North Toronto. First and foremost was the scorching kiss Michael bestowed on him before he handed him his breakfast and coffee. God, the man could make him forget his own name. A kiss like that had to carry a little revenge for being denied this morning, but Kendall wasn't complaining in the least. His cock was still half-full of blood. He wanted to make love… to fuck that man… in the worst, or rather, best way imaginable. The anticipation of the act was killing him… probably both of them, knowing Michael. He agreed they needed their alone time, but that thought brought him to Nate, and the main reason lovemaking was being put on the backburner.

Although he didn’t much look it, he was a kid, and one who was going through a serious upheaval. To the adults, Nate’s crisis might appear to have settled down, but he knew better. Their private, late-night conversation had reminded him of how much impact a parent’s disapproval can have.

Yeah, Mark had apparently come around and seen the light, but the damage had been done. Stability was everything at this stage, and he and Michael were determined to give Nate that. Truth be told, he felt a little vulnerable about disclosing some of his childhood trials to the boy. At the same time though, it also felt sort of liberating to tell someone about his recurring childhood nightmares. Even his mother had not been privy to their existence. He'd suffered alone, and they had taken their toll. He sure as hell didn’t want that for his nephew.

Michael’s little bombshell, dropped when they were in the privacy of their bedroom last night, was further proof on how they were on the same page as far as Nate was concerned. In yesterday’s opportune talk with Richard Huntley, the still-owner of their new house, Michael had asked if he would be okay with moving up the closing date. His reasoning to Kendall was that Nate could then start off right and accompany Bodie on the bus the first day at his new school. The date he'd proposed was Tuesday, January 3^rd, since Markham High started back up on the fourth. He’d had to check with Colleen on that. Michael received an enthusiastic ‘yes’ from the vendor, so all he'd needed was Kendall’s okay before approaching the lawyer and the bank about the logistics of it. Kendall’s answer came in the form of a kiss only slightly less scorching than this morning’s. His man had a heart as big as all outdoors.

Since Kendall had been dealing with the financial and legal parts of the transaction, he insisted he would take this new development on, right after his meeting. He too, was hoping it would be feasible, and besides, there was an added benefit. He was anxious to start their new lives in the stone house, and the sooner the better as far as he was concerned.

They'd decided Michael would be responsible for the necessary visit to Nate’s new school. Megan’s lawyer would be faxing signed temporary guardianship papers—they might even arrive that morning—and Megan had already notified Nate’s old school on where to send his transcripts. She’d also faxed a letter to Markham High, so Michael’s part should be fairly straightforward. Kendall’s methodical mind tried to cover all the bases as he munched on his fried egg and cheese bagel. It was delicious, and he chuckled at the thought that a domesticated Michael was slowly learning to cook. He wouldn’t bring that up to him, though… at least not yet.

The meeting went well, with Jeremy playing a bigger part than usual. Kendall let him handle the discussion of the procedural changes he was implementing, and his assisstant did an impressive job. As captain, he only had to step in once to explain the order of the new checklist all guards had to fill out at shift’s end. Most of the changes were well received… even the one requiring all guards to arrive five minutes before shift start. There had been too many sloppy shift changes, and what was once an understanding, had now become a requirement. The supervisors were a happy bunch when, just before the meeting adjourned, they were told their Christmas bonus had been increased across the board, over all seniority levels. It would be another pleased group when the notice went up on the bulletin board in the afternoon, stating this increase applied to the guards as well. Kendall felt a little like Santa when he saw all the smiles breaking out. He had lobbied for the increase, and his payoff was the genuine respect he felt from each of his men as they walked out the door of the meeting room.

“That went well, Boss.” Jeremy was grinning from ear to ear.

“Yeah, and you did a great job. I think you could have run the entire meeting yourself.” Kendall enjoyed seeing the flush of pride on the man's handsome face. “Tell me something. Are you getting the itch to move on… to have more responsibility?”

“What? You mean leave the company?” Jeremy looked shocked at the idea.

“Or move elsewhere within it? It’s a big company.”

“Are you trying to tell me you think I should make a change?” Was that a hurt look on his face?

“Oh, God, no. You’re the perfect assistant, and I'd hate to lose you. Honestly, I just don’t want to hold you back.” Kendall studied his right-hand man, knowing what he’d prefer to hear. “I would put in a good word for you, you know… if you wanted me to?”

“To tell you the truth, I’ve thought about it. I suppose I should be more ambitious, but the fact is I love my job. It suits me, and I’m learning new stuff all the time. I watch the way you are with people and situations and I absorb it. I’m not done absorbing,” he admitted, and Kendall smiled. “So, I guess what I’m saying is that for the next couple of years, I’d like to stay put… keep working with you, and learning. Is that all right, or will the higher ups look at it as me not being hungry enough? Because, I mean eventually, I’d like to do what you’re doing. I just don’t think I’m ready yet.”

“Well said. That’s all I wanted to know. You’ve got the right attitude, and I’ll make sure the company knows what your thinking is about future advancement. It’s nice to know I’ll have you around to abuse for a while longer,” he teased.

“Abuse away… okay, that didn’t sound right.” Jeremy actually blushed.

Kendall found his comment amusing… very amusing when coupled with his color change. He couldn’t hold back the quip on the tip of his tongue. “I hope you don’t say that to all the guys,” Kendall got out before letting loose with peals of laughter.

Jeremy smiled. “Only every other one,” he said as he started chuckling himself.

When the humor abated, Kendall took on the role of friend. “So, any luck in that department? Any special guy on the horizon?” Kendall was prying, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Nope. I haven’t found my Michael… not yet anyway, but I’m not giving up and I’m not settling. I think, thanks in part to you, I’m becoming better at judging the motives of people, and I’m steering clear of those who aren’t looking for the same things I am. I’m getting to like my own company,” Jeremy said resignedly.

Kendall observed the other man for a moment. “Fair enough. You know I’m always here to talk if you need me, right? I’m not just your boss. I’m also your friend, so don’t forget that.”

“I won’t,” he said. “Okay, I’m heading out now, and I’ll see you back here at two. And Kendall, stop worrying about me.”

Kendall looked at Jeremy with some surprise at his comment.

“I told you I was becoming better at reading people.” He grinned before he headed to the door.

“Damn, beaten at my own game… the master is being dethroned,” he muttered as his assistant left the room. He heard a faint snicker as Jeremy was walking away. Gathering up his papers, he followed suit, and headed for his office.

An hour later, he had everything sorted with the lawyer, and the bank. Their lawyer already had the title search completed, and as long as the vendor and the bank were on board, all that was required were a few alterations to the drawn-up forms. With the bank, it was the same story. A few changes to the mortgage agreement, and the new possession date would be a reality. The bank agreed to co-ordinate with both lawyers, and all Kendall and Michael had to do was show up to re-sign the altered agreements. It was way simpler than Kendall had expected.

When he hung up from the last phone call, he did a fist pump at the thought of moving into the new place almost two weeks sooner. He was ready, and he knew Nate was going to be one happy teenager. As a precaution, Kendall called the insurance company to inform them of the new date for the homeowner’s policy to kick in, not wanting to leave any detail to chance. They informed him the bank would duplicate the action, as they wouldn’t release monies without verification. Oh well. Better safe than sorry. Mental checklist taken care of, for the most part, he settled into his daily work routine, immersing himself in no time.

Nate was nervous as hell. The place was huge, and there were people everywhere. It was twenty minutes after one, and their meeting was for one-thirty in the big, glass-fronted office of Markham High. Nate had been fast asleep when Uncle Mike'd banged on his bedroom door earlier that morning, telling him to get his ass out of bed. The fax from his mother’s lawyer had come in, and Michael was standing there grinning when Nate had opened his door.

“I now officially own you, Nathanial Michael Grant. It says so right here,” he said while waving a paper around. “I am your temporary guardian, Nephew.”

“Great. Can I go back to sleep now?” Nate’s extended yawn indicated his lack of interest.

“You could, but don’t you want to see your new school?” Michael’s question definitely caught Nate’s attention, and he stopped mid-yawn.

“Seriously?” Nate was wide awake now, and his first thought was of Bodie. Maybe he would catch a glimpse of him there.

“Yes, seriously. We either get you registered now or after the New Year, and since they already have your school records and transcripts from Edmonton, I figured we might as well get this done.”

“How do you know they have them already?” It seemed to Nate this was happening awfully fast, and it was a little scary.

“Duh. I called them… what did you think? So, are we going or not? It’s 10:30 now, and we have an appointment for 1:30 this afternoon. You’ve slept long enough anyway.”

“You already made an appointment?”

“Nate. Are you even awake, or are you sleep-talking?”

“Very funny. Yeah, I’m awake. I just need to get ready, and I’ll be right down.” Nate closed the door and then opened it again.

“Uncle Mike, would it be all right if… I know it’s not my birthday yet….”

“Yeah, wear your new clothes, buddy, and your shoes too. You have to look good in case we run into Bodie.” Michael laughed at Nate’s expression.

“Thanks, Unc.” Nate gave a sheepish little grin before he closed the door again.

And now, here they were, entering a school much bigger than Nate had imagined. Markham High could only accurately be described as sprawling. There had to be acres of buildings; it dwarfed the school he was used to in Alberta, and Nate found himself a little intimidated. Entering through the front doors, he experienced a weird feeling… a recognition he was starting a new segment of his life. One difference, he noticed right away. While some students glanced his way and gave him a quick look-over, they went on about their business. In his old school, everyone, literally everyone, would have stopped and stared at a new face, and they certainly wouldn’t have minded their own business. The looks he did get made him glad his grandmother had seen fit to wash the newness out of his jeans and tee-shirt, and his hoody was one he’d had a while. His shoes might be new, but at least they weren’t that gleaming white that shone like a beacon. He appreciated that his impressive Uncle Mike garnered most of the attention as they walked towards the big glass doors of the clearly marked OFFICE.

As soon as Michael identified himself, they were ushered in to the vice-principal’s office where they met a laidback-looking older woman who looked to be in her mid-fifties. She introduced herself as Yolanda Adair, and proceeded to make them feel comfortable. He liked that this authority figure spoke directly to him in a friendly, easy-going manner, not at all like his previous vice-principal. She put him at ease immediately.

“Welcome to Markham High, Nathanial. It’s an excellent school and the teachers and facilities are some of the best you’ll find in the entire province. Are you looking forward to such a big change, or are you a little nervous about starting a new school halfway through the year?”

“Both, actually.” Nate smiled, and so did she.

“Yes, I know it’s tough for the first few days, until you get comfortable, but I’m sure you’ll like it here. We are very big on respecting each other at this school, and you’ll soon learn that violence or bullying of any kind is not tolerated. We are a school that strictly enforces the guidelines set out by the Safe Schools Act.” Her eyes held Nate’s for a few seconds before turning to Michael. “And I see from the letter we have on file from Megan Grant, that you are one of Nate’s guardians, Mr. Aceto?”

“Yes, I am. Megan’s my sister, and please call me Michael. I have a copy of the guardianship papers if you’d like to see them.” Michael handed them to her and leaned back while she perused them.

“The other guardian listed here... is it alright if I ask who Mr. Kendall Dooley is in relation to Nathanial?”

“Sure. He would be my fiancé… my domestic partner, so he’s Nate’s uncle as well. He’s at work right now. Will you need him to come in at some point?” Michael asked. Nate was pleased to see the vice-principal showed no reaction at all to his uncle's disclosure.

“Oh no, that’s fine. Just, if he ever wants to pick Nathanial up from school, we would then need to see his identification. May I make a copy of this for Nathanial’s file?”

“Of course, and he goes by Nate."

“Okay, Nate it is. Now, Nate, I see by your transcripts you’re a very good student, and I’ve managed to match the courses you were taking with the comparable ones here. It should be a pretty seamless transition for most of them because the courses have all become standardized across the country. But, if you have any problems, I’d like to hear about them. We wouldn’t want to see any sustained dips in your marks. The system spit out two different schedules, which almost never happens,” she said with a smile, “so you get to choose which one you’d like. We can take a look at these, or you can take them home and think about them for a day or two. I understand you already have a friend attending here… maybe you’d like his opinion on the different teachers and courses to help you decide. It’s a big school so you should take into account the distance between classrooms as well, and as a growing boy, which lunchtime you’d prefer,” she said as she smiled again. “I’m sure Bodie Cavanaugh can help you with that.”

Nate was stunned she knew he was friends with Bodie, and he was also surprised he had a choice of schedules. That was cool in itself. “Yeah, I think I’d like to ask Bodie what he thinks. Um, thank you, Ms. Adair.”

“You’re welcome, young man. And you can call me Mrs. Adair. It took me long enough to snag my husband… he was a stubborn one… so I wear the ‘Mrs.’ like a badge of honor.” The mischievous and conspiratorial look on her face got a giggle from Nate, and a chuckle from his uncle. “Now I’ve asked Mr. Cavanaugh to come down to give you a tour of the school, and he can take you to get your student ID card as well. Saves me walking up those stairs. He should be here momentarily. If you don’t mind, Michael, I need a bit more information. Will Nate be taking the bus to school?”

There was a knock on the door, followed by a swing inward to reveal Bodie’s beaming face. “Hi, Yol… Mrs. Adair. Your secretary told me to come straight in. Hi, Nate, hi, Michael.”

Nate’s heart did that damn flipping thing again as he mumbled hello. Michael’s ‘hello, Bodie’ was a lot clearer.

“Perfect timing, Bodie. Could you please run your friend upstairs and get his Identification card organized? They should be in the office now. He needs his locker assignment too, and then, if there’s time, you can give him a quick tour. I’m sorry, Michael. I should ask if you are in a hurry?”

“Not at all… take your time, boys. Nate, I can meet you at the truck when you’re all done. Take care of him, Bodie,” Michael said, giving him a little wink.

“I will, Michael. I’ll try not to get him too confused."

Yolanda laughed. “Bodie, are you properly signed out?”

“Yes, ma’am, I’m all done for the day. Any chance you’re going by the house today, Michael?” he asked while looking at Nate.

Nate swung his head around to look at his uncle, silently sending him a plea.

“I can do that, no problem. It’s not out of the way, and we can say hello to Eyebrows. I'm missing the little girl already,” he said to the smiling blonde boy.

“Sweet… I’ll just take my name off the bus roster for today. Come on, Nate. Let’s go, and I’ll show you around your new school.” Now, Nate was really excited, and the chance to spend time with Bodie had much to do with it.

“How did Mrs. Adair know we were friends?” Nate whispered as soon as they left the office.

“Friends? Just friends?” Bodie asked impishly, and laughed when Nate got flustered.

“You know what I mean. We’re working on our friendship first, right?”

“Yeah, I know… I was just kidding you. But I have to tell you I can’t stop thinking about you,” he confessed while staring straight ahead. They had come to the bottom of the stairs. The amount of students walking around had dwindled to just a few here and there. “Most of the school is one level, but this big section has two. We are going to the Student Issues office to get your ID card and locker assignment. If you have any kind of problem, you can go there first, and they’ll try to help you. It’s staffed by senior volunteers, and they open it usually three days a week, from 1:00 to 3:00. You look really good today, Nate… I mean it’s good because you have to get your picture taken. Your hair looks perfect.” His wink caused another little skip in the rhythm of Nate's heart.

They had reached the top of the stairs. “Thanks.” Nate was pleased he didn’t blush this time. “You look really good too. We’re wearing the same shirt,” he commented as he took in Bodie’s broad chest and shoulders. Shoot, he looked amazing.

“Yeah, we are, but your color looks better on you. Okay, let’s go in and get this done.”

As Bodie went to reach for the door handle, Nate stopped him. “You didn’t answer my question. How did Mrs. Adair know we even knew each other?”

“Oh yeah. Sorry. When you texted me to say you were coming to the school today, I went to see Yolanda… she knows my mom. I told her you were our new neighbor, and I offered to show you around the school because nothing’s really going on this week with Christmas holidays coming up.” Bodie looked a little uncertain all of a sudden. “Was that okay? I never thought… maybe it would be better for us not to hang out at school?”

“What? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, Bodie Cavanaugh. If this is about what I think it is, I already told you I’m not hiding who I am. I was just wondering how she knew. Don’t even think about not hanging out with me. You’re stuck with me, whether you like it or not, okay?”

“Okay. I like it… friend.”

“Friends first,” Nate repeated with a teasing smile. For the first time, he felt truly confident with this boy, and the insecurity he’d just witnessed had brought it out. In that few seconds, he saw a fragile, damaged Bodie, and he was determined to do whatever he could to take that away.

One photo, a locker assignment quite close to Bodie’s, and a ten minute wait later, they left the Issues office to start the tour. Both boys were quiet as they started walking down the upper hallway. Bodie had been effusively charming to the two senior girls working the ID equipment that day, and Nate found himself joining in the friendly conversation. One of the girls, Haley, was particularly hilarious, and likely to be very popular, judging by her looks and easy-going ways. When she handed Nate his laminated finished product, she leaned across the counter, and whispered to both of them, “You two make a very handsome couple.” She followed up with a wink and a sly grin at the two shocked young men.

“Um, thanks, Haley,” Nate replied after a little hesitation.

“You’re welcome, Nate. Good luck at Markham High. Make sure you say ‘hi’ if you see me around the halls or the cafeteria. Take it easy, guys.”

“That was weird. How did she know?”

“I have no idea… well, actually, maybe I do. She’s probably heard about me, and so you’re guilty by association.” Bodie looked away when he finished.

“Guilty? Bodie, what’s wrong with you today? We aren’t guilty of anything. Being gay isn’t a crime… do you think it is?” he asked softly, stopping to peer into his face. God, those troubled eyes made him feel so much.

“No, but look... it’s just that… okay, I know I told you my best friends want nothing to do with me anymore, and I’m worried word will get around and you’ll be treated the same way. This is a fresh start for you. I know there’s nothing wrong with being gay, but some people think there is, and while this school feels safe, it hurts, sometimes… it hurts a lot. I’m sorry. The last thing I want to do is disappoint you.”

“You’re not, you don’t, but if you’re trying to protect me, you’re too late, and I don’t need it.” Nate looked around the empty hallway, collecting his own thoughts. “You’re right about this being a fresh start, and that means I have a chance to be me… the real me. If I only end up with one friend, and that friend is you, then that’s enough.” Nate met those liquid blue eyes with his own darker ones. “My last week at my old school, I kept my head down, but I heard what everyone—and I do mean everyone—was saying about me, and I let them make me feel ashamed. I felt, I don’t know… diminished, I guess, and I wanted to die.” He saw the flinch in Bodie’s expression. “But I’m not going to let that happen again. I’m not ashamed of who I am, not anymore. My uncles have shown me so much, and you should learn from them too. We can have what they have. We have the right.” Nate was finished for the moment.

“I’m sorry. I worry too much. I always have, and I tend to overthink… my parents are always telling me that. I haven’t felt this good about myself, or been this happy in months… months that seem like years. I guess seeing you here, I do want to protect you from the stuff I’ve been through. I like you a lot and I want you to know I am not ashamed of who I am either, not anymore, and I have learned from your uncles already. I see what they have, and how comfortable they are with each other and their life… they’re getting married for God’s sake.” He sported a huge grin when he said that, and Nate’s heart did the flip thing again. “I mean, how freaking cool is that?” Two girls walked by, looking at them curiously before continuing on. “Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

Nate studied his friend’s face. “Yeah, I get you. You’re not ashamed of who you are, but you don’t get to have the fresh start I do. You’re still in the same place, the same school, dealing with the same people who let you down, every day.” He rubbed the scar on his wrist pointedly, and Bodie touched his own wrist, copying the action. “I know you’ve come a long way from where you were, but it’s still tough to forget, and maybe now, with me here, we can make all the crappy stuff from the past matter less and less… for both of us. And just for the record, I like you a lot too. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

“I hear you loud and clear, and I want to hug you so bad right now.”

“Is it against school rules to hug someone?” Nate asked cheekily.

“Um, no… couples hug and kiss all the time… you just can’t make out or anything.” Bodie looked uncertain.

“Bodie.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you gonna hug me or not?”

“Um, are you sure?”

“Oh, for God’s sake.” Nate grinned and held out his arms. “Stop overthinking.”

Bodie stepped close, and hugged his friend. It was short, but it was oh so sweet, and both boys laughed when they separated.

“Didn’t hurt a bit, did it?” Nate asked the blond boy who was grinning from ear to ear.

“Nope, it didn’t… not one bit. Ready for the tour?”

“I thought we were taking it slow,” Nate said deadpan.

It didn’t take long for Bodie to catch on and blush a deep red. “Yeah, that tour will have to wait.”

They laughed as they set off down the hallway, neither one of them looking around to see who might be watching, because they didn’t care.