Lovers Blind - 8. In-laws

Disclaimer: This story includes sexual and romantic situations between consenting individuals. Any allusion to illicit or illegal activity, sexual or otherwise, is used only for enhancement of the story line and not promotion thereof. Remember AIDS, HIV and other STDs are a very real threat, please always practice safe sex.

I can prove copyright on this story so please don't copy or remove this story for personal use without my permission.
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Lovers Blind 08: In-Laws

I stared silently up at the ceiling of my room as Zeek slept next to me, using my shoulder as a pillow. It had become a rare occurrence for us to spend the night at my house.

We used to alternate staying at each other's place every night but since he lost his sight it had just become easier to spend our nights at his place with all the stuff there that made life a little more convenient for him.

Zeek shifted closer to me in his sleep and I felt the cloth of his boxers rub against my own, it had been a one of the rules my parents set down after we told them about the two of us.

My dad had got home early from Omaha, (the security update took half the time it was originally projected to), and with no important projects that required his constant supervision he would be working a normal, local schedule for a few weeks.

I gave him and mom some time to catch up and get re-acquainted before I decided the time was right to break the news to them.

I was more worried about talking to Dad then I was Mom. We were as close as we could be with Dad being gone for weeks at time but there was still a certain amount of distance between us that we never could seem to overcome.

I closed my eyes and let my mind wander back over the night.

* * *

Dad got home Tuesday night, a day after our conversation with Zeek's Mom, so I gave my folks till Saturday to get back on terms with each other. I knew it was a little fast but I never knew when Dad was gonna get called out some where; sometimes for days or weeks at a time so it was the best I could do.

I tried to talk Zeek into waiting at his house while I talked to them but it was a no go, just like I knew it would be. I just wanted him out of it in case things went sour.

"Mom, Dad; you two have a minute?" I asked as we walked in the living room to find them cuddled up on the couch together doing one of those jumbo crossword puzzles they were so addicted to.

Whether it was because of my serious tone, my rigid stance or some other factor both of my parents quickly lost their cheery smiles.

"Sure, you boys have a seat." Dad said as he straightened up on the couch a bit, mom laid aside the crossword book and did the same.

Once we sat down I tried a few times to speak but nothing came out, suddenly every thought in my head was gone. The long rehearsed speech and choreographed conversation I had worked up on my head over the last few days was suddenly gone.

A slight bump against my knee brought my focus to Zeek. He was sitting quietly next to me but I could see that he was shaking slightly from head to foot, his knee bumping gently against mine every few seconds was proof, his hands were also twisting compulsively around his cane, which stood un-collapsed between his knees.

Completely forgetting why we were there or that my parents were mere feet away from us I reached over and gently pulled the cane free of his hands while resting my other hand reassuringly on his knee.

He turned and looked my direction for a second, scared and puzzled under his dark glasses.

Still ignoring my very confused parents I moved my hand up to rest against the back of his neck then leaned forward and rested my forehead against his.

"I'm sorry, it's alright now." I said quietly and almost instantly he relaxed. I could feel his body un-tensing and watched as his shoulder drooped a bit.

Zeek's left hand found my right as it rested on his knee, with that little bit of skin to skin contact turned my resolve iron clad.

"I'm gay, and Zeek and I are together." I said dropping both bomb shells at once.

Neither of them said anything, neither did we. I was on the verge of saying something when mom turned to my dad and spoke.

"Well...you know what do to, go do it." She said blankly and Dad stared at her for a minute before getting up and walking into the kitchen.

"Mom what’s going on?" I asked but all she did was raise her index finger, telling me to wait.

Instantly my mind was going a hundred miles a minute, going over everything their reaction could mean the possible, plausible and completely unlikely.

Just as I was wondering if dad was upstairs packing my bags to throw me out he came back into the room with two glasses of white wine and two bottles of cream soda on a tray.

My mom picked up one of the wine glasses as dad handed both me and Zeek a bottle of soda.

Dad took his own glass as Mom stood up then motioned for us to do the same.

Feeling both nervous and confused Zeek and I clutched our bottles and stood up carefully.

Mom raised her glass and dad did the same.

"Congratulations and may you be very happy together, for a very long time." Dad said with a wide smile and I went from nervous and confused to shocked at the speed of light.

"Whoa, ok, rewind, pause and play. You guys are ok with me being gay, being with Zeek. This isn't a shock or anything to you guys?" I asked as they both took a drink of their wine.

"The only shock son is that you're with Zeek, and that's only to me." My dad said as he sat his glass down.

"Speaking of which pay up chump. I win the bet." Mom said as she slugged dad in the arm.

Dad smiled ruefully at mom before retrieving his wallet from the table and handing mom two fifty dollar bills.

"Hold on, you guys were betting on if I was gay?" I asked feeling a little hurt.

"Son we've known you were gay since you were thirteen years old. The bet was on whether or not you'd fall for Zeek, or that he would fall for you. I never thought it would happen,

I figured your long standing friendship would prevent it. Apparently I was wrong.

Personally I am delighted you two are together. I know we've never told you this Zeek but Loraine and I have always been really fond of you." Dad said as he and mom sat down.

Still at a bit of a loss for things to say, I sat back and pulled Zeek down with me. I twisted the tops off both our drinks and downed half my own in one go, suddenly I was very thirsty.

"You said you know about Jake when he was thirteen, how?" Zeek asked sounding much more together than I felt.

"Well that was easy. At the time Jake was still learning to use the computer. One day Arthur checked the history for a website he had looked at and found searches and websites on Homosexuality.
It wasn't a problem with us, we were only worried about how you were feeling," Mom said talking directly to me now, "We talked to a few people, professionals, and were advised to keep a close eye on you but not confront you unless you seemed to be having problems.

We questioned the wisdom of that decision many times but we never saw that you were having problems so we waited for you to talk to us. I think I can speak for both your father and I when I say that we're relieved that you have finally told us, and that we're very sorry if you've gone through anything because you thought you couldn't talk to us." Mom said and Dad nodded his agreement.

I was still on unfamiliar ground; it was rare for us to talk about anything too serious, my folks liked to keep things mellow.

"It's a real weight off my shoulders for you guys to finally know, or for me to know that you know whatever. You don't have to worry either. I've always been really comfortable with being gay and I haven't gone through anything, at least not until recently." I said with a smile and nudged Zeek with my leg.

The four of us sat for a long time just talking and catching up. As with Zeek's parents I decided against telling them everything about the issues Zeek and I were having with Rick Jenkins and I completely left the mysterious phone call out of the conversation.

We had dinner with my parents too and afterward Mom and Dad lay down their ground rules.

In reality it wasn't anything we couldn't live with, after all we hadn't told them about our plans for sex; they admonished us to use protection when we started being "intimate" as my dad phrased it, (going an awesome shade of scarlet in the process), and that some form of underwear was to be worn when we slept together. At least until they had a chance to talk to Zeek's parents.

We agreed, of course, and talked with them for a while longer before we came up to bed.

I was glad that I no longer had to be so secretive around my parents, especially my dad. I had looked up to him since I was a little kid and really missed him when he had to go out of town for business. I knew he did it so Mom and I wouldn't have to worry about things but it was still hard not seeing him for days or weeks on end.

There were still times when I felt like the little seven year old I used to be, the one who used to throw his arms around his Dad's waist; trying to hold in his tears while he said goodbye.

Pushing the past away I rolled over and pulled Zeek close to me.

I knew one day I'd have to talk to my Dad about everything, how I felt back then and I how I felt now. But it didn't have to be today.

I rolled over and finally let myself fall asleep.

* * *

I shifted nervously in the passenger seat of Jakes car; plucking at the hem of the green tank top Jake had talked me into wearing. We were on our way up to Lake Stark for Miranda's birthday party.

At first I didn't think Jakes parents would agree to let us go, having just found out the night before that we were together. They said though that it would be an excellent time for them to get together with my parents and talk about the recent development.

"Will you stop fidgeting, you look hot." Jake said as I felt him reach over and grasp my hands to keep from plucking at my shirt.

"I still can't believe you talked me into wearing this thing." I said as I pulled my hands from under his and ran one up and down my completely bare arm. I didn't like wearing tank tops in public, even when I was younger I wasn't one of those kids who ran around with his shirt off in the front yard during the summer. That’s one reason I hated showering in gym class.

Sure I couldn't see the people staring at me but I knew they were there.

"I'm telling you that you look great. There are guys who would kill to have guns like these." Jake said as he squeezed my bicep.

"I'm probably pale as a ghost." I said trying to find a new argument.

"Yea you are but that makes you even more delicious looking." Jake said as he stroked one hand up my leg, which I promptly batted away.

"Flattery will get you no where." I said though I couldn't help but smile.

Jake didn't reply but as we sat stopped at a light or a stop sign he surprised me by leaning over and kissed me on the neck.

"Flattery will get me everywhere, and you know it." He whispered playfully before we started down the road again.

I wanted to smack him but the truth was that he was right, Jake knew me too well and knew exactly what to say or what to do to make me feel at ease.

"I'm probably gonna burn like hell up there." I said as I rolled down the window. It may have been September but it felt more like July, I could feel the suns rays pounding down on me through the window.

"That’s why I brought the sun block, plus I get to rub it over every bit of that pale skin of yours." Jake said as he once again ran his hand up and down the inside of my leg.

I grabbed Jake's hand and squeezed it, something had just occurred to me.

"How are we going to act up here...I mean....we've never really defined anything since we held hands at school." I said quietly and I felt him fidget a bit. He hadn't thought about it either.

"I think the best thing to do would be to play it by ear, see who all is there and everything before we make a decision one way or another." Jake said with a little uncertainty in his voice.

"Yea that sounds good to me." I agreed quietly as I slipped my hand from his and ran it nervously up and down my arm again.

"I swear if you don't stop that I am going to tie you up." Jake said and I could hear the smile in his voice.

I did the best I could to keep my nerves in check as we drove but I didn't have a lot of luck. It was more than just nerves over how Jake and I would be treated once we got to Miranda's party or even how exposed I was feeling in the tight, dark blue tank top that he had picked out for me to wear.

Something else was making me apprehensive, something I couldn't define; just like that day back in Geography class.

I had to keep my nerves under wraps though. Jake may have been worried too but he was also really looking forward to the party. The fact that it was being held at Lake Cardinal was an excitement for him. Jake had loved the water since we were kids. He loved to swim or be on a boat, but he hated to fish; he always said he didn't have the patience for just sitting there doing nothing until he got a bite. Beside that, he didn't like fish.

I knew Jake was looking forward to a dip in the lake and I didn't want my nerves to drag him down as well.

* * *

I couldn't help but get excited as I saw the Lake come into view. It had been so long since I had been in a natural body of water that just thinking about swimming in the lake made me squirm.

I knew Zeek was nervous, I was nervous too but for some reason I couldn't feel too bad. Maybe it was the fact of being at the lake, or being around our friends, or some other reason I didn't know but I was more happy than nervous.

I found a space in a parking lot near the north end of the lake, the shelter house Miranda's parents had rented for her party was only a little way away from the lot and the area wasn’t too crowded so getting there wasn't a problem.

"We're here, you ready to go?" I asked as soon as we parked.

"Yea I'm ready, I'm glad you're excited." Zeek said with a smile as he unbuckled his belt.

I smiled and let Zeek get out on his own while I got out and went around to the trunk to get our stuff. I strapped on my back pack (filled with a few beach towels and some bottled water) and handed our gift for Miranda to Zeek. I reached out for his hand and rested it on my shoulder as we set off through the parking lot.

* * *

Jake's good mood was contagious; you could actually feel it emanating from him like a cloud. I couldn't help but smile at the warm feeling of the sun against my skin or the sound of people laughing and talking around us.

"JAKE, ZEEK; I'm so glad you two could make it!!!" I heard Miranda shout before having my arm knocked away from Jake as Miranda threw her arms around me.

"I'm happy that your glad to see us Miranda and that you invited us." I said, trying to hug her without crushing her gift.

"You guys are SO sweet." Miranda said as she let go of me. From the grunting sound that came from in front of me I assumed that Miranda was trying to squeeze the life out of Jake with one of her bear hugs.

"We're only sweet to you Miranda; we're assholes to everyone else." Jake said, sounding a little winded, as he raised my hand to his shoulder again.

"Yea, right. I assume that’s why the girls at school stare at you with their tongues hanging out all the time. You two are the sweetest guys in school, everyone knows that." Miranda was always the chipper one; I doubt if even HALF of the school knew who Jake and I even were, much less knew how sweet we were, at least according to Miranda.

I let Jake and Miranda carry on with their joking as Jake led us to where ever we were going. Being out of my element was wreaking havoc on my nerves. I knew I was being delusional but I couldn't help but feel as if people were staring at my thin, pale body.

"It's a good thing you're here Zeek, you could do with some sun on those guns you got going on. I never knew you were as cut as you are." Miranda said happily as she ran one of her soft hands down my arm as we walked.

"Maybe he'll believe you. I try to tell him how hot he looks and he thinks I'm lying to him." Jake said as we moved from a warm place to one slightly cooler, with a harder floor.

The voices and music were louder here and as Jake maneuvered me onto a wooden bench I could only assume that we had reached the shelter were Miranda's party was being held.

"Trust me Zeek, he ain't lying. Is he girls?" I heard Miranda shout the last sentence before hearing the fall of several pairs of feet on the concrete behind me.

"He sure ain't."

"Not a bit."

"Damn Zeek you filled out NICE."

Came from three separate female voices, each voice sounded familiar but I couldn't think of whom the owners were, then again the blood that was turning my face beet red might have deprived my brain.

"Jake, Zeek; this is Leah, Anne, and Marisol. They're part of the Girls Club with me, I know you guys have met but I don't know how long ago it’s been." Miranda introduced us and the three of them took turns shaking mine and Jakes hand.

"It's good to meet you three, or re-meet you. So Miranda, is this all that's coming? The way you talked I was expecting to see half the school here." Jake said in what I was sure was a valiant effort to keep the attention off me.

"Yea I think everyone is here, a lot of people are down at the beach though. Some of the guys got a Frisbee game going, and I think there is a volleyball game going too. You guys should go down and get a spot in the sand; and Jake you need to take a dip in the water, it’s fabulous."

Miranda's voice was happy and full of laughter; but I wasn't paying full attention to it, I had just heard my name whispered from somewhere to my left, from the three girls Miranda had called over to dote on me.

"How bout it Zeek, you ready to hit the beach?" Jake's voice was coming from in front of me, and further down than it usually was, when his hand hit my knee I realized he must be kneeling in front of me.

I knew I was dragging him down, I could tell by the shift in his voice. I pushed the whispers out of my head and buried my nerves as deep as they'd go before hinging on a smile.

"You know it, but if I burn I'm personally going to drown both of you." I said gesturing to him and Miranda, who was still standing at my right.

Miranda laughed, so did Jake. He stood up and pulled me to my feet and rested my hand on his shoulder. Together the six of us (Miranda's friends were following us) set off back into the sunshine and soon I felt the asphalt give way to soft shifting sand.

We found a patch of sand near where Miranda and her girlfriends had their stuff set up and Jake spread out the big beach blanket we had brought. Once we had settled onto our blanket Jake brought out the sun block and suggested that we get lathered up.

"You guys really should have put that on before you came up here, did you know it takes like a half an hour for sun block to fully absorb into your skin and start protecting you? The same goes for its water repelling." One of the girls, Leah I think, chimed in.

I remembered Leah somewhat, she had been short with long blond hair and deep brown eyes the last time I had seen her, and a nice body if memory served.

"Thanks for the let know Leah, I didn't know that." Jake said politely.

"Yea thanks, I think we'll be ok though, its warm but the sunlight doesn't feel too strong." I said and for some reason that caused the girls to ooh a little bit.

I just smiled and ignored them as Jake began to smear the cream onto my exposed arms and legs, then removed my shades and applied it to my face. He tried to get me to take off my shirt but I managed to get out of it.

Soon as he was done with me Jake shucked his own tank top and treated his chest, face, arms and legs.

"Will you get my back for me Zeek?" He asked, sounding a little nervous.

Having not heard Miranda's friends whisper anything the last few moments, or any voices that sounded close; I agreed.

I knew Jake's body by touch really well by now so navigating my hands across his back and shoulders was easy. If Miranda and her friends were watching me then they had to be a little envious of me, here I was getting to rub my hands all up and down Jake's slim, muscled body while all they could do was watch. That idea made me smile.

"What are you grinning about Zeeky boy?" Miranda asked, sounding sly.

"Me, smiling? I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about." I said as Jake and I lay back on our beach blanket.

Miranda, Jake and I talked for a bit while the party went on around us. Her friends excused themselves to go get some food and invited the two of us to go with them but Jake declined,
saying he wanted to get some swimming in before he ate and I just didn't want to be alone
with them.

"Well it's been nearly an hour since we put the sun block on so I'm gonna hit the water for a bit. You be ok up here on your own Zeek?" Jake asked and I had to laugh a little bit, it was like he was asking my permission.

"I'll be fine, beside; Miranda is up here with me. Go take a nice dip." I replied with a smile as Jake rested his hand on my shoulder before saying a quick 'see you soon' and taking off for the Lake.

I heard Jake shout in excitement followed by a loud, distant splash, as he jumped into the water.

The blanket next to me shifted a bit and Miranda's voice sounded near my feet, she must have lain down in Jake's spot.

"So...how long have you two been together?" She said quietly, happily, but quietly.

"Don't know what you're talking about." I said with a feeble attempt at bravado.

"Oh, don't even try to lay Zeek. Anyone with half a brain and a decent set of eyes could see that you were enjoying rubbing that stuff on to Jake, and that he was enjoying having you do it. I won't tell anyone Zeeky. I've actually been waiting on this for YEARS." Miranda said and I could hear the promise in her voice, she was one of my oldest friends, I felt I could trust her.

"It’s been a few weeks now..." Then I went on to explain how things had happened between us and finally ended by swearing Miranda to complete secrecy, even from Jake; which she happily agreed too.

"Oh I won't say a work to anyone, except Jake when he gets back." Miranda said with a laugh.

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep her from talking to Jake, I just hoped he wouldn't be mad at me for spilling the beans.

"Don't worry bout it Zeek, I will be extremely tactful." Miranda said as she laid her hand gently on my leg.

Deciding I would try not to worry about it I changed positions and lay down next to her, striking up a conversation on how she had been lately.

We talked for awhile until Miranda's girl friends came back and I started to feel watched again so I started to slowly faze my self out of the conversation and let the four of them talk while I tried to enjoy the warmth of the sun.

Until Miranda announced she was going to get her and I something to drink and left me alone with the three of them.

"So Zeek, how have you been, are you dating anyone?" The slight Spanish accent to the voice that spoke identified Marisol.

"Umm...no...no I'm not." I said slowly, wishing Miranda or Jake would show up.

"That’s a shame; guys like you shouldn't be single." This time Marisol's voice was closer and the slight, sudden absence of warmth around my midsection showed me where she was, right next to me.

I tried to sit up but suddenly a small, delicate feeling hand landed gently on my stomach, and I was suddenly paralyzed.

"I mean like Miranda said, you're sweet, smart, funny, and totally hot." Marisol said in an inviting sort of way as her fingers started to gently play and rub at my stomach through my shirt.

Still feeling a bit paralyzed, and more then a bit shocked; I tried to mumble out some response or ask her to move but before I could form a coherent sentence I felt a very cold liquid hit my leg and Marisol shouted and the sudden absence of her hand the return of the heat on my midsection made it clear that she had jumped to her feet.

"What the HELL Miranda, what was that for?!?!" Marisol sounded rather beside herself.

Miranda though didn't answer, not that I heard at least; in reality I didn't hear Miranda, Marisol or any of her girl friends.

"Hello?" I asked as I sat up and felt around on the blanket.

"I'm here Zeek. I'm sorry about Marisol, I warned them not to go through with that stupid bet before you guys got here; I can't believe they broke their promise." Miranda sounded really upset.

"What are you talking about, what bet?" I asked, doing my best to keep the anxiety out of my voice, but was unsure if it was working or not.

"Well when I told the girls that you and Jake were coming they thought it would interesting to...to mess with you a bit. I swear I told them not go through with it Zeek."

The sheer level of upset in her voice was more then enough to cause the sudden and momentary anger I started to feel to evaporate.

"Miranda it's cool. Just calm down and tell me what’s going, from the start." I said as I reached out toward the sound of her breathing in hopes of finding some part of her to touch in reassurance, thankfully I found her knee.

Miranda was quiet for a few minutes, at first I didn't think she would talk but after a few deep breaths she spoke up.

"I know you can't see it Zeek but you have gotten to be rather attractive these last few years, and I'm not the only one who’s noticed. Well, a while back Marisol and the girls started to talk what it would be like to...to get you aroused; what it would take you know...since you can't see them in their trashy make-up and skimpy clothes. I told them to stop and I thought they had but I found that they hadn't, that they had made a bet even.

“You see, the girls bet Marisol that she couldn't...get you turned on without you being able to see her. I told them not to go through with it and they promised they wouldn't...I'm really, really sorry Zeek." The apology in Miranda's voice was sincere so I knew that she was being truthful.

"Miranda its ok. I know it’s not your fault. Besides, I'm ok...I guess it's a little flattering...just so long as they never do it again...Jake's chivalry might not extend to them." I said with a smile, hoping to elicit a laugh from Miranda to break her upset attitude.

I failed.

"Come on Miranda, cheer up. No harm no foul. It's your birthday so snap out of it." I said, raising my hand to her shoulder and giving her a slight shove.

This though got her, before I knew what was going on Miranda had pushed me onto my back and tickling and playfully hitting my stomach.

"You may be hot but you’re still a scrawny little thing!!" Miranda said as she stopped her attack and let me up.

"I may be scrawny but I have a hot boyfriend who likes it." I said with a smile before the blood rushed to my face in embarrassment.

"That's right babe, you do." Jakes voice from behind me made me jump.

"JAKE...I...I didn't know you were there...I wouldn't...wouldn't-" I stammered until Jake cut me off.

"Wouldn't have said that out loud? Yea I know that’s why I hung back. And don't worry; I don't mind that you told Miranda, quite a few people here already know about us." Jake said as he sat down next to me.

"What do you mean, who else knows that were together?" I asked feeling a little anxious at that answer.

"Well I dunno all of them. Their all from school though, of course. No one I talked to seemed to have any real feelings about it though. I didn't tell anyone officially that we were together though none of them really needed it." Jake said as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close.

"Well that’s cool. I had heard a rumor floating around school and figured it was true. Like I told Zeek, I've been waiting on this for YEARS." Miranda said from my left, you could hear the smile in her voice.

"So Miranda what else happened while I was swimming, I saw your friend Marisol looking pretty pissed down by the water with the other girls, though they seemed more amused than angry." Jake said with curiosity in his voice.

"Yea...well...that’s a bit of a long story..." I said instead of Miranda, who I think might have been struck dumb by Jake's statement.

"Ok...well we got time so lay it on me."

"Ok, but before we do you have to promise not to get mad." I said and I could feel Jake looking at me curiously.

"Alright, I promise." Jake said with a brave attempt at an understanding tone but I could tell he was a little lost.

"Well I guess I should give you the background first." Miranda said finally finding her voice.

I sat quietly and let Miranda tell Jake about the bet that Marisol and her friends had made, and how she had told them not to go ahead with it and how they had not listened to her. Despite what she said though Jake didn't seem to be getting angry, his arm was still wrapped around my waist and his body was still relaxed against mine.

Once Miranda was done with her part of the story though I started mine, which is when I started to feel Jake tense up a bit. Once I got to the part where Marisol was pawing my stomach Jake's arm tightened around me but to his credit he tried not to let it show in his voice.

"Ok, so this hoe was pawing at my partner, hoping to get a rise out of him to settle some bet...are we sure she is a girl cause I'd really like to go whip her ass if she happens to be a guy in disguise."

"Trust me Jake, she all woman, I've seen her in the locker room. If she is a dude in disguise then he makes a lot of the girls jealous. She has an ass guys and girls alike would kill for." Miranda and I laughed and Jake joined in a little reluctantly.

Once all the shit with Marisol had passed and Jake had loosened up the three of us were able to settle into having a good time. We went up to the shelter house where the food and stuff was set up and got a bite to eat and went back to our place on the beach.

As we ate I started to get that prickly feeling on the back of my neck...the same feeling I got that day in Geography class...that feeling of being watched.

"Well, Well, Well; look who we have here. The cripple and Fido." The second I heard Rick's voice that feeling of being watched went away, I guess I knew who it was this time.

"What do you want Rick, can't you see we're trying to have a good time?" Jake said angrily.

"What do you know; I'm just trying to have a good time too." Rick said maliciously.

I felt, rather then heard, Rick move closer behind me. My instinct told me to move, to get out of dangers way but my curiosity was over-riding my instinct as the smell got stronger...as if it got closer.

'That was no squirrel....it was RICK!!!' I realized with cold excitement.

"You know Rick you better be careful. You keep on stalking us like this and people might think you have a thing for Jake and me." Jake said sarcastically, causing both Miranda and I to laugh....but not Rick.

"Was that an attempt at conflict you little bitch?" Rick asked; his voice much darker then I has ever heard it before...that was a little scary.

Our beach blanket suddenly shifted and before I had time to register what had happened I heard Jake's voice from above me, his too was much angrier then I had ever heard it.

"Yea, maybe it was. What you gonna do about it?"

Before either Miranda or I had time to intervene new voices emerged, voices I didn't recognize, though they seemed to know Jake, Miranda and I.

"Hey Zeek, Miranda, you guys good?" Came an unfamiliar male voice somewhere to my left, though it was touched with what I think might have been a slight Irish accent.

"Is there a problem here Jake?" This voice was also another guy, and yet another one I didn't recognize.

"No...No, Randy there's no problem here, just a conversation." Jake's voice was an octave higher then it usually was....I couldn't think of why he was lying either.

"Bullshit Jake, we heard the shit he was spewing out. All you gotta do is let us know and we'll... remove him...from the area." This guy I knew though, that was Benny 'big blue' Anderson.

Benny was one of the biggest guys in school, he had played every sport the school had to offer which made his body look like it was carved out of marble, or so I had heard. Benny and Jake had been friends in Jr. High but they had drifted apart since then.

"This doesn't concern you fucks, take a hike." Rick said with the same black anger he had used with Lou and Lawrence.

"This does concern us because it concerns Jake and Zeek, and these two roll with us anytime they want." Randy (I think) said.

I didn't know two out of three of these guys but here they were, apparently claiming Jake and me.

After Randy spoke things got quiet, I could feel that Jake and Miranda were still around me but I didn't know where Rick was or where the guys who had spoke were.

"We'll see you guys later, if Rick comes to give you anymore shit give us yell, he won't be here long. That goes for you too, pretty lady." Randy said suddenly and I heard three sets of feet shuffling off through the sand.

"OK, the visually impaired guy needs a little explanation on what the hell just happened, especially the silent bit." I said, and Jake and Miranda laughed, though albeit a more girlish laugh then I was used to from her.

"Well I'm just as lost as you are about why those three came over here and started standing up, I mean I have barely spoken two words to Randy in years, and I'm not even sure of the last time I spoke to Pat or Carver. I guess you know about it as much as we do. You heard what they said, that silent bit was Rick turning a little green and giving us all death stares. Then they said their goodbyes, Randy hit on Miranda and that was that. We've definitely got to follow up with the three of them on what just happened." Jake said and I allowed him a few moments of stunned silence before I interrupted. "Yea, we can do that later, but I've got more important things we need to talk about. You remember that smell I was telling you about...from the day we met Lawrence and Lou in the parking lot after school?" I asked, with Jake and Miranda giving me different answers, Miranda having not been there after all.

To tell my news properly I had to go back to the start for Miranda that took some time.

* * *

"I'm certainly glad that you took the news better then I did Loraine. I am still very sorry about the things I said concerning Jake. I've made my apologies to him, and I certainly hope the two of you can accept them as well." Molly said as Loraine and I sat with her and her husband Zachary in their living room.

We had wasted very little time in coming to see them after Zeek and Jake had left for their friends' birthday party; we both felt it would be beneficial to talk with our future in-laws.

"Oh Molly, don't be silly. I can't deny that I wasn't a bit upset when you first told us what happened but there is no reason in holding on to such things. We're as good as family now after all." Loraine may have talked a good game but I knew she was still upset over the things

Molly had said and I'd hear about it later, but for now she was willing to 'put things behind them' for the sake of the boys.

"Yes, family, I like the sound of that. You know what would be a fine surprise for the boys Loraine; we should have a little get together tonight, just a small dinner." Helen said with a smile, I could tell she was still trying to mend fences.

"Oh I think that is a fine idea, what do you boys think?" Loraine said as she turned to Zachary and me, Zachary pretended to jerk out of a sound sleep. I could understand his joke; Loraine and Molly had been dominating the conversation since the two of us arrived.

"Oh...yes...I think it sounds very nice," Zachary said in a slightly groggy voice as he pretended to wipe drool from his chin, "What do you think Art?" He said as he turned to me.

"I think it’s a great idea. It's been a long time since we surprised Jake." I replied doing my best to not laugh as Zachary still pretended to be waking from sleep.

"Very good, would you be opposed to giving me a hand in the garage, I think I've still got some stakes in that deep freeze out there." Zachary said as he stood up, giving me a slight wink as he did.

"No, of course I don't mind." I said as I got up to follow Zachary out to the garage.

"I'm sorry to drag you out here. I just wanted to talk to you without the girls around, and the way they're going on with each other, I didn't think that would happen anytime soon." Zachary said as he opened the door to a small refrigerator set next to a wide deep freeze and offering me a beer.

I took the bottle from Zachary as he set up a couple of folding lawn chairs for the two of us to have a seat in.

He sat down and popped the top on his beer and motioned for me to do the same. Despite his mysterious pretense I had to admit I was liking this, it had been a long time since I had had the time to just hang out with another guy.

"Tell me what you think about all this Art. I know we're not as close as we should be since we've been neighbors for so long now, which is sad concerning how close our boys are and I think now is as good a time as any to fix that little problem, but before we do I need to know what you think about this situation.

We both have a single son; both are strong, smart and strapping. Me? I'm just fine with that; I know how they feel about each other and I know they'll do anything to make it work for one another, but I need to know how you feel about this situation." Zachary said, the previous demeanor he had showed in the house was gone.

This Zachary was the kind of guy I liked; he spoke his mind and made his thoughts plain.

"Zachary my friend, I don't have any problem with this. Loraine and I have known for sometime that Jake was gay, him and Zeek getting together was a shock, but a pleasant one. I have no problem with my boy being gay, or that he's in love with your son. The real question here is a simple one." I said with a smile as I took a swig of my beer.

"And what’s that, by the way, call my Zach...only my mother still calls me Zachary." He said looking both curious and sheepish.

"The real question is, can the two of us stand Loraine and Molly getting so close...I don't know about you but my ears are killing me." Whether it took him a few minutes to work out if I was joking or not or if he thought I was serious I don't know but after a few seconds Zach and I were both about to laugh ourselves out of our seats.

"I'm glad you were the one to say it brother, really I am." He said, a little out of breath, as he threw away our empty bottles and pulled out a pack of mints from inside an old tin can sitting on a shelf above the freezer.

"You want one? Molly doesn't know I keep a six pack out here." He said before popping several mints into his mouth.

Knowing how Loraine would react if I she realized I had had even a single beer before five o'clock, I took the bottle from him and popped a few myself as he dug into the freezer and pulled out a few freezer bags of frozen steaks.

"Good man!" He said with a wide grin as he clapped me on the back after hiding his mints again.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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Well I hope yall liked this chapter. As always I need to give a big thanks to Rush for her work in editing. I’d love to get your thoughts so feel free to drop me a PM, an email at allenarcane88@yahoo.com, leave me a review to check out my discussion forum. I read and respond to everything.