Travels - 4. You've Got It

Monday, 30 June 2014

“What the heck are we listening to?” Rod was ensconced in Defiant's passenger seat with his young cousin at the wheel. They left Chicago early in the morning, muddled through rush hour traffic, and were now on I-90 halfway to Gary.

“Isn’t it great? The CD’s Global Grooves Millennium, the song’s ‘Universe in Love,’ and the DJ’s Julian Marsh. I thought we needed some high-energy music to help wake us up.” Returning to the Windy City the previous day, CJ spent the afternoon and evening at his cousin’s place in Boystown. Rod was there once again waiting for him and they enjoyed time together alone. CJ recounted his adventures over the preceding days before Tyler and Randy joined them after work. The four men then met for dinner with his aunt and uncle at a neighborhood restaurant.

“This sounds like it’s a little before your time.”

“Yeah, I found it when we emptied the basement before they started construction. It belonged to Dad. I asked him about this one when I was ripping it. He said the DJ’s from South Florida and he and Papa had met the guy a few times.”

“Ha! That must have been during their playful days. You know something? Your fathers used to be party animals according to what my dad has told us. He brought it up after Thanksgiving in Miami last year. He said his baby brother was all grown up, acting like an adult. And he said it was because of you.”

“Me? Why?”

“Not sure, cuz. But dad said he thought you were the best thing that ever happened to Uncle César and Uncle Brett. He claimed you gave them real purpose in life.”

“I don’t know about that, Rod. They seemed to have their shit pretty well together before I moved in. I mean he may not have been around day to day like he’s now, but I always knew Dad would be there for me if I needed him. And he definitely was. Boy, was he ever.”

“Yeah, I know. The shit that went down with your mother and your stepfather was fucked up. I know Uncle César and Dad talked on the phone a lot during the first couple of weeks you were in Washington. In a way, it’s the reason why I’m going back with you and spending the next week in D.C.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think having you around solidified their relationship. Up to then, they were a couple of good-looking, young, gay men. Filthy rich, young, gay men who could have and do almost anything they wanted. Uncle Brett had enough money to last them both for the rest of their lives, but they were never ostentatious. They liked their work and surrounded themselves with good friends, but there wasn’t a lot of thought about what they would do long term. You changed that.”

“How?”

“All of a sudden they had a teenager living with them, the reason for all those late night calls they made to my father, and the responsibility scared them at first.”

“They never said anything. I didn’t have much choice in the move from Miami, but I thought they were glad to have me. Fuck! Now you’re telling me I cramped their style?”

“No! Not at all. From what I’ve heard they were scared of fucking up. They never complained about you living with them. But you have to realize it was a big change. They now had a kid to look after for the foreseeable future and they had no experience. Most parents grow into their roles as their kids age but with them, it was BAM! They had a grown-up instead of a bouncing baby boy.”

“So how did all this lead up to you driving back with me and spending time in D.C. this summer?”

“Time for us to switch places, cuz. Take the next exit. Let’s find a gas station and we can keep talking about it after we get back on the road.”

CJ’s provisional driver’s license carried restrictions that would be gradually removed as he aged and gained experience behind the wheel. One reason for spending the night in a hotel during the trip out was his inability to drive at night unless a licensed individual over twenty-one was him. He needed at least forty hours operating a vehicle under those conditions before the restriction was lifted and Rod had promised he could start accumulating the requisite time on the return trip to Washington. He wanted to get to D.C. that evening, and they planned to drive the twelve or so hours it would take to do so straight through.

The cousins hit the restroom, bought drinks and snacks, and topped off Defiant’s tank before returning to the highway. Rod had to adjust the driver’s seat and the Jeep’s mirrors since he was so much taller than CJ and asked for classical music as the soundtrack for the next segment. He claimed it would be easier to talk if they weren’t trying to sing along to the radio.

“Okay, cuz,” CJ said when they were settled back in and rolling down the highway. “What are you and the dads up to that you’re coming to spend a week with us?”

“Not sure how much you know about how our grandfather made his money―”

“Construction, right?”

“Yep, Primera Linea. He started it while they were living in Puerto Rico and then moved the company to Miami when the family went to live there. He ended up selling it, made a nice profit, and invested a lot of it in Second Line when dad decided to go into the same business in Chicago.”

“So Abuelo owns it?”

“Nah, Dad owns most of it now but Abuelo still has an interest in it. Anyway, your dads are talking about doing some real estate development―”

“Is that why Papa mentioned something about a piece of land they were interested in buying?”

“Yes, sir. I’m not sure about that specific property, but your dads want to discuss possible projects in the D.C. area. And since Dad, Randy, and Tyler are kinda tied up with their current project, you guys get me as a consultant.”

“What kind of construction are they talking about?”

“That’s one of the things we’re going to spend time talking about. Uncle Brett mentioned he’d like to start with affordable housing. Maybe jump on the shipping container apartments bandwagon. He said he and Uncle César bought up a bunch of different units during the real estate downturn. They’ve already made a bundle on them—not that they need any more money—but they’d like to give something back to the community. They want to create jobs in Washington and provide affordable housing to either college students or low-income individuals.”

“They wanna become slum lords?” CJ asked, somewhat surprised.

“What’s this they shit? You’re part of it, bud.” Rod chuckled, reaching over to tousle his cousin’s hair. “If they become slum lords, so do you.”

“Hmmm, I’m not sure about that.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. Knowing how your dads operate, I don’t think they’re about to start taking advantage of other people.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. You mentioned something about them being filthy rich before, and that’s probably right. But I’ve never seen the dads flaunt their wealth.”

“CJ, your dads are two of the finest men I know. And I’m not saying that because we’re related. They’re caring and generous. They may be part of the much talked about top one percent of the population, but making money’s not what they live for.”

“That’s nice to hear. That you think they’re good people. I’ve been learning about their charitable foundation in the past couple of months. They try to do good with their money. And I want to be like them when I grow up.”

 

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

“What do you mean you’re resigning?” CJ’s surprise made him tilt the spoon in his hand, spilling oatmeal over his t-shirt. “Fuck! I gotta change before I go to the gym. Did you know about this?” he asked, staring at Rod. His cousin had said he wanted to go work out with him and they were having breakfast together before César left for work.

“Don’t look at me, cuz. Can’t say I’m surprised, but no, I had no idea this was coming.” The grin on his face matched the ones on CJ’s fathers.

“Oh, I figured it was time I became a househusband.” Brett shrugged his shoulders and smirked. “With you being able to drive, we need to be around all the time so we can keep an eye on you. Can’t have you running around town chasing hot boys without supervision.”

“Fuck you, Papa. I don’t need to be looked after like that. Come on, what’s going on?”

“Give the kid a break, Jarhead,” César said. “He’s probably still half asleep after driving all day yesterday and then staying up late when they got home.”

“Fine, but you guys are no fun.” Brett threw up his arms in surrender. “Did you see his face? Wish I’d taken a picture.”

“Papa…”

“Okay, okay. This has been in the plans for a long time, CJ. I was going to remain in the corps until I turned thirty-five and gained complete control of the foundation and my trusts. Turning thirty and being able to get married last year accelerated the timetable.”

“But why? I thought you love being in the Marine Corps. What are you going to do?”

“I’m taking over running most of our holdings. Your dad and I went to California to start the process of divesting ourselves of our west coast real estate. It’ll take a few years. We’re not doing any fire sales. And Rod is here to discuss our plans for Third Line.”

“A construction company? Like Abuelo’s Primera Linea and Uncle Rico’s Second Line?”

“Not exactly. More like a development company. We’ll hire others to do the actual construction.”

“Leo?”

“Leo Dallas and Leatherneck Construction will be in the mix. We haven’t talked to him yet, so don’t say anything to Leo or any of the guys working for him. Okay?”

“Sure, I guess…”

“No guessing, CJ,” César said in a serious tone as he stood and carried his empty bowl and glass to the sink. “This is only between family right now. I need to get out of here. Brett will explain a bit more and we can talk about it all again tonight. Oh, you’re in charge of dinner.”

“Fuck!” CJ exclaimed, leaning back and shaking his head in disbelief. “I go away for a week and everything gets turned upside down. I liked having a marine for a father. It’s been kinda cool.”

“Screw you, sonny,” Brett replied. “I’ll still be one. Once a marine, always a marine.”

 

After only one session lifting weights during his trip, and eating an abundance of unhealthy, although enticing foods, CJ was exhausted when he, Brett, and Rod returned home to shower and change. He lured both men to accompany him on a brief shopping expedition, promising he was planning a healthy meal that evening.

“So where are we going?” Rod asked, folding himself into Defiant’s back seat after Brett called shotgun for the ride.

“We’re going to stop at Whole Foods first. I need to buy some essential oils and we can pick some fresh organic veggies for tonight.”

“Essential oils?” Brett asked in a dubious tone.

“Yeah, Papa. Better living through chemistry. Trust me, I got this recipe from the magazine about Cleveland they had in our hotel there.”

“Great! We’re guinea pigs. Just make sure you don’t poison us.”

“Nah, it’s gonna be yummy. I’m craving seafood after all the meat I’ve been eating and this recipe’s real easy.”

The Maine Avenue Fish Market proclaimed itself as the oldest open-air fish market operating in the United States, predating New York City’s Fulton Fish Market by seventeen years. Nestled between the Potomac River and the National Mall, it had been a D.C. institution since the early 1800s and plans for the surrounding area’s redevelopment included it remaining in place.

“What are we looking for now?” Rod asked as he glanced around at the fresh fish, crabs, and oysters piled high on mounds of ice.

“Snapper,” CJ replied. “There’s six of us for dinner tonight but I want to get enough extra to make sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.”

“You may want to forget about that last part,” Brett told his son. “I’m interviewing someone tomorrow to be my new assistant and I’d like the two of you to come to lunch with us afterward.”

“You’re hiring an assistant? Fuck! That means if he’s in the house working with you there won’t be any running around the place in our underwear anymore.”

“Not he, she. I’m interviewing a woman. And don’t worry about running around half-naked. I’m looking for office space also. There’s one location on Wisconsin Avenue I plan on us taking a look at later this week or next. It’s the upstairs of an old building with a store on the ground floor.”

 

“Mate, this is fantastic!” JP exclaimed, after tasting the first bite of the flaky fish filet CJ had served on a bed of white rice surrounded by steamed broccoli florets. “What’s the stuff on it?”

“It’s called a glaze, Uncle Pope,” CJ replied in a condescending tone while looking exasperated.

“I know what it’s called, smartass. I asked what was in it.”

“Well, why didn’t you say so in the first place? You guys need to be clear when you ask silly questions.”

“CJ…” César said in a warning tone.

“Fine! It’s soy sauce, honey, and essential oils of ginger and lemongrass. It’s real easy to make but you have to watch the amount of oils you use. That stuff is strong. I had to throw out the first two batches I made. I put in too much lemongrass, and it tasted like crap.”

“It’s fantastic, CJ,” Tom said, shoving another forkful in his mouth. “Can you mix a big batch of it for the weekend? Will it keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator? Or bring the ingredients with you and we can put it together on the boat. We can use it on whatever we catch.”

 

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

CJ returned home from his early morning workout to find Brett and Rod sitting at the dining room table, coffee mugs in hand, deep in conversation. He chugged a bottle of Gatorade and let them know he’d be back in a bit after showering. His cousin had expressed an interest in walking around the Georgetown University campus and the adjoining residential area, and the teen had agreed to serve as his tour guide. Brett reminded them about meeting for lunch before they walked out into a typical muggy Washington summer with temperatures already climbing and forecasted to reach near one hundred degrees.

“CJ!” The shouted greeting as the boy entered The Tombs came from the bartender and one of the servers delivering a tray of beer mugs to a table.

“Popular, ain'tcha?” Rod asked his cousin, his smile matching the younger man’s.

“Where’ve you been, bud? Bar or table?” the server asked, looking over his shoulder.

“Hey, Spike. Table, please? And there’s going to be four of us.”

“Cool, be right back to seat you guys.”

“Nah…,” CJ said to Rod as he took a couple of steps towards the bar and bumped fists with the woman working there. “The dads and I come here often enough they know us by now.”

Spike returned with the serving tray under an arm, drying his hands on the apron he wore; he grabbed a couple of menus from the bin by the register and led them to a table against the far wall. “Your dads coming soon?”

“Not Dad,” CJ replied. “Papa should be here soon and he has some business associate with him. Can you get me a root beer? What do you want, Rod?”

“How about a real beer? Whatever you have on tap. You pick.” Rod looked at Spike and was rewarded with something between a smile and a leer.

“You got it. I’m Spike, you let me know if you need anything. Anything at all.”

“Down, horn dog. That’s my cousin you’re flirting with. And he’s straight. Rod, this is Spike, one of our favorite servers.”

“One of your favorite servers? Have you and your dads been cheating on me behind my back? Welcome to The Tombs, Rod. I won’t hold being straight against you. But it sucks the entire family’s good looking and they’re either married, too young, or now straight.”

The cousins laughed while their server walked away to get their drinks. “What’s his story?” Rod asked.

“I don’t know that much about him. There was this guy working here who befriended us since we usually sat at the bar where he worked. He was super nice and offered to set me up with some girl. When I told him I was gay, he introduced me to Spike. This was last year and they didn’t realize I was only fifteen at the time. Anyway, both of them were in the School of Foreign Service and on the school’s crew team. The other guy graduated and Spike’s gonna be a senior in the fall. They’ve been working on me, trying to convince me to follow in their footsteps: apply to Georgetown, and join the crew team when I start school.”

“Are you?”

“Join the crew team? Maybe… It looks like fun and it’s great exercise. Apply to Georgetown? Not sure I want to live at home while I go to school.”

“You could still live in the dorms even if you went to school here. Doing laundry would be a lot easier. Just take the stuff home instead of using the laundry room machines which always chew up your clothes.”

The guys were lost in their conversation and failed to notice Brett approaching their table accompanied by a young woman with skin the color of café-au-lait. “Hey, guys, I’d like you to meet Taisha Kravitz. Taisha, that’s my son, CJ, and this one’s my nephew, Rod. He’s visiting from Chicago for a few days.” Brett placed both hands on Rod’s shoulders while he introduced them to his companion.

Both guys quickly stood, greeted the pretty girl, and shook her hand. “Just in time, Papa. I was ready to order without you. I’m starving.”

“You spend too much time with Harley, dude. You’re starting to sound like him.” Brett indicated a chair for Taisha to sit and Rod quickly pulled it out and held it for her, never taking his eyes off her face.

“Thank you, Rod. Such a gentleman,” Taisha said.

“Don’t let him fool you,” CJ warned.

“Be nice, CJ,” Brett said. “She doesn’t know us and I’m trying to convince her to come work for us.”

“Really? Okay, then I’ll keep all the family secrets quiet for now.”

“You guys are fun,” Taisha said. “Are you always like this?”

“Nope,” Rod replied. “I’m always nice but my cuz here is a pain in the neck most of the time.”

“He can probably get away with it,” Taisha replied. “He’s cute enough.”

CJ’s blushing caused them all to chuckle. “Thank you,” he mumbled.

“So I hear from your father you’re about to start your junior year in high school? You look older.”

“Yeah, I know. I get that all the time. But around this place, they all know me and the dads so nobody will serve me a beer.”

Their introductions were interrupted when Spike appeared by their table, ready to take their order. Afterward, their conversation flowed easily while they ate. Taisha revealed she was a native of Washington and had graduated from the University of the District of Columbia Community College with an associate degree in administrative Office Management. She’d also gained a certificate in Construction and Property Management.

“So, did Papa offer you the job? Are you going to accept?” CJ asked as Spike cleared off their empty plates and asked about dessert.

Brett jumped in before the woman could reply. “No, I haven’t made her an offer. I want to discuss it with your dad tonight. But I promised I’d be in touch within a day or two. I’m pretty sure I’d like her to work with us.”

“I think that would be good for me,” Taisha added. “Captain Davenport explained what he and your other father are hoping to accomplish. And I like their emphasis on creating jobs and affordable housing within the District. I think it’s a great opportunity to be in on the ground floor of something which could have a positive impact on the lives of many Washington residents.”

Rod hadn’t said a lot the entire time, CJ and Taisha monopolizing the conversation. But his eyes never drifted from the girl’s face and he seemed to follow her words with interest. After bidding her goodbye, while walking back home, CJ gave Rod a hard time about his apparent infatuation and offered to lend him his lube and a rag, before running away from the two older men.

 

Thursday, 3 July 2014

On Thursday, César had a business dinner to attend. After he and Brett left the house, CJ convinced Rod to take him out in Defiant so he could get some more practice driving at night under his belt. The boy took his cousin on the nighttime tour of monuments and memorials he liked so much and the two ended up at Rogo’s.

“CJ!” came the shout as soon as they’d walked into the place.

“Another joint where everyone knows your name, cuz?” Rod asked, looking around the place he’d heard so much about but never been to before.

“Nah.” CJ pointed towards a beefy black man sitting at the bar. “It’s only Dragon. Come on, he’s one of the dads close friends.”

“The big, black guy who looks like a football player?” Rod asked, looking at the man who’d stood and smiled, holding his arms wide open.

“Yep, that’s him. He did play college ball when he was at Howard. Hi, Uncle Dragon.”

“What’s up, buddy?” Devon asked, hugging the boy. “Where are the dads? Are you out on a date? Oh, wait, you’re one of the cousins from Chicago. I recognize you.”

“Yes, I am,” Rod replied, extending his arm to shake hands. “Rodney Abelló. Rod. You’ve probably met my brother Randy when he and his boyfriend visited earlier this year.”

“Welcome to Washington, bro. You guys in to drink or eat? Join us?”

“Sure, we need food. The dads had some sort of function and I figured I’d show Rod our favorite hangout. Where’s Uncle Danno?”

“Oh, he and Trip went out on a movie date tonight. How was the traveling?”

“Awesome!” CJ replied, looking at the dark-skinned man sitting next to Devon who’d been staring at them since they’d approached. The teen put out his hand to shake and introduced himself. “Hi there, I’m CJ.”

“Ooops, my bad,” Dragon said. “This is my friend, Harrison.”

“Hey, Harrison, nice to meet you,” Rod said.

“Howdy, guys,” the man replied, flashing them a brilliant smile. “Did you call Devon, uncle?”

“Yeah,” CJ replied, sitting on the stool next to Dragon and leaning over the bar to look at the man. “Uncle Devon’s one of my dads’ best friends and he and the rest of their gang sort of adopted me when I moved to Washington last year. I ended up with half a dozen uncles.”

“So, CJ, I have some big news,” Devon said. “I finally got my own apartment. Harrison came with me tonight to help me take some clothes to the new place. You’ll have to come over and visit. It’s in Arlington, right across the river from your house.”

“You moved out? But… I thought you and Uncles Danno and Trip…”

“Yeah well, that wasn’t going to last long term. We can talk about it some other time if you want. But you know I ended up in a position that wasn’t my favorite way too often. I had to bend over backward to fit in there. But now I’m back on top of things.” The man laughed at his joke, reminding CJ about their conversation concerning Devon ending up as a bottom for Danno while Trip had been out of town at a rehab facility. “Let’s order you guys some food. Ready for another beer, Harrison?”

 

“You want a nightcap?” Brett asked, opening the front door as César watched the Uber driver speed away.

“A little Grand Marnier? Bring it up to the room and be quiet, the boys are probably sleeping. That went on longer than I expected. I can’t believe it’s past midnight.”

“Relax, Emperor, you don’t have to work tomorrow, it’s a holiday.”

Both men took off their shoes, and while César climbed the stairs, Brett walked over to the bar. A few minutes later he was joining his husband on the third floor.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…” Brett’s muttering was continuous as he gently closed the door to his and César’s bedroom.

“What’s up?” César tilted his head sideways, staring at the blond marine as he plopped himself face down on their bed.

“I’m scarred for life. I think I would pluck my eyes out if it would help me un-see what I just saw.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. My poor baby… what happened?”

“Your sarcasm isn’t needed. I just saw our son’s furry butt.”

“That’s it? You saw CJ’s butt and you’re distressed? You’re such a jerk. We’ve seen CJ naked often enough either at the gym or when we’ve been out on the PP.”

“Yeah, but never while he’s fucking the shit out of a guy.”

“WHAT?”

“Don’t shout. They’re still going at it and I don’t want them to realize I saw them, or Rod to hear.”

“Enough with the games and the mystery, Jarhead. Spill.”

“When I went to get our drinks, I noticed a light on in the basement and the garage floodlights were also blazing. So I looked out the kitchen window and noticed Eli’s truck was out back. Since today was his last day on the job, I figured he was cleaning or packing something. I mean, once he reports for basic training we won’t see him for a while, if ever again, so I decided to go downstairs and wish him good luck.”

“How long are you planning on drawing out the story?”

“Asshole! I’m getting to it. Anyway, I walk halfway down the stairs and I start hearing grunts and CJ’s voice. When I get near the bottom, I looked towards the front of the house and there’s Eli, his t-shirt on the floor, pants around his ankles, hands against the wall, and his white ass sticking out.”

“NO!”

“Yes! And I told you to keep it down. CJ was completely naked, his boxer shorts on the floor, plastered against our soon-to-be-a-marine construction worker. That guy has a nice body on him. Lugging around all those materials left him with big shoulders, a small waist, and a bubble butt worth licking.”

“I can’t believe you were checking out that boy.” César shook his head while staring at his husband. “Fuck…”

“That’s exactly what they were doing. And I think our boy was doing a pretty good job of it from what I saw. Like I said, there was a lot of grunting and moaning, all coming from Eli. And CJ has a potty mouth on him like you wouldn’t believe. He was trash-talking about how the tough guy liked getting dicked by a fat Cuban cock and how he’d probably end up as his platoon’s pussy. I think he’s been watching too much porn.”

“Were they using condoms?”

“Don’t be an ass, babe. Do you really think I paid attention to the details? Dude, I was so in shock I couldn’t move. I hope Eli doesn’t end up pregnant.”

“Who’s being an ass now, huh? So, what’d you do?”

“What the hell was I going to do? I sneaked back up the stairs, forgot all about the drinks, and came back here. I feel sorry for Eli, the way CJ was pounding him, that boy’s gonna be walking funny for a couple of days. Last I heard, Eli was asking to be fucked harder and CJ was saying, ‘You’ve got it.’”