Walls - 19. December 2015 • Part II

Although there were plenty of non-stop flights between Washington and Denver, César and Brett booked one with a stop at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. The short layover allowed Randy and Tyler to join them. Traveling together avoided the possibility of weather related delays leaving part of the group stranded.

As soon as Randy walked into the Business Class section, CJ―sitting in the last row next to Owen―began humming “Here Comes The Bride.” Brett, Rod, and a couple of the other guys joined in, making Tyler who was right behind his boyfriend start laughing.

Randy looked around the cabin and smiled at the flight attendant standing nearby. Glaring at his younger cousin, he dropped his backpack in the first open seat he came to, and gave CJ a double one-finger salute while mouthing “fuck you” in an exaggerated manner. “I’ll get you for that one, you insignificant insect. I don’t care if the trip’s to celebrate your birthday. After I’m done, there may not be a nineteenth for you.”

“Aw, come on, cuz.” CJ was trying very hard not to laugh but maintaining an innocent expression was getting tougher with every second. “You’re engaged. Ty proposed on one knee on national TV. That makes you the woman and we all know it. See? Your husband-to-be’s nodding.”

Randy whirled around and glared at Tyler. He picked up his backpack and walked the few steps to the back of the section. He stowed it in the overhead compartment along with Ty’s and the Chicago couple claimed the seats right in front of Owen and CJ. Once they’d cleared the aisle to allow other passengers to board, Randy knelt on the seat, looked over the backrest, and stared at CJ. “Fuck you, cuz. You better watch your back when we’re on top of the mountain.”

Owen had been leaning against the side of the plane but moved closer and threw a protective arm around CJ. “Hey! No threatening my boyfriend. You know he has a couple of black belts. Don’t make me tell him to beat you up.”

“Yeah? You think so, Aussie? My boyfriend can beat up your boyfriend. He has bigger muscles!”

“That’s ’cause he’s short and has to compensate.” CJ’s whispered aside wasn’t much of a whisper.

The fourteen men traveling together were in a good mood. The verbal sparring between them elicited laughter from all, none louder than César’s. “Children… how about we settle this when we land? People are staring.”

“That’s just ’cause we’re so good looking, Dad. 'Specially my boyfriend!” CJ accompanied his retort with a kiss to Owen’s cheek.

“Crap, gag me!” Randy couldn’t stop smirking when he pulled off CJ’s knit cap and threw it across the aisle at Rod who in turn passed it to Harley sitting in front of him. The group occupied most of the section and the few other passengers in it seemed to enjoy the high-spirited antics and not one of them complained. The banter and games didn’t stop until the door was closed and they were ready for takeoff.

Some three hours later their flight landed in Denver. “Wow! It’s really cold.” Ritchie’s words as they deplaned made CJ pull his phone out and turned it on.

“Wait ’til we get outside, bro. You’re gonna freeze your butt off. It’s thirty degrees chillier here than it was in Washington. And it’s going to get even colder by the time the sun sets.”

“I’m wearing my long underwear all weekend. I don’t care how smelly they get. I’m not used to this.” The boy shivered and pulled his black and yellow jacket closed. Earlier in the month, CJ had taken his brother to the Patagonia store they’d shopped at when Ritchie first visited Washington and bought proper skiing clothes for both of them.

Brett remained behind in the baggage claim area as César walked over to the car rental area to check on their reservations. The retired marine stared at the suitcases on the carousel while draping an arm around Ritchie’s shoulders. “Dude, we have a washer and dryer at the house. I think we’ll be doing a load or two every day. No need to smell like stale ball sweat.”

Ritchie giggled. “How long’s the drive to this place, Captain?”

“That’s one of ours, Ritchie. Grab it.” Brett pointed at a black bag with a rainbow ribbon on the handle. They had tied a similar one to each of their suitcases back in Washington for easy identification. “About two hours. Vail’s 100 miles west of Denver. Since the weather’s clear it should be a nice drive. Real pretty too, the mountains are a hell of a lot bigger than what you’ve seen back in Virginia when we’ve gone on motorcycle rides. And they’re all covered in snow. We’re gonna have a blast this week, dude.”

“Your turn, Jarhead.” César clamped a hand on his husband’s shoulder and handed him his driver’s license. “Go sign the contract. Guys!” He stared at CJ, Owen, Randy, and Tyler who were once again arguing over which boyfriend could beat up the other one. “Are we gonna have to separate you? Stop fucking around and go get us a couple of luggage carts.”

Approaching Vail, Brett asked for quiet in the van and called the management company to let them know where they were. Arriving at the house, the doors to both garage bays were open and a young man stood inside waiting for them. Brett jumped out as soon as he’d turned off the engine, signed for the envelope he was handed, and opened it to retrieve the keys. “Okay, everyone, let’s get the bags inside. I’ll give you a quick tour, and we can figure out the sleeping arrangements. Fair warning, there are two master bedrooms. César and I get one and CJ and Ozzie have the other one.”

“Not fair, Uncle Brett. I can understand you and Uncle César getting one of them but we should flip for the other. The little idiot has been picking on me since we got on the plane in Chicago.”

“Shut up, bro!” Rod punched Randy on the shoulder before hurrying inside. “Stop whining.”

Ritchie’s giggles let everyone know he was enjoying the twins’ antics. “Mr. A won’t like it, Randy. Whining’s not allowed.”

“Out of the mouths of babes…” Ethan dropped his suitcase on the living room floor and walked towards the large glass windows facing the mountains. “This place’s awesome. I can’t believe you’ve never been here, CJ.”

“I know, right? Check it out, there’s a giant hot tub on the deck! I know where I’ll be tonight after dinner.” Owen had followed his classmate and stood staring at the view when CJ walked up behind him and clamped his arms around him.

“Hell, this is the furthest west I’ve ever been except for Australia. What number is this, Ozzie?”

“Twelve. Colorado makes it an even dozen.” He turned around in the cage CJ had enclosed him in and kissed his boyfriend. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Come on, let’s go upstairs. Our room’s on the third floor.”

“How many bedrooms in this place again?”

“Five. Two masters on the top floor and two junior masters―that’s what they’re called on the management company’s website―on the second floor. One has a queen sized bed and the other one, two doubles.”

“Who gets those?”

“The dads said Randy and Ty get the queen bed and Rod and Ritchie share the other room.”

“And the others?”

“They’re all in the bunk room. It’s in between the other two rooms and sleeps eight. They can fight it out for who gets to be on top and who gets the bottom. The den also has two couches that open up. But I guess we won’t be using those.”

“So we have room for even more people?”

“Yeah, Sean and Chatri would have made sixteen of us. I originally wanted eighteen people for my eighteenth birthday, but Tom and JP said they couldn’t make it. And I didn’t want to have to choose between the dads’ other friends.”

“Aren’t bunk beds small? Most of our friends are tall.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think it’ll matter. Papa told us he used to come here with a bunch of friends when he was in college at Berkeley. He said after a day skiing and drinking, everyone was so tired all they cared about was a place to crash.”

“Ritchie’s gonna share a room with Rod?”

“I don’t think the dads want Ritchie in with the others. They trust Rod not to try and get him drunk or high.”

“All you have to do is tell your brother not to drink or smoke. Ritchie will listen to anything you say.”

“He’s a good kid, isn’t he?” CJ’s pride in his brother was not something he was shy about sharing with his friends; he bragged about Ritchie often enough. “Okay, here we are. I think the dads want the one on the left so this is ours.”

“Mate, this is awesome.” Owen dropped his suitcase on the floor, stripped off his jacket, tossed it on the bed, and walked towards the windows. Opening the curtains, he stared at the landscape. The snow-capped mountains seemed close enough to touch. “What a bloody great view.”

“Yes it is. Great fucking sight,” CJ added, staring at his boyfriend’s backside.

• • •

Included in Brett's envelope from the management company were lift tickets for the week. “Okay, guys, listen up.” They’d finished breakfast at the house and the anticipation to hit the slopes was palpable. “Attach these to your jackets now. Those of you skiing are Team César. Snow boarders―the cool kids―are with me. And Team Brett rocks!”

“Fuck you, Papa!”

“Yeah, fuck off, Uncle Brett.”

“Hey! Stop picking on Cap.”

“Sorry, CJ, I wanna learn how to board. Is it okay if I go with the captain?”

“Traitor! Come on, Ozzie, let’s get in the skiers van.”

Owen sounded apologetic. “I’m sorry too, CJ, but I’m going with Brett and the other boarders.”

“Fine! Go ahead and leave me alone with a bunch of hunky skiers. I’ll try to behave.” CJ’s comment and eyebrow wiggling earned him a slap to the back of the head from César.

The large group split between skiers and boarders with Ethan, Patrick, and Harley―the only one who’d brought his own boots and snowboard―joining Brett, Owen, and Ritchie. The rest of them crammed into one of the vehicles with César. “I know this is the first time CJ and Thiago have skied so they’re signed up for a morning lesson. How about the rest of you? What’s the experience?”

“Patrick and I have been skiing a bunch of times in Massachusetts and Vermont,” Brad replied.

“Same with me and Ty.” Randy turned around to look at Rod sitting in the last row of seats. “And Rod’s pretty good. Although the mountains the three of us are used to aren’t as tall as these.”

“Brett and I booked a private family morning lesson for skiers and one for the boarders. I haven’t been skiing in a couple of years so I’ll stick with CJ and Thiago today. Depending on how the day goes, we might book an instructor for tomorrow too. Any of you feel free to join us on the bunny slope if you want.”

Since Harley had his board, he stayed outside the shop while the others went inside to be fitted with boots and skis or boards; César and Brett made it clear they didn’t want anyone on the mountain alone. CJ and Thiago watched Harley team up with Ethan and rush towards the lift as soon as the law student exited with a board over his shoulders. “I’ll meet you back here at lunch time, CJ!”

“So, which one of you is CJ and which one’s Thiago?” Both guys turned to look at the man who’d spoken. He extended a hand to shake while displaying a perfect row of bright white teeth. The guy wore a USA knit cap and iridescent orange goggles rested atop it. The rest of his outfit was a riot of red, white, and blue splashes of color but CJ couldn’t stop looking at the blue eyes partially hidden behind eyelashes any woman would be jealous of. The man was hot. “I’m Travis. I’ll be your instructor this morning.”

“Hi, I’m Thiago.”

“Hey, Travis, I’m CJ. Nice to meet you, man.”

“Same here, dude. The form says neither one of you has ever skied before, that right?”

“Nope, neither one of us has. Hey, Dad, over here!” CJ motioned for his father when he saw César stand outside the door looking around. “My dad’s joining us for the lesson but he’s skied before.”

“Hey, guys. Hi, I’m César, and you are?”

“Your friendly neighborhood ski bum impersonating an instructor.” The guy bowed and waved his hand in a flourish. His easy smile earned him a return one from the older man as they shook hands. “Travis here, nice to meet you, sir. Why don’t you guys follow me and we’ll get this show on the road.”

About an hour and a half later, while they took a break to guzzle down water, César announced he felt confident enough to hit the real slopes and left CJ and Thiago with Travis after whispering in his son’s ear and getting a nod in response.

“You know what, guys? The two of you are pretty athletic. I can tell you don’t just sit around watching TV and eating Doritos.” Travis’ infectious smile was back and the praise made his two students grin. “And, CJ, your Dad’s a cool dude. How’d you like to try one of the easy slopes? Since you’re with me we move to the front and don’t have to wait in line for the lift. I’ll pick a gentle one and see how you do.”

“I’m in!” Thiago looked at CJ for agreement.

“Let’s do it, man. By the way, Travis, Dad said to invite you to lunch after we’re done. We have a large group of friends and we’re all meeting back here around 12:30.”

“That’d be cool. I have to sign out after we’re done but I have the afternoon free. Maybe I’ll hang out and ski with you and your friends.”

A couple of hours later, CJ and Thiago walked into the restaurant and scanned the crowd for any of their traveling companions. Randy raised an arm and called out to them, motioning for the younger guys to join him and Tyler at their table. “Hey, boys, how was it?”

“Awesome!”

“Fantastic!” CJ removed his cap and sunglasses, opened up his jacket, and flapped the sides to create a little air current. The day’s exertions had heated him up even though the temperature outside was below freezing; in addition, the roaring flames in the fireplace had the room warmed to a comfortable temperature. “We spent half the morning on the bunny slope and then did some runs on one of the easier courses.”

Thiago rubbed his neck after taking off his jacket and draping it over the back of the chair. “That was sick! But I took some spectacular spills. My damn shoulder’s gonna be hurting big time later on.”

CJ rubbed his behind before sitting down. “You? Me! That last time I fell I hit my ass so hard I probably have a bruise. We didn’t use the hot tub last night but as soon as we get back to the house…”

“So, are you planning any more lessons?” Tyler raised a clear mug to his lips and sipped the steaming liquid.

Thiago shrugged when CJ looked at him. “I don’t care. Whatever you want.”

“I think we should. We can skip the bunny and start with the green runs. And I like being able to jump to the front of the line. What are you drinking, Ty?”

“Hot apple cider and Yukon Jack. Wanna taste?”

CJ accepted the proffered mug and took a tentative sip. “Damn, that’s good. Here, Thiago, taste. You guys gotta order me one of those.”

“Now, now, cuz. You know you ain’t old enough to drink.”

“Fuck that! They don’t need to know my age. Travis! Over here!” CJ stood and waved at their instructor as he walked in the side door.

Travis approached them with his bright smile shining. “Hey, guys.” The man seemed to be in a happy mood all the time. He dropped his knit hat and gloves on the table and removed his jacket before taking a seat.

“Hmmm, no wonder you want another lesson with the cute instructor.” A smirking Randy stared at CJ and winked. “What’s up, Travis? I’m CJ’s cousin, Randy and this is my other half, Tyler.”

“Hey man, just call me Ty. Our cousin and Thiago were telling us they had a blast with you this morning.”

“I had fun with them. They’re athletic enough it was easy work. So, how big’s this group of yours and what made you come to Vail?”

“Ummm, fourteen of us. My dads own a place here and we decided to celebrate my eighteenth birthday skiing since I’d never been before.”

A flash of a frown crossed the ski instructor’s face. “You just said your dads and before that Randy introduced Ty as his other half. Are all of you gay?”

“Nope, like half of us are.” CJ’s tone had grown defensive and he tensed up in case the good looking guy turned out to be homophobic. “Is that a problem?”

Travis looked around the room for a moment before lowering his voice. “Definitely not a problem, dude. I’m not out to the world but I’m family too. I guess you and Thiago didn’t notice me checking you out.”

“You are? You were?” CJ relaxed and smirked. “Well, waddaya know?”

Thiago glanced up from the menu he was perusing and laughed. “Sorry, homie, but I’m one of the straight ones so don’t get any ideas.”

“I won’t hold it against you, dude!” The instructor was now laughing out loud. “So, Thiago’s straight, Randy and Tyler are a couple, and your dads are obviously taken. That leaves you, eh, CJ?”

“CJ!” Owen’s appearance at their side and the kiss he gave CJ on the cheek elicited chuckles from the Chicago cousins and Thiago.

“Perfect timing, Ozzie. Join us.” Randy motioned toward the empty seat next to him. “This is Travis. He was the instructor assigned to CJ and Thiago this morning. He wants to spend time with us this afternoon.”

“G’day, mate.” The cheerful smile on Owen’s lips faded when he saw the guy frown.

“Hey! Nice to meetcha man. I’m guessing CJ’s also taken. Damn!”

“What’s going on?” Owen ignored the offered seat and took the one next to his boyfriend instead.

“You may have just interrupted my attempt to pick up CJ. He was telling me about your group and that half of you were gay. I thought I’d put the moves on him but I’m guessing the two of you are a couple.”

Owen draped a possessive arm around CJ’s shoulders and pulled him into his body. “You better believe it, mate. He’s mine! But you may have a chance with Ethan. He’s kinda single.”

“Kinda?”

CJ couldn’t hold back his chuckles any longer. “Sorry, Travis, but Owen’s my boyfriend. We’ve been together for over a year and I don’t see that changing. And about Ethan? Our friend Sean may have something to say about that.”

“Those two can’t figure out what the bloody hell they are.” Owen shook his head and reached for a menu. “Anyway, I don’t think anyone else is joining us for lunch. I saw a couple of the guys munching on power bars ready to stay outside. I think Harley may want to eat real food but that boy’s not stopped since his board hit the snow.”

“CJ!”

“Speak of the devil.” CJ recognized Harley’s voice. He nudged Travis with an elbow and turned around to watch his friend approach. “Get ready, Travis. This is another one of our friends and he’s known for talking.”

Harley bent over and wrapped his arms around CJ, giving him a warm hug. “Bruh! This is frickin’ insane. Thank you! I haven’t had this much fun since the trip to Sturgis with my Dad. And your little brother’s sick! He’s out there carving snow like he’s been doing it all his life. He said to tell you he loves you but he’s skipping lunch and staying on the mountain. Said not to worry and that he’d see you later. And that Thiago, Chipper and I were to take our spot as your brothers until tonight. Ha! Oh, oh, oh, and you should have seen the spill Ethan took. He wouldn’t move at first. We thought he’d snapped something. But Cap helped him up and nothing was broke. You should have heard your dad: ‘Come on, pussy. Get up! Stop being a wimp! Broken bones heal. Guys dig scars. Glory’s forever.’ We were all laughing so hard and―”

“HARLEY!”

A couple of the other guys came in and joined them for lunch before they all returned to the slopes. But not before Owen grabbed CJ and laid a kiss on him which left the younger guy smiling and feeling his cheeks flush. The Aussie shot Travis a look right before he locked lips with his boyfriend. The ski instructor smiled, there was no mistaking the possessive way Owen mauled CJ in front of everyone saying he didn’t give a “bloody fuck” if the entire world found out they were gay and together.

• • •

Feeding fourteen men, half of them teenagers, was not an easy task. Their first night's meal was several store-bought rotisserie chickens the management company had purchased for them along with a variety of pre-made salads. For their second meal together, Brett planned to grill burgers and hot dogs to go along with canned tomato soup. In the parking lot behind the lodge, the group divided amongst those with an urge to get back to the house and those wanting to stop at the grocery store to pick up odds and ends they couldn’t live without. Ethan wanted unflavored gelatin and small cardboard cups. CJ had a few things he’d failed to request but needed in order to make breakfast one morning, and Brett, Owen, and Rod slipped into the liquor store next door with their own list of things to buy.

Back at the house, there was a lot of pointing, laughing, and rude remarks about shrinkage when each man stripped naked in the freezing air before stumbling into the hot tub later that evening. CJ sat between Brad and Chipper, still talking about their day, when Harley walked outside, stripped and joined them. He slipped in next to Thiago and sat facing the other three guys.

“What the fuck, homie? When the hell did you get this?” Thiago placed a hand on his friend’s back and pushed him around so the other guys could see. “Check it out. The fucker got inked and didn’t tell us about it!”

Harley chuckled but allowed himself to rotate so the tattoo across his shoulders could be seen. In bold, Old English letters, he’d had his name tattooed above the outline of the Harley-Davidson company bar and shield logo. “I did it on Saturday. It’s still tender and I’m probably not supposed to be in this water with all the chemicals. But fuck it, the hot water feels real good on my sore legs.”

“Can I touch it?” Owen had slipped into the tub on the other side of Harley, and after receiving a nod ran a hand over the still puffy design. “Mate, how bad did it hurt?”

“Bruh, it was a bitch! I know I want more but it’s going to be a while. I don’t know how Cap has made it through all the tats he has. I want to talk to him and maybe get some suggestions about what to get next.”

CJ shook his head in disbelief. “Damn, Harley, I’m jealous. And here I thought I’d be the only one out of the group getting inked. What with one of my dads having so much of it.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it, CJ. My dad has even more ink than Uncle Brett and I plan on getting some.” Brad reached over and fingered the art on his friend’s back. “What are you putting inside the HD logo?”

Harley was shivering, his body half in the tub, half outside. “Can I get back in? It’s frickin’ freezing out here. It’s colder than a Packers game at Lambeau Field in December.” He slid under the water until just his nose and the top of his head were visible. He blew bubbles in the water before raising his head and leaning back. “Not sure yet. I’m gonna wait until it’s healed and then decide.”

• • •

The following morning, the guys were a tad slower getting up but after breakfast they were all itching to get back out on the snow. Owen decided he wanted to try skiing instead of snowboarding and spent the morning with CJ, Thiago, and Travis. The instructor had other students in the afternoon so he left the travelers when they broke for lunch. As they said goodbye, CJ palmed a one hundred dollar bill and pressed it into the man’s hand. “That’s a tip from all of us, Travis. Thanks for being so great.”

“What’d you slip the stud, cuz? Your phone number?” Randy’s comment made CJ swivel around so fast he almost slipped on the icy surface.

“Don’t be a dipshit, Randy. Dad told me to tip him so I gave him some money, okay? Don’t go starting any trouble.”

“Stop picking on my boyfriend, mate.” Owen had walked behind CJ and wrapped his arms around his guy. “He doesn’t need to give out his number to anyone, he has me.”

Thiago stood with his arms crossed, watching his buddy smile as he leaned back against the Aussie. “Okay, time to break it up! None of these public displays in front of the straight boy.”

The five chuckling men walked into the restaurant, spotted Brett and Chipper sitting at a table, and joined them for lunch. Randy and Tyler asked for the keys to one of the vans and explained they wanted to run an errand in the afternoon and planned on skipping the slopes. They said something about visiting the Native Roots Dispensary located outside the city’s limits and looking for herbs to help them all relax and reduce aches and pains.

In the evening, demand for a spot in the hot tub was higher than the previous night. Complaints about sore muscles were heard from most of the guys and they ended up taking turns in the warm, bubbling water. Even so, it was crowded later on and Tyler ended up sitting between Randy’s legs while CJ did the same with Owen.

“My cousins have a surprise for you, Harley.” CJ winked at the couple from Chicago and chuckled. “They skipped skiing this afternoon and went shopping instead.”

“Yeah? Did you buy me something?” Harley’s innocent question made CJ and Owen laugh.

“Yeah, we have something for you to suck on!” Tyler’s suggestive comment elicited groans from the other guys.

Harley was silent. No response came from the verbose guy who seemed lost as he glanced back and forth between CJ and his cousin. He was definitely freaking out a little.

“Don’t be an ass, Ty. That’s my buddy you’re picking on.” CJ somehow managed to get the words out between bouts of laughter. “Give him the damn lollipop.”

Ty reached for the sweatpants he’d dropped on the deck and retrieved a plastic sandwich bag with several items in it. “Here you go, bud.” He handed Harley a cellophane wrapped sucker while trying to hide the bag’s remaining contents behind his hand. “Hope you like THC-infused lime.”

“A weed lolli? Mate, that’s awesome. No smoke to give away what’s going on.”

“You’re right, Ozzie.” Tyler dangled the bag he’d been concealing above the guys, all of them looking up trying to figure out what it contained. “We have more candy but we also have stuff to perfume the air. What do you guys wanna try first: Pineapple Kush or Durban Haze?”

• • •

“Morning, CJ.” Ritchie walked in the kitchen yawning and rubbing his eyes. He walked around the counter, went to give his brother a kiss, and came to an abrupt halt. He looked CJ up and down and shook his head. “What are you wearing?”

CJ looked at himself, plucking the fabric of the red, one-piece garment. “This? It’s called a Union Suit. Ozzie gave it to me for Christmas.” CJ twirled around; the rear panel of his apparel flapping where he’d failed to button one corner. “You like?”

“Oh my god, your butt’s showing! And you have hair all over it!”

“Yep, that’s me. Hairy butt. But that’s okay ’cause Ozzie likes it.”

“Well, I’m glad someone does. Yuck! What are you doing? Need any help?”

“Yeah! I can use a hand. You remember the Paula Deen cookbook I bought last summer in Savannah?”

“Yeah, you cooked something from it before.”

“I’m using it again. I scanned the recipe before we left home.” CJ pointed at his tablet’s screen sitting atop the counter. “I’m making breakfast for everyone. French toast casserole and praline bacon. You could peel and slice fruit if you want to pitch in.”

Over the next hour, while CJ assembled three separate pans of the breakfast concoction, others drifted in while he worked. Some grumbled about waking up too early or their sore muscles; others were ready to go and wanted to hurry the meal.

Rod stood behind the counter, sipping coffee and watching his cousin prep. “I haven’t been around all of you like this in a while. I think the last time we were all together was when we went out on the boat.”

“That was fun!”

“We always have a good time whenever we go out on the PP.”

“I’m hoping we get to do it again next year.”

Rod listened to the reactions with a smile. “One of the things we talked about then was what plans you guys had for after graduation. At least now we know CJ will be at Georgetown. Fucker was all secretive back in September.”

“Hey! Not fair! I wasn’t even sure back then.”

“Sure you were. So what made you decide?”

“Ozzie and Ritchie.” CJ looked at his brother and boyfriend in turn. “First, I discarded Yale and Miami because they were too far away. Then I thought about Penn in Philadelphia and Columbia in New York since they’re both close enough to DC. But figured I wouldn’t get to go home every weekend and I didn’t want to be away from either one.”

“Awww, ain’t that sweet?”

“Cough, dick whipped, cough.”

“CJ’s like: Screw the parents, I don’t care about them. It’s just Ozzie and Ritchie I’d miss.”

CJ looked up and smiled before raising his middle finger. “Assholes.”

Rod waited until the ribbing died down before continuing. “Are you going to live in the dorms?”

“Fuck no! Why would I want to live in the dorms? I’d have to share a room with who-knows-what type of guy. You know I’m going to be out. No way I’m hiding in the closet. And if the guy’s a homophobe, I may have to beat the crap out of him. Plus, having a roommate means I may get sexiled if he wants to get laid.”

“Yeah, right. He’d probably be the one getting kicked out of the room every night so Ozzie can visit.”

César and Brett shared frequent looks while the conversation flowed; they remained quiet and appeared to enjoy the banter until Brett asked a question. “What about you, Chipper? Still planning on Juilliard?”

“Maybe… Application’s been sent in including my audition tape. Now I need to wait and see if they schedule me for a live one. But the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami may be where I end up.”

CJ was surprised. “Really? You hadn’t mentioned that before.”

“I did a lot of research and Miami may be a better match for me. Juilliard’s jazz program is instrumental only―no voice. And it’s pretty old-school. Think Wynton Marsalis if you know who that is. He actually directs the Juilliard jazz program. Plus, they would want me to concentrate on just one instrument for the entire time. The fact that I play several would probably be considered a negative. I spoke with somebody who suggested that might be seen as a sign I’m not serious enough about one instrument to focus and achieve the highest levels of artistry.”

“Are you playing for us this week?” Ritchie asked. “You brought your guitar but it’s still in the case.”

“Yeah, I’ll whip it out tonight.”

Rod finished chewing the mouthful of French toast he’d shoved in his mouth before picking up the conversation again. “Cool, I enjoy listening to you. Maybe Thiago can sing while you play. What about you, Brad? You made up your mind about what you going to do yet?”

“Yeah, kinda…” The redhead glanced around the table smirking; so far his brother, dads, and CJ were the only ones aware of his plans. “I’m going to bum around the whole summer. I want to go to Boston for a week or so. But then I plan on being in Washington the rest of the time.”

“Yeah, but that’s only a couple of months. What about after?”

“I’m enlisting. I wanna join the Army.”

“What?”

“Really?”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t see myself going to school right away. Because I want to do the same thing my dad did. And because it seems like the right thing to do anyway. Maybe I’ll be the one to put a bullet in a Muslim who wants to blow up a plane or something.”

Rod nodded at Bradley while chewing away at his food. “You may end up stationed in the US, Brad. Just because you enlist doesn’t mean you’ll go to the Middle East. And the US has men and women stationed all over the world. You could wind up in Korea, Germany, or who knows where. What about you, Harley? What’s your plan?”

“I’m moving to Florida.” Harley’s smile was big enough its brightness could have lit up a dark room. “If Chipper ends up in Miami we’ll be able to see each other all the time.”

“What?”

“When?”

“Where?”

“Why?”

Still smiling, Harley looked at CJ, who once again was the only one who knew his plans. “Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Orlando. I want to be a bike tech and work for a Harley dealership. As for when, I’m going to Wisconsin over spring break and bringing my bike back to Washington. I’ll spend the summer there and ride to school in the fall. It’ll be like two years and then I want to go back to DC.”

“Did you hear that, Ozzie?” CJ asked. “Once Harley’s down there we’re gonna have to do stopovers in Orlando whenever we go to Miami. And if Chipper does go to UM we’ll see him even more!”

“Hell, when Harley moves back we’ll have our own mechanic to work on the bikes. You’ll take care of them for us, right, mate?”

“You bet! And you and CJ have to come visit in March when I’m there. We’ll be able to hit Daytona Bike Week!”

Once breakfast was finished and the kitchen cleaned, the guys got ready for the day. The dads had made reservations for the entire group to go snowmobiling. With snow falling, the men ventured out from the rental place with two guides bracketing them. They rode to the top of a nearby mountain where they posed for pictures in front of a sign for the Continental Divide indicating the altitude.

“What’s the big deal with this divide thing, Mr. A?” Ritchie’s question made César grin but before he could answer Brett jumped in.

“It means rivers flowing in one direction empty into the Atlantic and the ones going the opposite way end up in the Pacific. So if you pee up in the air right here, half will end up in one ocean and the other half in the other one.”

“Jarhead! You’re such an asshole.” César shook his head while the others roared. In a quieter voice he added, “But he’s right, buddy.”

• • •

Thursday was the last day of the year and the guys woke up excited about the upcoming celebration. They hit the slopes early but by lunchtime most of them were ready to quit for the day. Some wanted a nap, others time in the hot tub. César and Ethan wanted time in the kitchen to prepare.

“Okay, we’re out. The pot heads can take over the hot tub.” Patrick’s comment made Ritchie giggle as both ran inside and huddled in front of the fireplace. The two youngest members of the group had called dibs on the hot bubbling waters as soon as they’d returned.

“Harley! Let’s go, bud, we’re up. Ty already rolled a couple for us.” Randy strolled towards the sliding glass doors as his boyfriend, Chipper, and Harley followed him.

When Ritchie returned from getting dressed, the four guys outside were enveloped in a cloud of smoke. He sat next to his brother at the kitchen table and they both stared at their friends.

“I wonder how much of that is frozen breath and how much is smoke from the joints going around.” CJ elbowed his brother while smirking. “Thanks for being so cool about this, bro.”

“No problem. Patrick and I don’t like the smell and you did ask me not to try the stuff.”

César looked up from the onions he was slicing for the pot of chili on the stove. “Just for now, Ritchie. CJ asked you on behalf of me and Brett. We’d prefer if you didn’t start just quite yet. Once you’re a little older, you can make a decision on your own.”

“It’s okay, Mr. A. I know you and the captain are looking out for me. I know a couple of kids at school who smoke pot and they’re kinda funny. I think they smoke too much. Sometimes you can tell they’re a little high.”

“The dads always say moderation’s the key, bro. Like, I’m not allowed to smoke during the week when I have school the next day. And that’s cool. I like the feeling when I do, but I think it’d be boring if I did it every day.”

“What are you making, Ethan?” Ritchie wiggled in his seat and adjusted his groin watching the man stir powder from a stack of envelopes into the pot he had on the burner.

“Champagne Jell-O shots for tonight.”

“What’s in them? Can I try one when they’re ready?” Ritchie once again adjusted himself as he asked the question.

Ethan glanced at César and received a nod from the man. “As long as your dads say it’s okay. But they won’t be ready for a couple of hours. They need to chill and get hard first.” The emphasis on hard earned him a whack on the butt by César. “Anyway, it’s unflavored gelatin, ginger ale, champagne, and vodka. Once they’re set I’ll take them out of the cups, put them on a plate, and sprinkle them with sugar.”

“Hey, Ritchie, why do you keep groping yourself?” Owen sat on CJ’s other side, sipping champagne; he and CJ had poured themselves a glass when Ethan started opening bottles. “You know something? Just ’cause you keep pulling on it doesn’t mean it’s gonna get bigger, mate.”

“Fuck you, Ozzie,” the boy replied, glancing at César who ignored the cussing and chuckled. “These long johns are uncomfortable when you sit down. And I don’t need it to grow, it’s big enough already. You’re gonna pay for that crack.”

CJ almost fell from the stool he was laughing so hard. “You tell him, bro!”

Five minutes before 10:00 p.m., Ethan walked into the den where the group had gathered to watch TV after devouring their meal. He carried a tray with fourteen of the Jell-O shots he had prepared earlier. “Okay guys, round one. It’s almost midnight on the east coast. You get one each when the ball drops in Times Square.”

“What if I want more than one?” Brad’s question earned him a head slap from Patrick.

“Stop being a lush, Bradley. I thought you were done with the getting drunk shit.”

“Hey! Just because I don’t drink all the time doesn’t mean I can’t get a little tipsy on special occasions.”

“Relax, Red, I made plenty.” Ethan placed the tray on the large coffee table and sat on the floor next to it. “Figured we’d do a round now, another one when it’s midnight in the Central Time Zone, and then I’ll bring the rest out when it gets close to twelve here.”

At the stroke of midnight in New York, a shout of Happy New Year echoed throughout the house. CJ bit into the concoction he was holding and then held it in his mouth until Owen lowered his head and their lips met. They passed it back and forth while getting heckled by their friends.

The process was repeated an hour later as the broadcast from New Orleans showed partiers on Bourbon Street and then again as the TV network broadcast images from Denver. CJ didn’t think the amount of vodka and champagne in the dessert-like things were enough to get any of them drunk but he noticed Ritchie wouldn’t stop grinning. After kissing Owen, he leaned in to whisper in his brother’s ear. “Happy New Year, bro. I’m glad we get to celebrate together.”

While everyone else hugged and cheered, Ritchie turned towards his brother. “Me too, CJ. At least this year we didn’t get bad phone calls and you get to be with Ozzie.” There was an evil look on the boy’s face when he hugged the Aussie. “I think you might get lucky tonight, Ozzie. Careful you don’t get pregnant.”

Thiago was hugging CJ at that point and started choking on his shot. “Damn, Ritchie. You shouldn’t say things like that when I’m trying to eat my drink. And you may have missed class the day they explained where babies come from. No chance these two can produce one.”

“Sure they can! They can have a butt sex baby. Problem’s they always grow up to become lawyers.” Ritchie might have been a little extra happy and sharp-witted because of the shots.

The laughter and cheering increased while Owen shook his head. “Go fuck a roo, Ritchie.”

“Nah, that’s okay, big brother. I’m too old to wear Underoos.”

“Okay, stop picking on my boyfriend, bro.” CJ leaned in to give a Ozzie a kiss. “I love you, mate. Don’t let them bother you.” He stopped before their lips made contact. The sudden silence was deafening. He looked around the room; his dads were smiling and his brother covered his mouth with a napkin, partially muffling his giggles. “What? I can’t help it if a little Oztrayan’s gotten in me. You spend all your time around Ozzie like I do and you’ll be saying mate too.”

“A little Oztrayan, mate? You’ve never complained before.” Owen’s grin and comment elicited peals of laughter from the other guys.

“TMI, TMI!”

“I don’t think mate’s what surprised everybody, CJ. You just used the L word.” Ritchie was still giggling.

CJ stared at him in disbelief. “Yeah? I guess I did. You know something? It’s the truth. I think I fell in love with him the moment I met him. Even if it took me forever to admit it and get my shit together. Y’all can go to hell if you can’t deal with it, okay? And if you think it’s all going to be glitter, rainbows, and unicorn farts from here on out, you’re sadly mistaken. This ain’t a Harlequin romance, you know?” CJ stared into Owen’s eyes and spoke to him while the rest of the group stared, some with their mouths hanging open. “I don’t want this to end, Ozzie. You give off this energy, this electricity that turns my switches on. Baby, you’re everything I need!”