Can't Stop These Feelings - 3. Moving On

Can't Stop These Feeling's

Moving On:

Three weeks after getting home from the hospital life settled in for Brad, with the help of Nate, who became a big motivator in his life. After Jesse arranged a blind date for him, with a person he has yet to meet, Nate has been like a puppy playing with a new toy, so high on adrenaline that Brad wanted to swat him in the nose with a newspaper over a simple date. "Nate could you please just calm down, you act like my date is a huge event that nobody can miss." Brad pleaded with an innocent look toward his brother.

"Well it is an event; my big bro might get L-A-I-D." Nate chuckled and laughed as he ran for the door, leaving Brad shaking his head.

Marlene yelled up the stairs, "Boys you better not be roughhousing around, Bradley you know you still haven't been released by the doctor." Momma bear was in protective mode still, and Brad was starting to become a bit agitated, he loved his mother, but he could only handle so much pampering and doting.

Brad shifted around apprehensively on the bed as he heard his Mom coming towards the door, "Mom I am not a baby, I don't need a babysitter." Entering his bedroom, she sat on the edge of the bed staring intently at Brad.

Marlene sighed, "I'm worried you might get hurt on this date, who is this boy? Where are you going? When will you be home?" Brad held up his hand to stop the line of questioning.

Brad was trying not to get upset with his Mom, but it was becoming more and more difficult. "Mom I'm a grown man, Jesse said his name is Michael, we are meeting at Stein's Bar & Grill for dinner and a drink. As far as when I will be home I have no clue, do I need to call and check in?" He said in a huff and instantly regretted it, as Marlene winced at the comments. "Mom I'm sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you, it's just you have been so overprotective, I feel smothered. I know you are worried about me getting hurt, and I do honestly understand that, but can you give me a chance to make mistakes Mom, Please?"

Marlene chuckled as she looked at Brad, "I guess I have been a little overprotective, haven't I?" She reached over and patted his hand affectionately.

"Mom, I really do understand, but I am worried if I go to the bathroom and take too long you might come to check on me. Damn that alone embarrasses the shit out of me to think what I might be doing...." Brad turned about fifty shades of red as he realized what he just said. "Can we just forget I said that?" He practically begged, covering his face.

Nate jumped around the corner giggling, "Brad, what took you so long in the bathroom earlier, and why were you so sweaty?" He asked innocently enough that Brad smiled and decided to wait on revenge until their mom left the room. Marlene stood up and kissed Nate on the temple and turned towards the door leaving the boys on their own.

Brad lunged grabbing a laughing Nate by the back of his pants, Brad started laughing. "Nate, I love you but you must pay...." Grabbing the waistband of Nate's boxers, Brad yanked upwards picking him up with his good arm and a loud ripping sound tore through the house.

"Brad.... umpf.... Please, please stop for the love of god, I won't be able to have kids." Nate begged to the point he had tears streaming down his face. Brad released Nate and he bounced off the bed making a thud noise. "Mommy, Brad is picking on me!" He laughed as soon as he yelled it, smirking at Brad, only then did Brad finally laugh.

Brad smiled at Nate, "Can you let me get ready for my date now?" As he was tossing clothes from his closet onto the bed, Nate picked up the shirt scrunched his face up and threw it down and left the room. Brad continued to rummage through his closet until he settled on a pair of Khaki shorts and a blue Polo shirt.

After checking his hair, a final time in the bathroom mirror, Brad started down the stairs meeting his Mom and Nate. Nate smiled mischievously trying to adjust his torn underwear, and Marlene had a tear in her eye as she kissed him on his cheek. "I don't know when I will be home but I will be careful, I love you both. Nate don't give Mom a hard time." Brad roughed Nates hair and laughed as he walked out the door and jumped into his Jeep.

Brad found himself getting nervous as he drove to Stein's, wondering if he would make an ass out of himself, and lacking experience what could or couldn't happen? Pulling into the parking lot he found a space and put the Jeep in park, and sighed thinking "Here goes nothing...."

Walking into the bar Brad glanced around, seeing a younger man sitting where they were both told to meet, he casually walked over to the table. "Hi, are you Michael?" Brad asked as he glanced at Michaels' face and received a nod. "I'm Brad, Jesse set us up," He said smiling.

Michael smiled at Brad and worried if his mother would approve of Brad. "What did you do to your arm?" He looked curiously at the cast on Brad's arm.

"A confrontation with my sperm donor of a father," Brad said while trying to control his anger.

"Oh, my Mom wouldn't like hearing that type of language. She always says if you don't have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all." Michael said nonchalantly while rubbing his hands together.

"Well saying that was kinder than some of the other things that have been said over the last month." Brad calmly stated with a slight smile.

"Well, my Mom would have washed my mouth out if I said such things." Michael deadpanned.

Brad looked at Michael thinking to himself, "Your mother washes out your mouth and you're a grown adult?" He smirked towards Michael, "How old are you, Mike?"

"First, I only go by Michael, my Mom said it's the name I was given at birth and that’s the name I am to go by." Brad grimaced at hearing so much about Michael's Mom, he wasn't here to date her. "But I turned twenty on April 1st." He said looking directly into Brad's eyes with a very sincere look.

Brad figured he should try and change the subject of the conversation, "Do you go to college Michael?"

"No, my Mom didn't want me going to college, she wants me to work with her and eventually take over her antique store," Michael said proudly. "My Mom took over the store which was originally my grandparents after they died."

Brad thought to himself, "He has to be fucking kidding with me. Who seriously talks about their Mom so much on a date?" He chuckled without even realizing he done it.

"What's so funny? My Mom says if I find something to laugh about, I'm to share the humor with others." Michael looked at Brad inquisitively.

"Oh.... I uh.... thought of something my brother did before I left to come here." Brad hurried to try to make a legitimate excuse up.

Michael smiled, "Oh, that's nice, I am an only child, my Mom said I was all she would ever need." He said dryly to Brad with a blank expression on his face.

Brad shrugged his shoulders as he thought of ways to get even with Jesse, "If we were in high school I would coat his jock in Icy Hot, but that won't work no more. I could egg his house and let him explain to his parents why it got egged by me. I could just beat his ass with my cast, he does deserve it after this date is over, or I could walk in when Cade and he are together and plant a huge wet kiss on him. Yeah, he deserves a lot worse but I can't-do that even.... I will get revenge." He finished his thoughts and smiled at Michael as a barmaid approached the table.

She leaned over so her bosom was in Brad's face, "What can I get you sweet cheeks?"

Brad tried turning his face to get this chick's boobs out of his face, "Um, two draft beers doesn’t matter the kind, just so it includes lots of alcohol."

"Okay, I'll be right back with the order guys." The perky big bosomed barmaid said.

As the barmaid turned from the table Brad motioned for her to stop, "I'm sorry, but those drinks are just for me." He ran his hands through his hair trying to maintain his composure.

She turned to Michael, "Sorry honey, what can I get you?"

Michael smiled, "My Mom doesn't allow alcohol in her house, so I will just have a soda water with a twist of lemon." Brad turned his head and rolled his eyes, hoping that two beers could help him forget this night ever happened.

Brad pulled out his phone to text Jesse.

Out: Jesse I'm gonna kill you I promise you paybacks are a BITCH!

In: Why? Michael's a nice guy.

Out: I've sat here thinking of ways to get even don't try to sugar coat this night. Just remember you caused this.

In: What you gonna do sick Nate on me?

Out: Bite me asshole, if you wanna return to days of high school we can.

In: LMAO

Out: A Momma's boy of all types you're an ass.

In: Have fun! Bye

Out: You better sleep with your eyes open Jesse!

Just then their drinks arrived and the barmaid looked at Brad, "Will the drinks all be on one check?"

"No, I'm sure Michael's Mom would want him to pay his own way," Brad said disgustingly.

Michael shot him a dirty look, "Here is a five, keep the change. I've never...." Brad held up his hand to stop Michael.

"I'm sure you've never gotten laid, and you never will when all you can talk about is your Mom. Why didn't you just bring her with you? Seems like you like her much more than men. Are you sure you're gay?" Brad was fed up with this date, which couldn't have just been a coincidence on Jesse's part.

Michael stood up in a rush knocking over his drink and a glass of Brad's beer and stormed off in a huff. Brad thought to himself, "Well if dating is like this maybe I should become a priest." He shook his head and stood up blotting at his pants which played its role as a bathing suit for the beer.

Brad finally gave up and drove home.

****** 

Brad entered his house heading directly for his room, mumbling to himself.

Nate heard his brother's door close, so he headed to talk to him, stopping momentarily to knock on his door.

"Come in Nate," Brad said as he was pulling off his wet jeans.

"I thought you outgrew peeing your pants a long time ago bro," Nate tried saying straight-faced but failed miserably. As he saw Brad's face turn red he smiled at him, "Maybe I should get Mom to help you get cleaned up." Nate was now laughing hysterically.

Brad looked at Nate and sighed, "You have no idea how horrible my date was, all he talked about was my Mom this, my Mom that, if I wanted to date his mother I sure as hell wouldn't be gay." He threw his wet jeans into the hamper in the opposite corner of the room. "The bad part is the momma's boy spilled my glass of beer on me as he stormed off." Nate was now having a hard time breathing from laughing so hard at Brad's misfortunes.

Gasping to catch his breath between laughter, "I assume you're not seeing him anymore. Did you at least get laid before he left?"

Brad glared at Nate, "Oh yeah, I ripped off his jeans, bent his ass right over the table, and fucked what little brains he had out of him." He said sarcastically while peering at Nate.

"Oooh.... Gross.... Yuk.... I'm gonna barf, I didn't need BLOW BY BLOW details. I'm telling Mom!" Nate joked, and Brad just shook his head and sat on the edge of his bed after he pulled on gym shorts.

Brad looked at Nate seriously, "In all honesty Nate, if I had to hear one more thing about his Mom I was gonna explode. Don't get me wrong I love Mom, but listening to another guy about his Mom the whole time you're on a date is god awful. Plus, to make matters worse I think Jesse set me up with him on purpose, here read the texts we had while I was out on this shitty date." Brad relaxed as he tossed his phone to Nate.

Nate read through the texts, "Um, yeah I'd say he screwed with you pretty bad. I think I can take Jesse, you want me to handle him?" Brad looked at Nate and cracked up laughing.

"Bro, I so needed to talk to you after a night like this, it felt like the world was closing in on me. Thanks for making me laugh." Brad put his hand out to dap fists with Nate.

"No, I'm serious, Brad, I think I can take Jesse. Let me get even for you." Nate said with a smile on his face.

"Buddy if I didn’t tell you yet today I love you, but Jesse will get his payback in due time." Brad threw his arm across his brother's shoulders. "So, tell me, what did you do tonight while I was gone?"

"Ah, not much really browsed around on the internet that's about it," Nate said cryptically.

"Oh, so you were watching porn huh? Maybe I should tell Mom, and we can get some parental blockers put on your computer." Brad chuckled as Nate cringed.

"You wouldn't, would you? That's just mean, and you love me...." Nate whined.

Brad looked at Nate roaring with laughter, "No, I wouldn't unless you keep picking on me with the mom joke because I can't take no more of that."

"Thanks, Brad," Nate smiled. "I guess I won't tell Mom about you wetting your pants again after all these years." He giggled as he ran from Brad's bedroom.

Brad shut out the light and laid down on his bed to think about how much his life has changed over the last month. As he pondered over the events, he knew Nate was the best little brother a guy could want, and his Mom, she is the best one a person could hope for. Jesse.... oh, now that's a subject that lingered in Brad's mind for quite a while, he wished he could tell Jesse how he really feels about him but he's dating Cade and he will respect that.

Brad rolled onto his uninjured side because his ribs were still a bit tender, and drifted off to sleep hoping he can find his prince charming even if it's only in his dreams.