The Boys of Summer - 5. July 4th Weekend

It was July 3rd and it was a typical hot and humid day in Nags Head. ET arrived at the house exhausted and tired after a long work week. He had struggled to finish a big job and had met the deadline. He was ecstatic but exhausted. I was glad that ET was here for the weekend since Jube and Garry were coming for the holiday. They were actually due at any moment.

I told ET to hop in the shower and I would fix cocktails. Hors d'oeuvres were already made and waiting in the fridge.

"It would be much more fun if you would join me." He gave me the look.

I wavered for a brief moment. "Sure, let's both get naked and have some fun." He laughed and said, "Race you to the shower."

We were like slick dolphins enjoying the cool water. It felt so good after being outside most of the day. ET immediately horned up but I told him to hold it until later in the evening. He looked disappointed so I leaned over, kissed him and told him to keep himself safe for later ravaging. He leered at me and told me he would be distracted all evening thinking of what we would do. We got out of the shower and toweled each other dry. ET wondered about the dress code and I told him shorts and polo shirts would do.

"Are you going commando tonight, I thought I might try it if you are," he asked.

"Nope I bought some new sexy underroos earlier this week."

"Pray tell, what are underroos?"

I laughed and told him just another name for underwear.

Just at that moment the doorbell rang. ET had not met Jube and Garry but had heard stories of them. He smiled and said, "Steady on big guy let the weekend begin." I was pleased and surprised at how he had changed from this fairly shy type who was unsure of himself to being open about meeting one of my best friends. We quickly donned our clothes and raced to the front door.

I opened the door and there stood Jube and Garry. "Let me introduce Timothy……"

"This lady has got to use the toilet, please excuse me," Garry said as he pushed past us to head to the toilet. Garry had the smallest bladder in the western world but would not travel without a liter bottle of Mountain Dew. I just laughed and said, "Well, I am glad that nothing has changed and that you are here for the weekend." Jube gave me a hug and leaned into ET for a hug while giving me a big grin. “A holiday at the beach, what could be better. Do you have a Pabst Blue Ribbon ‘cause I feel red neck holiday coming on?”

We all laughed and headed inside.

Knowing that all of the restaurants would be packed with tourists I had bought enough food stuffs that would help us survive flood, famine, and a weekend of house guests. While Jube and Garry moved their luggage into the guest room, I went to the deck to start the grill. I was an old-fashioned kind of guy who still used charcoal. All of my friends continued to kid me that I probably still had a rotary telephone. I just considered some things sacred and having a charcoal grill was one of them.

ET started bringing out hors d'oeuvres. He said, "They looked me up and down but really didn't say much." I told him they were getting their game strategy finalized and we would know their play book in a few minutes. "Besides, you look really handsome tonight. Your sun tan really looks good and I love your tan line." I slapped his butt and told him to grab a few beers for us. Jube and Garry walked onto the deck and I asked if they wanted a beer. Jube said, "Hell, yeah" but Garry asked for a Cosmopolitan. I told him that Timothy would show him where all the supplies were located for his cocktail as I was sure he could make it better than anyone else.

Once everyone had reassembled we started the social dance of Jube and Garry getting to know ET.

"OK, Pate calls you ET but introduces you as Timothy. What gives? Who are you by the way?" I was amused that Garry was so unsubtle.

ET blushed and moved in closer to me on the bench. "Well, Pate calls me ET because of my finger." He held up his hand to show them. "My name is Timothy, which I have always hated, but growing up in Bear Swamp there wasn't much chance to change it."

"You're from Bear Swamp? Who are your people?"

"Well, my daddy is the preacher at the Baptist Church in Bear Swamp."

"Oh my God, my aunt goes to church there and loves your daddy. But do you know who she loves even more: your grandmother? She swears your granny is an angel. Who knew a cute gay boy would come out of Bear Swamp?"

I looked at ET and smiled. Our first major battle of the weekend was over and everything was ok.

ET asked, "Well who is your aunt?" Garry told him.

"Your aunt is Myrene? She is a riot. One Sunday she came to church with pink hair because she forgot to do something when she was coloring it. She decided it would be a Pink Sunday and she had on a pink dress, pink shoes, a pink purse, and her pink hat. It was a little too much but she laughed and told everyone what she had done and decided to make the most of it."

"That's my aunt. I got all of my taste from her."

"Yeah, well as long as you don't put on a pink dress this weekend you are welcome in my house," I said. "If you feel the need to dress up I will just have to take your ass to Norfolk and put you in the bugger drag show."

ET looked confused. "Bugger drag, what’s that?"

"Thursday nights is when the newbie drag queens put on shows so they can get some experience. Everybody calls it bugger drag but I don't know why."

Garry stood up and did a promenade up and down the deck. "These are my new Italian loafers I bought just to wear to the beach. Aren't they fabulous?"

I looked down at my size 13 bare feet and said, "These are my big ole Southern feet and I think they are pretty fabulous too. If I didn't hate wearing shoes so much I would have bought the same pair as yours only in a man’s size." Garry couldn't figure out whether he had just been dissed or whether it was a compliment. I let that dog lie. Garry twirled around the deck and came back to our gathering, sat down, and announced that he needed another cocktail.

"Well, let me cook some burgers. A new charcuterie has opened on the beach and he has the best meat. It is much better than anything you can get at Food Lion." I had made potato salad, had a big garden salad, sliced tomatoes and grilled corn on the cob. It was messy but delicious. We talked, laughed and relaxed. Garry was fixated on the butcher and his meat. He made comment after comment about going to check the best meat on the beach.

ET went in the house and then came running back to the deck. "Guys, there is a huge storm cloud moving in from the west. We need to get this cleaned up and fast." Garry started to object just as a lightening flash crackled through the sky. "All hands on deck, all hands on deck," I called using my hands as a megaphone. We scrambled and got the last of things inside the house just as the skies opened with torrential rain. "Well, I guess I don't have to worry about the grill setting the deck on fire tonight." We were exhilarated by the lightening show as the storm moved from the sound side across the beach to the ocean.

Garry was sitting on the sofa pouting. "What's up Garry," I asked.

"It's raining and I need to get a sun tan tomorrow so that my holiday outfit will look its best."

"I promise the sun will come out tomorrow and no I am neither Little Orphan Annie nor Daddy Warbucks."

"You can be my Daddy Warbucks," said ET as he ran his hand across my butt and then around my waist. He leaned in for a kiss.

I smiled and said, "I shave my head for no one but I will gladly be your daddy tonight little boy." I laughed and leered at the same time.

"Come on old man, it has been a long day and we need to get some sleep."

"Yeah right, I want you both to go right to sleep. No playing around tonight," said Jube laughing.

We said our good nights and wished them a restful sleep. I then turned off the air conditioner and told them to open the windows. The sound of the rain and the cooler air would feel good.

ET told Jube and Garry that it was nice meeting them, took my hand and said it was time for ravaging. I laughed and allowed myself to be pulled into the bedroom.

After ET closed the bedroom door, he turned and said, "I love you. I know it and just have to say it."

"I love you too."

“You don’t understand. I LOVE you.”

“I know and I love you too.” ET looked crushed that I didn’t understand the hidden meaning of his message.

"Connect the dots for me, please," I said as I sat on the edge of the bed. He sat beside me and took my hand.

"OK, you big doofus. I love you therefore I want you to ravage me. If I didn't love you I wouldn't be doing this. I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't want to be in your arms, kissing you, and making love to you. I would be sitting at home reading some Jane Austen novel and dreaming of my Mr. Darcy…..but I thought I had found him in you.”

"Who is Mr. Darcy and what does he have to do with us?"

ET looked scandalized. "You don't know Mr. Darcy?"

"As you said, I am just this big doofus guy. You need to help me with this story and how it relates to us."

"You wait here; I will be back in 20 minutes. I have the video tapes at home. You have to watch these."

"It's raining and you will get soaked."

"I know. That is so Jane Austen also but from 'Sense and Sensibility'. Maybe you are my Colonel Brandon. "

"Who is Colonel Brandon and how did the military get involved in me ravaging you," I asked as I heard the front door close.

It did take 20 minutes for ET to return. He came into the bedroom and said, "Give me a couple of minutes while I dry off. Turn on the TV and put the first tape in. It is going to be a Jane Austen night."

I was hooked on the video from the opening scene. I was in bed when ET crawled up by my side and my put his head on my shoulder. By the second tape he was asleep but I kept watching. Each hour I would slide ET off my shoulder, change the tape and crawl back into bed. He would awaken and say, "I am really enjoying watching this with you" and then he would be lightly snoring within a couple of minutes. I was mesmerized as I watched Elizabeth and Darcy in this excellent filming of the story. It was deep into the night when I finished the last tape. I got up, took a whizz, and headed back to bed after walking through the house and turned off lights.

"So, are you Darcy or not?" ET sleepily asked me.

"Ahhh, I think the better question is whether you are Elizabeth, or Jane, or one of those other crazy sisters, Lydia, Kitty or Mary. But enough of that tonight, let's sleep and figure out which characters Jube and Garry are tomorrow."

The rain had stopped but water was still dripping from the eves. ET spooned into me. As I was dropping off to sleep I heard him say, "Mr. Darcy, Mr. Darcy."

There was a light knock at the bedroom door. "Pate, are you up? I wanted some coffee." Typical Jube, I thought, he comes and expects to be waited on all weekend.

I rolled off the bed, gave ET a kiss and said, "Coffee and then ravaging, ok?"

"OK, but this foreplay has been going on for over 12 hours and I am getting really, really horny."

I walked into the kitchen, grabbed the coffee canister, measured for 12 cups, poured the water in the coffee maker and said, "I will return….sometime…..where is Garry?"

"Garry is getting his beauty sleep since we were up late."

"Yeah, I am glad somebody is beautiful around here. I was up all night watching a great version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, I have a boyfriend who is calling me Mr. Darcy and he has sexual needs that must be taken care of pronto. Food is in the fridge. By the way, I don't feel beautiful this morning. Maybe I need more sleep."

"You don’t look beautiful either except for your great underwear."

I looked down and saw my morning wood poking above the waistband of my briefs. I smiled and said, "I guess I should have bought larger ones."

Jube laughed and said, "Go ravage that alien child and let's get on with the day."

I did. ET was on his stomach with his arms above his head on the pillow. I stripped off my underwear and crawled on top of him.

“Mmmm, good morning sexy. Who is this in my bed this morning?” ET moved his ass against my cock.

“Who is in the bed with me and what is that big pole sticking in my back?”

I started kissing his shoulder and then his spine. I continued down to the top of his briefs. He raised up his pelvis thinking I was going to take them off. I resisted and started kissing just above the waistband. I kissed and licked to his right side.

“Don’t, that is ticklish.”

I ignored his entreaty and continued to kiss his side. He squirmed and tried to turn his body to protect his side. I wouldn’t let him but moved down and started kissing his flank then across the back of his thigh so that my head was forcing his legs apart and I was licking his ass through his underwear.

“Pate, oh yes, make love to me, take me, ravage me. Please.”

I pulled his briefs off his ass and somehow fumbled to get them down his legs. It was difficult since my body was between his legs but I wasn’t going to move. As the briefs slipped off the toes of his right foot I made my move.

“Hold onto the bed post,” I said. He pushed up on his elbows and grabbed hold of the bed post.

“Easy on big guy.”

He moaned and said he wasn’t a big guy.

“I know, I was talking to my cock.” I laughed

“Ready?” I asked.

“Oh yes, let’s go for it.” We did with a great deal of fervor. Suddenly he started loudly moaning and his body was shaking. He jerked around and started mumbling. After an intense few seconds his body dropped onto the mattress.

“Are you okay, baby?”

“Huh? Oh my God, Pate that was incredible. I don’t know what happened but I started getting really feverish and this wave of heat started at my toes and flushed through me. It felt like my entire body was on fire.”

He was coated in a fine layer of perspiration. “It felt like the most intense orgasm I have ever had.” I held him in my arms and felt a few more tremors before he relaxed.

He was smiling from ear to ear. “Thank you for ravaging me. You are the most incredible lover.”

I reached down to his hard cock, and said, “Let’s pretend this is a pull toy and I am going to get us in the shower.” We stumbled into the shower and gently washed each other.

“I want you to wear that white Speedo, so you need to be really clean. I kissed him and told him he could wear one of my guinea tees also, but I wanted to see him relaxed and sexy.

“After making love with you I am totally relaxed. By the way, you are still naked, what are you going to wear or are you going full commando all day?”

“I am wearing a pair of life guard trunks I scarfed the other week.” I pulled out the orange trunks and a jock strap and started getting dressed.

“What do you mean you scarfed them? Did you steal them?”

“Nope, but I had to use some coercion on the head of the life guard service about what I had seen him doing with a young life guard. I told him that his wife and children probably wouldn’t understand so he asked what I wanted and I told him a pair of trunks. I think it was a fair trade. I actually didn’t see him with a lifeguard but had seen the lust in his eyes every time they were together.”

“Sometimes I don’t understand you.”

“Sometimes I don’t understand myself. That makes life fun and unpredictable.”

When we came out of the bedroom there was no one in the living room or kitchen. We walked on the deck and saw Garry dressed in a caftan sitting on a bench talking to himself.

“Happy July 4th, I promised you sun shine and here it is.”

“What would your grandmother say if she knew what you were doing in her rice bed?”

“Well Garry, my grandmother is dead but she had 10 children so I think she probably enjoyed that bed also.”

“Well, all I know is that I closed all of the windows because there was some banshee in that bedroom just screaming and howling. I didn’t want the neighbors to know what was happening in this house.”

I looked at him and thought that he was a miserable queen who couldn’t stand other people having a good time.

I turned to ET. “Elizabeth, are you ready for breakfast?”

“Yes, Darcy I am.”

ET and I walked into the kitchen.

“Pate, I don’t understand why Jube…..” I cut him off. “This is not our business and they are our guests. No talking about any of this today or tomorrow.”

Just at that moment Jube came around the corner.

“Did I hear my name mentioned?”

“Yes, you did, “I said. “I was asking if you wanted your eggs scrambled, fried or poached?”

I fixed a huge southern breakfast with scrambled eggs, sliced tomatoes, bacon, sausage gravy, cat head biscuits, Rocky Hock cantaloupe and rice. ET and I took the platters of food to the deck along with a large pitcher of Bloody Mary’s.

“Why rice, why not grits?” asked ET.

“My grandmother grew up on a rice plantation in South Carolina hence the rice bed. She said they always had rice for breakfast. The hired help would eat grits. She told me that I was to eat rice for breakfast and not grits since I was not a laborer.”

We finished the breakfast with much jollity. Garry had moved beyond his snit and was actually very funny and arch with his sly comments. Jube said he heard someone leave the house last night and asked if everything was okay.

“I went to my apartment to get ‘Pride and Prejudice’ for Pate to watch. He didn’t know who Mr. Darcy was. Can you imagine? We watched it together most of the night.”

Jube gave me a strange look. I stared at him to keep quiet but he blurted out, “But Pate was an English major in undergraduate school and wrote his senior thesis on the archetypal male characters in Jane Austen novels. Of course, he knows who Darcy is.”

At that moment, if looks could have killed Jube would have been heading for the underworld.

“I don’t understand,” ET said. “I thought you said you didn’t know who Mr. Darcy was.”

“No, I asked what Mr. Darcy had to do with us?”

“You are parsing language. You led me to believe you didn’t know Jane Austen.”

“I loved the videos. I loved the interpretation,” I smiled, “Very true to life darling, very true to life.”

“You are not moving from Jane Austen to “The Way We Were” in so facile a way big guy. You owe me an apology.”

“I apologize.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“That is why I love you so much.” At that point, ET stood, pulled the tee shirt over his head, tossed it to me and turned to walk into the house wearing the sheer white Speedos.

Jube looked at me and said, “I would apologize too if I had that to sleep with.”

Garry pouted and then said he and Jube would clean the kitchen. We walked into the house and ET was drinking a glass of grapefruit juice. “You don’t have to drink that every day, you know.”

“I want my cum to be the sweetest on the beach so you don’t go roving so I will sacrifice myself on the altar of fruit juice.” We all laughed.

I told ET there was work for us in the bedroom. He gave a sly smile and stretched his arms above his head and twisted his torso. Both Garry and Jube stared at the bathing suit.

“We need to strip the bed and clean the bathroom.”

Jube burst out laughing, “You really know how to give a fellow a good time. You fuck him and then turn him into a laundry maid.”

We stripped the bed and I went to the linen closet to get fresh sheets and pillow slips. I told ET we needed to gather up the towels and wash clothes and put fresh ones out. We took everything to the laundry which was off the hallway. I decided to do the wash so that Charlene wouldn’t be so overwhelmed the following week.

After putting the bedroom right, I grabbed a cooler, filled it with ice and drinks, and packed a hamper of crackers, cheese and peanut butter. “We are spending the morning on the beach.” ET was a hit in his speedos though he was totally embarrassed when he came out of the ocean and realized that they became transparent when wet. His cock and balls were on plain view. He ran to the towel and lay on his stomach. We all laughed and said that he should flaunt his assets and that included his beautiful body.

Though the temperature was moderate by the ocean, the sun was intense and we were exhausted when we returned at lunch time. ET, Garry and Jube all took to their beds for an afternoon nap. I spent the afternoon listening to music, stirring up some groceries and reading. The house was quiet and I was able to relax. After cleaning the kitchen, I went to the bedroom and lay on the bed beside ET. He was wearing a pair of Calvin’s and I could tell he had gotten a lot of sun. He was glowing.

I put my arm around his chest and pulled him back to me. He kissed my arm and told me it had been a wonderful day. “It’s not over yet. We have a picnic on the beach and then fireworks. Do you want to shower?”

“Nope, I have already showered but you go ahead. I think I want to just lie here and think about Darcy.”

“Well, that is better than thinking about Willoughby.”

“What do you know about Willoughby? Please tell me you are not Willoughby?” He sat up and was staring at me.

“Well, if you promise not to be Marianne, I promise not to be Willoughby. And now m’dear, I am heading to the privy and then to the shower.” He was unsettled by the conversation.

After a bracing shower, I put on a pair of blue seersucker shorts and a white linen shirt. I slid into a pair of sandals I had bought in Barbados. ET put on a pair of pink seersucker shorts I had gotten him and a green polo shirt. He pulled a pair of Vans out of his duffle bag and said he was ready.

“Lord, ya’ll look like the last of the preppies. Where is the alligator, show me the alligator?” Garry was dressed in Italian linen trousers and a billowing silk shirt of midnight blue with pink flamingos. “I injured my shoe today. I am so distraught that I did not bring the shoe polish to repair it. I am completely devastated because the look is ruined.”

ET looked at me for a reality check.

“I am sure that we can get some shoe polish here at the beach.”

“You don’t understand. I had it especially made by the shoe shop in Cary. It was so expensive because they made it to exactly match the color of these slippers. The sand has ruined my shoes and I don’t know what to do.”

“Go bare foot. That is what I am going to do.” Jube had just walked into the room.

“I will not go into the world without shoes on my feet. That is so white trash.”

“Honey, you are at the beach and it is okay to not wear shoes.” I kicked my sandals off to show solidarity with Jube. ET kicked his off also.

“If all of you want to be white trash then that says something about the way your mama reared you but my aunt Myrene would just die if I did such a thing.”

“Well, all I know is that this white trash fellow has bought some expensive champagne for us to drink tonight. Let’s gather everything and head down the beach.” I had packed picnic baskets for each of us to carry.

We headed a half mile south so we could get a better view of the fireworks. I put a quilt on the sand and then a damask cloth and napkins on top of that. ET set out the Spode dinnerware and the Tiffany silver. I only brought Irish crystal champagne stems thinking we wouldn’t drink anything else. Containers of food were opened and we sat on the edges of the quilt passing around the food and filling our plates. Fried chicken, butter beans, fresh sliced tomatoes, potato salad, corn pudding and fresh rolls. Garry commented that I must have made a lot of potato salad because we had it the night before.

“Pate makes it fresh several times a week. There is never any leftover. It is one of my favorite foods.” I smiled at ET for defending our dinner.

“I wasn’t criticizing because Lord knows Pate makes the best potato salad I have ever eaten; the dressing is just so creamy. It is just that we have had it two days in a row. And besides, I love creamy things also and have eaten a lot of cream in my life.”

“Well, part of it is whipping that oil, vinegar and egg until it turns creamy and luscious. I always have to dip my fingers it and eat it while it is still fresh.” They all looked at me and laughed.

After our picnic supper, ET carefully packed the dinnerware and silver in a basket. He then looked in a hamper and drew in a deep breath. He stared at me and asked, “When did you make this?”

“While some of you were off napping this afternoon, others of us were working away in the kitchen. It was just a little something I put together.” ET lifted out a nine-layer Smith Island Cake.

“I thought the yellow cake and chocolate frosting would be good with the champagne.”

Jube rubbed his stomach and said, “I need a few minutes of stretching before I put anything more in my mouth. Come on Garry, let’s walk down to the water’s edge.”

They got up and walked down to the ocean and headed south. I noticed a young boy of about sixteen down at the water. He looked at Jube and Garry and then at ET and me. He shuffled his feet, looked down, and then looked up in our direction. He was probably about six feet tall and had sandy blond hair. Long legs protruded from his shorts. He had a nice tan and a beautiful smile. He was very coltish looking.

“Cute boy,” I said.

“You have a cute boy already,” said ET.

“Don’t be jealous. He is jail bait but an old man still has eyes.”

“You are not an old man and yes he is cute and yes I am jealous.”

“Thank you for being so self-aware. Now don’t be jealous.”

Jube and Garry walked back from the ocean and said it was getting close to the time of the fireworks.

“Ready for cake and champagne?”

I noticed someone standing beside the quilt. “Hello,” I said to the young boy who had been down by the ocean.

“Hello.” He stood there while all of us looked at him. “I was hoping you would let me sit with you to watch the fireworks.”

“Of course, have a seat.” I said.

ET was looking uncomfortable.

“We are getting ready to have cake and champagne for dessert. You are welcome to have cake but my guess is that you are too young for champagne. By the way, my name is Pate, this is Timothy, Garry and Jube.” He very formally shook our hands and told us his name was Edward.

He sat down and I started slicing the cake. ET said, “Pate and I will share a plate. There is plenty to share.”

I was about to ask Edward where he was from when the fireworks started.

Edward provided commentary on each volley that was shot. We turned and looked at him. Just at that moment there was another explosion and we all oohed and ahhhed except Edward who explained what type of firework it was, how it was made, and why it was used in that particular sequence.

He furnished commentary during the entire show while eating two slices of cake. When the fireworks were over he told us that he was from Ohio and that his family had been down for the week. Garry mentioned that he would be sun bathing at this place on the beach the next day. I thought it a bit forward but decided to remain silent.

“Our vacation rental is up the beach so I probably can’t get down here to sunbathe.”

“Eddie, come on, it’s time to go.” I saw a couple sitting on the dune behind us. His parents had been there the entire time.

“Aunt Paula and Uncle Bill meet Pate, Timothy, Jube and Garry.” The folks I assumed were his parents were his uncle and aunt and they thanked for us letting Eddie sit with us during the fireworks display. “We hope he didn’t bother you too much, he can become very enthusiastic about things.”

We told Edward goodbye and wished them a nice evening.

After they left we sat there wondering about this man child.

“That child is just waiting to bust out of the closet,” said Garry. “He was so comfortable with us and kept playing with my nerves like he was after me or something. Talking about shooting off, and big spurts and afterglow.”

“Honey, you think everyone is after you all of the time and they probably are but unfortunately you are stuck with me tonight but I plan to show you a few fireworks so let’s go home and see if I can light my fuse.”

We gathered our belongings and walked up the beach; ET and I along the water’s edge with Jube and Garry trailing behind us. ET put his arm through mine and said it had been a wonderful day but he was deeply troubled about Edward.

“What’s the trouble? He is a handsome boy, highly intelligent, and knows how to make a group of guys sit around drooling.”

“That’s just it. He was working us and that was disturbing to me. Suppose his aunt and uncle were not there – would he have wanted to go to bed with any of us?”

“I don’t know, but I do know that he is with his relatives, we are walking along the beach on a beautiful moon lit night and I think all is right with the world.”

“Oh Darcy, you say the most wonderful things.” We laughed, moved our heads toward the other and kissed. We then climbed over the dune to the house.

The next morning, I was up early. I went to the Stop and Shop to get the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. I arrived at the house and took them to the deck. “These papers should keep you occupied while I prepare breakfast.”

I was in the kitchen cooking soft scrambled eggs when ET came to refill his coffee cup. “Did I ever tell you about Mother Poole?”

“Who is Mother Poole?”

“Why are you talking about Mother Poole this morning?” Jube asked as he walked into the kitchen.

“Well, Mother Poole would always jerk off in his eggs when serving breakfast to company.”

Garry was standing at the door, screwed up his face and said, “I refuse to eat anything else you cook. I can’t believe you would make us eat your sperm.”

ET looked perplexed. “You said Mother Poole and then ‘he’ didn’t you mean ‘she’.”

Jube laughed and said, “Mother never could decide whether she was the mother hen for our brood of young gay guys or whether he was a tough leather biker. He was a man but mothered us, hence Mother Poole.”

We all moved back to the deck carrying plates of food. The sky was clear and it was promising to be another beautiful day.

“ET and I are going grocery shopping this morning. Can I pick up anything for you guys?”

“Can you get me a Mountain Dew; I will need one for the ride home tonight? Also, probably some snack food for the drive and all I want for lunch is a sandwich with anything but chicken or tomatoes so how about some roast beef. Also, a bag of chips would be good for a change. Plus, I want a Little Debbie snack cake for dessert.”

“So noted,” I said, as I cleaned off the table and moved things to the kitchen. Jube walked in and pulled a twenty dollar bill from his wallet. “No way, my friend, the weekend is on me.” Jube gave a rueful smile. “He lost his job and didn’t want you to know. He has so much pride but such high expectations of the way life is supposed to be.”

“What’s going to happen?”

“He will probably move in with me and then we will see if the relationship has any legs to move forward. He can get another job but there were cut backs at the hospital and his unit was closed.” I gave Jube a big hug and thanked him for telling me.

“You are my best friend and we haven’t had a chance to talk this weekend. You have your new boyfriend and with Garry being in a difficult mood we haven’t had time to talk.”

“I’ll tell you what, we will send ET and Garry shopping and you and I will stay here and catch up.”

I went to the deck and told ET I needed for him to take the Jeep and go shopping with Garry. “Buy what we need for lunch, some snacks and buy us something for supper. I am tired of chicken and potato salad and tomatoes also.” I gave a big laugh and told Garry that a new store had opened with some hot guys working there and they would let him try on any swimsuit he wanted. I told him to pick out a swimsuit for ET to wear this afternoon and to get one for himself also. I gave ET a credit card and told them to get busy shopping.

Jube sat at the bar in the kitchen while I loaded the dishwasher. I then wiped down the stove and counter tops. I pulled a gallon jar from the cabinet and filled it with tap water and put in a family sized tea bag. “Sun tea to purge my body of all of the alcohol I have consumed this weekend. Do you want me to make you a jar also because that gallon is for me and I don’t share?”

Jube smiled and said that a gallon for he, Garry and ET would probably suffice.

We went into the living room and had a friend to friend talk. Garry would have thought it was mostly about nothing important except that for Jube it was important that his best friend know about what was happening in his life. I got up and put on two Dianne Reeves CDs on for easy listening. “That is perfect, you always know the right music to fit the mood.” She sang and we listened, we talked and then would listen some more. We slumped down into the sofa cushions and fell asleep while holding hands.

I awoke later and realized that I was on the sofa by myself.

Jube was on the deck drinking a big glass of sun tea. “Thank you for being my friend today. It is important to know that where ever you are is home for me.”

I swallowed hard and told him that he and I would have adjoining rooms in a nursing home one day and would sit in the rocking chairs on the veranda telling stories about when we were young. “Well, I need to be in the right chair because you are deaf in your left ear.”

“Then it would be better for you to sit on my left side,” I said smiling and acknowledging that with my best friend it wouldn’t matter which side he was on as long as he was there.

“We’re back and you won’t guess who we brought with us?” One didn’t need auditory aides to hear Garry calling from inside the house. He walked on the deck followed by Edward. ET was hanging back. Edward was looking a little uncertain of being at the house. Garry was cheerfully telling how he was in a dressing room trying on the most delicious bathing suit when the curtain was pulled back and Edward was standing there with a suit in his hands. “Needless to say, the store was busy and I told Edward that we could share the dressing room. After last night, we are almost like kissing cousins.”

Timothy turned and walked back into the house. I called out and asked Timothy about the bathing suit he had bought. He shrugged, “I think you will like it.” Immediately Garry blurted that he had the most divine suit and had told Edward to pick out one also since he was sure I wouldn’t mind buying him something. Timothy’s eyes welled with tears and he turned away. I sensed that Garry had bullied Timothy into buying a swim suit for Edward.

“I want a fashion show of all the clothes I have purchased today. Go put on the suits and Jube and I will sit here while the three of you model your purchases.”

I could hear Garry giving instructions to Edward and Timothy about the fashion show and then grabbed Edward’s hand, “Come with me. You and I will change in my room.”

I looked at Jube who was speechless. “Let it be, Jube. We are friends and we don’t need to talk about this.”

A few minutes later, Timothy came through the door wearing an orange Speedo with white chevrons. The color was perfect with his skin. He still had an unsure look on his face and was awkward walking around the deck. Garry was in the house calling out directions for him to walk the perimeter of the deck and then come stand in front of us so we could inspect the suit.

Next Garry strutted through the door as if he was on a Milan walkway. He walked by Jube and me, went to the edge of the deck, turned and then walked past us again. He did not stop for us to inspect the suit he was wearing.

Edward came out looking like a deer in headlights. He had on a pale yellow Speedo. The suit could barely contain his cock. He clasped his hands together in front of the suit as he walked across the deck. Garry had sat beside us and in a stage whisper said, “It was so big I couldn’t believe it. I thought they were going to run us out of the dressing room when I gasped when he took his clothes off.” Edward stopped in front of us and Garry made a big deal of rearranging the cock in the swimsuit. “It is so big it will barely fit but what is one to do when one is so gifted?”

Edward looked mortified. “One more time around the deck please, Edward.” Garry was salivating. Timothy had gone inside and changed out of his new swimsuit and had put on his shorts and shirt.

“You look great. All three of you. Money well spent on three handsome men.” Edward looked relieved and said he needed to get back to the rental where he was staying with his uncle and aunt.

“Timothy will drive you,” I said to Edward. Garry got up as if he was going but Jube grabbed him and made him sit. Garry then jumped up in a huff and went to the bedroom.

“It is going to be a long drive home tonight. Perhaps I need to get packed so that Garry and I can get on the road.”

“OK, I will pack a picnic basket with some food for ya’ll to eat when you get home.”

By the time Timothy returned from taking Edward to his rental house, Jube and Garry had their car packed and were ready to return home.

“I am so sorry. He was relentless about wanting Edward to have that swimsuit. I will pay you back. He was making a scene in the store and I just wanted to get out.” I held Timothy as he poured out his problem.

“You did the right thing, lil’ bit. It was not worth the fight. Always take the high road in situations like that. Garry made a fool of himself today.”

We went through the house picking up items and putting them where they belonged. We turned off the lights in each of the rooms as we made our way to the bedroom. “I just need to sleep in your arms. I am drained. Who knew one person would require so much time and attention?”

We pulled the coverlet to the foot on the bed, stripped to our skivvies and lay on the sheets. I felt ET reach for my hand and squeeze it really hand. Without a word, he slid in beside me, put his arm across my chest and said, “I love you big guy. We need to talk about Edmund Bertram because under that exterior you have created for the larger world is a kind gentle man who cares about everyone’s well-being.” He was lightly snoring within minutes. He had experienced a test of fire and had succeeded.