Keep Me As An Apple of Your Eye - 32. January 1 - New Year's Day

Wednesday, January 1

New Year’s Day

8^th Day of Christmas

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave me to,

Eight maids a milking.

from “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The eight maids a milking represent the eight beatitudes: blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger after righteousness, the merciful, those pure in heart, the peace makers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

Tayloe lay in wonderment. He was severely hung over and for the briefest of seconds wondered what he had done the night before.

He looked down and saw the ring on his finger. He turned his head and Eron was smiling at him. He then looked down and saw the arousal of two men in love.

“What did your doctor say about hot, sexy love making?”

“I didn’t ask but it is a little too late to ask isn’t it.”

“Yeah, I suppose so. I just didn’t know if something bad would happen to you if we did it again.”

“Well, my guess is after seven times in one night, one more won’t hurt.”

At that point, Eron slid down the bed and took his partner. Tayloe arched his back as they made contact. His hands found Eron’s head and gently maneuvered him in a way that pleased them both.

Tayloe was glad there were thick brick walls between his apartment and his neighbor’s unit. He was hoping the sounds would not carry through the walls. He and Eron were both very vocal in their love making. They had a natural affinity to tell the other what was needed and then exclaim pleasure when it was given.

After they were both satisfied, they lay back in bed. Eron propped up and looked at Tayloe’s chest.

“We have a problem. Your chest is covered in a rash.”

“Yep, it does itch. I guess your hairy, beasty man body rubbed me the wrong way. Har, har, har.”

“Let me get some cortisone cream which will relieve the itching.”

Eron got up and went to the bathroom to check in his dop kit. Sure enough, there was a new tube that had not been opened. He went back into the bedroom, unscrewed the cap, put some cream on his fingers and started spreading it across Tayloe’s chest.

“Two questions, lover man. First, what exercising do you do to have such a nice chest and second why is it shaved?”

“Easy. I was a swimmer all through high school and college and all of the swim team members shaved their bodies. That gave me the muscles in my chest and a slim waist. When I started dating women they would always complain that my hairy chest hurt their titties. So, I shaved it for the team and for the women.”

“Well, I won’t complain about a hairy chest. You are so hairy everywhere else it looks odd to see you with a smooth chest.”

“Yep, the girls complained that there would be hair all over the bed sheets if I spent the night with them.”

“How about the fellas?”

“What fellas?”

“The men you went to bed with.”

Tayloe looked like a fox caught in the hen house. He didn’t know how to answer.

“You’re not telling me that you are a man virgin?”

Tayloe nodded his head.

“You’ve never been to bed with a man?” Tayloe shook his head. “You’ve never sucked cock?” He shook his head again. In a small voice, Tayloe answered, “you’re the first man I have ever been with. Including Boy Scouts. Never ever. Swear to God.”

Eron fell back against the headboard.

“You didn’t hesitate at all last night. When I said I wanted to take you, you gave yourself to me. Then you took me and it was incredible.”

Tayloe smiled. “Glad that you liked it because……………….I LOVED IT. For the first time in my life everything made sense. I would always fumble with women and they would think it nice that I was such a virginal young man but then they wanted it rough and tough. I just couldn’t do it with them. I was always afraid I wouldn’t be able to get it up.”

Eron laughed. “Well, you had no problem with that last night. I don’t think that bat went down all night. By the way, that thing is huge.”

Tayloe smiled again. “Actually, it has not gone down since the night I met you. All I had to do was think about you and then…boing….up it would come again. That scared the hell out of me. I wanted to run away from you but I also wanted you in my bed every night. It was so highly conflicting for me. I thought I was going crazy.”

They were lying facing each other and kissing when the telephone rang.

“I just want to make sure you are awake and getting ready for lunch. You have one hour to get here. Don’t be late. We have lottttssssss of questions.” Todd was laughing as he hung up the telephone.

“Well, my fiancé. I am going to have to get used to saying that. I am engaged to a wonderful man. We have to be at my parent’s house in an hour. We should be prepared for a ton of questions, but I only have one.”

Eron raised his eyebrow.

“When we are both sober in the cold light of day will you still marry me?”

Eron laughed. “You were the one who was drunk last night. Counselor, in law school, we learned that a marriage proposal was a contract and we both agreed to the contract. I do not back out of contracts. You are stuck with me.”

Tayloe smiled from ear to ear. He also looked highly relieved that Eron still wanted to marry him. “I know what is sticky and it is these sheets; I feel like I am stuck to them. We will put them in the wash while we go have lunch.”

The men went into the shower and Tayloe grabbed the razor. When he soaped his chest, Eron stopped him and said there was no more shaving of his chest. He wanted to see what it looked like hairy.

“I still go to the gym every morning to swim.”

“Good I will join you. They will need to change the pool filters more often from our hairy bodies.”

At that, Eron slapped Tayloe’s ass and they shared a kiss before shaving each other’s faces.

When they arrived at Robert and Marjorie’s home everyone was already at the table and they were on edge. Tayloe looked at them and said that he and Eron had talked again this morning about the proposal and that Eron had agreed to lower his standards and marry him. There was a huge sigh of relief. After grace, everyone wanted to see the rings that Tayloe had custom made.

Marjorie could not contain herself anymore and said she wondered why he had gone to look at the rings in the safety deposit box. Tayloe looked at her wondering how she knew about his looking at the rings.

“We have a lot to plan in the next few months. If Todd and Erick would agree I would love for us to have a double wedding.” Eron had a look of surprise on his face. “That is if it is alright with my fiancé. Gosh, I love that word.” Tayloe was smiling at everyone.

Todd and Erick looked at each other, laughed, and then said yes.

“One more thing, mom and dad. Your children are grown or I am anyway.” He smirked at Todd when he said that. “Mom, no more asking the bank manager about my habits of looking in the safety deposit box. Dad, no more looking at Todd’s bank account information. Let your boys be men.”

Marjorie was chagrined that she had disclosed the information about the diamonds. Robert looked at Todd and apologized.

“Okay, we won’t pry but remember I am still the trustee until you are twenty-five so I have the right to look at your accounts.”

“Only to see how they are performing and to ask if the payouts are adequate. You’ve got to let us grow up. Especially since we now have partners and soon to be husbands.”

The Emmanuelsons sat not saying a word. They would never have considered invading their son’s lives the way Marjorie and Robert had done.

Marjorie had prepared various dishes so that everyone would have something they enjoyed eating. Of course, there was the traditional pork roast with sauerkraut, black eyed peas, collards, and rice. She had also roasted a chicken with apples, made a delicious chicken tarragon soup and had sweet potato pie and baked apples for dessert. No one left Marjorie’s table hungry.

After they ate, Rachel said that they had a plane to catch. The women said that they would be in touch to start planning the wedding. Todd reminded them that he, Erick, Eron and Tayloe had some say in the planning.

“Okay, let us know the date and the location of the wedding and then we will take it from there.” Marjorie and Rachel hugged each other. There was genuine affection between them.

When Erick and Eron returned from taking their parents to Byrd Field, the men gathered in the den for an afternoon of television football.

Marjorie walked into the room to see Tayloe and Todd curled up on one end of the sofa covered in a quilt. Tayloe was holding Todd like he always had. Erick and Eron were at the other end of the sofa, covered in a quilt, holding onto each other.

“Well, I guess this is the man’s world this afternoon. I will make a bowl of popcorn and some hot chocolate.”

“Mom, we don’t want hot chocolate. We want beer.”

Marjorie gave Todd a look and was about to say something when she realized it was five against one. Robert saw her look and told her it was a new reality in the Reynold’s household. She delivered the food and told them her waitressing days were over and they would have to wait on themselves for the rest of the day.

Marjorie went into living room to read. When she heard the game end, she popped her head into the den to tell the men it was dinnertime. She saw the couples had rearranged themselves. Todd was holding Erick in his arms; Tayloe was holding Eron. They were all asleep, including Robert. Tears of joy came to her eyes that her sons had found love and they were all settled. She had always thought that Tayloe would find a bride and she had hoped against hope that Todd would find a girl also. That was not to be. Marjorie walked over to Robert who was sleeping in his recliner. She shook his shoulder and then put her finger to her lips to indicate for him not to speak. She then pointed to the boys. They would always be boys to her. He smiled, reached out to hold her hand and then he kissed it.

Robert arose from his chair and then he and Marjorie walked over to sofa. They touched each of the boys and when each of them opened their eyes, both Robert and Marjorie leaned down and kissed them on the cheeks. It was the best New Year’s present anyone could give.

Marjorie said it was dinner time. Todd jumped up and said he was the Master Television Chef and he was cooking dinner. Marjorie tried to object but Todd was adamant. He told Erick to set the table while he prepared the food and for everyone to stay out of the kitchen and breakfast room until they were called.

Todd took the left overs and created sandwiches, Texas caviar, dirty rice, and pommes frites. When he called everyone to the dinner, Erick lit the candles on the Chanukkiah and had set the table with the Chanukah china that Todd had bought.

“Chanukah is over, but we don’t think we got to fully celebrate because someone decided he wanted a helicopter ride to Boston, so we are celebrating tonight as the last night of Chanukah.” It was a joyful night.

“Well everyone, since I was the master chef for dinner, Erick and I are tired and we are going back to Williamsburg. We checked out of the Inn this morning and want to spend some time at home.”

“No, you are not. You are too tired. It has been a long day. You are going upstairs and going to bed. Right now.”

Todd was starting to object when his father said until he was married that he was still in charge of the house and he would do as he was told.

Todd grinned, turned to his father and said, “Yes, daddy. Whatever you say, daddy.” Robert laughed and told Erick he would have his hands full with Todd. Erick chuckled thinking that Todd really was a handful…and more. The boys ran upstairs. Robert’s attention turned to Tayloe and Eron.

“We’ll have breakfast at eight in the morning, we expect you and Eron to be on time.”

“Yes, daddy.” Everyone laughed.

Tayloe and Eron walked out of the door after kissing Robert and Marjorie good night.

It was a happy New Year’s Day in the Reynold’s home.

Suggested Music:

“Cantique de Jean Racine”

Composer: Gabriel Faure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzUMfVpugq4