And A Child is Born - 2. The Fixer

Matan swept his curly hair back from his forehead. His hair had gotten longer, and it was not unusual for him to wear a hairband to hold the mop of red curls back from his face. It was highly becoming, but, of course, Yonatan thought no matter what Matan wore and how he looked that he was a piccolo angelo. Matan being a little angel was all in Yonatan’s imagination as he looked directly into his boyfriend’s eyes; they were now the same height. Matan’s growth spurt had been remarkable, and now he was a tall, lean, handsome man. Yonatan was much bulkier from his years of working on the farm and natural physiognomy. Matan said that Yonatan’s pecs were like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro as he worked his tongue across his lover’s hairy chest. Matan was slim with narrow hips and had a slight rise in his squared pecs. He definitely had a runner’s build. Surprisingly both were aware of another area of growth for Matan – it brought a smile to their faces. They were both astounded when Matan wanted to measure their equipment one day. Matan was proud that they were the same size with one difference; Yonatan had low hangers, and Matan’s testicles were pulled up close to his body. Matan laughed and said it made it easier for Yonatan to get to the promised land. Matan called his butt Canaan: the land of milk and honey. Yonatan was glad that it didn’t take forty years to find it.

“Do you want to know something?” Matan looked directly into Yonatan’s eyes.

“I think there is something you want to tell me.”

Matan’s smile melted Yonatan.

“Let me give you a massage before we take a trip.”

“What trip?”

“You’ll find out. Now go to the bedroom and get out of those clothes.”

Yonatan happily complied.

When Matan came out of the bathroom, he was wearing a towel around his slim waist and was carrying a bottle of scented oil and a beach towel.

“Let’s put this towel on the bed so we don’t get oil on the sheets.”

Yonatan gave him a jaundiced look because they were constantly trying to remove oil, lube, and body excretions from the sheets. It was a joke between them.

“It’s just that I don’t want to have to wash the bedsheets again today. These were fresh this morning.”

“Maybe we should do this on the deck.”

“We need to purchase a massage table.”

“Do you think the kitchen table will work?”

“Nope. Tim and Black are around somewhere. Who knows where Green is? And don’t forget that Pink shows up unexpectedly.”

Yonatan was standing in front of Matan, showing his full need. He leaned in for a kiss. Matan then spread the towel on the sheet, guided his lover to the bed, and laid him on his back. He then reached into the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out a mask.

Yonatan’s look of surprise made Matan smile, and he let out a low chuckle.

“This is all about feeling the sensations. Focus on your body and my oily hands.”

Yonatan was a control freak, and putting on a mask made him anxious. He trusted Matan completely, but they had never done anything like this before.

“Relax, Yonatan. Look at me and tell me you trust me with your life.”

Yonatan smirked. Matan was serious, and the look immediately left Yonatan’s countenance.

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” Yonatan sighed and let Matan put the mask on his face. Yonatan could feel his pulse racing. Matan started by pouring some oil on Yonatan’s chest. He slowly massaged the pecs and told him how much he loved them. He then moved to the shoulders and from there to his neck. It was when Matan started massaging Yonatan’s head and face that he finally started to relax. Matan would slide his fingers into Yonatan’s mouth and tell him to suck them. Yonatan almost went to lift-off when Matan slid three fingers into his mouth. Matan was whispering softly in Yonatan’s ear when he rubbed his fingers around his lips. Their chests were rubbing together, and they could feel their tumescence as they brushed their crotches and stomachs against the other.

Matan then moved down Yonatan’s body and massaged his legs. When he flipped Yonatan onto his stomach, the man was practically like jelly. He spent time working on Yonatan’s shoulders because that was where his partner carried most of his tension. The knots of anxiety were gone when Matan moved south. Yonatan’s ass received a lot of attention. Yonatan kept pushing his glutes in the air and whimpering when Matan worked his cave.

“You want me to take you, don’t you?”

“Hmmm, yes, take me, lover.”

“Not yet, but I plan to enter Jerusalem soon. I plan to crash through your mighty gates.”

“Oh fuck, you’re killing me. Please let me have some release.”

“You’re going to get release very soon.”

Matan worked down the legs and then feet. Yonatan didn’t know that his feet could be so erogenous. He was bucking on the bed, trying to free himself. Matan had gained so much upper body strength that he was able to hold Yonatan down. Matan finished, slapped Yonatan ass, chuckled, and told him it was time for a shower. Yonatan reached up to take off the mask.

“No, you don’t. It is not time for that to come off yet.”

Matan led Yonatan to the shower, where he washed his lover’s hair and body. It was very sensuous as he handled the big brute body. Yonatan then felt shaving cream being applied to his face as Matan carefully shaved him. Yonatan leaned against the shower wall when he felt a pair of lips kissing him and then saying it was time to get dressed. First, however, Yonatan was handed a toothbrush and told to clean my fangs.

Matan led Yonatan to the bedroom, where he started to dress him. Yonatan thought, “Lord knows what he has me wearing. I know he has exquisite taste, but I don’t know if I am going to look like a preppy boy or a French gigolo.” Yonatan felt Matan slip espadrilles on his feet – perhaps, he thought, he was dressed like a Spanish fisherman.

“Are you ready to go?”

“Where are we going?”

“That’s not an answer to the question I asked.”

“Yes, I am ready to go.”

“Good, take my hand.”

Yonatan knew that they were on the back deck and then down the steps to the river. Matan and someone else helped Yonatan into the boat and they departed the dock. Yonatan was completely unaware of the direction they were taking until they passed under the James River Bridge. They could hear the vehicles on the grates above.

“Relax and enjoy the smell of the river. Can you hear the birds?”

They kept going. The boat finally docked and Matan helped Yonatan out. Matan was very good at telling Yonatan when there were steps or a ramp. Yonatan chuckled and said he needed a white cane.

Matan helped Yonatan into a chair and seated himself.

“Okay, you can take off your mask now.”

Yonatan pulled the mask up to his forehead and was blinded by the sun. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the afternoon light, he made out the faces of his friends. They were all grinning. Erick and Todd, Eron and Tayloe, Pate and Timmy, Ayal and Zeke, and Black and Tim were looking at Yonatan. Matan had a broad smile on his face. Erick was the first to speak.

“This is a thank you for being the best friend in the world. You are a gift to us.”

Yonatan smiled and asked what he was talking about.

“The Rabbis of Paris and Vienna are going to conduct our service. They are both coming to Washington, DC. Our parents are over the moon.”

“Well, I did the best I could.”

“No, you did better than that. You performed a miracle.”

“I made a request. It was their decision.”

“Whatever, I am glad that you could help.”

Tayloe stood and raised a glass of champagne.

“To Yonatan, the fixer.”

Everyone else stood and raised their glasses.

“To the fixer.”

Yonatan chuckled, thinking that he had yet another name. The Fixer. That was the most difficult name because he didn’t want to be expected to solve all of their problems.

Eron handed Yonatan a package and told him to open it. When the wrapping was ripped off, and the box was opened, he saw kippahs - one for each person at the table.

“These are our brother kippahs. We are now all brothers, and we will wear these at our commitment celebrations.”

They all donned their kippahs. Luckily, Matan had brought bobby pins to affix them to everyone's hair as a breeze was blowing. Other people in the restaurant looked at them, trying to figure out who they were and what they were doing. Food started arriving. Tayloe had been busy before they arrived, ordering for the table. Platters of wonderfully prepared fresh-caught flounder were placed on the table.

The sun was setting on the marshes around Lynnhaven when they finally finished.

“Let’s go home.”

Matan took Yonatan’s hand as they all walked down the ramp to the boat.

“Are y’all going with us?”

“Yep, all of our cars are at your house. We parked there, and Green drove us here.” At that point, Yonatan looked up at the dining deck and saw Green waving at them. He was always around if you looked for him.

The trip upriver was beautiful. As they passed Newport News Shipbuilding, the men stared in amazement at the aircraft carrier being built. It was humongous. Then they navigated under the James River Bridge as they headed to the confluence of the James and Nansemond Rivers. They arrived at the dock, and Tayloe and Todd help secure the boat before everyone headed up to the house for late-night drinks.

“Oh Yonatan, we are all spending the night. We will have breakfast on the table at 8 a.m. Be on time. I think Matan needs to finish what he started earlier today.”

Todd was being a smart-ass again, but he was absolutely right.

Matan grabbed Yonatan’s hands and said it was time to cross into Canaan. He gave a lascivious grin at everyone and then licked his lips.

“I am ready for dessert.”

“I think I am going to give you the main course.”

“Even better. I am a growing boy and am hungry again. I need you to feed me.”

Everyone chuckled as the pair headed to their bedroom. The rest of the fellows sorted out where they were sleeping. Pate and Timmy had never stayed in the house but were shown to a bedroom.

Yonatan closed the bedroom door and looked at Matan. He smiled and walked over to his partner.

“Did you have a good time?”

“Yes, I was surprised and don’t know that I like the term, the fixer.”

“That is your gift to people. You make things right. You have made my life perfect…except for one thing.”

Yonatan was confused, and a wave of anxiety rolled over him. He wanted Matan’s world to be perfect.

“What didn’t I do?”

“You haven’t ravaged me yet tonight. I need ravaging on a regular basis. Yonatan, I am yours and need you right now.”

They practically ripped their clothes off. There was a trail of clothes from the bedroom door to the bed. Yonatan ravaged Matan until the younger man begged for a break. Yonatan awoke at 3 a.m. and found Matan nibbling on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

“I need more, please. My tank is empty.”

Yonatan chuckled and they started again. They didn’t care if their lovemaking could be heard through the house. They both knew they had each found the perfect man in the world - they knew they were blessed. Matan could feel it as Yonatan marked his neck. Matan was chuckling as he decided that turnabout was fair play and owned Yonatan twice over - one for each side.

The knock on the bedroom door woke them. Was it already time for breakfast?

They washed their faces, brushed their teeth, and tried to tame their hair. They were wearing speedos and kippahs when they walked into the breakfast room. There were wolf whistles.

“You are two good looking Jew boys. Oh my God, you would cause a riot on the beaches of Tel Aviv.”

Todd looked at Erick and asked how he knew about the beaches of Tel Aviv.

“My parents took us on vacation to Israel. They were fascinated by Jerusalem, but Eron and I wanted to spend time in Tel Aviv. We went to the beach in our American swimsuits. We also had beach towels over our shoulders, were covered in sunscreen, and had on hats to protect us from sunstroke. We looked like complete dorks. When we got to the beach, we saw the most beautiful men from around the world wearing skimpy little swimsuits. Eron and I went out that day and bought the smallest suits we could find. I think that was the day I knew for certain that I was gay. I wanted to have sex with each man on the beach.”

“I always knew you were a slut, little brother.”

Off they went on their rant about who was the little brother. Everyone enjoyed their bantering. That led to stories about when they each realized they were gay. There were some hilarious stories. They looked at Yonatan when he had grown quiet.

“I knew when Matan seduced me that I was gay. Unequivocally. I was totally in love that night. Nothing had ever felt so right in my life.”

Matan got up from his chair and sat in Yonatan’s lap. He was no longer the boy from the past summer but a man.

“I knew when I saw Yonatan that I had to have him in my life. I was standing there in my father’s Jams, feeling embarrassed as all get out, and this big, blond goyish God was standing in front of me. It was love at first sight.”

They kissed and their swimsuits revealed their growing need.

“Excuse us, but we have some unfinished business.”

They ran to the bedroom and reached for the special container of unguent. It was the same kind they had used the first night they made love. Their needs outweighed good sense as Yonatan plowed into Matan, who gasped, had a look of pain on his face, and then tried to adjust his body. Yonatan realized that his need had caused pain and started to apologize.

“Don’t you dare. No apologizes. Take me. Make me yours, Degataga. Make love to your Indian brave.”

Yonatan did. Certainly, the sheets would need washing again before night. They helped each other to the shower and spent more time than usual cleaning each other before putting on their swimsuits and kippahs again. They found the guys on the deck. Matan started hobbling around like a broken, old man. Everyone laughed at his antics.

“That man practically broke me in half. I don’t know that I can sit.”

“TMI. TMI.” Pate was laughing at their behavior.

“Hey Fixer, how about fixing some lunch?” Tayloe was laughing and rubbing his stomach. “You must be ravenous after a morning of hot sex.”

“How do you know it was hot?”

“We could hear you. Neither of you is quiet. We were all walking around with erections as we lived vicariously through your sexual escapades.”

Yonatan blushed. Matan grinned.

Just at that moment, Black came through the door and announced that lunch would be served in fifteen minutes.

“Wash your hands. Especially the two of you. I hate to think what those hands have been up to this morning.”

Everyone hooted as they headed inside to clean up for lunch.

It was a more serious conversation at lunch as Eron and Erick talked about the upcoming commitment ceremonies.

“The word we received was that the Rabbis are going to offer blessings for a Jewish home. They are skirting the idea of a commitment ceremony while offering us blessings. It is unclear whether the Rabbi of the National Synagogue will participate, but I can’t imagine him letting the other Rabbis get the upper hand. Rabbi Schulman in Newport News will co-officiate at the ceremony in Williamsburg.”

“Martine is sending out fabric squares for the chuppahs. There will be two chuppahs: one in Washington and one in Williamsburg. She has already told us that she and Geneviève will quilt them afterward. Our mothers are working day and night on the parties and receptions. They are trying to save as much money as possible to put in the “baby fund,” as they call it. Our dads are playing golf and drinking liquor.”

There was general merriment all around before the guys took a nap after lunch. When they reassembled on the deck, Pate told everyone that he had enjoyed the gathering, but he and Timmy had to head back to the beach. The others said they needed to leave also. It had been a great Saturday night and Sunday. The house was quiet as Matan and Yonatan pulled out their school books and started studying. Yonatan was struggling with a course on the history of the Supreme Court. He had asked Dr. Antonucci to be his advisor and suggest courses that he should take. He told Yonatan the professor for the course was “hard as hell” but that he would leave the course with a better understanding of the judicial system than he would receive from any other professor. Dr. Antonucci was right. Yonatan was learning a lot, but it was at a cost. He studied as much for this one course as he usually did for two or three. Per usual, Matan barely glanced at his books before closing them and said he knew the material. Yonatan knew not to challenge him by asking questions. Matan’s photographic memory was evident as he not only told Yonatan the correct answer but on which page he would find the answer. Yonatan thought he was a show-off.

It had been an enjoyable weekend with friends, yet Yonatan pondered the notion that he was known as the fixer for his friends. He accepted that role in the family but was concerned that their friends would expect too much of him, and he couldn’t bear to disappoint them. He felt he was so fortunate to be gifted with these friends and wanted to live life to the best of his abilities.