Secrets: The Truth is Slowly Revealed - 13. Chapter 13 S1

Chapter 13 – Family Time

The next couple of weeks fell into sort of a routine for us, but it all changed as we got closer to the Homecoming and Family Weekend. That’s because Devin and I had a great deal to do in order to prepare the house and our dorm room for our parents’ visit, since we desired to prove something to them. We wanted them to see that we were adults now and capable of living on our own and taking care of ourselves without their help.

Devin and I were expecting our parents to arrive in Fort Collins during the early evening on Friday, since they were all taking time off from work to make this trip. My parents were taking a half day off, while Devin said his parents were taking off the entire day. He claimed it wasn’t a problem for them to do this, since his dad was self employed and his mom was currently working as a teacher’s aide at the local elementary school.

The reason both sets of parents were taking time off was because they’d all be riding together to get here, and by taking time off it would allow them to get an earlier start. Devin’s parents would be able to leave the cabin around 10:00, and then they’d be able to pick up my mom and dad as soon as they got out of work. This would allow them to have lunch together and still be able leave Jamesville by 1:00. By getting an early start, they should be able to avoid most of the worst traffic while making their way here and arrive sometime during the early evening.

Luckily, Devin’s dad knows the route to Fort Collins well enough that he’ll be able to bypass any problems they might encounter along the way, such as encountering an accident or construction. This means they should get here before suppertime, and Devin and I had agreed to meet them at the house. We even went there early so we’d be able to greet them when they arrived.

During the previous week, Devin and I had swept and mopped the floors, vacuumed the rugs, and dusted all of the furniture so the place would be spotless when they arrived. We also made the bed in the room that Devin’s parents liked to use when they were here, and we also made the bed in the room that we generally used for my mom and dad. Now, everything was ready for both sets of parents to arrive.

As soon as the SUV pulled into the driveway, we went out to meet them, and then we helped to carry their luggage into the house. Once we were inside, we told them about our plans for the evening.

“We made a reservation at Dominick’s Italian Restaurant for supper, and we’ll have to leave here in about forty minutes so we’ll arrive on time,” Devin announced.

“Mike and Cindy, you’re going to love that place,” Devin’s dad added. “My family goes there every time we’re in this area, because the food there is incredible.”

“Yes, Mickey told us all about it after he and Devin went there to eat when they came here for orientation,” my dad responded.

“But we thought you might like to freshen up first,” I chimed in, “and there’s a bathroom on each floor that you can use. You’ll find everything you’ll need in the linen closet of each bathroom, but I just want to remind you that you can’t take too long.”

“Mike and Cindy, you can use the bathroom upstairs and Doris and I will use the bathroom down here,” Devin’s dad suggested.

Devin and I then carried their suitcases up to the rooms they’d be using so they could take out the things they needed in order to freshen up and change.

“And wear comfortable shoes, because we’ll be walking around the campus afterward,” I told them before Devin and I headed downstairs to wait. Both sets of parents then took the items out of their suitcases that they would need in order to get ready.

When they finished, we all met up in the living room, and then Devin’s dad drove us over to the restaurant. We were seated almost as soon as we announced our party, and as my parents were looking at the menu, Devin’s dad told them about several of the entrees he thought they might enjoy. After we ordered, Devin and I told our parents what was on the schedule for the following day.

“We bought each of you a green CSU sweatshirt for tomorrow, along with a CSU baseball cap for each of our dads,” I began. “We didn’t think either of you would want to wear one of those,” I added as I looked at our moms.

“You thought correctly,” my mom quickly replied, while Devin’s mom nodded her head in agreement.

“That’s why we bought the two of you a Kalahari hat with the CSU logo on it,” I followed, and then I showed them a photo of what the hat looks like.

“Now that’s more my style,” Devin’s mom said when she saw it. “I can even wear that when I’m gardening at home.”

“And it’s even got a chinstrap that we’ll be able to use to adjust it so it doesn’t blow off in the wind,” my mom added.

“We bought those things for each of you because the Homecoming Parade will be held before the football game, which I thought we’d all attend. We’ve also made a reservation at the Fountains Restaurant for supper after the game, and then we’ll head back to campus for the next activity. The organizers have planned a social gathering to end the night and they’ve even booked a band. They’ll also have bars set up for the adults and tables serving non-alcoholic beverages for those of us under twenty-one.”

“It sounds like a very full day,” Devin’s mom observed.

“Yes, it will be,” Devin concurred, “but you’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep tonight in order to get ready for it. We’ll take you out for breakfast in the morning before the festivities begin.”

“It sounds great,” each of them agreed.

We had a wonderful supper and my parents were more than pleased with their meals. When we finished eating, we took them over to our residence hall so they could see our room.

“It’s much neater than I expected,” my mom stated when she saw it.

“And I noticed the house was also very clean when we arrived,” Devin’s mom added. “I don’t remember it ever looking that good when we stayed there with my husband’s father and uncle before.”

“Yes, we made sure to clean both places before you got here,” I confessed.

After we left our dorm room, we took them for a walk around campus so we could show them several different locations, such as where the dining hall was located and the buildings where we had our classes. Once they’d seen each of those places, we drove back to the house so they could turn in.

“We’ll come back to join you around 9:00 tomorrow morning. That should give you plenty of time to get some rest and then get ready before we return. We’ll all go out for breakfast shortly after we arrive.”

“Ok, then we’ll be ready and waiting for you,” they agreed.

When we returned to our room, Devin and I decided to shower so we wouldn’t have so much to do in the morning, and then we cuddled together on Devin’s bed as we drifted off to sleep.

We arrived at the house just before the stated time in the morning, and since we wouldn’t be coming back there right away, we made certain that everyone was wearing his or her CSU apparel. We then took them over to the Rainbow Restaurant for breakfast, because the place offered a nice selection on their breakfast menu and we felt everyone would be able to find something they liked. Our parents found the selections interesting, since they weren’t your normal breakfast fare, and they not only seemed to enjoy the unusual meals, but they liked the atmosphere at the establishment as well.

As soon as we left there, we went to stake out a good spot to watch the Homecoming Parade, and then we waited for it to begin. Just as the parade was getting underway, a couple of guys decided to stop and watch the parade while standing in front of us, and since they were both taller than we were, they blocked our view.

“Do you mind moving so we can also see the parade,” Devin’s dad said in an aggressive tone.

“It’s a free country, so we can stand wherever we want to,” one of them replied.

“And we were here first, so I’d suggest you move along.”

“Are you going to make us?” one of them said while turning to face Mr. McCaskill.

“I will if I have to,” he replied, loudly and threateningly.

The other guy turned around as well and they now both stared at Mr. McCaskill. I’m not sure what he might have done, because I couldn’t see him at that moment, but the pair moved out of our way without saying another word and went to block someone else’s view. I knew I’d have to ask Devin about what his dad might have done to scare them off, as soon as we were alone.

The parade was similar to every Homecoming Parade that I’d ever attended at my high school, except there were more floats in this one, since the alumni were involved as well. Each of the floats was also more elaborately designed than those in our high school parades, and the marching band was much more professional than our high school band. All-in-all, the parade was actually entertaining, and once it ended we made our way over to the stadium so we could watch the football game next.

We all cheered for the home team, even though only the two of us and Devin’s dad had attended CSU, but it didn’t seem to help in the long run. Our team was leading by a single point going into the final two minutes of the game, but then our opponents kicked a 51-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining on the clock to win the game. It was a huge disappointment, but we got over it quickly.

We then left our parents at the house so they could freshen up and change into something more appropriate for supper and to attend the social event. Devin and I returned to our room to do the same thing, and while we were there I asked him a question.

“What did your dad do to get those guys to move from in front of us at the parade?”

“I’m not sure, but he could have done a couple of different things to scare them off. I wasn’t watching him at the time, but he was wearing a light jacket, because it was still a little chilly out, and that jacket has an inside pocket. He likes to keep something in there that he can pat to make it appear as if he has a gun for when he gets in a tight spot, hoping that he’ll scare the other guy to back down, rather than having to transition. He might have also just elongated his canine teeth so it looked like he had fangs, or he might have made his eyes appear to be red, and I don’t mean bloodshot either. I’m certain either of those things would be enough to scare people off as well.”

“And what if they told others what they saw?”

“Do you really think that anyone else would believe them?”

“No, I guess not, but whatever he did obviously worked. I was just afraid the two of you might have to transition if those guys didn’t move out of the way and I was worried about how I was going to explain it to my parents.”

“Yeah, that would have been awkward for all of us.”

As soon as we were ready, we went back to the house to meet up with our parents again, and then his dad drove us all over to the restaurant. The Fountains isn’t exactly a coat and tie establishment, but it isn’t a shorts and tee-shirt type of place either, and we were all dressed appropriately when we arrived. After we’d placed our orders, we began to chat.

“The day has been fun so far,” Devin’s mom stated.

“And it’s not over yet,” Devin countered.

“And I’m sure we’re all looking forward to what’s coming next,” my mom chimed in. “Since you said there will be a band, I’m hoping they will play something we can dance to.”

“I’m sure they will. I imagine they’ll be catering to the parents and the alumni, rather than us students.”

After enjoying another wonderful meal, we headed over to the last location to see what was going on there. It was being held in one of the athletic training facilities where the football team practices indoors and where the other teams practice in bad weather. As soon as we found a table that we could all sit at, our dads went over to the one of the bars to get drinks for themselves and their wives. At the same time, Devin and I went to another location to see what was being offered for the rest of us. It was merely a selection of sodas and flavored water, so we got something and went back to the table to chat with our parents.

About a half hour later the band started playing and they were actually quite good. They played a wide variety of music, with songs ranging from the 1950s and on up to the present, to make sure they had something that would appeal to everyone in attendance. Our parents got up to dance at different times, and since there were others doing the same thing, they didn’t embarrass us. In fact, they were actually quite good and it was someone else’s parents that supplied the comical moments for us and embarrassing moments for their child.

As soon as the entertainment came to an end, Mr. McCaskill dropped Devin and me off at our residence hall, but before we got out we bid them goodnight and gave them a preview of the next day.

“We’ll come back to the house in the morning around 9:00 to take you out for breakfast, but this time we’ll go to the Original Pancake House to eat. After that, you guys can head home, but we want to thank each of you for coming and spending time with us.”

“We enjoyed it too,” our moms agreed, and then Devin and I got out of the SUV and returned to our room.

We hurried through our shower and nightly ritual, and then we turned in, since we were both quite tired from the long day.

The next morning, we walked back to meet up with our parents again, and after having another wonderful breakfast, we returned to the house so we could help them load up the SUV. Devin even made sure his dad took the suit, shoes, and other items he had borrowed previously, and then we hugged and kissed our moms, before giving our dads a hug too.

“Have a safe trip,” we urged before they pulled away.

“Don’t worry, we plan to,” Devin’s dad responded.

We waved at them as they drove off, and then we walked back to campus and our residence hall. We wouldn’t be seeing our parents again until we went home for Thanksgiving, which was a ways off.

Now that Family Weekend was behind us and things had quieted down in the residence hall, Devin and I were able to focus on our studies. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve done our best to study and get good grades on our tests, quizzes, and other assignments, but we still have to do well on our final exams. That’s because the exams are going to count for a large percentage of our final grade and we won’t know how we did on them until sometime during the Christmas break. That’s when we should receive our final grades online.

Even though we were concentrating on our studies, we were still making time to have a little fun and do other things as well. Just before Halloween, Devin came up with an idea for something we could do before we went home for the Christmas holiday. After I heard what he had in mind, I agreed it was an excellent idea.

Devin wanted to play Santa and deliver presents to the children’s ward at the local hospital as a way to brighten their spirits during a difficult time for them. We realized we wouldn’t be able to come up with enough presents on our own and we’d need the support of the student body to make it happen. This meant we’d have to recruit more people to purchase the items we’d need or get them to donate money, so we came up with a plan to make it happen.

We started by asking the staff of the campus newspaper to run an article about what we were planning to do, because we felt it would help to prepare the others before we made our pitch. We also felt that having the support of the campus newspaper might convince the students this wasn’t a hoax or a scam and encourage them to be even more generous. The editors not only agreed to do what we asked, but they also offered to allow us to store the items that were donated in their office, since they had more space than we had in our dorm room. And we’d be able to pick those things up and load them into the SUV before making our visit to the hospital.

Devin and I split up to make our appeals to the various organizations so it wouldn’t take up as much of our time as it would if we did it together. We advised the groups that they could contribute in one of two ways and either purchase toys for the children and drop them off at the campus newspaper office, or they could donate money. They could leave the money at the newspaper office as well, and then Devin and I would pick it up later. We’d then use the money to purchase the toys and other appropriate items that we’d take to the children’s ward before we returned home for the holidays.

We also told everyone that we hoped to collect more items than merely what was needed for the hospital, because then we would donate the remaining items to ‘Toys For Tots’. That’s a group run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and they give those items to the children of low-income families to ensure they get at least one present for Christmas.

We knew there would probably be groups that would contribute each way, and we soon learned which organizations had chosen to donate cash or purchase the toys themselves. The fraternities indicated that they would probably donate money, while the sororities were eager to go shopping for the gifts they would provide. Either way, Devin and I had a few questions come up that we still had to answer.

“Will one of you be playing Santa Claus when you do this?” the president of one of the fraternities asked when we crossed paths on campus. “If that’s what you’re going to do, I think you’ll have a hard time pulling it off, because neither of you is built for the job. I think I can talk one of the members of my fraternity into doing it for you, if it will help.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Devin quickly responded. “We’ve already talked Mac’s grandfather into playing Santa for us.”

“Yeah, that’s right,” I agreed. “The kids where my grandpa lives are always asking if he’s really Santa Claus, since he looks so much like the depictions of Santa.”

“Ok, that’s good. I was just worried that you two were a little underdeveloped to play the part.”

Devin and I continued focusing on our studies as we got our plan off the ground, and fortunately it didn’t take up too much of our time. We were both doing well in all of our classes, and before we knew it the Thanksgiving holiday was nearly upon us. Since I wanted to be able to tell my parents when I’d be getting there, Devin and I talked about the details of our trip home.

“We’ve got all of Thanksgiving week off, so we can either leave on Friday after our last classes end or we can drive home on Saturday morning instead. I’ll leave it up to you,” Devin offered.

“If we leave on Friday, then we’ll be driving home during rush hour traffic, so let’s wait until Saturday before we head home.”

“That’s fine with me and I’ll drop you off before I continue on to spend the week with my family.”

“Ok, so when are you going to pick me up to return to campus?”

“I’ll drive back to your place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and spend the night with you, and then we can leave for campus early on Sunday morning. There might still be a lot of traffic on Sunday, so by leaving early we’ll be sure of getting back in plenty of time to get a good night’s sleep before classes resume on Monday.”

As the holiday approached, I decided it was time to give both of us something we could truly be thankful for. On Friday night after our last classes had ended, I talked Devin into making love to me, and then I’d make love to him. He was all in favor of doing this, since it had been quite a while since the last time we’d done it, so we got ready to make love to each other.

Devin had a slight problem entering me because he was worried about hurting me. Once he got in, however, he was like a male dog humping a bitch. It was probably due to his anticipation of finally doing this again, but as long as he was enjoying it, I wouldn’t say anything. We could work on having him slow down later, so we could both enjoy the ride.

At least that’s what the cerebral part of me was thinking as I mentally referenced all of the gay sex stories that I’d ever read, but once I’d entered him, I didn’t do any better. I think my effort could probably have been compared to the Energizer Bunny, but we both got off and enjoyed the experience, so it was all that mattered. We’d work on the other issues later.

As we were leaving Fort Collins, we were both excited about being with our families again, because it had been three months since we’d last been home. Oh, I know we’d spent some time with our parents over Homecoming and Family Weekend, but it will still be nice to be able to tell them how we’ve been doing while we’re relaxing in familiar surroundings.

As we headed home, I decided to ask Devin some more questions about his plan for giving the gifts out at the hospital. We’d been so into our studies that we hadn’t talked very much about it.

“Do you know exactly what you’re going to do?”

“Yeah, pretty much. I’ve already called the hospital and cleared it with them for us to show up, but I’m also going to need your help. Once I change into the Santa suit, I’ll transition so I’ll fill it out better, and I want you to be my elf.”

“Does that mean I’ll have to dress up too?”

“Of course, and I’ve already ordered everything we’ll need.”

“You mean you already ordered something for me to wear and you didn’t bother to ask me about it first or let me see what you were ordering?”

“Yeah, because I want you to be surprised too.”

“The kids are supposed to be surprised, not your elf assistant,” I replied, more than a little annoyed.

“Well, this year I want all of you to be surprised.”

“So, you won’t tell me what the costume I’ll be wearing looks like?”

“No, but I will tell you what we’ll both be doing. Each of us will be carrying a sack full of toys, and one of them will be filled with items for the younger children, while the other bag will be filled with toys for the older kids. We’ll have to look in the sacks to see which item seems appropriate for the child we’re dealing with at the time, and then I’ll give it to him or her.”

“You mean you want me to help you choose which item to give them?”

“Yes, I want your input about that as well.”

“Ok, then I can handle being an elf, even if you do make me look like a dork.”

“I’m sure the children will think you look just fine.”

When we pulled into the driveway at my house, I invited Devin to go in with me so he could say hello to my parents, since I noticed they were both home. I also offered Devin a snack so he would be able to last until he reached the cabin, since both of our stomachs had been growling during the last leg of the trip. After he reminded me that he couldn’t stay very long, because he didn’t want to make the final part of the trip in the dark, he agreed to come inside with me.

My parents were happy to see both of us and understood why Devin couldn’t stay for very long. After he ate a snack, we allowed him to take his drink with him so he could get going. He thanked us and said he’d see us again on the following Saturday night and then we would leave on Sunday morning for the campus.

Shortly after Devin left, I started asking my parents questions. “Are Grandma and Grandpa McPherson and Grandma and Grandpa Harris going to be joining us for Thanksgiving this year?”

“Although it’s getting harder for my parents to make the trip, they are going to join us this year,” my mom answered. “They’ll be flying in from Missouri on Tuesday and they’ll fly back on Saturday, so we’ll be able to spend a few days with them.”

“My parents are going to spend the holiday with my sister’s family, since they all live in Florida,” my dad answered. It left me mildly disappointed that I wouldn’t get to see them again, but at least they wouldn’t be spending the holiday by themselves.

I then got to spend the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday with my mom and dad, and they used the time to ask me what I thought of college and how I was doing, but they also wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas. I not only enjoyed being with them, but I was also able to relax, something I hadn’t been able to do while I was on campus. I’d been very busy keeping up with my class work, as well as getting prepared for the visit to the hospital, so this was a nice change of pace.

My parents still had to work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so I only got to spend the evenings with them, and then they would both be home for the long Thanksgiving weekend. I’d also be here when Grandma and Grandpa Harris arrived, so not only would I get to see them on Tuesday after they arrived, I’d be able to spend all day alone with them on Wednesday as well, at least until my parents arrived home from work.

My mom had told me numerous times that her parents were now at an age where it was getting difficult for them to travel and warned me this might be the last time they would do this. I realized it meant it might also be the last time I get to enjoy their company over any of the holidays, and for that reason I was going to make the most of being with them this year.

Grandma and Grandpa Harris arrived at the house on Tuesday, shortly after I’d finished my lunch.

“We were wondering if anyone would be home when we arrived,” Grandpa Harris stated when I answered the door. “We didn’t really consider it when we booked our flight, because we were merely trying to avoid the worst of the holiday traffic by taking an early flight.”

“I came home last Saturday, because the college is closed all this week for Fall Recess. Come on inside and I’ll go out and get your luggage for you. Have you eaten lunch yet?”

“Yes, we stopped and ate on the way here.”

“Ok, then just give me your car key and I’ll go out and get your luggage. You can go into the living room and make yourselves comfortable while I go get your things. Is there anything in there that you might need right away? If not, I’ll just take everything up to the guest room, because Mom says you’ll be using it while you’re here.”

“It depends on what your parents have planned for tonight? Do you know if we’re going to eat here or going out for dinner?”

“No, Mom didn’t say anything about that.”

“Then I’ll fix tonight’s supper so your mother doesn’t have to do it when she gets home from work. I’ll make a list of the things I want you to pick up for me at the grocery store, and your grandfather will give you our debit card to pay for everything. You can also use the rental car to go get the items I need, since you don’t have any other way to get there.”

“Ok, it sounds good to me and I’m sure my mom will appreciate it too. I’ll do what I can to help out, and then I’ll do the cleanup after supper.”

“That will be a big help.”

When I finished doing the grocery shopping, I came back to the house and helped my grandmother as much as I could. I also set the table, so everything was ready when my parents arrived home from work.”

“Mike and Cindy,” my grandmother said after greeting my parents, “you’ve got time to freshen up before supper is ready. Don’t take too long, though, because it’s nearly done.”

“You mean you’ve already fixed supper for us?” my mom gasped.

“Yes, I felt you’d be tired, and Mickey helped me too.”

“Then I want to thank both of you,” mom said.

“And Grandpa gave me his debit card and let me use the rental car to go shopping and pick up the things Grandma wanted.”

“Then I thank my dad too,” she added.

As we ate, I filled my grandparents in about what it was like living on campus, how difficult the classes were, and how I was getting along with the other students I’d met. I also mentioned about what Devin and I were planning to do before we came home for Christmas.

“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” my grandmother commented. “It’s nice to see that you and Devin are thinking about others and doing what you can to make their lives a little better for them.”

“Before we leave,” my grandfather added, “I’ll give you some money that you can use to buy presents for the children.”

“And I’ll do the same thing,” my dad followed. “It’s really nice that you and Devin are planning to do this.”

“And I think we’ll get as much out of it as the kids do.”

We all went to bed early that night because we were all tired. My dad and I had to help my grandparents climb the stairs to get to the guest room, and we told them to wait for us to assist them in the morning and help them navigate the stairs on the way down as well. We didn’t want either one to fall and injure themselves if they tried to navigate the stairs without help.

My dad woke me the next morning so I could help my grandparents get downstairs safely before he got ready for work. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten that my grandparents get up a lot earlier than I usually do, but that was ok, as long as I knew I was helping them to keep safe.

As soon as we were all downstairs, my mom went out to start fixing breakfast for everyone and the rest of us sat down in the living room – that is everyone except my grandmother. She went out to the kitchen to give my mom a hand, but it also gave them some time for a little ‘girl talk’ while they were at it. When everything was ready, they called us out to eat, and when we finished I offered to do the dishes.

“It’s sweet of you to offer,” my grandmother responded, “and you can help me clean up after your parents leave for work.”

“And I’m taking everyone out for supper tonight,” my grandfather said, “because the women will have enough to do in order to get ready for the Thanksgiving meal.”

“Thank you, Cal. That’s very generous of you,” my dad responded.

“And it will be much appreciated, Dad,” my mom added.

I spent the day chatting with my grandparents and getting to find out what they’ve been doing since I’d last seen them, and they wanted to learn more about what I’ve been up to. I told them that I was able to reunite with Devin after his family moved away and that we were now roommates in college. They both remembered Devin and had met him when we were both younger, so they asked me how he and his parents were doing as well. Grandma also insisted that she make lunch for the three of us, so I did the cleanup after we ate.

We spent the afternoon talking about various things my grandparents remembered from their past visits and they brought up several things that I’d totally forgotten about. When my parents arrived home from work, we gave them time to freshen up and change first, and then we went out to eat. Grandpa suggested that my dad take us to the same restaurant that we ate at with Devin and his parents when they’d visited us for the Fourth of July, and we had another wonderful meal.

We all turned in a couple of hours after we returned home, because it was the time my grandparents usually went to bed. My mom and dad were tired from working all day, and I was tired from getting up so early, so it worked out just fine.

My dad woke me up early the following morning so I could help him take my grandparents downstairs again. When he saw that I didn’t look too happy about doing this again, he explained his reasoning for waking me up.

“I was going to allow you to sleep later this morning, but I knew you’d want to get up for the breakfast your mom and grandmother are going to prepare. You can go back to sleep after you eat, if you want, and I’m sure your grandparents will understand.”

“Nah, it’s ok.”

After my mom and grandma called us out to eat, we had another wonderful breakfast, and then I offered to do the cleanup.

“It’s nice of you to offer, Mickey, but there isn’t enough room in the kitchen for all of us. Your mother and I can take care of everything and you can just go in and spend time with the other men, and then I’ll also help your mom as she prepares the Thanksgiving meal.”

I knew better than to argue with my grandmother, so I went in to join my dad and grandfather instead. They were already talking about the football games that were going to be played later and arguing about which team was going to win. I was wise enough not to get caught in the middle and having to pick a side, so I went up to my room and spent the time alone. As I lay on my bed, I wondered if Devin was making out any better than I was.

I stayed in my room until I was called for Thanksgiving dinner, and then I went down to join the others. All-in-all, the rest of the day was quite enjoyable and the meal was not only delicious, but it was also very filling. The only problem, and it was merely an inconvenience, was that my mom had to arrange her schedule so we could eat between the football games, because her dad was insistent that he’d be able to watch them. My dad also went in to watch the games with his father-in-law, although he wasn’t as avid a pro-football fanatic as my grandpa, but he wanted to watch the games as well.

While they were doing that, I got to spend time with my grandma. When I was with her, I told her about the projects that I’d have to do when I returned to campus, as well as getting ready for finals, and then she asked what I wanted for Christmas. She explained that she and my grandpa wouldn’t be joining us for that holiday this year, since traveling in the winter was much more difficult for them. She assured me they would send our presents by UPS or Fed-Ex so we’d get them in time, and then they would call us on Christmas Day.

I spent most of Friday with my grandpa, since no football games were on, at least none that he wanted to watch. I ended up telling him the same things that I’d told grandma, so I had to repeat myself, but it wasn’t too bad. At least it showed me they were both interested in what I was doing and cared about me.

On Saturday, my grandparents said goodbye to us before they drove the rental car to the Denver airport so they could catch their flight home. My mom, dad, and I told them we loved them and urged my grandpa to drive carefully, and then we waved as they drove away. As soon as they’d gone, I sat down with my parents, because I knew it would be my last chance to spend any time with them alone before Devin arrived to spend the night. And then shortly after we woke up the next morning, we’d be leaving and heading back to CSU.

Devin didn’t get to the house until nearly 8:00 on Saturday night, because he said his parents wanted him to eat with them before he left. I had dessert with him, since neither of us ever turned down a snack, and then we sat down with my parents for a short time.

“Mickey told us about what you two are planning to do before you come home for Christmas, and I think it’s absolutely wonderful,” my mom said.

“And my dad and grandpa both gave me money to use to buy presents for the kids,” I added.

“That’s great, and my parents and grandparents did the same thing,” he replied. “We had Thanksgiving dinner with them at Grandpa Jacob’s house.”

“Then it sounds as if you had a nice Thanksgiving too,” my dad commented.

“Yes, it was really nice,” Devin agreed.

When the conversation ended, we all went upstairs to turn in. Devin and I had oral sex before we went to shower, and then we cuddled together on my bed. I slept soundly that night and enjoyed some very vivid and interesting dreams, now that Devin and I were together again.

When we woke up the next morning, it was later than we’d planned, so we got dressed quickly and carried our things downstairs and set everything by the front door for when we were ready to leave. Then, we went out to join my parents for breakfast.

“I hope you didn’t wait to eat until we got up,” Devin stated.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” my dad replied. “We just had our coffee while we waited.”

“And I know you boys are eager to return to campus,” my mom said, “but please take your time and drive safely.” Once again, I knew her comment had more to do with what happened to my sister, Melanie, than it did with reminding us to drive safely.

“Don’t worry, we always drive safely,” Devin assured her. “We not only want to get back to campus, but we also want to do it in one piece.”

“That’s good to hear.”

After we finished eating, we said goodbye to my parents and loaded our belongings in the SUV, and then my parents waved as we drove away. Devin let me drive until we stopped for lunch around 1:00, but this time we didn’t stop at the same diner that we ate at the previous two times. That was partially due to the traffic and the fact that the parking lot at the other diner looked packed, but we found another nice place a little farther on where we stopped to have lunch instead.

The usual diner we stopped at was a brick-and-mortar location, while this one was a rail-car style diner with a lunch counter and a bunch of stools, a few booths, and lots of chrome. They even had a classic Juke Box with smaller remote access devices at each of the booths and at various locations along the lunch counter. All-in-all, the food was tasty, the service efficient, and the prices reasonable, so we now had two places where we could stop on future trips.

Devin took over driving when we hit the road again, and the traffic was pretty bad now. It seemed as if everyone was either returning home from church or heading to the campus at the same time we were, so I was glad I wasn’t driving. When we finally reached Fort Collins, we decided to eat before going to our residence hall, but we had to find another place to have supper, since Dominick’s had already closed.

When we finished our meal, Devin drove to the residence hall and we carried our things up to our room, and then we went to the house and parked the SUV in the garage. After he locked it inside, we walked back to the campus and went straight to our room. After getting our things ready for classes the next day, we merely got ready for bed.

The next few weeks were going to be very hectic, not only because of finals and some special assignments that were coming due, but we’d also be getting ready for our visit to the hospital. I hoped we’d be able to complete each of those tasks successfully.