Crossroads: Tales from the Heartland - 10. Rainbow House

I could only imagine what Pete was going through as he approached the podium. Not that he hadn’t performed in front of a large audience before - we all had; this was a school for the performing arts, after all - but today was different. Today he was addressing his peers, his friends, his family and all who had made this day possible. He might not have had to deal with all the shit I’ve faced in the last few years, but he’s dealt with far more than most seventeen-year-olds. Although still a minor, today he would address us as a man about to enter the adult world - as the first among his peers.

Not that I’d ever been in danger of being where Pete was standing - indeed I’d missed my own commencement. Thanks to my own stupidity, I graduated, mid-year, a year-and-a-half ago, a half-a-year behind the rest of my class. Thinking back to my life before that, nothing seemed beyond my reach. I was smart, I excelled at sports and I was popular. All right, my parents had thrown me out of the house for being gay, but the Reverend Slater took me in and set me up in foster care with Ricky and Ty. There, I met a bunch of other gay boys, and most of us went to Broad Ripple High School, a magnet school for the arts. With a large population of gay kids and an active GSA, I found acceptance there… and happiness.

But that was before the accident - back when I could still walk. The summer that Pete joined our foster family, I was working my ass off, saving everything I had to buy a car. Finally I saved enough, but I still needed money for gas and insurance. A new set of tires would have cost close to a thousand bucks. A new set of tires could wait, or so I thought. That winter, a patch of ice, my nearly bald tires, older brakes that let the wheels lock up and my inexperience all conspired against me and sent me skidding into a tree.

The sound of Pete’s voice brought me back to the present. “There are many people I need to thank today,” he stated as he looked out at us, scanning the large audience. “The many teachers here at Broad Ripple High. Dr. Jennings and Ms. Forrest… you have done an amazing job of running this school. Mr. Goldstein… I can’t express enough how much your stewardship of the GSA has meant to me and to all the other students. The atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion you have helped foster has made it possible for so many to feel welcome here.

“My foster parents, Tyler and Ricky,” he went on. “My foster brothers, Terrance and Will, who are graduating along with me, Miguel, who graduated last year, and Mustafa, who will graduate next year. Derrick, you were only my brother for a year, but you showed me how to hold my head high and stare down the bullies at school. Jack, for the short time we lived together under the same roof and even afterwards, you were the big brother I never had…”

I couldn’t help but smile at Pete’s mention of my name, and I appreciated that he didn’t mention the accident or my disability.

However, I felt saddened that my time with Ricky and Ty and the guys had been cut short. After the accident, I spent more than two weeks in the hospital and another four weeks in rehab, before I was considered ready to go home. It had been scarcely six weeks since the accident and I’d been through three major surgeries, and pushed to work my body harder than I’d ever had to on the swimming team… than I’d ever had to in my entire life. After all of that, I was supposed to pick up the pieces and get on with it. I didn’t even have my own wheelchair yet - it wouldn’t be ready for another couple of months and, in the meantime, I would be using a piece-of-crap loaner.

However, that was the least of my problems. I’d already missed a good chunk of the spring semester and, by the time there was a home for me to go to, it would be more than half over. I was still learning how to catheterize myself and to regulate my bowels and, as a result, still had occasional accidents. And, even though I was done with inpatient rehab, I still had to go through intensive outpatient rehab to continue to build my upper body strength and to learn advanced things like getting myself off the ground if my wheelchair tipped over and, yes, driving using hand controls.

The biggest obstacle I faced, however, was that there was no home for me to go home to. Ricky and Ty’s house was an older colonial, with six steep steps to go up, just to get inside. Even if Ricky and Ty had been willing to build a ramp for me - a ramp that would have needed to be nearly fifty feet long, there were no bedrooms on the first floor and none of the bathrooms was even remotely large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. No, Ricky and Ty’s house was no longer an option for me.

“Most of all, I must thank Toby, who has been by my side, and given freely of his love over the past four years,” Pete continued, once again bringing me out of my reverie. “Two years ago, at the age of fourteen, he became the youngest valedictorian in the history of this high school. He was offered full scholarships to Cal Tech and MIT, but he chose to stay here with those of us who had become his family. A few weeks ago, he graduated with highest distinction with a degree in Physics from Butler University. Next year, he will enter the PhD program at MIT, while I pursue a course of study in Molecular Biology at Harvard with an eye toward Medical School.

“Toby, before I met you, I was content to be an average student. You helped me to believe in myself, and you discovered hidden talents within me I never knew I had. Thanks to you, I was able to maintain a straight-A average and to finish high school at the top of my class, with enough credits from Advance Placement to start college as a sophomore. Words alone cannot express how deeply I feel about you.”

No doubt, Pete was lucky to have Toby, and vice versa. They made a cute couple. It was nearly four years ago that they met, when Pete first came to live with Ricky and Ty. Back then Pete wasn’t even sure if he was gay. As he liked to say, he was so clueless at the time. After his grandmother had gone into a nursing home, he’d been placed in a group home where he faced constant bullying. After months of getting kicked around by kids who called him a faggot, just because he didn’t like sports and liked to read, the idea of living with a bunch of us gay boys didn’t sound so bad. After all, we sure weren’t gonna beat him up because we thought he was gay.

Anyway, Pete was placed in a room with two other boys - Mustafa, who was also thirteen, and Toby, who was still only twelve. Although Toby wouldn’t turn thirteen until that January, he was already a sophomore in high school. Mustafa was still in middle school at the time, and Pete was a bit young to be entering high school, but turned fourteen shortly after the start of the school year. Right away, it became apparent that Toby and Pete really hit it off, but they were clueless when it came to love. It wouldn’t be until much later that Pete admitted that he’d never really given much thought to girls, but he’d apparently never really thought much about boys either. Although I wouldn’t have called Toby effeminate, he was certainly different. He moved with a certain kind of grace that was unusual for a boy. His features if anything were feline, but he was very, very masculine even though his skin was smooth. I often found Pete staring at Toby for minutes at a time, until Toby inevitably caught him in the act, causing both of them to color up. They were so cute!

I’ll never forget the day they shared their first kiss. Toby, Pete and I were all outside doing yard work. We were shirtless and sweating profusely in the hot summer sun. I was trimming the hedges and pruning the trees while Pete mowed the lawn and Toby pulled the weeds. Pete had just filled the catcher with a load of clippings that needed to be emptied and, when he got to the compost heap, Toby ran over to help him lift the catcher off the mower, so they could dump the clippings.

They started to throw the clippings onto the heap, but I guess the clippings clumped together and got caught in the neck of the catcher and the momentum of the clippings pulled Toby into the compost heap. He looked so funny, with grass clippings in his hair, leaves stuck to his chest, and rotting garbage all over him. I couldn’t help myself - I laughed hysterically, as did Pete.

“What the fuck are ya doin’ just standing there?” Toby shouted at Pete. “Help me get outta this shit, will ya?”

When Pete tried grabbing Toby’s hand, however, he tugged hard and pulled Pete right in with him! It was pretty disgusting actually, with both of them partly submerged in rotting, smelly garbage, but they looked so fucking adorable and I couldn’t help but laugh. Just as I was making my way to them to help them out of their mess, Pete pounced on Toby and they ended up rolling in the compost, getting dirtier and dirtier as they wrestled, skin to skin. Finally, they came up for air as they kept on laughing, but then they got serious looks on their faces as they stared at each other, still in total contact with each other from chest to toe, and oblivious of me looking on. Slowly their faces came together and their lips and tongues made contact.

Seeing what they were doing, I went back to working on the hedges, smiling to myself, while they spent more than an hour making out in that stupid compost heap. Finally, I guess they decided it was time to get themselves out of the mess and only then did they notice me, grinning at them. “It’s about time you two realized you’re in love,” I said as I gave them a hand in getting out of the heap. They both started the school year out and proud, and everyone knew they were a couple.

Now, it saddened me a bit thinking that I’d never have a love like theirs - after all, who would want to go out with a cripple who couldn’t even have sex? Still, I was happy for Pete and Toby, and for the other boys who’d managed to find love.

“There are so many others I need to thank,” Pete continued, as he gave his valedictorian address. “Reverend Slater, Keith, Rick, Barbara, Jerry, Carlos, Frankie, Brian… you have all made an incredible difference in my life.

“Finally, I am thankful for the help of those who are unable to be here today. My parents died in a car accident when I was only five years old. I don’t remember much about them, except that they gave me a warm, loving home. Obviously I would not be here today without them. However, it is my grandmother to whom I owe the greatest debt of thanks. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for her, taking on the burden of raising a young boy when she was in her mid-fifties, but she loved me without question, and gave me all the support I needed as I progressed through childhood.

“Scarcely five years later, however, it became evident that something was wrong with my grandmother. She became forgetful and didn’t remember even the things we’d talked about the day before. It took another year before I convinced her to see the doctor, but there was nothing that could be done. Pre-senile dementia, they called it, but the name didn’t matter. What it meant was that my grandmother was slipping away in front of my eyes.

“I had to grow up fast. Adults are supposed to take care of their children… not the other way around… but we needed each other. I learned how to cook and clean, how to manage money and do the shopping, and even how to pay all the bills on-line. Sadly, there came a time when my grandmother needed someone to care for her full time. I was only thirteen, and about to enter high school. There was no way I could care for her and attend school at the same time.

“She lives in the Memory Unit at Hooverwood, now. They take good care of her there, and I visit her every day after school, even though she no longer recognizes me. I know she would be here with us today if she were able. The grandmother I knew would have been proud to see her grandson graduate as valedictorian of Broad Ripple High. Grandma, someday I hope I can help discover a cure for the terrible disease that has robbed you of your senior years.

“Regardless, I intend to do great things with my life. My teachers taught me to settle for nothing less, and that the only limitations on accomplishing my dreams are those imposed by myself. Thanks to the education obtained here, we, the members of the graduating class, can do anything.”

The crowd rose to their feet around me and applauded. I, for my part, raised my hands as high as I could overhead as I clapped. Pete’s speech had been awesome, but he seemed shocked, as if surprised he’d gotten a standing ovation.

“Great speech, Pete,” I said afterwards as he approached. He clasped my hands warmly as I did the same.

“Yeah, your speech was awesome, Bro,” Will added as he and his boyfriend, Terrance, came around from the other side.

“I’m just glad it’s fuckin’ over,” Pete sighed as he pulled Terrence, and then Will into a hug. “Anyway, congratulations guys.”

“Yeah, you too,” Will replied as he broke the hug. “So, you ready to party?”

“I’m ready to go to sleep,” Pete responded as Terrence and Will laughed along with me.

“I can only imagine,” Terrence agreed, “with all the time you put into that speech. I coulda never done it…”

“Not that there was ever any chance of makin’ the Honor Roll, let alone graduating first in the class,” Will interrupted.

“You guys did OK,” Pete countered. “You were always solidly in the middle, which means you were always better than about half the class…”

“And worse than the other half,” Terrence challenged with a smirk. “Still, I’m not complainin’. We’re finally done with high school. We’ll spend the summer workin’ at the Meridian Hills Inn while you and Toby work at the Meridian Manour B&B, then you guys’ll be off to Boston and we’ll be off to New York.”

“New York!” Pete exclaimed. “I thought you were stayin’ in town and goin’ to IUPUI.”

“So’d we, but then our scholarships came through,” Terrence explained. “Actually, it’s Hyde Park, New York, two hours north of New York City.”

“Scholarships?” I asked.

Terrence opened his mouth and started to answer, but he was interrupted when we heard, “Hey Guys,” from behind us. I turned around just as Toby caught up to us. I had to admit he was one of the most attractive boys I’d ever seen, with his long, golden, curly locks, his bluest of blue eyes and the deepest dimples. He looked way younger than his sixteen years - no one would have ever guessed he was a college graduate. With his baby face, he looked so innocent, but I knew better. Having lived under the same roof for several months, I knew that there wasn’t much that two boys could do, that Pete and Toby hadn’t done. Indeed, they’d often come to me for advice in those early days - not that I’d had much experience myself.

Their arms came together and their lips made contact as their tongues intertwined with each other, gyrating in a sensuous dance known the world over to lovers, since the beginning of time. Technically, it might be against the rules to engage in PDA at a school function, but what could be done now - would they kick them out? I didn’t think so. Again, it made me a bit sad that I didn’t have anyone to kiss… anyone with whom to share my life.

There was no use ruminating over what would never be. I took comfort in the preparations I'd made, hidden away under my mattress, knowing I could end it all if life ever became too much for me.

“You are one very sexy boy,” Toby exclaimed after their lips parted.

“Not half as sexy as you,” Pete countered before initiating another round of tongue wrestling.

“Did I hear something about Hyde Park?” Toby asked, as Will and Terrance started making out in front of us… and everyone.

“Yeah,” I replied, “I guess they’re going there instead of IUPUI, but what the fuck’s in Hyde Park?” I asked.

“The FDR Presidential Library is there,” Toby replied, “but my guess is they’re going to the Culinary Institute of America. It’s supposed to be one of the top places to learn to be a chef in the world,” he added.

“How do you know all of that?” Pete asked.

Laughing, Toby replied, “They’ve only been talking about it for, like, ever, you know. You just had your nose buried in your books.”

“And you haven’t?” Pete asked.

“I did,” he agreed, “but I’ve known them a bit longer than you. They’ve always wanted to go to the CIA, but didn’t think they could afford to. The scholarships they applied for must’ve come through.”

“Yeah, that’s what they were sayin’,” I interjected, and then added with a smirk, “The CIA? So they’re gonna be spies?”

“Stop being such a smartass,” Toby responded as he hit me in the shoulder. “And, in answer to your questions, we used to talk a lot, Terrance, Will and me, before Pete got here and my attention turned elsewhere,” he added with a sly smile.

It looked like Toby and Pete were about to initiate another round of lip wrestling, when Will and Terrance finally separated and Will asked again, “So, you guys ready to party?”

“Truthfully, I couldn’t care less,” Pete answered. I knew that graduation represented the culmination of what had been a very tiring semester for Pete, and the sleepless nights spent worrying about giving his speech had prolly left him utterly exhausted. As if to emphasize that point, Pete went on to say, “At the moment, I just want to curl up with my boyfriend and sleep for the next month or so, but that ain’t gonna happen. There’s no way that I, the valedictorian of Broad Ripple High, can skip it.”

As a school for the performing arts, Broad Ripple was one of the few high schools in Indy that had the capacity to hold their commencement ceremonies on-site. Pete, Will and Terrance would still be a while, as would Toby, Pete’s boyfriend. The graduating class would have their own festivities for another hour or so. In the meantime, the rest of us would be gathering at the Rainbow House for a party to honor the recent graduates.

The Rainbow House was a place for gay kids who’d aged out of the foster care system and needed a place to live while working their way through college or a trade school. More than that, it was my home, and had been ever since I got out of rehab. With its ample facilities and spacious lawn, it was the ideal place to hold a graduation party for the three boys, or rather men, who’d just graduated from Broad Ripple High. It was also accessible and I appreciated that. It meant I could partake in the festivities too.

Since it would take me a lot longer to get home and get ready than most of the others, I decided I should get going and I said my goodbyes to my friends, who would soon be joining me at the Rainbow House. Wheeling myself down the aisle, constantly having to wait for people to get out of the way, and wait, and wait, I finally made my way to the exit and out to the parking lot, where my van was parked in a handicap space. I still couldn’t believe the van was mine! Fortunately, the state paid for the modifications, which cost as much as the van itself. Even then, I could never have afforded to buy even an old beat-up van, let alone a new one that was as nice as this one. After the accident, Reverend Slater and his partner held a fundraiser at their church on my behalf. I only found out later that they kicked in fifty thousand of their own money. That plus the money donated by other members of the church was enough to buy a new van that would last me years, with enough left over to cover some of the expense of making the Rainbow House accessible.

Pressing a button on my keys, the side door of the van opened downward, forming a ramp that I used to wheel into the van. Most wheelchair vans lack a driver’s seat, allowing the driver to wheel their own chair into position and fasten it down. I was advised against this, however, as wheelchairs, no matter how well built, do not fare as well as conventional seats in a crash. I therefore wheeled myself into position behind the driver’s seat and transferred myself into the seat, swiveling it so it faced forward. Buckling myself in, I started the van up and eased the vehicle into reverse, using hand controls to accelerate slowly out of the parking space. The trip to the Rainbow House was a short one and I was soon parking my van in back.

Wheeling my chair up the ramp to the deck and then the back entrance, I wheeled myself into the huge kitchen, which was outfitted with all the latest commercial-grade appliances. In fact, expanding and remodeling the kitchen had been one of the first things done after the house was purchased more than four years back. The renovations were already underway when I had my accident. Unbeknownst to me, once it became apparent that I would need a wheelchair-accessible place to live after I finished rehab, Reverend Slater and Keith came up with plans to make the Rainbow House my new home.

By insulating the original three-car garage and extending it with three large, six-foot deep floor-to-ceiling bay windows where the garage doors had been, they were able to create two accessible bedrooms with a shared accessible bathroom. By creating two new accessible bedrooms, not only was it feasible for me to live there during the renovations, but it would be possible to accommodate a second kid with a disability in the future, should the need arise.

Wheeling myself through a doorway off the kitchen, I entered my bedroom, locked the brakes on my wheelchair and transferred myself onto my bed. After undressing myself down to my boxers, I transferred back onto my wheelchair, grabbed a clean pair of boxers and wheeled myself into the bathroom. After transferring myself onto a shower wheelchair, I catheterized myself to drain my bladder and then wheeled myself into the shower. After I was done, I dried myself off and put on the clean boxers, then transferred myself back onto my wheelchair and wheeled myself back into my bedroom.

No sooner had I donned a pair of running shorts and a pair of sandals than the doorbell rang - the doorbell for the back door. That was strange! Anyone who was coming to the party either had a key or was with someone who had a key, so they certainly wouldn’t bother ringing the doorbell, and anyone else would have gone to the front door. As I was pondering all of this, the bell rang again and, rather than fumbling with the shirt I’d selected to wear, I simply assumed someone had forgotten their keys or something, and wearing a shirt wasn’t really necessary if it was someone I knew.

When I threw open the door, however, on the other side was another kid in a wheelchair! Well, neither of us were really kids. I was twenty and this guy looked to be about my age or maybe a little older. The way he was staring at me, it was obvious he wasn’t expecting someone in a wheelchair, or maybe he just liked what he saw, but that was prolly just my wishful thinking. He might be a cripple like me but, man, was he good looking! Stunningly so.

“Hey, are you Jack?” the guy asked.

Taken aback, I answered, “Yeah, I am, but who are you?”

Laughing - he had a wonderful laugh, and a smile that lit up his face - he responded, “I’m Troy,” as he extended his hand.

Taking it and shaking it firmly, I responded, “It’s nice to meet you, Troy… and I’m sorry about the lack of a shirt… I just got out of the shower… but what can I do for you?”

Getting an even broader smile on his face, he replied, “Believe me, the lack of a shirt is no problem. No problem at all.” By now he was blushing - really, really blushing - and it made him look adorable. God, he was cute.

“To answer your question,” he went on, “I guess no one told you I was coming. Not that you would have been expecting me anyway… I wasn’t supposed to arrive until August, but then my dad got invited to do a visiting professorship in China and my mom decided to go with him for a change, which would have left me on my own for the summer.

“I’ve been in this wheelchair since I was a little kid, and I know well enough how to take care of myself, but there isn’t a whole lot to do for a kid in a wheelchair in Bloomington. So I spoke to Tyler and asked about moving in a little early and maybe working a bit at the Inn to earn some extra money. So here I am!”

Well that sure explained it - not!

“Troy, I hate to be rude, but I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about!” I don’t usually use profanity with strangers, but there was something disarming about this guy. I somehow got the sense he’d be amused by it, particularly after his comment about my shirtlessness, and he was! He broke into gales of laughter. Personally I wasn’t sure why my saying ‘fuck’ was even remotely funny, but I was glad he found it so and I couldn’t help but laugh along with him.

Backing away from the door, I added, “Why don’t you come in and you can fill me in on the details over a coke or, if you’d rather, a beer… assuming you’re old enough,” I added with a wink.

Following me inside as he continued his laughter, he responded, “A coke would be great. Not that I don’t enjoy a cold one… and I am old enough, by the way… I’m 22… but beer can really make me dysreflexic when my bladder gets too full.” Although I didn’t have to worry about dysreflexia, I knew that a lot of guys, quadriplegics and high-level paraplegics, did, and if they let their bladders get too full, they could wind up with a pounding headache or even have a stroke.

“Coke it is,” I replied, as I got us a couple out of the fridge and wheeled over to the large table that dominated one end of the kitchen. There was already a space at the table for me that lacked a chair, and Troy moved one of the other chairs to make room for himself across from me.

“And, for what it’s worth, I can’t drink beer either… not legally anyway,” I added with a wink. “Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about dysreflexia, but I won’t be 21 until next year.”

After a prolonged pause, Troy continued, “So to answer your questions, I grew up in Bloomington, the son of a couple of professors at Indiana University. My father’s the Chair of the economics department and my mom’s a professor in the law school, which is how I got interested in the law myself.

“Anyway, I played a lot of football growing up and was in the Pee-Wee leagues and played on my middle school team. But in the seventh grade, I did something really stupid. I tucked my head when making a tackle, and now I’m a C8 quad. At least I have full use of my hands and my injury’s incomplete, so I can stand a little bit, but that’s about it. I have pretty good feeling below my injury, but not much else works. My bowel, bladder and sexual function are all messed up, which really sucks, no pun intended, ’cause not many guys will even look at me. All they see is the wheelchair and, of course, the first thing they ask is if my equipment works. When they learn that it doesn’t, that’s the end of that.”

“Man, I know exactly what you mean,” I responded, “but that still doesn’t tell me why you’re here. Something tells me you’re here for more than a blind date with me,” I added as I wiggled my eyebrows.

Coloring up, he replied, “Sorry… I guess maybe that did come on a little strong but, in my defense, you did after all, answer the door without wearing a shirt. My mother warned me about your type, showing off your sexy bod, sweet talking me with your use of the ‘F’ word, just so you can get me in the sack.”

“Guilty as charged,” I responded, again wiggling my eyebrows as we both laughed.

Troy continued, “I lived at home all through college. It was so much easier that way as my parents had already made the house accessible, and they were there to help me when I needed it, and with IU nearby, it all worked out pretty good. Except there was a lot I missed out on living off campus. I tried going to all the LGBT events and hanging out at all the cool places, but people either stared or looked away. It made me feel like shit. After a while I just stopped going.

“So, as I was getting near the end and, when I decided to go to law school, my first thought was to go to law school in Bloomington. It would have been convenient, with my mom on the faculty and being able to continue living at home, but then I thought about the last four years and my non-existent social life, and I decided I needed a change. Bloomington’s a great place to be LGBT, but it’s not a very good place for a kid in a wheelchair. Believe me, I know. I’ve been in this chair for nearly ten years and I know the location of every hill and anthill in Bloomington. Indianapolis may not be much better when it comes to accessibility, but at least it’s flat and it has the decided advantage of not being home. It’s close enough that I can go home any weekend, yet it forces me to live on my own. Plus, I still get free tuition at the IUPUI Law School from my parents being on the faculty of IU Bloomington.”

I got a warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart as I realized that Troy would be living here for at least the next few years. I myself was a student at IUPUI, working on a degree in Social Work. Depending on our schedules, we might sometimes be able to ride together. I found his easy-going personality very appealing, and I somehow knew we’d be good friends at the very least. It just seemed like we clicked and I hoped he felt the same.

“So, Jack, other than the fact that you live here and that you’re in a wheelchair,” Troy continued, “I don’t really know anything about you.”

“Well, first of all, I’m a T10 complete para,” I answered. “I crashed my car on an icy pavement when I was barely seventeen, and that was that. Everything feels normal down to just below my navel, and things feel tingly down to my groin, but then I feel nothing further down. My ass, my dick and my legs feel like they’re dead, and I can’t move my legs at all. I do have phantom sensations sometimes, especially at night, but they’re not real. Sometimes it feels like my right leg is sticking straight up in the air when it's really just lying on the bed. That’s just plain freaky, you know?”

“Just about everything about a spinal cord injury is freaky,” Troy agreed, “but it’s not like we have a choice about it. There’s no going back in time. There’s no do-overs and the only alternative isn’t much of an alternative at all.”

“Do you ever think about killing yourself?” I asked. “I mean actually thinking of how you might do it?”

“God, what a question!” Troy responded. “I mean, when I was injured, I was only twelve. No kid that young thinks of their own mortality. I mean, I know some kids that young commit suicide, especially gay kids, but I think most of us at that age can’t even conceive of injuries that don’t go away. ’Course by the time I was fourteen, it was pretty obvious I wasn’t gonna get better, but I had my parents and friends at school and the realization I was gay kinda overshadowed everything else… even the wheelchair.”

“So you didn’t realize you were gay until after you became a quad?” I asked.

Nodding his head, he replied, “Yeah, there I was, this freak adolescent in a wheelchair and, on top of it all, I was gay too. At least I didn’t have to worry about my parents, thank God! Back before the injury, when my dad gave me 'The Talk', he made it clear from the get go that regardless of whether I turned out gay or straight, he and my mom would love me no less.”

“God, you were sooo lucky,” I responded. “My parents are real religious and they freaked. They threw me out on my ass. At least I didn’t have to spend any time on the street. I’d already read about Reverend Slater and his outreach program on-line, so that’s where I headed. He took me in and then he hooked me up with Ricky and Ty, who fostered me, right up until the accident.

“After rehab, I couldn’t go back there. Their house isn’t even remotely accessible. Fortunately, Charlie and Keith had already acquired the Rainbow House and had begun renovating it…”

“Charlie and Keith?” Troy asked.

“Reverend Charlie Slater,” I explained, “and his partner, Keith. So they shifted gears and had their architect draw up plans to make the place accessible, with a couple of accessible bedrooms, an accessible bathroom and accessible living facilities on the main floor in what used to be the garage. I moved in right after rehab, while the renovations were still going on, which made life… interesting for the first several months.”

“But Rainbow House isn’t really a foster home, is it?” Troy asked. “You got a roof over your head and food on the table, but you lost the support you had with Ricky and Ty, didn’t you?”

Sighing, I admitted, “I had to grow up fast, but then life-altering injuries do that to kids, all the time. I mean Ricky and Ty were still a part of my life, as were all my former foster brothers, but from then on I was in charge of my own life. I was still sixteen and on my own.”

Getting a more serious look on his face, Troy asked, “Jack, do you ever think about suicide?”

Before I could respond, however - not that I was sure how to respond - the kitchen door flew open and Will and Terrance ran inside, literally, even though they were still dressed in their suits. Stopping dead in their tracks, Will stated, “Oh my God, Jack’s cloned himself!”

“Come on, guys,” I challenged. “Other than the wheelchair, we don’t look anything alike.”

“He’s just yankin’ your chain, Jackie,” Terrance replied. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I know,” I responded, then went on with, “Guys, this is Troy, from Bloomington. He’s gonna be living in the other accessible bedroom, and he’ll be helping out at the Inn all summer before he starts at the law school in August.” Then, turning to Troy, I added, “Troy, these bozos are Terrance and Will. In case you didn’t guess, they're boyfriends and two of my former foster brothers. They just graduated from Broad Ripple High… today, in fact… and they’ll be helping out at the Inn over the summer too. Then, in the fall, they’ll be heading to New York to learn to be spies.”

“You doofus,” Terrance exclaimed as he cuffed me on the side of my head. Turning to look at Troy, he explained, “We’re going to be going to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park… it's one of the best culinary schools in the world. But the initials are CIA, get it?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Troy answered.

“Then, looking at me, Terrance asked, “So what’s with the shirtless look? Is the party gonna be ‘clothing optional’?”

“God no,” I replied, as I felt my face color up. “That’s all we need, for the neighbors to call the police to stop an orgy going on over here.”

“An orgy! Count me in!” Will exclaimed, earning himself a cuffing to the side of his head from his boyfriend.

“Seriously,” Terrance, went on, “making shirts and shoes optional might not be a bad idea. I mean, it’s really, really hot out for this time of year, you know? It’s already 83 and it's just barely noon. It’ll prolly be over ninety by the time things get underway, and I hate to think how warm it’ll get in here, but everyone’ll keep their shirts on ’cause no one’ll want to be the odd man out without a shirt, except maybe you, Jack,” he said as he looked at me and then added, “but then you’re odd to begin with.”

Sticking my tongue out at Terrance, I responded, “Actually, the only reason I don’t have a shirt on is because Troy rang the bell when I’d just gotten out of the shower. I didn’t have time to grab a shirt and put it on.”

“And here I thought you were an exhibitionist who likes to parade around without a shirt,” Troy interjected, “or maybe that you left your shirt off, just ’cause you wanted a date with me.”

“Actually, I like the sound of that a whole lot better,” I replied, “At least the part about dating you, that is,” which earned me catcalls from Will and Terrance and caused Troy to blush deeply.

“Actually, it’s Brian who’s the real exhibitionist,” Terrance interjected, and then he pulled out his phone and dialed. “Hey Bri?” he went on when the phone was answered, “Some of us were thinking that with it getting so hot this afternoon, maybe we should make the party shirts and shoes optional, you know?… Will suggested making it clothing optional too, but then Jack nixed the idea, the spoilsport… Yeah, I know you like it like that. It’s a wonder Frankie hasn’t blown a gasket… oh he did? With Jack? I didn’t know that,” he went on and I couldn’t help but wonder how my name ended up fitting into the conversation. “So anyway, would you pass it on to everyone?… That’s great, and hurry up. It’s past lunchtime and we’re all starved!”

Ending the call, Terrance said, “So it’s all set. The party’s gonna be shirts and shoes optional.” What the fuck had I started!

“Guys,” I interrupted, “I never intended to go shirtless. It was only because Troy rang the doorbell before I finished getting dressed. I swear. Seriously, I’ve already picked out a shirt to wear to the party.”

“Well you can wear a shirt if you want,” Will interjected, “but Terrance and I will be attending sans shirt and barefoot. What you wear is up to you… and if you’ll excuse us, we need to get dressed… or undressed, as the case may be.”

As Will and Terrance disappeared up the stairs, Troy stated, “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you would look great in whatever you choose to wear, but I wouldn’t mind if you left your shirt off… I wouldn’t mind one bit.” The way he kept blushing was so cute!

“Well if I’m going shirtless, then you’ve gotta go shirtless too,” I challenged Troy as I felt my own face color up.

“You’ve got a deal!” Troy agreed as he reached for the bottom hem of his T-shirt and pulled it up over his head. It was evident, as his smooth torso came into view, that he didn’t have much in the way of trunk muscles, but that was more than made up for by his huge, bulging arm muscles. I couldn’t help but stare, which made him grin back at me.

“So you guys organized a party, just to welcome me?” Troy asked with an innocent look on his face, but then his resolve weakened and he broke into a fit of laughter.

“Jerk,” I replied, and then I drained the last of my Coke, crumpled the empty can and tossed it at him.

“Too bad Will and Terrance aren’t here to witness your violent nature,” Troy responded.

“Yeah, but that violent streak can come in handy in the bedroom,” I countered. I wasn’t sure what came over me. I was never this forward ordinarily.

“Ooh, that sounds like fun… kinda kinky,” Troy replied with a grin.

At that point, Will and Terrance descended the stairs, sounding more like a heard of elephants. Both young men were clad only in the flimsiest of running shorts.

Without missing a beat, Troy said, “I really want to thank you guys for throwing a party in my honor.”

“Thank you very much,” Terrance said, as he took a bow, his long dreadlocks falling in front of his face.

“Actually,” I interrupted, “the party’s in honor of today’s high school graduates. That includes these two bozos, as well as Pete, who should be here any minute.

“Actually, he’ll prolly be on the late side,” Terrance countered. “After all, as the valedictorian, everyone’s gonna want a piece of his time. It might be hard for him to break away.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” I responded.

“So Pete’s the valedictorian?” Troy stated more than asked. “That’s impressive.”

“Yeah,” Will agreed, “and he’s only seventeen. But that’s nothing. His boyfriend, Toby, was the class valedictorian two years ago, at the age of fourteen. Toby’s still only sixteen and he just graduated with highest distinction from Butler University, with a degree in Physics. Next year he starts in the PhD program at MIT, while Pete’ll study molecular biology at Harvard.”

“And they’re getting married in Massachusetts in August,” I added. “Their other roommate, Mustafa, and I will be their best men. They had to go to court, and they're getting legal emancipation, since they couldn’t marry at their age, otherwise.”

“Damn!” Troy exclaimed. “I’m not sure how to relate to super geniuses like that.”

“But they don’t act like super geniuses,” I countered. “You won’t find two more down-to-earth guys… and they make a really cute couple.”

“And we don’t?” Terrance challenged.

“In a different way,” I replied. “You and Will are like chocolate and vanilla. Pete and Toby are more like strawberry and raspberry.”

Getting a thoughtful look on his face, Terrance responded, “You know, that’s a really good analogy.”

“’Course it is,” I agreed. “After all, I thought of it,” which earned me a cuff to the side of my head from Terrance.

“So when are you two getting married?” Troy asked.

“Our scholarships cover room and board,” Will answered. If we were married, we’d have to get an apartment off-campus at our own expense. The Institute has no problem letting us share a dorm room together as roommates, so we'll just have to wait to get married ’til after we graduate.”

“It’s not like we’ll be the only gay couple in the dorms either,” Terrance interjected. “Not by a long shot. New York’s had gay marriage for years. Why can’t they let gay married couples room together?”

“’Cause, from a legal standpoint, then they’d have to let straight married couples room together,” Troy pointed out, “and the religious nuts would all be up in arms about there being co-ed dorm rooms.

“Anyway, maybe I should start bringing in my stuff,” Troy suggested, but then another van drove around back. The doors opened, and out jumped four of the youngest members of Ricky and Ty's foster brood, Billy, Sammy, Brice and Skip. The front doors opened and out stepped Mustafa and his boyfriend, Miguel, who was driving. All of them were barefoot and shirtless.

No sooner had we made all the introductions to Troy, than more cars started arriving. Pretty soon, the house and yard were filled with the boisterous sounds that only teenage boys can make. It was obvious that Brian had gotten the word out, as most everyone was shirtless, and the few that weren’t managed to lose their shirts shortly after their arrival. Conformity seemed to be the rule and, even though I thought some of the guys were really hot, if anything, the sea of skin had a desensitizing effect on me.

There was nothing sexy about being shirtless among several dozen shirtless guys, except for maybe when it came to Troy. Seeing Troy’s naked torso practically made me drool. It wasn’t because Troy was in a wheelchair either. Although there was a definite appeal in having someone who could truly understand what I was going through, it was much more than that. There was something about him - his looks, his personality, his sense of humor and his outlook on life - that I really found appealing.

If Troy and I did manage to get together as more than housemates, I wasn’t even sure what the physical aspects of such a relationship might entail. Neither of us had equipment that worked, so sex in the conventional sense wouldn’t even be possible. Still, as they say, it’s the brain that is the primary sexual organ, and it’s in the brain that we experience pleasure. Regardless, the thought of merely cuddling up with Troy or of sharing a kiss sent shivers down my spine.

A loud cheer went up when Brian and Frankie finally arrived with what must have been a couple hundred pounds of roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, smoked turkey, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, pickles and rye bread from Shapiro’s downtown. On top of that, Ty and Ricky fired up the grill, and soon the back yard was filled with the smells of grilled hamburgers, chicken breasts, hot dogs and veggies. I was starving and wasted little time in pushing my wheelchair through the crowd and grabbing myself some chow. Troy was right behind me.

One thing about being in a wheelchair is that you never need to look for a place to sit. The other kids were using every available surface, be it a ledge, or a table, or even sitting cross-legged on the grass. Troy and I simply wheeled ourselves to an out-of-the-way corner of the yard. As we ate, we talked about a lot of things, but mostly we talked about our experiences living our lives as teenagers and young adults in a wheelchair. Troy might have been at it longer than I had, yet he was no less frustrated than I was at the way people treated us - even those we considered our closest friends.

As we talked, I came to realize just how much I’d isolated myself from everyone else. Before the accident, I’d been very outgoing and enjoyed doing things in groups. I was athletic and involved in team sports. Although not really a party animal, I enjoyed parties and, if there was beer or pot around, I imbibed along with everyone else. Not that I encouraged it, but I was the guy my foster brothers looked up to and went to for advice. What I now realized was that I never really had a close friend - I did things as part of the group and not one-on-one with someone special.

However, after the accident, I’d retreated into myself and pretty much become a loner. There were numerous activities I could have partaken of - wheelchair basketball, for example - but I’d chosen not to. Perhaps it had been because doing so would have been an admission that this was my life now. And, in isolating myself, I’d missed out on so much of what life has to offer, regardless of whether you’re able-bodied or not. In many ways, I got the impression that Troy’s life had been a lot like my own, if not quite so extreme, but now he’d resolved to do something about it.

Could I do the same? Could I finally get rid of the razor blades from under my mattress?

Troy and I also talked about our plans for the summer, and about the Meridian Hills Inn, where we both would be working. He was flabbergasted when I told him that it was once Charlie and Keith’s house. I told him a bit about the Meridian Manour B&B, where we'd all had summer and part-time jobs throughout high school, and went on to give him the history of the Meridian Hills Inn and the founding of the Rainbow House itself.

The Meridian Hills Inn had originally been Keith’s house from back when he was married, and he’d long ago added Reverend Slater to the deed. It was much more house than they needed - it was a mansion - even more so once Keith’s son and his son’s husband moved out. Charlie and Keith had kept it, hoping that their sons would one day return after graduating medical and law school, but instead they’d settled in Burlington and were now firmly entrenched in their practices and in life in Vermont. It was pretty obvious they weren’t returning to Indiana.

So Charlie and Keith decided to sell the house and move to a townhouse on the Central Canal, right in the heart of downtown, but then they realized they had a real opportunity to deal with a problem that had long plagued their gay youth outreach program - how to help gay teens who’d aged out of the foster care system. Far too many of Ricky and Ty’s former foster kids had fallen on hard times or even landed back on the street, but at least Ricky and Ty cared about their kids and had always done what they could to help, within their means. Far too many other foster parents, however, are only in it for the money and won’t even let their kids finish high school with them, although the law says they have to. They throw them out on the street the moment they turn eighteen.

So, after making the decision to sell the place, Charlie and Keith decided to turn it into a place of transition for adult gay teens. It was going to be the original Rainbow House. The problem was that their house wasn’t the right kind of place for what they had in mind. It was a luxurious mansion when the kids just needed a roof over their heads. Although the pool, pool house, tennis court and gym would have been a lot of fun for everyone, the facilities and grounds were expensive to maintain, and it wasn’t clear who was going to pay for it all. On top of that, it wasn’t in a convenient location. Meridian might be one of the city’s busiest streets, but the nearest IndyGo bus stop was nearly a mile away. The guys would need jobs to support themselves and would have classes to attend. How were they gonna get there?

So when Tyler and Ricky heard about Charlie and Keith's plans, they came up with a plan of their own that could not only provide a place for the kids to stay, but provide the jobs they all needed. Armed with a business plan, they approached the Reverend and his partner with a proposal. Under the plan, Charlie and Keith would sell their house to Barbara and Rick, the owners of the Meridian Manour B&B, in exchange for stock in a corporation that would be formed to manage both properties. Tyler and Ricky planned to put up their own money and time to renovate the property, turning it into a high-end guesthouse. Not only would the guesthouse provide jobs for all of us, but it would provide Charlie and Keith, Tyler and Ricky, and Barbara and Rick with a steady source of income in their retirement.

By adding an annex to the main house with an additional ten guest rooms and a dormitory for the staff, the project would be self-sustaining and provide even more jobs for the young adults who would work there, while giving them a cheap, safe place to stay. The annex was designed to be unobtrusive, blending in with the original house and perfectly matching it in style. Even with the annex, the house wouldn’t have been the largest on the street - not by a long shot. The annex was designed to look like it had always been there - like it belonged - but the zoning commission didn’t see it that way. It took nearly two years to reach a compromise that the zoning commission would approve, but it was one that satisfied no one. The annex had to be cut from ten guest rooms to six and plans to build a dormitory for the staff had to be scrapped.

Meridian Hills wasn’t a real town. It wasn’t even incorporated - it was part of the city of Indianapolis. Although not independent of the city, Meridian Hills was extraordinarily affluent, nestled as it was between the exclusive Park Tudor School and Meridian Hills Country Club, and the residents were not about to allow a “monstrosity” to be built within their midst. It was that same attitude that had kept the city from establishing bus routes through the neighborhood, and that would be a major problem, as the kids could hardly afford to buy their own cars. Ricky and Ty had planned to purchase a Lincoln Town Car as a limo to deliver guests to and from the airport and, in a pinch, to get the kids to and from classes at Ivy Tech or IUPUI, but in no way was it adequate to serve as a shuttle bus to get them to and from work. Although the guesthouse would provide jobs for the kids, without a place to live, they’d undoubtedly end up living in some of the city’s worst neighborhoods.

Then Charlie and Keith surprised everyone by buying a large house about a half-mile away, on Central Avenue, just off 71st Street, and donating it to their church’s gay youth outreach program. Because it was across the street from the Park Tudor School, getting a zoning variance wasn’t a problem, either. Hence the Rainbow House was reborn. With six original bedrooms on the main floor and four that had been added in the basement by a previous owner, and three more that Charlie and Keith added in the unfinished attic, Rainbow House was able to serve nearly twice as many young residents as had been planned in the annex, even without the conversion of the garage to accessible bedrooms. There was an enormous kitchen with commercial-grade appliances, a deck and a substantial back yard, not to mention a humongous rec room in the basement. It wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it was a great place for us to make our start in life - to make our transition to independence.

“And all of these things happened because Barbara and Rick found a couple of young gay boys squatting in their home… a home they’d planned to convert to a B&B… and rather than tossing them out on the street, they adopted them and raised them as their own,” I stated in conclusion. “Those boys were Tyler and Ricky, my foster dads.”

“Wow, so many lives… everyone here, practically,” Troy expressed, deep in thought. “It’s almost like it was meant to be.”

“For sure,” I agreed.

A low rumble of thunder reminded us that we were in Central Indiana, where the weather can change in an instant. Noticing that dark clouds were rolling in, and that the wind was picking up, I suggested that we move inside and Troy agreed. Our wheelchairs were weather-resistant, but a soggy cushion can take days to dry fully. The last thing either of us wanted was to get a pressure sore.

Leading the way, I had just passed through the doorway to the kitchen, with Troy hot on my wheels, when the heavens opened up. We barely had time to get out of the way as dozens of soaking wet, shivering, shirtless boys came crashing through the doorway.

Not wishing to be crushed or to have everyone cursing as they tripped over us, I suggested, “Why don’t we go to my room.”

“Lead the way!” Troy readily agreed.

We had to dodge a lot of kids, just to travel the short distance to the former garage, which was right off the kitchen, but soon we pulled through the doorway to my room and Troy closed the door behind us, smiling as he did so.

“Man, I’m glad we’re not still out there!” Troy exclaimed as we looked out the large bay window at what was a torrential downpour. I couldn’t help but agree. Then looking around, he said, “This is a really nice room… and it’s big! There’s enough room to fit another bed in here and still have room for both our wheelchairs.”

My heart skipped a beat, thinking about what he’d said. Did he really mean it?

Seeing the look on my face, he went on to say, “Look, man, I didn’t mean to say I wanted to invade your space or anything. It was just a crazy idea I had…”

“No, no,” I interrupted. “I used to have roommates, back before the accident but, ever since, I’ve been by myself and I’ve kinda gotten used to my privacy. Now… the thought of sharing my room with you… well, I think it would be nice. It’d be great to have someone to talk to all the time, someone with whom I could share my deepest thoughts, someone to do stuff with.” When I realized what I’d just said, I colored up furiously and backpedaled by saying, “Oops, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Well I did,” Troy replied as he, too, blushed deeply, and then went on to say, “Jack, I’ve never dated before… not that I didn’t make the effort, but boys lose interest the moment they see the wheelchair, and even those that can get past it can’t seem to get past the fact that I can’t have sex with them… at least not in the usual way.”

“That does tend to put a damper on things,” I agreed with a smirk.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and I called out, “Come in!”

The door opened and a couple of boys our age that I knew casually, Cory and Jay, walked in.

“Oh, sorry, Jack,” Corry responded, “We didn’t realize you were with someone.”

“That’s OK, Cor,” I replied. “Guys, I’d like you to meet my new roommate, Troy. Troy is gonna be staying here while he goes to law school at IUPUI.” Then, turning to Troy, I added, ”Troy, this is Cory and Jay, a couple of guys from Kokomo, but they now live up in West Lafayette and attend Purdue, where they’re studying to become veterinarians.”

“Nice to meet you guys,” Troy answered as he shook both boys’ hands.

“So where’s your better third?” I asked.

“Better third?” Troy asked.

“Scott’s around here somewhere,” Jay answered, and then he and Corry explained their unusual three-way relationship with a guy ten years older than them, and how they all needed each other in other to have a fulfilling sexual experience.

“So how in the world do the two of you fit in that narrow bed?” Corry asked in a not-too-serious way.

“Troy just got here today,” I explained, “and we were just talking about maybe sharing this room rather than rooming separately. We’d need to move the bed in here from the other bedroom if we did that.”

“Would you like some help with that?” Jay asked.

Looking at Troy and seeing him nod his assent, I responded, “Yeah, we sure would.”

“No problemo,” Corry replied, and then the two of them followed me through the bathroom to the other accessible bedroom, and they made quick work of moving the mattress, box springs and bed frame into my room and setting them up, side-by-side with my own bed in the bay window. There was barely enough room next to each bed to fit a wheelchair but, so long as it was enough to transfer in and out of bed, it would do. While we were at it, we had them move the extra chest and desk into my room as well, setting them up on the long wall with my own. Troy and I would have to share space in the dresser and closet, but that was fine. Even with the extra furniture, there was still plenty of room left for both of us in our wheelchairs. Well… in truth there was only just enough room to get by each other, but that was good enough.

After Corry and Jay had left, Troy began, “You know Jack, Cory, Jay and Scott’s relationship just shows how much more sex is than where you put your dick. It really is all in the mind, you know?”

“Yeah, I do know,” I replied as thoughts of cuddling up with Troy sent my heart racing. “I’ve never had any experience with love, even before the accident. I never really felt love from my parents. Ricky and Ty gave me the first real love I ever had, but romantic love has always been a mystery… a mystery I never thought I’d ever experience in my life. That’s one of the reasons I keep a pack of razor blades under my mattress…”

“That answers my earlier question,” Troy said.

Nodding my head, I answered, “In a way it gives me comfort. I know that if the world ever gets to be too much for me, I’m prepared to take the ultimate escape. I’m prolly too chicken to ever actually do it, though, and I wouldn’t do it without giving myself at least a week to decide in any case. I know that death is final, and suicide is a coward’s way out. I wouldn’t do it unless my life were truly hopeless but, even then, I’d try to get help first.”

Reaching to take my hands in his, Troy looked me right in the eyes and said, “Promise me you’ll get rid of those razor blades, Jack. Please promise me you will. You’re far too beautiful to throw it all away, and you have so much to live for. If you ever do decide to take your life, promise you’ll come to me first. No matter what I’m doing or how far away I am, I’ll drop everything and come running… or rather wheeling. Promise you’ll wait for me…”

Looking at Troy and the sincerity expressed in his eyes, I knew I could never hurt myself without also hurting him - and God, I never wanted to hurt him - and so I replied, “I promise.”

“We’re getting rid of those tonight… agreed?” Troy asked.

“Agreed,” I answered, and then continued, “The thing is, I don’t really know what love is, but I’ve had these feelings ever since I saw you at the door, and these feelings have only gown stronger throughout the afternoon.”

Getting the sweetest smile in his face - what I might call an angelic smile - Jack responded, “I used to think love at first sight was just the stuff of fairy tales… pun intended,” he said with a laugh, “but my heart skipped a beat when I saw you, shirtless at the door. What I’ve seen since is that your true beauty… lies within. Jack, I know it’s prolly too soon to say this but my heart tells me it’s true. I love you, Jack.”

My own heart fluttered with those words and I added, “I love you too, Troy, and I think… no, I know I want to spend my life with you.”

I tried moving my chair alongside Troy’s, but my attempts to kiss him while seated, each in our own wheelchairs, proved fruitless and we both ended up laughing hysterically. “Perhaps we should move to our beds,” I suggested and Troy readily agreed.

I learned a lot that afternoon and evening as Troy and I cuddled together, skin against skin in bed. I learned that merely being with someone and talking is the most important part of a relationship. I learned that cuddling is almost as much fun as sex, and that making out can be even hotter. I learned that I actually can experience something that feels every bit as intense as an orgasm, even though it doesn’t involve my dick. And I learned that with Troy, I had everything I would ever need.

We continued cuddling together as we watched a movie and, as the evening approached, the rain slowed, the clouds parted and the sun came out to reveal the most beautiful rainbow I’d ever seen, right outside my bedroom window - our bedroom window. Pausing the movie, I reached under my mattress and pulled out the pack of razor blades that I knew was there. With a flick of the wrist, I tossed them across the room, where they landed perfectly, right in the wastebasket. I turned and smiled at my beautiful boyfriend and stroked his bare chest, then cuddled up with him as we went back to watching the movie.