319 Winesap Lane - 21. Chapter 21 - The Things You Do For Love

Billy’s POV

When I woke up Saturday morning I lay in my bed wondering how long I could stay under the covers until absolutely having to get up. I looked over at my alarm clock and saw it was already seven-thirty. Today was the day that Per said he might come over if his parents gave him permission to do so. Also, Per’s brother Jens said he might come over to rearrange my face because I’d taken a liking to Per. I didn’t know if the threat was still valid because Jens seemed to be a meathead with the smallest amount of intelligence.

I pushed off the bedcovers and sat up. My morning wood was making a nuisance of itself considering my bladder was definitely trying to bring my attention to it. To beat off or attempt a piss seemed to fight for my base desires. I thought of what Per did yesterday after school when he cornered me in the boy’s restroom down by the library and said his parents might give their permission for him to come over on Saturday. He said he was looking forward to our little shaving party and the thought of that made my cock throb to the increasing beat of my heart.

I pulled off my t-shirt and pushed my sleep shorts down to my ankles. I lay back on the bed and took ahold of my cock. I knew I should wait until I got in the shower, but my immediate need overruled logic. I started slow all the while remembering the feel of Per’s cock yesterday afternoon in one of the stalls in the boy’s restroom. I had been sitting on the toilet seat staring at Per’s cock sticking out of his khakis. As I stroked my cock I thought back to stroking him until I took him into my mouth. Having had oral sex with Anson I knew what to do and took Per fully into my mouth. Surprisingly he began to fuck my face—something Anson had never done—and I focused on keeping a firm grip on his cock with my right hand while my left rested on his ass, helping with his thrusts into my mouth.

Finally, I felt his ass muscles tighten as he tried to drive his cock down my throat. I gripped his cock as hard as I could and felt his come pulse onto my tongue. I kept him in my mouth until he pulled out on his own. I looked down at my cock in my right hand and watched my morning come shoot out onto my belly. I sank my head into my pillow and tried to remember the taste of Per’s come. There was a fishy taste in my mouth, which could only have come from having Per’s come fill my mouth.

After a while, I became fully aware of the need in my bladder and got up from the bed. I looked down at my cock and watched a bead of come drop from my piss slit and plop onto my right foot. I stared at it and then reached down and took it up on my forefinger. I stared at it until finally putting in my mouth, savoring the sweet, acrid taste.

Knowing I had to get up for breakfast, I went into the shower. I got in and adjusted the temp until I could wash the come off my belly and feet. I soaped up and washed my body trying not to give me a hard-on, which would delay me getting out from under the hot water. After washing and rinsing my hair, I turned off the water and stepped out of the tub. I quickly dried my body and looked at my armpits. I spread some shaving soap on each one and then shaved each one in turn. As I was doing it I hoped Per would want me to help him shave not only his armpits, but also his pubes and ass.

Eventually, I finished in the bathroom and went into my bedroom. I didn’t want to dress too enticing for Per, but I selected a pair of black skinny jeans just to show him that I was willing to dress in a way that was slightly erotic. I stood in front of the mirror adjusting my package until it was fully visible to anyone who was looking for a boy who was advertising his sexuality. I selected a skin-tight tie-dyed Grateful Dead t-shirt Anson gave me for my thirteenth birthday. I slipped into my blue thongs and went out my door making certain the door was locked. I definitely didn’t want that new kid David going into my room, even though I didn’t have anything of value. It was simply the principle of the thing.

As I went down the stairs I saw Erik lying on the floor at the bottom. I hurried down the stairs and asked what had happened. Jamie said that David had tripped Erik when he was going down the stairs. He told me to go to the kitchen so that Mr. Johnson wouldn’t be alone with the little fucker; I suppose because he thought the brat might say things about Mr. Johnson that weren’t true.

When I got in the kitchen Mr. Johnson was on the phone while David was sitting in the dinette. I sat down opposite him and said, “How’s it going?”

“Fuck you!” he said.

“I see,” I said and got up and went over to where Mr. Johnson was talking on the phone.

He looked at me with the strangest expression, but I just smiled.

“Just a minute, Billy,” he said and then to me he said, “I’m expecting some boys over for breakfast. We’ll be having fried eggs, bacon, and hotcakes. Get two dozen eggs out of the cold box in the pantry, two packages bacon out of the fridge, and set up the mixer on the counter. If you can, check out a recipe for buttermilk pancakes in one of the recipe books and set up the ingredients for me. Can you do that?”

“Sure, no problem,” I said. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Keep an eye on David; he seems to have become a thorn in the workings of the house.”

I looked over at David, but he was staring at his lap. I suspected that Mr. Johnson was arranging for David to be moved to another residence, but held my comments lest I complicate the situation. I went into the pantry and got the right number of eggs, plus a few extra because I knew there would be some boys who might want more. I went to the fridge and took out the bacon. I set up the mixer and took out my cell and looked up a recipe for buttermilk pancakes. I went back into the pantry and retrieved five more eggs.

“I’ve got the ingredients for the pancakes,” I said.

“Good, I’m taking David out to the foyer to wait on Bill Daniels,” Mr. Johnson said. “You just wait until I come back.”

“Sure thing, sir,” I said.

* * *

I set out the ingredients for the pancakes and then sat down in the dinette. There wasn’t much else to until the boys Mr. Johnson said were coming for breakfast arrived. I wondered if Per would be by, but, also, I worried that Jens might show up. He seemed to be the kind of boneheaded boy who would come over no matter what his brother told him about our relationship. I sighed and wondered what was happening out in the foyer. I’d heard the ambulance arrive, but Mr. Johnson told me to stay in the kitchen until the boys he invited over for breakfast arrived. There wasn’t much I could do so I laid my head on my forearms and eventually fell asleep.

Sometime later I felt somebody nudge my shoulder. I tried to ignore the physical interruption to my dream that had something to do with Per and David, but it became more insistent.

“Huh, whazz up?” I mumbled.

“Come on, William, wake up,” a voice said.

I opened my eyes, but all I could see was my forearms. I wanted to go back to sleep, but someone’s hand nudged my shoulder, again.

“Okay, William, time to get up and get busy making breakfast for these boys,” a voice I slightly recognized as Jerry’s said.

“Go away, I want to sleep,” I said.

“Uh, uh, not going to happen,” Jerry said. “You’ve got some boys here who want breakfast and Geoff said you’re going to do it.”

I sat up and looked around the kitchen. Besides Jerry, there was his sometime boyfriend Gerry; plus, two boys who looked like offensive linemen on the football team. I got up and went to the cooktop where I took down a twelve-inch iron skillet from the overhead rack and put it on one of the burners. I turned the heat up to medium high and waited.

“What are you doing?” Jerry asked.

“Waiting for the skillet to get hot,” I said.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked.

“Pretty much; why, do you want to help?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Start the mixer and make the pancake batter.”

“How do I do that?” Jerry asked with a bewildered look.

“I can help with that,” one of the football players said.

“No! You guest. You cannot help. You can’t!” Jerry said.

“Jerry, he’s only offering his assistance,” I said. “I think he knows how. What is your name?”

“He is Ken and other boy is Paul,” Jerry said. “You know Gerry, right?”

“Yes, I know Gerry. Jerry why don’t you sit down in the dinette with Gerry and Paul while Ken and I make breakfast.”

“You think that is okay?” Jerry asked.

“Yes, I think it is fine,” I said

“Is he okay?” Ken asked.

“Yeah, he’s harmless,” I said. “You just have to realize he was shot in the head and still suffers from the brain damage.”

I showed Ken the recipe I wanted to use and he went about gathering the ingredients. I tested the frying pan and began laying in strips of thick bacon. “When did you learn how to cook?” I asked.

“My mother brought me into the kitchen when I was ten,” Ken said. “Now, I’m expected to figure out menus, go grocery shopping, and prepare dinner during the week when I’m not working at the grocery store. My two sisters who are one year and three years younger than me do the nights I can’t. Mom prepares the meals on the weekends, but we’re expected to help.”

“That sounds nice. I kind of wish I had the family situation you have.”

“You had it pretty rough then?”

“After mom died I was raised by a neighbor. Mom was okay, but was from the sticks and had a weird point of view on everything.”

“So, why exactly are me, Paul, and Gerry here today?”

“Do you know Jens Lund?”

“Yeah, he’s a linebacker on the football team and shotputs and throws the javelin on the track team. He seems fairly tolerant of gays. Is there something we’re missing?”

“He’s taken an exception to my interest in his brother.”

“Oh, yeah, that fairy kid. Per’s his name, right?”

“He’s not a fairy. It’s just a defense against kids who think he’s gay.”

“But he is gay.”

“I didn’t say it was logical.”

“So, how do you see this playing out today? Do you really think Jens is actually going to come over here and try to beat you up?”

“I don’t know anymore. Now that I’ve learned he’s Per’s brother, Per might try to stop him from doing anything. However it turns out, you guys get a free breakfast.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“Don’t thank me. This was all Mr. Johnson’s idea.”

Jamie and Steve walked into the kitchen and went over to the dinette.

“Jamie, could you get the plates down and the silverware out,” I said. “I think we should do this buffet-style. See how much orange juice we have and put it into some pitchers. If need be, go ahead and mix up some more, if you think it’s needed.”

“Who died and made you head of the family?” Jamie asked.

“Mr. Johnson told me to make breakfast, but if you don’t want to help you’re free to tell him you’ve got other arrangements planned.”

“Hey, don’t get snippy with me.”

“You two stop arguing, we have guests,” Jerry yelled.

“Okay, fine! Have it your way,” Jamie said. He went over to the linen cabinet and brought out a small orange themed tablecloth and some green woven placemats. “Steve come here and help me.”

“What do you want?” Steve asked.

“Here take this and help me fold it,” Jamie said.

“I can’t stretch my arms so far apart,” Steve complained.

“I’ll help,” Paul said, slipping out of the dinette. “What do you want to do.”

“Fold it so that it will lay across the counter,” Jamie said.

The boys stretched out the tablecloth and folded it in ever decreasing widths. Finally, Jamie walked up to Paul and took the diminished tablecloth. He laid it up on the counter and smoothed it out. He laid the plates, silverware, and napkins on the end of the tablecloth; and, then went to the refrigerator where he took out the two containers of orange juice. He poured each container into pitchers, which he had retrieved from the cabinet. There were only one and a half pitchers, so he went to the freezer and took out a container of condensed orange juice. He squeezed the orange juice concentrate into a pitcher and filled it with cold water. He took the electric hand mixer out of one of the tool drawers and began mixing the orange juice.

I finished with the bacon and waited until Ken started making pancakes on the gridle. Then I cracked a couple eggs into the bacon fat followed by four more. I splashed the hot bacon grease over the eggs until there was an opaque film over each egg. Then I flipped them over for a moment until turning them out onto an empty plate; after which I broke six more eggs into the frying pan. As before I splashed the hot bacon grease over the eggs and then flipped them over for a moment until taking them out and layering them on the plate.

Finally, between me, Ken, and Jamie we had breakfast all set up on the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. “Jamie, could you go out and see if Mr. Johnson is coming in for breakfast?” I asked.

“He said he’ll be in once Mr. Daniels takes David.”

“Okay, everybody, come on up and get your breakfast,” I said.

“Do we have any syrup and butter for the pancakes?” Jerry asked.

“Oh, sorry, guess we forgot about that,” Jamie said. “I’ll take care of it.”

We all sat down in the dinette until we heard the sound of the front doorbell. Jamie looked at me and I excused myself from the others. I went out to the front door immediately noticing that Erik was no longer in the foyer and Mr. Johnson and David weren’t there either. I opened the door and saw Per smiling at me. Mr. Johnson and David were out at Mr. Daniels old Explorer.

“Where’s Jens?” I asked.

“Dad put him on restriction when he found out he threatened you,” Per said. “Can I come in?”

“Sure, we having breakfast,” I said. “Have you eaten?”

“A bowl of cereal and some chopped peaches.”

“We have eggs, bacon, and pancakes.”

“Really? Why?”

“There are some boys who came over in case Jens showed up.”

“What are they here for?”

“I think they were going to show him the light of his erroneous ways.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Come on in, I’ll introduce you.”

* * *

After breakfast Per and I went up to my room. He sat on my bed and I sat beside him, a decent distance away. He looked at me as if I was some sort of mythological creature, or, at least, that was my impression of the look he gave me. He gave me a half smile and then turned away.

“What?” I asked.

“Oh, you know, what we talked about the other day about shaving the hair on our bodies,” Per said. He looked at his lap as he rested his hands over his package, which wasn’t all that obvious.

“Do you want to?” I asked.

“Do we have to have sex if we do that to each other?” he asked.

“I don’t see why we should,” I said. “We can if you want, but I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Should I take off my clothes?”

“That will make it easier.”

“Okay, I’ll do that,” he said. He pulled off his wrist length sweater and I saw scars across his forearms.

“What are these?” I asked as I softly ran my fingers over the seams.

“I’m a cutter,” Per said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, still focused on the scar tissue on his arms.

“When I don’t feel well I cut myself,” he said. “I go to a psychiatrist for it.”

“Dr. Finklemann?” I asked.

“No, the other psychiatrist in his office.”

“I don’t think we should do this if it’s going to cause you to cut yourself,” I said.

“No, it’s okay. I want to do this, for you.”

We took off our clothes almost in unison. Once we were naked we went into the bathroom where I turned on the water in the shower. Per looked at me, but I ignored him and got the water to a comfortable temperature. I set out two multiblade razors and some shaving gel. He looked at me questionably and I pushed him under the warm water.

As he hadn’t done his armpits, I concentrated my efforts there. After a few moments of rinsing his pits, I spread some shaving gel under his arms. While stretching his skin I drew the razor over his skin and then rinsed the area. It was as smooth as I wanted and I said, “Here, feel under your arms. What do you think?”

“Wow! That’s totally kinky,” Per said.

“Okay, I’m going to shave your pubes and balls and then you can do mine,” I said.

“How’re you going to do that?” he asked.

“I’ll pull your skin taut with my left hand and shave you with my right hand. I read how to do it online. Are you ready?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

I started with his pubes being certain not to nick his shaft. Up close, I was surprised at the amount of Per’s hair. He didn’t have a love trail, but there was a significant amount of hair around his shaft and down onto his balls. I used extra shave gel, water, and stretching of the skin to ensure I was only taking hairs. After finishing with his pubes, shaft, and balls, I worked back into his perineum, which didn’t have that much hair, but did have a definite seam marking the middle of the skin reaching back from this balls to his hole.

“Turn around,” I said.

“Why?” Per asked.

“So, I can shave your hole.”

“Is that necessary?”

“Per, I’ve already shaved you dick and your balls; why shouldn’t I go further?”

“Oh, alright, but be careful.”

There wasn’t that much hair back there, so it didn’t take very much time until he was as smooth as when he was a baby. I let the water fully rinse him and then I put my lips against his hole. Without too much thinking, I slipped my tongue along his crease and softly probed his hole.

“What are you doing?” Per asked.

“Getting to know you; do you have a problem with this?”

“No, but it feels weird. Do I have to do that to you?”

“Not if you don’t want to,” I said as I looked at his hole.

“Maybe, I’ll just suck your cock.”

“Okay, do whatever you want,” I said. “Have you done that before?”

“Yeah, when we were living in Rochester, I sucked an older guy.”

“How much older?”

“I think he was in college. He was nice to me; gave me money when I sucked him and let him fuck me.”

“Per, that’s abuse! Didn’t you report him?”

“To who? It was my word against his; and, he was nice to me. Like I said, he gave me money when we had sex.”

“How old were you when this happened?” I asked as I stood up.

“Oh, eleven, maybe twelve. I don’t know. I don’t think it really matters. Does it matter to you?”

“No, we all carry our own baggage, I suppose.”

I felt his smooth cock and thought of what it would feel in my mouth. I said, “Go ahead and get down on your knees so you can shave me.”

“What do I have to do?” he asked.

“Spread the shaving gel on me; and, then stretch my skin with one hand and shave me with the razor in your other hand. Try to keep the blade aligned with my hairs so I don’t get ingrown hairs. Okay?”

“Sure, thing. Do want me to suck you off while I’m down here?”

“Why don’t you wait until you’re done and we can do it on my bed,” I said seductively.

“Oh, yeah, that sounds better. Are you ready?”

“Yeah, just remember to go slow.”

“Do you want me to do your hole?”

“Yeah, if you’re willing.”

“I’m not going to kiss it,” he said. “I don’t want to do that kind of stuff.”

“Don’t worry; okay?”

“Okay.”

After he finished and got out of the shower, I offered some body lotion and Per took the bottle from me. He knelt in front of me and said, “I’ll do you and then you can do me.”

Finally, we were out on my bed lying down facing each other. I stared into Per’s eyes wondering if we could become boyfriends. For some reason, I wasn’t worried about what the other kids at school might say. Maybe, that was because I was falling in love with Per, but did I want to go that far so early in our relationship?

“What are you thinking about?” Per asked.

“You.”

“What about me?”

“I don’t know if I can explain it. I like you and I think it’s becoming something more than that.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“Of course,” I said as I felt his lips meet mine. In a moment, his tongue was in my mouth and suddenly I was back to those times when I was with Anson. I answered his kiss and felt his hand on my cock, which grew in the pressure of his fingers. I felt his hard cock slip between my thighs and begin to slowly thrust.

Suddenly, totally unexpectedly, there was a soft knock at my door. Per froze. I said, “What? Who is it?”

“It’s Steve. Mr. Johnson wants you and Per to come down for lunch, if you want.”

“Okay, tell him we’ll be down in a little bit,” I said.

“Who’s that?” Per asked.

“A new resident, he’s only nine,” I said.

There was another soft knock followed by a voice, “Can I come in?”

“No, we’re not dressed,” I said. “We’ll be out in a bit.”

“They took David away and I’m alone now,” Steve said. “What am I going to do?”

“Come on, let’s get dressed,” Per said. “He needs you to comfort him.”

I put on my whitey-tighties and some shorts. I looked at Per and he was in his blue striped boxer briefs. I opened the door and Steve stood there with the saddest face. He’d been crying.

“Come in,” I said.

“Were you guys doing sex things?” Steve asked.

“That’s none of your business,” Per said.

“Don’t get mad; I was only asking,” Steve said. “I can do sex things if you want. David taught me how to do lots of things. You can put your stiffy in my bottom, if you want.”

“Steve! Don’t talk like that,” I said.

“But, David did that to me and you can, too.”

“Oh, Jeez, Billy, you’ve got to talk to the supervisor of this home,” Per said. “Steve here definitely needs some psychological help.”

“Don’t tell on me! David said they’ll send me to jail.”

“That’s not going to happen, Steve,” I said. “You stay here with Per and I’ll be back in a little while.”

Steve started crying and Per took him into his arms. I looked at them before going out the door and shutting it. I went down the stairs and started to look for Mr. Johnson. Finally, I found him in the kitchen where he was supervising Jerry on the making sandwiches.

“Sir? Can I interrupt?” I asked.

“What’s up?” he said.

“Go away, we are making sandwiches for lunch,” Jerry said.

“Jerry, hush, I want to see what Billy wants,” Mr. Johnson said.

“Sir? Can you come upstairs to my room?” I said. “Steve needs you.”

“What about sandwiches?” Jerry asked. “You tell me to make sandwiches and now Billy person wants you to go upstairs. What am I to do?”

“You wait until I get back,” Mr. Johnson said.

“But, where?” Jerry asked.

“Sit in the dinette,” Mr. Johnson said. “Billy, would you mind staying with Jerry?”

“Okay, no problem,” I said. On my way over to the dinette I grabbed one of Jerry’s sandwiches. He glared at me.

“Sandwiches for lunch,” he said.

“Okay, I’m having lunch,” I said and then bit into the baloney, cheese, pickle, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. “Hey, this is good. Thanks.”

“What is wrong upstairs?” Jerry asked.

“I rather not say, but Steve was abused by his brother.”

“He hit him?”

“No, it wasn’t physical.”

Jerry came over to the dinette and sat across from me. He had the strangest face. It was as if he was trying to figure out how one nine-year-old boy could abuse his twin brother without being physical.

“Did he do sexual things to Steve?” Jerry asked.

“Yes, everything.”

“It is good we got rid of him. Do you think I should comfort Steve?”

“Only if you can stop him from offering his body to you for sexual purposes,” I said. I stared into Jerry’s eyes until he turned away from my inquiring gaze.

“Yes, maybe later,” Jerry said. “Is sandwich good?”

“Yes, thank you for making it.”

“When I stopped that man from shooting you, are you okay with that?”

“Jerry, I will be forever in your debt for what you did for me.”

“Okay, thanks. I like you, you know.”

“I like you too.”

“I am too old to have sex with you.”

“Jerry, I’m not interested in having sex with older boys,” I said and then smiled.

He smiled back and then looked down at the table and said, “Maybe, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I think it’s just good that we’re simply friends.”

“Yes, friends.”

* * *

Per finally came downstairs and into the kitchen. He stood at the door as if uncertain what to do.

“Geoff made sandwiches,” Jerry said. “What do you want to drink?”

“What do you have?”

“Oh, cola, root beer, lemon-lime, lemonade, iced tea, and soda water—it’s from France. I can’t imagine why Geoff wants to drink French water. We have sparkly water here.”

“I’d like some of that cola drink.”

“It’s in the fridge,” Jerry said. “Glasses are in the cabinet above the sandwiches. If you want ice you can put your glass in the ice maker in the door and press the ice button.”

“What do I put my sandwich on?” Per asked.

“Oh, yes, uh, plates are behind you in the overhead cupboard. We usually just use a napkin. They are beside the sandwiches.”

“Well, who am I to something out of the ordinary.”

I watched Per as he made up his lunch and poured his drink into a glass. He came over to the dinette, placed his sandwich and drink on the table, and slipped in beside me.

“Hi, you seem to have figured it all out,” I said.

“Yeah, I guess,” Per said.

“You and Billy are boyfriends, yes?” Jerry said.

“Well, I suppose we are after what we did in Billy’s bathroom,” Per said.

“What did you do?” Jerry asked pointedly.

“We shaved each other,” I said.

“Your faces?”

“No, further down,” Per said.

“Why did you do that?”

“I suppose because it seemed the thing to do,” I said.

“Did you do everything?”

“Yep, front and back,” Per said.

“Oh, my! But, why?” Jerry asked anxiously.

“I don’t know, maybe we just want to make a statement,” I said.

“Yeah, most kids assume we’re gay so we might as well fulfill the stereotype,” Per said.

“I don’t understand,” Jerry said. “I’m going to the reading room and study this.”

He got out to dinette and left the kitchen. Per looked at me questioningly and I said, “He just can’t figure some things out sometimes.”

“What are we going to do the rest of the afternoon until dinner time?” Per asked.

“Well, we could go up to my room and make-out if you want,” I said.

“Would you like to go over to my house and meet my mom?” Per asked. “My dad is working so you won’t be able to meet him.”

“What’s he do?”

“He’s a sergeant on the Syracuse Police Department.”

“And, he doesn’t mind you being gay?”

“No, why should he?”

“I’m not used to parents being okay with their kids being gay,” I said.

“Eh! Dad’s from the old country; you know, Europe. He doesn’t see anything wrong with me being gay.”

“Wow, and he’s a policeman, too?” I said.

“Sure, why not?”

“Per, you’ve got one crazy life situation.”

Mr. Johnson walked into the kitchen with Steve in tow. He helped the boy make his lunch and brought him over to the dinette.

“What do you two have cooked up for this afternoon?” Mr. Johnson asked.

“We were thinking of going over to Per’s house for a while,” I said. “He wants to introduce me to his mother.”

“Could you take Steve with you? Jamie’s gone off with Curt.”

“Sure, no problem,” I said. “What were you planning for dinner and when should we be back?”

“Well, I’ll have to go down to the hospital in Newark to check on Erik so I thought clam chowder, coleslaw, and garlic toast would be appropriate,” he said. “Jamie said he’ll be back around five; if you can be back before then, I’d appreciate it.”

“Sure thing, sir.”

“Good; oh, and I have to go talk to Bill Daniels about Steve’s placement here at the house.”

“You’re not going to send me away, too, are you?” Steve asked, worriedly.

“No, we just have to ensure that David no longer abuses you.”

“Does that mean I won’t see him ever again?” Steve asked with dread in his voice.

“Steve, we discussed this and you know what David was doing to you wasn’t right,” Mr. Johnson said. “We have to ensure you’re protected from his advances on your person.”

“But, David is my brother!” Steve wailed.

“Steve, remember what we talked about,” Mr. Johnson said. “Don’t you remember we discussed that David was abusing you for his own satisfaction. He wasn’t doing anything that you might feel was pleasurable. Do you remember what I said about that?”

“Yes, but he’s still my brother.”

“Unfortunately, that’s true,” Mr. Johnson said. “I’m going to get you into some counselling so that you can learn how to deal with this. Is that okay with you?”

“I don’t know,” Steve said sadly.

“Billy, I want you to be with Steve as much as possible; okay?” Mr. Johnson said.

“Sure thing, sir,” I said.

“Okay, do you have your key to the house?” he asked.

“Uh, huh.”

“Okay, lock up before you leave.”

Mr. Johnson left, leaving me, Per, and Steve eating our lunch. I couldn’t quite accept his trust in me, but it was there before me and I had to acquiesce to his desire or give into baser thoughts. I chose the former. We three ate in silence and, finally, Steve said, “I’m finished; what do I do?”

“Clean up your place and put your napkin in the wastebasket,” I said.

Without saying anything he wiped up his place setting and got up and threw his napkin in the wastebasket. He took his glass to the sink, rinsed it out, and put it in the dishwasher. Finally, he came back to the dinette and sat down.

Per and I finished with our sandwiches and drinks. Steve took our napkins and cleaned up our place settings; and, then took our napkins and glasses over to the counter where he put the napkins in the wastebasket and our glasses in the dishwasher. I looked at him and tried to imagine him in my bed, but for some reason that image would not become clear in my mind, which was probably just as well.

“Are you guys ready to go over to Per’s house?” I asked.

“Yeah, come on let’s go,” Per said.

“Do I have to go with you guys?” Steve asked.

“I can’t leave you alone in the house,” I said. “Either you come with us or we stay here.”

“Oh, okay, if you say so,” Steve said.

I locked up the house and the three of us headed towards Per’s house. At first, we headed toward the high school, but just as we reached the cross street in front of the school Per headed toward the college. After a few blocks, he turned north and then east so that we were behind the college on a street that I’d never been on. The one thing I noticed was that at each intersection there was a clear view of Lake Ontario. Eventually, we crossed to the other side and Per led us up on the front porch of what must have been a Victorian-era house. He opened the door and cried out, “Mama, I’m home.”

We went into the house and eventually ended up in the kitchen where there was a woman who was probably middle-aged. She said, with a mild accent which I assumed to be Norwegian, “Per, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to spend the day with your friend.”

“We have some time before supper,” Per said. “So, I thought I’d bring Billy over here to meet you.”

“And, who is this little boy?” she asked.

“This is Steve; he lives at the house.”

“Oh, hello Steve. I’m very happy to make your acquaintance. And, who is this other boy? Is he your boyfriend?”

“Yes, this is Billy.”

“How do you do, Mrs. Lund,” I said.

“Very nice to meet you, Billy,”

“Per, are you and Billy close?”

“Well, Mama, you see, we’re getting close.”

“That’s good, if you need any help be sure to ask. I’m sure your father or I can help you get through this time in your life.”

“Come on guys, let’s go up to my room,” Per said.

Steve and I followed Per through the house until we came to a staircase. He went up quickly probably because he was used to the tread ratio, but Steve and I had a little difficulty because the steps were rather steep and the treads were not as wide as we might have expected. Per held the door to his room open and as I went through I saw: “WARNING! GAY BOY INSIDE!”, printed in large black letters on the door.

“Does that help?” I asked.

“Does what help?” Per asked.

“That sign on your door.”

“Oh, my papa put that on there. It’s a joke.”

“It’s a pretty sick joke,” I said.

“Nah, you don’t know my papa. He’s going to be really impressed that you got me to shave my pubes and ass.”

“You’re going to tell him?” I asked aghast at the possibility.

“Sure, why not?”

“Because what we did was very personal between us.”

“Yeah, but you see I don’t have any secrets as far as my parents are considered.”

“Did you guys shave all your hairs down there?” Steve asked.

I looked at Steve and realized I’d forgotten his presence. Maybe, we’d gone too far as he was concerned.

“Yeah, we shaved each other, front and back,” Per said. “Isn’t that cool?”

“I don’t know; it seems kinda weird to me,” Steve said.

“That’s because you’re still too young to appreciate what we did,” Per said.

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Steve said. “Are you guys going to kissing? Because, if you are, I’m going back downstairs.”

“Billy?” Per asked.

“No, I think we might as well go back to 319, if it’s all the same to you,” I said.

“How about we play a game first,” Per said. “I have got Sorry!. It should be okay for the three of us.”

“Okay, how about you, Steve?” I said.

“Okay, if it isn’t too hard,” Steve said.

“It’s about as simple as it gets,” Per said.

* * *

Eventually, we were back at the foster home before five. The front door was open and we went in.

“Who’s there,” Jamie called out from the kitchen.

“It’s just us,” I said.

“And, who are you?”

“Come on, Jamie, I’m Billy and I have Per and Steve with me,” I called out.

“How was I to know?” Jamie said as he walked out of the kitchen.

“Well, who wouldn’t it be?” I asked.

“One never knows,” Jamie said. “Come on into the kitchen and help me prepare dinner.”

“What are we having?” I asked.

“Mr. Johnson wants to have clam chowder, but I thought we’d have fillets of salmon, coleslaw, baked beans, baked potatoes, and baked dinner rolls.”

“All that? What are you some kind of chef or something?”

“No, but it’s about all I know how to cook,” Jamie said. “So, if you want to help that’s okay; otherwise, stay out of the way and I’ll take care of it on my own.”

“Come on, Jamie, you know all of us are willing to help with dinner,” I said. “I can make a killer coleslaw, but what about the baked beans, are there some in pantry?

“Yeah, Mr. Johnson got some the last time he went to the grocery store. Per, can you prepare the baked potatoes?”

“Sorry, no.”

“I can,” Steve said. “I can make them in the microwave.”

“Cool, so Per can you warm the beans on the range?” Jamie asked.

“I suppose, Mama doesn’t allow us kids in the kitchen. Will you supervise?”

“Per, what are you going to do when you go off to college?” I asked.

“Who said anything about going off to college. There’s one across the street.”

“Oh, yeah, there is that,” I said.

We went about our assumed tasks until Mr. Johnson eventually came into the kitchen with Erik and Jerry. He said, “How’s dinner progressing?”

“Everything should be done on time,” Jamie said.

“Okay, Jerry and I are going to set the table in the screened porch. If any of you need help be sure to let me know.”

Everybody worked on their portions of the dinner and I tried not to watch what Per was doing and especially tried to ignore what Jamie was doing. I was surprised Curt was not included in our dinner party. Eventually, the salmon came out of the oven followed by the baked potatoes from the microwave. Jamie took it upon himself to divvy up the portions of salmon, baked potato, baked beans, coleslaw, dinner rolls to each dinner plate. Jamie and Per took out the plates to the screened porch and when each place setting was filled they asked all of us what we wanted to drink.

The dinner was weird because Jerry was talking about all sorts of odd conspiracy theories and Erik kept trying to interrupt Jerry when those theories seemed to involve him. Once we finished with our dinner, Mr. Johnson served ice cream.

Finally, I found myself out on the front porch alone with Per. I said, “It was fun that you came over.”

“Yeah, especially the shaving part.”

“Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Maybe, I don’t know; we do things on Sunday after church. Send me a text and I’ll let you know if Papa is off work.”

“You’re the best, best friend I’ve ever had,” I said.

“Yeah, me too,” he said before he kissed me and turned. He went down the steps and disappeared into the darkness.”