The Acquittal - 7. Chapter 7

Jacob didn’t get his wish as far as getting out of the hospital when he wanted. It wasn’t until Monday afternoon when Kyle and his father pulled up at the house with Jacob resting as comfortably as possible in the back seat. Next to David’s SUV, Troy and Andy’s cars were parked as all three young men stood there waiting as David shut the engine off. Troy moved to the side of the SUV and opened the door for Jacob while Kyle and his dad swung their doors open.

“How are you feeling,” Troy asked Jacob as he watched the dark haired boy slowly turn to slide out of the seat.

“A little sore all around. My legs feel like shit from laying around for two days. Only up to piss and shit,” he grunted as Troy helped him out of the car. He was wearing just some shorts and a simple tee shirt given to him by Andy and his larger frame made it look tight across his broader chest. “Even that was a chore half the time. Took me an hour yesterday to convince them to let me at least walk down the hall and back.”

“Well, don’t over do it,” Troy said kindly. He kept a firm grip on his arm and helped him walk on his own towards the steps up to the door.

“Fuck,” Jacob muttered. “Stairs.”

“Come on,” Kyle urged him, “you can do it.”

David stood back and smiled slightly, choosing to just watch the spectacle unfold as four boys tried to help a fifth up five narrow steps. After a moment passed he pulled his camera out and snapped a couple pictures to preserve the moment.

Brian and Andy jumped ahead and got to the top of the stairs holding out their arms. “Come on, Jacob,” Andy said smiling, “we’ll get you up.”

“Oh, no,” Brian said giggling, “That’s Kyle’s job. I’m just gonna help him into the house.”

“You know,” Jacob grunted as he took the first step step, “your brain is on perv mode, dude.”

Brian giggled with his impish grin, “the switch broke a couple years ago.”

“Can we please get him inside first before the sexual harassment starts,” Kyle asked, slightly annoyed.

Jacob took the next few steps slowly. The Vicodin dulled the pain in his side from the injury to his ribs and the stitches. The swelling of his face was mostly gone, though the area around his left eye was still blotched with purple and brown bruises. He still gave a small grunt of discomfort before Brian took his hand and gently pulled him up to the top of the stairs. Kyle stood near him as Jacob slowly made his way inside. Once past the threshold he said to him in a soft, cheerful voice, “welcome home.” His father came in behind them and patted Kyle on the back, directing the boys to get Jacob settled in while he started making dinner.

The boys all gathered in the large living room to watch tv and chat while going over the homework for Jacob that needed to get done as he sat on the large sofa between Kyle and Troy. As the time passed, Jacob started to realize that this was going to be his new normal. He would no longer have to leave when he didn’t want to. He wouldn’t have to worry about making sure he got home after his father was asleep to avoid him. He would never need to make excuses or wear uncomfortable clothes to hide any marks. He was free now. A feeling of relief came over him. He silently looked around at the others in the room. His friends. People he could rely on. Love. Talk to. Share. His smile grew as he felt the beginning of years of worry and self-doubt start to fade away.

“Hey,” Kyle’s voice brought him out of his reverie. “You ok in there?” His brown eyes were searching his and Kyle’s charming smile eased him even more.

He leaned over and softly kissed Kyle on the lips and said, “just feeling really good right now.” Kyle kind of blinked in mild surprise, not expecting him to be so open to kissing him in front of the others but his face and those pale blue eyes seemed relaxed and happy.

Before he could say anything else there was a knock at the front door. Kyle stood to go answer it, seeing a man and a woman professionally dressed outside the small glass sidelights. He opened the door looking at them dubiously and said in a measured but polite tone, “can I help you?”

The woman in front of him gave him a pleasant if professional smile as she extended her hand. “Hello. My name is Kate Hamilton. I’m with the district attorney’s office. I’m here to speak with Jacob Eaton. I was told we could find him here?”

He shook her hand carefully. She sounded official and didn’t seem threatening so he moved aside and let them enter the house. Once he closed the door he raised his voice, “Dad, There’s someone here to see Jacob.” His father came out of the kitchen and down the hall, slowing slightly when he saw the strangers in his house.

“I was just getting dinner started,” he explained as he walked up and extended a hand to them.

“I apologize for interrupting,” she said simply and she shook his hand. “Kate Hamilton. I was hoping to get some time to speak with Jacob about the incident with his father.”

David frowned slightly. His innate protectiveness showing in his voice. “Is this really necessary right now? He just came home from the hospital less than an hour ago.”

“I understand that and I am sympathetic,” she said with empathy. “But, if I am to keep his father any longer, I need to have a credible charge to keep him locked up or at least set a bail hearing for him before he’s released back to the public.”

David’s frown deepened. When he spoke again, it wasn’t the voice of a father but the voice of a marine. Strong, commanding and unyielding. “I can’t promise anything. And if he says he doesn’t want to talk, then you’re done here. Got it?”

She nodded in agreement though she seemed less than thrilled at the possibility. David lead them into the living room with Kyle coming in behind and immediately sitting down next to Jacob once they were in the room. The other boys stopped what they were doing and watched the newcomers carefully as they walked in.

The woman looked over all the boys until she saw Jacob’s injured face and the intimidated look on his face before she smiled softly and said, “Jacob? My name is Kate and this is my associate, Mark. We’re with the district attorney’s office. Is there a chance we can talk for a moment in private?”

“What about,” he asked in a sullen, withdrawn voice. The television in the room turned off as Troy clicked the button, turning his full attention to them and moving subtly closer to Jacob.

“I need to ask you some questions about your father,” she said in a voice trying to quell his concerns. “You’re not in any trouble. In fact, I’m trying to get your help to find out what happened so I can make sure your father stays away for a long time.”

Andy and Brian slowly moved around from opposite sides where they had been sitting and stood on either side of the couch. Kyle’s hand slid into Jacob’s, offering his silent support. When Jacob spoke again, he did so with a careful look at the stranger even as he squeezed Kyle’s hand gently. “What is it you want to know?”

She sighed slightly, as her eyes glanced at the boys starting to surround Jacob. This wasn’t what she was expecting to deal with. “I would like to ask you about what happened Friday night when you went home.” Jacob looked down at his knees as he slowly started to withdraw into himself. She took note of his facial appearance and added, “Jacob... I know what you went through must feel horrific and I know you’re probably scared. I would be to if I were in your shoes. I’m here because I’m on your side and I want to help you and make sure your father pays for what he did to you. I’ve seen your medical report from the hospital and I’ve seen the police reports from your home.”

“This is his home now,” Kyle blurted out, his voice taking on a small edge to it that caused David to both frown and feel a small bit of pride for his son.

“My apologies,” she corrected herself. “You’re former residence with your father, Joseph. Jacob, I want to make sure your father never hurts you or anyone else ever again. In order for me to do that I need to know what happened that night. Will you help me? I’m sure there’s somewhere we can go and talk privately.”

“He’s not moving,” Troy said bluntly if not politely, “and we’re not leaving him.” As if on cue, Andy and Brian moved to sit on the arms of the sofa, showing a unified front.

David motioned to the loveseat near the couch and the woman and her assistant sat down, looking at Jacob patiently. David sat in the recliner near the sofa, watching as the boys rallied around to protect their friend. Despite that, he felt a sense of pity for the poor boy having gone through so much in only a few days time. Jacob sat there silently, seemingly in a fugue state. The silence lingered for awhile and Kyle nearly lost his composure when Troy spoke up, laying his hand gently on Jacob’s shoulder. “Jacob? Remember what I told you at the hospital?” The dark haired boy nodded. “We’re here for you. Tell us what happened.”

Jacob was silent, staring at the floor in the middle of the room and began speaking in a low, monotone voice. “When Kyle dropped me off at the trailer park, I walked down to my dad’s trailer. When I went in, he said something about why I was late. I told him it wasn’t eleven yet and pointed out the time. He asked why I wasn’t home sooner and I told him I was out with my friends...” Kyle’s hand squeezed his gently as Jacob paused and blinked. “He said... ‘why would anyone wanna be friends with a worthless piece of shit like you?’ I figured hearing that he had been drinking a lot and he tends to get angry the more he drinks. I didn’t want to stay with him so I went to my room to get a backpack and stuff some clothes in it and go back to Kyle’s.

“When I came out of my room, he saw the bag and said, ‘where the hell do you think you’re going?’ I told him I was gonna take off for the night and stay at Kyle’s. He told me I couldn’t. I told him I was eighteen and could do whatever I wanted. From there it turned into a shouting match. I was trying to get to the door but he’s bigger than me and he wouldn’t let me get past him. The more he started screaming the more scared I got.” He closed his eyes as his lower lip started to quiver slightly. “I... I tried to rush past him but he caught me and threw me up against the wall. I wasn’t fast enough. Next thing I knew, he punched me... in the face.” He raised his right hand to touch his right cheek just below his eye. “I’d never tried to fight back once in my entire life with him. All the times I got kicked, slapped, punched, I never once thought about hitting him back. I was always smaller than him... Weaker... I’d work out and hope that if he saw how much bigger I got he’d at least leave me alone or actually like me for once. But he never did and he never stopped hitting me.” He stopped and looked over at Kyle who looked at him, silently letting him know he was safe. He put his arm around him as Jacob continued talking, leaning his head onto Kyle’s comforting shoulder. “I went to throw a punch after he hit me but he grabbed my arm and shoved me down to the ground. Before I could move, he got on top of me and started punching me in the face over and over. He grabbed a bottle and hit me on the head and cut my forehead open as he screamed that…. ‘No worthless son of a bitch faggot was gonna punch him and get away with it.’ After that, he kicked me in the side, hard and that knocked the wind out of me. But then, he came back at me with a broken pipe and swung it onto my side as I rolled to get up. I’d never felt anything like that before and I just lay there, thinking...” he stopped speaking. Closing his eyes, he mustered up the courage to continue, but his voice trembled as he said, “thinking, this time he’s really going to kill me.”

Everyone was silent, giving him a chance to recover before continuing. “I layed there for awhile. I don’t remember how long. I kept waiting for him to do something but he just fell backwards onto the couch and stayed there. I tried to play dead. Holding still as best I could. I tried to listen to see if I could hear him if he fell asleep. And, after awhile I took a chance and looked up and saw he was passed out. So, i crawled towards the door and once I was out, I remember standing up and feeling dizzy. I just started walking as best as I could. The next thing I remember is waking up at the hospital with a bunch of doctors and nurses around me.”

There was a pause before Kate said gently, “I know that wasn’t easy for you. I promise I am going to do everything within my power to make sure he stays locked up for a long time. Is there anything else I need to know, Jacob?”

Kyle looked down at Jacob and then said impulsively, “this isn’t the first time he’s done this. I saw a bruise on him last year when he was still only seventeen.”

Her attention shifted from Jacob to Kyle as she arched an eyebrow, “would you be willing to sign an affidavit to that effect?”

“What’s that?”

She replied, “It’s a document that you would swear that it is the truth as you know it. You sign it and then it can be used as evidence. I might be able to charge him with several crimes.”

“I can do that.” Kyle said simply.

She shrugged, “I’ll have you come by tomorrow then. Is there anything anyone else wants to add or ask?”

“What do you plan on charging his dad with,” David asked her.

She shrugged, “Right now, I’m concentrating on felonies. I might be able to make an argument for attempted murder but I’ll have to think it over. We will need Jacob to come down and sign some things to help us along. Mark has notes of what he told us. Once he has them ready, Jacob can come by and look it over to make sure we got his story right and then sign it and he’s done.”

“He won’t have to testify or anything,” Troy asked.

“We hope to not have to get that far,” she said with a consiliatory tone, “but I can’t make promises on that just yet.” She looked around the room to see if there were any more questions. When she didn’t hear anything she stood up. “Thank you for your time. I’ll be in touch.” Kyle stood up and offered to show her and her associate out.

As they walked down the hallway together he asked her frankly, “so, you’re going to put him in prison for good?”

She smirked and said, “If only it were that simple. It won’t be easy and it may take awhile. But I’m pretty sure I’ll manage to make sure he pays for what he did to your friend.”

“So, that’s it. That’s all you do?”

She shrugged as they reached the door, “I guess you could see it that way. I like helping people who need someone to stand up for them. To be able to tell them that they didn’t suffer for nothing. The law helps innocent people and make the people who hurt them pay the price for what they did.”

“So, you help people,” he stated.

She smiled, “yes. That’s what i do. Your friend isn’t the first person to have be beaten by a loved one. Some people die and someone has to speak for them and make sure the guilty are punished.” She opened her purse and pulled a card, handing it to Kyle. “Here. If you or anyone else remember anything, or just have any questions, you can give me a call.”

He took the offered card and opened the door, seeing this woman in a new light. Not as a paper pusher or office worker, but as someone who fights for what’s right. “Thanks for your help.”

She smiled and said her goodbyes as she and her associate left. Once the door closed, Kyle was left to ponder other people like Jacob out there who feel like they have no one to turn to.

Hours later, after everyone had gone home, Kyle was helping his dad clean up the kitchen while Jacob was resting comfortably in the living room watching television. The meal had been comfort food but it was the company that was the best part of the meal. Jacob had retreated a little into himself after the lawyers left which caused some concern among his friends but they felt it was just a temporary setback and he would come back out soon. Throughout dinner, the boys kept the conversation light, discussing school assignments, their final swim meet for the year and their upcoming party for graduation.

David was in the kitchen putting plates away after Kyle dried them when his son said in a thoughtful tone, “Dad, I think I know what I want to study in college.”

“Oh?” David stopped to look over at his son. This was the first time since they started talking about it the year before that he sounded so sure of himself. “So, what’s the plan?”

Kyle pondered it again for a moment before blurting out, “I think I want to go to law school and become a lawyer.”

David grinned. “What brought this on?”

“Just...” he stood there for a moment before nodding. Decision made. “I think it’s something I would be good at. I want to do something that will make a difference.”

“Son,” David chuckled softly, “you realize that’ll take five or six years? Maybe longer. The college fund your grandfather set up for you when you were born should manage to get you through but it’ll take a lot of time away from home. And from Jacob. He’s already decided to stay here for a year at least.”

Kyle frowned sadly. “I know. I don’t want to leave him. Or you. But, I think it’s for the best if I do this. I think I can make a difference.”

David smirked and turned back to his dishes. “Kyle, I have no doubt you’re going to make a big difference someday.”

The rest of the evening passed quietly and David eventually insisted the boys head to bed since Kyle was still going to school in the morning. As Kyle lay there in the darkness of his room he thought about his decision. The more he thought about it, the more he felt pursuing a law degree felt right. It made the most sense to him and the more he played with the idea the more he liked it. He didn’t want anyone out there like Jacob being without someone to protect them.

He was close to drifting off when there was a small tapping on his door. As his eyes opened, Kyle heard the door open and then closed as he watched a familiar form move slowly towards his bed. Jacob stopped just next to his bed then said in a quiet, uncomfortable voice, “I, ah... I can’t sleep.”

“Anything wrong,” he asked in concern. “Are you in any pain?”

“I’m just a little sore and,” he fidgeted nervously, “I’m just not really comfortable here yet, I guess.”

Kyle sat up a little and moved to make room for him. “Well, maybe if you sleep here, you’ll feel better.”

Jacob moved stiffly onto the bed but sighed with relief once he was laying down on his stomach. He carefully moved closer until he was laying with half of his body on top of Kyle so he could lay his head on his shoulder and brush his nose against Kyle’s slender neck. “I’ve been dreaming of being right here for a long time now,” he whispered.

Kyle put his arms around him and used one hand to rub up and down his back softly. “I’ve missed you being here,” he whispered back.

“Is your dad gonna get mad or anything if I sleep with you?”

“No,” he smiled as he enjoyed the feel of Jacob’s back on his hand. Feeling the muscles under the soft skin. “He said we’re both eighteen now and he felt we can do whatever we want. Though, I think he’d be a little upset if you’re bending me over the table in the dining room. Or the kitchen.”

“Oh,” Jacob stuttered slightly. “You... you want me to..?”

“Not at the table, no,” he giggled softly. “I do want us to… well, make love, eventually. But, I want it too... I want to do everything with you.”

“Everything?” he could hear the smirk in Jacob’s voice and laughed softly, turning his head to kiss the soft raven black hair on top of his head.

“Everything. I want to make love to you and I want you to make love to me. I want us to do everything and go everywhere. I want us to be together when we’re sixty and surrounded by kids and grandkids. I want to hold your hand and walk through the orchard with our family and our friends for the rest of our lives.”

“You want to have kids,” he asked as he nuzzled closer, one hand caressing Kyle’s chest.

“Yeah. I told dad it wouldn’t happen but someday I know it will. And I want us to have kids together.” He sighed, enjoying the feeling of Jacob’s body next to his. Nothing has ever felt so right. His hand stroked down his back and brushed against the waist of his boxers. He had never let his hand go down past Jacob’s waist before. He realized now there was nothing holding him back.

“I never thought about having kids before,” Jacob confessed. “But, I think I’d like raising kids with you. When we’re ready at least.”

Kyle held him a little closer, kissing his forehead, “when we’re ready, maybe we’ll have a dark haired, blue eyed boy.” He allowed his hand to slide down over Jacob’s boxers, feeling the warm, hard muscle underneath.

Jacob made a small noise and then muttered in frustration, “I wish my rib would heal.”

“I know You also have a couple stitches we need to be careful of to, you know. Just give it time. We have our entire lives ahead of us.”

Jacob leaned up, letting his lips press against his in a soft, gentle kiss. “I will always be thankful for you.”

He felt that warm, familiar rush in his chest when he heard Jacob’s voice in that soft loving tone. “I’ll always love you. No matter what happens.”

Jacob relaxed, letting his eyes close. He wished he could explain why being here in this bed felt more like home than he ever felt in his life. He wished he could find the words to tell Kyle how deep his love for him has grown over their time together. Someday, he knows he’ll find the right way to tell him.

****

It was a bright spring afternoon in the orchard. The air was warm but not hot as five young men in green caps and gowns stood together smiling underneath the shade of a large tree as cameras captured the moment. Fathers and mothers along with a few siblings and other extended family stood watching as a part of their lives officially came to an end. David did his best to keep his feelings in check. As happy and proud as he was he also felt his heart break a little. He was so proud of his son. He was proud of all of his boys. The feeling only intensified within him each time he made eye contact with any of them yet at the same there was a profound sense of loss. There would be no more swim meets to go to. No more movie nights in the house. No more school activities, summer vacations or having five eager boys working among the trees to help pick the apples along with the other part time workers.

In a few months his house would go empty. Jacob seems to be planning on staying but that wasn’t something he expected. He’s a grown man now and should have his own life, even if his boyfriend would be miles away at college. As hard as it is on him now, he knew it would be hard on all of them soon enough as the boys slowly start to go their separate ways. That thought brought a tightness to his chest. The feeling would come and go but for the most part he remained a happy and proud parent for two of the five boys in front of everyone.

The boys laughed and slapped each other on the back in congratulations as they finished the pictures for all the parents before they stripped off their gowns and removed their caps to enjoy the warmth in their shorts and shirts they were wearing underneath. It had been a good day and they were ready to celebrate together with their families. Andy and Brian seemed to have permanent grins on their faces as they talked with their families. Troy seemed nearly as moved as David had become. After getting a hug from his own dad, the next person he reached out for was David who received him in a warm embrace. Troy mumbled into his ear in a heavy voice. “Thank you. Thank you so much for being there for me when I needed it.”

“You’ve made me and your dad proud, son,” he responded, feeling a catch in his voice as he remembered this man in front of him when he was a scared and crying little boy in his arms that seemed like only yesterday to him. “And I know you’ll keep making us proud.”

The celebration continued well into the early evening with food, drinks and laughter. All of the boys were in high spirits, Jacob seemed to have come fully out of his shell as he spoke with the other parents politely without the usual suspicion or unease that the other boys knew him for. They all insisted on staying the night and of course David was more than accommodating. Eventually, the party thinned as the parents and others went their separate ways until the boys found themselves sitting alone on the ground, drinks in hand as they watched the sun set over the hills beyond them.

“So,” Troy said with a small smile as he looked down at the ground, “we have the summer left and then I’ll be off to UCLA. What do we do until then?”

“You’re the one in charge, you tell us,” Brian giggled as he sat back against one of the apple trees along side Andy. Andy stared at his soda can and said nothing right away, his eyes deep in thought.

“Well, you guys may be leaving but I’m sticking around,” Jacob said casually, “I’m just starting to get used to my new home and I’m not ready to leave it just yet. Besides, I still have my dad to think about.”

“Hopefully not for long,” Troy added, “didn’t the lawyer say they were gonna lock him up for a long time?”

“They’re still dealing, is what she told me,” he responded with a slight hint of anger, “I hope they lock him up for good but I think that’s asking for too much.”

“Well, don’t think about it now,” Kyle said as he leaned up against Jacob, feeling his arms wrap around him. “We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

“The fact that it’s going to be ‘we’ that deals with it instead of by myself makes it easier,” he said as the slight hint of anger left his voice.

“What about you, Andy,” Troy asked as the sky darkened over them and the stars began to twinkle into existence, “you never mentioned what college you’re going to next year.”

Andy frowned slightly and muttered with a sigh, “because I’m not going to college.”

A trio of voices exclaimed, “What?!”

Brian stared at him in the fading light with concern as he placed a hand on his shoulder, asking him in a small confused voice, “I…. I thought you… we were going to Miami together?”

He was silent for a moment with all eyes on him before he looked up with an uncharacteristically serious face, “I decided not to go. I don’t know what I want to do with my life so I signed up for the marine corps.”

Brian’s normally impish face fell suddenly, a mixture of emotions crossed his face before he composed himself and asked him quietly, “when did you decide this?”

“A week ago or so,” he said, glancing over at his best friend.

“And how long have you been thinking about this.” Troy asked him, looking less than pleased.

“For awhile now,” Andy said in a slight defensive tone. “I talked about it with someone I trusted and he encouraged me to try. I took his advice and now I’m going.”

“When,” Jacob asked.

“In three weeks,” he said quietly.

There was a small pained noise that broke the silence in the group. It was hard to tell where it came from with it becoming so dark.

Andy’s voice, a little louder and tinged with amusement, cut through the darkness, “sorry if I ruined the party.”

“It’s ok,” Kyle said, still stunned, “if it’s what you want to do, then we support you. Right, guys?”

Troy and Jacob both voiced their support. Brian remained silent before he said simply, “it’s your choice. Do whatever you want to do.” He stood up and said, “I’m going to get another drink. Anyone else want one while I’m up?”

A couple of them muttered assents before Brian walked away towards the house.

“In hindsight,” Andy said with a slight chuckle, “I probably should have told him first.”

Jacob asked him sarcastically, “you think?”

Andy seemed undeterred with his usual casual drawl. “I’ll make it up to him. I’ll email him every day until he gets tired of me.”

“Good luck with that, dude,” Troy muttered.

“So, Penn State for you, Kyle,” Andy said to break up the tension.

“Yeah,” he smiled, “for starters. Three years there and then three years at law school over at the Dickinson Law school. That lady, Kate, gave me some recommendations. The first three years will be tough but after I get into Dickinson things should smooth out.”

“Six years of you in school,” Jacob sighed. “I might go crazy.”

“You won’t go crazy,” he responded. “We have our entire lives ahead of us. Six year will look like nothing when we’re forty.”

“Guess so,” Jacob said in a fake pout which got a chuckle out of everyone.

“What’s so funny,” Brian’s voice emerged from the starlit night as he passed around new soda cans to the others before sitting down next to Troy. His choice of where to sit on his return did not go unnoticed by the others.

“Jacob being a big baby about losing his boyfriend to six years of law school,” Troy responded.

“He’ll just have to learn to live with the disappointment, I guess,” Brian quipped.

“Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Bri,” Andy said in genuine apology.

“I’ll deal with it. Don’t worry about me,” he said calmly. “It’s you everyone should worry about. All we’re doing is going to school. You’re going into the military where you might-”

“Hey,” Troy’s authoritative voice sounded. “Don’t talk like that. Andy is a smart guy. He’ll come home to us.”

“Lord knows he’s got the dumbest luck I’ve ever seen,” Brian said sullenly and then seemed to brighten up. “Well, at the very least, he should find a girl who’ll marry him once they see him in his uniform.”

“See,” Andy chuckled, “there is bright side to it.”

They kept a comfortable silence after it seemed Brian was mollified for a short while. Jacob held Kyle close in his arms, assuring him that his side was feeling much better after a few weeks had passed and was healing fine. In the dark he would give Kyle small gentle kisses on his neck as his fingers on one hand would slowly stroke up and down his toned abs over his shirt.

“So, what do you think will happen,” Brian asked quietly to no one in particular. “After we’re all gone from here, do you think we’ll ever be together like this again?”

“Anything is possible, Bri,” Andy said quietly.

“I want to believe we will,” Troy said in a subdued tone. “You guys have been my family forever it seems. Hell, I’ve only known Jacob for a little over a year now. I can’t think what it would be like to never see him again much less the rest of you. You guys know you can always call me whenever you need something.”

“Just remember, I’ll always be here,” Jacob said, though it was tough to tell if he was saying it to just Kyle or everyone.

“It’s getting dark. We should head inside,” Andy said quietly as he stood up. The others slowly followed. As they moved towards the house, the five of them slowly moved together as hands were held together or rested on shoulders. They maintained the comfortable silence between them until they, as a team, stepped up to the backdoor and made their way inside the house.

****

Kyle lay in bed next to Jacob listening to the sounds in the house. His ears strained to pick up any noise from the other bedrooms where the others were sleeping. He had been laying there with Jacob laying face down next to him for nearly an hour. He had tried to sleep but couldn’t. His mind dwelled on the thoughts of how their lives were changing rapidly. Within a few weeks Andy would be gone. Soon after, Troy and Brian would be gone as well. Then he would be gone. They would all be separated by distances they’ve never had before. Sure, there had been some summer vacations out of state and things like that but never for longer than a week or so and they always came back.

But what if they all didn’t come back? What if somethings happens to Andy when he’s overseas? What if Brian decides to never come back? What if Jacob finds someone new while he’s away at school? What if Troy settles down in California? Maybe they’ll see each other occasionally and email each other and maybe a few phone calls now and then. But would there ever be a time when all of them will be in the same place at the same time? It bothered him and he couldn’t shake a sense of dread. He looked over at the sleeping Jacob next to him. It had been a long day and his body was still recovering from his injuries which taxed his strength though he has improved over the last three weeks. High school was over. It was just the two of them there, alone. Everyone else in the house was asleep.

He reached a hand over to gently stroke his back up and down softly, lovingly. He has never gotten tired of doing that to him. It always made him feel good and it make Kyle feel great giving him something that only he could give him. At some point his fingers shifted and instead of the pads of his fingertips, he started slightly grazing his fingernails along the skin along Jacob’s spine. The boy started to stir slightly, his body shifting and pressing closer to him. Kyle felt himself getting harder in his shorts. He knew he was starting something that could only end one way.

Jacob moaned softly as his senses filled with the most erotic touch he had ever felt. As his eyes slowly opened he felt Kyle laying next to him, pressing his body close. So close, he could feel Kyle’s hardness rubbing against his hip. That made him more awake as he moved his hands over Kyle’s bare chest. His fingers found a nipple and they softly circled it, feeling it harden under his touch as Kyle’s breath suddenly froze before stifling a moan. This was totally different for them. They had kissed many times in the past and in the last couple of weeks had been more open in touching each other’s bodies in bed. But all this was new territory for him. “Kyle?”

“Yeah,” he breathed in a deeper tone than he usually hears.

Jacob smirked slightly and leaned down to kiss his chest before muttering in a quiet voice, “can’t sleep?”

“No,” he whimpered, feeling like his skin was glowing where Jacob’s lips met his body.

“Do you wanna talk,” Jacob asked as he kissed softly up to his shoulder.

“No,” Kyle’s hand on his back moved down Jacob’s back and under the waistband on his boxers to slide over his sculpted ass.

It was Jacob’s turn to moan in surprise. “You really want to do this,” he asked as he kissed up to Kyle’s ear.

Kyle had a sudden urge to rip the offending boxers off of his lover but he held back as Jacob’s body leaned to the side giving him the opportunity to use his other hand to fondle his large pec and rub his thumb over the hard nipple there. “God. Jacob. Jacob, I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” he responded as his hands started pulling Kyle onto his side and starting to slowly push his boxer briefs down. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Right now, it’s all I can think about,” he said as their kissing started to become more frequent and passionate. “I want you, Jacob. I need you.”

That was all he needed to hear. Jacob pulled Kyle onto his back in the center of the bed before pushing his boxer briefs down to expose the rock hard dick trapped inside. He grasped it in his hand and kissed Kyle passionately as he moaned deeply. He stroked his lover’s dick as his lips kissed their way down that gorgeous lean chest, stopping to suck the nipple there into his mouth. Kyle’s back arched up as he gasped loudly, clamping his mouth shut to stifle the scream of pure lust that threatened to wake the entire house.

Jacob released the nipple from his mouth and continued down, kissing each individual muscle until his lips kissed and sucked in the head of Kyle’s dick. Slowly, he took the head into his mouth, being mindful of his teeth, and let it slide slowly into the back of his mouth. Kyle moaned loudly, “oh my God, Jacob!” The idea of anyone hearing him no longer entering his mind. Jacob lifted his head up slightly, at first thinking he had done something wrong but then understanding he had actually done something so very right. He sucked in the shaft again and slowly started working his way through giving his first oral sex. Finding that he loves feeling Kyle’s dick in his mouth, he started to suck on the phallus, letting his lips slide up and down the hard shaft running his tongue over the head and down the side as he moved his head up and down. He started pushing his own boxers down and off and grabbed Kyle’s underwear still stuck at his knees and pulled them all the way down and off. Once freed, Jacob grabbed his own hard cock and stroked it slowly. He knew he couldn’t let Kyle touch it or else this would be over too soon and he wanted all of this moment to last.

Kyle was moaning and whimpering as his mind and body focused on the sensations Jacob’s mouth was giving him. He knew he couldn’t take much more of what Jacob was doing and he needed more. Spreading his legs to give Jacob more room, he arm reached over to his nightstand, groping in the top drawer for the lubricant he put in there a few days before in preparation for this moment. He allowed himself to enjoy Jacob’s mouth on his cock for a few more seconds before putting his other hand on his head to pull him off. He didn’t realize he had been panting before but when he spoke his voice was labored. “Jacob. Make love to me. Do it now.” He opened the cap on the vaseline, dipping two fingers in the jelly and reaching down to rub it over his virgin pucker. Slowly coating the opening and gently pushing one finger inside carefully before he felt confident he was ready.

Jacob started kissing his way back up Kyle’s body. Each kiss made him more addicted to the taste of his skin. The musky, salty, earthy taste each time his tongue touched any part of Kyle’s body. He was moving up the other side of his chest from where he went down earlier. As his lips closed over the other nipple on Kyle’s chest he groaned as he felt Kyle’s hand grasp his dick in a slippery grip as the hand slid up and down the thick shaft. Once he felt everything was ready, Kyle guided it towards his hole, both of them gasping slightly when the tip of Jacob’s cock came in contact with the slick entrance. Both of them were breathing heavily as Kyle whispered, “Just go slow.” Jacob, paused, not wanting to hurt the most important person in his world but knowing that this is what they both wanted. His hips slowly moved, applying pressure increasingly until he felt Kyle’s hole suddenly open, both of them gasping in shock as the head and nearly an inch of his cock was suddenly embedded inside.

Kyle grunted and took deep breaths. He hadn’t expected it to hurt as much as it had. He pushed against Jacob’s body to keep him from going farther in. They both held still as long as possible until the pain eased and Kyle put his hands on Jacob’s hips and slowly pulled him closer. Jacob felt the pull and slowly eased himself deeper inside him, biting his lip to keep from yelling from the sensory overload of his first real sexual experience. His side was hurting still and it made breathing difficult but he didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was to make this moment a memorable one for both of them. Leaning down closer, his lips sought out Kyle’s and they kissed passionately, letting their tongues push and twist around each other as his primal instinct took over and he started to slowly pull out, forcing a stifled moan from Kyle.

The pain had dulled, almost completely gone, prompting Kyle to wrap his arms around Jacob’s back as they kissed. He could feel his lover’s cock slowly push back in and then back out. Slow, steady strokes each time going deeper and deeper. His body was relaxing with the exception of his dick which was rapidly hardening again. His emotions were in overdrive. Jacob’s passionate almost frantic kisses traveled down from his face to his neck as he sucked and licked at the tender skin causing him to whimper and moan, no longer able or caring to be quiet. All he wanted in the moment was for Jacob to consume him. HIs legs had been raised up but now started wrapping around his waist as his thrusts intensified.

Jacob was grunting and groaning louder the quicker his thrusts picked up. He never really knew how to tell Kyle how he felt about him. The words, “I love you” never felt like they were enough. His mind and his heart fumbled and failed every time to communicate to Kyle just how intense and deep his love went. But this! This felt so right. He could feel Kyle all around him and his muscles worked to give him even more pleasure to hear him moan louder. He felt his hips push all the way forward until his pelvis touched Kyle’s. He was fully inside him now. He held himself in place, shifting his stance slightly which brought a surprised moan from underneath him. He felt more in control now, as he could tell how good he was making Kyle feel and he knew it couldn’t last. He started thrusting again, kissing and licking on his neck, his own grunts and whimpers mixing with Kyle’s as their bodies came together. Gulping in air as his body started to break out in a film of sweat, he started mumbling in his lover’s ear, all the words in his heart tumbling out. “Oh, God. Kyle. Kyle. I love you. I want you so bad. I never want to be without you.”

The sensations, the words and the feelings inside him became too much as Kyle reached down and grabbed his hard cock and started stroking it rapidly to release the need inside him. He shuddered and cried out as his dick released six strong volleys all over their smooth chests. As he reached his orgasm, his hole clamped down around Jacob’s cock. The suddenly tightened hole drove him over the edge and his body froze in place as his legs shook, as he lost all control of himself and he yelled out as his orgasm overwhelmed him as his load shot into Kyle’s body, feeling like it was an endless stream filling him up.

The two lovers laid there, locked together as they caught their breath. Both of them covered in sweat and feeling closer than they ever have before. Slowly, their breathing returned to normal, both of them softening as Kyle’s legs eased down and Jacob’s body slowly rested on top of him. “I never,” Jacob panted softly, “never imagined it would feel this strong.”

Kyle kissed his shoulder, responding, “that what would feel this strong?”

“That I could love you this much,” He wrapped his arms under Kyle, never wanting to let him go. “I feel like that first time telling you I love you felt so insignificant compared to how this feels. I never want to let you go. I’m going to hate seeing you leave for college. I’m never not going to love you.”

Kyle lay there under him, his hand softly rubbing up and down that familiar back. Jacob sighed and whispered, “I’m going to miss that too.”

“Do you think we woke anyone up?” Kyle giggled softly

Jacob smirked. “I don’t care.”

“We should clean up and get to sleep.”

Jacob reluctantly separated himself from his lover and stood up with a groan of pain. Kyle got up, looking at him with concern in his eyes. “Oh, God. I’m sorry. We should have waited until you were healed.”

Jacob kissed him and replied, “We waited long enough, I think. No matter how much it hurts, it was worth it.”

Kyle smiled before the two of them quietly stepped out of the bedroom and down the hall to the bathroom to shower where they shared more loving touches and tender kisses before drying off and tiptoeing back to their bedroom and curling up in bed together. Within minutes they fell into a blissful, comfortable sleep.

****

Time marched on relentlessly and soon the first of many partings took place in the driveway of Andy’s house as he stood next to his older model car, his single bag sitting in the backseat as he stood there looking around at the somber faces of his four friends. He did his best to put on his smile as he said in a joking voice, “well, took you guys long enough but you finally got rid of me.”

The four of them stood there silently, alternating between looking at the ground and looking up at Andy. None of them laughed at his joke and none of them really wanted to say goodbye. Troy finally stepped up to Andy and wrapped him up in his arms as the two friends hugged each other. Troy kept the loss he felt out of his voice as he muttered, “you stay in touch. We all got email so use it. And don’t worry about doing shit to make us proud. We already are, so just come home, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Andy said with a small chuckle as Troy released him and stood back. He looked around at the others, deciding he should say something first, “Kyle?”

Kyle stepped up to him with a smile on his lips but his brown eyes filled with sadness as he embraced his oldest friend. “I’m gonna miss you so much,” he whispered.

“I’ll miss you too. We’ll see each other again, I promise,” Andy patted his friends back affectionately before they separated and he turned to grin at Jacob. “Hey, you. Come here.”

Jacob broke into a grin and walked up to give him a friendly hug and pat on the back. “Thanks for everything, dude.”

Andy chuckled and said, “keep an eye on Kyle for me. I wanna say he’s fragile but from what I heard I’m more worried about his bed than his body.” Jacob blushed bright red and an embarrassed laugh came out of his mouth as he went back to stand next to Kyle, taking his hand in his again.

All eyes then turned to Brian whose head was still tilted down. Andy sighed softly and held his arms out saying in a soft gentle voice, “Bri? Last chance…”

Brian looked up, his face streaming with tears as he lunged into his arms with enough force to make Andy grunt in surprise. The only sound heard at first was a sob barely kept in check before Brian yelled angrily, “I swear to fucking God, Andrew Stewart, if you don’t come home in one piece…!”

Andy hugged him tight, his eyes shut tight as his mouth turned into his usual smug half-smirk, “I promise. You’ll always be my best friend. I promise I’ll write every chance I get and I’ll call whenever I can. Promise.”

“I fucking mean it, Andy!” Brian’s body shook with the weight of his feelings of loss.

Andy laughed, “I know you do. You know how much you mean to me. Last thing I’d wanna do is have you pissed off at me. So, calm down. We’ll see each other again. Maybe if I get a chance I’ll come visit on leave, okay?”

“I will so fucking kill you if you get hurt,” he muttered.

“I’ll miss you too,” Andy grinned. Brian clung to his best friend for as long as he could before Andy finally said softly, “I have to go. You gotta let go now.” Brian held on for a few more seconds before letting go, wiping his face and stepping back. Andy looked over at all of them as he opened the car door. “We’re all still a team,” he said with a slight shake in his voice, “we’ll be together again.” Not knowing what else to say, he slid into the seat and shut the door. Slowly pulling out of the driveway, he turned onto the street. Through his window he took one last look at them all and smiled confidently as he gave them a final wave and then drove away.

The four of them watched his car drive away until he was out of sight. Kyle wiped away a tear. He had never been very religious in his life but he figured if there was a God, he said a silent prayer, begging Him to keep his friend safe until they met again.

Troy stepped up to Brian and put a hand on his shoulder as he asked solicitously, “you wanna ride home, Brian?”

Brian shrugged his shoulder away from Troy’s hand and sullenly said, “I’ll walk home.” The blonde boy wrapped his arms around his chest tightly and walked away without another word.

Troy started to say something but Kyle cut him off. “Let him go. He’s gotta deal with this on his own.” The three of them didn’t say much after that. In silence, they split up and headed home themselves.

****

“Are you sure you have everything, son,” David’s voice called out in concern as he carried a third bag of clothes out of the house and into the back of Kyle’s recently bought used ‘99 Camry from his college fund.

Kyle’s voice was a mixture of both laughter and annoyance, “Yes, dad. Geez, it’s not like I’m never coming back. I’ll be home in a month or so to visit.”

“We’ll see about that,” his father muttered. “Did you say goodbye to Jacob yet?”

“No,” Kyle frowned, dreading that moment. They’d spent the last two and a half months having nearly non stop sex every night in bed together. Experimenting and finding new things to try and finding out they loved doing just about anything to each other as long as it wasn’t too dirty. Last night was their last time together and even as they made love to each other they both shed tears knowing how much they were going to miss being together. He had spent most of the morning avoiding Jacob to hold off on the moment, knowing there were going to be tears there.

“Well, you better go fetch him. He’s probably out in the groves somewhere,” David was doing his best to not look at Kyle while he made sure the car was packed up and ready to go. He’d been dreading this since graduation, knowing his son was leaving, possibly for good. He felt like he was dying inside but didn’t want to let it show so he kept himself busy.

“Dad, couldn’t you just call him up here,” Kyle whined slightly.

“No, son,” standing up and finally looking at his pride and joy. “You have to do this. You love him, trust me I know. He wants you to get him.”

Kyle sighed and looked towards the expanse of apple trees before him. The fruits were still growing on the trees. It would be another two or three weeks before they would be ripe and ready for picking. He felt a catch in his throat thinking it’ll be the first time in his entire life he’ll miss the picking season. But, maybe that’s for the best. Troy and Brian had already left for college last week. Andy had been gone for over a month and had dutifully kept in touch through emails about every two weeks. Everyone was gone. It was just his dad, the farm and Jacob.

He slowly walked into the trees. Even if he couldn’t see where Jacob was he knew where he would be. Making his way through, he increased his pace when he noticed a form slumped against a tree. Blue knee length shorts and a white tank top and beautiful raven black hair moving with the breeze. Even this far away from him, Kyle could feel his sadness. Legs folded up in front of him with his arms around them, his forehead resting on his knees. Stopping beside him, he knelt down, leaning against the tree and looking over at the beautiful dark haired boy next to him. “Hey.”

Jacob’s head didn’t move as he sniffed and asked in a small voice, “you’re all packed?”

“Yeah,” he said breathlessly. The tone in Jacob’s voice reminded him of the sullen withdrawn boy he fell in love with a year ago. A love they only just found the courage to express and now it feels like it’s being lost again. He had to push past his own sadness. Jacob needed him to be strong. He took a deep breath and said quietly, “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Jacob’s body seemed to squeeze together as he shook his head as his heart came out of his mouth in a rush. “I’m sorry. I’m so happy for you and I love you so much but this hurts so bad knowing I’m not going to feel you next to me tonight. I’m not going to be able to see you in the morning. I know you have to go but I can’t help being selfish.”

“Jacob, look at me,” he said as he moved closer. The boy raised his tear streaked face slowly, his ice blue eyes as beautiful as the day Kyle first saw them. He reached out and pulled him into a warm embrace and an even warmer kiss, letting his lips linger for a moment or two before saying to him, “I am in love with you and I will be back. I will call you every day if I can and we will talk about anything you wanna talk about.”

Jacob shook his head as he pulled away a little to look into Kyle’s eyes. “No. You need to focus on becoming the best lawyer you can be. And I know what happens when you’re away from home. I’ve heard stories and it’s okay. I don’t expect you to keep any promises to me. If you find someone there you like, I want you to be happy even if it’s with someone else.”

Kyle frowned and said simply, “it won’t happen so don’t worry about it.”

“You know you can’t promise that. I’m letting you know that if it does, I’ll be okay with it.”

Kyle pulled him by his arms up to his feet and gave him a deeper, passionate kiss. “I only want you.”

“Kyle,” he said softly, his fingers tracing Kyle’s jawline, “i mean it. It’s okay if it happens.”

Kyle sighed, not wanting this to turn into a fight. “Will you at least walk me to the car?”

“Okay.” Their hands holding each other, he slowly walked towards the house. No more words were said between them. If they hadn’t made their feelings clear already, anything else said wouldn’t make much of a difference.

When the two of them looked towards his car, they saw David, standing there with his back to them, as still as a statue with his shoulders slightly slouched. Kyle gave Jacob a look before releasing his hand and stepped over to stand in front of his father. When their eyes met, Kyle saw and felt the sadness in his father’s eyes, bringing a fresh sting of tears to his own eyes. He tried to smile but found his lips wouldn’t get past a shaky smirk.

David looked down at his son, trying hard not to show the loss he was feeling. Inside of him waged a war every parent at one point has to go through. His job was done. He had created this child, this perfect, wonderful boy and now it was time for that child to go out into the world without him. His instinct was to grab his son and hold him close in his arms and protect him from a cold, uncaring world. But he knew, despite what his heart was screaming, it was time to do his final act as a father.

He put a hand on his son’s shoulder as he blinked away the tears. There were already evidence of them in his beard but he ignored them. Summoning up his strength, he managed to keep his voice even. “Son, I’m not gonna… stand here and tell you how proud I am of you because I tell you that every day.” the hand on Kyle’s shoulder shook slightly as he forced himself to go on. His mouth shut as he muffled a pained noise before he continued. Switching to his marine corp voice, he managed to get through it. “What I will tell you is that no matter what happens from here on out, this is always your home. I know it may be the last time you live here… but anytime you need to find a place where you’re loved and wanted, this is it, do you understand?” Kyle nodded wordlessly. His father drew in a labored breath and said, “I can’t ever tell you... how much I love you, Baby Boy.” His entire body shook for a moment. Even as a marine, he still saw only the perfect little baby he once held in his arms. “You have been… the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” They pulled each other into a tight hug, holding onto each other for as long as they could. David took a few more breaths, committing the feel of his only son in his arms to memory and then, with all his courage and strength, he performed the hardest, most painful and last act as a father raising a child.

He let him go.

“I’ll call you when I get settled in tonight,” Kyle said as he sniffed. “I love you, Dad. Take care of Jacob for me.”

“I’ll do what I can, son. We both love you. And we’ll always be right there with you.” David turned and walked away, wiping his eyes and trying to ignore the sharp pain of loss in his heart.

Kyle, took one last look at Jacob who was standing off to the side and impulsively ran into to him and hugged him tight. “I will always love you. And only you,” he said before they shared one last kiss. With no more words to say between them, Kyle got into his car, started the engine and drove down the old gravel drive, heading to State College and his new life.