Not just another Summer - 38. Morning chat & evening liaison

“How was your evening?”

I had wandered into the main house, wondering if we would be having breakfast. It seemed that we were. Vince and Peter, were there, Peter in his black boxer briefs. Did he always wear the same pair, regular as clockwork on Saturday mornings or did he have a drawer full of the same? Vince was wearing an oversize t-shirt and, I am pretty sure, nothing else, but I didn’t want to be scrutinising my brother’s crotch.

I had picked up a pack of boxer shorts in a charity shop. Lively colours, but they were a bit snug and not something I would wear as underwear. However, they looked good as breakfast wear, Philpott style.

“It was all surprisingly enjoyable. The band was good.” I accepted a coffee from Peter and sat with them in the kitchen. “They were recommended by a college mate of Matt’s. Turns out the band has a big queer following.”

Vince eyes widened and Peter laughed. “Are they a gay band, or do they just have a gay following?”

“The latter, I think. They do a lot of dance numbers.”

“Nice?”

“Very. We think that it was a test from the college mate.”

Peter wrinkled his nose. “Not so nice, test of whether Matt is gay?”

Vince shook his head. “Or shows the bloke is gay as well.”

“Matt is not certain. He’s going to say that he enjoyed it and so did the guy who was his date. At least that’s what he’s planned, but I understand that it is a big step for him.”

“Nothing like owning it.” Vince gave Peter a significant look.

“Well, we even had a dance and a smooch in the last slow number.”

“Really! Coming on, then?”

“Fits and starts, not leaps and bounds.”

There were footsteps on the stairs. Freddie appeared drawing a sharp cry of “Freddie” from Vince. The lad was naked, but he simply gave us a cheeky grin, informed us that he hadn’t come for breakfast so that was OK, wasn’t it? He wanted to get some juice, and that besides his Dad was showing his wares too. Peter and I laughed, which we should not have done but it really was funny. Vince gave a humph and glared, saying “get on with you then”, but I notice he did pull his t-shirt down further.

Vince stared at his son’s retreating form. Did Freddie actually wiggle his bum? He was definitely giving his Dad cheek, in more ways than one. I couldn’t restrain a smile and turned to Vince. “What are you going to do when he announces that he’s not bothering with clothes at home except at meal times?”

“He’d bloody better not.”

Peter smiled. “Freeze him out. We were saying, before you arrived, that there was a chill in the air.”

“He’s bloody 15, he doesn’t feel that cold. But if I forbid him, he’ll just defy me, giving me chapter and verse about how I had been going around naked too.” Vince sighed.

Peter looked amused. “That’s what comes of having a lawyer as a Father, I’m sure he’ll respond to a bit of negotiation.”

I laughed. “Or bribery.”

Vince growled. “Or both. And you don’t get off that lightly, Gray. What happened with Matt’s Mother?”

“It was a bit of an inquisition but nothing that I couldn’t handle.”

“Good?”

“It was mainly about you two and this place really. Though it seems that she used to do waitressing for events that Dad went to. Inevitable something like that would happen, I suppose.”

“That’s what comes of being part of this crazy family.” Vince smiled at Peter, and I wondered about Peter’s parents. Nothing had ever been said about them.

Matt was off bird-watching, so I got myself dressed and went for a walk. Nowhere specific, just down towards the reservoir, past all the land for which Dad had planning permission. Were we going to do it? Develop the land and use the money for a good cause? That was assuming Vince could finagle his way past the restrictions on Dad’s will.

Vince had his friend Dawn looking at the issues - Dad’s will, the trust set up and what could and could not be done. More to the point, he and I had not had the discussion, properly, about whether to pursue the development idea or not. We were both avoiding the issue, treading around Dad rather than dealing with him.

I had work to do, however, and I went over my notes for the talk at the centre, where I would be showing pictures, both ancient and modern, telling the audience about my youthful experiences and reading some of my poems. Finally, I did the full talk, practicing so I was not relying on my notes.

By the time I got back to The Grange, it was quite late and nearly time for tea. I felt quite productive for once. Freddie came over so I broke for tea. He’d appeared in shorts but clocked that I had stripped off, but if the present cold snap continued, I would have to start adding layers not removing them.

“Is this OK, after Dad’s comments this morning.”

“I think that he is worried you will wander around like that all the time.”

“As if!” But he gave me a cheeky grin.

“Where’s your Dad?”

“He and Peter went off to some charity do, a fundraiser for something. No doubt they’ll be getting tea and cake there.”

“Not naked.”

At the image of his rather proper Father appearing naked at a charity tea, Freddie collapsed into giggles.

---

“How was your day?”

>Excellent. Saw some real good stuff. If I tell you, you won’t know what I’m on about though, will you?

I laughed.

“So, educate me.”

>Ok. But not now. I’ll bring a book over some time and tell you what we’ve seen.

“Good.” Well, if I was going to go out with a bird-watcher, I needed to at least know what he was talking about, didn’t I?

>I’d thought about dropping in to see you when I get home.

“That would be nice.”

>It’s just, the guys are planning to have a meal. You don’t mind?

“I enjoyed last night, so I can manage.” Then it just popped out. “How about you coming round after the meal and perhaps staying?”

>Stay the night?

“It would be nice. If you feel up to it?”

>You mean…

“We could do whatever you wanted. I would be happy if you were here, anything from full on intercourse to just a cuddle, or something between. No preconceptions. And then tomorrow, there’s Eva and Simon coming round. You’ll be here, ready for the play through.”

>Just a cuddle in bed. And the piano tomorrow.

“And sleep too, I’d hope. That is the idea.”

>Just the two of us?

I snorted. “I would hope so.”

>What about clothes?

“You could wear the same ones tomorrow.” Matt gave a derisive snort, so that clearly wasn’t on. “I hardly imagine that anything of mine would fit, but you could pop back home first, before you came here.”

>Yes. OK. Thanks.

There was a silence.

>I’d like to.

“See you later.”

>Yes.

---

Until Matt knocked on the door, I hadn’t quite believed he would actually appear. It seemed to be a big deal for him. It was a big deal, wasn’t it? When I first started exploring my sexuality properly, at Uni, I had sex at a few parties and went back to a guy’s place for afternoon sex, but it was some time before I spent the night with anyone. Even then, it seemed a big deal. To spend the whole night in someone else’s bed was a significant step. Not to mention the awkwardness of waking up the next morning, having breakfast together and working out what came next, if anything.

“How was your day?”

I leaned up and kissed him then took his bag through to the bedroom. He was in the lobby, taking his shoes off.

“Bloody brilliant. We saw all sorts including a couple of species that shouldn’t be here.”

“What does that mean?”

He gave a grin. “Migratory. Should have left ages ago for hotter places. Got ill or confused or something.”

“If they stay?”

“Bit cold for them, I’d expect.”

“Shit, that’s awful.”

He shrugged. “Nature. You learn.”

I grinned. “Nature red in tooth and claw.”

“Yeah. But what was that?”

“Quotation from Tennyson’s In Memoriam. And before you say you’ve not heard of it few people have and fewer still have actually read it. All 133 cantos.”

“What’s a canto?”

“Sorry.” I gave an apologetic smile. “Posh term for a section of a long narrative poem.”

“So, this poem’s long.”

“Very long.” I chortled. “People don’t write ‘em like that any more.”

He smiled. “And have you read it?”

“Bloody hell, no. But we studied bits of it.”

“You could quote other bits?”

I grimaced. “That would be a bit of a memory test. Passion killer too. Anyway, come through.”

He stood at the door to the sitting room. “You want me to take my clothes off, then?”

“Not at all.” I gestured to my boxer shorts. “These were a compromise, I imagined that when you arrived, we might have a drink and either I would pull on some clothes or I’d pull some of yours off.” I gave my best winning smile. “So, I’ll put some clothes on, and you can sort out the wine.” I gestured over to the kitchen where a bottle stood on the counter.

“OK. If you’re sure.” But he didn’t move.

“Hey, I want you comfortable and relaxed, so whatever works.”

I went over to him and kissed him, with my hands around him. He stiffened but relaxed into it. His hands went to my bum, and he kneaded it, then slipped his hands under the waistband. Before I knew it, he was pushing my boxers down and it was only my dick springing to attention that got in the way.

It was fast, furious and unexpected.

“That was a nice surprise.”

Matt went a bit pink, “Yeah. I was going to be all laid back, till I saw your knickers.”

“They’re too tight to use as underwear, but I needed something to compete with Peter’s black boxer briefs.”

“When does he wear those?”

“Breakfast?” I grinned. “Told you we’re not an ordinary family.”

“Wow. Mum’d have a fit if I just wore my briefs.”

We were both, in fact, in t-shirt and cotton pants. I’d dug out one of my spare pairs that were too big for me, so they weren’t too ridiculously short on Matt. Though the way his feet and naked calves protruded was somehow rather sexy.

“Well, before you ask, it’s not something we planned, it just happened.” I shrugged, “My fault.”

“You being naked with Freddie and that.”

“Yes. It turns out that living together, even in a semi-detached way like this, is a two-way thing. Both Vince and I are finding ways where we are stirring things up for the other.”

“Is that bad?”

“Realistically? No. It is just all happening rather fast, and rather differently to how I had imagined the Summer panning out.”

“But we were taking it slow.”

“Which is good. It’s just that there is Vince and Peter, Freddie and Arvid. And I am involved with people and their relationships in ways that I have never been before.”

He gave a nervous smile. “Family life.

“Something like that. So…” I shrugged. “You’re not the only one trying something new.”

We were thankfully looking decent and were simply relaxing on the sofa, Matt telling me a bit about the birds that he had seen, when Vince knocked. Vince took Matt’s presence as a given and simply asked me about arrangements for Sunday morning, did I want them out of the house so that I could practice before Simon and Eva arrived? I said I’d done plenty already of practice and that another hour would hardly make much difference.

“In that case…” Vince looked from me to Matt and back. “If Matt is going to be around in the morning would you like to join us for breakfast? We can have something substantial to keep us going.”

“Through all the strenuous Mozart.”

Vince wiggled his eyebrows playfully, not like him at all. “All that vigorous violin playing making us hungry.”

“You up for it, Matt?”

“You bet.” His eyes sparkled with curiosity.

In the event, after that frantic start, things calmed down and once in bed, we did little more than cuddle and explore. Though when we settled down to sleep, I was aware of Matt next to me and certain he was still wide awake.

“I can go and sleep on the sofa, it makes a half-decent bed.”

“It’s not that. Last time I slept with someone I was ten and ill, so I shared with Mum.”

I stroked a hand across his belly. “I don’t think you are ten now.”

I felt rather than heard the rumble of amusement.

“So, cuddle, or lie separate?”

“Well, I’d more like to cuddle, otherwise I may as well be in me own bed.”

Another rumble, and that’s what we did.

No, I didn’t get a particularly good night’s sleep, but Matt did, so I figured that was my good deed.

---

Bas

OMG! Had dinner with Matt and his Mum, got severely quizzed by her, though in a positive way. And of course, she used to do waitressing, met Dad at dos and even worked The Grange a few times. Hope she doesn’t have any dodgy stories about him, that would stir things up.

Oh, and I think she’s keen for me to get Matt’s knickers off, frankly. And I did. Eventually. And….

We went to see a band, recommended by one of his college mates. A queer band or at the least, a band with a queer following. Go figure. We danced. Together.

It’s not all sweetness and light. Feel if I press, he’ll shy away.

It’s not what I’ve ever done before, and you know….

And another poetry talk coming up. A bigger one. And fuck, fuck, fuck… You can do it Gray.

But part of me is freaked, I want the comfort of familiarity, the security of routine.

I can hear you laughing, but without all that anxiety you’d never write poetry.

A cycle about the poet’s anxiety about doing poetry readings.

Ha. Ha. Bloody Ha.

G