Tommy - A Life - 21. Chapter 21 - Ben Grows Up

The next years flew by. Tommy became a tenured professor, on a track to head the department. Offers from other universities were considered and turned down in light of Thor’s commitments to his business with the gym, their friends and community and stability for Ben. Thor’s gym, now wholly taken over from Mike, prospered and became a noted athletic facility and cornerstone of the gay community.

And Ben, Ben grew up in the loving care of Tommy, Thor and the Hopkins. If asked, Tommy could not have recalled when it had happened. The thin, shy boy had gotten taller, stronger, hairier. Ben had the advantage of Thor’s gym and training support by Thor himself. He had become a very handsome young man. Every then and again, Tommy would look across the dining table and seeing Ben, realize the different person he was becoming, had become.

Then one day it happened. The phone rang and a girl’s voice asked to speak to Ben. Tommy handed over the phone with a questioning eyebrow, then retreated from the room to give Ben privacy. Later at dinner, Tommy could resist his curiosity no longer. “Ben, who called earlier?”

“Amy.”

Thor now raised his eyebrows. “A girl?”

“Yeah, she’s a girl.”

“From school?”

“Yeah, from school.”

“So, uh, is this something we should talk about?”

Ben began to quake with amusement. “If you two aren’t the silliest things. I get one phone call from a girl and you’re both in terror. Well relax. She’s not the first girl I’ve talked to. And I think she’s pretty cool. Other kids have been dating for years, I just never thought about it before, but she asked me to go to a movie on Friday. Is that alright?”

“Yes, well, uh, certainly,” Tommy stumbled.

Later that night while in bed, Thor took Tommy in his arms. “It seems he’s growing up. I never really thought about Ben being old enough for girls and dates and stuff, but he sure is. How do you feel about it?”

“Thor, I didn’t realize it was happening, Ben growing up. Life was going along and taking me, us with it. Ben was my little boy. He appeared suddenly and changed our lives. And now he’s starting to leave us. It makes me sad and proud. I really like Ben, not because I’m his father, but as a person.”

Thor picked up the theme, “Yes, Ben’s a fine boy. I’m thinking this dating stuff may be harder on us than it is for him.”

***

Friday arrived. “Ben, what’s the plan for the movie?” Tommy asked with an effort that surprised him.

“Oh, Amy’s meeting me here. We’ll walk over to the Broad Street Cinema.”

“Will you ask her in?”

“Sure. I think she’s curious about where I live. She lives in those apartments beyond the University.”

Ben seemed to spend an unusual amount of time getting ready. Tommy could here the shower running even longer than usual. Thor came home early from the gym and joined Tommy waiting nervously in the sitting room. Tommy poured some wine for them both. Ben appeared in the doorway, and leaned against the frame. “Are you two nervous or something?” he teased. The doorbell rang and Ben raced down the stairs. Tommy could hear him shooing Hopkins from the door, answering it himself. “This is Hopkins and Mrs. Hopkins.” Ben was introducing the girl.

Ben chatted away as they climbed the stairs. Tommy could hear him telling about the first time he had come here, with his mother. He’d forgotten how many stairs there were, now that is was his home. “My room is on this floor, but my Dad’s apartment is one up.” Tommy hoped he had cleaned his room before showing it to the girl. They again climbed the stairs. “And this is the sitting room and here is my Dad and Thor, his partner.” A girl, really a young woman entered the sitting room. She was blond, attractive, and holding on to Ben’s arm.

Tommy rose to greet the girl. Ben continued on with the tour. “The dining room and kitchen through there. My dad’s study is really neat.” Ben led the girl toward the back. Tommy could just hear the girl quietly ask a question to which Ben replied, “Only my dad and Thor’s room.” Ben led the girl back to the sitting room. “This is the place. I’ve lived here since my mom died. Dad and Thor have taken care of me ever since – with the help of the Hopkins. Well, it’s about time to go if we’re going to get good seats. See you guys later.” Ben took the girl by the arm and guided her out the door.

Tommy called after them, “Nice to meet you, Amy.” He returned to the sitting room and sat next to Thor. “Did that go ok? I’m never sure how people will take our being Ben’s parents, even after all these years.”

When Ben returned later that night, he responded that the movie as not that great, that he’d walked Amy home, and that he was going to bed. Tommy asked, “Was Amy okay with, uh, you know, with Thor and me?”

Ben paused for a minute. “It really didn’t come up. She did ask if you two shared a room. I told her all about you being sex fiend lovers,” Ben teased.

“You’d better not have,” Thor threatened. Ben just laughed and walked down to his room. “Love you guys,” he called up to them.

***

Dating with Amy continued for several weeks. When calls stopped and her name wasn’t mentioned anymore, Tommy asked Ben about it. “Oh, it wasn’t serious. Anyway she’s in some gymnastic stuff that has her away a lot.”

And then another call. “Is Ben there?” No, he’s out. “Could you tell him Clay called. He’s got my number.”

Tommy delivered the message to Ben. Ben ran down to his room and could be heard dumping out his book bag. He returned running and grabbed the phone. “Hi, Clay? This is Ben.” A pause. “Yeah, great. I’ll have to ask my dad, but I think it will be okay. Saturday night, at the Civic Center. Sure, it sounds great. How much are the tickets? I’ll call you back.”

“Dad, can I go to a concert on Saturday? It’s a really cool band. I’ve got one of their recordings. Clay got free tickets through his older sister and asked me to go.”

“I suppose so. Who is Clay? I don’t remember hearing you mention him before,” inquired Tommy.

“He’s a guy in my English class. I never really knew him before, but we had to work on a paper together. He seems pretty cool and his sister works for the band.”

Tommy didn’t really think much more about it until he heard Ben come home from school one afternoon. Tommy was working in his study when he heard Ben’s familiar heavy footsteps on the stairs – what had happened to that light-footed child? Ben knocked briefly and entered the study. “Tonight’s going to be great. Clay got backstage passes, so it doesn’t cost anything for the concert.”

“Backstage passes?” Tommy’s face showed concern.

“Come on Dad, we’re not going to get involved with any weird stuff the band is doing. It’ll be neat seeing what goes on, about the performance, I mean. These guys are really talented.”

“Okay. I’m counting on your good judgement. Does Clay want to come for dinner before you go? Don’t worry, nothing fancy. We could send out for pizza or sandwiches or whatever you guys want. I’d like to show appreciation for Clay getting the tickets. He must be a good friend.”

“Why don’t you just ask, Dad? ‘Is he your boyfriend?’ You’re about as subtle as a brick. No, he’s not. This isn’t even a date. Though I’d think about it, if Clay was interested,” teased Ben. “But then there’s Sheila, she’s real pretty. Then there’s Jorge. Then again, Claire is a honey.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop butting in,” Tommy retreated.

***

Tommy called to ask Thor to pick up the sandwich order on his way home, explaining that Clay would be joining them. Clay had arrived a few minutes before Thor got home. Ben and Clay were talking in the sitting room, waiting to eat.

Thor came up the stairs, dropping off the food in the dining room, then went looking for Tommy. After a kiss he asked, “So is this person special to Ben?”

“Ben told me to back off and stop speculating on his love life. I guess he is sixteen. At his age I was too scared to talk to anyone. I never had a real date until I met Billy, but things picked up speed from there. Come to think of it, I only had one date with you.” Tommy said.

“One time is all it takes with me, baby. My own sordid past will remain mysterious,” Thor alluded. To Tommy’s inquisitive look, Thor responded, “I was too busy lifting weights and doing sports to get involved with anyone. Anyway the coach told us not to fool around. I’m glad I got over that with you.” Thor winked.

“Hmmm, we could go to bed early tonight, the kid will be away.” Tommy and Thor had begun to become romantic when they felt someone’s presence.

“If you guys can control yourselves, we’d like to eat. Forgive them, Clay, for as long as I’ve been around, they haven’t been able to keep their hands off each other. I suppose it’s cute, and it is nice that they don’t really ever fight, but I wonder what kind of example a couple of sex fiends set for an impressionable youth like myself?”

“Set the table and get some drinks. We’ll be there in minute. Now, if you’ll close the door on your way out?” Tommy ordered and teased.

***

Ben more formally introduced Clay when as they sat down to eat. “This is my dad, Tommy. He’s a professor at the University. This is my, well my other father, Thor. He runs Mike’s Gym. He’s a trainer to some big sports stars here in the city. Thor, could Clay come work out?”

“Pleased to meet you Clay. We’d need your parent’s permission, but sure you could come to the gym. Ben’s probably as good a trainer as me. He’s been working out since he came here.”

Clay quietly said to the table, “I’ve noticed. I don’t know about my parents. They’re good people and all, but not much up on different kinds of families. They’re not real comfortable with my sister working for a rock band. I guess I could ask. I’d like to do it with you Ben, work out I mean.” Clay blushed. Ben blushed.

Following the awkward silence, Thor asked for more soda. Tommy gladly poured.

“Well, it’s about time to go,” Ben said, looking dramatically at his watch.

“Be careful, Ben.” Thor cautioned.

“Let us know when you get in,” Tommy requested.

“They sound just like my parents,” Clay said.

“Other than being two guys, I’ll bet their just the same. Always after me to clean my room, brush my teeth, get a haircut” Ben lamented.

“Way sexier, though,” Clay said under his breath.

***

“So, sexy, shall we go to bed?”

“I thought you’d never ask?”

“Since when do I have to ask?”

“I sense some role play coming on.”

“Strip and get on your knees.”

“Like the kid said, way sexier.”