Catering With Benefits (3) - An Appetite for More - 39. We’re Going to the Moon

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Two days later, Craig received a phone call during the lunch time rush at Poppy’s. He noted it was Justin and was pleased he called, but surprised.

“How’s the desert Lawrence, haven’t fucked any camels have you?”

“Not funny Craig. I’m at home, couldn’t stand another day with the fucking bastard, poor excuse for a human. I hope he rots in the desert.”

“Hey, hey, slow down. What’s happened, did you two have a falling out?”

“That’s putting it mildly. I hope he dies a slow painful death or gets eaten by dingoes.”

“Tell me what happened.”

“Not on the phone, can you come home?”

“Ok, I’ll get Charlie to take over and I’m on my way.”

<>

“Charlie, can you finish off the remaining covers for lunch. I’ve got a personal crisis at home that I must attend to.”

“Sure mate, anything I can help with?”

“Just take care of things here. I’ve got to get home to Justin.”

“I thought he wasn’t due back till the end of the week.”

“Seems he and Jared had an argument, so he came home early.”

“Probably just some brotherly tiff. I used to fight with my brother all the time, but we always got over it.”

“Somehow I think it’s more than that. I’ve never known Justin to be so upset.”

“All right, don’t worry about things here, get on your way to see your man.”

“Thanks Charlie.”

With that Charlie rang the bell and called “Service!”

***

Craig tried to remain calm on the drive home, but the more he tried the worse he felt. He reasoned that as it seemed like the first argument the brothers had, Justin was probably taking it harder than he should. When he arrived home, he found Justin in the shower, sitting on the floor sobbing.

“Hey, it can’t be that bad. What did you two argue about that’s got you in this state?” Craig asked as he led Justin out of the shower, wrapped him in a towel and then in his arms.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I shower, I can’t get rid of his stench.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not following you. Settle, take a few deep breaths and tell me slowly what happened.”

“Offspring of a rapist, that’s what he is and he’s inherited the same genes. I can’t believe, the man I loved, the big brother I always wanted and trusted would do that.”

“Do what Justin, you’re not making sense. Has this something to do with your father.”

“Yes, they’re both rapists.”

“Are you saying that Jared raped someone out at Ayers Rock?”

“Yes... me!”

Craig gasped at this revelation and was rendered speechless. He knew there were no words to be said at this moment. All he could do for Justin was hold him tighter until he felt the sobbing slowly dissipate.

Eventually, Craig coaxed Justin into his bed and told him to rest while he made tea. Craig took his time, hoping Justin would fall asleep before he returned to the bedroom. His plan worked, so he sat down to have a tea himself and call Thomas to see if he knew what had happened.

“Hi Craig, thanks for the dinner the other night, Charlie really is a great chef and I enjoyed spending some time with you. As much as I don’t like our boys going away it was an enjoyable evening with you.”

“Yes, same here Thomas, but I’m calling about Justin, and Jared, for that matter.”

“Why, have you heard from them?”

“Yes, Justin arrived home this afternoon and is extremely upset over what happened between him and Jared.”

“I haven’t heard from Jared, why what happened?”

“You mean Jared hasn’t come home or even called you?”

“No nothing, but that’s not unusual when they’re away. So why did Justin come home on his own? Is he ill or did they have some sort of argument?”

“Thomas, you’re not going to like what I’m going to say, but I can only tell you what Justin told me. He said Jared raped him.”

“Fuck!... Oh sorry, that didn’t sound right. Maybe it was just some brotherly wrestling that got out of hand and misunderstood by Justin.”

“He can’t have misunderstood it enough to come home, and be in a complete state of shock. I found him sitting on the floor of the shower sobbing and shaking. I’ve just got him off to sleep. I want him to rest before I ask any more questions.”

“Shit, that sounds bad. I can’t even image what might have happened between them.”

“Can you follow up with Jared and see what he has to say.”

“I certainly will and I also want to know why he hasn’t come home if Justin left him. It’s very strange.”

<>

When Jared’s phone rang he ignored it until Ryan asked “Are you going to get that?”

Jared looked at his phone on the bedside table and replied “It’s nothing important, it will go to voicemail, and you shouldn’t speak with your mouthful. Didn’t your mother tell you that?”

“She did actually, but I don’ think she ever thought I would have my mouth full of...well... you.”

“Back to work hungry boy, you’ll get a tasty reward very soon.”

“Mmm.” was all Ryan could manage to say.

***

Craig called Charlie to tell him he would not be in for the dinner service and if he needed any extra help he should call Snowy, or whoever was available.

Justin slept until early evening and wandered into the lounge room where Craig was pouring his second glass of wine. “Want to join me, my love?” asked Craig

“Sure, enough might help to ease the pain.”

“Do you want something prescriptive for that?”

“I didn’t mean that sort of pain.”

“Ok, now don’t get worked up again, just relax while I get another glass and talk if you want to, or not. Whatever you feel you want, but try to remain calm.”

Rather than focus directly on the event that so upset Justin, he asked about the trip back to let Justin tell his story in his own time.

“How were you able to get a direct flight so soon?”

“I had my E-ticket on my phone and as there was a seat on the following day they rebooked me, for a fee.”

“That was lucky, sometimes those flight can be fully booked.”

“Craig, I know what you’re doing, and I appreciate it, but I want to tell you what happened and why it happened.”

“Ok, go ahead, but don’t get worked up again, please.”

“Remember I mentioned before that I was in pain and when you offered me painkillers, I said, not that sort of pain. Well it’s actually the pain of guilt.”

“Stop right there. You shouldn’t be talking this way. It’s typical of a victim’s reaction to rape. It is not your fault, no matter what happened.”

“Will you just listen, and stop being the nurse for a while.”

“Sorry, but why would Jared rape you?”

“Because I didn’t want to have sex with him.”

“Why would he expect you to have sex with him?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. My guilt is not about being raped, it’s about what Jared and I have been doing for months; since the other rapist’s funeral actually. Jared and I have been having sex on our trips away and other times.” Justin had been speaking with his head lowered, but now raised it, looked directly at Craig and said “Now it’s your turn to remain calm.”

“Ok, I can do that.”

“I loved Jared so much, I would do anything for him. I thought our love was mutual and it seemed natural to have sex with one you love. But while we were away this time, I changed my mind when I realised that it was not natural to fuck your brother, but more importantly, I was cheating on you and that really got to me. He had convinced me that sex between brothers was natural and not connected with our relationships with our partners. It seemed ok at the time, but when I thought more about it, I realised cheating is cheating, no matter who it’s with.”

Justin then went directly to the events in the desert, while Craig listened intently and said nothing until Justin finished describing the rape. “But how did you get way?”

“After he’d had his way with me, he went to his backpack, pulled out a penknife and opened it. I was starting to get worried about what he might do. He still seemed to be in a rage. He lifted me onto my feet and pushed me face first into a tree. I was so scared about the knife, I was shaking and felt I was going to faint and I must have, because when I woke up, I was lying on the ground, my hands were free and the cut cable tie beside me.”

“What was Jared doing, when you woke?”

“He was gone and his backpack, so I grabbed mine and ran back to the hotel. I was afraid to go into our room, I thought he might be waiting for me. Then I saw a housemaid in the corridor and asked if she had cleaned our room. She said no and would I like it done now. I asked her just to knock on the door and announce herself, you know how they do. When there was no answer, I thanked her and asked if she could come back later. Then I grabbed my stuff, left the hotel and got the hotel shuttle into town. By the time I reached a park, I had calmed down enough to think clearly and decide on my course of action. It was pretty simple really, just get out of there. The airline didn’t have a flight till the next day, so I arranged that and booked into a cheap motel to hide from Jared and stay the night. Then I flew home to you. Oh fuck, what a mess.” concluded Justin and the tears started to flow again.

“Hey, your home and safe now, don’t worry about any of the rest, we can work through that later.”

“But I know you’ll hate me for cheating on you.”

“I don’t know how I feel at the moment, just leave it for now.”

“But you have to hate me and throw me out. I’ve been a real bastard and a fool to trust him.”

“Shush, drink up.” replied Craig as he hugged his traumatised man.

A few minutes of silence passed, then Justin asked “What are you going to do?”

“Right now, nothing but comfort you.”

“But you should be angry with me, shouting and yelling. Telling me I’m a cheat and you don’t want to have any more to do with me.”

“Maybe I will later, but just now I want to hold you, tighter than I ever have before.”

Craig was totally conflicted. He knew Justin was right, but he just didn’t feel it that strongly. Instead he felt pity for his man and would do anything to help him through the post trauma process. Whatever the cheating was about, he did not know, but thought it could all be discussed later, when Justin felt safe and supported.

The incident was not discussed any more that evening. Between them they emptied two bottles of wine, Craig made sandwiches for an early evening meal and to avoid talking they watched TV until about nine pm, when they both went to bed and slept soundly, thanks to the Chardonnay.

***

Ryan had the evening off and suggested they have dinner off the resort and promised to take Jared to see the desert at night.

“But what can you see at night, there’s bugger all to see in the daylight, except a fucking big rock.”

“We can see a night corroboree.”

“That gives a whole new meaning to dirty dancing.”

“Ok, aboriginal culture’s not your thing, I guess. If we get out before sunset the ever changing colours of Uluru are amazing.”

“And after dark?”

“The clearest star gazing you will ever see.”

“What sort of action is there?”

“Many native animals are on the move at night, to avoid the heat of the day.”

“Sounding a bit better, what else?”

“Well, if you really want action, there’s no speed limit in much of the Northern Territory and no traffic on the local roads at night, so are you game?”

“You’ve won me.”

“Finally!”

<>

After dinner they set off in Ryan’s Mazda MX5, with the top down, so they could see the stars as they drove. After about thirty minutes of heading straight into the rising moon and a few near misses with wildlife on the road they stopped at a spot so flat and clear that the road disappeared over the moonlit horizon. As they left the car, Ryan took a blanket and said to Jared “Now, you’re in for a new experience.”

“I like the sound of that, are you that good?”

“No, not that. The blanket is for us to lie flat on our backs in the red dirt and watch the stars. If you lie still enough for long enough you can see the stars move in relation to the horizon or other fixed objects like trees or rocks.”

“You want me to lie still for that long?”

“It’s worth it for the unique experience.”

After ten minutes, Jared was bored and said to Ryan, “How about you continue lying there staring at the stars and I will swallow you so deeply and bring you to a climax that will have you seeing even more stars?”

“Be my star maker.”

Ryan was indeed more than a mouthful for Jared, but true to his word he swallowed all of Ryan and felt him wince when he bit lightly at the base of his tool. Slowly he brought the handsome young waiter near to coming, then paused. “Hey is that all?’ Ryan asked.

Jared gave him a thumbs up sign and went in for the kill. As the thick milky juice pumped into his mouth, he allowed it to slide down his throat and heard Ryan, at first moan and then yell “Yes, yes.”

After a few pants, Ryan said “Well, you do keep your promise, don’t you? The stars here have never looked so bright as tonight, thanks to you.”

“Told you so, now you can return the favour, while I look at these stars of yours.”

“Shall I go very slowly, so you have time to see the stars move?”

“Oh, yes please.”

<>

After their dual desert dalliance, they each knocked back a beer before getting back into the car and speeding down the road with the wind blowing through their hair and feeling totally free. The night was clear the road was clear and in Jared’s mind it was clear he had indeed found a willing and more than capable sex partner here in the outback.

“Do you bring all your restaurant patrons out here for a private tour and such very personal service?”

“Only the sexiest ones. Speaking of which, what happened to that equally sexy brother of yours?”

“Why, do you think you could handle the two of us?”

“I could give it a try. How about tomorrow night?”

“Unfortunately, I think he went home, so you’ll just have to give it to me with twice the intensity.”

“Now there’s a challenge I’m willing to take up.”

“You already have, in one way.”

“How’s that?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a cock so far down my throat. You’re certainly deliver, twice the average man.”

“Thank you indeed, I’ll add that testimonial to me resume.”

“I would be happy to give you a reference any day, except...”

“Except what?”

“Then I’d have to share you, so I might keep that information to myself.”

“Greedy man, but I’ll take it as a compliment, just the same.”

As their speed reached 120 kph, it was becoming increasingly difficult to hear the conversation, so Jared yelled “Is this the best this Jap can will do?”

“No, there’s more in reserve, hold on, we’re going to the moon.” replied Ryan, as he accelerated and Jared felt his body pressed against the back of the seat.

As the adrenalin pumped through Jared’s body, he noted, the road was endless, the sky was endless and the possibilities of the future also seemed endless to Jared that night.

*****