Catering with Benefits (1) - 19. Boxing Day

After brunch on Boxing Day the boys set off for the drive north to Forster. They arrived late in the afternoon and were welcomed by Justin’s aunts Julia and Hannah. Then Justin introduced his cousins Alex the elder one and James. The next morning Justin suggested that he and Craig could take his cousins out for the day and give the girls a bit of time alone. Everyone liked this idea. They planned to spend the morning in town, have lunch there and then go to the beach. Over lunch Craig realised he had left his phone at the house.

“On the way to the beach I’ll call by the house and get my phone, I want to take some pictures of us all at the beach.”

“OK” said Justin, “We almost pass the house on the way to the beach.”

When they arrived Craig went into the house while the others waited in the car, as the boys were anxious to get to the beach. Craig came out a few minutes later in a furious state.

“What’s up?” asked Justin, noticing Craig’s change of mood.

“Not now, I’ll tell you later. Let’s get to the beach. I’m sure the boys are keen.” Justin did not press the issue any further when he noticed Craig indicate with a head movement that he did not want to talk in front of the boys. As soon as Craig parked at the beach the boys jumped out of the car and removed their clothes as they ran towards the water. With the boys out of hearing range Justin asked “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“Do you know what your Aunts are doing back there?”

“No.”

“They were clearly not expecting us to return so soon.”

“Tell me, what’s the problem?”

“They’re as high as kites back there. Dosed to the eyeballs on some kind of drugs.”

“How do you know?”

“Well for starters, Hannah practically raped me on the spot.”

“What!”

“Well I don’t think she really meant it. It’s just the drugs talking. Did you know they did drugs?”

“I can’t say I’ve seen them doing drugs, but I sometimes suspected them over the years. They would occasionally be acting strangely when the boys and I would return from the movies. But it was usually late so we all went straight to bed and all seemed right in the morning.”

“Do their sons know?”

“I don’t know, we never discussed it. Growing up with my father and his mood changes I learned not to ask difficult questions of family.”

“While on the subject, do you do drugs Justin?”

“Not now.”

“What do you mean not now?”

“Oh nothing serious, I tried pot a few times, but nothing else. After seeing what alcohol did to my father I decided it was not worth the risk.”

“Good.”

“...and you”

“No nothing ever.”

“Nothing at all, when nurses have access to all sorts of stuff.”

“That’s just the point. When I was in nursing school we had a lecturer who made sure we did not abuse our privileged position. She used to take us into A & E on Saturday nights. It was on the pretext of toughening us up for coping with the type of bad situations we would eventually face in hospitals. But, what she really wanted to achieve was to scare the life out of us about the consequences of drug taking.”

“So, did it work?”

“Let me put it this way. When you have to watch a parade of addicts, first timers and those that overdosed because they either did not know what they were taking or simply got bad shit on the streets, every Saturday night, it has an effect.”

“Wow! some education.”

“Yeah, she was a tough woman, but she was on a mission and I think she generally achieved her aim. At least she did with me.”

“We better get down to the beach now, or the boys might ask questions.”

“Yeah, good idea, but what do we do about Julia and Hannah?”

“What can we do, it’s their business, not ours.”

“They have teenage sons, so that’s not setting a very good example.”

“For today, let’s stay out as late as we can, I’ll call them later, suss out the situation and tell them we will take the boys out for dinner and watch the sunset over the lake. Then by the time we get back to the house they might be over the effects or at least asleep.”

“OK, but what do we tell the boys.”

“Either they already know or suspect and have learned to cope with it. Or if they don’t then I think the girls must be good at protecting them from it. Either way we don’t need to do anything.”

“You are just going to let them carry on raising children in a drug house.”

“It’s hardly a drug house, as you put it. It’s just occasional recreational use.”

“And you’re OK with that?”

“Like I said, I don’t ask difficult questions, they let me live there and it’s really not my concern as long as I don’t participate. Plus I’m certain the boys don’t do anything.”

“Well I’m not happy with that.”

“Craig, please don’t say anything or make a scene when we get back.”

“Yes, you’re right. I won’t say anything, except goodbye.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will not stay in that house with those drug heads.”

“Oh that’s overstating it a bit, don’t you think?”

“Well you can make your own choice, but I’m not staying on. We can stay tonight and then tomorrow, I’m out of there. I just don’t feel comfortable around drugs.”

“Craig, not all families are as squeaky clean as yours. They’re the only family I have. Please don’t embarrass me in front of them. Their home is still my home.”

Craig and Justin joined the cousins in the surf and all had a good afternoon. Stripped down to his Speedos, Justin made a handsome sight on the beach. He even attracted some unwanted attention from a group of young teenage girls who kept finding excuses to walk by and smile at him. They clearly were hoping he would notice them. After the heavy scene with Craig over the drug issue, Justin was feeling like having a bit of fun, but not at their expense. He genuinely thought he would give them a bit of a thrill if he gave them a bit of attention. When he saw them approaching again, he flipped onto his stomach and did press-ups as they stopped and watched. He then rose to his knees and flexed his biceps for them. The girls giggled and one dared to ask “Can we touch your muscles?”

Much to Craig’s disapproval, Justin replied “Sure girls.” As she reached out and touched his pecs he flexed them. She was so surprised she pulled back in shock and the rest of the girls giggled. When she recovered she reached out and touched his pecs again. Justin flexed again and held the pose. She said “They’re so hard. Can the other girls have a go?”

“Sure” They all approached and took turns squeezing his biceps and touching his pecs.

“You’re swole!”

“I think that’s enough girls.” scowled Craig, who was clearly not enjoying the situation.

“OK Mr., is he your boyfriend?”

“Yes, most certainly!” said Craig

“Mmm lucky you” and they walked away as one girl said to the others “Why are all the sexiest ones gay? It’s not fair.”

The cousins had been watching this from further down the beach and were quite amused and a bit jealous by it all, but not surprised as they had grown up with Justin and were used his muscles getting all the attention. As the girls got closer, one of the boys asked “Is there anything of ours you want to touch girls?”

“That depends on what you’re offering.”

“Anything you can see and some you can’t see.”

“How about you both do some push-ups on the sand and we’ll think about it.”

“If you tell us your names.”

“I’m Fran and these are my friends Jade and Sandy.”

“OK Fran, now you and your friends can watch Alex and James do one-handed push-ups just for you.”

Justin had taught them how to do this as well as encouraging them to start developing their young teenage bodies with exercises and use of his weights. The girls were impressed and asked the boys to join them for ice cream up at the kiosk.

“Should we stop them Justin” asked Craig

“What are you today, the fun police? They’re teenagers. Apparently that’s what straights do. Flirt, just like us.”

“Sorry, I’m still wound up about Hannah and Julia. I suppose its harmless fun for them.”

The cousins did not ask about Craig’s problem and were pleased when Justin offered to treat them to dinner at a restaurant by the lake with the best views of the sunset, although they were disappointed when he refused to include the girls. Justin called his aunt to tell them about their evening plans and they were happy with that. Justin told Craig they sounded OK on the phone and thought they would behave when all the boys went home. He did not tell Craig that he heard Hannah in the background call out “Give your boyfriend a kiss from me”.