Young and Hungry - For Life - 8. Thomas Can’t Sleep

Thomas was having trouble sleeping, so after tossing and turning for about an hour, he decided to get up and go for a walk in the garden. He went outside wearing just his shorts, but the night was just cool enough to feel the freshness of the night air tingle on his skin. He did one round of the rose garden, then sat in the wisteria pergola. It had been some time, over a year since he last lunched there with Virginia. He missed those days and now found his life really without purpose. He had no partner and no actual job, although he was well taken care of in the Price household. But life without a job meant he had no direction, no purpose and no one to share it with. Sure Jonathan and Lachlan were very good friends, provided him with housing and food and made no demands on him, but he still felt something lacking.

As he looked out across the garden, his eye caught sight of the moonlight reflecting off the pool. It looked inviting, so he thought he might test the water and maybe a few laps might tire him enough to sleep. On the way to the pool he noticed a light still burning in the flat above the garage and wondered why Dante was up so late. He sat on the edge of the pool dangling his feet to test the water, but before he decided to jump in he saw someone come out of the garage and hurry towards the house. He stood up and walked closer but kept in the shadows. He assumed it was Dante, going to the kitchen for a late night snack, but as the person stepped into the full moonlight, he saw it was Carol scurrying back to the main house.

This disappointed him, not because of Carol’s behaviour but because he knew he had now lost his bet with Cook. Soon there would be another tick on her side of the board and that would mean Dante may be straight after all. But if so what was he playing at last week in the workshop?

Well, no time like the present to find out, Thomas thought and headed off to the garage. The light was still on so thought he might go and have a chat with Dante and see if he would reveal his secret liaison with Carol. He went up the stairs and only lightly knocked on the door, in case Dante was already sleeping.

“Coming” he called as he approached the door, then said “Did you forget....” as he opened the door. Standing there completely naked, he added “Oh Thomas, this is a surprise, is there something wrong?”

“No, except that I can’t sleep. I was walking around the garden when I noticed your light on and thought maybe you couldn’t sleep either.”

“I was just going to bed, when you knocked, but that’s fine, come in.”

“Thanks”

“Would you like a coffee or something else to drink?”

“Coffee’s probably not a good idea, maybe something else.”

“There’s an opened bottle of white wine in the fridge. Why don’t you pour us a couple of glasses while I get some clothes on.”

“Oh no need for that, there are no clothes that could improve your looks, you’re just perfect as you are.”

“Ok, no problem, I’ll get the wine then.”

As Dante filled two glasses, Thomas asked “Are you usually up this late?”

“No, but I was entertaining a young lady tonight.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Of course, it was Carol. As a matter of fact I thought it was her coming back when you knocked. You must have almost passed each other in the yard.”

“No, didn’t see anybody.”

“Anyway, we spent some time together tonight.”

“Just chatting?” prodded Thomas.

“No Thomas, we were not just chatting. But you’ve already worked that out, I’m sure.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry, it’s really none of my business.”

“Yes, you did, but that’s ok. There’s no point trying to keep secrets in this household.”

“So are you two an item now?”

“No, not as in a relationship, it’s just a casual thing. Do you know much about her?”

“Only that she’s worked her since she finished school. She’s the daughter of the maid of one of Mrs Prices friends and she gave her the job as a favour to her friend. She doesn’t seem to have much life outside of the property.”

“I thought as much, she really should get out more and meet people her own age. She’s very needy.”

“So is she just what you need?”

“No, she’s sweet and I like her as a person, even as a lover she’s a quick learner and very appreciative, but not really my type.”

Thomas took a large sip of his wine then asked “So what is your type?”

Before answering Dante put down his glass, looked Thomas straight in the eyes, then said “You are”

“You mean gay men?”

“No, I mean specifically you Thomas. Why are you the only person on this property that has not propositioned me?”

“What?”

“You heard me, this place is a seething hot bed of sexual appetites begging to be satisfied.”

“So how many of these propositions have you accepted?”

“All of them.”

Thomas had to gulp down his mouthful of wine to avoid spitting it out. “So just who have you had sex with?”

“Jonathan, Lachlan, Mrs Cook and of course Carol, is there anyone else?”

“No that pretty well covers it all.”

“So that just leaves you, Thomas.”

“The last of your conquests, hey?”

“No, and that’s not what I was trying to say. I said I specifically wanted you. Right from the beginning, I did. I thought we were going to get it together last week, but you froze and ran off.”

“Yes, about that, I want to explain.”

“Please do, but before that I’ll open another bottle, the same alright with you?”

“Sure.”

Dante poured again then raised his glass and said “To you Thomas, a most desirable man.”

They both drank, then Dante said “You were going to explain.”

“Yes, that thing you do with the hose clamp and the screwdriver...”

“You don’t like it?”

“No, it’s not that, but it reminds me of my late partner, Jared. He was into pain, specifically ball torture and last week’s activities were getting a bit close to that. When I lost Jared, I went to a very, very dark place and I never want to go there again. I’m sorry, but what you were doing brought back memories that I could not handle.”

“So you loved this man, Jared, very much?”

“Yes I did.”

“But you didn’t approve of his S & M thing?”

“I was fine with it, in fact he was slowly introducing me to that, only mildly, but I was enjoying it.”

“So what is the problem?”

“When Jared passed, as I said I went to a dark, dark place and I attempted to emulate what Jared used to do and I went too far. Finished up in hospital with a ruptured testicle and then two months in a mental health facility.”

“That sucks, I had no idea, but thank you for telling me. I will be more careful about such matters in the future.”

“So what is the future?” asked Thomas, expectantly.

“That’s up to you, but I have a plan, if you’d like to hear it.”

“Sure would.”

“Well firstly I thought we might finish this bottle while we chat. Then you could take me to bed, with no mechanical devices, just us, all natural, except for a condom.”

“I think I like this plan of yours, Dante.”

<>

When they finished drinking, Dante said “I’ll just have a quick shower to wash off the smell of woman, you might not like that.”

“Oh, I’m well used to that.”

“You mean you’re bi?”

“No, but Jared was, and he often had the smell of a certain woman on him. One a lot older than Carol.”

Dante raised his eyebrows, said nothing and thought 'Thomas must be referring to Cook'.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about this household.”

“I thought I knew it all.”

“How much do you know?”

“I know that Price was always gay and kept an apartment for that side of his life. He had a lavender marriage and his wife had her own lovers and held a lot of very interesting parties here. How am I doing so far?”

“Pretty good, have you got anymore?”

“Let me think...he tried to go into politics last year, but it all came unstuck when a newspaper article outed him. I also know he replaced his personal driver with a young, SAS soldier to be his bodyguard.”

“That last bit wasn’t in the newspaper.”

“I know, but the driver was my uncle Bernie.”

“Oh fuck, what a small world.”

“But what has all that to do with your late partner?”

“Jared was the last of Virginia Price’s lovers.”

“The last, did she die?”

“No, they got divorced and she went off with her driver, the man who used to look after the cars here and... wait for it... lived in this flat for twenty years. That’s why it’s so shabby”

“Noh.... this world is getting smaller. But how come your Jared was her lover. Who had him first?”

“Me, I had him, then I lost him because I was stupid, then I gave him the job as her lover and then I won him back, while he was still working for her.”

“Oh you’re gonna have to tell me all about this.”

<>

The two men went on talking and drinking till sunrise. When they noticed the daylight creeping through the window, they went to the bedroom, collapsed on the bed, cuddled up and slept till nearly midday when they were woken by a scream.

***

Carol had taken it upon herself to enter the flat unannounced to deliver towels to Dante.

“What the fuck?” yelled Dante, as he sat up, looked around the room and reached out a hand to touch Thomas.

“Carol, what are you doing here?”

“Originally to bring you clean towels, but it seems, I’ve caught you in your flagrant.”

“I think the term you’re looking for is, in flagrante. But you haven’t, we’ve just been sleeping off a late night drinking session.”

“Thomas finally appeared from under the sheet and added his contribution “Carol, it doesn’t matter what you think you’ve discovered, it really is none of your business. Just leave the towels and go, please.”

Carol then started to cry, and folded to the floor.

“Oh don’t be like this Carol, we really didn’t do anything” pleaded Dante

“Don’t apologise to her Dante, she shouldn’t be here, anyway.”

“But she’s upset, I need to reassure her.” Dante replied as he got out of the bed. As he turned away to hide his nakedness, Thomas caught sight of his tight rounded butt, but refrained from commenting in front of Carol. However, she could not mistake the look of lust in his eyes and the same feelings in herself.

By the time Dante pulled on some shorts the other two were giving each other the death stare and both knew the battle had just begun.

***

Carol went back to the kitchen and started stacking crockery, for the dining room, on a tray so loudly, Cook was prompted to ask “Are you trying to break all the plates, this is not a Greek wedding?”

“Well it’s certainly not my wedding, but maybe someone’s honeymoon is just beginning”

“What are you babbling about, girl?”

“Nothing, none of your business”

“It is if you’re going to play, bull in a china shop, with my kitchen”

Carol then burst into tears again.

“Come here my girl, what’s got you in such a state?”

As Cook held Carol, she blubbered through her tears “Dante!”

“You haven’t been making early towel deliveries again, have you?”

“Yes, and just as well I did, or I wouldn’t know about his duplicity”

“Ooh, that’s a strong word for so early in the day. What’s happened?”

“I caught him and Thomas in flag...doing it, disgusting!”

“Really, that’s interesting, but disappointing” replied Cook as she sat Carol down and picked up the board marker.

“I was going to make an entry on the scoreboard, but that would be an own goal” then she put down the marker, picked up the eraser and tapped her chin with it.

“What are you doing now?” asked Carol

“Thinking this through....If I can’t win this.... then maybe I should scrap the whole wager. A draw is better than a loss”

Then Carol brightened a little and added “I can help you with that, I earned a tick for you last night”

“Oh my girl, you have made my day” Then as she again swapped between eraser and marker, she continued “I’ll take my tick now and even if Thomas adds his later, we’re still even”

“Cook, can I ask you something?”

“Of course my girl”

“When I was upset a few minutes ago, you started to comfort me. You’ve never done that before”

“I’ve never seen you so upset before”

“But when I mentioned spending last night with Dante your attention quickly turned from me to this stupid bet with Thomas. Which is more important to you?”

“That’s not a fair question and besides, of you spent the night with Dante how come you found him with Thomas this morning?”

“I left in the early hours, maybe about one am”

“Then Thomas must have been on late shift. That’s curious”

“Why curious?”

“Did you see Thomas last night?”

“No, except for Dante and me, I thought everyone was asleep”

“It seems not everyone, he must have a tightly regimented roster. I must say, boyo certainly has some staying power”

“Carol, I do care for you, my girl and I also want to win this bet, so if we work together maybe we can both win” concluded Cook.

<>

Shortly afterwards Dante and Thomas entered the kitchen and sat at the staff dining table.

“I suppose you two have worked up a big appetite this morning, though not from gardening, I suspect”

“Not especially, why do you say that?” asked Dante

“Oh no reason, just an observation about two healthy young men”

Before Dante could continue, Thomas saw the board marker and the eraser on the table and asked Cook “How come these are here?”

“Oh do you need to make an entry on the board?”

“No, I’ll just put them back on the ledge”

As he did, he noticed an additional tick on the board, but said nothing and smiled at Cook, who was very curious as to why Thomas did not award himself another tick.

“So what’s for breakfast?” asked Dante

“Breakfast was five hours ago, but I can knock up something for you. Anything you like, served on plastic plates”

“What?”

*****