Chapter 64 

Enrique would be entering his junior year at Goliad High in a few weeks. Because he had done rather poorly in Algebra and Geometry during the year that just passed, the school counselor had suggested that he attend a one-week intensive review course before coming back in the fall. Michael had enrolled him, and the course was to begin the next day. The course was being held at St. Mary's University in San Antonio. Mark and Corky were more than glad to put him up in their apartment during his stay there.

On the night before Enrique was to leave, he and Noah lay in bed with such sadness in their hearts that one would think they were parting forever.

As they held each other in their arms, Noah said, "Ricky, I'm going to be very lonely without you. I was wondering if you would mind if I stayed over at my dad's place while you were gone. I haven't seen him for quite a while, and this would give me a chance to be with him."

Enrique said, "That's a good idea. But you know Steve's living there now with your dad."

"I know," said Noah pensively.

"Do you think that would cause a complication, Noah?"

"I don't know. Ricky, I won't go there if you don't want me to."

"I didn't mean that, Noah. I just wondered about . . . . Well, do you think Steve might feel a little left out and want to . . . you know," said Enrique.

"You mean he might not want me to be alone with Dad? Or maybe he would want to be with us, too?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know, Ricky. Maybe the same thing will happen with you and Mark and Corky while you're up there with them. Maybe they would like to do something with you, too."

Enrique and Noah lay quietly for awhile hugging and kissing each other gently. Finally Enrique said, "Noah, maybe we shouldn't worry about it. You and I aren't gonna be able to be together at all for that week. Maybe just for that week, if something happens, we shouldn't worry about it. Maybe we should both just let happen whatever's gonna happen. I don't know anything else we can do."

"Yeah," said Noah. "We're not gonna be together anyway. Maybe we should both agree that this week can be an exception. We'll just let happen what's gonna happen. I know my dad will want me to sleep with him, but I don't know what will happen with Steve. And we both know that Corky has always wanted you. It might just cause all sorts of problems if we make a big deal out of this."

Enrique scooted down, getting his face very close to Noah's hardening penis. Touching the tip of his tongue to Noah's pee hole and licking up a few drops of pre-cum, he said, "Oh, Noah. You're the love of my life now. I never wanted to go to that fucking class, but Michael's making me go. I just never want to be far from you. Every night I want to taste your body and this wonderful cream I take from you every night. This is what gives me life, Noah."

Then looking up at Noah's face, Enrique said, "Please, Noah. Let's not be jealous of each other while I'm gone. No matter what happens, you'll always be on my mind. Will you think of me, too?

Noah reached down under Enrique's arms and pulled him up on top of him and kissed him passionately. Noah said, "I'll always think of you, my dear, sweet Ricky, but I can't promise I won't be eaten up with jealousy when I think you might be in bed with Mark and Corky. It's going to be a horrible week."

Enrique brought his tongue down over Noah's chest and belly and into his pubic hair. Licking up over the top of Noah's rigid penis and down the under side, he sucked each of Noah's balls into his mouth. He turned his body so they were in a sixty-nine position. As he took the full length of Noah's penis into his mouth, Noah took Enrique's hard penis to the hilt. As they ran their hands over the soft hair on each other's body, they each sucked the other's penis slowly and gently. Over time, they had learned to sense when the other one was about to cum so that they could cum together. Soon, each of their slender bodies began to tense up, and they knew that is was time for them to allow their orgasms to overtake their bodies. As they moaned and lurched their bodies, each took the other's warm thick sperm into their mouths. After every drop had been discharged, they knew what to do. They held the other's sperm in their mouths and, sitting up, kissed deeply, letting their cum flow between their mouths. They felt as though they were forming a last bond between them, mixing their sperm together and taking it into their bodies.

Noah said, "Now we have a little of each other inside of us when we part tomorrow. I love you, Ricky. Whatever happens, never forget that."

"And I love you, Noah," said Enrique. "Nothing that may happen this next week can ever change that or keep us apart."

As they lay down in each other's arms, there was a knock on the door. Michael peeked in to find the two naked boys lying in each other's arms. Michael said, "I don't want to interrupt anything, but I just wanted to make sure you're all packed and ready to go, Ricky. We're going to make an early start in the morning."

Enrique looked up and said, "I'm all packed and ready, Michael." Then very impulsively, he said, "Michael, would you come over here and let us kiss you goodnight?"

Michael said, "Of course." He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over, kissing each of them on the lips. He said, "Mmmmm. What is that I taste on your lips?"

"I'll give you one guess, Michael," said Noah.

"I know what it is," said Michael with a laugh. "You guys have been dipping into the honey jar again, haven't you? Tastes mighty sweet! Goodnight boys. See you in the morning!"

Marcus Fillmore arrived late in the afternoon and saw to it that Jared had finished his supper. Once again Marcus insisted that Jared eat in his room, rather than joining the others at the kitchen table.

As the evening wore on, Marcus finally said, "Jared, it's time for your bath. I see there's no tub. You only have a shower in this room. I think it's best, considering your unsteadiness on your feet that we have you sit in a chair in the shower."

Marcus went out and inquired of Tony concerning a chair of some sort. Tony was able to find a small plastic stool, which Marcus took back and placed in the shower.

"Now, Jared, let's get out of those clothes."

With Marcus's help, Jared stripped down to nothing. Marcus looked Jared up and down and said, "You know, you're a pretty good looking specimen for your age. Now let's get into the shower, and I'll get in, too, so I can help you."

Marcus stripped off all his clothes while Jared watched him with a curious look on his face. Marcus said, "Well, I can't very well be in the shower with you while I'm dressed, can I."

As Jared sat on the stool, Marcus turned on the water. Once Jared was wetted down, Marcus took the soap and began lathering up Jared's body. Jared stared at Marcus's hardening penis. Marcus said, "Jared, I see you looking. You know we all get hard-ons when we least expect them. Now stand up and hold on to the bar so I can wash your ass and your cock."

As Marcus soaped up Jared's ass crack, penis and balls, he ran his hands all over Jared's crotch. He washed his balls and penis for a long time and watched Jared's penis begin to harden. "That's it, Jared," said Marcus. "I can see that you haven't lost any of your sexual desire. That's good. A man can lose all his sense, but if he still can get a good hard-on, he's still got life in him."

As Marcus continued to massage and stroke Jared's balls and penis, he said, "Does that feel good, Jared?"

Jared smiled and said, "It feels good."

Marcus turned the showerhead toward Jared and rinsed off all the soap. He continued to stroke Jared's penis for awhile as Jared looked down and watched. Then Marcus went down on his knees and took Jared's penis in his mouth. Jared closed his eyes and began to moan. As Marcus continued to suck Jared's penis deep into his throat, he ran his hands over Jared's slim muscular body. He soon felt the muscles in Jared's legs begin to tense up and suddenly felt his mouth being flooded with Jared's sperm.

When Jared's orgasm had subsided, Marcus rose up on his feet. But as he did so, he ran his tongue up through the wet hair on Jared's stomach and chest, swirling it several times around Jared's hard nipples. As he went higher, Jared turned his head to the side as an indication that he didn't want Marcus to run his tongue up on his face.

"Now, Jared, let's step out, and I'll dry you off," said Marcus. Marcus meticulously and rather lovingly wiped the towel over Jared's body, paying particular attention to his crotch area. He ran his bare finger through Jared's ass crack and over his asshole. "I just want to make sure that we have that area nice and dry. We don't want it to start itching, do we?"

Marcus still had a very stiff hard-on. When he finished putting Jared to bed, he said, "If you don't mind, Jared, I'd like to lie down here with you for a few minutes to rest before I go. Okay?"

Jared nodded as Marcus, still naked, stretched out on the bed next to him. As he began stroking his penis, he saw that Jared was watching him stroke. Then Marcus said, "Would you like to touch it, Jared? I won't mind."

Jared didn't move and continued to stare at Marcus's penis. Marcus reached over and took Jared's hand and placed it on his penis. "There's no reason, Jared, that we can't both get our nuts off. I did it for you. Would you like to do it for me?"

Jared withdrew his hand, but continued to stare at Marcus's throbbing hard-on.

"Okay, Jared, I'll just do it myself. Maybe sometime when you feel more like it, you'll like to jack me off." Marcus got up and pulled out a butt plug from his hand bag and pushed it up into his ass. Then he lay back and began stroking his hard-on in earnest. Very quickly, he stiffened his body and, with a sharp cry, sent great ropes of thick white cum onto his chest. Jared seemed to be watching this with intense interest.

As Marcus scooped up some of his cum on his fingers, he held them out to Jared and said, "Would you like some of this? It tastes really good."

Jared turned his head away and said, "No thank you."

Marcus got up and dressed. As he left the room, he met Michael in the hall. Michael said, "Well, Marcus, how are things going with Jared?"

Marcus smiled and said, "I think we're making some progress, Mr. Walker. It's all a matter of my getting into his . . . uh . . . confidence. And I think we're getting there. Once he finally begins seeing some things my way, I think we'll be on the road to recovery."

Michael looked surprised and said, "Knowing Jared's irreversible condition, Marcus, I really don't think that recovery is in the cards. We just need to take care of his needs the best we can."

"Well, Mr. Walker, I think I'm doing that. He seems to be happy with what I'm doing for him."

"Thanks again, Marcus," said Michael as he squeezed Marcus's arm. "We'll see you in the morning."

The next morning, Michael drove Enrique to San Antonio and delivered him to Corky and Mark's apartment. Late that afternoon, Caleb came by the ranch to pick up his son, Noah, who would be staying with him for the week.

When Noah got in the car, Caleb looked at him and said, "Noah, I look at you and I realize how much I've missed you." Caleb reached over and took Noah into his arms. As they hugged, Caleb reached down and ran his hand up under Noah's t-shirt, feeling the soft, smooth skin of his son's stomach and chest. "Do I feel a little more hair coming out on that beautiful chest of yours?"

Noah smiled and nodded, and ran his own hand up under his dad's shirt. Noah said, "Someday, I want to have a lot of nice soft swirly hair as you do on your chest, Dad. Ricky isn't getting any hair at all on his chest. But he has such beautiful hair on his legs. I love to suck on it. Dad? I missed you, too. I think about you all the time."

When they finally broke the hug, they drove to Caleb's apartment. Noah could see from where they parked the car, that there was a charcoal grill smoking up on Caleb's balcony. Caleb said, "Noah, Steve's getting together a real good dinner for us tonight. You'll eat like a king all week, I promise you."

Noah said, "You mean we're not gonna have frozen Tombstone pizza every night?"

"No way," said Caleb. "Those days are gone!"

When they arrived in the apartment, Steve greeted Noah with a big hug and a kiss on the lips. "Noah," said Steve, "It's going to be great having you here this week. Your dad has really missed you. We need to get you over here more often!"

They went out onto the balcony where, as luck would have it, they were just in time to see another one of those gorgeous Texas sunsets. Steve brought out a triple scotch and water for Caleb and asked what Noah would like. Caleb said, "Would you like to have a beer, son. I know you're technically not old enough. But since it's just the three of us here at home, you're welcome to have one."

"Sure," said Noah. "I've never tasted beer before. I'd really like to try it. By the way, when did you start drinking triple Scotches?"

Caleb laughed and said, "Well, you know this is Michael's favorite drink, and he's the one who got me started on them. I really like them. And they give me a quick buzz. There's no other reason to drink, is there? It's that little buzz that makes all your cares go away!"

Steve then brought out a huge tray of all sorts of different cheeses and gourmet meats with crackers. He said, "There's one big advantage to owning a cheese and wine shop, guys. And that's an unlimited supply of good cheese for us cheese hounds!" Steve also had a glass of Chablis for himself.

Caleb said, "Well, son, I hear they've been working your balls off out there at the ranch."

"Yeah, but I kind of like it," said Noah. "Ricky and I get to work together, and that always makes every job more fun. There's this new kid out there now. They call him Jumper."

"Oh, I know about him," said Caleb. "Michael's talked to me about some legal stuff concerning him. He's the one who made a living by letting truckers fuck him for five bucks."

Noah said, "Jumper's really cute, but he's got a lot of problems. Jake seems to be taking charge of him, and he's staying with Jake now in his room."

"Well, knowing Jake," said Caleb with a laugh, "Jumper will probably get all the fucking he wants."

As they talked, Steve brought out some steaks and put them on the grill. As they sizzled away, Caleb said, "Now Noah, you're going to have the greatest meal you ever had in your life."

Steve picked up his glass of wine and, leaning back, he said wistfully, "You know, I wish I had had a son. And I would want him to be just like you, Noah. But it just wasn't to be. I probably wouldn't have come down here if I'd had a son."

Caleb winked at Noah. "Well, Steve, he wouldn't be a blood relative, but maybe you could be Uncle Steve to Noah."

Noah had a big smile, and Steve said, "That would be nice. I don't even have a nephew back home. I don't know what Uncles are supposed to do. I had an uncle, but he never paid any attention to me.

Caleb said, "Well, I figure that uncles are supposed to love their nephews like dads are supposed to love their sons. You'll get the hang of it, Steve."

After finishing their meal, Caleb went in to get some coffee for them. While he was gone, Noah said, "Steve, I'd like to have you be my uncle. My dad loves you very much, and I know why he loves you. He told me you were the nicest and kindest man he had ever known." Getting up, Noah went over to Steve's chair and kissed him on the lips. "And he said you're the best looking guy he's ever known, too. And I can see why for that, too."

On an impulse, Steve took Noah in his arms and brought him down on his lap. As Noah lay his head against Steve's chest, Steve said, "Oh, Noah. I think I'm getting the hang of being your uncle already. And I don't find it hard for this uncle to love his nephew. I think it's going to be quite easy!"

Caleb and Steve cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, while Noah sat in the living room and looked through the stack of video tapes on the shelve below the VCR. He found several porno tapes. When Caleb and Steve came back to the living room, Noah was holding a tape called "The guys of Company B."

Caleb said, "Well, Noah, I see you've found some of our videos. Which one is that you're holding?"

Noah said, "It's called "The guys of Company B."

Caleb said, "Wow! That's a pretty hot one. I don't know if you're old enough to look at that. What do you think, Steve?"

Steve said, "Well, speaking as the boy's uncle, I would say he's got to start his education sometime. Maybe that would be a good one as a first course."

Noah said, "Hey, I already know all there is to know! There isn't much that Ricky and I haven't done. Besides, Dad has given me plenty of lessons, also."

Caleb laughed and said, "Steve and I have watched that one a number of times. I can't say that we managed to last through to the end of it, though. I guess we can watch it again for your sake, Noah. But I want to tell you that there isn't any use to keep our clothes on because we'll just be tearing them off after the video starts. So Steve and I always get good and naked before we put the tape on. If you want to sit and watch this one with us, Noah, I think you'd better get out of those clothes yourself."

Caleb and Steve got out of their clothes and went into the bedroom to hang them up. When they came back, Noah had stripped down, and his clothes were slung over the back of a chair. Steve could hardly take his eyes off of Noah's beautifully shaped teenage body. Caleb went over to the VCR, which was on a shelf close to the floor beneath the TV set. As he leaned way over, to insert the video, Noah looked at his father's long swinging ball sack from the rear.

Noah said, "Dad, stay just like that for a minute. Keep leaning over." Noah crawled over to his father and ran his tongue over his father's balls, causing them to swing from side to side like a great long pendulum. "Oh, God, Dad!" said Noah. "They smell so good and taste so good. I'd just love to eat those beautiful balls!"

Steve sat at one end of the sofa, slowly stroking his hard-on as he watched Noah's cute little body crawling across the floor, with his own balls clearly visible from behind. Caleb inserted the tape, and sat down on the sofa, with Noah between him and Steve.

As the video began, there was a young Private standing in the Commander's office where he was called to be disciplined for having been caught fucking another Private in the shower. The Commander and the Platoon Sergeant were both there. The Commander ordered the private to strip down and lie on his stomach on the desk. He proceeded to spank the Private with his hand until his ass cheeks started to turn red. He then ordered the Private, while he was being spanked, to suck the Sergeant's penis. The Sergeant dropped his pants and, standing next to the desk, pushed his gorged cock into the Private's mouth. The commander stopped spanking the boy and leaned over and buried his face in his ass crack where he began to tongue-fuck him.

Caleb said, "This starts out pretty much like most of these porno videos. But just wait. It gets really hot."

Steve was looking down at Noah's body and his outstretched legs more than he was looking at the video. He pushed up close to Noah so their legs were pressed together. Then he began running his hand over the soft hair of Noah's leg. As the video progressed, things got hotter and hotter until the entire company of men were rolling around on the barracks floor sucking and fucking. There was sperm flying everywhere. By this time, all three on the sofa were vigorously stroking their hard penises. Both Caleb and Steve had their hands all over Noah, kissing and caressing his entire body. Steve crouched down on the floor in front of Noah and brought Noah's legs up onto his shoulders. Then he buried his face in Noah's crotch, madly sucking and licking every inch of it. Caleb was sucking on Noah's hard little nipples and jacking his son off at the same time. When Steve sucked Noah's penis into his mouth, Noah leaned over on his side and took his dad's penis in his mouth.

With the feel of Steve's tongue swirling around his penis head, Noah felt his orgasm building. At the same time, Noah felt his dad's penis begin to expand in his mouth. At the very same time, Noah and his dad shot their loads, Noah's into Steve's mouth, and Caleb's into his son's mouth. As soon as Steve swallowed Noah's sperm, he pulled off. He then lifted Noah's legs up high and began eating out his asshole.

Steve then put one, two, and then three fingers into Noah's hole and twisted them around. He said, "I'd love to fuck that sweet little hole."

Caleb said, "Noah, would you like that? Would you like Uncle Steve to fuck you?"

"Please, Uncle Steve, get inside of me. Please!"

Caleb said, "Okay Steve. My son wants you to fuck him. Why don't you go ahead."

As Steve got up on his knees and mounted Noah, Caleb crouched down on the floor very close so he could get a good close-up view of Steve's hard rod going in and out of his son's asshole. As Steve pushed his penis into Noah's rectum, Caleb said, "Oh, that's beautiful! Look at my little boy's hole clamp down on your penis. I always wanted to see what it looked like close-up to see a good hard cock fucking my son's asshole."

As Caleb said over and over, "Fuck that boy!" he reached up and pushed one of his fingers into his son's asshole next to Steve's hard penis. The feel of Steve's penis being shoved in and out on his finger was so erotic. Steve could feel Caleb's finger on the head of his penis, which started to bring on his orgasm. Caleb could feel Steve's rod begin to throb violently against his finger, and then felt the warm thick sperm as it flooded into his son's rectum. Sweat was pouring off of Steve's face as he growled like a wounded lion with each volley of his sperm. As Steve eventually pulled his penis out of Noah's ass, Caleb watched as some sperm oozed out of his son's asshole. Steve rolled off to the side and Caleb plunged his face into his son's ass trench and madly licked and sucked up as much of Steve's warm cream as he could.

Noah looked up and said, "We haven't seen much of the video. Those guys are all fucking away and we haven't seen hardly any of them."

Caleb said, "Well fuck the video. Steve and I never have seen it all the way through. Let's all go on into the bedroom where we can get comfortable on the bed."

Once they were on the bed, they started rolling around with one another, kissing and licking their bodies and caressing one another like crazed madmen. Soon, all three penises were hard as rocks again. Steve managed to twist himself around so that he could push his crotch up into Noah's face. He was single-minded in his desire to have Noah fuck him. Noah sucked and licked every inch of Steve's crotch and sucked on his balls. Steve brought his legs high so that his thighs were pressing against his chest.

"Please, Noah," pleaded Steve. "Fuck me. Please fuck me!"

Caleb said, "Go ahead, Noah. Give your Uncle Steve a good hard fucking."

Caleb stood on the bed over Steve's head and slowly lowered his ass down so that Steve could eat out his hole while Steve was getting fucked by his son. As Steve chewed away at Caleb's asshole, Caleb, who was facing Noah, began to jack off his own penis. Steve was jacking his own penis as Noah fucked him. Caleb began to groan and, as he threw his head from side to side, he shot great streams of cum onto Steve's stomach. The feel of the hot cum landing on his stomach brought Steve to a climax, and he shot his own load onto Caleb's, creating a large pool of thick white cum. Noah watched these streams of cum shooting out of these two penises and, just before he was about to cum, he pulled out and shot his own streams of sperm into the pool.

Caleb raised himself off of Steve's face and stretched out alongside Steve, while Noah stretched out on the other side of Steve. Steve raised his head and watched as both Caleb and his son lapped up the enormous pool of thick white cum like two hungry animals.

All three were totally spent. They lay there next to one another, almost unable to move a muscle. As Caleb and Steve kissed each other, they both noticed that Noah had fallen into a deep sleep.

Caleb said, "To tell you frankly, Steve, I was kind of worried that you might get a little jealous of having my son here where he and I could get together sometimes. But I see you went right in for the kill, so to speak. I assume that you really enjoyed Noah yourself. You're really attracted to him, aren't you?"

"You bet I am, Caleb. You have a beautiful, hot boy there."

Caleb rolled over on his back and said nothing. Steve looked at him for a few minutes and then said, "Aw, Caleb. Perhaps I shouldn't have . . . . I'm sorry, Caleb. I shouldn't have been so aggressive. I was wrong."

Caleb still said nothing.

"You said yourself that an uncle should love his nephew just like a father should love his son. Caleb? I'm sorry. I know. I'm not really his uncle. Tomorrow night, I'll sleep in the guest room so that you and Noah can be together."

Steve rolled over closer to Caleb and ran the tip of his tongue lightly around in Caleb's ear. It tickled and brought a smile to Caleb's face.

Caleb turned his head to face Steve. He said, "No Steve. I'm the one who's sorry. You did nothing wrong. I just love Noah so much. And I want so much for him to love me. I guess I thought he was beginning to like you more then he likes me. I know. I'm just being a foolish jackass. I had felt the same way about Noah and Enrique. For awhile I kept asking myself if my son loved Enrique more than he loved me. Isn't that silly? Of course he loves Enrique. I know that, and I want the two of them to love each other deeply. It's just that I . . . . I just don't know."

Steve leaned in and kissed Caleb tenderly on the lips. "Oh Caleb. My dear, dear Caleb. I understand. Why don't you look at it this way. Noah was just responding to my over-aggressiveness with him. He didn't come after me. I went after him. I happen to know that Noah loves you more than anyone, even Enrique. You have always been the most important person in his life. No one can take the place of a guy's dad, especially a dad like you. Come on. No more droopy face. Huh?"

"I love you, Steve," said Caleb finally. "I'm really sorry. I know you're right. You always have a way of making things better. That's one of the hundred thousand things I love you for."

"Come on, Caleb. Tell me, what are the other ninety-nine thousand things you love me for?"

Caleb laughed as he got up off the bed. "You're just going to have to guess what they are, Steve. They're my secret!"

Walking around to the other side of the bed, Caleb pulled the sheet up over his son, Noah, and leaned over and kissed the sleeping beauties on their cheeks. As his lips lingered over Noah's face, he said, "No father could love his son more that I do, Noah. I love you so much."

Then Caleb sat on the side of the bed, and Steve could see Caleb's eyes brimming with tears. Steve got up and came around to where Caleb was. Taking Caleb by the shoulders, he gently pushed him down so he was lying next to his son. Lifting Caleb's legs up onto the bed and making sure the sheet was covering them both, Steve stood there looking down at them for a few minutes. When he saw that Caleb had drifted off to sleep, Steve leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. Then he turned out the small light on the table by the door and tip-toed out and into the living room where he would spend the rest of the night on the sofa.

The time finally came for Jumper to be discharged from the hospital. Michael had driven in to pick up both Jumper and Jake to bring them back to the ranch. The hospital had provided Jumper with two crutches to use while his ankle was in a cast.

As Jake lifted Jumper out of bed and into a wheelchair, he said, "When we git home, we're gonna practice with them crutches so you can git around while that fuckin' ankle heals."

When they got down to the front entrance, Michael was waiting with the car. He got out and held the door open so Jake could lift Jumper into the front seat. Jumper looked up at Jake who was then standing outside the car, and with a little panic in his eyes and a slight tremble in his voice said, "Yer comin' with us, aren't ya, Jake?"

"Of course I am, kid. I'm jist fixin' to jump into the backseat."

Jumper looked relieved and, on the drive back to the ranch, kept turning and looking back at Jake. Jake reached up and put his hand on the back of Jumpers neck and massaged it lightly to reassure him that he was there behind him. When they arrived back at the ranch, Michael drove the car right up to Jake's doorway. Jake gave his door key to Michael and asked him to unlock it while he carried Jumper inside and laid him on the bed. Jumper held onto Jake tightly, and Jake had to very gently loosen Jumper's arms from around him.

Michael said, "Jake, do you think you could get Jumper over to the house tonight so he could sit and eat with the rest of us there. It might do him some good to start getting to know his new friends here."

"That there's a good idea, Michael. I think I can manage to git him over there for dinner." Then looking down at Jumper, he said, "Michael's invited us to dinner in his house tonight. Would ya like to go with me? I'll be right there with ya. Ya have a lot a new friends who want to say hello to ya. Okay?"

Jumper smiled and nodded. Jake said to Michael, "There's a big change in this boy since his bad experience. Look at 'im, Michael. Look at that sweet face. I don't see no more fear in it, and I don't see no more fuckin' anger."

Jumper continued to look placidly and trustingly into Jake's face as he and Michael talked.

"See you later, Jumper. I'm glad you're home," said Michael.

Jumper looked at Michael and said, "Thanks."

After Michael left, Jake sat on the side of the bed looking down at Jumper, who was raising his arms up toward Jake. Jake lifted him up to a sitting position and hugged him very tightly, just like Jumper liked it. Jake then kissed him on the cheek several times and laid him back down.

Jake finally said, "Jumper, ya been through a lot a shit before ya came back here. Are ya gonna tell me what happened?"

Jumper turned his head away and said nothing.

"Hey, buddy," said Jake quietly. "Ain't we friends? Ya know huggin's a fuckin' two-way street. Remember when I hug you, it means I'm yer friend. And when you hug me, it means yer my friend. And that means we trust each other. And if I'm yer friend, ya can talk to me about anything you want. Don't ya wanna tell me about what happened?"

Jake gently rubbed Jumper's slender arm affectionately and smiled down at him. Jumper finally turned his head and said, "Yeah. I do. I'm sorry, Jake, that I ran away with those men. I'm glad I came back."

"Did them fuckers hurt ya, Jumper?"

Tears began welling up in Jumpers eyes, and he covered his face with his hands. Jake gently pulled his hands away and said, "Jumper, you can cry any fuckin' time ya want. Ya don't have to hide yer face. I told ya that before. Don't worry about it. Cryin' is good fer yer soul. And you should cry anytime ya feel like it.

As Jake wiped the tears off of Jumper's cheeks, Jumper said, "They were mean. They tied me up and really hurt me. They were mean to me all night and I threw up once. Then they took me with 'em when they did their work the next day and locked me up so I couldn't git away. And they made me stay naked all day. All day they were drinkin' beer and gittin' drunk. And then when they were gonna take me back to the place we was at the night before, they couldn't make a curve and slid off the road down a hill. I could see they was hurt and I was hurt too. But I got out and ran. Then the truck exploded and burned up."

Jake reached down and put his arms around Jumper again. He said, "How did ya find yer way back here?"

"I thought I was lost. I don't remember how I got back here. I jist remember gittin' here."

Then bursting into tears again, Jumper held his arms tightly around Jake and said, "Oh Jesus! I'm sorry, Jake. I ain't no good. I shoulda died somewhere out there!"

Jake lay down next to Jumper and kissed him on the forehead, the chin and on both cheeks. He said, "I love ya very much, my little buddy, and I thank the good Lord in Heaven that ya didn't die."

Jake hadn't meant to say it. But he did. It was the first time that he ever told Jumper that he loved him. He thought that Jumper probably didn't even know what the word meant. But he did love Jumper. He thought back how he had loved Enrique, and how he had loved Josiah. His love was always genuine. And he knew that, through his love for them, he had helped to change their wretched lives for the better. He knew that there was no other course for him now than to do the same for poor Jumper.

Jumper lay in Jake's arms, sobbing quietly, and then drifted off to sleep.

After Michael had dropped Enrique off in San Antonio, Mark and Corky welcomed Enrique with open arms. Mark poured coffee for the three of them, and they sat and talked awhile. Soon, Mark said, "Ricky, I'm sorry to tell you, but Corky and I are on a case and we're going to have to leave for a little while and interview some people. Why don't you take your suitcase into the guest room and get settled. While we're gone, just make yourself at home. There's the TV, and you're welcome to look through those bookcases for any books you might like to look at. We'll be back in a couple of hours and then we'll have some lunch. Okay?"

After they left, Enrique unpacked his suitcase and put his clothes away. He was fascinated by the great number of books that Mark had collected. Opening some of them, he found that a few of them were written in some foreign language. The ones that interested him most were books on ancient architecture. He had never seen such beautiful buildings as those of Greece and Rome. Also, the grandeur of the medieval churches was a thrilling thing to see. The biggest buildings he had ever seen were the buildings in downtown San Antonio.

Enrique wandered through the apartment, looking at the pictures Mark had on his walls. He saw the picture of a young boy on a table in the living room. He didn't know, of course, that it was Mark's son, Jodie. Finally after settling down in front of the TV set, he heard a key in the door. Looking around, he saw a boy standing there, who was about his own age.

Enrique was surprised and said, "Hello."

The boy wandered in and stood in front of Enrique and said, "Who the fuck are you?"

Enrique became a little frightened by the threatening manner of the boy. "I'm staying here for the week while I go to school."

"Aw shit!" said the boy. "Another of my old man's little assholes he's dragged in to fuck!"

"No, that's not true. I'm just a friend. Are you Mark's son? Is that your picture over there?"

"Yeah," said the boy. "I'm the old man's precious little Jodie boy. He kicked me out a long time ago so I wouldn't give him any competition with getting guys to fuck. He thought he owned me and he mistakenly thought he was the only one I'd let fuck me. But he was wrong. I fucked anybody I wanted to fuck."

Throwing himself down in a chair, Jodie laughed and said, "He came in one day and found me in his own bed fucking two other guys. He shit in his pants, I swear to God."

"You don't live here anymore?" Enrique asked.

"Shit no! Like I told you, he kicked me out. I hold up with a guy I know in a trailer out at the edge of town."

"Do you come to see your father often?"

"Shit! I don't come here to see him. I hang around and wait until I see him and his fuck buddy leave, and then I come in and help myself to cash."

Enrique said, "You still have a key to the place."

"Yeah, he wanted the key back when he kicked my butt out, but I gave him another key, and the son-of-a-bitch didn't even know the difference."

"What cash are you talking about," asked Enrique.

Jodie took Enrique into Mark's bedroom and opened the bottom drawer of the chest and showed him. "Right here with all his fucking dildos and cock rings and butt plugs. He always keeps some cash here. I don't take it all, so he doesn't know any's missing."

Enrique was amazed that Jodie was showing him this. He thought Jodie must be terribly dumb to think that he, Enrique, wouldn't tell Mark about what he was doing. He also wondered why Mark was keeping so much cash in the house like that."

"I only take about twenty every time," said Jodie, as he stuffed some bills in his pocket. "He don't miss it."

When they walked back into the living room, Jodie stepped up to Enrique and pinched his nipple through his shirt. "Hey, you're pretty hot looking for a godddamned Mexican. Before I leave, how about letting me fuck that cute little Mexican ass of yours? I got a cock you'll never forget."

As Jodie reached to take hold of Enrique's arms, Enrique broke away and said, "I don't think so."

"Aw, come on," growled Jodie as he pushed Enrique down on the sofa. Falling on top of him, he struggled to undo Enrique's pants. Suddenly, the door opened and in walked Mark and Corky.

"What the fuck are you doing here!" shouted Mark. As he went for Jodie to pull him off of Enrique, Jodie jumped up and pulled out a gun from inside his shirt.

"It's none of your fuckin' business what I'm doin' here!" yelled Jodie. As Mark took another step closer, Jodie shouted, "You come near me and I'll shoot your fuckin' balls off!"

Mark lunged forward and grabbed Jodie. They both fell to the floor and, as they grappled with each other, the gun went off. They both lay still for a moment and when Mark slowly rose up, Jodie lay still on the floor with his unseeing eyes wide open, staring straight into Mark's eyes.

Mark took hold of Jodie and shouted, "Jodie! Jodie!" It was no use. Jodie was dead, shot through the chest with one bullet. Enrique fell back on the sofa in total shock. Mark knelt next to Jodie. Tears came to his eyes. Corky knelt beside him and put his arms around Mark, lifting him up and leading him to a chair.

"My God," said Mark. "I had the gun in my hand, ready to take it away from him. How could it have gone off? Oh, my God!"

Corky knelt beside the chair and held Mark tightly as Mark held his head in his hands.
 

To be continued...