Elmwood Lane by Hankster

Elmwood Lane
by: Hankster

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One

The foothills of the Ramapo Mountains lie along the New York, New Jersey border northwest of New York City. Nestled snugly along these foothills are a number of small, quaint bedroom communities which many New York commuters call home. Most of these towns look like time passed them by. It is hard to imagine that a short bus ride into Manhattan can catapult you forward a whole century and more.

One of these timeless communities is Suffern in New York State. And in this town there is a dead end street called Elmwood Lane. One enters Elmwood Lane from a secondary road and the street ends facing a thick overgrown forest. On the other side of the forest is the equally quaint town of Mahwah in the state of New Jersey.

There are five Victorian style houses on each side of Elmwood Lane. They were built between 1849 and 1865 and have been designated landmarks by the town. The residents are allowed to make all the improvements and upgrades they want on the inside of their houses, but they can do nothing to the outside without adhering to strict historical society rules, and receiving permission from the town elders.

There is practically no turnover on Elmwood Lane. The homeowners are a close knit extended family. During the summer months, they have block parties every Sunday, and during the winter they pool their resources to assure quick snow removal from the street. If someone is in trouble he can always count on his neighbors to help out. Most of the men and some of the women commute daily to Manhattan, and they carpool to the bus depot.

In the middle of the 1980’s two of the houses on Elmwood Lane turned over. It was the first time in fifteen years that a change had occurred. The sellers of these two homes were brothers who lived next door to each other. They had both raised their families on Elmwood Lane, but recently they had both lost their wives, and their children lived great distances away. As much as it hurt them, they decided to sell their homes and retire to Florida.

One of the houses was purchased by Matt and Bernice Grover. They had a son Terry, six, and a daughter Kaitlin four. The other house was purchased by Brad and Melissa Brenner. They had twin six year old sons, Tommy and Cory. The sellers arranged for both closings to be held at the realtor’s office on the same day, and both couples arranged to move the following day.

The two families met for the first time at their closings, and became instant friends, especially the men. They were both thirty four years old and they were both investment managers who worked for different brokerage firms. They were delighted to learn that they would be commuting to work together. The kids were even happier knowing that they already had friends on the block.

The next day, after their moving trucks left, both families were welcomed by some of the other residents of Elmwood Lane, and they were reminded that there would be a potluck block party the following Sunday.

Moving is stressful and strenuous. That first night in their new homes, Matt and Brad kissed their spouses lightly on the lips and rolled over hoping to get some much needed sleep. They would not be “baptizing” their houses by making love for at least another day. Bernice and Melissa fell asleep immediately, but Matt and Brad tossed and turned for hours. Being in a new environment had nothing to do with their restlessness. They couldn’t sleep because each one was fantasizing making love to the other. They both harbored the same dark secret. Each secretly hungered for men, but both had married to avoid the stigma of living a gay life. Before moving to the suburbs each of them would work late at least one night a week. They knew places in New York where they could pick up a trick and have a quickie in some hotel where they rented by the hour. Fortunately (or some might say unfortunately) they had never run into each other. It would be much harder to do this now, since the last bus to Suffern left The Port Authority Terminal at 10 PM.

It was no use. Neither man could sleep. Each finally got out of bed, went to his bathroom and brought himself to a messy conclusion, fantasizing all the while that he was fucking his next door neighbor.

The two families soon melded into the extended family on Elmwood Lane. The children grew particularly close since they were the only kids their age on the street. The two families were so close they began to think of themselves as a single family unit. Matt and Brad grew very close indeed. Not only did they commute together to The Port Authority but they were the only Elmwood Lane commuters who then shared a subway ride to the financial district downtown.

They sat together on the bus and their thighs usually touched. Neither ever made a move to separate, because neither was even aware that they were touching. Often during deep conversation, one or the other would make a point and lay his hand on the other’s knee. This action was welcomed by both of them.

They never got a seat on the overcrowded subway train and often their bodies were crushed together by the rush hour crowds. On more than one occasion they could feel the other’s semi erect package. Making no move to “pull away,” they would pretend not to notice. Rapidly, their lust for each other was growing, but neither dared make a move on the other.

Finally Matt got an idea. He suggested to Brad that they join a gym in their community and work out a couple of evenings a week and on Saturdays. Brad jumped at the chance, hoping to shower with Matt after the workout, and finally get to see his secret love in the nude. Neither one considered the fact that they might not be able to hide their erections which were bound to sprout up. On the first night at the gym that’s exactly what happened.

They worked out vigorously, and were both ringing wet with their manly sweat. In the locker room, they had to help each other peel off their tee shirts which clung tenaciously to their torsos. Soon they were naked and were able at last to check each other out. They could not hide their growing hardons and didn’t even try. Neither was embarrassed. Each hoped that the other would get the hint.

Matt was five feet, eleven inches. He had straight black hair which he kept quite short. It was almost a buzz cut. He had a straight Roman nose and sky blue eyes. His body fat was near zero if that’s possible. He had played football in college and his muscular body was still in tact. He was cut, and in his erect state he was about seven very thick inches.

Brad stood an inch taller than Matt. He too had blue eyes, but they were darker than Matt’s. He wore his straight ash blond hair long, almost covering his ears. He had a pug nose which made him look a lot younger than Matt. He wasn’t as muscular as Matt, but still he was firm. Maybe he had a couple of extra pounds which did not mar his beautiful body. Ah, but he had a magnificent cock. Like Matt he was circumcised. He wasn’t as wide around, but he was at least an inch longer. Without shame, both men stared at each other smiling. Finally Matt said, “You have a beautiful body, bro.”

Brad answered, “I’d trade mine for yours any day.”

They were happy to see that there were no walls separating the six shower stations. They were good enough friends that they felt that they could ignore the unwritten rule of every other shower and every other urinal so they stepped under side by side showers. They were alone in the room at that moment and something happened. A sixth sense took over their powers to reason. The two men were too full of lust to think straight. They stared into each other’s eyes and they both instinctively knew. They grabbed each other and began to kiss passionately, all the while stroking the other’s cock. They both came after just a couple of strokes.

Still holding on tightly, Brad whispered in Matt’s ear. “I have dreamt of this moment since we met. I have no regrets.”

Matt whispered back, “I have no regrets either. I love you Brad.”

For twenty years they continued to love each other. They loved each other more every day, and every day was more torturous than the day before. Each stolen moment that they could spend together was precious. Gym nights practically ceased being workout nights and became fuck nights. They drove their car into the woods and found remote spots where they could make love. They went fishing together. They took afternoons off and went to one of the hourly hotels they had scoped out before they had ever met. They went to baseball fantasy camp and shared a room. They went on camping and fishing trips together. They did what they could, but there was one thing they never could do, nor would ever do. They never left their wives for each other.

When Kaitlin Grover and Cory Brenner announced that they were getting married, the two families were overjoyed. Brad and Matt split the cost of the elaborate wedding right down the middle. When Terry and Tommy announced that they were going to Massachusetts to get married, both their parents were shocked. Nobody had suspected a thing. They assured the boys that they loved them, and would stand behind them, and everyone went to Boston for the celebration. Secretly Brad and Matt expressed their joy that their sons would never have to go through what they went through every day. They could openly and joyously express their love for each other.

About a year after Tommy and Terry were married, a letter was published in Grandma Ellie’s advice column. It read:

Dear Grandma Ellie:

I have kept a secret all my life and I hope I can keep that secret until I die. I am not writing to ask your advice on anything, although I would welcome any you have to offer. It’s just that I can’t hold in my secret any longer, and I want to let it out via this public forum. I pray that you will publish this letter and not judge me. I know many of your readers will condemn me, and tell me that I got what I deserved, and that it is God’s will. I refuse to believe that.

Last week I lost the love of my life. He was returning home late from a business meeting. A drunken teenager ran a stop sign and plowed right into him at very high speed. My lover was killed instantly. It is destroying me that I can’t mourn him properly. I must act merely as a bereaved friend and offer what condolences I can to his wife and children. But in fact, I want to rend my clothing and cover myself with ashes like in the bible. I have a wife and children of my own. My whole attitude toward them has changed. I am indifferent to their needs. I no longer care if I live or die. My life is over.

Mourning secretly in upstate New York.

Grandma Ellie answered:

Dear Mourning:

Nobody can advise a person how to handle the deep grief you describe, but I do know that life goes on and you must move ahead with it. Your friend would want you to take care of his family, and certainly he wouldn’t want you to ignore yours. Hard as it may be, you must find the strength to care for two families now.

Grandma Ellie’s column did not appear in the local papers, but was published daily in The New York Post. Matt was sure that none of his or Brad’s family would ever see the column. Kaitlin and Cory were now living in London, England, to where Cory had been transferred. Tommy and Terry lived in Manhattan, but he knew that they didn’t even subscribe to a newspaper. They preferred to get their news on their smart phones. They didn’t even answer or check their E Mails any more. They considered E Mailing to be a dinosaur form of communication. They rarely used their cell phones for conversation, preferring only to correspond via text messaging. Matt concluded that he had better learn how to text them or risk losing touch with his sons.

A year after Matt’s letter appeared in Grandma Ellie’s column, Bernice told Matt that she and Melissa were going to England for the month of July to visit their kids. Immediately Tommy and Terry implored Matt to spend the month in their spare bedroom so that he wouldn’t have to commute during that time or go home to an empty house. He was very tempted, but he declined their offer. Time had helped heal his hurt a little and his sexual juices were flowing strongly within him. He figured that he could visit his old haunts (if they still existed) and maybe pick up a one night stand. He was still a handsome, muscular looking man. He did have a hint of a belly but it was almost unnoticeable.

The first night after the ladies left, Matt went straight to a gay bar that he used to visit in Greenwich Village before he gave himself to Brad. It was an eye opening evening. He was approached by plenty of good looking young men, but they were all hustling him. He wasn’t about to pay for sex. Looking around, he saw that there were no men in the bar who looked a day over twenty-five. He smiled inwardly realizing that these young men saw him as a sugar daddy. He was about to leave when he spotted a table with newspapers and magazines. He checked the contents of the table and came across The Gay Yellow Pages. He thumbed through and found three more gay establishments within a few blocks of this one. He wrote down their addresses and left.

This time he was much more cautious before entering. He stood in the doorway of the first of the three bars and scanned the faces. Most of the patrons looked as young as the men in the last place, but there was a smattering of more mature men. Matt figured that he could always come back so he went to the second place on his list. This was more like it. The bar was populated by men who were more or less his own age. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t have had sex with a younger man, but they all treated him as a meal ticket. He went in and headed straight for the men’s room.

It was a Friday night and he had left his attaché case in the office because he knew what his plans were for the night. He removed his tie and stuffed it in his pocket. Unfortunately he had no place to leave his jacket and this was as casual as he could get. He peed and returned to the bar. He was pleased to see that many of the men still had jackets on and some still wore ties. These are my people, he thought with a chuckle. The place was mobbed with TGIF patrons but Matt edged his way to the bar and ordered a scotch and soda. Two male bodies crushed up against him on both sides and he was reminded of his subway rides with Brad.

He decided that life was too short to be coy. Neither of the two men leaning up against him seemed to be with anyone. He glanced at them both and did a double take when he saw the man on his left. He didn’t look anything like Brad, but in many ways he reminded Matt of his dead lover. He was shorter than Brad, but he had the same color blond-gray hair. His eyes were blue and he had Brad’s pug nose. The resemblance ended there.

Matt turned to his left and he held out his hand. “Hi,” he said. “I’m Bill.” Matt wondered why he couldn’t tell this stranger his real name. Matthew is a common enough name. Happily the man smiled back and said, “Nice to meet you. I’m Walt, and thanks.”

“Thanks for what?” Matt/Bill asked.

“Well, I’m usually too shy to approach anyone and I appreciate that you broke the ice for us. I was wondering how to introduce myself to you. Let’s get away from the bar and over to the rear. It’s less crowded there and we can hear each other talk.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Matt answered and he followed Walt to a relatively quiet corner at the rear of the bar. It struck Matt that Walt was being anything but shy. Matt may have made the first move, but Walt was now leading the way, figuratively and literally. There was a ledge running the length of the rear wall of the establishment. It was intended to hold patrons’ drinks. They put their glasses on it, and leaned against the ledge.

“Keep your eyes open for a table to free up,” Walt suggested. “It would be nice to sit for a change and get to know each other.” Matt thought that Walt was moving too fast in a direction that he did not want to go. All he wanted was to get laid, to have sex with a man, to feel someone’s cock besides his own. He had loved Brad and he loved Bernice. He didn’t need any more love in his life.

“Look, I haven’t had sex in over a year,” Matt half lied. He meant sex with a man. “All I want is to get my rocks off,” he continued. “If you are so inclined also, that’s great. Otherwise, let’s not waste time.”

Walt looked disappointed. He gazed into Walt’s eyes. The face he saw was kind and loving and belied his harsh words. “You must have loved him very much,” he commented to Matt.

“What do you mean?” Matt asked suspiciously.

“You’re trying to act tough, but I can see in your face how much you are hurting.”

Matt dropped his eyes and began to sob silently. “You are very astute,” he said to Walt. He looked up to see Walt smiling at him, and Matt’s heart softened. If he was going to luck out and get laid that night, why not with someone as wise and compassionate as this guy? Then when Walt could sense that Matt had stowed his tough guy persona, he put his arm around Matt’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry if I have opened old wounds,” Walt said. “If you still want to get laid,” he continued, “I live only minutes from here. Would you like to come up to my place, Bill?”

“I’d like that a lot, but I have a confession. My name isn’t Bill, it’s Matt.”

Walt did not look surprised. “Thanks for being honest,” he said. “It shows that you are beginning to trust me a little. In case you are curious my real name is Walter Davis.”

“I’d love to go to your place Walt,” Matt said.

Two

Walt had a small one bedroom apartment in a high rise. It was cozy and tastefully furnished. It was a bit too cluttered for Matt’s taste, but it wasn’t overdone or messy looking. When they entered the living room, Walt took off his loafers and tossed them aside. He invited Matt to do the same.

“Have a seat,” he said pointing to the sofa. “I’ll make us a couple of drinks.” He made two scotch and sodas and sat down next to Matt on the sofa. “Do you want to talk about your loss?” he asked sympathetically.

Matt did need to talk about it, just as he had cried his heart out to Grandma Ellie, but he said, “Another time, maybe.” Walt brightened at the words, “another time.”

After a couple of drinks Walt leaned over in an attempt to kiss Matt. This surprised Matt. He wanted to get laid, and had no thoughts of kissing or making love. He wasn’t quite sure how to handle the situation but he didn’t want to blow his chances, and he did like Walt a lot. He turned to Walt and their lips met briefly. After another sip or two Walt turned again to kiss Matt and Matt started to kiss Walt. This time Walt parted his lips and Matt parted his. Nature took over. They began to kiss passionately and their tongues pushed hard against each other. Matt was fully aroused. He closed his eyes and he could feel Walt pinching his nipples through his shirt, so he began to undo the buttons and Walt began to help.

Moments later Matt was naked from the waist up. His erection was pushing hard against his pants. Walt began to suckle his nipples and lightly nip at them. Please get undressed,” Matt pleaded with Walt. When Walt stood up to disrobe, Matt finished undressing and they bared themselves to each other. Walt’s cock was smaller than Brad’s but it was beautiful and uncut and inviting. Matt could not restrain himself. He fondled Walt’s balls in his hand and took Walt’s hard member into his mouth. Walt gushed into Matt’s mouth after just a few seconds.

“I’m sorry,” Walt apologized. “I didn’t want to cum so fast, but it’s been a long time for me too. My lover died six months ago. I’ve been cruising the bars, and you’re the first man I have wanted to go home with.”

“Please,” Matt cried, “don’t get any ideas about me. I’m not an eligible bachelor. I have more to confess. I’m a married man with grown children. My late lover was married also. We made love for twenty years in secret, but never in shame. I don’t want to go through that again. I won’t ever leave my wife and hurt her. I love her, but I need to have sex with men. It’s an uncontrollable urge.”

Walt started to laugh. “What’s so funny?” Matt wanted to know. He sounded angry.

“Don’t be angry,” Walt said. “I’m married too. I rent this place under an assumed name so that I can have use of it. My late lover was married too. This bed (he pointed into the bedroom) hasn’t seen any action in a very long time. I was going to give up the apartment, but I decided to hold on for awhile and now I’m glad I did.” He leaned over to kiss Matt again, but Matt turned away.

“I don’t want to get involved with another married man. It’s too hard,” Matt said. “You understand that this is a one night stand.”

“If that’s the way you want it,” Walt said, sounding very disappointed. He fell to his knees and took Matt’s cock into his mouth. Matt almost swooned. He hadn’t had a blow job since his last time with Brad. Bernice never offered him oral sex. He had never asked her to do it, and he wondered if she would. Walt’s tongue and lips were working miracles, and Matt lay prone on the sofa enjoying the moment. He felt his orgasm coming on. It was much too fast, just like Walt’s.

After Matt came, Walt lay on top of him and the two men kissed passionately. Finally Matt said that he had to leave to make his bus home. He knew that he didn’t have to go and that there was nobody at home waiting for him, but he didn’t want Walt to get the wrong idea.

“My wife is visiting her folks in Kansas for a couple of weeks,” Walt said. “She left this afternoon. I don’t have to go back to Scarsdale. I’ll be staying in the city for the two weeks she’ll be away. I’d like it if you could come again.”

“Maybe,” Matt said, knowing that he wouldn’t. He dressed quickly in order to make the last bus home.

As he kissed Walt goodbye, Walt handed Matt a card. “This is my business card,” Walt said. “I’ve written the address of this apartment and the telephone number on the back. I would really like to see you again, but if you should throw the card away after you leave here, and then get second thoughts, I’ve rented under the name of Walter Smith.”

Matt laughed inwardly. That’s just what he had intended to do, throw the card away. Instead he put it in his wallet and left hastily. He made the last bus home.

He lay in bed that night trying to picture making love to Bernice as he stroked himself, but only Walt came to mind. When he thought of Walt he got hard and aroused, and he was able to stroke himself to climax. He hadn’t cum twice in one evening since Brad had died. He felt good and slept like a log. Against his better judgment, he called Walt at the apartment the next morning. It was a Saturday and he felt that Walt would not be working.

Walt was out and Matt left a message giving Walt his cell phone number. About an hour later Walt called back. He sounded very excited and expressed to Matt how pleased he was that Matt called him. They made up to meet for dinner at a fine restaurant in Greenwich Village and then to hang out for awhile at The Village Place, the bar where they had met. They didn’t discuss what would happen after that, but they each hoped that they would spend the night together.

At dinner the two men opened up to each other. They spoke of their lives, careers, and their families. Then with great difficulty they spoke of their secret lives and their lost loves. They both cried and they comforted each other. They were bonding and growing close but neither was aware of it yet.

Later at The Village Place, their moods lightened and Walt asked Matt if he would like to dance. “I’ve never danced with a man,” Matt answered.

“You can lead,” Walt said and he hauled Matt to the dance floor for a slow dance. They held each other tightly and both men could feel the other’s hardness. They smiled at each other and kissed lightly.

Two young men were standing at the edge of the dance floor. They were the youngest people in the bar. They preferred to come here rather than to other places because neither could stand the amped up music and the loudness where younger people of their generation hung out. They preferred the quieter more romantic music of this place. They were both watching Matt and Walt closely. Suddenly one of the observers grabbed the other’s arm and they ran out of the bar.

They stood outside for a moment trying to catch their breaths. Tommy asked Terry, “Did you see what I saw? Tell me it was a mirage.”

“No mirage,” Terry answered. “What are we going to do about it?”

“We’re going home for a brainstorming session.”

Three

It was late Sunday morning. Matt and Walt were wrapped up in each other’s arms in Walt’s hideaway bedroom. Since coming home the previous evening, they had made love three times, twice orally and once anally. They were both feeling like young men again. They were fondling, licking, and tickling each other, and generally acting like a couple of kids when Matt’s mobile phone rang. He answered it reluctantly.

“Hi Dad,” he heard Terry say. “I want you to pack an overnight bag and come into the city today.” Obviously Terry thought, or he was pretending, that his dad was at home. “Tommy and I are taking you out to dinner tonight and you can sleep over. We aren’t taking no for an answer.”

“Gee, Terry,” Matt sounded chagrined. “I have dinner plans with a friend tonight.”

“I’ll give you two choices,” Terry said with a laugh. “Either cancel your friend or bring him along. The four of us will have fun. I promise you.” Matt was forced to accept the invitation with trepidation. Although Terry was laughing, there was something ominous in his tone. Matt didn’t like this at all.

It got him thinking. Getting involved with Walt was a really bad idea. He had a loving wife. He had cheated on her only because of his deep love for Brad. He didn’t love Walt in that way. He liked Walt for the sex he could provide and nothing more. No! It was time to stop seeing Walt before things got out of hand. Matt had used his fist before and he could use it again. He decided to go to Tommy and Terry’s apartment by himself.

He jumped out of bed. “I’ve got to go,” he said. Walt was clearly disappointed. “My son needs me,” Matt lied.

“You’ll call?” Walt asked. Matt nodded.

He dressed and literally ran to The Port Authority. Unfortunately the bus line was on a Sunday schedule. He had a long wait for a bus. When he finally arrived home, he picked up his car at the depot. He drove to his house, showered, shaved, packed a bag with clothes for work the next morning, and just made the last bus back to New York. He felt like a cheat, and he didn’t like the feeling. He had never felt that way with Brad. He took a cab to his sons’ apartment.

When Terry opened the door, he looked beyond his father and he was clearly disappointed. “You didn’t bring your friend?” he asked.

“No! Why should I?”

“Just asked,” Terry sulked. He really had hoped to see his father’s lover.

It was early for dinner so the three men sat around chewing the breeze over bottles of beer. It was Tommy who finally erupted. He couldn’t maintain his silence any longer. “Dad,” he blurted out, “we saw you last night at The Village Place with a rather good looking guy, and you two were dancing and kissing. Is there something you would like to tell us?”

Matt’s world collapsed in a second. He turned ashen and began to hyperventilate. Both of his sons got concerned, and Terry put his arms around Matt’s shoulders. Matt could not believe what he had just been asked. All these years he and Brad had kept their secret, and had been so careful, but now, because of his lust, he had been exposed. He didn’t know what he could say, how he could explain, but one thing was for sure, he would leave Brad out of it.

Matt composed himself and took a deep breath. He stood up, pushing Terry’s arm off his shoulder. He looked back and forth at the two young men who were so dear to him. He started to say something but only a strange croaking sound came out. He cleared his throat and started to speak again. Tommy and Terry looked at him expectantly.

“I’ll be as brief as I can,” Matt said. “I’ve been gay all my life. I thought I had done a good job of hiding it until now. So you two know at last. I’d better leave.”

He got up to get his overnight bag, but Terry said, “Sit down, Dad. You aren’t going anywhere.” Losing his resolve, Matt sat down and started to sob. “When we saw you last night,” Terry continued, “it wasn’t the biggest surprise in the world. Tommy and I have been conjecturing about you and his dad for years now.”

Matt wanted to get swallowed up by a sink hole. “What in the world are you talking about?” he asked, feigning innocence.

Terry looked at Tommy as if to ask, should I tell him or do you want to?

“I’ll tell him,” Tommy said. “It was just after our sixteenth birthdays. We had just gotten our drivers’ licenses. You and my dad had gone to the gym in your car. Terry and I decided to drive to the gym in my dad’s car to surprise you and hit you both up for a malt after your work out. When we got to the gym, we couldn’t find your car and you weren’t inside, so we got worried. We waited until you went to the gym next time and we followed you. After a bit we knew exactly where you were heading the car. It was the very place Terry and I went to fool around. We shut off the car lights and followed at a safe distance. We saw the two of you get out of the front of the car and go into the back. We actually didn’t want to see more, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on. After that we studied your behavior, how you spoke to each other, and how you interacted. Maybe if we weren’t a gay couple ourselves, we wouldn’t have noticed a thing, but it was very obvious to us that you two were in love.”

“What was your reaction to all of this?” Matt asked.

“After we got over the initial shock,” Terry answered, “and after we had a chance to determine how much you guys loved each other we began to accept it. We also began to take comfort just realizing how much love you gave each other. I think maybe I can safely say that we were a little bit jealous. If anything, it strengthened our love.” Terry looked at Tommy and they kissed.

“Didn’t you hate us for cheating on your mothers?” Matt wanted to know.

“We were angry at first,” Tommy said,” but when we saw how much love you guys gave our moms and us kids, we got over it. We knew that you could never reveal your secret and we had to accept it. We even vowed to cover for you if anything should happen which might expose you.” Tommy put his arms around Matt. “I could even tell that you were hurting more than my mother when my dad was killed. A thousand times I wanted to hug you and tell you that Terry and I were there for you, but we couldn’t say a word.”

Matt was crying softly. Wisely Terry and Tommy said nothing until Matt regained his composure. Tommy spoke first. “There’s this great little restaurant in the Village. It’s on a side street and really off the beaten path. We’re going there for dinner and after dinner we’re going to The Village Place to listen to the music. Are you sure you don’t want to invite your friend Dad? It’s on us.”

“I don’t know,” Matt answered honestly. “We just met. He’s married also and his wife is away for a couple of weeks. He maintains an apartment in the city that he and his married lover used. But his lover died six months ago. He was going to give it up, but now he wants me to share it with him. Leading a double life is just too hard. I don’t think I want to go through it again. Maybe I should just let sleeping dogs lie.”

“Dad,” Terry said, “never say never. Think about it. An available gay man would begin to resent that you can only be a part time lover, but another married man might be perfect.”

“I was thinking in terms of one night stands to avoid that problem,” Matt explained.

“Not in this day and age,” Tommy said with authority in his voice. “It’s too dangerous. Why don’t you keep an open mind? Invite him to join us and see how it plays out.”

“Go ahead,” Terry urged. “It’s no fun being a third wheel.”

Matt took out his wallet and found Walt’s card. He pushed in the numbers of the apartment telephone. Half of him hoped Walt was out and the other half hoped that he was in. Walt answered on the third ring.

“Hi Walt,” Matt said. “It’s Matt.” There was no question that Walt started to cry on the other end.

“I thought I’d never hear from you again,” Walt said. “Thank God you called.”

“My sons want to take me out to dinner tonight. They asked if you would like to join us if you are free.”

“If I wasn’t, I would free myself up,” Walt sobbed. Matt started to cry also. He handed the phone to Terry.

“Tell Walt where and when to meet us, please,” he was struggling to talk.

Walt was at the restaurant when the others arrived. He wanted desperately to embrace Matt and kiss him until he couldn’t breathe, but both men showed more restraint than Terry and Tommy. They both kissed Walt on the lips when Matt introduced them.

Before leaving the restaurant to go to The Village Place, Terry and Tommy went to the men’s room and Matt and Walt were alone for a few minutes.

“My boys think we should have a go at it and see how it plays out,” Matt said. “What do you think about that?”

“I think that’s the best idea I have ever heard.”

Four

They developed a routine. Once a week they “worked late” and whenever they could manage it, they met for “lunch” at Walt’s apartment. Walt seemed content with the status quo, but Matt was definitely missing what he had with Brad on Elmwood Drive. He came up with the idea of having dinner with the wives and seeing a show on a Saturday night. They would tell the women that Walt was a good client of Matt’s. It made sense since Walt was a very successful attorney and Matt was a financial advisor.

Patricia Davis was polite and cordial, as was Bernice Grover, but there was no real chemistry between them. Nevertheless Matt pressured Bernice into having the Davises for dinner one evening because Walt Davis “is one of my best customers.” The evening was pleasant but no sparks were generated to start a fire. Then of course, Patricia had to reciprocate. At the insistence of the men, these back and forth dinners became a routine.

About a year after Bernice’s visit to London with Melissa, Matt made an announcement at one of their mutual dinners. “Bernice and I are going to London next month to visit our daughter and son in law. How would you two like to take a holiday and go with us?” Walt knew that the announcement was coming, but the women were surprised, flabbergasted and speechless. As the idea sunk in, the women began to view it as a great idea. During the past year, Melissa Brenner had sold her house and moved to Florida to care for her aging parents. She still went to London, but it was for quick trips and Bernice did not go with her. As close as they had been, they were losing touch.

Things changed between Patricia and Bernice after that. They were on the phone constantly planning the trip and their sightseeing itinerary. They were beginning to enjoy each other’s company and of course their husbands were overjoyed. The trip to London brought them almost as close as they had been with the Brenners.

The Davises lived in a huge six bedroom house across the Hudson River from the Grovers. They had recently become empty nesters, and they were looking to scale down considerably. About that time a house became available on Elmwood Lane. It was a charming little bungalow at the end of the street, abutting the forest. It had two bedrooms, but an enclosed patio had been added along the way, and it made an ideal media and rec room. The Davises bought it before it even went on the market, thanks to the Grover’s inside information.

After the Davises moved in, and were welcomed into the tightly knit community, Matt experienced a great sense of serenity and peace. The part of his life that he had lost with Brad’s death was his again. He and Walt were deeply in love, and Matt stopped comparing this love with Brad’s. He loved them both and that was enough to end comparisons. The men now had more opportunities to have sex. Walt joined Matt’s gym, and they were able to make frequent trips to the woods that had served Matt and Brad so well, not to mention Tommy and Terry also.

The joys of Elmwood Lane were restored to Matt, and all was well with the world once again.

Posted: 05/06/11