John Gets What He Needs
By: Hogan
(Copyright 2007 by the Author)
Editor: Gerry Young

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
 

Chapter 12
 

 "The Bonds That Keep"

The summer night that was slowly turning into an early Saturday was a quiet one. Tom and Evan were entangled in an embrace of safety for Evan, while neither spoke nor slept. The only sounds were those of the night and of their breathing.

At the same time, far away, Andy had just left the Chattanooga, Tennessee, city limits and entered Interstate 75, which would take them into Georgia. With John still fast asleep in the cab of the truck next to him, they neared their destination. Thirty minutes later Andy spotted an exit off the Interstate that had gas facilities clearly marked on the large green exit signs. It was time to refuel and possibly change drivers. Andy's eyelids were getting heavier with every passing mile marker. Exiting into Dalton, Andy found a station and stopped the truck at a gas pump. When he did, John began to awaken. The hum of the moving truck that had lulled him to sleep was no longer there. At first, he didn't know where he was. He looked at Andy and asked, "Where are we at? I must've fallen into a deep sleep."

"Yeah, you did. We're real close, John, real close -- just inside Georgia -- in Dalton, to be exact. Another two hours and we'll be in Atlanta, bud." Andy smiled at John, proud of the distance he had driven.

"That's awesome, man. I'm gonna go piss and pay for the gas; I'll be right back," John said, stumbling and stretching as he walked toward the front doors of the station.

*****

Back at home, Evan felt safe as he lay close to Tom and couldn't help but wonder why his bedmate was being so nice. Tom said nothing. He only rubbed Evan's back with his free hand, as he kept the other up over his head.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Evan moved to his side, faced Tom in the dark, and began to speak. "I'm sorry, Tom. I didn't mean to put you in an uncomfortable position. Anyway, thanks for being there till it passed."

"You don't have to apologize to me Evan, I did what I told John I would do -- look out for you while he's gone. Besides, I can't sleep. I've got too much on my mind right now."

Evan couldn't help but chuckle a bit and say, "YOU were in deep thought?"

With that, Tom punched Evan in the chest, playfully but hard, and said, "Yeah, I've been known to have a thought or two, ya know?"

Evan, still chuckling, retorted back, "Sorry, Tom, it just caught me off guard, is all. You and your feelings don't always show themselves that much."

Tom also laughed quietly and said, "Well, it DOES happen from time to time."

"You wanna talk about what's on your mind, Butthead?"

"Not to you, schizo. Hey! Speaking of crazy -- what was that dream you were yelling about in your sleep? And if you tell me you don't remember, asshole, I'm gonna punch you harder next time! So, spill it, dweeb."

Evan sighed and began by saying, "It was just one of my dreams … they don't usually mean anything. Nothing to worry about."

"Usually?" Tom inquired.

"You know, they're just crazy stuff in my head, and it's nothing that means anything."

"You still haven't answered my question. What were you dreaming? You said, 'He can't be gone…' or something like that. Who were you talking about?" Tom insisted.

Evan shook his head in the dimly lit room and tried to explain. "I honestly can't remember anything but John coming up to me in a garden. He said that I was deadheading some blooms, and he told me someone was … I don't know … maybe gone, or something like that. Maybe he was talking about he couldn't find Riley or something. I really don't remember," Evan lied.

Evan knew that seldom could a person be made to understand a dream when it was put into words. It just didn't work that way. Most dreams are emotions and not just words spoken as in a waking state. Some things just couldn't be explained into reality. Besides, actually being in the dream, versus talking about it, just doesn't compare to how they make a person feel. Evan knew that Tom wouldn't understand, and he wasn't comfortable explaining totally what happened in it.

Tom dropped it and stayed quiet for a while, then asked, "So, do you think it was wrong, or that it felt bad that I held you, with both of us being almost nude and all? I don't want John to get mad or think something happened."

"Don't worry about it, Tom; you did what I'm sure John asked you to do -- to take care of me. I know him well enough that he probably gave you about ten orders and directions before he left. Then made you swear on your momma to do them. Am I right?"

Tom laughed and said, "More like about twenty, but who's counting? He really cares for you a lot. I have to admit, it makes me jealous of you sometimes. He cares a lot about you. More than just friends -- like we are to each other."

"Well, Tom, I guess it's different, but you know he loves you, too. He'd do anything for you. That day he had to come down hard on you for the jail thing, it was really hard for him to do that -- even harder than telling you he was bi. But, he did it 'cause he loves you like a brother. I guess you're his ONLY best friend, since he and I are partners." In the semi-darkness of the room, Evan smiled in Tom's direction.

"Yeah, I guess I am, huh?" Tom smiled back at Evan.

"Uhhh … Evan, can I ask you something? It's kind of hard for me to ask, so don't crack a joke, or I'll fuck you up bad, bitch."

"Yeah, I guess so, Tom. What is it?"

"Well, you remember when we ... well … you know … when you helped me out those two times at the store? FUCK! This is HARD!" Tom exclaimed before pausing for a second, and then continued. "Did you enjoy it? Or, do you even remember much? You were so out of it at the time."

"I remember it all, Tom. Are you sure you don't just wanna keep this buried and in the past?"

"Part of me does, but the other part wants to know … IF you enjoyed it."

"Shit! Well, if you're asking me if you were a hot dude to do that with, and was it well worth it, I would have to say, 'Yes!' I remembered getting off on how you took control … like you enjoyed being a dominant master." Evan smirked.

"What do you mean, a dominant master?"

"A dominant person having control over another; some people really get into that kind of stuff, and others really like to be dominated. Hell, Tom, didn't you read any of those books in that adult store while you worked there?"

"Not really. Mostly, I just looked at the pictures in Hustler and Jugs." Tom laughed. "So you like to be dominated then? I don't mean to be too personal, but shit… we did it, like, TWICE!"

Evan was quiet for a minute, and then began to speak after he knew EXACTLY what he wanted to say. "Tom … you have to promise that we won't talk about this again, or even joke about it. You have to promise NEVER to tell John."

"Ya,  Evan … Spill it!"

"I mean it Tom, I don't ever want to hurt John or cause him a problem with YOU!" Evan demanded.

"I promise. Now spill it, already… Shit!" Tom said.

"Ok, here goes … I thought you were really great at being a dominant person, and I could tell that you enjoyed it, too. If I weren't so completely in love with John, I'd do it again with you in a second. But … and I'm firm on this! … we can never do anything again … EVER! Ya got it?"

Tom had a big smirk on his face as he said, "Ya, I know, Evan. Don't worry. It was just a question, anyway. I don't want to fuck you or make you suck me off. I was just curious if I was any good … you know … at that sorta thing. You know, all guys want to know if their sex skills are good or not."

"Tom, I know you always have chicks wanting to go out with you. You're a good fuck, dude. Some women, so I've been told, like to be dominated in bed, and so do some men, as you well know … well … now."

"Thanks for saying that, Ev. You're okay, man," Tom said, smiling. He gave Evan a quick half-hug.

"Tom?"

"Ya, Ev?"

"So … is Andy a sub or a dom?" Evan asked in a smart-ass tone.

Tom abruptly sat up in bed, grabbed Evan by the arm, and bellowed, "WHY THE FUCK DID YOU ASK THAT?"  Then, without giving Evan a chance to answer, he continued his tirade.  "DID ANDY BLAB HIS FUCKING MOUTH OFF?  I KNEW I COULDN'T TRUST THAT FUCKING FAG!"  He was yelling so loud, it even woke Riley, who growled and started to bark.

Tom was fuming, and Evan feared a bit for his own safety. Quietly, he said, "Calm down, Tom. No one said anything to anyone. You've heard of 'Gaydar,' haven't you?"

Tom released Evan and slammed himself onto his own back in the bed and punched at the air above him.

"What the FUCK are you talking about Evan? You better tell me what you know or I'll…"

Evan cut him off and said, "Calm down, and I'll explain it to you. Fuck, Tom! You're like hot and cold running water; there's no lukewarm with your moods, dude. You sure you aren't bi-polar or something?"

"Fuck! I'm sorry, it's just that I don't want this. FUCK! I don't want anyone knowing I'm doing fag shit with a fucking cop. And of all the people to be fagging around with … a COP … SHIT!" Tom's foul words came mostly from fear and not from contempt of what he had been doing. "If no one said anything, then how did you know Andy and I were messing around like you and I did?"

Evan didn't answer Tom right away, but calmed Riley's excited protectiveness and finally persuaded him to lie back down. Then … he answered Tom's questions and explained to him what he thought he knew.

"Well Tom, it's like this. You knew a long time before John ever did, that I was gay. He had to be hit over the head with a brick before he saw it. It's the same with you -- I knew you were bi and that you liked to dominate others, no matter what their sex. And for God's sake -- stop labeling everything either gay or straight. It's never that cut and dry, Tom. I knew you two were messing around since that night you and John got really pissed on booze and Andy took you home. Later, I caught you two giving each other eye signals when you thought no one was looking.

"BI?  SHIT! Now what do I do?"

"What do you mean? Just keep doing what you and Andy have been doing … if that's what you like."

"You don't understand," said Tom. "I can't let people know I'm letting guys suck me off and stuff."

"Tom, you need to stop worrying about what others think, and live your life however it makes you happy. If you like letting both sexes admire your body and talents, then do it. Just don't play with people's heads. If you don't want anyone knowing, then keep it quiet. You need to be up front with Andy and not hurt him, though."

"Dude, I'm not going to hurt him; he's an ex-Marine and a cop who's armed with a Glock. I think he's fine," Tom said, being sarcastic. But … he knew what Evan was saying.

"You KNOW what I MEAN, Tom. Andy may feel more for you than you do for him," Evan said. He felt concern for Andy, whom he now also considered a friend.

"Evan, we have an arrangement that we've talked about, and we've both agreed to it; there's no hiding that I like women and will be with them whenever I can. He knows that. What he and I have is just getting-off and having fun." Tom was trying to reassure Evan, but he was having a hard time believing it, himself.

"Well, as long as you both know what's what, and agree to it," said Evan. Then he smiled. "Hey, Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"So … the big, muscular ex-Marine and cop likes to be dominated, huh? WOW! Who woulda thought …" Evan mused.

"Hell! You didn't think I'd let him call the shots, did ya, Dweeb?" Tom sneered back.

"Guess not, but it's still hard to picture Andy as a sub."

"I know, but it's cool." Tom smiled and looked into Evan's face. "It's a turn-on for me. I can't explain it.

Shit, I can't believe I'm talking to YOU about this -- of all people!" Tom laughed.

"Yeah, I know. I guess, somehow, you and I became friends without even knowing it. That John is a sneaky shit-head, ain't he?" Evan smiled at Tom and hugged him, again feeling their warm chests against each other.

"Yeah, I'd say he's almost a witch … like Chris is," Tom teased.

Evan laughed and said, "She ain't no witch, you dumb fuck. She's just very perceptive, like me and others. That's all."

"I still say she's a witch, dude. She can tell you some weird shit when she gets to drinkin' and loosens up," Tom said, trying to convince Evan.

"Yeah, I've known Chris all my life, Tom."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot."

There were a couple moments of silence after Evan broke his hug with Tom and as they both lay back, each lost in his own thoughts.  The seconds ticked by.

Suddenly, Tom shot up, leaned on an elbow, and with a surprised realization, glared at the face beneath him and said, "Shit, Evan. I just remembered what you said before. You think I'm HOT, don't you? And all this time, I thought you hated me," he smirked.

"Don't flatter yourself, butthead. I didn't say I thought you were hot. I said if things were different…"

"Yeah, whatever, bitch. I KNOW what you meant. And I KNOW what you said." Tom smirked again at Evan's earlier admission.

"Whatever! We better go to sleep before your ego explodes that empty head of yours."

"Screw you. Hey, Ev?"

"Yeah …"

"Thanks, man, for talking about this stuff with me and not making me feel like a pervert, dude."

"Don't worry about it Tom. If you ever need to talk, I'll be here for ya. Just promise me one thing!"

"Yeah,  what?"

"Don't hurt Andy. You know he's gay, and no matter what arrangement you two have, he IS eventually gonna want more …  if he doesn't already," Evan answered, being completely serious as he looked Tom directly in the eye.

"Yeah … I know. I've been thinking about that, too. SHIT, dude, I even miss him some."

"There you go, being human again!" Evan said, and smiled at his own wit.

"Blow me, fag!" said Tom, laughing.

"Go to sleep. You know John's gonna call at the crack of dawn."

"Yeah … You're right. 'Night, dude."

"G'night, Tom."

 Evan and Tom hugged and settled back down into bed, lying close to each other, and soon, sleep overcame them.

All was again quiet in John's bed.

*****

Meanwhile, at the gas station, Andy was busy with filling the tank, while John got his bearings and figured out where they were. John went inside to pay for the gas, and Andy cleaned the windshield. A few hundred bugs had met their demise against the front of John's truck. Andy chuckled out loud as he recalled a stupid joke about what went through a bug's mind as he hit the windshield? His ass! A stupid joke, but it was funny, nevertheless, and made Andy laugh, in spite of his fatigue.

John returned with hot coffee for them both and some fresh donuts that had just been delivered to the truck stop.

"Hey, I thought we were supposed to be saving money and not buying crap at these places?" Andy said.

"Chill out, Ranger Bob. We can afford coffee and a few donuts. Geez! That's the first time I heard a cop complain about getting a donut." John laughed as he passed by Andy to get into the driver's seat.

"Oh, very funny, Albino. Ha, ha, ha. That's SO original. What's next, a knock-knock joke?"

"Wow! We sure are testy when we haven't had any sleep, aren't we? Good thing you're not armed!" smiled John.

"Blow me, big-John-little-penis. You're driving the rest of the way. I'm beat."

"Yeah, no problem; I was going to, anyway. And thanks for the sleep you let me get, man. You must've been bored all that time by yourself. I didn't snore, did I?"       

Andy laughed and said, "No … but you did drool a lot -- all over the truck window … like a retard."

"John laughed and enjoyed Andy's sense of humor … even at that very early hour."

The more awake he became, the more excited John became, realizing that he was just a few hours away from being reunited with his son. Soon, they were back on Interstate 75, headed for Atlanta.

Even though John would be renting the room at a weird check-in and check-out time, he had reserved it in advance for that very reason. He didn't want management knocking on the door, four hours after they got there, telling them it was time to check out. He made it clear, when and for how long, he would need the room. It was reserved and paid for, in advance. The plan was to get there between 3 and 4 a.m., and then sleep till noon. THEN they would meet Jacob and his mom for lunch to get reunited before they packed him up. After that, they would stay the night at the same motel and leave about 5 a.m., Sunday morning, and that would put them home around 3 p.m. That is … if all went well.

John was still a bit nervous about his ex-wife pulling any crap. Even though she'd already signed papers giving John full legal guardianship, he knew that, with his being from out of state, she would have the upper hand.

Taking a kid across state lines, when there was a parental dispute, could mean federal charges, and he didn't need any complications to develop. He was going to try to be as civil and accommodating to her as he could, until he had Jacob and they were back in Indiana. Once the boy was enrolled in first grade, in the fall, she would have to file any papers, required in Indiana, to go to court for anything, since he would be a registered Indiana resident at that time. And no court would pull him out of school for a hearing six hundred miles away. The chances of her changing her mind or causing him grief would be slim to none.

Their written agreement stated that she would give up her guardianship and not have to pay child support. She had demanded this, privately, as part of the agreement. As always, she was thinking of herself and not of Jacob. She had already met another guy and was planning to marry him as soon as Jacob was with his dad. He doubted she would even request visits to see him after she was married, and making more babies with her new guy.

John scolded himself many times for picking such a screwed-up, selfish person. He was young and naive at the time -- away from home, in the service, and just jumped into it -- the marriage, that is!

Andy sipped his hot coffee and devoured the donuts and could tell by John's staring at the road and his quiet demeanor, that he was deep in thought. He could imagine how stressful all this had to be on his big friend. He had to be strong to handle all this with such grace and dignity. Andy figured that John's 'ex' must not be very well put-together to give up custody of her own child. Women just didn't do that very often, unless they were messed up to begin with. But John, being the kind of person that he was, seldom spoke ill of her -- or even mentioned very much about her. It was Jacob that he talked about most of the time.

Andy broke the silence and said, "Hey, buddy … don't worry; it'll all turn out just as planned."

"Yeah, I hope so, I just won't be settled till we get him and leave before she can pull anything."

"Don't worry about it, John; I got your back, as well as all of the Atlanta Metro Police Department, if need be!" Andy said with a smirk.

"Thanks, Andy; you're a good friend to go through this with me, for as short a time as we've known each other."

"Don't mention it, bud. Hey, what do you think Tom and Evan are doing right now?" Andy changed the subject in order to keep John from thinking about the 'Jacob' situation any more than he had to.

"Not sure … maybe playing hide the salami!" John joked and chuckled.

"They fucking better be asleep, is what they better be doing," Andy said loudly and quickly as he responded without thinking.

"Easy, killer. I'm sure no orgies are going on."

"I know, I'm just kidding."

"Hey, John?"

"Yeah, what?"

"You know I owe you one for the donut joke, don't ya?" Andy smirked.

"Ah, man; you kind of sensitive aren't ya? I'm sorry."

"Nope, but I'm still gonna get you back. You just won't be expecting it."

"Just as long as it doesn't have anything to do with handcuffs, give it your best shot jarhead."

"Oh, you know it's on now, wing nut!"

"Whatever, dude. You crack me up, Andy."

"Well, it's good to see you're laughing again, anyway."

"Yeah, thanks. I need to keep my mind focused on the positive."

Andy sipped his coffee and really was wondering what Tom and Evan were up to. It wasn't that he didn't trust them; it was more that he had these damn feelings for a hard-ass bi dude that would never give him what he really wanted. Andy knew he and Tom would have to have a heart-to-heart to figure out this impasse in their arrangement caused by Andy's heart and him wanting more.

He knew that talking to Tom about this would have to be at the right moment and dealt with in a delicate matter, or Tom would blow up and storm away without discussing it any further. Andy knew Tom didn't like thinking about what they were doing, but just did it out of pure animal lust. Tom had a long way to go to before he would ever decide to accept who he was.

Andy sipped the last drop from his coffee and then closed his eyes and let the hum of the truck's motion lull him to sleep. John was now pushing down the pedal trying to get to his destination as quickly as he could. The truck hummed its loudest as the big truck tires roared down the Interstate.

Before John knew it, the traffic was getting a bit heavier, the closer he got to the edge of the Atlanta suburbs, and he had to slow down a bit. Still, the speed of most vehicles was over seventy miles per hour. They were in Marietta and making good time. His next turn-off would be coming up soon. John began to recognize the place he had lived, years before, and then they were on the I-285 exit. This was the northern bypass around the large city of Atlanta, and he needed to get to the northeast side where their hotel room awaited them.

John grew more excited and alert as they pulled off I-285 and into the parking lot of a very nice, upscale hotel. As he turned off the motor, Andy awoke.

"Hey, sleepyhead; wait here and I'll go check us in and see where our room is. Then we can park close to the room. I'll be right back"

"Sure, no problem," Andy said, wiping the sleep from his eyes and stretching his arms to awaken the rest of his body. He stepped out of the truck to stretch his legs as he watched John disappear into the entrance.

A few minutes later John returned with a large grin on his face and exclaimed, "All is well and ready to go; let's grab our bags and head in; the truck's fine right where it is. We can go right into the main entrance and take the elevator from there to the room."

They gathered their stuff and stiffly walked to their room. John opened the door to the suite with his key card, and they entered, throwing their bags onto the floor.

"Hey, nice room, John. We've got all we need here, that's for sure," Andy said as John smiled.

The room was furnished with two large beds and a separate area for viewing TV and eating. A large bathroom included a big Jacuzzi tub.

Like kids, each man raced to get the bed he wanted and jumped on it claiming it as his. Luckily, they each claimed a different bed. After the bouncing stopped, they lay there, sighing and stretching out their bodies from the long, cramped overnight drive.

"Shit, I'm tired," John said.

"Yeah, I know; me, too."

John looked at the clock and it displayed the time to be 4:45 AM.

"Think I'll start filling up the Jacuzzi if you're game for a good soaking before bed," John said with his devilish grin.

"What? The two of us in that together?"

"Yeah, why not? We're friends, right?" answered John.

"Yeah, but John… Do you think that's a good idea? I mean … I don't want us to screw up and do anything we'd regret later."

"I think we can restrain ourselves; besides, I think we're both too tired to be doing anything, and we can just relax our muscles and order some breakfast afterwards, and then sleep till 1 p.m."

"Ok, I guess, but I hope there is enough room for me and your big ass in there at the same time."

"No worries!" And with that, John sprang up from his large bed and went into the bathroom to begin running the water as hot as he could stand it. 'With the size of the tub, it'll take twenty minutes or more to fill it,' he thought.

John returned to the room and shucked off his clothes, down to his boxers. As always, his clothes went in all directions on the floor.

Andy stripped down to his white boxer-briefs and neatly folded all his clothes into a pile on the end of the dresser by his bed.

John took one look at him being all neat and tidy and laughed, saying, "Shit! Once a jarhead, always a jarhead."

"Well, it's better than being a damn messy slob. I would've never guessed you were such a fucking slob, John. I pity poor Evan picking up after you all the time."

"He hasn't complained yet, so I guess he doesn't mind. And it looks like you two have similar taste in underwear. White boxer briefs are all Evan wears. He's damn cute in them, too," grinned John.

"Hey -- no getting any funny ideas, oh, big one."

"Don't worry, he looks a lot better in his than you do in yours, muscle-head," laughed John.

"Screw you! You know I look fucking hot in mine, dude; admit it!"

"Yeah, you do look good. It shows that you still work to keep fit."

"Thanks, bro, but I'm still not having sex with you, so you can just stop trying to sweet-talk me into it," Andy laughed.

"Oh, crap; like that will happen! That reminds me -- I need to make some calls while the tub fills up."

John sat down at the desk and called his mom.

"Hello?"

"Hey, mom, sorry to wake you, but you asked me to call to let you know we got here all in one piece."

"Thanks, son; I was just dreaming about Jacob."

John could hear another voice over the phone whispering and figured his mom's new guy that she was dating had spent the night.

"Mom?"

"Yeah, son … what is it?"

"You ain't shackin up are you? Shit, my mom's a slut. I can hear George in the bed with you."

"Hey, I ain't no slut, you ass. You know George and I are close and sleeping over at each other's place now."

Laughing, John said, "I know, Mom. I was just razzing you; that's all."

"You're such a brat! I don't know why I put up with you," she teased.

"Love you, too, Mom!" snickered John.

"Love ya back. Now bring my grandson home where he belongs and away from that damn … Becky," she demanded.

"Will do, Mom. I'm gonna get some sleep, and then meet them at 2 p.m. for lunch."

"Okay. Call me later. I wanna talk to him on the phone. If I'm not here, I'll be over at your house visiting with Evan and that new dog of yours."

"His name is Riley, Mom, and he's Evan's dog," John reminded her.

"That's right, and I know he's Evan's; but he's yours, too, ya know -- since you two are playing house now."

"Look who's talking, woman," John laughed.

"Okay, okay. I'm going back to bed -- talk to you later, son."

"Okay. G'night, Mom." He followed with a loud, "G'night, George!"

"G'night, John!" he heard faintly.

Andy was laughing the whole time as he listened to the conversation.

"You and your mom crack me up. I wish I had that kind of relationship with my folks. Be back in a few, I got to go use the 'JOHN' … hee, hee, hee! Get it … John?"

"Very funny, donut boy." John laughed again at Andy's sense of humor.

"Gonna call Evan and see if Tom is still alive, or if we'll have to hide his body in the back yard when we get home," John chuckled.

"Well, I ain't digging if we do," Andy laughed back as he went into the bathroom.

John dialed his house and the phone rang several times before he heard a sleepy, "Hello, John?"

"Hey, Ev; were you asleep?"

"Yeah … trying to, but asshole here snores louder than I do."

"I like your little snore. I think it's cute."

"I miss you a lot. John!"

"Same here, Buddy; but it won't be long now. We'll be home Sunday afternoon and you can see me then and show me how much you missed me."

"You can count on it."

"Shit, Evan. I can hear Tom snoring from here. You should roll him over or something."

"How about putting a pillow over his head … tightly? You think that might help?" snickered Evan.

"Whatever works, oh, evil one!"

"So what you got planned for the day?"

"Well, we're beat, and so we're going to take a Jacuzzi to relax, then order some breakfast. Then we'll sleep till about 1 p.m. After that, we'll be off to meet Jacob's mom at this restaurant and pick him up."

"Ok, sounds like a plan. HEY! Wait a minute. Did you say you two are going to take a Jacuzzi together? NAKED?"

"Yeah. Why, you jealous?"

"Well, yeah, asshole. I am!"

"Don't be; you know you can trust me, and you know I only have eyes for you, don't you?"

"I know, John; just behave yourself; I trust you. I don't like it, but I trust you."

"Hey, Ev, if I was going to do anything, do you think I would have just now told you what we're going to do?"

"Yeah, you're right, John -- sorry, man."

"Don't be. I'm glad you're jealous; it shows you really do care. It hasn't been easy for me, either, knowing you're in bed with Tom. But we trust each other, and we KNOW we love each other. We have nothing to worry about, Buddy."

"You're right, as always. And … Tom has really been a good guy … most of the time."

"I knew you two would come around if you spent more time together."

"How's Andy doing?" Evan asked.

"He's good; he's taking a shit right now."

"That's way too much info, but thanks," Evan chuckled as he wiped at his eyes.

"No problem."

"HEY, John?"

"What?"

"Last night, Tom wanted to know if Andy asked about him," snickered Evan.

"That's funny; Andy asked the same thing."

"We're gonna have to talk when you get back."

"Yeah, I think so. Tell Tom that Andy said to tell him 'hey', and to be good to you."

"Okay. Tell Andy that Tom said to be good to YOU -- but not too good! See you when you get back."

"We're gonna have fun with these two, aren't we?" John chuckled quietly so that Andy couldn't hear him.

"Yeah, I think you're right about that," Evan smiled.

"Okay … Well, I'll let you get back to sleep. I'll call you later, Ev."

"Okay. G'night, John. Love ya!"

"Love you, too, Ev."

John put the receiver down, got up and slipped his boxers off, and then walked nonchalantly into the bathroom while Andy was still on the toilet.

"Dang! Can't a guy get some privacy while he's takin' a shit?" Andy scolded.

"Damn, Marine. I can't believe you have any modesty left after living in the barracks."

"Well, I do, and get your weenie outta my face, albino".

"Chill, bud. I'm just getting into the Jacuzzi and soaking my muscles. Don't mind me."

"I didn't say I minded," grinned Andy.

"Perv."

"Hey I'm not the one walking around butt-assed naked," shot Andy.

"Just hurry up and finish your business and come slide in." John said as he slowly lowered his body into the hot, swirling water.

"So, how is it?"

"Fuckin' hot, but it feels great."

Andy finished with his business and went over to the tub, naked, slid in slowly and yelped every few seconds.

"Damn, John, did you have to make it so freakin hot?"

"Yeah … It's good for the muscles, man."

Andy finally got used to it, and both of them were relaxing next to each other from opposite sides -- but still, next to each other. Their naked bodies touched in many places along their sides as the bathroom steamed up and the sound of bubbling water filled the foggy air.

"Ah, man this feels so damn good, don'tcha think?" Andy asked.

"Yeah, it does. But what's the deal, John? Why'd we both have to be in here, naked, at the same time? Are you planning on something happening between us?"

John sat up some and grinned his famous grin at Andy and sighed. He realized the plan he had was only in his head and Andy knew nothing about it, so he decided to divulge his intentions exactly.

"Andy, lets just say this whole weekend is a test for all of us," John said.

"What you mean, a test?"

"Well, the way I figure it is this … if I can be naked with a guy like you and not betray Evan, then I can believe that Evan and I really have something special and it'll last. I've been burned before with my ex-wife, so I just wanted to be sure that my feelings are what I think they are."

"What do you mean, 'a guy like me?'" Andy asked, looking at John from the other end of the tub.

"Shit, Andy! You're a hot ex-jarhead and a cop, to boot. You're a hot guy, dude. If I can honestly know nothing sexual is going to happen while I'm in this tub, naked, and next to you, then I know Evan and I are solid."

"So what if I touched you here?" Andy said as he ran his hand up and down John's leg under the water.

"Yeah, it feels great and it's giving me a hard on, but that's not the point; that just shows I'm horny. The point is … that I'm not going to act on it, Andy, and I know that you WILL understand that it's not that I don't think you're a hot fucking dude, but it's because I'm in love with Evan."

Andy stopped rubbing John's leg and patted him on the thigh, then moved his hand back to his own growing member and smiled at him. "So you got a woody, huh?"

John laughed and said, "Yeah, and you better keep your hands to yourself, mister."

"Its cool, John. I understand what you're doing, and I commend you for it. Most guys would just go ahead and have sex anyways, and say it didn't mean anything, and keep it secret. Evan's a lucky man to have you."

"Well, it was his test, too, ya know?"

"What you mean?" asked Andy.

"I wanted to make sure that he and Tom wouldn't do anything again, either, if the opportunity arose."

Andy suddenly sat up, and his expression changed quickly, and he asked, "What do you mean … 'again'? Tom and Evan have been together?"

John was naturally upset he had said anything to let the secret out. He relayed the whole story to Andy and explained that Evan was not interested in Tom, but he also had to be sure that Evan wouldn't just have sex with someone if the opportunity should arise.

At the end of his explanation, John added, "Don't worry, Andy. He isn't any competition for you with Tom."

Andy didn't say anything, but just sank further into the water, closed his eyes, and relaxed.

They continued to relax in the tub of hot swirling water for about another thirty minutes, and then both suggested ordering some breakfast, as it was almost 6 a.m.

Room service arrived, and they ate their hot breakfast with such quick intensity, it was as if they hadn't eaten in days. After the gorging was over, they lay on their beds and relaxed.

"Hey, we better get some sleep, Andy, if we're gonna meet Jacob and his mom at the restaurant at 2 p.m."

Andy agreed, and each man slid into his own bed, slipping easily into a deep sleep. With the desk ordered to give them a wake-up call at 1 p.m., they were set.

*****

A couple of hours later in Indiana, Evan awoke and saw, from the alarm clock, that it was past 8 a.m. He got out of the bed slowly and quietly and went to the bathroom to take his shower. He completed his morning routine and got dressed and went into the kitchen to make the breakfast that Tom had demanded.

Evan made a large spread of food, including eggs, French toast, and sausage, while the bacon slowly cooked to just the right crispiness. The coffee was ready in the pot and orange juice was on the table. Evan was so busy cooking that he didn't realize Tom had awakened to the smell of the cooking food.

"Hey, Evan, that smells great."

Evan spun around to see Tom in his boxers and still with his bed head. He looked down to see Tom's willie poking out of the fly in his boxers and said, laughing, "Hey, Willie's trying to escape; you better go put him back where he belongs and take a quick shower, 'cause breakfast is almost ready."

Embarrassed, Tom quickly tucked himself back in, laughed, and apologized. "Shit! Sorry, man -- morning wood -- can't help it. I'll be back in a flash as soon as I take that shower."

Evan laughed and went back to his cooking. Tom returned, hastily dressed after his shower. He kept flipping his head back to get his still-wet hair out of his eyes.

Evan had secretly always liked Tom's dark brown hair and how straight and full it was, but he thought Tom needed a trim to look a little more presentable.

They had just sat down and begun to fill their plates with all the food Evan had prepared when the doorbell rang. Evan looked at Tom and asked if he was expecting anyone. Tom replied, "No; not this early."

Evan got up and went to the front door and opened it to find Carol, John's mom, smiling at him.

"Mornin', pumpkin … thought I'd knock this time and give you some privacy."

Evan laughed and yelled at her to get her butt in the house -- that she didn't have to knock for his benefit. "Hey, you're just in time for some breakfast. Come join us in the kitchen." Evan and Carol found Tom stuffing his mouth as they walked up to the kitchen table.

Carol said, "Hey, Tom. Good morning. It looks like you found a good cook to feed you, besides me."

Tom tried to say good morning to John's mom, but with his mouth full of food, could only manage a garbled, "Mooonin."

Carol laughed and said, "I see it's the same ole Tom with his impeccable manners." She laughed and then messed up his wet hair with her hand.

Evan and Carol sat down at the table and Evan offered her some food, but she accepted only coffee and toast.

Carol said, "I'm sure glad you can cook, Evan, but you remember Mondays are my day for dinner and you WILL be expected to be over to eat. It'll give you a break from cooking, and give us a chance to spend some time together. You know John and I just about always do."

"Yeah, he told me that, and it's more than fine with me."

A distant bark was heard from the garage and Carol asked, "So, why is Riley in the garage? I'd like to see the cutie."

"It's just till breakfast is over, I couldn't potty train him and cook at the same time," said Evan. "We'll let him out after breakfast and you can spoil him, then."

"Wait till you see him, Carol; he already follows Evan around like he's his mommy or something. I can't believe how he has imprinted on him so soon," Tom said, praising Evan for his skills.

Evan responded, "He's a smart dog and has a good personality. He's gonna be a good dog for Jacob to be around."

"That's great. I think it will be good for both of you to have a pet to love," Carol smiled. "Now we just need them home safe tomorrow, and all will be in its place, finally!"

All three of them smiled, agreed, and toasted with coffee, to having the whole family back together again very soon.

To be continued….

End Chapter 12

I would like to dedicate this chapter to the memory of

‘Ryan Keith Skipper'

Rest in Peace

 3-14-07

Your wonderful friends that you have will never let you be forgotten.

You will live on for eternity in cyber space, and in their hearts.

www.myspace.com/inmemoryofryan07

Almighty God, who hast created us in thine own image:

Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make

No peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use

our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of

justice in our communities and among the nations.

Amen

Special Thanks to Three wonderful guys who turned my ramblings into a story worth reading.
Gerry Young, gerry_young@tickiestories.us , Chuck Tickie dinggrey@gmail.com , and Henry Higgins escribir12@hotmail.com.

Posted: 3/22/07