Trials and Triumphs I
By: Morris Henderson
(Copyright 2012 by the author)

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

Chapter 11
SCENERY AND SEX

It was oppressively hot in Denton, Texas when Ted and Eric climbed into the taxi for the twenty-six mile ride to the Dallas/Fort Worth airport for a flight to Denver.  Ted was looking forward to enjoying the cool mountain air of the Colorado Rockies and exploring the richness of nature.  He had wanted to hike through the canyons since he visited a cousin in Colorado Springs years before.  But he was never able to take a vacation since he took over running the company when his father retired.  Eric shared Ted’s eager anticipation to see the beauty of the mountains but his dominant emotion as they left for the airport was the excitement of his first plane ride.

The short flight, just an hour and a half, was time enough for the flight attendant in the first class section to serve drinks and a snack.  Eric declined anything with alcohol, having long ago resolved to be a teetotaler lest he suffer the unfortunate fate of his first father.  There was little conversation beyond Eric’s expression of amazement at what he saw from his window seat.

They took a taxi from the Denver airport to the western fringe of the city where they picked up a rental RV [for non-U.S. readers, that’s a Recreational Vehicle or Motor Home].  After shopping for groceries, a twenty-minute drive took them to Golden Gate Canyon State Park where they would park the vehicle and use it as a home base while exploring the verdant splendor of the canyons and mountains.

By the time they parked, hooked up the water and electric lines, unpacked, and ate supper, it was growing dark.  Eric knew what that meant: an hour or so of sex before falling asleep with arms and legs intertwined.  Just like many times before, Ted seemed to be interested only in extended foreplay and bringing Eric to orgasm.  The man got hard but didn’t ejaculate.  Initially that had puzzled Eric but he had become accustomed to it.  Still, it made him wonder.  Would he, when he reached Ted’s age, lose the ability and even the desire to cum?

For the next six days, they walked the dirt and stone foot trails or rode bicycles on paved bike trails, stopping frequently to admire the scenery and occasionally watching the wildlife.  On the third day of their stay, at Ted’s suggestion, they abandoned the well-traveled trails to venture into the forested hillside.  They stopped at the base of a rocky cliff to eat the lunch they had packed that morning.

“If there’s a heaven,” Ted mused, “I hope it’s exactly like this place.  I’d hate to spend eternity in a place like Texas.”

“It IS beautiful,” Eric replied.  “Far better than I expected.”

The man gave his young companion an odd look and said, “But not as beautiful as you.  I could spend eternity admiring you ... and making love to you.”

Before Eric could reply, he was grasped in a tight embrace and given a long, very passionate kiss.  The teen returned the kiss — not because of any deep affection for his benefactor but more out of obedience to the conditions he had agreed to: serving as a sex partner in exchange for a comfortable life and extensive travel.  Although it had been less than six hours since they engaged in sex, he knew what would happen next.  When they broke off the kiss, Ted was unbuttoning Eric’s shirt.

“Here?  Now?” Eric asked incredulously.

“Yes,” Ted replied.  “No one will see us.  And you’re irresistible.”

It wasn’t long before shirts came off.  Jeans and underwear were pulled down around their ankles.  And each had developed a hard-on.  Eric was lying on his back on the slightly uncomfortable ground with Ted over him in a sixty-nine position.  Unlike their previous couplings, Ted was the first to release a burst of creamy nectar into his partner’s mouth.  Eric guessed that it was the risk of being seen that had increased the older man’s arousal.  Although he was also concerned about being caught, which impeded his sensual excitement, he climaxed soon after.

That evening, as they lay in bed after their third sexual episode of the day, Ted was the first to fall asleep.  Eric, however, lay awake for a long time, unable to resolve a problem that had been gradually growing in his mind.  The core of the problem was his new dad’s continual need for and expectation of sex.  A number of imponderable questions sprang from that.  The first was duty versus security, comfort and adventure.  While Eric enjoyed the sex — it was something he had long yearned for — its frequency seemed to diminish the enjoyment.  Ted was always considerate and extremely generous but there was the constant obligation to submit to sex in exchange for a luxurious life style.  He asked himself a mixture of questions about the future without being able to answer any of them confidently.  Would the man’s appetite for sex diminish over time?  Perhaps his lust might gradually be quenched just as a starving man would ravenously gorge himself but then resume a more natural eating schedule.  Or would the sex continue at peak levels?  What would be the consequence of the sex binges becoming a mechanical response with no erotic component?  Would I then be unable to achieve an erection?  If not, would he be disappointed with me?  Would he then terminate the relationship?  What would I do then?  I’ve been homeless before but might I face the possibility yet again?

Eric admired Ted but his admiration did not rise to the level of affection.  It seemed like a partnership of convenience much like Ted Connors, the business executive, would enter into a partnership with another company.  To be sure, the man was captivated by the teen’s youthful body and said so repeatedly.  But was that definitive evidence of genuine affection or merely a tactic to inflate ego and cement the relationship?

Before finally falling asleep, Eric had decided to honor his commitment to provide sex whenever Ted wanted it.  He would enjoy the luxurious life and travel and hope that everything would work out.

<><><><><> 

During the next month, they swam in the Great Salt Lake in Utah (a unique experience but disappointing).  They toured the Tetons and Yellowstone Park in Wyoming (beautiful but overrun with tourists).  They drove north and spent several days camping near Glacier National Park in Montana (where they were able to explore and enjoy the stunning magnificence of pristine nature relatively unencumbered by crowds).

Ted often grew tired of meals in the RV so they frequently ate at restaurants, many of them upscale.  But he never tired of the private time with Eric in the RV ... or outdoors when there was little chance of being seen.  It was rare that they had sex only once a day.  Typically, there would be multiple sexual episodes.  However, Ted seemed only to want unrestrained access to his young companion’s body in extended foreplay and to bring the teen to orgasm.  Eric puzzled over that.  He wanted to ask why but never did because it might embarrass his partner by raising the issue of an age-related inability to ejaculate.

It was a long, tedious drive back to Denver to return the RV.  For Eric, the flight to Denton was not nearly as exciting as his first flight.  He looked forward to getting back to his new home.  The RV was luxurious (and, no doubt, very expensive) but it couldn’t provide the level of comfort and convenience of Ted’s lavish estate.

They arrived home in late afternoon, went out to eat and finally settled in to the comfort of the living room about nine in the evening.  After a glass of wine, Ted said, “If you don’t mind, Eric, I’m going to soak in the hot tub for a while to get the aches out and then go to bed.  I’m sure you can find something to do ... read, watch TV, or whatever.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Eric replied.  He was grateful that Ted’s comment implied that he didn’t want sex that night.  They’d not had sex since the previous night and the teen welcomed the break from his duties.  After skinny-dipping in the pool from dusk to dark, he went indoors and upstairs where he found Ted sleeping soundly.  To avoid disturbing his sleep (and, to be honest, to avoid another period of obligatory sex), he went to his own bedroom to spend the night.  He wondered, more from curiosity than worry, why Ted had gone to bed early without the customary expectation of sexual contact.

At seven the next morning, Eric awoke and walked to the master bedroom.  Ted was not there.  He put on a robe and went downstairs where he found the man pouring over some papers in his study.  He said, “Good morning.”

Without looking up from his work, Ted replied almost inaudibly, “Good morning.”

Eric paused.  He had expected a more cheerful greeting but there was none.  He went into the kitchen and fixed himself a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice.  He could think of no reason for the change in mood and behavior and it reminded him of Brian’s inexplicable behavior after their first sex.  Fortunately, however, unlike Brian, Ted had not spewed icy comments and hurtful remarks.  Yet!

It was midafternoon when Ted emerged from his study, went into the kitchen, and fixed himself a sandwich.  Eric joined him and asked, “Is everything all right?”

“No,” the man replied.  “There’s been a glitch in the conglomerate’s acquisition of my company.  I’ve been on the phone for hours with the lawyers.  They’ve called a special board meeting.  I have to catch a redeye flight to New York this evening.  I don’t know how long I’ll be there.”

“Sounds serious,” Eric said.

“It could be.  I’m hoping we can resolve the issues.  If not, the whole deal will collapse.”

<><><><><> 

The following day, Eric decided to visit Grant to say hello and, more importantly, to make sure that he was being properly taken care of by the firm Ted hired to help him dress, fix his meals, and keep the house clean.  He drove the Miata to Grant’s house and parked at the curb.  Knowing what he did about the invalid’s mobility, he opened the front door and called out, “Grant!  It’s me, Eric.  Can I come in?”

“YES!” an excited voice called back.

The old man was seated in his favorite recliner with his walker beside it.  He was positively exuberant with delight to see his former caretaker.  “How are you?” Eric asked.

“How am I?  No better.  No worse.  Except I miss having your company around here.”

“I miss you, too,” the teen replied.  “I know that somebody is taking care of you and I just hope they’re doing a good job.”

“Stan, the guy next door — you remember him — he checks up on me from time to time.  I only had one problem.  One of the workers, a grumpy old bitch, kept fixing meals she KNEW I didn’t like.  Stan got her fired.  Since then I’ve had no problems.”

They spent more than two hours conversing ... mostly about Eric’s new life and trip to the Rockies ... but not, of course, about the nature of his relationship with Ted.  At one point, Grant asked, “Got a girlfriend?”

Eric deftly diverted the question by answering, “Not yet.  Maybe when the time is right.”

Having cheered up the lonely old man and determined that he was being well treated, Eric said goodbye.

Eric hadn’t planned on it but a spur of the moment decision caused him to drive through his old neighborhood.  He was astonished to see his childhood home remarkably well-kept with new paint, an abundance of flowers in the yard and the lawn newly mowed.  Instantly, he knew his father no longer lived there.  But where was he?  What happened to him?  Curiosity compelled him to stop and ring the doorbell.  A young woman with a toddler at her side opened the door.

“Oh.  Excuse me,” Eric said.  “I thought Mr. Mathews lived here.”

“He did,” she said.  “Until he passed away.”

Part of Eric was saddened over his father’s death because — until he started drinking — he had been a good dad.  But another part was relieved that he would no longer suffer from the self-destructive behavior that plagued the final days of his life.

“When did that happen?” Eric asked.  The shock of the news was apparent in his reaction.

“I’m not sure but I think it was about a year and a half ago,” the woman said.  Eric did a quick calculation and concluded that his father died while he was living with Brian and the Winston family.  “I’m sorry.  I seem to have upset you with the news.  Are you a friend of his?  Or a relative?”

“NO,” Eric shot back, not willing to admit that he was the son of a cruel alcoholic that let his life, his family, and his home deteriorate.  Thinking quickly, he said, “My dad worked with him a long time ago and hasn’t been able to contact him.  The phone was disconnected and letters were returned.  He asked me to stop by the house if I was ever in the neighborhood to see if he was okay.”

“The letters must have been sent while the house was vacant.  We moved here about a year ago.”

The toddler was getting fussy so Eric said, “I’m sorry to have bothered you.  But thanks for the information.”

Eric wanted to visit the grave to say he forgave his dad for the cruelty and threats and that he understood it was the booze speaking.  But he had no idea where it was.  He resolved to find the grave later.  At the moment, he just wanted to go home ... the home of his new dad ... and now HIS home.

To be continued...

 Iatia’s editing, suggestions, and encouragement have been invaluable.
 

Posted:08/10/12