The Man from Swift Current
By: Russ Nielsen
(© 2011-2013 by the author)

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

Chapter 74
Glenn’s New Wardrobe!

Rick and I were up early the next day.   We made sure the night before that Justin was still okay with seeing a psychiatrist.   I fixed us a good breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, and orange juice.   Zach and Mark joined Robbie, Justin, Rick, Ben and me for breakfast.   They like coming over early to have breakfast with us since Robbie moved in.

Robbie said, “Zach, can Adam come over tonight?”

Zach looked surprised, “Why are you asking me?   You need to ask Ben and Glenn if it’s okay to have company on a school night.”

Ben smiled, “See!   I told you Zach would set you right.   You asked me last night about having Adam come over and you didn’t like my answer.”   Ben high-fived Zach.  “Way to go, Bro.!”

Robbie’s face fell.  “You guys are worse than my parents.   At least they would let me have friends over on school nights.”

I laughed at Robbie’s suggestion that we were worse than his parents.  “Robbie, you don’t know how lucky you are that we agreed to take you in!   Think about where you’d be otherwise, dude!”

Robbie thought for a moment.  “Okay, you guys aren’t as bad as my parents, but you’re pretty close!   Why can’t I have Adam over, if I get my homework done?”

Ben and I looked at each other; then, Ben replied, “Remember the ground rules we set before you moved in?”

Robbie nodded his head.  “Yeah.   What about them?”

Ben continued, “Didn’t we agree that you couldn’t have anyone over during the week until your interim grades showed that you were keeping up with all of your studies?   When will interim grades come out?”

Robbie groaned, “But that’s not for 5 weeks!   How can you make me wait that long to have friends over?! ”

I said, “Robbie, we didn’t arbitrarily set our ground rules.   Remember, you were part of the discussions, as were your parents, Zach, Mark, Ben and I.   We all agreed, that means you did, as well, that the ground rules were fair and equitable given the circumstances.   Has anything changed since we all agreed to the ground rules?”

Robbie grinned, “Yes, I didn’t have a boyfriend then, so how could those ground rules be fair and equitable now?”

Ben shook his head, “Robbie, just because you have a boyfriend doesn’t mean we’re changing the rules to let you have sex with your boyfriend every night of the week.   You two will just have to wait until the weekend!   It’s not like you two don’t see each other every day at school!”

Robbie whined, “Ben, it’s just not fair!”

Zach spoke up, “Robbie, I don’t get to see Todd until the weekend, so why should you get special treatment?   At least you get to see Adam every day at school.   I don’t have that privilege, so stop whining!”

Robbie stuck his tongue out at his older brother.  “You’re no help!   I thought you loved me, Zach!”

Zach laughed.  “I do, baby brother.   That’s why I’m not trying to get Ben and Glenn to change the rules for you.   You need to live up to the promise you made Mom and Dad that you’d abide by the ground rules we all agreed to before you moved here.”

Robbie sighed deeply, “Okay!   I guess I’ll have to find a way to have sex with Adam somewhere else then.”

We all laughed at Robbie.   Rick said, “Just don’t get arrested, okay?   We won’t come bail you out, if you do!”

Robbie grinned.  “That might be fun!”

Zach whacked his brother up the side of the head.  “Stop being goofy, Robbie!”

Robbie looked at his brother.  “I’m not the one who is goofy.   Try looking in the mirror, Bro.!”

Zach whacked his brother, again.  “That’s for being rude to your elders!”

Robbie grinned. “I always knew you were getting old and senile, Zach!”

The two brothers went out the front door as they continued to rag on each other.   Justin stared longingly after them for a moment.   He turned back to me, and said, “I wish I had a brother who loved me as much as Zach loves Robbie.”   Justin’s eyes were bright with unshed tears.

Rick asked, “Justin, are you ready to go?”

Justin looked over at Rick, and nodded, “I guess so.   I’m really nervous about talking to a stranger about what happened to me.”

I looked at Justin in surprise.  “You didn’t seem to have a problem talking to a bunch of strangers the other night at the bar!   You poured out your soul to us that night.”

Justin thought for a moment.  “I guess you’re right about that.   I did kind of bare my soul, didn’t I?”

I nodded my head in the affirmative.  “Thanks to Rick I’ll be talking to the same Doctor as you.”

Rick put his arm around my shoulders.  “You know it’s for your own good, sweetheart.”   He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.   “Remember, I love you.”

Justin watched the two of us interact with each other.   “Glenn, you are so fortunate to have found such a gem.   I hope you realize just how wonderful Rick is to you.”

Rick smiled and nibbled on my ear.  “Glenn knows.   We take care of each other, and that’s what makes our relationship work for us.”

I said, “My Mom gave us a little list of home rules that we have hanging in our condo in Atlanta.   When she gave it to us, she explained how it helped her and Dad to create a positive environment in our home.   Rick and I have tried to follow those rules.”

Justin asked, curiously, “What are the rules that your Mom gave you?”

Rick grinned, and asked, “Glenn, are you ready?”

I nodded my head.   We recited them in unison, “Always Be Honest ~ Count Your Blessings ~ Bear Each Other’s Burdens ~ Forgive and Forget ~ Be Kind and Tender Hearted ~ Comfort One Another ~ Keep Your Promises ~ Be Supportive of One Another ~ Be True to Each Other ~ Look After Each Other ~ Treat Each Other Like You Treat Your Friends ~ But Most Important Love One Another Deeply From the Heart”

Justin said, “Wow!   Did your Mom make you memorize them or something?”

Rick answered, “Yes, she did.   She wouldn’t let us leave the room until we both had them memorized.   She told us we had to recite them every morning together, so we wouldn’t forget them.”

I confirmed Rick’s statement, “Mom is pretty strict when it comes to her house rules.   The other thing Mom always said was “Just Be Kind or JBK!”   She would say “JBK” when we were in public places to remind us that we needed to be kind to our siblings, as well as our friends.”

Justin said, “It sounds like you had a wonderful childhood with a very loving family.”

I replied, “Yes, I did for the most part.”

Rick said, “It’s time to go, guys.   Grab your sweaters!   It’s a little cool outside this morning.”

We ran back upstairs to grab our sweaters, and we were soon on our way to our appointment with Dr. Hansen.  

Rick pulled the Land Rover into the underground parking, and we took the elevator up to the 7^th floor to Dr. Hansen’s office.   We signed in, and the receptionist gave Justin and me clipboards with several forms to complete.  

“Please take a seat, and I’ll call you back when Dr. Hansen is ready to see you,” she said.

A few minutes later, she called out Justin’s name.   Justin smiled weakly and said, “I’ll see you guys in a while.”

While we waited, I snuggled up to Rick, who put his arms around me.   I must have dozed off, because soon Rick was shaking me awake.  “Glenn, it’s your turn to visit with Dr. Hansen.”

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stretched, as I got up from the couch.   Rick took my hand as he stood up.  “I’m glad you took a quick nap, Babe.   You rolled the bed most of the night.   I know you were worrying about this appointment today.   I’m sorry I’ve caused you to lose sleep over this.”

I smiled at my guy.  “It’s okay, Rick.   It’s something that I need to do and I did ask you to help me, remember?   I can’t help being nervous, but having you here with me means everything to me.”   I looked around the room and asked, “Where’s Justin?”

Rick replied, “He’s still in the examination room.   Dr. Hansen wants to talk to us, since Justin is going to be living with us.”

Rick and I followed the receptionist to Dr. Hansen’s office.   Dr. Hansen greeted us at the door of her office.  “Hello, I’m Dr. Hansen.”   We shook her hand.

“I’m Glenn, and this is my boyfriend, Rick,” I said.

“I’m glad to meet you both.   Please have a seat.   Justin has spoken very highly of you two.   He’s given me permission to talk to you about what’s going on with him.   I will only share information that is necessary for you to be able to help him,” Dr. Hansen explained.

Rick said, “We are willing to help him as much as we can.”

“Good.   Justin will need a lot of support over the months ahead, given what we have discussed today,” Dr. Hansen.

She stepped out of the office, and returned with Justin, who sat down next to me.   “Justin, your friends have agreed that they will be there to help you, as we work together.   Is it okay for us to discuss with them what we talked about earlier?”

Justin said, “Yes.   I know I need their help.   I want them to know everything that’s happening, so they can be my advocates, not only with you, but with any other medical people I need to deal with over the next few months.”

 Dr. Hansen looked at Rick and me.  “Is that acceptable to you?”

We both agreed.   Dr. Hansen then proceeded to outline what the action plan was for helping Justin.   At one point, Justin reached over and took my hand.   Rick stood up and moved around to Justin’s other side and put his arm around Justin’s shoulders to comfort him.

Dr. Hansen finished talking and asked, “Do any of you have any questions?”

We looked at each other.   Justin said, “No, I think we all understand what’s happening.”

Rick and I agreed.

Dr. Hansen said, “Good.   Justin, I would suggest that you give Rick and Glenn a medical power of attorney, if you believe that they will be your best advocates with any medical situation that arises.   Again, I would carefully consider your options as to how you approach this situation.   This has to be your decision to move ahead, and no one else’s.”

Justin nodded his head in understanding, “Thank you Dr. Hansen.”

Dr. Hansen continued, “Rick, will you and Justin return to the waiting room while Glenn and I get better acquainted?  Glenn, if you need Rick to stay, he is more than welcome.”

“I think I’ll be okay,” I said.   I looked at Rick.  “I think Justin needs you more right now than I do.”

Rick smiled at me, “Yes, he does.   I’ll see you in a little while.”

Justin and Rick left the room.   Dr. Hansen pulled out a new file folder and looked over it for a few minutes.   “Glenn, where do you want to start?”

I replied, “I guess at the beginning.”   I related to her what had happened between me and my cousin, John; and how dirty I felt after being repeatedly raped by him and his friends.   I became physically ill, as Dr. Hansen pressed me for specific details about what had happened that day.   I tried to control the physical and emotional storm that threatened to upset my equilibrium; but failed spectacularly.

Dr. Hansen, seeing my expression, said, “The restroom is through that door.”   She pointed to a door to my left.      

When I returned from the restroom, having lost my breakfast, Dr. Hansen asked, “Are you up to continuing?”

I was still pretty shaky, but I nodded my head.   “I want to learn to live without the fear that I feel when I remember what happened.”

She nodded her head.   “I am willing to help you, but you need to be completely honest with me, Glenn.   When things get too intense, you need to tell me it’s time to stop; just like you did a few minutes ago.   You are still suffering from the trauma caused by what happened to you.”  

I looked into Dr. Hansen’s eyes.   “I want to be there for Rick, and I can’t be, if I’m always worried that I’ll hurt him.”

Then, I explained what had happened when I tried to tell my parents that I needed help.   I also outlined my experience with Ian and ended with how I found Rick.   I explained how I was feeling at the moment.   I started to feel much more comfortable with her, as we continued talking about what had happened, and explored why I felt the way I did.   She talked to me about what we could do to help me.   We agreed upon a strategy, and we set some goals.   She emphasized the fact that this was something I needed to do for myself, and that she would help me.  In the end, it was my decision to move forward with this plan.  

When we were finished, she asked, “Can I share what we’ve talked about with Rick?”

“Yes, I want him to know everything, so we can work on this together,” I responded.   “He promised to help me.”

Dr. Hansen smiled, “Yes, it’s very obvious that he loves you very much.”

I nodded my head in agreement.  “I’m a very lucky man!”

Dr. Hansen left her office, and returned with Rick.  Rick sat down next to me and took my hand.   He looked at me and asked, “Are you alright?   You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine, now that you’re here,” I said, giving Rick a reassuring smile. 

Dr. Hansen went over what we’d decided to do, and asked, “Rick, will you be able to help Glenn?”

Rick grinned at me.  “Absolutely!”

Dr. Hansen said, “Good.   Let’s set up our next appointment.”

We followed Dr. Hansen out of her office, and stopped at the receptionist’s desk to set up appointments for both Justin and me.

Rick drove us to a local pharmacy to fill a couple of prescriptions, and headed back to our house.   As soon as we entered the house, Ben came downstairs.

Ben asked, “How did it go today?”

I replied, “Kind of rough, but I’m okay.   Rick has been wonderful for both of us.”

Rick said, “Glenn’s doing pretty well compared to Justin right now.”   Rick still had his arm around Justin.

Ben hugged Justin, while Rick pulled me into his embrace and gave me a kiss.   “I love you, Babe!   I told you I would help you, and I’m keeping my promise.”

“That you are, sweetheart,” I said, burying my face in his chest.   I really needed the comfort of his scent to help calm me down.   Reliving what had happened with John and his friends had left me feeling so completely worthless.   I know that Rick loves me, as does my family; but, somehow, the memory of being treated like someone’s fuck toy keeps dragging me down.   I’m going to get past this and move on, one way or another!  Maybe after a few more sessions, things would get better.   I know that I’m not as bad off as Justin, by the looks of things.   Justin suffered much, much more at the hands of his ex-boyfriend than anything that happened to me; though, I’d call being raped by your cousin and a couple of his friends pretty traumatic, when you’re only 12 years old, and pretty naïve about sexual matters.   The worst part of this whole process is learning to deal with the anger I feel toward John; and, especially toward myself.   Dr. Hansen tried to help me to see past the anger; to analyze the reasons I feel so much anger, and to address those feelings head on.   Rick’s strong embrace reminded me that I have the best man in the world to stand by my side! 

Rick kissed the top of my head.   “Ben, will you stay with Justin for a bit, while I take care of Glenn?”

Ben nodded his head, “Yes.   I’ll stay with Justin.”

Rick led me upstairs and into our bedroom.   He quickly stripped both of us out of our clothes.   He threw back the blankets, and gently pushed me down onto the bed.   He climbed in beside me and pulled the blankets back over the top of us.   I snuggled up next to my lover boy, and wrapped myself around him.

“I’m proud of you, Glenn, for going through with the therapy session.   I know you’ve not had positive experiences with therapists before, but it’s different this time.   I’m here to support you and help you overcome the mental and emotional stuff that you need to overcome so you can be fully engaged in our relationship as an equal partner.   I want all of you, not just part of you!   I want to have you completely whole, so we can have the equal partnership I’ve always dreamed would make a perfect family.   I love you very much.   You are my family, Glenn.   I need you!”

He lifted my chin, so he could look in my eyes.  “Glenn, you are my life.   I need you to understand how important you are to me.”

I looked into Rick’s eyes and saw the love he has for me reflected in them.   “I know you love me.   I love you the same way, Rick.   I promise I’ll do my best to become the partner you want me to be.   I don’t mean that you want to change me so much as I want to be able to live without the fears and uncertainties that have plagued me since John used and abused me.   I want to be free to love you with every fiber of my being.   I know that with all the mental and emotional baggage I’ve carried around with me all these years that I can’t be totally there for you, like I want to be.   I want to jettison all of those bad feelings, so I can replace them with the love you have for me.”

Rick tenderly kissed me as he gently caressed my body.   Rick always knows what I need and right now I need to be held by him.   He pulled me closer to him and I put my head on his chest.   I drifted off to sleep, listening to the strong beat of his heart.

*** ***

The rest of the week went really fast, between homework and spending time with Rick.   Justin returned to work, and seemed to be doing much better.  On Friday, Grandpa called to tell us what was going on with the house down the street.

I put him on speaker phone so everyone could hear what he had to say.

“Hello, boys,” Grandpa said.

We chorused, “Hi Grandpa!”

“I’ve got some good news.   The bank was willing to come down on the price, and wants to close the deal as soon as possible.   The house passed the inspection, and the appraisal is a good one.   The title search should be completed today.   I’ve arranged for the closing to take place next Monday morning.   I want Rick, Glenn and Ben to be there to sign the documents, as the house will be put in your names.”

Ben grinned.  “Thank you Grandpa.”

Grandpa said, “Don’t thank me, yet.   You do understand that you will be responsible for managing the property, so that it turns a profit for us?”

Ben said, “Yes, I do.   I’m just excited to have a place of our own that is big enough for all of us.”

Grandpa said, “I agree that this is a good investment; especially since you and Glenn are paying rent, when you could be increasing your net worth by collecting it instead.   The same terms apply to this house as apply to the condo Glenn and Rick own.”

Rick said, “We understand.   I’ll sit down with Ben to go over those terms and conditions, in detail, before we go to closing on Monday.”

“Good.   You will be given the keys to the house on Monday, and can start moving in the same day,” Grandpa said.

“Thank you Grandpa for helping us out,” I said.

“You’re welcome, grandson.   Glenn and Rick, I want you to furnish this house like you did the condo.   Be sure to select good sturdy furniture that will last.   I will talk to you on Monday,” Grandpa said.

We ended the call.  We looked at each other, amazed at how quickly everything was coming together.    Then, everyone started talking at the same time.   Rick put his hand up for all of us to be silent for a moment.

“Let’s sit down and make out our plans for the move,” Rick said.

Ben, Rick and I sat down at the kitchen table and started a list of things that needed to be done.   It didn’t take us very long, since Rick and I had already been through one move together already.

Ben called his parents, while I called mine with the good news.   When I finished talking to Mom, I started cooking dinner while Rick watched me.   This morning, I had put on the tightest fitting jeans I own, and an athletic shirt made out of that silky, tight-fitting material that really shows me off.   I felt Rick’s eyes following me, as I put a beef roast with potatoes and carrots in the oven to bake.  Then, I put together a fruit salad, and put it in the refrigerator to chill.   I saw Rick adjust himself as I began cleaning the counters and was just washing up the few dishes that were in the sink.   Rick came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me.   I dried my hands on a dishtowel and turned around in his arms.

“I love it when you do that to me,” I said, lifting my lips to his.   Rick’s lips met mine and our tongues danced, as our passion for each other grew.   Rick’s hands found their way inside my pants.   I don’t know how, since there wasn’t’ much room; but they did!   Rick murmured in my ear, “I so want to take you right here, in the kitchen.”   He continued his assault on my senses, causing things to get so tight down below that it hurt!

“Take me upstairs, Rick,” I whispered back, as he leaned down to kiss the base of my neck.   I had barely uttered the words, when I found myself being carried up the stairs two at a time!  

Rick shouted down the stairs, “Ben, will you make sure the food in the oven doesn’t burn?   Glenn set a timer, so please take it out when it goes off!”   Rick didn’t wait to hear Ben’s reply, as he entered our room.  Rick set me on my feet in our bedroom and closed the door behind him.   Rick eyes glowed with a hunger that would have given me pause at any other time; but I wanted him just as much as he wanted me.

A while later, we enjoyed being wrapped in each other’s arms, as we talked about all the help Grandpa had given us over the last year and a half.   We heard a tap on the door before it opened, and in bounced a very excited Robbie.

“Is it true that we’re moving?” Robbie asked.

Rick answered, “Before I answer that question, you need to go back out in the hall and close the door.   You need to wait until you’re invited in, before you open the door.”

Robbie stood there in total surprise!   “What?   You want me to leave?”

“Yes, I want you to go back out of the room.   You can start over by knocking and asking if you may come in,” Rick further explained, his tone of voice left no doubt that he wasn’t happy with Robbie.

Robbie finally got it, and left the room, closing the door.   He knocked and waited.   We didn’t answer right away.   He asked, “May I come in guys?”

“Yes, you may come in now,” Rick said.

Robbie re-entered the room.  “I’m sorry for just walking in on you two.   I won’t do it again.”   He looked properly chastised, so Rick didn’t say anything more about it.

“Yes, we are moving to our new house on Monday, after we close,” I said.

Robbie crowed, “So, can Adam come over and stay with us, instead of living in the dorms at school?”

I answered, “That depends.   There are six rooms.   Justin, Ben, you and I will living there.”

Robbie grinned and said, “Then, there would be room for Adam.”

Rick said, “Yes, there would be.   What about Zach and Mark?   Shouldn’t we ask if they want to join us?”

Robbie thought for a minute.  “Yes, I guess we should; but Zach and Mark could share a room, and so could me and Adam.”

I laughed.  “Robbie, we’ll have to worry about that later.   First, we have to get moved into the new house.”

Adam appeared in our doorway.   He put his arm around Robbie’s waist.  “Robbie, leave these guys alone.   Come back downstairs with me.   Justin and I need your advice on something.”   I did a double take, since we had just talked to Robbie about not having guests over during the week.  

Before I could say anything, Rick put his finger to my lips and whispered in my ear, “Don’t say anything.”

Robbie’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, as he looked into Adam’s eyes.   “I’ll come.   Why do you need my help?”

The two boys left our room, closing the door behind them, so I didn’t hear Adam’s response to Robbie’s question.   I looked at Rick, “What are you up to, now?”

Rick smiled at me, “I called Ben from the doctor’s office, and told him that Justin was going to really need some help; and that Robbie and Adam would be just the guys to get Justin out of his funk.   Ben said he’d call Zach to make sure that he brought Adam home, and to bring an overnight bag from the school.”

“Why?” I asked, as I played with the hair on Rick’s chest.

Rick didn’t answer my question directly.   Instead, he said, “I think we will get the answer to that, soon.”

I shook my head, “Rick Lernier, you are such a schemer, sometimes.”   I paused, and thought for a moment, “I wonder what they are doing now?”

Rick smiled at me.  “I guess we’ll have to get dressed and go downstairs to find out.”

Rick pulled me to my feet and led me to the shower.  Rick adjusted the temperature, and pulled me into the shower with him.   As he soaped me up, he said, “I bet you that Robbie and Adam are taking care of Justin’s needs as we speak.”

I put my hands on the tile in front of me and leaned forward as Rick lathered the soap down my back, “What do you mean?” I asked, not following Rick’s thoughts on the subject.

“Glenn, what have both of them asked to do with Justin?” Rick asked, instead of answering my question.

Rick rinsed the soap off of my back with the hand held showerhead, then, lathered up his hands with soap.   He began cleaning me down below, derailing any thoughts I had in my head; other than how wonderful it felt to take a shower with such a hot stud!   Rick’s hands on my skin sent thrills of ecstasy throughout my body!   Everyone should have the experience of taking a shower with their lover!   

“Earth to Glenn!   Hello!  I know that I’m pretty good at cleaning you up, but you sure zoned out on me there, lover boy,” Rick said.   “The boys wanted a threesome with Justin, remember?”

Rick stopped massaging me, which allowed my thought processes to return to normal!   “Oh, yeah, I remember now.   Do you think that’s what they’re doing right now?” I asked.

“I do.   I would even be willing to bet on it!   What do you think?” Rick asked, with a grin.

“I think you’re right,” I replied.   I turned around and put my arms around Rick’s neck, kissing my lover boy.   “I think that you should take care of me right here in the shower, and not worry about what plans those two have in mind for Justin.”

Rick grinned.  “You do, do you?”

“Yes, I do,” I said, looking him in the eyes.

Rick replied, “Mr. Nielsen, your wish is my command!”

*** ***

We helped dress each other, then, we made our way downstairs.  Dinner smelled wonderful!   “Ben, did you take dinner out of the oven?” I asked, when I saw Ben in the hallway.

“Yes, I did.   It’s ready for you to make the gravy.   I’ll help you put it on the table, when you’re done,” Ben replied.   “I’ve sliced the roast and put everything in the warmer.”

“Thanks, Ben!  We owe you!” I exclaimed, grinning at him.

Ben laughed, “I knew what you two were up to when you made your way up the stairs.   I figured it would be a while before I saw you back downstairs.”

“Where is Justin?” I asked, looking at Ben.

Ben laughed again.  “Our two young friends are taking very good care of Justin.   You don’t have to worry about him, Glenn.”  Ben pushed me into the kitchen, “Just let it go, Glenn.   You can’t be their mother and father.   Let them decide a few things for themselves.”

Rick followed us into the kitchen.   He inhaled deeply through his nose.   “Hmm!   It smells so good!  I’m hungry!  What do we need to do to get dinner on the table?”

I looked in the warming oven, and saw that Ben had taken care of everything.   “I’ll make the gravy, then, we just have to set the table and we’re ready.”

Ben and Rick made quick work of setting the table.   I pulled the food out of the warming oven and placed it on the table.   I made the gravy, as Ben walked down the hall to invite Frank and Taka to join us.  When we were all gathered around the table, we looked at Rick.

Rick said, “I’ll say grace for us.”

When he finished, we dived in.

We were about halfway through dinner, when Justin showed up in the kitchen, with the two boys right behind him.   He was very flushed, and had that afterglow that told us that the boys had, indeed, taken care of him!

Justin’s eyes were bright, as he smiled at me.   He held up his hands and shrugged, as I looked questioningly at him. “Glenn, I promise it wasn’t my idea!”

Rick laughed, “You’re right that it wasn’t your idea; however, we know whose idea it was.”

Robbie and Adam joined us at the table with Justin sandwiched between them.  Robbie spoke up, “It was my idea, and Adam agreed.”

Adam smiled.  “I think we’ve found the answer to keeping Justin happy.”

Adam and Robbie put their arms around Justin’s shoulders.   Justin grinned from ear to ear.  “Yes, you two have.”

I looked at Rick and Ben, who shrugged their shoulders.   “Okay, I guess Adam and Robbie know what they are doing; but, Justin, you had better not break their hearts, or lead them on in any way.”  

Justin smiled and said, “I promise I won’t do anything to harm either one of them.   They have made it very clear that they are a couple and intend to make their relationship last forever.   I’m just grateful that they are willing to include me in that relationship.”

I looked at Robbie and Adam.  “So, where does that leave Justin when you decide you want a closed relationship?”

Robbie and Adam looked at each other, then, looked at Justin.   Robbie leaned over and whispered in Justin’s ear.   Justin eyes grew round and wide, as a look of surprise spread across his face.   Robbie then leaned around Justin and whispered to Adam who nodded.   I watched as the three of them looked at each other.   I waited to see what they had to say.

Finally, Robbie said, “We’ve decided that we want Justin to be a part of our relationship on a permanent basis; so Justin will just have to get used to having us around.”

Rick took my hand.  “Glenn, you will have to let Robbie and Adam decide how they want their relationship to work.   You can’t be their parent, or their conscience.”

Justin said, “Glenn, I understand your concern, not only for Robbie and Adam; but for me, as well.   I know that in the long term, they may want to move on without me; but for right now, I’m willing to take that chance.”

Ben looked at me, and said, “Glenn, it will be alright.”

I shook my head.  “I’m sorry, guys.   I’m a worrier, and Rick knows that I do that.   I’ll try to be less of one, and let things work themselves out.”

Ben smiled, and patted me on the back.  “Glenn, you’re growing up.   Sometimes we need to learn to let things go; instead of trying to control them, or force them into the paths we want them to take.”

I relaxed a little bit, as Rick put his arm around me.  He leaned over and kissed me.   He looked me in the eyes, and said, “Let Robbie and Adam enjoy their time with Justin.”

With Rick’s words, I decided that I didn’t need to worry about them as much as I had been.   It’s one of my weaknesses, I guess.   I worry about people’s feelings too much; and want to prevent anyone from getting hurt, if I can.

We finished our meal, and everyone pitched in to help clean the kitchen.   In no time, we were all relaxing in front of the television.   I looked around the room and thought, “Wow!   I’m really blessed to have such wonderful friends.”   Robbie, Adam and Justin were wrapped in each other’s arms.  Janice had come over and was sitting next to Ben.  Rick and I were sitting on the floor.   I sat between his legs, and leaned back against his chest with his arms wrapped around my waist.   I pulled his legs around me, too.   Rick kept biting my neck as we watched a video.   Pretty soon his hands started caressing me to the point where I was starting to squirm a bit.   He whispered in my ear, “Let’s go to bed.   I want to make love to you.”

I nodded my head and we stood up and made our way upstairs for the evening.

*** ***

Justin seemed to improve significantly after that first day.  I had to admit that Robbie and Adam seemed to be the answer to keep Justin on an even keel.   However, I insisted that Robbie and Adam complete their studies, before they could spend time with Justin.   Both boys were ecstatic when Justin offered to be their tutor, so he could spend more time with them.   We all knew that there would be little studying done if they studied upstairs at their desks; so I made them study in the front room, where everyone could see them.  At least they would try to appear to be studying!   Robbie and Adam howled with frustration, since I spoiled their plans!   Justin sided with me about studying in the front room, and stated that they could get more done that way.   So, the two teens decided to at least give it try.

Monday arrived, and Ben, Rick and I went to the bank’s office to close on the property.   As we entered the bank lobby, we were approached by a rather portly gentleman, whose face reminded me of a pig’s.   His nose was almost a snout, his eyes were small and intense, and he had huge jowls and a big, wide mouth.   He was completely bald, and his 5’6” frame could barely handle the weight he carried.   This guy had eaten one too many Twinkies!

He asked, “Are you Mr. Scarborough’s grandsons?”

I responded for us, “Yes, we are.   Who might you be?”

“I’m sorry.   I should have introduced myself first.   I’m Mr. Snow.   I’ll escort you to the office where we will conduct the closing,” he said.

We followed Mr. Snow into a conference room, where there were a number of other people around the table.   Mr. Snow introduced us to them.  “This is Glenn Nielsen, Ben Nielsen, and Rick Lernier.”   Then, he pointed to each person in turn, and said, “This is Ms. Larsen.   She represents the title company.   This is Mr. Phillips.   He is from our home mortgage division.   This is Ms. Dean, who will be recording everything that goes on here today.   This is Mr. Roland, who is the realtor who is selling the property on the bank’s behalf.”

We shook their hands as he introduced them, then, we took our seats at the conference table.   A few minutes later, another gentleman arrived.   This one came over and shook our hands, “I’m Mr. Anderson.   Your Grandfather asked me to go over all of the documents, before you sign them.   A copy has already been sent overnight to your Grandfather.   I spoke with him a few moments ago to confirm that he has the documents.   He asked me to join you here.   He will be on speaker phone, as we conduct the closing.”   Mr. Anderson pointed to several speakers sitting in the middle of the table.

Mr. Snow asked, “Are we ready to begin?”

Everyone around the table nodded their agreement; so Mr. Snow dialed Grandpa’s number and pushed the speaker button.   Grandpa picked up the call, “Hello.”

Mr. Snow said, “Hello, Mr. Scarborough.   Let me go around the room, so you know who is here.”   He proceeded to name everyone.

Grandpa said, “Good.   Let’s proceed.”

Each person in the room went over their piece of the settlement process.   We were each given copies of the different documents.   Grandpa made a couple of statements with regards to slight changes to the terms of the contract and Mr. Anderson agreed that they should be made.   Mr. Phillips had the pages amended and faxed to Grandpa, while we continued going over other documents.   About an hour or so later, Grandpa agreed that things were in order.   Mr. Anderson and the bank’s official pointed out where we were to sign.   After everything was signed, Mr. Snow said, “Congratulations!   You are now the proud owners of a new home.”

We shook his hand, and walked out of the bank; each of us carrying our own copy of the paperwork, and a set of keys to the house.   We climbed into the Land Rover, and Rick drove us back home.   We picked up the moving truck on the way home.   Zach and Mark came over to help us load the truck and move us into the new place.

We drove the loaded truck down the street and backed it up, so we had easy access to the house as we unloaded our stuff.

Before we started unloading, we took a walk around the house to check things out.   Rick said, “We need to do some furniture shopping later today.” 

I agreed, “It will take a few days to get everything delivered; so, the sooner we get it done, the better.”

Ben said, “There are two master bedrooms, which are both located in the new addition, upstairs, over the recreation room.   The original bedrooms are still intact - two bedrooms downstairs and two upstairs, making a total of six bedrooms.”

Rick said, “I think that Ben should have one of the master bedrooms, and we should take the other, Glenn.   What do you think?”

“I agree.   Are you okay with that, Ben?” I asked.

Ben agreed, “Yes, I am.”

Rick said, “Okay, then, let’s get our stuff moved in.”

With Zach and Mark’s help, it didn’t take long to get our bedrooms set up again.   We put Robbie’s stuff in one of the rooms upstairs.   I looked at Justin, and asked, “Do you want the room across the hall from Robbie’s?”

Smiling, Justin replied, “Yes, please!   Can we get my stuff out of storage before Zach and Mark have to leave us?”

“Sure,” Rick said.

Zach asked, “Would guys be okay with Mark and me as roommates?”

Ben laughed, “Yes, it would be great to have you guys as my roommates.   What about the contracts on your dorm rooms?”

Mark responded, “We have to find someone to replace us, or we will have to wait until the end of the semester.”

Zach said, “I think I might know of a couple of guys who want to be in the dorms.    I will check with them; but I wanted to make sure it was okay with you guys that we move in here with you, before looking for someone to take our spots in the dorms.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon getting everyone moved in.   We returned the truck, then, went looking for furniture.   Janice came with us, and helped choose some solid furniture that would stand up to the abuse college students can inflict on poor unsuspecting pieces of furniture!   It was nice looking, but functional.   The furniture company promised to have it delivered the next day.   We went back to the new house to find the guys camped out on the floor in the recreation room watching television.   We joined them on the floor.   We excitedly talked about the new furniture, and the fact that Grandpa had agreed to let us buy a pool table and an electronic keyboard.   The pool table we found also included table tennis.  

The next day, the furniture arrived, as promised.   Rick and I arranged the furniture, and I started making a list of art work we needed to purchase to decorate the walls.   Janice wanted to add some floral arrangements, etc.   I looked at Ben who shrugged his shoulders.   After consulting with the rest of the guys, we decided that Janice’s idea of flowers in the apartment would be okay, as long as they were some of those silk plants that wouldn’t require a lot of maintenance.   We also didn’t want a lot of them because, to be honest, this is a guys’ house!   Janice called Donica, Patty and Irene to come over and help us go shopping for art work, plants, and flowers.

When the girls arrived, Donica came up to me and said, “Glenn, we have to do something about those clothes.   How can you expect to hold onto your man dressed that way?   You’ve got to keep his attention and give him something to look forward to every night!”

Rick laughed, “Glenn, I think that Donica wants to help you with your wardrobe.   Do I sense a makeover is needed?”

Donica grinned, “Yes, Glenn needs a makeover in a big way.   Rick, I promise you that you will be totally and completely amazed at how sexy hot Glenn will be when we’re done.   Right, girls?”

All of the girls giggled first, and, then, responded in chorus, “Right!”

I knew I was in for a wild ride, as I looked from one face to another.   These girls were determined to change my whole wardrobe, hair, etc.   I could see it in their faces.

Rick grinned at Donica.  “What if Glenn is already plenty ‘sexy hot’for me?”

“He’ll be even more so when we’re done!” Donica exclaimed, grinning broadly.

Rick said, “I guess this means the guys have to stay here while you girls go shopping?”

Donica laughed, “You got it!   We’ll be back.”

Donica took me by the hand and led me out the door.   The rest of the girls followed.   Donica gave me directions to the shopping mall and escorted me into several different places, where I tried on many different outfits until the girls were satisfied they had achieved the right look.  

Next, we went to the hair salon, where Donica and Irene took charge.   They located the look they wanted in one of the shop’s magazines, and suggested certain changes, to fit my personality.   They even convinced me to get my ears pierced!   My parents would definitely NOT approve!   My Dad would absolutely have a heart attack if he saw me wearing the diamond studs we picked out at the jewelry store!

The girls insisted that I change into one of the new outfits that they had picked out for me, before we left the mall; so, I went into the restroom and did a quick change.   I looked at myself in the mirror, just to see the overall effect.   I liked the new hair style!   The stylist had put highlights in my hair and cut it so it accented the shape of my face and showed off the new studs in my ears.   I wore a sheer long sleeve white dress shirt that hugged my body.   Its shiny finish caught my eye, along with the silver threads that had been woven into the fabric.   Fortunately, I hadn’t lost my tan, completely; so I looked decent through the white fabric, with my nipples clearly visible.   Then, my eyes travelled down to the black, tight-fitting spandex pants that hugged me in all the right places with a bright white belt with sequins on it that sparkled in the light.   Of course, the girls had insisted that I go commando, so as not to spoil the effect.   I turned sideways, to see how I looked from the back.   I knew I had a good looking behind, but these pants really showed off my tight bubble butt.   As I moved, I could see the muscles flexing under the fabric.   Patty had picked out new shoes to match the belt.   This outfit is certainly going to attract a lot of attention!   When I walked out, the girls all whistled.

“You girls can stop now!   I’m totally embarrassed!” I exclaimed, trying not to blush, as people in the mall stopped and stared at me.

Patty said, “You’re so hot, you sizzle!   I think Rick will be totally blown away.”

I agreed, “You’re right.  Rick will be totally surprised.   I’m not sure I want to be seen in public this way, though.   I feel kind of exposed for the whole world to see!”

Donica laughed, “That’s the whole point, Glenn.   If you got it, flaunt it!   You’ve got the hot body, so why not show it off?”

“I’m not that kind of guy, Donica.   I hate being the center of attention, and right now, everyone is staring at me like I’m some kind of freak show!” I protested.   “I’ve never been one to be very flashy, despite what my cousin, Ben, might say.”

Patty put her arm around my waist.  “Trust us, Glenn.   Your guy will love every outfit we picked out for you.   I’ve seen how Rick looks at you.  That hunger for your body is very clear and unmistakable.   He’s got the hots for you, and this outfit will only strengthen his desire for you.   It would be different if you weren’t already in a committed relationship; but since you and Rick are a couple, it’s okay for you to show off for him.”

“Do you really think it’s okay?” I asked, giving her a doubtful look.

Janice spoke up, “Yes, I do.   Just remember, you have given yourself totally to Rick; and you are doing this to please him and not anyone else.   We aren’t trying to turn you into a slut, or anything.   Our goal from the start was to help you make yourself more attractive to your partner.   It’s what we girls are good at.”

Irene said, “Listen to us, Glenn.   We’ll help you heighten Rick’s desire for you, with a few simple changes to your wardrobe, not to mention some small pieces of jewelry.   You know, the kind that catches the eye, and draws his attention to specific areas of your body that you want him to notice.”

I laughed and said, “You girls make it sound like you’re hunting your prey, and that you dress strategically to attract the guys to you.”

Donica laughed.  “I think Glenn can be taught.   Girls, we’ve accomplished our mission today.   We’ve gotten Glenn to recognize that he has to take advantage of every weapon in his arsenal to maintain the interest of his partner, which means dressing for Rick’s visual pleasure!”

I said, “I’ve never really given it much thought.   I know he likes it when I wear my super tight jeans, or my Speedo swimsuit.    More than anything, Rick likes to run around the apartment naked!”

Janice said, “Don’t get us wrong, Glenn.   You have a wonderful personality and are a very talented and caring individual.   Those things are what keep a relationship going for the long haul.   It’s obvious that Rick is deeply in love with you; but you have to remember that you need to nurture and feed that love, which includes maintaining that sexual attraction that drew you two together in the first place.”

Irene said, “I wish I had someone like Rick.   He loves you very much, Glenn.   I’m very happy for you.”

Donica led us back out to the Land Rover.  “Glenn, don’t worry.   Rick will love your outfit.   Relax and enjoy the attention he gives you.”

As the girls continued to talk among themselves on the way home, I thought to myself, “I can’t believe I let them convince me to wear this outfit.   I look like a slut, looking to get laid!   On the other hand, I know that Rick will love it!   He always wants to get me undressed, and hates the fact that we have to stay clothed all the time.   In our condo in Atlanta, we rarely wore clothing.   When someone knocks on our door, we quickly put on a pair of shorts that we keep near the door for that very purpose.

We pulled up to the house, and I parked the car.   The girls made me wait outside until they had gotten all the guys lined up in the front room.   Donica came out and said, “You can come in now, Glenn.

I followed her inside, and into the front room.   My eyes sought Rick’s face to see his reaction.   I almost laughed, seeing his mouth agape, and his eyes bugged out in surprise.   Rick’s never been completely speechless before!   I looked around at Justin, Zach, Adam and Robbie all of whom were mesmerized, just like Rick.   Zach whistled, as did the rest of the guys.  

Rick finally spoke up, “WOW!”

Donica smiled, “AND……”

Rick grinned widely, and said, “I’m still trying to process the fact that my partner is a real sexy fox!   Glenn, turn around, so I can see the entire outfit.”

As I did so, the rest of the guys whistled, again.   Zach exclaimed enthusiastically, “Rick, you are one lucky dog!   Damn!  You really look great, Glenn!”

Robbie said, “Zach, I believe the words Donica used were Sexy Hot.  That is what they’ve done to Glenn.   Wow!”

Adam nodded his agreement.  “Girls, you did a great job!   Glenn, can I be your date tonight?”

Rick walked over and pulled me into his arms.  “NO!   You may not be Glenn’s date tonight!”   Rick kissed me, then, asked, “Hey, sexy, how about a date tonight?”

“Certainly, Babe,” I replied, smiling up at my lover boy.

Adam sighed, “Why are all the good looking guys already taken?”

Robbie spoke up, “Hey, what about me?   Aren’t I a good looking guy, too?”

Adam smiled, and said, “Of course, and you are all mine.”   Adam wrapped his arms around Robbie’s waist.

Robbie asked, “Can we go to the gay bar with you guys?   Tonight, everyone 18 and up can get in.”

Rick laughed.  “Yes, we can take you and Adam, if you promise to get your homework done early.”

Donica interrupted, “Guys, Glenn isn’t done, yet.   Glenn, you need to model the other outfits we picked out for you.”

Rick looked at me, “Are they as eye catching as this one?”

Before I could answer, Patty answered, “Yes, they are.   You guys stay here while we help Glenn.”

With that statement, Patty, Donica, Irene and Janice dragged me from the room and up the stairs, with all the new clothes they had picked out for me.

I started to protest, “Girls, you can’t….”

Donica cut me off mid-sentence, “Yes, we can, and you will love every minute of it.   Don’t even try to act like you’re embarrassed to have all of us girls helping you get dressed.”

I gulped down my protests, as Donica took charge of the whole process.   She directed Patty and Irene to lay out the outfits on the bed, while she started to unbutton my shirt.   Donica grinned as she pulled my pants off, “Look girls, Glenn still has his tan lines.”

I blushed to the very roots of my hair, “Donica….”

Donica put a finger to my lips, “It’s okay.   Patty, bring me that outfit you’re holding.”

Patty gave them to Donica, who handed me the pants to put on, as she carefully slipped the t-shirt over my head so as not to mess up my hair.   She handed me the long sleeve shirt to go over the top of the t-shirt, and rolled up the sleeves, leaving the shirt unbuttoned.   Finally, she handed me a gold chain necklace with a gold heart, and a fake diamond in the center; and a matching gold watch that had big crystal face.   Irene and Janice helped me rearrange my hair, and Patty passed me the new shoes to go with the outfit.

I looked in the mirror to see my image reflected there.   Donica laughed.  “Don’t just stand there and stare!  You look like one of those male models from GQ magazine.”

Irene said, “Time to model for the guys.”

The girls led me downstairs, and I did the walk!   Of course, the guys whistled and asked me for a date!   Most importantly, Rick was all smiles.   Rick said, “I love the new look.   I guess I’ll have to update my wardrobe to keep up with my lover boy.”

Donica said, “There’s still more.   Back upstairs, Glenn.”

Rick laughed.   “Boy, Donica is worse than any drill sergeant!”

Donica gave Rick the evil eye.  “Better not cause problems, buster!”

This set everyone to laughing, as Donica marched me back upstairs, with the rest of the girls following in our wake.

I spent the next half hour or so, modeling the new clothes for the guys.   Each outfit brought whistles of appreciation.    The last one was the sexiest one.   I put it on, and waited for the girls to give their approval before I went downstairs.

Janice said, “If Rick doesn’t like this one the best, I’ll be very surprised.”

Patty agreed, “Glenn, this outfit shows you off very well.   The guys will be running after you, begging you to pay attention to them!”

Donica grinned, “I think this outfit is our crowning achievement girls.   Let’s watch the guys’ reaction from the doorway, and let Glenn go in alone this time.”

We returned to the front room, while the girls hung back; letting me enter the room, first.   As I walked in, the guys just stared, their mouths wide open.   I walked over to Rick, and turned around to show off the entire outfit.  

I sat on Rick’s lap, before he finally responded.   “Glenn, you are the hottest looking guy around here.   Words don’t describe just how hot and sexy you are.”   He paused for a moment, then, continued, “Wow!  You’re absolutely stunning!   Donica did a great job showing off your very sexy body!”

I could feel Rick’s reaction through the fabric of his jeans.   He was very hard, and I knew he was extremely turned on!   I glanced around and saw that all the guys had tents in their pants.   Even Mark and Ben were turned on, and were trying to hide their reactions, as they adjusted themselves.   I caught Ben’s eye as he moved his dick around to be more comfortable.  

He blushed and grinned at me.   Ben exclaimed, “You’re Damn HOT!”

I leaned into to Rick, who pulled me closer and gave me a kiss.   The rest of the guys started whooping and whistling.

Ben said, “This is definitely the best of all the outfits you got today, Glenn.   You are very, very good looking, Cuz!   Talk about eye candy; you are most assuredly eye candy for both the guys and the girls!”

Donica said, smiling at me, “See, Glenn, I was right.”

The rest the girls came into the front room.   The guys offered the girls a place to sit on the furniture, while they moved to sit on the floor.

Rick said, “It looks like we need to invest in some padded folding chairs, so we can entertain more guests.”

Ben agreed, “Yes, we should go pick up a few more chairs.   Janice was seated next to him on the loveseat.

Rick was running his hands up and down the inside of my leg.   He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “You can wear this outfit anytime you want.   I really like it.”

I turned my head to reply when Rick captured my lips and gave me a passionate kiss.   Robbie and Adam both started whistling at us.   Zach said, “Go for it Rick!”

Rick ended the kiss and laughed, “Okay, let’s go upstairs, Glenn.   You know that I can’t keep my hands off of you when you dress like this!”

He led me upstairs and proceeded to “go for it!”   Rick quickly had us both naked and we climbed under the covers.

As we lay in each other’s arms, I asked worriedly, “Rick, do you really like the new clothes the girls picked out for me?   Please be honest with me.”

Rick took my face in my hands and looked me in the eyes.  “Glenn, I love everything you wear.   You are so beautiful to me that you could be wearing the ugliest clothes in the world, and it wouldn’t matter.   Do you understand me?”

I replied, “Yes, I know that you love me, and that it doesn’t matter what I wear.   The girls told me today that I need to keep you interested in having sex with me by dressing differently, you know, like wearing really sexy clothes that show off my body.   I’m not really comfortable wearing most of the clothes they picked out for me.   Donica said that since we are like a married couple already, that I should flaunt what I have, for your benefit.   What do you think?”

Rick said, “If you don’t feel comfortable wearing them, don’t wear them.   I want you to be happy, Glenn.   You don’t have to try to keep my attention, because you already have my full attention every time you walk into the room.”   He took my hand and placed it on his very erect steel pole.   “Does this tell you how turned on I am by having you in my arms?”

I grinned.  “Yes, this does kind of get the message across.”   Frowning, I thought for a moment before asking, “But do you want me to flaunt what I have for just you?   I know we like to run around naked at home, when we are together; but here, we’re not alone, so maybe the sexy and provocative clothing will substitute for being completely naked around each other all day long.”

Rick answered me, “If you’re asking me to approve of what you wore today, the answer is a very enthusiastic, “WOW!”   You can wear those outfits anytime and anywhere!   Yes, I like seeing you in them.   It was almost better to see you dressed like that, than when we are completely naked at home.   Remember, I said almost better!   I always like to see you naked and in my arms skin to skin, so I can fuck you!   I can’t get enough of you.   I’m addicted to you, Glenn Nielsen!”

I laughed at Rick’s response, “So, you’re okay with my wearing those kinds of clothes every once in a while?”

Rick smiled, “Yes, however, there is one condition.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“You can only wear the sexiest ones when I’m with you.   I want to show you off when we go out to the bar or dance clubs.   I really enjoy the fact that guys’ heads turn; and they stop and stare at you and look at me with envy, because I snagged the best looking guy on the planet as my partner!   When we were at the club the other night, I had several guys ask if we were a committed couple, since they were interested in taking you home with them.”

“No, they didn’t!   You’re making that up!” I exclaimed, thinking that Rick was just telling me that to make me feel better about myself.

“It’s true, Babe.   There were three different guys who wanted your number, just in case I decided to drop you,” Rick said, smiling at me.   “Face it, sweetheart - you’re a hot commodity!   You have a great looking body and a quirky personality that really stands out in a crowd.   It made me realize just how lucky I am that I found you, before anyone else did.”

“Rick, I love you.   You know just what to say to make me feel special,” I said, kissing him on the lips.   Rick’s tongue pushed against my lips as I opened my mouth to let him in.   His wrapped his arms around me and rolled me over on my back, as we continued to kiss.  

Rick pulled back and raised himself up on his elbows, so he could look me full in the face.  “Mr. Nielsen, you are and always will be my sweetheart.”

I smiled at my lover boy.  “How about being the one that you love?”

Rick laughed.  “Yes, you’re the only one that I love.”

Rick made slow, sweet love to me, helping me to understand how deeply he truly loves me.   The connection between us grew stronger, as we demonstrated our love for each other in so many tender touches and whispered words of endearment.

*** ***

We rejoined our friends just as they were making plans for the evening.   Donica said, “I’ve invited Jimmy and Devon over to eat with us.   Patty and I put together a special meal for you guys.”

I smiled at her.  “Thanks, Donica.”

Donica grinned back.  “You’re welcome, lover boy.   I’d say my plan worked.   Rick, what do you think about your boyfriend’s new wardrobe?”

Rick put his arm around my waist.  “I like it a lot.   I’ve had to reassure Glenn that it’s okay to look so sexy and hot when I’m with him….but he can’t do that when I’m not here, because I won’t be here to fight off all the guys who’ll try to get in his pants if he does!”

Patty laughed at me, as I was blushing from Rick’s comments.  “Rick, Glenn looks so cute when he blushes!   You should talk dirty to him, just so we can see him blush some more!”

“Patty!   Don’t encourage him!   Rick does a good enough job on his own, thank you very much!” I exclaimed.

Rick turned me toward him and kissed me passionately, as his hands made their way down the back of my pants and he pulled me closer to him.

Robbie came into the kitchen and whistled, “Wow!   You guys are sure steamy tonight.”

Adam came up behind Robbie.  “I can’t wait to see you two on the dance floor at the club later tonight!   I’m sure you’ll be the best ones on the floor.”

Robbie shook his head.  “No, I think that honor goes to my brother, Zach, and his partner, Todd.   When they go dancing, it’s a sight to behold!”

“That’s true, Adam,” I said.  

Rick said, “We don’t even come close to dancing as well as those two do.”

Zach came into the kitchen.  “What’s that, Robbie?”

“I was just saying that you and Todd are the best couple on the dance floor when you go to the clubs,” Robbie said.

Zach laughed.  “We’ve been told that before by some of the guys that used to hang out with us.”

Donica interrupted us, “Guys, help me set the table.”

We grabbed the plates, silverware and glasses and set the table.   As we finished, Jimmy and Devon knocked on the door.   We let them in and everyone congregated in the kitchen.   This time Donica said grace and we quickly made her wonderful cooking disappear.

We helped clean up, then, we went into the recreation room to relax in front of the wide-screen television we bought for just such an occasion as this.  

We watched a video, while Robbie and Adam completed their homework.   When they were finished, Rick and I went upstairs to change our clothes, then, we all piled into our cars and went over to the club to enjoy an evening out.

As we entered the club, heads turned and stared.   Between the two of us, we gave everyone something to see – Rick in his tight-fitting jeans and muscle shirt that showed off every muscle.   He oozed masculinity, which is a real turn on for me.   For my part, I wore the sexy outfit that left everyone speechless.   Donica made sure everything was thinly veiled, or at least plainly visible, due to the skin-tight clothing.   In fact, there were several guys at the entrance that whistled at me!

Rick and I went out on the dance floor, and caused quite a stir with our fancy foot work and well-choreographed movements.   It was almost like we’d spent hours and hours rehearsing with a professional dancer and choreographer.   All I can think of is how much closer Rick and I have become over the last week.   So much so, that it’s almost like we communicate using telepathy.   I know what he was thinking at any given moment, and he knows what I’m thinking.   This closeness served us well on the dance floor.   I followed Rick’s lead flawlessly, as he moved us around the floor.   After an hour or so of dancing, we moved off the floor to join Adam and Robbie, who had Justin sitting between them.

Justin proclaimed, “Zach and Todd have some competition now!”

Robbie agreed, “Yes, I think they have to stay on top of their game, or you two will pass them up on the dance floor.”

We talked for another hour before deciding it was time to head home, since it was a school night.   The boys weren’t happy about leaving, but they acknowledged that they needed to get some rest.   They reluctantly agreed to come home with us.

As Rick and I climbed into bed, Rick pulled me close and held me tight.   “You know I have to return to Atlanta next week.”

“Yes, I remember, but I’m trying to pretend that you won’t be leaving me, again.   It’s hard for me, Rick.   I’ve just gotten used to having you near me, and now you’re going to leave, and I’ll have to get used to being all alone,” I said, sadly.

“We need to make the most of the time we have left, so we have wonderful memories to help us through the tough times ahead,” Rick said.

“I know you’re right.   Tomorrow, I need to call the concertmaster of the Minneapolis Orchestra to find out what he wants.  Will you remind me?” I asked.

“Yes, I’ll remind you in the morning to give him a call,” Rick said.   I started to speak, again, when Rick captured my lips in a passionate kiss that stopped all spoken conversation for some time.

Later, Rick lay listening to his partner’s even breathing.   He thought, “Glenn is the best thing that ever happened to me.  I’m so happy that he’s making so much progress in so many ways.   He’s growing more confident in himself every day.   Despite his discomfort with Donica’s fashion choices, Glenn really liked getting all of the attention from the guys.   In fact, I would’ve been jealous except for the fact that I know that Glenn is totally and completely in love with me.   I couldn’t have planned it better to have the guys give Glenn such a huge morale booster like they did today.   Glenn doesn’t see himself as the best looking guy on the planet.   I guess that’s what is part of the attraction for me – the fact that he is so oblivious to how good looking he really is.   I’ve met other great looking people, but they are so full of themselves, it makes me sick to even be around them.”  

Rick looked across the room, where Glenn had placed his new outfits to be put away in the morning.   He saw that Glenn had placed the sexiest one on top.   Remembering Glenn wearing it caused Rick to become rock hard, again.   As Rick brushed the hair out of Glenn’s face, Glenn stirred and opened his eyes.

Rick said, “I’m sorry for waking you, Babe.”

Glenn smiled, “Don’t be.   I can feel that you’re pretty hard, again.   I wonder what you have on your mind?”

Rick didn’t respond.   Instead, he kissed me, and he gently ran his hands over my body.   “I think you know what I want,” he said.

I nodded my head.  “I want it, too.   In fact, I want you to make love to me as many times as possible before you leave, again.”

Rick cupped my face with his hands.  “Babe, I fully intend to do just that.   I want these few weeks together to be the most memorable ones we’ve ever had to date.”

“You’ve already done that, Rick.   I thought I loved you before you left.   Now, I know that I love you even more than I thought possible,” I said.

“I’ve had plenty of help.   I’ll have to remember to thank Donica when I see her next time.   Your first experience with modeling sure blew me away this afternoon!   You are one hot stud, Glenn!   Oh, and did I say that you are the perfect partner for me?”

“Yes, but you can say it as many times as you want.   I love you, Rick,” I said.

Rick grinned, “I love you so much I just have to keep showing you.”

He rolled me over on my back and showed me he loved me in a very special way!  Rick has always had a very strong libido, and it is in full force tonight!

*** ***

The next morning, I called Mr. Mann.   Rick sat next to me on the couch as I made the call.    “Hello, Mr. Mann.   This is Glenn Nielsen.”

“Hello, Glenn.   I’m glad you called me.   I wanted to know if you have found a violin teacher,” Mr. Mann asked.

“I haven’t even started to look for one,” I answered.

“I would like to take you on as a student, if you’re interested.   You are very talented, and I think I can help you perfect your craft on the violin,” Mr. Mann said.

“I’d like to give it a try.   How much do you charge per lesson?” I asked

“I charge $300 an hour.   Is that acceptable to you?” Mr. Mann asked.

“I’ll have to ask my Grandpa, since he’s financing my education.   I will let you know,” I replied.

“I also wanted to invite you to audition for a new chamber orchestra that I’m establishing, as part of new community outreach program.   I think that you would do very well,” Mr. Mann said.

“Thank you, Mr. Mann.   If you’ll send me the information, I’ll be glad to audition,” I responded.

“You can find the audition information at this website,” Mr. Mann said, and gave me the website.

“Thank you for talking with me,” I said.

“You’re welcome, Glenn.   Good-bye,” Mr. Mann said.

“Bye,” I said.

Rick looked at me and asked, “Do you really think it’s worth $300 a lesson to have him teach you violin?”

“No, I don’t,” I said.   “I’m not sure if I really need to take lessons from him, quite frankly.   My mother taught me to play correctly using the proper technique.   She also taught me how to play with feeling, while at the same time balancing the technical aspects of the music, to achieve the best musical performance possible.   Besides, I think I’d rather take lessons from Dr. Nohr.   He’s a great teacher, and he certainly has helped me with music theory.”

Rick changed the subject. “Are you still going to audition for the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus?”

“I don’t know.   I guess I could, since Justin is still a member of their group.   What do you think?” I asked, slipping my arm around his waist.

“I think you should,” Rick replied.   “It would be good for you to broaden your experience in the musical world, and it will be good for you to interact with other gay men.”   He paused for a moment, then, added, “Of course, only as friends, since you’re already taken!”

I grinned.  “Yes, I’m already taken.   Plus, Justin knows it too, and, can vouch for my being about as close to being married as I can be, without the actual ceremony!”

Rick smiled.  “Yes, I plan to marry you, but you have to be patient.”

“I know I have to wait until you’re out of the military, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing it could be sooner,” I said.   “It’s too bad your military hates gays so much.   Even your government has codified hatred for gays into its laws.   You have to admit that Canada is a much better place to live, if you’re gay.”

Rick smiled.   “Yes, it is, but you have to admit that having an American boyfriend who loves you is much better than living alone in Canada?”

“Who said I’d live alone?   When I decide to return home to Canada, it will be with my American boyfriend!   If we move to St. Catharines, we could be married, tomorrow without having to worry about your anti-gay government and anti-gay laws,” I said.

Ben came into the front room.  “Yes, Rick, we would love for you to move to Canada.   That way, we can be close to you.   You already know how much our parents love you.   Janice and I plan to live in Toronto after we get married.”

I said, “Wait a moment!   Did you just say after you and Janice get married?”

Ben grinned, “Yes, I did.   We talked about it and we agreed that we would wait to announce our engagement until next summer.”

“Congratulations!   I’m glad you have found your soul mate just like I’ve found mine,” Rick said.  

Ben said, “Thank you.  I’ve very happy!   So, speaking about getting married, how much longer do you have to be in the military?”

Rick didn’t answer right away.   He had hoped not to say anything about how much longer he’d be kept from being able to freely show Glenn how much he loved him; without fearing retribution from the military, if they found out.   He finally answered, “I have nearly three more years of active drill, and then two more, as part of the individual ready reserve.”

I nearly fell over in surprise.  “What?   You never told me you had to be part of some ready reserve!   You mean I have to wait five years instead of three, before we can be free of your repressive government trying to tell us how to live our lives?”

Rick hung his head.   “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn’t want to make you angry; especially since you had finally come to terms with waiting three years for me.”

“Rick, look at me,” I said.

Hearing the tone of my voice, Rick’s head snapped up, and he looked me in the face.   “Please don’t be angry with me, Glenn.   I don’t want to wait any longer than we have to; but it’s part of the contract I signed when I joined the Marine Corps.”

“Rick, listen to me.   I made a commitment to you that I’d wait until you were out of the Marine Corps to formalize our relationship.   I intend to keep that commitment.  Do I make myself clear?” I said, with a slight edge to my voice.

Rick nodded his head in the affirmative.   He said, with relief, “I understand.”

Rick had feared that Glenn would be so angry with him that he’d decide to leave him.   He didn’t fully understand how much Glenn loved him until that moment!

“Next, let me make sure you understand that I’m in this relationship for the long term, which means we need to be completely honest with each other.   Not telling me something like having an additional two year obligation to the Marine Corps doesn’t change how I feel about you; but it hurts to know that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.   I’ll recover from the hurt I feel, because I know you love me and I love you; but I need to know that withholding information like that from me won’t happen again,” I said, putting my hand on his cheek in an attempt to let him know I really do love him, despite the anger I felt at the moment.

Rick took my hand and raised it to his lips.   “I promise not to hide things from you ever again.   Can you forgive me?”   His beautiful grey eyes were bright with tears, and his voice showed his sincerity.  

How can I stay angry at my sweetheart, when he looks so miserable?   “Of course, I forgive you!   You know that I get mad; then, it’s over, and everything’s okay.   I’m already moving through the anger and hurt to the “I’m okay with the world” stage, because I love my partner,” I said, smiling at my lover boy.   As Rick processed what I was telling him, his countenance changed drastically.

Rick smiled in relief and pulled me into his arms.  “I love you.”

I leaned my head against his shoulder.  “I love you, too.”  

Rick tightened his embrace as he whispered in my ear, “I promise to make it up to you.”

I pulled back far enough, so I could look him in the eyes.  “You don’t have to make it up to me, Babe.  I freely forgave you, so I won’t have you thinking you have to make it up to me.   You can do anything you want to make me happy at any time; but don’t do it because you feel you owe it to me.”

Rick grinned.  “Does that mean I get to have sex with you ten times a day, as long as I make you happy?”

I straddled Rick’s lap, facing him, as I put my arms around his neck and kissed him. “Yes, it does, lover boy!   You already know how much I love being fucked by you!”

Ben interrupted us, by saying, “I’m glad you two moved pretty quickly through that.   I thought for a moment that Glenn was going to have a major fit and you’d be history, Rick.”

I looked at my cousin.  “If it were anyone else, they would have been “history” as you say.   I’ve invested too much in Rick to let him escape from me so easily.”   I turned back to Rick and grinned.  “You’re stuck with me for life, Babe!   You’d better get used to it!”

Rick laughed.  “I’m already planning for our future together.   You just have to be patient with me, as I learn to be a better boyfriend.”

Ben laughed.  “I hope Janice and I can be as close as you two are.   I know she’s agreed to marry me already, but we’re not as close to one another as you two are.”

Rick said, “The closeness you are seeing takes a while to achieve.   There are many times I know exactly what Glenn is thinking.   In fact, sometimes we finish each other’s sentences.   It can be quite annoying for other people to listen to us.”

I said, “Yes, Ben, it took a little bit of work to iron out the differences between us; but now we know each other so well that it’s easy to work out things that come up.   You and Janice can start working out now how you want your relationship to work as a couple.   We are still working through that, ourselves, but we’ve made a lot of progress.”

Ben looked thoughtful for a moment.  “I guess you’re right, guys.   Where do you think we should start?”

“Why don’t you start with a list of things that are important to you?   We did that.  We each wrote down what things were most important to us in a mate and in a relationship.   We ended up with about a hundred different items.   Some of them were the same, but others were different.  It really gave me a lot of insight into how Rick views the world, and especially what kind of family life he wants for us,” I said.

Rick added, “It was the best thing we ever did.   I learned so much about Glenn that I didn’t know.   It was truly amazing to hear Glenn tell me of his hopes and dreams.   Our only disagreement has been over my military service.   Glenn hates the fact that he has to hide how he feels about me in order to protect me.”

Ben laughed.  “No wonder he’s been all over you since you got here!   He’s making up for all the times he couldn’t kiss you, or give you a hug for fear of giving away the fact that you’re in love with a guy.”

I laughed.  “I guess you’re right about that, Ben.   Am I really that bad?”

Rick quickly said, “No, you’re just right, Glenn.   I’ve loved every minute of my time with you.   I’m really going to miss you when I have to return to active duty.”

Ben looked sad.  “I’d almost forgotten you were leaving next week.   We need to throw a big going away party!”

Rick agreed, “I think that’s a great idea.   Let’s make it a birthday party for Glenn!”

Ben looked at me.  “What do you think, Glenn?”

I said, “I like it.   My birthday is the Saturday after Rick leaves.   It would be great to celebrate my birthday with my partner, instead of waiting to celebrate it alone.”

Ben grinned. “I’ll give the girls a call and see what we can do!”

*** ***

The night before Rick had to leave, the girls put on a great big party for us both.   All of the gang came over, and we played games, had birthday cake, and enjoyed being with our friends.   The next morning Rick was up early, packing his stuff.   I lay on the bed, watching my beautiful lover move about the room.   I couldn’t get enough of his perfectly muscled body.   He turned and saw me watching him.   He grinned.  “Do you like what you see?”

“Absolutely!   I’m trying to memorize everything about you so I can have plenty of jerk-off material for later when you’re not here to take care of me.” I said.

“Well, what is my best feature, since you’re doing the memorizing?” Rick asked, smiling at me.

“I think you know what your best feature is!” I exclaimed.

Rick laughed.  “I just wanted to hear you say it!”

“Okay, it’s your dick!   There, I said it!   I love being fucked by your steel pole!   That’s your best feature, because it gives me so much pleasure and the second is your mouth,” I said.

“Why?” Rick asked, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“Because I love being kissed by you, and because you always know what to say to make me feel happy when I’m sad.   You are the best at making me see the bright side of things,” I said.

“What’s next?” Rick asked, as he continued to pack his things.

“Your tight bubble butt is my next favorite!   The way you flex your cheeks really turns me on!   I love it when you wear those tight fitting jeans that show off your butt!   You are so sexy.   And before you ask, yes, I love your abs.   I like outlining each muscle with my tongue.   I like running my fingers through the hair on your chest.  I love the feel of your balls between my fingers, as I suck the cum from your dick with my mouth.  I love biting your nipples and watching you moan with pleasure,” I said, grinning at Rick as his love pole came to full mast in front of me.

Rick’s eyes glittered with desire, as I continued describing what I loved about him, and why.   It wasn’t long before I got what I wanted from him!

We took a long shower together.   I wanted it to last forever, knowing that it would be months before I’d get to see him.   After getting dressed, we sat on the bed and held each other, not wanting to acknowledge that Rick had to leave.

Rick kissed me, and said, “I love you, Glenn.   I will let you know where I am when I can.”

I was already crying before he kissed me.  “Okay.”  I had promised myself I wouldn’t cry when Rick left, but that resolution lasted less than two seconds.

Rick wiped the tears from my cheeks.   “Don’t cry, Babe.   It will be no time at all and we’ll be back together.   You have many friends here, and you have many things to keep you busy.   I don’t want you to mope around the house pining for me.   I want you to put on a happy face and try to make this time without me very special, because of the opportunities you have for growth.”

I smiled.  “I’ll try, Rick.   I love you.”

Rick responded, “I love you, too.”

Rick pulled me to my feet and pulled me into his arms; and holding me gently, smoothing my hair as he tried to comfort me.   He pulled back and gave me another kiss, before taking me by the hand, leading me downstairs for breakfast.   Ben had fixed us something to eat, and joined us at the kitchen table.

Ben said, “Guys, you need to eat quickly, because we need to be heading to the airport, soon.”

Rick smiled.  “Thank you for cooking breakfast, Ben.   We’ll hurry.”

Rick ate a hearty breakfast, while I picked at mine.   I was not really very hungry.   We helped clean up, then, returned upstairs to retrieve Rick’s gear.   We piled into the Land Rover, and Ben drove us to the airport.   Ben dropped us at the curbside check-in, then he went to park the car.  

Rick checked his bags, and we headed inside to find his gate.   Ben met us near the security checkpoint.   Rick pulled me into his arms and kissed me, not caring who saw us.  

Rick whispered in my ear, “I love you, Glenn.   Always remember that.”

Ben gave Rick a quick hug; and Rick turned and joined the queue to get through airport security.   I waved to him, as Rick turned to move toward his gate.  He threw me a kiss, which I returned.   Ben led me out of the airport and back to the Land Rover.

I was crying, but I knew I would be okay.   Ben said, “It’s okay to cry, Glenn.   I’m going to miss him, too.”

I thought to myself, “Yes, it’s okay to cry now, but I won’t be totally crippled by Rick’s absence this time.   I know that he loves me and that he’ll return to me, so I can make it through the next few months.”

Ben smiled.  “You are so much better this time than you were when he left you the first time.”

I said, “That’s because I know that he’ll be back.   Last time, I wasn’t sure.   I know now, that, no matter what happens, Rick will always love me.   That knowledge makes all the difference in the world.”

Ben agreed, “Yes, it does.   I know exactly what you mean.   Since Janice said she would marry me, I have felt that same way.”

“Ben, we are going to have a great year!” I exclaimed.

“Yes, we are, cousin,” Ben said.

To be continued...

Posted: 09/27/13