Nuff Rope

Chapter 12


 

“I’m tired,” Meghan called over to Bree.

“Me too. We’ve run up and down this field a million times,” Bree called back.

The girls had been practicing ball control for what seemed like hours. There had been all kinds of different drills that they had to repeat over and over again. Now they had been told to run up and down the playing field, using their feet to propel the ball along, without interfering with any other girls while they were doing it. When they got to the end of the field they had to kick the ball into the soccer net. Then they retrieved it with their feet, no hands allowed, and took the ball back down the field to the opposite net where they did the same thing. They had been doing this over and over.

Meghan was having more trouble controlling her soccer ball than Bree was. For Bree who had been raised playing soccer with her father, this exercise was pretty basic. But all the running was starting to wear her out. She was sweating and breathing hard. Meghan was in worse shape. She kept getting slower and slower, each trip up and down the field taking longer and longer. All the girls had started out at the same time, but now they were spread across the field, some going one way and some the other.

Bree was pretty sure she had done more laps up and down than any other girl, but she couldn’t be sure. Some girls were really struggling, finding it hard to keep going. Bree was panting and tired, but she wouldn’t give up.

“Two more times up and down,” the coach called.

“I don’t think I can make it,” Meghan called as Bree passed her going the other way.

“Yes, you can, Meghan. Keep going. I know you can do it,” Bree called to her new friend as she disappeared up the field. Meghan dug deep and kept going.

A couple of girls were now sitting down on the field totally exhausted. The other runners had to maneuver their balls around them. Bree glanced at the coach who was making notes. She decided she didn’t want to be one of the girls who the coach would note was sitting down. Bree actually sped up. She had three more lengths of the field to do, and she was determined to finish.

Each time she met Meghan she called out encouragement, and Meghan kept going. Somehow the little girl was able to find the strength to continue.

“Kinney-Taylor,” the coach called, “come off the field. You’re done.” Bree ran over to the coach who made note that Bree had finished the assigned laps. “Good work,” the coach said to her. “You’re the first one finished, and your ball control is excellent.” Bree smiled at the compliment. Her Dada would be proud. “How old are you?” the coach asked.

“I’m seven,” Bree replied with a frown. What did her age have to do with anything?

“You’re quite small, but you ran rings around most of the girls.”

“My Dada taught me to play soccer when I was really little,” Bree explained.

“That explains it then. There’s nothing like starting early.”

Bree nodded in agreement. “Do we get cookies and milk?” she asked.

“Cookies and milk?”

“My Dada says that you should have a snack after practice. I’d like cookies and milk.”

The coach chuckled in spite of herself. “I’d like to meet this Dada of yours.”

“He’ll be here on the weekend.”

“Good. Make sure you introduce me to him,” the coach instructed her. “And we have orange wedges and a couple of cookies for your snack. Lots of water is what you should be drinking so your muscles don’t cramp up.”

“Okay,” Bree said. She saw a couple of her other counselors carrying some trays towards the soccer field.

“They’ll be setting up over there in the shade,” the coach said, as her eye went back to the girls still running. “Maybe you could give them a hand.”

“Sure,” Bree said. She ran over to where her counselor, Chris, and another counselor whose name she couldn’t remember were setting the trays on a picnic table. She proceeded to help them set out napkins. They told her to take some orange as she must be thirsty. The other counselor went to get the water bottles that were in coolers.

A couple of other girls were called off the field, had a brief chat with the coach and then joined Bree at the picnic table.

“You’re fast,” one of the girls said. She was older than Bree and quite a bit taller. “Last year I was the first to finish this test.”

“It’s a test?” Bree asked.

“Yeah, the coach uses it to see who the best players are. Then she makes balanced teams so that one team doesn’t have an advantage over the other,” the girl explained. “I’m Bonnie,” she added.

“Bree,” Bree replied.

“I hope I’m on your team,” Bonnie said with a smile.

“I’d like that,” Bree agreed. “But if you and me are the best, won’t we be on opposite teams?”

“Smart too,” Bonnie said with a laugh.

Bree nodded her head. More girls were coming off the field. In the next group was Meghan who collapsed onto a patch of grass breathing hard. Bree grabbed a couple of orange wedges and a bottle of water and took them over to her friend. Meghan sucked the orange greedily and drank about a third of the bottle of water.

“Thanks,” she finally said as her breathing started to slow down. “I didn’t think I was going to make it.”

“I knew you could,” Bree told her sincerely.

“You telling me to keep going really helped,” Meghan said.

“Good,” Bree replied. “Want a cookie?”

“Sure.”

Bree grabbed a couple of cookies for them and sat down beside Meghan to eat them.

The coach walked over as the last two girls came off the field. Bree was pretty sure they were the girls that had sat down on the playing field for awhile, until they were able to continue.

“Girls,” the coach said as they all settled with a drink and something to eat. “I’m very pleased that nobody quit today. Even if you had to take a little breather, I’m glad you got up and finished.”

The two girls who had sat down on the field looked sheepish, but also pleased that they were getting some credit for trying so hard.

“Our team captains will be Briana and Bonnie,” the coach added. “They were the strongest players on the field. I especially want to commend Briana for encouraging other girls to keep going. That’s a sign of leadership.”

Bree looked at Bonnie and shrugged. “Coach, could you call me Bree, please?” Bree asked.
“Certainly, young lady,” the coach said. “I think it’s time for Bree and the rest of you to go shower and change. Lunch will be in the mess hall right afterwards.”

“You did good,” Bree said to Meghan as they walked towards their bunkhouse.

“I couldn’t have made it without you.”

“Yes you could,” Bree said encouragingly.

 

*****
 

“Campers!” the coach called as the boys at the baseball camp were finishing up their meal. “I want to commend you all for your efforts during the games today. Looks like we have some great talent to work with this year.”

The boys all looked around smiling and nodding at one another. That was what they liked to hear.

“I’m happy to report,” the coach continued, “that our pitcher today, Patrick Morrison-Anderson, has been cleared by the camp nurse. He has a bruise, but I think he’s warrior enough to continue. Right, Patrick?”

“Right, coach,” Patrick agreed. He liked being called a warrior.

“Tomorrow begins the skills practices in the morning followed by a game in the afternoon. That will be our pattern each day of camp. Continue with your meals,” the coach said as he walked over to the table where all the counselors sat.

“Not bad, Morrison-Anderson,” one of the older boys said from a ways down the long table.

“It’s Patrick,” Patrick told him.

“You’ve got a good pitching arm, Patrick,” the boy said. “But your fielding leaves a little to be desired.”

Several of the boys at the table snickered at the comment.

Patrick frowned. “Yeah, I should have caught that ball. I won’t make the same mistake again.”

The boys who were laughing turned serious as they looked at Patrick, knowing by the determined look on his face that he would not miss the next ball that came back at him.

“Great answer,” the boy next to Patrick whispered.

“Thanks,” Patrick said.

“I’m Tom.”

“You’re a good player too,” Patrick told the boy.

“Thanks, I’m hoping to play shortstop.”

“You’ve got good lateral motion.”

“Huh?”

“My dad played baseball. He tried to teach me lateral motion, but I’m not as good at it as you are.”

“What position did your father play?”

“He was a pitcher.”

“That’s why you’re so good at pitching,” Tom stated.

“Probably,” Patrick agreed. “I practice with him all the time.”

“You’re lucky. My dad doesn’t know nothin’ about baseball.”

“How did you get interested?”

“I really liked playing at school, and then I joined little league. The coach suggested I come here.”

“We could practice together in our spare time,” Patrick suggested.

“That would be great.”

Patrick smiled. Maybe he had made his first friend at camp.

 

*****
 

“You’re late,” Simon griped at Ray, as Ray entered the real estate office.

“Yeah, I know, sorry,” Ray grumbled. He was pissed that on his first day home he just had to run into the one person he really didn’t want to see.

“What’s wrong?” Simon asked. He could tell his son wasn’t happy and it was very rare when Ray ever came to work late.

“That guy Wayne.”

“Didn’t you go to high school with him?” Simon asked as he handed Ray a bunch of photos. At an early age Simon and Ken discovered that Ray had inherited an eye for art, specifically, photography. Ray’s interest was purely as a hobby and even then only when sightseeing. But whenever Ray hung out in his father’s office, he would check out the pictures of potential properties and identify the best ones. Simon valued his son’s opinion.

“Yeah, but he got weird in our senior year.”

“Weird how?”

“One minute he was straight and the next he wants in my pants. He kinda gives me the creeps,” Ray said as he picked out several photos for his dad. Simon nodded at the choices.

“Could he be just bi-curious? Or maybe it dawned on him that he really is gay. Not all of us know early in life. Look at John; he came out in his forties.”

“I know that and I’ve always tried to be sensitive to guys that are in the closet or are just clueless, but he’s different. It’s like he’s stalking me or something. Did Jeff tell you he showed up in Pittsburgh? He hit on me during PRIDE. Gus nearly punched his lights out,” Ray said with a mixture of pride and trepidation.

“Jeff told me. I thought he was invited.”

“No. Gus was pissed. If his dad and uncle hadn’t jumped in, I don’t know what Gus would have done.”

"Gus doesn’t strike me as a violent person.”

“He isn’t but I guess...” Ray blushed; he enjoyed being the center of Gus’ universe.

“It’s nice having someone who cares about you like that, isn’t it,” Simon said knowingly, reading his son’s face. “Raymond, you boys are still very young. You’re not ready for a life long commitment.”

“Oh dad, I know. But I can honestly tell you that I haven’t met anyone I’d want more than Gus. I really, really like him and we just have fun together. He makes me feel good,” Ray murmured, his face getting redder and hotter. Simon chuckled then patted Ray’s shoulder.

“I know just how you feel.”

“You and daddy?”

“Yes, me and your father. The minute I met him I knew he was the one. I feel complete with him; he makes me feel good too.” Getting back to work, Simon prepared for his afternoon appointments while Ray did the filing.

 

*****
 

“Hey, you’re late. I could have sworn you’d beat me home,” Justin said as Brian dragged himself through the door and into the kitchen. He sat on a stool with a huff. Justin shoved a cold beer into Brian’s hand. Brian took a good long pull then dug into the snacks Justin had on a dish on the counter.

“That feels good,” Brian finally said after he finished off the beer.

“Want another?”

“Not yet. I need to eat something.”

“Brian Kinney actually wanting food. I better mark this day on the calendar,” Justin teased as he slid a thick turkey sandwich made with smoked turkey on a multi-grain roll towards Brian. All Brian Kinney approved ingredients.

“Twat,” Brian grumbled just before he sunk his teeth into his sandwich.

“Good?” Justin asked with the same tone he used for Bree. If Brian noticed, he didn’t care. He practically wolfed down the sandwich. “Shit! You were hungry. What did you do today, landscape Yellowstone?”

“It felt like it. The new guy Matt and I worked on a lawn this morning and...”

“And you had to redo the edges.”

“Something like that. Matt needed a few pointers.”

“Uh huh, but that still doesn’t explain why you’re home so late.”

“I was on my way out when I was hijacked but one of John’s crew. They’re almost finished with the school grounds and they wanted an opinion on the landscaping.”

“And of course you had to give it.”

“Hey, they wanted MY opinion, Sunshine. Of course I had to give it.”

“You are such an asshole,” Justin said, laughing as he came around the counter to wrap his arms around his hard working landscaper. Justin inhaled the heady scent of his sweaty and grimy Brian. The scent went straight to Justin’s groin.

“You can’t possibly be turned on. I reek!”

“Yeah,” Justin moaned as he lifted Brian’s t-shirt to find a sweaty nipple.

“Justin, if I promise to lay still and let you give me a tongue bath, can I please take a shower first. I’m offending me,” Brian said to the top of Justin’s head. Justin was in the process of doing sinful things to Brian’s nipple with his mouth.

“Oh-hay,” Justin mumbled around the hard nub, not letting go.

“Oh fuck!” Brian groaned. His dick was growing harder and his nipple was becoming over sensitized. Before the sensation became too much for Brian, Justin switched to the other nipple. “Son-of-a-bitch!” Brian complained but did nothing to dislodge the lips. “You are a bad boy.”

“Yeah?” Justin said with an evil smile as he looked up from Brian’s chest. “Do I get punished?”

“Yes, you do and all night long...after I take a shower.”

“Okay,” Justin acquiesced. “But you lay still until I’m done with you.”

“I promise, Sunshine, and you know I don’t lie.”

Justin gave Brian that special smile as Brian left to shower. Justin cleaned up the kitchen, mentally preparing himself to be as bad as he could be for his husband.

 

*****
 

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“How’d it go today?” Ray asked as Gus flopped down on the bed in his suit.

“It sucked and not in a positive life affirming way,” Gus admitted as he rolled over to look at the ceiling.

“Couldn’t have been all that bad. You finished out the day. It’s not like you were fired.”

“I wish I had been fired then I could just go home and pretend this day never happened. But no, I have to go back tomorrow.”

“What happened?”

“I fucked up. Big time, from the minute I walked through the door.”

“But you’re not fired.”

“No, I live to be humiliated another day.”

“No, you live to get it right another day. Use that brain of yours. You juggled two majors in two different colleges and you plan on doing it again this Fall. Learn from your mistakes.”

Gus rolled over to look at his boyfriend. “When did you get to be so smart?” Gus asked, arching his eyebrow.

“I’ve always been this smart. You just haven’t noticed cause I got this killer body,” Ray said with a straight face puffing out his chest.

The boys burst out in a fit of laughter. Afterwards, Gus wiped the laughter induced tears from his eyes.

“God, I needed that. Thank you,” Gus whispered as he leaned over to kiss Ray. “I really needed that.”

“Come on, get that suit off before you wrinkle it.” Gus leapt from the bed.

“Shit, I can almost see my dad’s eyebrow arch,” Gus said as he quickly removed his suit and hung it up. “I’ll need to get it cleaned. I sweat my ass off in it all day.”

“I think your ass is just fine,” Ray said with a leer as he leaned over to get a good look.

“Yeah?”

“Oh yeah, and I’ll prove it to you later after we have dinner and dessert.”

“I thought I was dessert.”

“You’re the whipped cream on my dessert. I got you your favorite cupcakes,” Ray said smugly. “Oooof!” Ray let out a burst of air as he was tackled by Gus and thoroughly kissed. “On the other hand there’s no reason why I can’t have my dessert before we have dinner,” Ray murmured against Gus’ lips.

“Mmmm,” Gus agreed then went back to kissing Ray.

 

*****
 

“Jeez-uss!” Brian exclaimed when his brain cleared up enough to form a coherent thought. “Just when I thought you couldn’t surprise me anymore, you do.”

“Yeah?” Justin said smugly.

“Yes, Sunshine, and you know it too. So can the innocent act.” Brian leaned back to get a good look at Justin’s face. “What?”

“What, what?”

“Something’s up, Sunshine, and it ain’t my dick.” Brian and Justin looked down at the exhausted organ as it rested, gathering strength for the next round.

“Umm.”

“Spill.”

“You know the vacant apartment in your building?”

“Our building, and yeah?”

“I have a tenant for it.”

“Okay. What’s the big deal?”

“You may not like them.”

“Why, are they straight? I won’t hold that against them as long as they pay the rent on time.”

“Umm.”

“They can’t pay the rent?”

“Well, not the usual rent.”

“Down on their luck?”

“You could say that.”

“What else? Or more specifically, who are they?”

“Candy Hobbs and her mother.”

“What?!”
 

Return to Nuff Rope