Pride Goeth...

Chapter 2

“It’s so beautiful out here, so quiet. You can really hear yourself think,” Richie commented. The whole family sensed that something was up with the men of Edna’s Treasures. After their breakfast Emmett suggested a trip down the lane to his cottage. The family thought that was an excellent idea. No one had any plans nor was anyone in any rush to get back to the city. It was a holiday; they might as well take advantage of it.

“Professor Bruckner, would you mind looking at some of my assignments?” Richie ventured. Even though it was a three day weekend, he still had some school work to accomplish.

“Of course I don’t mind but can you drop the professor bit? I don’t mind if you call me Ben; you’re family now.” Seeing the discomfort in Richie’s eyes, Ben made a further suggestion. “Would addressing me as Uncle Ben make you feel better?” Richie nodded making Ben smile. “Then Uncle Ben it is. Go get your books; we can set up here.” They were seated at a table under an umbrella, a cool breeze made it very comfortable and the family was as quiet as their surroundings.

It was a good day for quiet pursuits or so it seemed.

 

*****
 

John had his keys in his hands as he walked out of the cottage and around to his Navigator. When he opened the car door and sat down, he noticed he wasn’t alone.

“Where are the kids?” John asked.

“With your mother at Rachel’s,” Bobby replied. He was riding shotgun.

“And what’s your excuse?” John growled as he adjusted the rearview mirror to see Brian and Justin sitting in the back.

“You are not doing this alone,” Justin said emphatically.

“Yeah, like he said,” Brian added with a smirk.

John loudly sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing at his temples. “So I have no say in the matter?”

“NO!” came three replies.

“Then I guess we better get this show on the road,” John said, resigned that his family was not going to change their minds. He would have company whether he wanted it or not. He started up the SUV then backed down the driveway.

 

*****
 

“What are your plans for the Summer, Ray?” Melanie asked as they were all relaxing in the sun porch. She liked Ray but like most mothers she was suspicious when it came to the love lives of her children. She was still having trouble getting around the fact that two very gay parents produced her straight daughter. And that said straight daughter had a thing for a boy already. The notion just boggled her mind.

“I was thinking about taking some extra classes at college, but my dads think I can use a break from school. It was an intense semester.”

Gus nodded in agreement. It wasn’t easy with a duel major. Ray was taking engineering courses and business courses. Gus had toyed with the idea of taking a summer class as well, but he really missed his family.

“I’m going to work with my dad,” Ray said.

“At N’rgy?” Lindsay inquired.

“No, my other dad, in his office.”

“Are you thinking of taking over the family business?” Mel asked.

“Maybe, I’m not sure yet.”

“Melanie, don’t cross examine Ray, he doesn’t have to make any life altering decisions right now.”

“He’s going to be a Junior in college in the Fall, he should have some idea of what he wants to do with his life.” Mel glared. She had visions of her son falling in love with a penniless good for nothing.

“Mel!”

“Fine, I’ll drop it,” she grumbled.

Gus was now thoroughly embarrassed. “Um, I can use some air. You want to take a walk with me?” Gus asked, taking Ray’s hand to lead him out of the porch. They headed down to the grotto.

“Did your dad really design all this? It looks just like your stream,” Ray asked as they settled on the great rock that Brian had John create. It was just the right size for sitting and thinking.

“Yeah. As my dad tells it, that was the reason he chose the cottage at Edna’s Treasures. Because the stream reminded him of the stream near John’s house.”

“I don’t get it, there’s another stream?”

Gus explained about John’s farm, what Edna’s Treasures looked like before John and his men got to it and the fun he had in the treehouse as a kid.

“Ya think Claire would mind if we camp out in the treehouse some time?” Ray asked with a waggle of his eyebrows. Gus laughed.

“I think a lot of romantic nights were spent up in that treehouse. Dad installed a fireplace.”

“Like the Wendy house?”

“Yeah, but smaller. Kept us warm, though.”

“I think I can keep you warm.” Ray leaned over to give Gus a searing kiss.

“Of that I have no doubt,” Gus murmured when they broke for air.

“Is this stream deep enough to swim in?”

“Nah, it barely reaches my knees.”

“Bummer.”

“That doesn’t mean we still can’t get wet,” Gus said as he began to strip down to his underwear and a smile.

“Oh yeah!” Ray said as he did the same. The boys had fun frolicking in the stream with no further serious thoughts of after summer plans.

 

*****
 

“Hasn’t changed much over the years,” Bobby said. He was familiar with the little café in Bridgeton.

“Is this the place where Steve finally grew the balls to hook up with Claire?” Brian asked a little crudely.

John sighed. “Yes, this is the place. It’s been here forever. I used to bring Samantha here after school. We always sat at the last booth in the corner.”

“It seems so....” Justin began.

“Straight?” Brian supplied.

“I was going to say, quaint, but straight does describe it,” Justin commented as they slowly drove past looking for parking.

“Where’s Emmett when you need him? He’d straighten out this place, so to speak,” Brian snarked.

John pulled up short at the light. “Brian,” John began sternly. “Please remember that my mother still lives in this town. They all know me and most have respected my change in orientation.” Brian was about to protest that John never changed, he just came to his senses. “Eh!” John held up his hand stopping the tirade before it began. “Brian, don’t argue with me,” John snapped.

He found parking then turned off the engine.

“Brian, I know you mean well but will you please just let me handle this,” John said gently. “I haven’t seen Samantha in over thirty years. She probably thinks of me as very straight and married with 2.8 children. This is going to be a shock.”

“Brother dearest, you have a true gift for understatement. I’ll behave but if I hear just one homophobic comment I won’t be responsible for my actions,” Brian growled.

“No, you won’t but I will,” Justin said firmly. “Brian Kinney, we’re here to give John our emotional support, not reenact the Stonewall riots. I will personally pull you out of there by your ears if you don’t behave,” Justin put his foot down.

“I love it when you get butch, Sunshine. It makes me hard,” Brian purred into Justin’s ear. Justin leaned into Brian’s embrace.

“Oh just shoot me,” John moaned.

Bobby chuckled then patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, Babe, with these two making goo-goo eyes at each other, no one will ever notice you,” Bobby said. “Let’s go see what Samantha Howard has to say.”

The four men steeled themselves for battle and bravely walked into the café.

 

*****
 

“Gus, I’m close,” Ray moaned. They had concluded their aquatic frolic and were now making themselves all hot and sticky in a patch of sun warmed grass. Ray was on his hands and knees while Gus was pounding into him from behind. Gus had a firm grip on Ray’s hips, keeping him upright so that Ray could tug on his own dick. They were just about to come together.

“Gus!”

“Ray!”

They shouted as they came then collapsed in a heap. Gus gently pulled out keeping a firm grip on the condom.

“That was hot,” Ray murmured as he licked the sweat off Gus’ neck as they cuddled.

“Oh yeah,” Gus purred as he tilted his head to give Ray better access. “I could do this all day.”

“I don’t think my ass can take it,” Ray giggled.

“Did I hurt you?” Gus sat up attempting to turn Ray over to examine him.

“No,” Ray said as he grabbed Gus’ hands to place them around his neck. “You could never hurt me. I just meant that I’d need to give my ass a break if you kept at me for a whole day. I love fucking with you.”

“Really?”

“Really. But I am a little concerned about one thing.”

“What?” Gus asked as he carefully cleaned them both off with some tissues that he had in his jeans pocket.

“We’ve gotten used to making love at your dad’s loft and in your bedroom here at your moms’ cottage. Even at your house in Pittsburgh.”

“Yeah, so?”

“If I'm going to visit you at Edna’s Treasures, do you think we can convince your dads to trade in your bunk beds for a real bed?” Ray said with a straight face.

They both cracked up with laughter then rolled around in the grass teasing and kissing.

“My turn,” Ray said after a while as he reached into one of his pant pockets for another condom.

“Yeah,” Gus whispered as he got ready for Ray.

 

 *****
 

“John? John Anderson, is that you?”

“Hello, Mrs. Wilson, how have you been? And how is Mr. Wilson doing? My mother said he fell off a ladder.”

“He’s doing much better, the damn fool. I told him not to go up there but he wouldn’t listen. Just like a man.”

“Yes, ma’am. What was he doing on the roof of the garage?”

“He was trying to fix a couple of loose shingles. We had one heck of a storm blow through here the other night. We were lucky, not much damage. But my Stanley insisted on taking matters into his own hands.”

“Let me send some of my men around on Tuesday. We’re doing work on the school but we have time for our neighbors.”

“You were always a good boy, John. Claire must be very proud.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“And is this little Bobby Morrison? Aren’t you all grown up and cute as the dickens!”

Brian snorted as Mrs. Wilson, the proprietor of the café, was gushing over Bobby. Justin pushed Brian toward an empty booth in the corner so they could wait for John and Bobby and keep Brian out of trouble. Justin went to the restroom while they waited. There weren’t any lone women in the café so they suspected Samantha hadn’t arrived yet.

“John, you look as handsome as ever!” a tall attractive redhead said as she sat across from Brian in the booth. She had come through the door, spied Brian in the back and made a beeline for him. She swept by John who had his back to the door, still engaged with Mrs. Wilson. “And not a speck of grey hair. Me on the other hand, well I’ll admit a lot of this red comes out of a bottle. I don’t feel old, so why should I be forced to look it.”

Brian nodded but remained silent.

“You never were the talkative type. Your actions always spoke louder than your words. Maybe that’s why I never told you about Grace. And we were so careful,” the woman whispered leaning over to show off her cleavage. Brian didn’t flinch. “But I guess accidents do happen. So what have you been up to? I was so surprised when my mother showed me the article in the Bridgeton Gazette. You’re a local celebrity! First all those paintings, and then donating the proceeds to the Farm like that and now you’re on the school board and fixing up the local schools in the area. But I wasn’t sure what Bobby Morrison had to do with anything. Although mom did say he turned out to be a lawyer. I guess that’s why I never heard anything about him in baseball. Not that I follow sports, but my sister did go to school with his sister. Rachel I think her name is.”

She paused to catch her breath then went on.

“I suppose you heard about my Warren. I met him shortly after I left town. He was my first friend in California. I won’t say he was the love of my life; I think we both know who that was, but he was so good to me. We were married almost immediately. He was so happy when I told him I was pregnant. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I didn’t think it was his. So I let him go on thinking she was his daughter. He had a heart attack last year. My Grace lives in Europe with her husband; I’m a grandmother! So I decided why stay in California when my parents are here. Warren had very little family, so I just packed up, sold my house and now I’m back.”

Brian still hadn’t said a word while he assumed this woman spilling her guts was Samantha.

“John, I’ve been sitting here for five minutes and you haven’t said one word,” she finally complained. But before Brian could reply the guys suddenly appeared.

“Brian, who’s your friend?” Justin asked as he slid into the booth next to his partner.

“Samantha? Is that you?” John asked.

“This is Samantha?” Bobby asked glaring at the artificial red hair.

“John Anderson?” Samantha said looking up at John then taking another look at Brian who wore a ‘cat that ate the canary grin.’

“Will somebody tell me what’s going on?” Justin asked as Brian cracked up, unable to hold it back any longer.

John just groaned as he sat down on a nearby stool while Bobby glared daggers at the other redhead.

 

*****
 

“Hey, Curtis,” JR said into her cell phone. “Just called to see how you were doing.”

“I’m great. I had a good time at the barbecue.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“That Richie kid seemed all right.”

“Yeah, he did his best at soccer.”

“Maybe he’ll turn out to be okay.”

“I hope so for Auntie Emm’s sake,” JR said. “He really seems to love Richie.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.”

“Thank you for playing in the soccer game with him and helping him score. It seemed to be a big boost to his morale,” JR observed.

“I guess it must be pretty tough having your family throw you out,” Curtis said with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

“Almost as tough as having no family at all,” JR replied, knowing how hard it had been for Curtis before he found Dr. Raph and Hector.

“I thought I had to do everything myself,” Curtis said sadly. “I guess I did. I never really got the chance to be a kid … like other kids.”

“But you have since you found your new family,” JR said cheerfully. She hadn’t meant to bring Curtis down.

“Yeah,” was all Curtis said.

“Curtis, I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay. I’m fine,” Curtis said quickly. “Are you ready for the end of school dance in a couple weeks?”

“Um,” JR said remembering how happy she had been when Curtis had asked her.

“Is … is something wrong?” Curtis asked, hearing the uncertainty in her voice. “We’re still going, aren’t we?”

“My moms don’t think it would be a good idea.”

“Why not?” Curtis demanded. He had been looking forward to the dance and being with JR for weeks.

“They, um, think I’m too … young,” JR stammered.

“Or is it that they think I’m not suitable, not white enough?” Curtis ranted. “Your mothers are such WASPS.”

“Curtis…”

“I can take a fucking hint. It’s been nice knowing you, JR. Goodbye!”

The line went dead.

JR stared at the phone in her hand. How could she have let this happen? She really liked Curtis, really liked him. And her mothers had told her that they didn’t want her going out with anybody. They didn’t even know that it was Curtis who had asked her to the dance. They just said ‘no’ to her going with a boy, any boy. They wanted her to go with a group of stupid kids.

“Well, fuck them!” JR said aloud as she snapped her phone shut. She was going to the dance with Curtis one way or another.
 

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