A Safe Place By James
Disclaimer
This story deals with sexual as well as romantic situations between teenaged males. Should you be offended by such material, or if you're not of the legal age to read this type of material then please find something else to read. Also please remember to donate to Nifty so that these stories can remain free to the public.
Chapter 11
Present Day
Caleb
Once the last of the dishes were taken out of the oven, I sat it next to the others on the counter and called for everyone to come to the table. They all came in and took their places. I went and got everything set up so everyone could fill their plates and I then sat down across from Greyson and Daniel who were sitting beside one another like usual.
Nathan was sitting beside me and my parents were at the head of the table sitting across from Nathan's mom and her husband Alex. Michael and Josh would be coming over to celebrate and they'd be bringing their parents along with two other guys with whom we've become good friends over the years. That would be Noah and Chase Christianson and their son Shawn. They'd be coming a little while after we would start eating since they had a little further to drive, but they said or I should say, that they insisted that we start eating. So we did, but not before we did a new ritual that Greyson and Daniel actually came up with a couple of nights ago. They talked about us all going around the table before eating and saying what we were all thankful for and Nathan and I thought it was a good idea. So when we began speaking, everyone told me that I could go first, so I began.
"I'm thankful for my parents, my brother Kevin and sister Alicia. I'm also grateful for Cody and the joy he brings to us all. I'm grateful for my husband Nathan. I treasure your friendship, your ability to make me laugh as well as others, I'm grateful for you letting me get to know you and also for you allowing yourself to get to know me all those years ago and I'm happy and thankful every day that you've stayed by me as long as you have.
Lastly, I'm grateful for Greyson and Daniel. You guys have helped me stay on the road of being a good man and father. You guys bring me joy and laughter. We've had our rough times, but they're out-numbered by the good times and those especially are the times for which I'm truly grateful and that I treasure every day."
Once I finished speaking, I had to wipe my eyes. Once my eyes were dry, it was Nathan's turn.
"I'm grateful for Caleb," he began. "I'm grateful for him getting to know me and for him being patient with me when we first became friends. He's shown me compassion and has been there for me when most other people would have left a long time ago. Your friendship means everything to me and your love as my husband has kept me together more times than I can count and I love you for that. I treasure you every single day and I never want to be apart from you for a single moment."
We exchanged a couple of soft kisses, then my parents spoke as well as Nathan's mom and Alex. Then Alicia with her husband said a few words about all of us and how we enriched their lives more than we could know. Finally, Kevin stood to speak.
"I've been in some dark places in my life, especially in my childhood," he began. "I was hurt by a person who was supposed to first and foremost be my friend and he used love as a weapon against me. I hurt others when I was in emotional pain because of it.
I hurt Alicia, Caleb and our parents. I said and did things to them that I shouldn't have and when I almost died, they helped me back and saved my life. I'm grateful for all of them and grateful to all of them.
Most of all though, I'm grateful to Cody who showed me what being a friend, boyfriend and husband really means. You've loved me from the moment we met all those years ago, but more than that, you loved me even after I told you the truth of what I went through back when I was 13. Because of all of those reasons and also the reason of you being so handsome and so cute and lovable, I am and will always be grateful for you and I treasure you every day of my life."
They hugged and exchanged a couple of kisses, then Cody spoke.
"I'm grateful for Kevvy as well," he began. "When I was younger and before I met him, teachers always talked about how I'd probably be put in a nursing home for people like me. I mean, people who have learning issues like what I have and I was always afraid that my mom wouldn't be able to do anything about it even though she had plans to make sure it didn't happen.
Then I met Kevvy and as we got to know one another, I eventually told him what I was afraid of and he made a promise to me that he wouldn't let me go in to "The System" as he and his family call it. He kept that promise and we moved in together a while ago. I'm so happy living with him and it's lots better than I ever could have thought.
Also though, I'm grateful for Caleb, Nathan and Alicia for being good friends to me and making me feel loved and appreciated like a human. They never made fun of me when I had problems understanding or learning something. All of their parents were nice to me also and I love all of them. I also love you Kevvy!"
They kissed and shared a long hug, then it was Greyson and Daniel's turn to speak. I waited and heard them getting up. They began walking from the table and I looked in that direction.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"We have to get something," Greyson said. "You'll see in a moment."
They returned a few minutes later and Greyson walked up to me and he sat something down on the table beside my plate and he put his arms around me.
"We made something special for you and Nathan," he said and held me tightly. "I love you dad. I really do."
"I love you too Greyson," I replied. Then Daniel and I hugged and told one another how much we loved each other and they did the same with Nathan, then they said that we could look at what they made for us.
Nathan
I took the drawing from the table and began describing it for Caleb. It was a picture of Caleb and I sitting on the couch and above the picture they wrote a note that had Caleb and I both crying once I read it to him.
To the best two dads we've ever had. You both are our true family. You helped us and got us in to a loving home, laughed with us, cried with us, yelled at us if we needed it and also showed us the right way to be as boys and eventually men when we grow up. We love you both more than you'll ever know.
Love for ever and ever, Greyson and Daniel Roberts
Caleb
I hugged our sons again and once I finished my group hug, Greyson put his arms around me and held on.
"I really do love you dad," he said and rested his head against my chest as I held him.
"I love you too my son," I whispered as I rubbed his back up and down.
He did the same thing with Nathan then Daniel hugged first me, then Nathan and then we sat down to eat.
Noah Christianson
I locked up the house and turned to see Shawn and Chase watching me. Even though Shawn was totally blind, he still had his face directed in my direction as if he could still see. He had lost his vision about two years ago and he's now ten and he's doing a little better with being blind.
Glaucoma had set in quickly, or I should say that it was found when he was eight, but it could have been with him longer than that. Glaucoma is one of those diseases that doctors can't figure out when it first starts, they can only diagnose it where it's at.
Glaucoma is an eye condition where the fluid in the front section of the eyeball is trapped and can't filter out through the normal process of using the drainage pathways already built in the eyeball. This can either be due to the pathways simply no longer functioning, or because they're blocked by a foreign body. Whatever the reason of their malfunction, the fluid can't filter through them and out of the eye for more of the fluid to be produced so while the fluid is already trapped in the front section of the eyeball, more is introduced in to that area resulting in pressure on the eyeball and the longer the pressure stays elevated to these dangerous levels, the more damage is being done to the optic nerve, eyeball and eventually to a person's vision.
Some people never have symptoms from Glaucoma and only know they have it because their eye doctor checks for it. The eye pressure can be measured through means of a few different instruments and below 21 is where the normal pressure is. Anything above that, then there's a problem. When one does have symptoms, they're usually in the form of headaches above the eye with the disease or both eyes if it's in both of them. The elevated pressure can also cause blood vessels in the front section of the eyeball to break opened and blood leaking in the front of the eyeball can cause pain when looking at light as well as varying degrees of blurred vision. Smokey-blue rings can at times be seen around the outside of lights as well.
So that's what Shawn had and it took his vision quickly.
Shawn came to live at the center with Michael and Josh when he was seven. He was taken out of his biological parents' house when he broke down at school and told a teacher that his dad was touching him and as he called it, "hurting him in his back side" and the nurse acted quickly once the teacher called her in her office up on the second floor.
Once he was sent to live with Michael and Josh, he had a lot of problems adjusting. He was afraid that his father would come and find him and he also worried that the adults at the house would try to do sexual things with him and when he met me, he began to trust me.
I had come to the house one day back after a couple of months of Shawn living there. By this time, he began to trust Michael and Josh, but only a little. When he met me on the day I came there, I let him have one of the cookies that was left from my lunch. He liked that and after a few minutes of talking, I had to go, and he asked me if he could talk to me again. I agreed and over the coming days and weeks, we'd sit on the back deck and talk and it became apparent after a little over a month of knowing one another that he was getting comfortable around me when one day outside, he asked me if I'd give him a hug. I agreed and we held that embrace for several minutes, then he motioned that he wanted me to let him go so I did.
Then after a couple of weeks, we hugged before we went out to the deck when I came to visit him. Once out on the deck, he cuddled up to me and I held him in my arms. He looked up at me and said that he wished that I could be his father and I smiled and lightly kissed his forehead. I told him that I actually felt the same way and we just sat there enjoying being close.
I talked to Chase about the possibility of adopting him that night when I got back to our house and we talked for many hours about it. He quickly agreed when I brought up the idea since he and Shawn quickly became friends when they met after I brought Chase to the house after a couple of weeks after I first met Shawn and they were immediately comfortable around one another.
After we figured out everything that we would need to do for adoption, we began the process and though it was long, we got Shawn with us before he turned nine and he's been with us ever since. Though challenging at times, being a parent has been the best thing I've ever done and Chase feels the same way.
Coming back to the present day, we walked to the car and I got in while Shawn got in the back and Chase got in the front beside me. Once the car was started and everyone was situated and secure, I turned back to Shawn.
"I can put on some music if you want. Anything you want to hear?" I asked then turned to Chase.
"I'm fine with anything you guys decide," Chase said and leaned over and kissed my cheek. I kissed his and then I turned back to Shawn.
"So what would you like to hear?" I asked.
"I'd enjoy hearing what you played in the car a couple of days ago," Shawn said.
On Monday of that week, he and I went out to get a few last-minute items for our Thanks Giving dinner and when we were out, I had on Therion's Sirius B album and I noticed that Shawn enjoyed hearing it. Over the almost couple of years of him living with us, he didn't seem to like most if not all of the Pop stuff that kids his age liked. He liked more intricate music such as what was performed by Therion and Nightwish and I as well as Chase encouraged this interest.
I had my music player connected to the sound system in the car and I pulled up the album and we were on our way.
As we drove along, I listened to the music while driving. I was also thinking at the same time. I was thinking of how grateful I was for Chase, Shawn, the job which brought in enough money for me to support myself as well as my son and husband, but most of all I was thinking about the second chance I had been given back when I was 16 years old. Michael as well as the courts, but Michael most of all gave me the second or I should say that final chance to get my life straightened out.
For a couple of years of my teenage years of life, I had been a full-blown gay basher and it was because of many things, but it was definitely due to me not dealing with my own issues of being gay. There were other issues, but I know that had I not listened to Michael and his brothers and everyone else, I probably would have ended up in prison or possibly even dead. I was and am still happy that things went the way they went. Just then though, I was distracted when I felt my shoulder being nudged.
I turned quickly and saw Shawn leaned up looking at me.
"Dad?" he asked and put his hand on my shoulder.
"Sorry son," I said. "You should probably lean back in your seat now."
"Okay," he said and leaned back with his seat belt relaxing again. "I was asking if you're looking forward to having dinner with Caleb and Nathan along with their kids?"
"Yeah," I replied. "Definitely. Are you?"
"Yeah!" he said happily. "I'm really excited!"
"I'm just glad to have you both with me," Chase said. "I'm also glad to be coming along with you guys and it'll be nice to see Caleb and Nathan as well."
"Yeah," I agreed. "It will be."
0000
As the car rode on, Shawn sat taking everything in. He watched everything, but didn't watch it. He saw the love between Noah and Chase, and yet he had no visual images off which to see much less understand what the two men had; he didn't need to. He sensed the love between his two fathers and more importantly, he sensed the love they both had and still have for him. He felt safe and protected when he was with them.
He thought about his two fathers, and he especially thought about Noah. At night sometimes, he would hear Chase awaken in pain from his leg, but other nights and it was rare, but would still happen none the less, he would hear Noah yell out in his sleep. Clearly his dad was having bad dreams and when he would ask Noah about them in the morning, he would tell Shawn that he would tell him at a later time. He would also stress to him that he really would tell him at a later time, but not at that point in Shawn's life. Once though when Shawn came to live with the two men, he had heard some Pop song on the radio and he voiced his displeasure to it by saying: "Grate, one of those kind of people."
Noah had sat beside him and calmly explained why it wasn't really nice to talk like that about other people. He told Shawn that he knew that it was just a song, but what Shawn said was the exact words and exact tone older people used to condemn people like Chase and others who were gay. He explained to Shawn that one could never know where that kind of attitude could lead. One day it might be that attitude towards a song, the next towards people who were of different ethnicities or sexual orientations. He also mentioned, but didn't stay too long on the point that he had at one time been extremely judgmental of people who were like him and Chase.
Shawn was confused for a moment until Noah explained to him that for the first few years of his teenaged years, he hadn't been in a place to accept himself as gay and it lead to him taking his rage at himself out on others, and that was basically all he said about it. Shawn began to understand a little better and he hugged his dad for a long moment and after rephrasing his dislike of the song in a better way, they separated from the hug and went on with their day.
As the car drove along, Shawn thought about all of that, but he mainly focused on his infinite love he had for his dads and he thought as well, about how he was going to do everything he could to be the best son they could ask for.
Noah
I looked in the mirror and saw Shawn in the back with his head resting against the headrest. At first, I thought he was asleep, but he had his eyes opened and he moved his hand and brushed the hair away from his forehead, so I knew he was awake.
Soon though, we were nearing the house and once parked in the driveway, I shut off the car and got out. Chase got out and then he and I went to where Shawn was getting out of the car and unfolding his guiding cane. He got beside me and we began walking up to the door of the house and I knocked and waited.
Caleb
I went and opened the door when I heard Noah answer me when I asked who it was. Opening the door, I let Noah, Chase and Shawn in. I got them sat down at the table, then I heard another car pull up and shut off.
I went to see who it was, and it was Michael, Josh, Jacob and Brandon.
I let them in and we all continued eating after the rest got their plates and filled them.
Once dinner was finished, I went about getting dessert served. I went to where Shawn was sitting across from Noah and Chase and I put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"So if you want dessert, I was going to see what you wanted," I said.
"I'd like a couple of the brownies please," he said smiling at me.
"Do you want a chocolate-icing and caramel-icing brownie or two of the same?"
"One of each please," he replied.
I got him his dessert and once he began eating it, I sat beside Noah and patted him on the shoulder.
"Thanks for coming," I said. "It's been grate seeing you again."
"You're welcome," he replied. "It's good seeing you guys again as well and thanks for having us over."
"You're welcome," I answered and I began eating my own serving of dessert.
After Noah, Chase and Shawn ate and visited with us all for a while, they eventually left and Michael and Josh stayed and sat with us and talked. Brandon and Jacob were sitting with Greyson and Daniel talking and laughing.
At that time, Jacob was 16 and Brandon was the same age. From the little that Brandon had said about his homelife when visiting us a few times before, his parents kicked him out of the house when he was due to turn 16 and he had been living with Michael and Josh since that time and was doing well.
Jacob's sister Angel who was 13, was at the house with us that day and she was sitting and talking with the four boys. I watched them for a moment then turned back to my conversation with Michael and Josh.
Finally though, I saw that Josh was beginning to tire and I heard Michael yon a couple of times. Once we finished our conversation and the kids were starting to fall asleep, we agreed to end things for that day. It had been a Happy Thanks Giving Day for us all.
Once we all said goodbye to one another, Michael and Josh took their three kids and left to go back home. Kevin and Cody sat on the couch talking with us for a bit, then eventually, they said their goodbyes and after they gave hugs to us as well as Greyson and Daniel, they left.
It was now after 10:00 P.M. and I sat there in the living room about an hour after my brother and his husband left. Nathan had kissed me and had headed off to bed a few minutes after they left. He didn't say much, but I knew his legs were hurting him and probably had been for the past couple of hours. At least he was asleep now after the meds had taken hold and began working on him. I figured that the boys were asleep and I just sat there reading for a bit.
I then heard the door to the boys' room open and close softly, then I felt the couch move as someone sat down and a hand was placed on my shoulder. I stopped my book and put the player on the in table beside me and turned.
"It's Greyson," my son said.
"I figured it was," I said and hugged him. He quickly snuggled up to me. He had been doing that lately and it was a large change from only a year ago. He would hug back, but it would take a moment and his body would be tensed up then relax, but he still wouldn't be quite comfortable with the physical contact, but that was clearly changing.
I held him close and stroked his hair lightly as he just reclined against me. It was nice to be with him like that. As we sat there, I thought he was starting to fall asleep, then he turned his head back so he could look at me.
"I don't know if I said this before, but I really am glad you're my father," he said, then turned in my arms so he could hug me and he kissed me gently on the cheek. "I love you. I also love Nathan too."
"I love you too," I said. "You told me as well as Nathan today at dinner how grateful you are to have us as your parents, but you've also shown it by being our sons, both you and Daniel. You've given us a chance and that was a big step right there."
"I know," he said and rested his head against my shoulder. "I know that I haven't always been nice to you guys and I feel really bad at the one time I cussed at you a few months ago. I guess that when you live out on the streets and get hardened so you can survive, it's not easy to find a different way of living."
I took his face in my hands and held it so he was looking right at me. He was crying also and I kissed his cheek, then began talking.
"I know it's been hard for you Greyson," I said. "You've apologized for that time and the other times you would give us an attitude and we know that for the most part, you didn't choose to have to have those attitude problems when you first came to live with us. Sometimes we're all going to have our bad times as a family, but we also have our good times as well and those are what I focus on the most, the good and happy times. As for the bad times, we'll take them as they come."
"Okay," he said as he dried his eyes. "I just want you to know just how much I really do love you and how happy I am to be your son."
"I already do know that," I said softly and kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly for a moment. "So is Daniel asleep? I figured he'd be out here with you."
"He's asleep," Greyson replied as he moved so that his legs were lying across my lap. I massaged his legs and feet which seemed to relax him. He lay there and I could tell that he was beginning to fall asleep.
Finally after a few minutes of massaging him, he sat up and I hugged him again.
"I'll be going to bed now," he said.
"Okay," I said. "Good night Greyson. I love you."
"I love you too dad," he said. "Good night. I hope you sleep well."
"I hope you sleep well also," I replied as he went back to his and Daniel's room.
After sitting there thinking over that bit of time of Greyson cuddling with me on the couch and opening up to me a little more, I smiled; he was beginning to break down his walls. I then got up and made sure all the doors and windows were locked, then I got in to bed and was careful not to wake Nathan, but he woke up anyway. When I turned to face him, he put his arms around me and we kissed softly for a moment.
"I must have awakened you," I said softly.
"No," he replied. "You didn't. I woke up a little while after I had went to bed. I fell asleep for a few minutes, but awoke, and when I did I heard you and Greyson talking."
"What all did you hear?" I asked.
"I heard most of what you guys were talking about," he answered. "It's a good sign; it looks like he's beginning to let down his walls."
"Yeah, it looks good so far," I replied. "I hope the same thing is beginning to happen for Daniel as well."
"So do I," he responded.
After we shared a couple of soft and deep kisses, Nathan relaxed in my arms and fell asleep. I began drifting off to sleep and soon I was deep asleep and was thinking as I drifted off how happy I am to have my sons and husband as well as the friends and family we all share.
Author's Notes
I figured that I'd stop here. I wanted to include a chapter dealing with more of Caleb and Nathan with their boys and everyone else and to develop that aspect of the story line a little better. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and in the next one, I'll be getting back to Caleb and Nathan as kids and we should be back on track.
Also, I wanted to take responsibility for an error. At the end of Deep Love, I wrote that Jacob at that time was 17 and Angel was 14. If in 2007 when they came to live with Michael and Josh, Jacob would have been eight and Angel five. So in 2015, he would have been 16 and her 13. Sorry for the error and I'll do better next time. So everyone have a good evening, and I'll see everyone in Chapter 12.