Brothers like Us by Lawrence Michael Martell
Chapter 5
Shane awoke with a smile on his face as he remembered his night with Victor. It was the most wonderful and romantic night that he could remember having and there was no sex on the first date, though technically it wasn't a first date for them, but it showed Shane that Victor had changed indeed. It showed him that Victor wasn't thinking about just himself and his own needs and desires and that he respected Shane. The fact that he was now trying to do something legal with getting into music was great as well. Yes, this time things would be different between them and this time they would be together forever.
Shane got out of bed and went into the bathroom to take a shower as he passed Sean's room he felt guilty that he hadn't told Sean about Victor and he wanted to but he didn't want to hear Sean go on and on about how bad Victor was for him and how much trouble he was and all that other shit. He knew he would have to tell him but right now there was no rush to do that. Shane stepped into the shower and let the warm water caress his body and he smiled as he thought of Victor.
The sound of running water awoke Sean. He stretched and yawned. Shane must be in the shower, he thought as he got out of bed and padded into the computer room and logged online. He was greeted by the familiar, "You've Got Mail" and when he checked his email he had 10 unread emails half of which were just junk and spam and a couple of emails from online friends and there was one from Bigsexybro AKA Silk. Sean's dick twitched. He opened the email and read it.
Sup man?
Just wanted to hit ya up and say that everything was off the hook and a bruh can't wait to get another piece of your tasty cakes. So hit a bruh up cause I got something for yo hot ass...
Peace, Silk
Sean deleted the email. Yeah Silk had the skills and a return visit was not a bad idea. Silk could work an ass out and work it out well. Sean checked another email from an online friend of his who had the screen name "Playa_no_mo." Sean read the email.
WHATUP MISS THING!!!
So Miss Sean whatcha been up to girlfriend? I been fine..trying to find me a man. Oh I got some news for you. Chile, remember when I went out of town with Miss Stevie and Miss Joseph so Miss Stevie could meet here new Internet love? I think his name is Hill..anyway..Miss Stevie did the bedroom bop with Mr. Hill and guess what? She just tested HIV positive. Yes, chile...she is poz as hell. OOOH baby I was just weakened and Stevie is devastated but we are going to get our sistah through this time of her life.
Well, chile you should drop me a line and fill me in on what's going on with you. Take care precious.
Luv, Tremayne
Sean deleted the email. That was some heavy news about Stevie being HIV positive. That's what happens when the kids be kicking it with those white boys. Stevie was a notorious snow queen. Sean turned off the computer and went back to his room and pulled out his clothes. When Shane got out of the shower he would go in and get ready to start his day.
Mohammed had woke up at 4 am to begun his morning work out routine which began with warm up stretches, a morning jog for a mile and a half followed by his weight work out, pushups, situps, crunches, jump rope and then another jog for half a mile. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His body was tight but he had to get it tighter by the upcoming pay per view. He then went into his office and turned on the computer and checked his mail. He had mail from his agent at Valencia Management, Elaine Cross. The email just confirmed some information concerning his flight, departure and arrival and about some autograph signings and his new contract which would net him a pretty hefty yearly salary.
Brett woke up about thirty minutes after Mohammed. He went down to the kitchen and fixed Mohammed's orange juice, wheat toast and one scrambled egg and when Mohammed was finished with his work out he took it into Mohammed in the computer room. He kissed Mo on the top of his dreadlocked head and he went back to bed.
It was hard to get to sleep for me with Jermaine on my mind but I managed to drift off but when the alarm clock went off I felt like I had not slept at all. I jumped in the shower, dressed in something comfortable, made a bowl of cereal and checked out the news. The local morning news was on and the pretty African American weather girl was giving her weather report.
"Mornin' E," Andre said as he padded into the living room wearing nothing but a part of black boxers and a FUBU basketball jersey.
"Morning Dre," Dre was kind of sexy first thing in the morning. I wish I was that lucky.
"Whatup on the news?" Dre asked as he flopped down on the sofa and stretched out.
"Just turned it on myself," I said. I couldn't help but notice that Dre was sporting a big morning erection. I smiled...big dick mofo making the girls whimper and scream slamming all that in them. My thoughts were ended when the gray haired white anchorman spoke about a fatal shooting in Ashley homes.
"Police responded to a fatal shooting at Ashley homes early this morning. Jeff Jackson is there at the Ashley reporting." The Anchorman said.
Dre moaned. "Man! They always shootin' over there."
I agreed. "I rode past there when the police and ambulances arrived."
"Really E? Dang!"
The reporter, Jeff Jackson, a good looking brother with a beige skin complexion, was standing right across from one of the homes in Ashley homes which was covered and surrounded by police tape and guarded by several officers.
"As you can see, Kenneth, the police have this house at Ashley homes taped and guarded. They say that sometime in the early morning hours a gangland style shooting and execution took place here. There were no witnesses to the shooting and the police are canvassing the area. The identities of the victims are being withheld until family notifications and positive identification can be made. This is the sixth shooting of this type in the area and it has prompted police chief, Colonel Norman Darlington, III to issue a curfew for the Ashley Homes area and has posted three squad cars in the area. The residence of the Ashley Homes area have been complaining about drugs and violence for a year and a half and so far many have said that nothing has been done. This is Jeff Jackson WYTL News 29."
"Damn," Dre said, "can you believe that shit. That racist cracker gonna put the Ashley under a curfew instead of goin in there and doing something about that shit."
"Hell, that jackass isn't going to do a damn thing and while Mayor Walker is still in office he ain't gonna do nothing."
"I know. Man that's what you should do a story on." Dre said as he shoved his hands down the front of his boxers and scratched his balls.
"I know. I actually thought about that when I drove past there. It's a damn shame."
Dre looked at me and it made me nervous cause he was looking at me and smiling like he just realized something. He still had his hands in the front of his boxers.
"Whatup with you? Why you looking at me like that?"
"I just realized something. If you rode past there when the police arrived that means you were out very early or you were coming back from somewhere."
Damn, I started to sweat. I felt like my father was interrogating me or something. "Man, who you supposed to be?"
Dre laughed. "Yeah! My brotha got lucky last night."
I got up to take my bowl back in the kitchen and to get away from Dre but he followed me.
"Who you got lucky with?" Dre asked.
"Man, why you up in my business?" I asked.
Dre laughed. "A brotha's got to know. Did ya get you some?"
Damn. I had to tell someone and since he suspected I might as well tell him though he had never inquired about my sex life before "Yeah. I got me last night."
Dre laughed again. "Cool man, cool."
Damn, he said exactly what I thought he would say.
"It's bout time you got you some." Dre added.
"Whatcha mean it's about time?" I asked.
"Just that. Man you ain't been hittin nothing lately. I was beginning to wonder if I was gonna have to do something about it."
"How would you know what I have and have not been hitting?" I asked.
"Man, we room dawgs since college. The same way you know when I got a piece of pussy up in my room I know bout whatup in your room. You a noisy mothafucker when you get some."
"Damn son! How you sound telling that out like that?"
"It's the truth," Dre said smiling. "When you was dating that dude, Juantonio, bout six months ago...."
"It was five," I corrected.
"Whatever...you would moan and howl so loud I would have to put on my headphones and pump up the music and I could still hear you."
My face burned red. I never knew he could hear me. But Juantonio packed a big tool and it made a brotha holler like a bitch.
"Don't be shamed, E. I know my girls be makin all the noise too."
I smiled. Actually him too. There were a couple of times when I heard Dre shout out too. I opened the refrigerator to cool off my burning face when I remembered I had company coming over tonight and nothing to eat nor drink in the house.
"Damn! I gotta do some major grocery store shopping." I said.
"What for?" Dre asked.
"Man, I got the brothers coming over and we ain't got nothing to eat or drink."
"Dang that is right that is tonight." Dre said.
"You still coming?" I asked, momentarily panicked that Dre had changed his mind.
"Wouldn't miss it. As a matter of fact I better get showered and dressed for work so I can get away early. You want me to get anything on the way home?"
"Naw man. I got it handled but thanks."
Dre smiled. "Aight bruh. It's off to wash off the funk." And Dre went off to shower and get ready for work. I sat down and wrote up a list of things I needed to buy for the get together tonight. It was going to be off the chain.
The one thing about having a get together at your house is getting everything ready to your specifications, which means it will never be as perfect as you want it. I had went out and bought chicken, crab legs, sausage (spicy and mild) and corn on the cob, as well as soda, beer, wine and liquor. I took everything home and before I could start cooking I had to clean the house especially the bathrooms, it is not true that all gay men are not slobs I can be a bit of a slob and Dre, is the epitome of the straight slob. We are more like Oscar and Oscar as opposed to Felix and Oscar but I do clean up more than Dre ever does. Once the house was cleaned to my satisfaction I did some work on the computer on both my article and on my novel. I took a break to call a friend of mine at the police department trying to get some information on the shootings at Ashley Homes. She was able to tell me that the victims were known drug dealers with some gang affiliations. Two of the victims were shot in their knees, groin and heads and it is believed that they alive after getting shot in the knees and possibly the groin but the head shots killed them. They were identified as Carlos Lewis Felder and Jamar Strong. The police believed it was a drug deal gone bad. My friend made me promise to keep this information to myself which I agreed to do for the time being.
At lunch I got a surprise phone call from Jermaine. We had exchanged numbers but I had not expected an immediate call from him.
"What you doing for lunch?" He asked me after we chatted for about five minutes.
"Nothing." I answered.
"Would you like to have lunch together?"
"Sure." I replied.
We had lunch at a fancy Italian restaurant called Giorgio's. Jermaine looked GQ fabulous wearing a navy blue suit with a light blue silk shirt. We sat in a cozy booth and as we waited on our lunch order we talked and held hands under the table. I did learn that Jermaine was an advertising executive for a prominent African American owned Ad company, Whitney-Kendall-Ross and that he was on the fast track to a partnership in the company. He was single and had been for five years. He had been married at one time to a spoiled Alabama beauty queen named Savannah for five years after college and he had a son who was now seven named Jermaine Anton Williams, Jr. His full male relationship which ended five years ago was with an old college frat brother, Jermaine was an Alpha by the way. They lasted until his frat brother/lover decided that he wanted to enter the ministry and he wanted to leave 'the sin' behind. Ofcourse now the good Reverend was currently married and living the Down-low life with several members of his own church.
"So what is the Eric Williams story?" He asked me over coffee.
"Well, there ain't much to tell." I said.
"Ah come on there has to be something." Jermaine said flashing that killer smile and rubbing my leg under the table which got my dick hard.
I took a deep breath to steady myself. "Well, I'm the oldest of three children born to Arthur and Elizabeth Williams, who are now divorced. I'm a freelance writer, I have a straight housemate, I've been single for way too long and I'm looking for love." I told him.
Jermaine smiled at me and squeezed my hand. "Can we have dinner tonight?"
I sighed cause I wanted to have dinner and breakfast with him. "I can't. I'm having company over tonight."
"Damn. I was hoping to see you tonight." Jermaine said with a pout.
"I'm sorry. Hey why don't you come over too?"
Jermaine smiled and squeezed my hand again. "Thank you for inviting me but I would be a foreigner in the mix. No, you enjoy your friends but promise that you will at least call me no matter how late."
"But what if it's 1 am?" I asked knowing that we could possibly be that late.
"Then leave me a voice mail so I can wake up and hear your voice first thing in the morning." Jermaine said.
After lunch with Jermaine I was flying on cloud nine and if it wasn't for the gathering tonight I would be having dinner with Jermaine and having Jermaine for dessert. I decided to take a nap when I got home and I left Dre a note to wake me up when he got home, which was usually 5 o'clock. At 5:15 Dre woke me up and I began cooking food while Dre set up the bar. Everyone would be over soon and I wanted everything ready to roll.
"Can I ask you a question, E?" Dre asked as he walked in the kitchen where I was preparing the chicken and crab legs.
"Sure." I answered.
"Who is Jermaine?"
I gulped and I know I turned several shades of red. "Who?"
"Oh you an owl now? You heard me. Who is Jermaine?"
"Where did you hear that name?" I asked wondering what was going on.
"When I woke you up, which took me fifteen minutes, you started moaning that name. Jermaine...Jermaine...Jermaine. Is that the brother who turned you out?"
"Andre Levester Robinson you are nasty." I said surprised and shocked.
"Oh so you gonna call out a brotha's whole name? Arthur Eric Williams?"
We fell out laughing. For the record no one calls me Arthur except for the bill collecters.
"So who is Jermaine?" Andre asked again.
I told Andre about Jermaine, I left out the gym situation and I didn't describe our first sexual experience but I did tell him about having lunch with him today and how he wanted to have dinner tonight. Before long I was telling Andre how much I really liked Jermaine and that maybe he might be the one. When I was done Andre had a deep almost contemplative look on his face something I had never seen before.
"You aight, Dre?" I asked.
"Yeah, I was just thinking that maybe it's time for me to settle down." Dre said.
Now I was shocked again. "What? You? Settle down?"
"Well, it ain't like I can't fool." Andre shot back. "I can."
"I know. It's just that I never figured you for the settle down type at least not now." I explained.
"Well, when I find the right one you will see me settled. Now, I'm goin to get ready for tonight."
Dre left the kitchen and went back to getting things ready.
Everyone arrived pretty much on time. Shane and Sean were first and immediately Sean was all up in Andre's world flirting and acting silly but Dre took it all in stride while Shane went to the bar and fixed himself and drink and began quizzing me on where I was today. I had forgotten about the work out. Just as I was trying to think of what to tell him Mo-Mo and Brett arrived. I introduced Brett around to everyone and he shook hands and nodded but it was clear he wasn't feeling apart of this. Shane fixed Mo-Mo a drink and then Brett and before long the party was going. Andre turned the radio on to the urban station WWJM-101...Jammin' 101 and the mood was set as JLo and Ja-Rule tried to convince us about how real Puffy's ex was, which sparked a debate about if JLo, who is latina should have been allowed to get away with saying "My nigga" when she wasn't a sistah. I went into the kitchen to finish things up when Mo-Mo walked in.
"Hey Eric, I want to thank you." He said
"What for?"
"For allowing me to bring Brett."
"Man, Mo you ain't gotta thank me." I said. He damn sure did have to thank me.
"I do. You are a great friend." Mo-Mo said and he grabbed me in a tight hug. Yeah, I'm a great friend. Such a great friend that I know that his man was out at the club getting his freak on and I haven't said a word. I heard Sean shout out "You niggas are crazy!" I suggested that Mo-Mo go see what's going on and I would bring the food out. No sooner did Mo-Mo leave did Brett come in.
"Can I get some soda?" He asked.
"Sure it's in the frig help yourself." I said.
Brett opened the frig and poured himself some Pepsi. "Can I help you with anything?"
"No, I got it."
"Okay...ummm...Eric...I just wanted to say...I wanted to say Thanks."
What in the hell was going on around here. Mo-Mo and now this mofo?
"No problem. Mo-Mo already thanked me for inviting you." I said
Brett sipped his Pepsi. "Well, I was thanking you for not telling Mohammed about what you saw at the club."
"Look Brett, my not telling Mo had nothing to do with you. I should have told him but it's none of my business."
"I know and just so that you'll know I told Mohammed what happened." Brett revealed. I looked at him. Why is he telling me this and why do I even care?
"Really? Well, I'm glad you told him." I replied.
"Well, considering that...well...I figured it was for the best." Brett answered. "By the way I didn't tell him that we saw each other at the club."
That got my attention. "Why didn't you?"
"It didn't seem necessary. Once I told him what had happened it just seemed that well it might make things worse."
"How do you figure that?" I asked.
"I don't know maybe it wouldn't...I just thought that maybe he would have thought you knew all along or something and I didn't want a situation between you two."
I smiled, which was far from sincere. "How white of you."
Brett looked at me wondering what I meant.
"Look you told Mo and that is probably what you needed to do but it's not any of my business." I said.
"I just wanted you to know that I love Mohammed and what happened was a stupid indiscretion and I wanted to thank you for having me here in your home when I know it was probably the last thing you wanted to do."
"Mohammed is my friend and I love him too. He asked me to invite you, how could I tell him no?" I asked.
"I know. Well, I'll leave you alone but can I ask you one thing...a favor if you will?"
"What?"
"Don't mention anything about my indiscretion or even our conversation to Mohammed. He's working to put it behind him...us and I don't want to bring it up ever again."
"Hey like I said, it isn't my business." I answered. Brett nodded and walked away. I went back to preparing the food and putting it out for everyone, who all were hungry and ready to eat and as I sat and watched my friends devour the food I had a feeling that right then things were going to change for everyone around the table and not a lot of very good.
After everyone ate it was time to play spades the teams were Mohammed and Brett, Shane and I and Dre and much to his delight, Sean. Since Shane and I were the defending champions we deemed that Mo-Mo and Brett would play Dre and Sean and the winners meet the champs. As it turned out Dre and Sean soundly beat Mo-Mo and Brett. It became clear that Brett had no idea of the concept of spades and we could see defeat for the team of Mohammed and Brett all night long. Dre and Sean faced off against me and Shane and after a grueling battle of cards and wits Shane and I went down in fiery defeat to Dre and Sean who celebrated and danced around the room with no shame. You see Sean, until Brett played, was the bad player who hardly ever won and now he had tasted victory.
"I told ya E, you are a bad spades player." Dre said with a self-satisfying smile.
"Man fuck you!" I snapped.
"You wish." Dre replied.
"You can fuck me!" Sean jumped in and Mo, Shane, myself and even Brett paused and held our breath waiting for Dre to explode. I could tell that Shane wanted to belt his twin brother for saying something like that. What we got made us breath a sigh of relief. Dre laughed. He laughed and patted Sean on the back and we all laughed, nervously. That was when I learned something about "us" you know, gays. We have stereotypes of straights ourselves. We all looked at Dre as the straight brother who was cool with a few gay brothers but who would drop anyone for making an unwanted advance or statement. He didn't react the way we figured he would and we all learned a lesson.
"Well, brothers," Mo-Mo said getting up, "Brett and I have gotta jet up out of here. This was great."
"Damn Mo-Mo you ain't gotta rush off." I said looking at Brett, who looked away from me.
"I do. I have to get ready for Louisville and then the PPV."
"Speaking of that," I said taking Mo-Mo off to the side. "You think you can get another ticket like we got?"
Mo-Mo raised an eyebrow in question. "For who?"
"Dre. He's a wrestling fan and I figured he'd be cool to hang with...I mean unless you don't like him?"
"No man. I think he's cool. It's done." Mohammed said.
"Cool." I said. We all said good-bye to Mohammed and Brett and then fifteen minutes after they left Shane and Sean also said good-bye. Before he left Sean apologized to Dre if what he said made him nervous or insulted him. Dre said it was all good and they left. Dre and I stood in the mess that was left behind.
"That was a great get together. Thanks for inviting me." Dre said
"Anytime my brother but it's really gonna be off the hook when we all go to Vegas for the PPV."
"Whatcha mean?"
"Mo-Mo said he is gonna get you a ticket so you going with us."
Dre smiled and seemed speechless and then he embraced me in a tight brother hug. "Thanks man. You are my best friend."
"You're mine too." And we embraced again. Dre turned away quickly said good night and was gone. I watched him go. I had never seen Dre get that emotional about anything. We were friends, brothers for life and that would never change. I am blessed to have him in my life.
He was laying in his bed, on top on his sheets, wearing a pair of dark blue Hanes boxer briefs watching BET's Midnight Love. He should have been completely exhausted but he wasn't and he couldn't sleep. He was engrossed in an old video by R. Kelly called "Bump-N-Grind." As R. Kelly's sexy, soulful and sensual voice filled the room and filled his head with wonderful sexy images. He closed his eyes and let the words of the singer and the sing sweep him away.
When he opened his eyes he was no longer alone in his room. He had company. He stood in the room at the foot of the bed partically obstructing his view of the TV screen but he didn't mind. The man standing at the foot of his bed smiled down at him and he smiled back. He knelt down at the foot of the bed and began kissing and caressing his barefeet. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh and moan as he enjoyed the sexy touch of lips and fingers on his feet but soon the fingers and lips were slowly moving up his legs kissing and licking his lower legs, his upper leg, his inner thigh. His dick grew hard like steel as he responded to the tantalizing touch of the visitor....the welcomed visitor.
He felt a hand snake into his boxer briefs and release his throbbing dick and then engulfed it within his hot mouth.
"OH GOD!" He hissed as he arched his back to allow all of his dick to enter the hot mouth that was servicing him. "SHIT! Don't stop...p...please don't stop." He begged.
He continued to suck his dick while letting his fingers play with and tickle his balls. It felt too damn good and he didn't want it to end and he couldn't wait to cum. He could feel it forming in his balls and he wanted to give it all to him and for him to swallow it all. To take it all. He could feel teeth barely touching his shaft and the tongue wrapping around it and tight lips pulling on it trying to force out all the cum that was inside. His toes curled and his feet and legs twitched and wiggled as he felt the point of no return coming.
It didn't take long.
He let out a small cry as the first spurt of his cum entered the hot mouth working on him and the first spurt was followed by a second then a third and a fourth until it was all out of his system and he lay there trembling and twitching.
"Damn!"
He opened his eyes, the TV was on and he was in the room alone. He looked down and realized that he had had another wet dream.
"Shit!" He cussed as he swung out of the bed. He had had that damn dream again. He padded into the bathroom careful not to wake anyone up. He took a brisk cold shower and then towel dried himself and then as he looked at his reflection in the mirror he remembered the dream and the man who had inspired it and once again his dick grew hard and much to his annoyance he reached into the medicine cabinet and pulled out a jar of petroleum jelly. He locked the bathroom door and then sat on the closed toilet lid and applied some jelly to his hand and began jacking off...it was the only way he could get him out of his system. But even as he thought that he knew that it was wrong and there was only one way he could stop this. But could he?