Do not read further if you are not of legal age to do so. All the usual disclaimers and copyright laws apply. "Love is All that Matters" is the second volume in the "Doing Hard Time" saga.
LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS ~ Chapter 16 ~
From the Narrative of Joshua Spencer:
Phoebe rushed over to a stunned Harry and enveloped him in a hug.
"What's going on?" he asked in confusion, trying to disentangle himself from her embrace.
She broke off the hug and glared at him through teary eyes. "You stupid boy! I asked you so many times, and you told me everything was fine with Dad. You could have told me."
"Oh," Harry said weakly. "Mom told you."
"Of course she told me, you idiot! Why would you keep something like that from me?"
"I didn't know how - I just can't explain it, okay? Why does everyone keep bugging me about it?" he said in frustration. "I was stupid, okay? I thought Dad actually cared for me." Then he realized that Reid was present and immediately clammed up.
Fortunately, Reid quickly caught on and was smart enough to pretend not to have a clue about what was going on. He gave a puzzled smile and said, "I'll go and tell Marcia that you're here, Phoebe." Turning back to us he added, "It was nice meeting you."
Once Reid had retreated into the kitchen, Phoebe said, "Oh, Harrison. I'm so sorry."
"C'mon, Pheebs, it wasn't your fault," said Harry.
Phoebe shook her head. "I'm your elder sister. I should have protected you."
Harry looked sadly at her. "You did what you could. It could have been worse if not for you. I never thanked you."
"You don't have to thank me, Harrison."
At this point Marcia appeared on the scene and hugged her daughter. "I'm glad you managed to come. Did you bring all the things?"
Phoebe wiped her tears with the back of her hand and said, "Yeah, they're all in these couple of bags." She looked around for them. "I had them with me ."
I held up the one I was holding. "I have this one, and the other one's with Reid."
"Yes, he gave that one to me. But they were mostly Harrison's clothes," confirmed Marcia. She took the bag from me and sifted through its contents. "Yes, this is mine."
Phoebe looked at Harry. "Don't blame me for the selection of clothes. I chose them blindly while creeping around and hoping Dad wouldn't get back from the office early. He's been in such a foul temper lately. And the house is a mess. I think the maid's decided to go on strike, too."
Marcia commented, "It would serve him right if he had to do things by himself for once."
"He wants you to return to him before next week's fundraiser," Phoebe said.
"Did he say anything about Harrison?"
Phoebe looked down. Harry said, "It's alright, Pheebs. I've always been a disappointment to him, so it probably suits him perfectly that I'm not there anymore."
"He owes you an apology," Marcia said firmly.
Harry laughed bitterly. "Has Dad ever apologized for anything?"
Marcia slowly shook her head.
"You know we're always for you," Phoebe said. "Ronald was quite concerned about both of you too. In fact this is from both of us." She dug into her handbag and held a wad of cash out to Harry. He didn't reach out to accept it.
"Harrison, take it. Since you don't want to stay with us, at least this will cover your expenses."
"Pheebs, I'm getting a job. I can support us."
"Don't be stubborn. You won't get your first paycheck for another month at least. You'll need some cash in the meantime."
I interrupted. "I can handle their expenses, at least for the first month."
Phoebe smiled at me. "I'm sure you can, Josh, but you must let me do this. They are my mother and brother. Okay?"
I nodded. Harry looked at me and only then accepted the money with profuse thanks.
"Harrison," Phoebe said warningly, "what did I tell you earlier about thanking me?"
"Well, at least say thanks to Ronald."
Phoebe nodded and turned to her mother. "Well, Mom, Dad asked me if I was in contact with you."
Both Harry and Marcia looked alarmed.
"You didn't tell him where we were, did you?"
"Of course not," she said indignantly. "I can barely stand to look at him now that I know he used to beat Harrison. I didn't tell him anything. But Dad thinks I should find some way of reconciling the two of you."
"I have absolutely no intention of reconciling with that man. You can tell him I will see him in court for divorce proceedings," Marcia said angrily.
Harry was shocked. "You - you want to divorce Dad? But it's not that bad!"
Marcia looked at him. "It's not that bad? I can't believe that I spent 28 years living with a man who abuses his own son! I can no longer stand next to him at his fundraisers, smiling and pretending everything's alright."
Harry was even more distressed. "Mom, you can't. I don't want to be the cause of your break-up."
Marcia grabbed hold of Harry by the shoulders. "You are certainly not the cause of it; Alistair is. I already called my attorney to tell her to look into it."
Harry glanced at Phoebe. "Pheebs, at least you can tell Mom not to go through with this," he pleaded.
She stared at him sympathetically. "Harrison, he really has brainwashed you properly. Don't you see that we can't just keep giving in to him all the time? That's what's made him think he can get away with whatever he does. He shouldn't be allowed to!"
"Harrison," Marcia said gently. "Alistair has brought this on himself. I'm not only doing this to seek justice for you - no, don't protest - but I'm also doing it for myself. It has been hell living with that man for all these years. The first few years weren't too bad, and having two wonderful children was great, but after that . . . the only reason I stayed with him was for the sake of our children. But now, with these revelations, I don't think it's fair on me, or you for that matter, to have to put up with Alistair any longer. I've thought about it carefully, and come to the decision that a divorce is the best solution. He won't leave us alone otherwise."
Harry was quiet for a while after Marcia finished talking. Then he said, "Are you sure? I'm not going to stop you, but I still think you're making a mistake." He slowly turned away and left the room. We all stared at his back.
Phoebe was the first to speak. "Mom, I don't think you're making a mistake. I mean, a couple of years ago, I might not have understood why, but now that I have a son of my own . . . If Ronald ever did anything like that to Alan, God help him. Not that I think he will. But how could Dad do that to Harrison? He was just a kid, in high school."
"You know your father, Phoebe. And you know the truth as well as I do. But I will not lose my son because of that man." She started to cry and Phoebe hugged her.
Suddenly she looked at me and smiled sadly. "Josh, you must think we're the strangest family you've ever met."
"Not at all," I quickly assured her. "I think you're both wonderful, how you're both supporting Harry against the congressman."
"But it's not fair of us to burden you with all this," Marcia said.
"Aunt Marcia, I already told you, you're not burdening me at all. Reid and I both love having you around. You can stay as long as you like."
"I'm guessing that for Harrison, it's going to be a permanent arrangement?" Phoebe smiled slyly.
"I have to honestly say, I don't know," I admitted. I did want Harry to stay with me, of course, but I didn't know if he wanted to. A couple of days ago we had agreed on a brief stay only.
She appeared puzzled. "But he sounded very much in love with you when I talked with him on the phone. Why would he leave?"
"I think Josh is worried that Harrison will leave if I do," Marcia interjected. "I'm afraid I have always been on the top of Harrison's priorities and that might not change anytime soon, but I rather think I have to share that place with someone else now." She smiled at me.
I wasn't sure what to say.
Marcia patted my hand. "I'll stay as long as necessary, at least until Harrison is comfortable here. By then I am sure he won't leave even if I do. Now I must go and finish cooking dinner. Phoebe dear, thanks for bringing all the things I asked you to."
"Sure, Mom." Marcia went back into the kitchen and Phoebe rounded on me.
"So! You love my brother?"
I blinked but nodded without hesitation.
"Take good care of him, Josh. We're counting on you. Harrison is . . . emotionally fragile. So if you ever hurt him -" Her voice held the hint of a threat and she looked hard at me.
I didn't blink. "I know he's fragile. I promise I will look after him."
She relaxed noticeably. "I'm sure you will. I'm sorry if I over-reacted, but he is my little brother. I'm used to protecting him, and I can't believe I failed so miserably. Anyway, I'm guessing I will be seeing a lot more of you . and your friend, too - what was his name, Reid?"
"Yeah."
She grinned. "I'm beginning to understand why Harrison might be tempted to live here permanently. Not one but two good- looking guys." She giggled. "It almost makes me wish I wasn't respectably married."
I blushed again. "You wouldn't have any luck. Reid is also gay."
"Not him too!" she exclaimed in mock horror. Then she grinned. "I kind of guessed it. But that doesn't mean I can't notice how damned good-looking he was."
I grinned; I was starting to really like Phoebe. Then her pager beeped. She hurriedly glanced at it.
"Oh bother, I have to attend this emergency at the hospital," she said. I showed her out, and was closing the front door when I remembered the incident outside the cafe, earlier that day, and what Reid had suggested I do. I quickly ran out again to catch her before she got into her car.
"Um, Phoebe? It's just - it might be nothing, but we're a little worried that your father might, well, be up to something. I don't suppose you've happened to see anyone who looks like a private investigator, with a black car, around your Dad's house?"
She stared at me. "Now that you mention it . . . While I was upstairs getting these clothes, Dad came home early. I was trying to creep out the back way when I heard this car drive up. And when I walked past his home office, I overheard him talking with a man. I didn't see his face but his car was parked in the driveway, and it was black. Luckily I parked round the back so Dad didn't know I was even there."
"Did you overhear anything from the conversation?" I pressed.
She screwed up her face, trying to remember. "I don't think so, I wasn't really paying attention - too busy trying to get out unnoticed. Was it important?"
"Yes, I think so. It appears your Dad has hired this guy to keep an eye on Harry and we - Reid and I - think he might try to spoil Harry's job prospects."
"Oh dear - wait a minute! I think I did hear the guy mention something about a job, at some place, I can't remember exactly . . . Fern something or rather . . ."
"Fernley and Ashmore?" I prodded.
Phoebe's eyes lit up in recognition. My heart sank.
"Yeah, that was it." Then she looked somber. "You really think he might do something to ruin the job prospects?"
I was silent and it was her who answered her own question. "Yes, he would. Oh no, Harry can't take another rejection ."
"Don't worry, now that I know, I will do something about it," I tried to reassure her. I wasn't quite sure what I would do, but I knew I had to make sure Harry didn't face another disappointment.
Unexpectedly she kissed me on the cheek. "If you help Harrison with this, you are officially a hero in my book. My brother is lucky to have you for a boyfriend. Okay, I really need to get to the hospital. Keep me posted, okay?"
I nodded and watched her drive off. Now exactly how was I going to solve this new problem?
From the Narrative of Harrison Ridgeway IV:
"You were awfully quiet during dinner," I told Josh as we lay in bed.
"I was thinking," he mumbled absent-mindedly.
"About what?"
"Huh?" I realized he wasn't really paying attention. I jabbed him in the chest with my elbow.
"Ow!" He rubbed his chest gingerly. "I was just thinking about your sister."
"What about Pheebs?"
"Why do you call her that?"
I shrugged. "I used to tease her, just to annoy her, but then the name stuck."
"She really loves you."
"Well, I love her too. If anyone were to ask me the names of two women I love, I would say my mother and sister."
He grinned. "What about the men that you love?"
"Oh, I don't know - maybe Reid?" I said with wide-eyed innocence.
"Okay, baby, so you want to play it like that, huh?" He proceeded to mercilessly tickle me until I was begging him to stop.
"Let me go! Okay, I'll say it. Just stop!" I said through tears of laughter.
He ceased the tickling. "I love -" He looked at me expectantly.
"- Brad Pitt," I finished. He glared at me and grabbed the pillow to thump me.
I put up my hands to defend myself and yelled, "Okay, I love you!"
He grabbed hold of both my hands and held them together. "Say it properly."
"I already did."
"Uh-uh." He rubbed my cock with his free hand. I immediately sprung a boner. "You're not getting any release until you say it properly."
I glared at him. "You can't do this," I protested.
"Sure I can. Unless you say it." He squeezed my balls gently.
"You are so mean -" He looked at me threateningly. "- but I love you all the same, Joshua Spencer."
"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" He kissed me on the lips, relaxing his hold on my hands. I quickly took advantage of it and rolled over on top of him. My semi-erect cock rubbed against his chest.
"Role-reversal, huh?" he grinned. Of course I melted and smothered his body with wet kisses instead. Halfway down, I stopped.
"Just now, when Phoebe was here, you said you could handle the expenses, for at least the first month. But I never said I was going to be here for a month, let alone more than one."
He looked at me worriedly. "You don't want to stay longer?"
"Do you want me to?"
"What sort of stupid question is that?" he exploded. "Of course I want you to stay here! I want to be able to kiss you goodbye when you leave for office in the morning and make love to you at night."
Silence followed his outburst. Then he said softly, "I didn't mean to get angry with you -"
I put my finger on his lips. "Everything you said . . . I want them too. And I'm not ever going to leave you."
"Not even if your Mom does?" he asked.
"You don't want her here?"
"I love having her here, Harry. And I think Reid has become particularly fond of her. And she just said she will stay here as long as necessary."
"She did?"
He nodded. "She told me and Phoebe just now."
"Then it's settled." I settled back comfortable onto the pillow next to him. "It's your turn tonight."
"My turn?"
"Well, it's nighttime and you said you wanted to do something with me . . ."
He grinned. "I knew it! The innocent angel is just a disguise. Underneath you're a horny little devil. But that doesn't matter because I'm here to fulfill your desires."
And he certainly did that night. It was a lot less painful this time around, just like he'd said, and I was soon in orgasmic heaven. It was only as I drifted off to sleep, with my head on his chest, that I realized how he hadn't really told me what he'd been thinking about during dinner.
To be continued . . .
I don't usually reveal what's coming up in the next chapter, but I'll make an exception this time. I'm sure Caleb fans will be pleased to know his character returns in the next chapter. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and the story in general, by dropping me an email at justinr_88@yahoo.com. Thanks for all the feedback so far, and keep it coming :-)