Disclaimer: This story concerns mainly homosexual men and their lives, relationships and sexual activities. It was inspired only by my visions and invention. This tale is entirely fictional. If there are any similarities to actual people, places or events, it is purely coincidental. If you are under 18 or if reading this story would be illegal for you in your area or if you don't like the subject matter, please leave now. Always be SAFE. Otherwise read on and I hope you enjoy.
The Dukes of Windsor Copyrigh 2004 by Paul H. Daventon. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author. If you are enjoying this story, write to me at dukesofwindsor@juno.com
When you write, please put "Dukes" or "Dukes of Windsor" in the Subject line so I concentrate on story email. Thanks, Paul.
THANK YOU I'd be remiss if I didn't thank David and Allen for editing the chapters of this story. They have made the writing smoother, more correct and easier to read.. Thank you guys so much for your help and your encouragement, keeping me on the path. Love you forever. Paul Daventon
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
The Dukes and Duchess of Windsor has 38 chapters and the story is finished. I will put a chapter on each week if all goes well. P.D.
============== Chapter Twenty-four ==============
The scene of the Windsor College Band's Pops concert showed a milling mass of people. The band members were crowding around to see Dr. Ridgway, to see if he was all right. The doctor who had come from the audience soon had Matt sitting up, then standing up, and trying to calm everybody. Matt was particularly concerned about his favorite flutist, Britt Briggs. She also was okay, just a little scared from being thrown on the lawn from her chair.
His Dukes, who were looking around trying to understand what had happened, surrounded Matt. First, they noticed that Matt's podium has collapsed under him, and one leg of Britt's chair was severed. How could that have happened?
Sergeant Reardon had been in the audience during the concert but had gotten a call on his cell phone and left to go where he could hear and speak. As soon as his call was finished, he noticed the audience milling around but not going anywhere. He hurried back just in time to see Matt being helped from the ground.
"Matt, now what have you done?" he asked, trying to make light of a possible tragedy.
"Sergeant, we haven't been able to figure out anything other than I fell off of my perch." He grinned, "I don't think anything serious happened, though. However, my podium is damaged..."
Reardon broke in, "Is that somewhere around your pelvis, Matt? I never heard of it." He moved around Matt's body, pretending to figure just where the podium' was.
Matt ignored the Sergeant. "And, Sergeant, Britt's chair fell out from under her, throwing her to the ground."
Reardon sat on his heels as he looked at both the podium and the chair. The condition of both of them confirmed what he'd been visualizing.
"Matt, both your podium and Britt's chair were hit by bullets, maybe just one bullet which ricocheted from your podium to her chair leg. We'll need to search the area very closely tomorrow; the light is getting too dim now. I'll have police tapes around this whole area and a man will be here round the clock." He looked at Matt, "Are you all right, Matt, you know, you worry me a lot, my friend. You need someone to look after you."
"I do have someone, Sergeant, Hardy Wo...." He broke off, "Has anyone seen Hardy recently?"
One of Matt's drummers came up to say he saw Hardy run to the SocSci building just as they were finishing the last piece. "I had memorized The Sound of Music' and just happened to look up and see him."
Matt knew the kid could hardly read the music, let alone memorize it, but Rhett Butler was a good kid and a good drummer once he learned the piece.
The Sergeant looked up to the top floors on the SocSci building. "Matt, is that Hardy leaning out the window on the fifth floor?"
"Yeah, that's Hardy, wonder what he is doing up there?"
He saw that Hardy was pointing at the Sergeant, and then waving his hand, wanting him to come up there with him. "I think he wants you up there."
Sgt. Reardon moved fast, running to the building and then ran up five floors. When he got onto the fifth floor after ten flights, he stopped, bent over with his hands on his knees, panting fast and hard, "Oh hell, I got to do more exercising."
When he had his breath, he hollered, "Where are you, Hardy?"
"In here, Sergeant, room 502."
Reardon found Hardy kneeling by the open window, scanning the floor. "Sergeant, I came up here because I thought there might be a sniper in this room. I had noticed that this window was open when I was standing behind the band, and I knew it should not be open. So, when I saw a man go in the building, I got up here as fast as I could."
"Was there anybody here, Hardy?"
Hardy lied and said, "Nope, whoever was here had disappeared by the time I got.... hey, Sergeant, look at what I found." Hardy didn't touch the brass he found next to the wall, partially hidden by the baseboard.
Sergeant Reardon pulled a pen from his shirt pocket, stuck it in the cartridge and pulled it up to his nose. That's about as recently fired as they get. Couldn't be more than a few minutes." He patted Hardy on the back, "Good going, Mr. Wolfe, or is it Mr. Ridgway?"
Hardy knew Reardon was teasing, but he enjoyed it. "Not yet, Sergeant, but maybe soon."
Both men were scrunched down on their heels, Reardon put his arm around Hardy's shoulders, holding tight.
"Hardy, some policemen give homosexuals a hard time, particularly the flamboyant, ostentatious ones, and that isn't right. We are fortunate in Windsor that most gays are quiet law- abiding men, wanting just a home life with their partner. I don't hold with the bias. You and Matt keep a very tight ship and I'd sign on with you anytime. I don't know what goes between you two guys, but I'm okay with anything you do in private, and I'd hate like hell to lose either of you." He sniffed, "I almost told you to call me by my first name, but I just can't tell you what it is." He laughed, "I guess you'll have to wait for that surprise."
Hardy smiled and patted Reardon on his back, "Thanks, I think, Sergeant, we'll wait. You do get a lot of business from us, remember!"
"Right! I'll get started checking this brass and search for the bullet out there somewhere. Might not help a bit, but we've got to try. Your Matt is important, but hurting the kids is too much."
As Reardon left, Hardy regretting having lied to him, but he had to talk to Matt first. Karl had not explained much when he came to with quite a bump on his head. He begged Hardy to let him go and he'd explain to him and Matt later. Hardy knew Karl wouldn't have been the sniper, though he did know he was an expert with a rifle.
Hardy returned to the band concert area, noting that most everyone had left, audience and band members. Matt was still there, supervising those who were returning music department equipment to the music building. He saw Hardy and walked over to him.
"Hardy, what was going on in the SocSci Building? Did you find anything?"
"Yes, Matt, but we'll have to talk about it later at home. Not now."
"Now you are being mysterious. I assume you'll tell me everything." He thought a moment, "I'll bet you didn't tell the Sergeant everything, did you?"
"No, that's between us and one other person."
Matt sighed, looking resigned, "Okay, Woofie, I'll go along for a while." He also looked desperately tired and exhausted, "I need a bath and bed, babe, let's get home as soon as we can."
As Hardy helped Matt into the Jacuzzi, he noticed some red marks on Matt's body, probably some places which would show bruises the next day.
"Ah, Matty, you've been hurt," he said as he ran his hands over Matt's chest and sides. "Did this happen when you fell?"
"I guess, I was shocked with just realizing that I was falling, something you don't expect. I'll be all right. I guess Britt is okay, huh?"
Yes, her parents were there and took her home. She was a little shaken but otherwise fine."
Matt shook his head, "Are we going to have guards at our concerts, or metal detectors? I'm very depressed, Woofie, I just can't shake it."
"Gee, Matty, I'd sure like to see you shake it, just wait, I'll get in with you."
Hardy swiftly stripped his clothes from his body, revealing a new naked section of his fabulous body with every piece of clothing divested. Finally, completely nude, he slid into the hot water beside Matt, slowly drifting on top of his lover until they were as one, holding body to body, lips to lips. Neither was very excited, too tired and discomforted, worried about someone out there who hated them.
"Okay, Hardy, we're in position now, so tell all, and I mean all!"
"Sure, Matt." He stuck his tongue in Matt's ear. "Now, when I got to the fifth floor, I looked for anyone. I did feel scared because if my theory was right, a sniper had been there, or maybe was still there.
"The first room I looked in, #502, revealed a man lying on the floor, motionless. Since I didn't have a weapon of any sort, I entered carefully, scanning the area closely as I went. When I got close, I saw that the man was Karl Nordstrom. Checking his pulse, I found it strong and a bit rapid, but he seemed to be breathing normally.
"I patted his cheeks lightly, then harder, calling his name. Within a few moments, his eyes opened and he jumped, showing fright and almost panic, but calmed himself immediately. He soon sat up by himself, looking at me weirdly, as if I were a stranger he didn't know. Again, he composed himself more and called me by name."
"Oh, hi, Hardy, I didn't realize who you were for a minute."
"Yes, Karl, I understood that and hope you are all right. You have a large bump on your head, my friend, and you were totally unconscious when I arrived."
"Has anyone been here beside you, Hardy?"
"No, Karl, just me. I assume there was someone else here when you came up."
Karl nodded his head.
"And that man was a sniper with a rifle, right?"
Again he nodded.
"And, I'm going to bet you know who he is, right?"
Karl lowered his head and again nodded. Suddenly, he stood up, "Oh, god, Hardy, I've got to get out of here." He begged with his whole body, "Hardy, please, let me go and I'll explain to you and Matt whenever you say. Please trust me, please?"
Hardy gave Karl a sidelong look, suspicious, "You didn't have a rifle here, did you?"
"Absolutely not, Hardy, Matt would be the last person I would kill."
So Hardy told Karl to get out, and hurry before he had to get some police up there.
"That's it, Matt, that's all we said. What do you think?"
"Very mysterious, Hardy. I'm particularly interested in his last statement that I would be the last person he would kill'. Strange, isn't it? Why, of all people, would he be killing anyone?" Matt tried to reason it, "Maybe that's what we need to investigate, or who."
"He promised to talk with us whenever we wanted."
"Did you talk to Sergeant Reardon, Hardy?"
"Yes, but I didn't tell him about Karl. Karl seemed to be in a state of panic, honestly, until I said we would wait until he let us in on his secrets."
"I think you did right, Woofie, good thinking in a tight spot. Now can we go to bed?"
"Sure."
The two naked men wiped each other down with ultra soft towels, pulled down the sheet and literally fell into bed, fitting their bodies together, cocks in line and asleep in 3 minutes.
In the Head of the Music Department's office, Dr. Powers was overjoyed with the way Matt took his little joke' application for the president's office. He was going wild trying to find out who sent the application on him. Fortunately Powers had greased the ways so Matt couldn't find out who sent it in. He was 'outed' and that was that. Dr. Matthew B. Ridgway would not bother him anymore. The college would have to fire him and every member of the Ohio Fine Arts Teachers Association would consider him 'persona non grata'. Powers grinned in glee and danced a little bit around the room, his office, no one else's. The college will have to plead with him to rescind his retirement and he could stay. They would just have to pass a special by-law.
He noted that the College Concert Band had another Pops Concert this coming Friday. He wondered just what did happen last Friday. He hadn't heard any gossip about it, just wild rumors which couldn't be right. One was that there was a sniper in a building, but the police hadn't said anything about that and there wasn't an item about it in the paper.
Powers was already planning how he would get rid of everything that Ridgway put in place, especially the Dukes of Windsor. What a pathetic performance group! What a waste! His secretary entered with a messagegram. Powers wouldn't have anything to do computers, the Internet, email or websites.
Dr. Powers noted that the messagegram was from a friend at the O.F.A.T.A in Columbus. The envelope was sealed, he opened it quickly. As he read the message, he turned pure white and felt faint. In fact he did faint, falling on the thick Oriental carpet on his office floor. His secretary had left his office door open and heard a thump in the office, so went to see. She found Powers on the floor, unconscious, holding the messagegram in his fist.
In her office she called 9-1-1, telling them exactly where to come. Within 15 minutes the EMS people had come, examined Powers and took him by ambulance to the hospital. Powers' secretary had removed the messagegram from Powers' fingers, read it and started laughing, fit to be tied. She knew that Powers had sent in Matt's application. She continued laughing so long and so loud that the secretary from the next office came to see what the hell was so damn funny. "Oh, not much, just something I thought of." She wasn't going to tell anyone about the message.
That evening, Roger and Todd were fixing dinner for the 'family'. Their meals were a bit boring, but were well done. Todd had learned how to cook from the chef at his first job with the Rittenberry family and could make tasty and nutritious meals.
Roger was his sous chef, dishwasher and garbage disposer. He was just happy that one of them could cook and keep peace with the family. The two young men had a renewal of their love affair after Matt had talked to Roger. Roger apologized steadily for two days, promising on his sacred oath to be more caring, more understanding and more loving.
Just that morning the young men had awakened, joined by their arms and bodies. Todd was six inches taller than Roger, but he always tried to minimize the difference by stooping or curling his body around Roger's. In his new realization of their relationship, Roger recognized what Todd had been doing, belittling himself to make Roger look bigger.
After their shower that morning, Roger was determined to help Todd find his natural place in their connection. Their bathroom had a mirror covering a full wall which revealed their nakedness from head to toes, and Roger asked, "Toddy, look at us, would you? What do you see?"
Todd giggled, "You are a real hunk, Rog, and I love you." He blushed, of course.
Roger asked, "Toddy, you are a real hunk, and I love you."
Again Todd blushed, "Aw, Rog, I'm no hunk. Look how skinny I am." He crossed his arms over his chest, his head bowed and his eyes on the floor. "Rog, I am so lucky to have found you, man, I'm so damn lucky you somehow wanted me, dumb and skinny as I am." Todd seemed almost in tears, just what Roger didn't want.
Roger turned to hold Todd, his back now echoed by the mirror. "Toddy, I love you because you are a hunk, you are a wonderful person inside and outside, you are so accommodating with me, you are so sweet and strong, you love me AND, Toddy, you are six inches taller than me!"
Todd raised his head suddenly to look at Roger.
"Yes, Todd, I said because you are six inches taller than me. I love you that much." He smiled at Todd, "My lover, I love you because you are YOU! Not because you can almost make yourself look smaller than me." Roger grabbed Todd, pressing himself to him, "Toddy, please believe me, I want you to be YOU, entirely you. I am not intimidated by your height, or anything about you. I want to be proud of you, of all that you stand for and are, and I am proud of your being six inches taller than I am. I hope that pleases you, dear."
Now tears were leaking from Todd's eyes, dashing down his cheeks and dripping off of his jaw. He started to sink lower, bend his knees and try to adjust.
"No, Toddy, you can't do that. Stand up!"
Roger pulled over a small stool he had previously put in their bathroom. By standing on it, Roger was as tall as Todd, his face was even with Roger's, however his cock was a few inches above Todd's. He pulled in close to Todd, pressed his lips on Todd's and thrust his tongue into his mouth. Holding his arms around Todd's neck, Roger was able to wrap his legs around Todd's hips and hold on.
Immediately Todd' hands reached under Roger's buttocks, helping to hold him up.
"Isn't this nice, Toddy, this is great. We are the same height, and if we work it right, you can put your cock up my ass just the way we are now. Right?"
Todd hesitated, "Yes, I guess."
"What's wrong?"
"How do I do that?"
Roger grinned, "Toddy, can you hold me up by my butt?"
"I guess."
"Okay, I'll grab your cock and point it to my asshole. Then we let me gradually sink lower. That's it."
Todd wasn't sure about it because his legs were trembling already. He held tight to Rog's beautiful butt cheeks while Rog reached down one hand to hold the cock up.
"Ok, Toddy, now let me lower."
As Roger slid lower on Todd's body, his rock-hard cock actually penetrated Rog's asshole, pushing up further and further until Todd hollered.
"Oh, oh, Rog, I can't hold us both up." He struggled, cried out but gradually slid to the bathroom-carpeted floor with a thud, stretched out with Roger on top of him.
"Are you okay, Todd?"
"Oh, Rog, I think I broke it, it hurts." He groaned roughly, grunting as he did.
"What broke?"
"What do you think? My..."
A new voice from the doorway, "Hi, ToddRog, what cha doin'?" The voice was obviously very young, a little older than the youngest, so it must belong to Jacob.
Todd and Roger froze in their position. Their heads were pointed toward the door with Roger still on top of Todd, and..... they were naked.
Roger raised his head and his chest up off Todd's chest, but not too far. As it happened, Todd's cock was not broken and was still inside Roger's ass but the kids couldn't see that.
Roger managed to smile at Jacob and Joshua in the doorway to the bathroom.
"Hi, guys, we're just wrestling, you know, rasslin'?" Ignoring the fact that they were naked.
"Oh."
Roger tried to make their position look like a wrestling hold, "See, I've got a winning hold on him, so I won." His mind was spinning, wondering how they would get out of this. Then he did have a brainstorm.
"Guys, you know that Matt said last night that we could try out the swimming pool today? How about you two go put on your Speedos and we'll meet you at the pool. But don't go in until we get there. Okay?"
"Yea, yea, hear that Joshie? We get to go swimming." Both kids were jumping around.
"Okay, guys, get going, shut the door and we'll be there soon."
Once they left and shut the door, Roger kissed Todd hard on the lips. "I love you, Mr. Todd O'Brien Fowler, very much. Now get that rod that's sticking in my ass hard as hell. Hurry. Then you get to go swimming."
Todd's arms wrapped around Rog's shoulders, "You are so clever, Rog, that's why I love you so much." He moaned, "I think he's getting bigger."
"Okay then, start humping me, lover, and hurry."
The two young men remained as they landed while Todd began humping Rog's ass, in and out, thrust and parry, faster and faster.
Todd was breathing hard, "Rog, if you would sit up and help, I could do this faster."
Roger sat up straight over Todd's groin, bouncing up and down as Todd's pelvis plunged his steel like cock, hot and red and dripping, directly in Rog's rectum.
"It's working, Rog, go faster, I'm almost cumming."
Todd grabbed Roger's solid cock with one hand and began to jerk it along with his cock pushing into Rog's bottom. Roger was leaning on his hands over Todd, raising and lowering his ass on the hot poker in his rectum. He was also drooling his mouth juices, scoring as they dropped right into Todd's mouth,
"Come on, Todd, shove it, ram it, stab me deep, I'm almost there."
"Now! Rog, now! As their bodies slammed together, their passions were reaching new heights in their love. They'd been doing that ever since their tiff and tussle. Love does that.
Both were yelling lovings at each other, and they shot their cum into Roger and all over Todd's chest and belly. Rog fell onto Todd, relaxing after their tension of a sexual climax.
"Toddy, I'd like to stay here, but we better get in our Speedos and meet the boys before they drown."
While Todd and Roger were "wrestling" in their bathroom then hurrying to the new pool to play with their little boys, whom they both loved and would never hurt, Matt and Hardy had awakened about the time Jacob and Joshua were putting their Speedos.
They hugged, they caressed and they kissed while still a little dazed. They had talked for a long time the night before, wondering what the hell is going on in their lives.
"Hardy, I'm confused. First, somebody outs' us, then somebody shoots at me and damn near hits a student and me. I'm really getting pissed, love, really pissed. And, what do I do when I get pissed?"
Hardy responded brightly, "You call Brian."
Matt started to laugh. "Damn, Woofie, we've been together too long." He laughed more and Hardy joined in.
"Yeah, my fearless leader, I got your number." He smiled broadly, "And I have this!!"
Hardy had grabbed Matt's huge cock, rigid and hot, dripping a bit from their foreplay.
They hugged and kissed, caressing their buttocks feverishly.
Suddenly, "Hardy, I'm not going to call Brian. We've been 'outed' and I have the perfect response to that. We're getting dressed, having breakfast, watching our young boys in the swimming pool, then, when it's time, you and I are going into town. It's Saturday and we're free!"
"How do you know the boys are in the pool?"
"I announced last night that they could if they were with an adult or two." He giggled, "And I heard what Roger told the little boys a while ago. I'm trying to imagine what happened, but I think Roger and Todd were having sex in their bathroom and were at a crucial point in the proceedings, the little boys walked in and asked what they were doing. The doors between here and there were open and the voices carried. Especially when Roger was getting rattled and told the boys to go get their Speedos on and go to the pool. They were warned not to go in until Todd and Roger got there."
"Geez, Matt, you are amazing, a real seer, a prophet."
Hardy asked, "So, what are we going to be doing?"
"That's my surprise! Now let's get going."
Hardy and Matt, when ready to go to town, looked from the second floor window that overlooked the new pool, primarily for safety of the swimmers.
"Matt, do you see what I see?" He pointed to the pool where the four boys were having a lot of fun.
"Well, Hardy, it looks to me like all four of them lost their Speedos somewhere and they are having a wonderful time with each other. I know each loves the other three, but within the bounds of correct behavior." He looked at Hardy, "Don't you think?"
Hardy hugged his lover, kissing him like mad and was being kissed right back. "They are fine, Matt, but maybe we should warn Mom about this. She might want to swim this morning."
Matt laughed, actually roared, "No, Woofie, she's in this family and has to take her chances just as all of us do." Hardy laughed with him.
The Ridgway van pulled to the curb in downtown Windsor, immediately in front of the best jewelry store in town.
Hardy looked at where they were. He was puzzled for a moment, and then brightened.
"Oh, Matty, are we going to get rings? That means we are going to come out, right here in Windsor?" Matt nodded. His eyes sparkled in the morning sun. He couldn't believe what was happening. "Oh, Matt, I'm going to cry, please wait a few minutes."
"Okay, love." Matt grabbed Hardy's hand, holding it in both of his. "I'll wait forever for you, but we want to go in before the store closes."
Hardy grabbed some tissues from the storage compartment and blew his nose. "Matty, I'll try to behave in there, but ... don't count on it."
The owner of the jewelry story was the father of one of their students, actually Rhett Butler who had alertly reported he had seen Hardy go in the SocSci Building.
"Well, hi, Dr. Ridgway, and Hardy, so pleased to see you. Everything okay after last night's concert?"
"Mr. Butler, everything is great. And we have a special errand to perform. We would like to see some rings."
"I hope this is what I think it is, Matt, you guys deserve to have rings." He leaned closer over the counter to whisper, "Everybody thinks you two are the greatest and should be together."
Matt actually blushed, as did Hardy, "Well, thank you, Mr. Butler, those are nice words."
He looked into the ring counter, "We'd like to find a ring for each of us."
"That's fine, Matt, but I have a selection of men's' rings in the counter behind you." He looked at Hardy, "The restroom is right though that door in the back. Mr. Wolfe might like to freshen up, maybe."
Matt nodded, so Hardy excused himself to spend a couple of minutes fixing the ravaged redlined eyes. While Hardy was gone, Matt asked, "Mr. Butler, I notice your name is also Rhett and I wonder how far back the name goes."
"Rhett Butler, my father, my grandfather and my great grandfather all had the name. As you might realize, we had the name long before Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind'."
When Hardy came back, they started the search for a ring again.
Mr. Butler walked behind the other counter, pointing at the upper display shelf and a whole collection of beautiful rings, mostly heavy and thick. Those didn't appeal to Matt or Hardy, so he pulled out more trays of rings of all kinds.
They searched and sought just the right ring, a quest for the perfect band for each of them. Matt had just said they'd better come back again when Hardy mumbled an inquiring
Matt?' He was bending over the counter looking at a new tray.
"Matty?" Hardy turned to find Matt, "I think I've found it, love."
Matt came to see what Hardy was pointing at. His eyes found it, then inspected it, then quickly agreed with Hardy.
The ring they found had a Celtic design of two narrow lines, which crossed and re- crossed in circles, ovals and sharp curves. The two men perceived that this would stand for their two individual lives, bonded together and ending up as one. The metal between the lines was removed so their ring was a splendid filigree of gold threads of their existence cleverly merging.
Matt had tears in his eyes when he faced Mr. Butler to ask if he had two of these rings.
Mr. Butler understood their emotions and did his best to help. "Gentlemen, I am so happy to tell you that I do have two of that design. The question now is will they fit?' Let's find out."
The upshot of that question was thrilling because one was larger which fit Matt, and one was a size smaller, just right for Hardy.
The men were looking at each ring when Mr. Butler broke in, "I'm going to put each ring in a box for you, and you'll probably want to put them on somewhere special." He smiled and patted their backs. They smiled at each other, envisioning their ritual for doing that.
"Thank you, Mr. Butler. What do we owe you?"
"Hey, Matty, I want to pay for one, okay?"
Matt looked a bit weary, "Hardy, you don't have any money, remember?" He was kidding. "You can pay me back later, or I'll take it out in trade!" All three men laughed.
The week leading up to the second of two Pops Concerts by the Windsor College Concert band was one of busy days and night rehearsals, too. By Friday Matt and Hardy had not yet given each other their rings, they were so tied up with their separate jobs and teaching schedules.
At 7:30 pm on Friday the concert started in the same place as the previous week. Matt had prepared a list of numbers he thought would be recognized and appreciated by most of the audience.
However, before the concert Dean McAllister made an unexpected request. He wanted to say a few words before the last piece, which happened to be "The Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa.
When the concert reached that point, Matt welcomed the Dean to the podium and the microphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you are enjoying this concert as much as I am." He stopped as the audience gave a warm round of applause. "And I want to talk a little bit about our director, Dr. Matthew B. Ridgway." Another round of applause, louder because all the band members were clapping and yelling. "When Dr. Ridgway came to us last September, we knew he was good, but we had no idea how good. I hope you have gotten to hear the Dukes and Duchess of Windsor. They are Dr. Ridgway's pet project and his idea." More applause. Matt was looking at the Dean with a puzzled face, not understanding.
"Well, I'm going to tell you something else about our Director of Bands. I have received notice just today that Dr. Ridgway has been elected to the Presidency of the Ohio Fine Arts Teachers Association. This is an important position in the state organization of the Fine Arts, including, of course, all fields of music. And, to have our Director of Bands in that position is a wonderful lift for our school. Congratulations, Dr. Ridgway."
Matt was completely stunned. How could that have happened? He had been revealed as a gay man with a male lover, and he had been elected to the highest state office in Fine Arts.
The whole audience had risen to their feet, as had the whole band, applauding, yelling and whistling. As soon as the dean left, Matt got on the podium, smiling, nodding his head both at the audience and at his band, yes, HIS band. He loved every minute of it.
Then he raised his arms, finally quieting everybody down. He turned to face the band and again raised his arms, this time to begin the final piece. At the downbeat, they began "The Stars and Stripes Forever March" and all the emotions of patriotism and spirit in it..
The concert finished and Matt was besieged by every one of the band members who wanted to shake his hand, and by the audience who also wanted to congratulate him. He finally realized that the audience and band would not have read his write-up in the O.F.A.T.A Magazine. So they only knew what the Dean had told them. He decided to love it and basked in the pleasure of their approbation.
Finally, everyone had left except Matt's close friends. Marty, Karl and Sunshine, Ted and Brian, Todd and Roger and, of course, Steve and Gary stayed with Matt and Hardy. Everyone was smiling, slapping Matt's back and sometimes his butt. He was feeling giddy, sometimes silly, but he couldn't wait to get home with Hardy. Saturday night would be the night to exchange their rings and be married. Each of them had been writing in every spare moment to complete their vows by the weekend. They were having a party on Saturday with all those who stayed after the concert. The giving of rings and vows would be in front of their best friends, especially the Dukes. What little was left of Friday night would be enjoyed with a few drinks and talk with their friends.
Matt and Hardy were standing side by side in front of the big fireplace in the Great Room of the farmhouse, dressed alike in dark blue suits, white dress shirts and ties. Matt wanted to be less formal, but Hardy wouldn't hear of it. "This is my one and only wedding and I want to recognize the solemnity and depth of meaning of the ritual. So, Matt agreed. Their gathered guests wore their finest casual clothing, bright and festive. Hardy did give in on one point; the two celebrants wore white jogging shoes.
Hanging around the couple's legs were Joshua and Jacob, the ring bearers, dressed in little tuxes and white running shoes. They both were excited, yet didn't exactly know what was going on. Hardy and Uncle Matt were getting married. The boys wondered where the brides were, but they didn't ask.
"I, Matthew Bunker Ridgway, take you, Hardy Merritt Wolfe, as my mate and my companion in life. I asked you to marry me because I love you more than anyone, I respect you more than any other human, and I desire you more than any man in this world or the next. I want us to be a couple until the moment we die, a couple made up of equal partners, neither subservient to the other. I will also be completely true to you, Hardy. I would like our vows to be love, honor and treasure. I love you, my dearest friend and my mate."
"I, Hardy Merritt Wolfe, take you, Matthew Bunker Ridgway, as my mate and my companion in life. There is no one whom I could love more, respect as much or desire as I do you. We have had passion between us for a while, but now it will be forever. If we ever have a child, he will be named Matt if we have the opportunity to name him. No question, Matt, I will be faithful to you and will love, honor and treasure you to the best of my ability. I love you, my dearest friend and my mate."
Dean Hamish McAllister, a elder in the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, was performing the wedding ceremony. Of course, in sadness, it didn't legally count because the partners were two men. It counted greatly to the partners, their relatives and friends. He continued the ritual.
Dean McAllister nodded to Joshua and Jacob who pulled one tiny box out of their jackets to hold up to Matt and Hardy. Actually, those two each picked up one small boy and kissed him while selecting the ring for their partner. Setting the boys down, they stood for the next part.
"I believe you men have rings to exchange. Continue with your vows."
"Hardy, this ring is a token of my love and a promise to you to wear until we die." Matt placed Hardy's ring on his fourth finger of his right hand. He squeezed Hardy's hand so tight, wanting to kiss him so badly. Hamish indicated that he was finished and it was Hardy's turn.
"Matt, this ring is a token of my love and my promise to you to wear until we die." He pushed the ring on Matt's fourth finger, right hand. It wouldn't fit. Quickly thinking, Hardy, pulled the ring off and sucked Matt's finger all the way into his mouth. The audience began to titter and groan. With Matt's finger soaking wet with saliva, Hardy could then push the ring all the way on.
Dean McAllister continued, "I now declare that Matthew Bunker Ridgway and Hardy Merritt Wolfe are partners and mates for life, companions on the road they will be taking into the future. I now present to you, the mates, Matthew Bunker Ridgway and Hardy Merritt Wolfe Ridgway."
He giggled, "That last bit ain't legal as yet, but will be soon we hope."
The gathering in the farmhouse Great Room exploded with clapping, whistling and yelling. The loudest of all were his Dukes, LJ and BJ, Christine, Roger, Rick and Jamal. At that time Matt and Hardy clinched and kissed each other with hot, hot passion, a kiss that lasted quite a while. Lee and Neil felt privileged to have been invited to this rite of the year. Sergeant Reardon was there, too, and congratulated them seriously, then asked "Where's the booze?"
Their good friend, Brian, who had his arm closely around Ted, shouted, "Get a room." Everyone laughed, but wouldn't let the two men get away.
Everyone wanted to hug and kiss Matt and Hardy at the same time. Finally a line formed and the chaos was under control.
"Speech, speech!" was yelled by some of their friends.
Matt raised his arms and growled at Hardy. "Come here, Hardy." He and Hardy kissed hot-bloodedly. Holding on to each other, Matt said, "We want to talk to all of you and if you will partake of the refreshments for a few moments, we will change into our going away outfits before we get on our way."
He and Hardy were grinning so broadly at each other, looking at their rings, then laughing. Soon they left the party, ran to their room and changed clothes. They were going to pull a surprise on everyone and go downstairs dressed only in their Speedos, ready to leave for a swim in the pool.
Anne saw them first coming down the stairs into the Great Room. "Hardy, Matt, what are you doing? Where are you going like that?"
When their friends saw them dressed just Speedos, they howled, they moaned and couldn't believe it.
"Gather round, friends. Yes, these are our going away outfits. We are going away to the swimming pool, we haven't tried it yet. By the way, our honeymoon will be right here on Dukes Ranch in this farmhouse. Now, cause we are the newly weds, we get first dibs on the swimming pool for the first hour starting right now! Then everyone can come in. If you don't have a bathing suit here, check with one of the residents and they can find you one. Steve and Gary, take charge please."
The applause followed the two grooms into the swimming pool on the north side of the farmhouse. They ran to the side then leaped into the water holding hands. The water was very chilly; the heaters hadn't managed to warm it up much.
"Are you sure the heaters are working, Matt?" He lowered his voice, "My balls are aching already, aren't yours?"
"Sort of, Hardy, and I'm wondering if I'll ever see my cock again. Hold me, honey."
They bobbed up and down in the middle of the clear blue water, gripping each other very tightly, kissing all the while. Matt moved his hands to Hardy's butt, sliding his fingers inside Hardy's Speedo, manipulating his muscular, yet soft butt cheeks.
In a few minutes, Matt told Hardy, "I think my cock has come out of hiding. We'll either have to go to our room, or let everyone come in now. They are staring at us anyway," he giggled.
"Okay, let's tell them to come in."
In ten minutes the pool was full of friends and relatives of the wedding couple. Fortunately they had built an Olympic sized pool, plenty of room for everyone. The guests moved around some, but mostly to talk to Matt and Hardy, congratulating them, hugging them. Even though this was an almost all-gay crowd, any passionate behavior was held back and the other couples refrained. The caterers that Matt had hired came out onto the pool deck, bringing their offerings of drinks, appetizers and hors d'oeuvres. The pool furniture had been delivered that day. Matt had called the store to see if they could deliver it early. And they did; there were plenty of chairs, lounges and large pads for resting.
Hardy, Todd and Roger heard some young children screaming, getting closer every second. They thought, Uh-oh!' From the house Jacob and Joshua ran into the pool area, completely naked as they were born. They ran and jumped into the pool where Todd and Hardy were talking. They proved they could swim enough not to drown. Actually the party thought they were so cute, they didn't need bathing suits.
Todd picked up Jacob and Hardy grappled with a slippery, squirming boy named Joshua, trying to hold on. Actually, Hardy's hands were everywhere on Joshua, all over his slick skin and various body parts. Finally, he got Joshua to hold him around his neck and Hardy clung to his tiny buttocks, keeping the small boy against himself as they floated around.
At that moment Hardy's mind was on his mate and this little boy, thinking about his statement indicating his desire for one or more children, preferable boy or boys. Suddenly, his eyes focused on Matt's eyes, and knew they were thinking of the same thing. They smiled. Hardy waded toward Matt and they hugged with Joshua between them. For the first time that evening they felt tears dripping down their cheeks, the result of their loving feelings for each other and for this little boy holding on tightly.
Matt had put a huge pile of bath sheets on the pool deck and people were using them to stay warm, the water was still chilly. About ten o'clock a loud horn tooted in the driveway. Anne, Hardy's mother, told everyone to stay where they were. This was her surprise.
Three caterers entered the house, carrying pan after pan of wonderfully smelling food, Anne's idea so the party wouldn't be just drinking. She had set up tables around the pool on which the pans were lined up; fried chicken, pizza, home fried potatoes and big bowls of salad plus a number of plates of finger food. One table was reserved for four different types of desserts. She looked so pleased with herself. Hardy got out of the pool, still holding Joshua, to hug his mother and give her a big kiss.
"Mom, this is the happiest day of my life and I owe most of it to you. You have stood by me, supported me and loved me through it all. I'm sorry I gave you some trying times, but.... your new son-in-law and I are going to make your life even busier and more satisfying. We hope."
Anne sniffed, tears pouring from her eyes, "Hardy, you are a perfect son, except that you brought me a bride who shaves, has huge feet and is a lot bigger than you. I love him, Hardy, as much as I love you." Matt had come from the pool to stand with them. Anne included him in her next bit, "I wish both of you the happiest of lives and love that endures forever." She held Matt and gave him a big kiss on his lips.
"Geez, Mom, that was great." He laughed, "Since I don't seem to have a mother, I'm much more appreciative of your love and affection. Kiss me again while I weep a little bit in utter happiness." He was also thinking, 'My mother is the one trying to kill me."
After that, all three were dripping tears, mostly on Joshua who was crying, too, but didn't know why. They all consoled him, and then showed him the food available. He spotted the pizza immediately and wriggled out of Hardy's arms.
Dean Hamish McAllister came up to the three. "Mrs. Wolfe, I want to congratulate you on your wonderful son, and wonderful son-in-law. I guarantee that this couple will go far, you can be sure of that. There might be snags along the way, but they will make it."
"Thanks, Dean," Matt said, "How did you know about the election? I didn't know anything about it."
"Someone from the head office of your magazine sent me a copy with the page marked, and the news that you had won the election. Whoever it was, intimated that our illustrious Dr. Powers was behind the whole thing. No wonder he has collapsed. All his hopes gone to dust. I'm sure he planned we would have to get him out of retirement when you were fired. Be assured, Matt, the whole Board of Trustees is behind you all the way. So maybe we've got a gay Head of Department, but we've got the best one in the whole country. By the way, last night the Trustees gave you the job with the raise in pay, which goes along with the job. Did you notice all the Trustees were at the concert? Congratulations, son. You are in charge as of now!"
Dean McAllister threw his arms around Matt who was very surprised. But he responded in kind, patting the Dean's back, thanking him for everything. Matt felt then that maybe he had just been adopted by the McAllisters. Well, why not. Hardy put his arms around both of them, smiling broadly.
Steve and Gary closed on Matt, congratulating him on his election as Association President. "How are you going to handle that, Matt? There were some people down there in Columbus who did their best to shit on you."
"I know, Steve, and I'm not sure but I will probably keep as many as I can. I don't want to have to train new people at this point. I think only Fred Faust will be fired as soon as possible."
"When do you start on that job, Matt?"
Matt hugged Steve and Gary to him, "I have no idea, I didn't know I won the election until Hamish announced it at the concert." He hugged them tightly, "I'll just have to wait."
Later in the evening Matt found he and Hardy talking to Karl and Sunshine.
"Matt, I will talk to you both just as soon as we can get together." He smiled, "Just how long a honeymoon with you be having?"
Matt looked at Hardy, who nodded. "I expect tonight and tomorrow will be about it. We have to play for graduation on Tuesday night, and then the Dukes play in Columbus next Friday. We may go away later in the summer, but not now."
"I've had three honeymoons and I think they are highly overrated." Karl smiled wryly and turned to Sunshine, "When it is our turn, I will be going to go for the gusto with my love here." They smiled.
Matt turned to the group and raised his voice, "Everybody. Hardy and I want you to know how pleased we are that you can to witness our ceremony and share our celebration of our dedicated relationship. We'd like to talk more with all of you, but we are both terribly tired."
Someone yelled, "Yeah, right. You just want to start your honeymoon, fast."
The two young men smiled into many cameras making a record of this special event. They spread their hands and arms as if to say, what can we say. It is time!'
"Please stay as long as you want," he grinned, "as long as it's over by midnight. Good Night!"
The applause followed them all the way up the stairs and down the hall to their room.
After they stripped out of their Speedos, Matt and Hardy headed for their Jacuzzi, sliding in the warm water gradually, heading for the other's body once under the water. Almost in slow motion, they clutched their partner, now their dedicated mate. They caressed one another, closing their eyes while seeking the comfort and solace of their partner.
Hardy decided that he really needed a regular shower to get clean. He felt greasy and oily and his curls weren't shiny and looked dull. So much for style. He slipped away from Matt, entered the shower and washed his body, thoroughly, concentrating on his hair and his genital areas. Hardy's cock stayed rock-hard as he thought about the coming night with Matt, the start of their honeymoon. He was so excited, he could hardly breathe, his nerves had him shaking, jerking back and forth, no rhyme or reason.
Suddenly, Hardy turned the water to total cold so maybe he could concentrate. He smiled, that worked'. He dried quickly and headed back to the Jacuzzi, his cock lying flaccid, flopping back and forth as he walked. Matt was still lying in the bath looking completely wiped out.
Hardy leaned over Matt in the tub, "Matty, love, it's time to get to bed, hon. Remember, this is our night to howl."
Matt's eyes opened and he smiled weakly, "Oh, that's right, babe, it is our night." He started to stand, "Help me get out of here, Woofie, I don't seem to have much energy. Don't know what's happened to me. Do you, love?"
Hardy smiled, "You have already had a surprising weekend so far, lover, what with your concert, your election as president, our wedding for just a few I could mention."
Matt managed with Hardy's help to get out of the tub, a little chilled in the cooler air. His new husband had a bath sheet all ready for him. He wrapped it around Matt and hugged him closely.
"Mr. Ridgway, I love you so much."
"And, Mr. Ridgway, I love you so much." Matt answered, "Are you sure you want to do that, Woofie?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure. I want to talk to Mom and see what she says. I wouldn't want to go against her wishes." Hardy was leading Matt to their bed where he stripped the towel from him and helped him lie down on his side of the bed. "Now that I think of it, I could use a hyphen and be Mr. Wolfe-Ridgway, couldn't I?"
From his prone position on the bed, Matt smiled lovingly to his husband and took his hand. "Hardy, you can do anything you want. I will love you from here to eternity no matter what your name is." He giggled a little, "You could be Mrs. Ridgway if you want." Then he began to really laugh loudly, and Hardy joined in.
"I don't think so, Matty, that might endanger my male standing in the community." He turned toward the bathroom, "I have to go pee, love, but I'll be right back, don't go away."
Hardy had this part figured out previously. He opened his drawer in their bathroom, took out a jar of Albolene and got his asshole all ready for Matt. By the time he cleaned up and headed back to his lover, his cock was fully erect, as hard as it had ever been.
He dimmed the lights down to a sexy gleam, casting their bodies in golden tones of rosy glow. He crawled onto the bed and crept near his man. Oh, that sounds so good,' he thought,
my man.'
"Matty, Matty, my man. I'm here beside you." When Matt didn't answer, Hardy shook his shoulder a couple of times. "Matty, this is our night, love."
There was no stirring from Matt, lying stretched out, head on his pillow and his feet hanging over the bottom of the bed as they usually did. Hardy felt a cringe of disappointment, but reproved himself. 'Think of what this man has done so recently, think of the tensions he has been under, the strain on his system. Think of how much he actually means to you. This man is your life, your love and your partner for the future.'
Hardy thought about his choices. He probably could bring Matt to a climax even in his sleep, but Matt would never remember it. No, he and Matt would make love in the morning.
Hardy put on a robe, crept down the hallway and downstairs to the kitchen. Fortunately the party was over and the guests were gone. He spent a half hour gathering delectable breakfast items his Mom had gotten ready for morning. Since they had a food warmer in their bedroom, which they hadn't used yet, he could make Matt's breakfast there.
He also fixed a thermos of coffee, which he had zapped to hot. His mother had made her famous breakfast casserole of eggs, bread, sausage, onions and other good stuff and baked it in two individual portions. That would be wonderful in the morning when he warmed it up.
Hardy carried everything up in one load, rather precariously, but successfully. He set it on the bar, went back and locked their door. He couldn't imagine anyone bursting in their room THIS morning, but who knew.
The younger man crawled again next to Matt, curving his body to fit Matt's side, holding him in his arms, resting his head on Matt's chest, warm and slowly breathing. He shed a few tears of regret that they hadn't been able to make love tonight, but he could adjust.
One of Hardy's hands roamed lightly over Matt's flesh, delighting in his lightly haired chest, his treasure trail to his crotch where Matt's cock awaited him, the cock that would grow huge in the morning and fit prodigiously in Hardy's asshole and rectum. He was so fortunate to have been able to adjust his body to accommodate Matt's long, thick cock easily. It wasn't so easy to do the first few times.
Hardy raised his head on one elbow and hand, adoring his 'man', visualizing in his head how hot his 'man' looked and was, so perfect in every way. He snickered and reached out to hold Matt's cock in his hand. Soft and limp, the perfect sexual organ of his lover lay quietly in his hand, as asleep as his master, just waiting for those signals to cause his erection, then passion.
He leaned over Matt's crotch, lowered his lips to rest them on his cock, just a quick kiss. He then reached down to pull a sheet over them as he half lay on top of Matt, their usual sleeping position.
"I love you, Matt, probably more than you'll ever know, more than I now know. My fate now runs with yours, my definitely 'better half'. An old joke but perfectly true in this case. Just keep me, Matty, keep me in your heart and your vision. I'll always be there." He had whispered, but felt Matt had heard him pledge himself.
The night was dark but warm, it was late, almost one o'clock and Lee Washington and Neil Jordan walked home from parking Neil's car, holding hands. Finally inside their house, they warmed up some coffee and sat at the kitchen table.
"Wasn't that great, Lee, I've never seen a gay wedding before. Have you?"
"Oh, no, Neil, I don't remember even hearing about one, ever." He smiled, "I thought Matt and Hardy looked so great, real studs and hot. Nothing sissy about either of them. Oh, man, when they kissed at the end, I got a hardon."
"I did too, Lee. And how did you like seeing them practically naked? Talk about hunks, they are the originals."
"Yeah, I thought Matt's cock looked huge, and it probably wasn't hard." He giggled, "I couldn't keep from staring at him." Suddenly, "And Hardy's bubble butt made me want to bite it, or rather, lick and kiss it."
Neil got up and poured them another cup. "Do you want anything to eat, Lee? Ah, we still have some pie and there's ice cream, too."
"Oh, no, Neil, I'm stuffed. That was a great party and food was super. I ate too much."
They talked about the wedding some more. They giggled when Lee mentioned seeing the little boys naked. Lee laughed, "That bigger kid has a big dick on him already for age 5."
"I've been told that his father and his Uncle Matt are extremely well endowed. Big!!"
Soon Lee and Neil felt tired enough to get in bed. They stripped in the large bedroom together. Neil wondered what was up because Lee always undressed in the spare bedroom even though he had been sleeping with Neil.
Lee made no effort to hide himself from Neil's eyes; in fact he paraded a bit as he stripped. Neil had only seen Lee's cock the night he lay on the front porch, hurt and bleeding and in distress because of the broom handle up his ass. But he didn't really notice it.
In the hospital he'd seen Lee's bare butt, a small, cute one, and a quick glimpse of his small cock and balls. They did fit Lee's general physique, bantam weight but attractive.
Neil decided to follow the trend. He stripped completely and spent five minutes walking around, picking up his clothes, and hanging them up. He did notice that Lee was paying attention to his body and his activity.
Previously, the two men had always slept with boxers on, bare otherwise. This night, Neil sort of made a show of getting into their bed with nothing on, stark nude, leaving the sheet at the bottom. His mind was spinning in wonderment of Lee's intentions.
Turning out the light, Lee crawled into their bed, heading for the center where they have always merged their bodies in a tangle of limbs and torsos. Lee's mouth ended up in Neil's ear, covering it with his warm breath.
Neil was getting very excited; Lee hadn't been this close ever. "Lee, are you going to tell me something, something I should know about?"
Lee kissed Neil's ear and whispered, "Neil, I love you." Just a bare statement from him.
Neil gripped Lee even tighter, "And, Lee, I love you, too." He kissed Lee's cheek, warmly touching his own cheek. "I think you know, Lee, that I've loved you from the very beginning, from that night on the porch. Had you realized that?"
Lee growled softly, "Yes, dear Neil, I knew that from the beginning. You could no more hide your love for me than hide your lust for Hardy." He giggled, and then laughed loudly. "Did you know that?"
Now Neil was embarrassed. Lee had seen all along that he had a hardon for Hardy. "Ah, Lee, was I so open with it that anyone could see?"
Lee kissed Neil's lips lightly, and said warmly and lovingly, "No, dear Neil, I saw it because I was a little in lust with him myself and recognized it in you. No, you really concealed it quite well."
"Neil," Lee spoke, then paused, "ah, I ... I want you to make love to me. I've been waiting until I was ready and I am now."
Neil put his hands on Lee's buttocks, "And you are all right here? Are you sure, Love? I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"Neil, you may hurt me a bit, but this time I want it! I want it! Please."
"Lee, I love you desperately and have kept away until you were ready. It will be a great honor and privilege to make love to you. Since I adore you from my heart, loving you will be my heart's desire."
The two young men, following their hearts and bodies, loved each other for the first, but hardly the last time.
"What time did Karl say he was coming, Matt?" The big house was quiet, most of the residents were either out for the evening or in their rooms studying or working.
"About 8 I think, Hardy." Matt was in the den while Hardy was cleaning up the kitchen. Hardy was thinking aloud, "These kids can't keep anything neat around here."
Then he laughed, "I mean the big kids, not the little ones." Matt agreed. Matt was also thinking of their lovemaking Sunday morning, how wonderful, exciting and loving it had been.
The front door bell chimed twice, then a rap or two.
"Someone is in a hurry, I guess." Hardy walked from the den to answer the bell.
He opened the door to find Karl Nordstrom on their porch.
"Hi, Karl," Hardy smiled, and welcomed him into the house. "We're going to be in the den."
Karl followed Hardy to meet Matt there.
"Glad you could come, Karl, we've been wanting to meet with you."
Karl smiled as he sat down, "Well, here I am, guys, I guess I have to tell all or you will be going to the police. Right?"
"What else can we do, Karl? Someone shot at me and to say the least, I'm pissed."
"Understandable, Matt. But I really don't want to tell. I could be laying my life on the line if I do."
A voice from the doorway, "What about my life? Huh, Karl? Are you playing with that too?"
All three men swung around quickly to see Sunshine, Karl's lover, in the doorway.
Suddenly, Karl stood up, fiercely ready to defend himself. "What the hell are you doing here, Sunny, I thought you were home in bed."
"No, lover," he said that sarcastically, "I hid in your car. You don't tell me everything, and I need to know what's going on. It's my life, too. Remember?"
Matt and Hardy felt embarrassed to be witnessing this struggle between the two lovers, great people though they were.
Karl muttered through his teeth, "Sunny, love, let's settle this at home. Why don't you go for a swim while you are here?" He nodded toward the pool, "You can go naked, they'd like to see that as well as me."
That infuriated Sunny, "Damn you. Here's an example. Tell me why you went to River City when the Dukes last sang there? Why did you take your special sniper's rifle with you?" His face was angry, fearful and defensive at the same time. He was shaking all over.
Karl sank in his chair. He lowered his head, his hands covering his face.
"How did you know?"
"I followed you. You are some spy if you don't know when you are being tailed by an amateur."
Matt said quietly, "Sunny, would you shut the door and take a seat with us?" He looked around, "Would anyone like a drink?"
Sunshine was unsure where he should sit.
Karl spoke, "Baby, come sit in your regular place, on my lap." He searched Sunny's face with love in his own eyes and held out his arms. "I would have told you, hon."
"But when, Karl, when we were old and gray?" He pouted just a little.
"Give me a kiss, love, and I'll tell all. I love you, remember?" They kissed.
Karl held Sunshine securely in his arms, "Matt and Hardy, and Sunny too, I am not a spy. However, I do work for the federal government in a special branch that I can't tell you about on pain of death or life imprisonment, whichever comes first.
"I take on jobs for this branch," he paused, "I'm a hit man."
The other three men were shocked and looked it.
"Yes, I'm a hit man. I kill other hit men. Men like Red' in the SocSci Building."
Sunshine spoke, aghast, "You killed the Dukes bus driver, didn't you."
"No one can prove it, but yes I did." He turned to Matt; "I have to assume that you have no recording equipment, audio or video, operating here?"
"That's right, Karl, this is just between you and us here."
"Well, there better not be, I've come in well armed!" He gave them a fierce look, set mouth and lowered eyes. "I'm not somebody to mess around with." Karl said that, and then broke out into a broad smile, "Gotcha!" He laughed and laughed.
The others finally realized that Karl was joking with them, teasing them, trying to scare them. He soon relented. "I don't go around armed, only when I'm on a job.
"What I've said so far is the truth, guys. Your bus driver, Matt, was a hit man for one of the Families, they never said which one. But they knew he'd killed at least 10 of the Families rivals, plus an unknown number of good, solid citizens who had tried to fight them. Unfortunately no one could prove his guilt. Does that mean I'm a vigilante? I'm no one-man band like Don Pendleton's Executioner, I have limits. And, more important, I have rules to abide by. If I'm caught by local police, my bosses will just put me out to dry."
"Karl, what about the man in the SocSci Building?"
"I do know him, we've met socially, not under work conditions. His trade name is "Red", why, I don't know because his hair is quite blond. He is good. I was so lucky to have seen him go in the building and got to him in time." He shook his head. "That wasn't my best performance, it's a wonder he didn't kill me for messing up his score. But he wouldn't have been paid for me, just you, Matt."
"The big question, Matt, is Who paid for your murder?'"
Write to Paul at dukesofwindsor@juno.com
Turning the Page
Some characters in this story have been drawn from my first book, Turning The Page, Nifty/Adult Friends/August 13, 2002. It is not necessary to read that book first, but it would give you a background for The Dukes and Duchess of Windsor.