NOTE: This is the fictional coming of age story of Jake Grimke as he matures through high school, into college and eventually into adulthood in the Baltimore, Maryland region. It contains and embraces accurate representations of life in Baltimore and its suburbs; Maryland's traditional sport of lacrosse and the career path a firefighter might follow in his profession. All of the characters in this story are fictional and resemblance to any one person whether dead or alive is purely coincidental. If you liked this installment, please send me some feed back; I got a rough idea where this is headed but I am always open to some suggestions. Needless to say, if you are offended by handsome athletic young men growing up gay and the obstacles they will encounter as well their personal triumphs, you should use the BACK button on your browser forthwith.
Just before dawn on the morning of the fishing trip, Jake joined his father, John and grandfather, John Grimke Senior, in the kitchen as they made the final preparations for their trip. After dinner the night before, the three had a virtual assembly line in the big beach house kitchen building Italian-style hoagies soaked with marinated red peppers and fresh tomatoes, spicy meats and cheese before rolling them tight in plastic wrap to rest overnight in the fridge. Jake helped MIchael load one of the coolers with beer and soft drinks while John and his father loaded the other with enough sandwiches for all the fishermen, the boat captain, first mate and deckhand.
With such a large party heading south to Oregon Inlet, it was necessary to take two cars. Jake, his father, Uncle Craig and Michael all rode in Jake's Saab while Uncle Randy and his son rode with his father in the Senior Grimke's SUV down Route 158 and then back onto the last little section of Route 12 into the fishing center where all the head boats docked. It was promising to be a beautiful day on the ocean as they made their way to the Misty Dawn and prepared to cast off once all the coolers and other gear was loaded aboard and safely stowed.
Captain Glen gave his safety speech while the first mate and deckhand made the boat ready for departure and within 15 minutes, the 60' twin-engined Misty Dawn was in the queue to head out to the open ocean where many of the boats brought back large yellowfin tuna the day before. Like many mornings, whether at home or not Jake and his dad finished the last cups of coffee together, talking about whatever was on the agenda for the day; after Emma and John had their own first cups of coffee.
Together they stood out of ear shot of everybody as John started, "I have no idea what Randy is going to do or say, but just be ready for it. I know you Jake, be the better man and when dealing with Randy, it won't take much. Just take the high road; I can tell he is itching to pick a fight over something. If need be, Dad and I will back you up but just be ready, I can feel it coming."
"Copy Dad," Jake replied, looking over his shoulder at Randy who was already having a beer, "any idea why he isn't `squared away'?"
"Lots Jake, there are lots, most of them happened outside of Graham Terrace," John commented about his childhood home, "his stint in the Marine Corps ended in a dishonorable discharge for drug use cause he couldn't bring himself to get cleaned up. That's probably the root of all his problems; just admitting he has one."
Jake looked over his shoulder again, watching John III and Michael enjoy the spray of the ocean as the boat rode out to deeper water while Craig chatted with his father in law as the boats began to separate and disappear towards their favorite fish catching spots. In the cockpit, Captain Glen throttled the engines back as the first mate read the depth finder to determine the how deep the water was and whether or not any fish were moving through the area. At the stern, the college-aged deckhand, Pete Greer, asked, "Who's first?"
The first fight of the day went to the Grimke patriarch after the lines on the poles were baited. The boat gently propelled forward a few knots as the lines trolled behind the Misty Dawn until one of the reels began to play out, indicating a fish had taken the bait. Greer brought the pole down to the fighting chair and inserted the pole's handle into the deck-mounted receiver and John Senior began reeling in the catch while everybody else watched.
The retired Richmond fireman cranked the handle on the reel as he brought the pole to almost vertical before lowering it and reeling again. Soon, the fighting yellowfin tuna could be seen near the surface as Greer grabbed a net to help land it aboard the Misty Dawn.
"Nice job," Pete said, "she looks like she might be about 50 pounds."
Jake took out a digital camera and snapped a picture of his grandfather holding the first catch of the day before jumping in to help Mike unhook the fish while hearing his cousin John comment, "that's gross!"
And of course, Michael wanted to be doing whatever Jake was doing so he jumped in to help put the fresh caught tuna in the fish well filled with sea water as his own father took the fight chair next and the cycle was repeated. And as everybody rotated through the fight chair, there was a time when Jake and Randy were alone and without fail, Randy started, just as Jake's father predicted.
"I don't ever want you alone near my son," Randy started.
"Pardon me?" Jake asked, not 100% sure of what he heard Randy say or understood what Randy said.
"I said, I don't want you or your type alone near my son, ever," Randy strongly reiterated with a loud snarl that was easily heard over the idling diesels, "it's Liz and Craig's business if they want you buddy-buddy with Michael, but you stay away from my John, do you hear me, faggot?"
With no fish biting for the moment, all eyes turned towards Jake and Randy. It took Jake about half a nano-second to comprehend that this was the scene his father warned him that Randy was gunning for and went into game-mode. "Yeah, I get it Uncle Randy," Jake replied in a cool, conversational tone, trying to diffuse the situation as he realized all eyes were on him before he continued, "rest assured, neither you, nor Amber or John has anything to worry about from me."
"Glad to hear it tJake, I just had to say that, you know, protect my son ," Randy continued falling for Jake's bait, "glad you could see things my way"
"Now Uncle Randy," Jake said calmly, "take a good look around, look at your father, your brother and your son; I'm pretty sure they are all impressed with the example you are setting here today."
Randy Grimke turned and looked; pretty much anybody named John Grimke on that boat in the middle of the Gulf Stream would have preferred to have been far, far away at that moment. And then Randy realized how embarrassed he was for chastising Jake about something that was only a preconceived notion on his own radar. Randy looked for an out but didn't have one and began to apologize profusely to Jake, "I'm sorry, all that came out wrong Jake."
Jake stood firm, considered the apology only superficial based on its source but accepted it before saying to Randy with a nod towards the assembled John Grimkes, "you owe them a much bigger apology than you will ever owe me."
With the fight chair vacant, Jake stepped to the stern and planted himself in it, waiting for Pete to hand him a rod to plant in the receiver. Within minutes, there was a bite and Jake reeled in the largest tuna of the day, coming in at close to 62 pounds before the Misty Dawn began the return trip to Oregon Inlet.
The whole fishing trip made Jake want to speed home to Severn even more so or even further on to Baltimore to find refuge in Jose's arms.
After the fish feast and clean up, Jake packed his bag and debated leaving that night but found some comfort in having one more toss with young Michael and an almost good night's sleep on the couch. From the couch he texted Jose, "I'm leaving first thing in the AM, will let you know when I am on my way."
Jose answered back, "Cool, I got a big surprise for you."
Jake texted back, "???"
Jose replied, "It's a surprise you dumb jock!!!! I love you Jake."
Jake typed back, "I love you too, Jose; can't wait to see and be with you!!!"
Jake flipped to an almost naked pic of Jose and smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep.
Michael woke up minutes after Jake had finished packing the Saab and begged Jake for one more toss, "do you really have to go Jake?"
"Yeah Michael, I got some people to visit at home before I head to college," Jake said with a bit of a sigh, sad to be leaving young Michael but glad that he was leaving the pressure cooker made by his uncle.
"I wish you could stay longer," Michael added.
"Some time when it's just you and Chloe visiting," Jake answered, "or I can take you to a lacrosse game if you want."
"You'd do that Jake?" Michael asked.
"You bet; there's lots of lacrosse games toe watch," Jake said with a genuine tone of promise in his voice.
Michael hugged Jake before he finished the rest of his good byes after breakfast before heading home to Severn. As promised, Jake called Jose as soon as he was heading north on Route 158, reversing the course he took with his parents a few days before.
Jose's heart belonged to Jake, he knew that when he first laid eyes on him at the Christmas concert at Children's back in December. Before they officially considered themselves "together", Jose had all the phone numbers for everybody in Jake's circle of friends; Aaron Beecher, Will Hurley, Erik Syms, Annie and Evan Harmes, Jackie Pence and others including Jake's parents. As soon as he confirmed that Jake was definitely on the road Jose put his plan in action, first calling Jackie.
Evan's girlfriend was thrilled to help Jose and picked him up at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity near the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins University and delivered him to the Grimke house before Jake's return.
Jackie in turned called Evan's mother, Annie, and found out where the spare key was hidden and told Jose to look under a rock that was directly below the garden hose faucet near the back door. "Let me know how it goes Jose!!!" Jackie shouted after dropping Jose off.
Jose said, "I'll text you later, thanks for your help and thanks for being a great friend to Jake and I."
With Jose safely in the Grimke house she sped away before any of the neighbors suspected anything could be happening. Once inside, Jose took three almost wilted red rose buds and began to tear off the petals, starting at the garage door where he usually entered the Grimke house with Jake and made a path up to the second floor and Jake's room. He returned, planting a small tea light candle every two feet or so, illuminating the path of rose petals that led upstairs to Jake's bedroom.
Jose heard the Saab pull up the driveway, music blaring and got an almost predictable text, "home now, will let you know when I am on my way to FIJI."
"Okay, see you soon sexy," Jose texted back as fast as he could.
In less than a minute, Jose could hear the back door opening as he waited upstairs for Jake. He could make out a "what the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck is this," that Jake uttered as he tried to figure out what he was walking into before hearing, "JOSE?"
Jake smiled, remembering what Jose texted the night before, "Jose?"
He slowly followed the trail of rose petals and tea lights before bounding up the stairs and turning into his bedroom to find Jose in black Nike shorts and a snug purple FIJI tee shirt.
"Hi," they said together with huge beaming smiles as Jake moved in to kiss Jose hard on the lips.
"Hope you are surprised," Jose said.
"Very!" Jake exclaimed, "probably go down as the most memorable surprise of my entire life."
"I missed you a ton and then some," Jose said in between the kisses, "how was the vacation?"
"It was fun until my Uncle Randy opened his mouth, but let's not talk about that now, let's just be us," Jake answered answered with a plea.
"Of course," Jose replied and began to kiss Jake all over his face and head as Jake just melted in Jose's grip.
"Love you Jose," was all Jake could muster as Jose worked to create new memories and banish bad ones further into the back of Jake's head.
Before long, they were naked, taking turns kissing each other all over. Neither was a total top or bottom or always in control; their bodies and positions where constantly moving, each striving to satisfy the other, moving however necessary to meet those goals. Soon they were taking turns entering each other, trusting each other, listening to each other as they shared themselves with each as intimately as two men could. With both men having spent themselves pleasuring each other, Jose got up and snuffed out what was left of the candles before crawling back into Jake's big bed and holding his muscled form against his own and dozing off for a post-coital nap.
Distant thunder woke Jake first and a few seconds later Jose, reminding Jake to run down to his car and raise the convertible top.
"Rose petals and candles?" Jake asked, sitting next to Jose on the bed when he returned.
"Saw it in a movie once, figured I couldn't go wrong," Jose replied, "except maybe burn down the fireman's house."
"That was by far the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me and after my visit with Uncle Randy, it was the brightest spot in the last 24 hours," Jake confessed.
"Want to talk about it?" Jose asked.
"Nope, would rather just be with you than take away our precious time together explaining family dynamics years in the making. I'm sure you got one or two stories yourself," Jake said with confidence.
"You are 1000% correct Jake-o, 1000%," Jose started, "not worth the time and effort."
"You okay with me going to U-Va?" Jake boldly asked.
"No, I wish you were with me at Hopkins but it is what it is," Jose said without any hesitation.
"Maybe I could transfer," Jake suggested.
"No," Jose said firmly, "do what you have to do, do what you want to do. I'm going to be here for you, I promise you that. I love Jake Grimke and I will be here for him forever."
"What if.......?" Jake asked.
"Let's cross that bridge if we have to," Jose replied, "you are an honorable man Jake, I'm proud to be with you and will be with you in any way, shape or form I can, I promise you that Jake, totally promise you, always and forever, just like you and Evan say to each other."
A tear formed in Jake's eye as he replied, "I never thought I'd be comfortable sharing `always and forever' with anybody else; but; I for you Jose, I can and I will. I love you Jose, always and forever."
"Always and forever Jake," Jose replied and kissed Jake long and passionately.
After the kiss, Jake asked, "how did you get here, how did you get in?"
"Jackie hooked me up," Jose said, proud that he had networked into Jake's friends.
"We have a date this weekend before I head to Charlottesville," Jake reminded Jose,
"I know, the Plebes get their first weekend pass this Friday night," Jose said, "Jackie reminded me on the trip down here."
"We got to see Evan, all of us, before you go back to Hopkins, before I go to U-Va and before Jackie leaves for Brandeis," Jake stated firmly.
"Looking forward to it," Jose said, "but until then, we have this time to ourselves; just you and me, just us."
"I love you Jose," Jake said and plunged his mouth to Jose's lips.