Jamie Lawrence

Jamie Lawrence - Chapter Thirteen

Warning/Achtung

This story contains graphic description of sex acts betweens members of the same sex. If accessing material such as this is illegal in your country, province, or state, please do not continue reading.

The characters and events contained within this story are entirely fictional and should be taken as such. Any resemblance to any person(s) living or dead is entirely coincidental.

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For the American readers amongst you; This story is set in England. The use of the word "College" refers to the institution attended by children aged 16-19. These boys ARE of high school age.

Jamie Lawrence - Chapter Thirteen

On Sunday morning, Callum woke early. The sun was barely creating an orange line on the horizon, but Callum had been having a bad dream which had startled him from his slumber. He sought solace by cuddling up to his favourite cousin. It was actually quite nice. Shane was warm, and his chest was surprisingly comfortable.

Callum quickly noticed that Shane's morning erection was in full effect, tenting his pyjamas to the point of strain. Besides his own, Callum had never seen a hard dick. He quickly checked that Shane was definitely asleep before he carefully moved his hand south. He reached down to the drawstring and cautiously pulled it loose. Again, he checked that Shane was still deeply sleeping.

He reached into Shane's pants and felt the warmth emanating from his loins. Before he knew it, he was wrapping his hand around Shane's hard shaft. As he felt it for the first time, he let out a sharp breath of excitement. This was so wrong! Surely his Mum would ground him for this. Shane would probably beat him up, but his curiosity didn't allow him to stop.

He carefully lowered Shane's PJs to reveal the monster and he stared at it for a long moment. Shane snorted in his sleep and Callum panicked, letting go of it and snapping his eyes shut.

He waited just long enough to be sure that Shane was still asleep before he opened his eyes again. He checked Shane's eyes were still closed before he took Shane's dick back in hand. He carefully pulled the foreskin back and studied the exposed head. Shane's dick was fascinating. It was much bigger than his own, for a start. Easily eight inches or more.

Callum started to gently stroke the beast, lightly working his thumb over the head. He started warily, but as he got braver, he started to work it faster.

Shane moaned in his sleep. "Mmm, Jamie."

'Probably some girl from his old school,' thought Callum.

A bead of pre-cum popped out of the end of Shane's dick. On an impulse, Callum released Shane's shaft and took the drop on his thumb. He popped it into his mouth and swilled it around a little. It actually tasted quite nice.

Once or twice, Callum had tried his own and had found it salty and unpleasant, but Shane's was a little sweet. He checked Shane was still asleep before he reached down again and squeezing his cock. Callum's own dick was throbbing in his pyjamas so he reached in and palmed it, working it in time with Shane's.

Callum began to rub both dick's in earnest. He moved faster and faster until Shane's body started to writhe slowly. He moaned in his sleep, repeating the name 'Jamie' over and over. Suddenly, Shane's body tensed up. Callum panicked. If the cum landed on his shirt, Shane would wonder how his dick ended up outside his pyjamas. Quick as a flash, Callum darted down and took Shane's head in his mouth. The hot, creamy load poured into his mouth and he started to swallow. The taste, coupled with the excitement drove Callum to the point of orgasm and he creamed his shorts.

Four blasts later, Callum stuffed Shane's softening dick back inside his bedclothes and lay down facing away from his cousin. He could taste the remnants of Shane's cum on his tongue, and he found that he liked it. Guilt washed over him as he lay there. If Shane ever knew...

Callum started to cry and Shane stirred. "Hey, kiddo. Did you have a nightmare?" He rolled into Callum and hugged him from behind. "You're okay. You're safe with me."

Darren woke with a smile still on his face. He showered with a smile on his face. He made his breakfast with a smile on his face. He even made extra for his parents; something he hadn't done for a very long time. He sang while he cooked, dancing and shaking his bottom as he went.

As he turned around to set the table, he spotted his mother and father standing in the doorway with huge grins on their faces. Evidently, they had been watching him dance. They both applauded his little performance and he blushed furiously.

"I, er..." He laughed embarrassedly at himself. "I made breakfast. Pancakes." Both parents were wide eyed when they sat at the breakfast bar. Darren set a plate in front of each. He kissed his mother's cheek and gave his dad a hug. "Syrup or butter?"

Both parents chose butter while Darren opted for sweet syrup. He was not a great cook, but pancakes he could do.

His father, Michael, took his first bite. "Mmm. Lovely. So, son, what's brought this on?"

Darren smiled enigmatically. "Just in a good mood today. A REALLY good mood. I think for once, I'm actually happy."

"So therapy is really working then?" asked Michael, stuffing in another bite.

"Yeah. Therapy's good," said Darren vaguely. When Michael looked back at his plate, Darren gave his mother a quick wink. She smiled, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Well!" said Michael, jumping from his stool a few minutes later. "That was wonderful. I've got golf with the guys from Adaris Media so I'd better get ready."

He turned to leave, but Darren darted towards him and caught him in a great bear-hug. "I'm sorry I've been such a dick and I'm sorry I screwed up so badly."

His father was a little startled, but he returned the hug happily. They stood in each other's arms, their embrace slowly erasing the weeks of mistrust and heartache. Darren felt the shit of the last year washed away by the love of his father. He had his Daddy back, and he swore to himself that he would never let anything take him away again.

The pair heard a sob and looked around. Tanya was looking at her men, watching their reunion with tears in her eyes. She came over to them and they enfolded her between them. They were a family again. The hurt that had strained them for so long, though not forgotten, had certainly been forgiven.

After a few minutes, they broke the hug and Darren and Tanya returned to the table. Michael cleared his throat, as if he were trying to shift a glob of emotion. "Well, I, er..." He stammered, his voice shaky. He wiped at his eyes and cleared his throat again. "Shower." He almost bolted from the room.

"I, er, I take it your date went well?" said Tanya after Michael had left. Her voice was just as thick as her husband's had been.

Darren wiped at both of his eyes. "Yeah. Kyle's great. Wonderful."

"So, do you think you'll be seeing him again?"

Darren smiled again. His cheeks were actually starting to hurt with the amount of smiling he'd done today. "Definitely."

Darren's phoned beeped. 'Hey babez. U want 2 cum over 4 dinna? Rents cancelled Sunday lunch. Pick u up @12! K xx'

"He wants me to come over for dinner today. Can I go Mum?"

"Wow. Two dates in two days. He must like you. I guess that's okay."

"Thanks Mum."

Three hours later, Darren gave his mother another kiss on the cheek and said "Love you." He darted out of the house and into the orange Punto.

"Hey sweetums," said Kyle.

Darren leaned over and gave him a quick smooch. "Hi babe."

"Your Mum's still watching."

"So drive. I want your lips, sexy."

Kyle giggled and put the car in gear before pulling away. It took twenty minutes to reach the block of flats that Kyle called home. It was a ten story building that looked to have been built in the seventies, although the estate seemed very well kept. Ash trees lined the streets and the path leading up to the main entrance to the building was lined with rose beds.

"Wow, nice flowers."

"Thanks. I planted them myself." Kyle beamed.

"Really? Wow. Pretty good for a nurse."

Kyle winked. "Multi-talented, me." He buzzed the door open and led Darren to the stairs. "I'm on the sixth floor. Need to stretch your hammies?" Kyle grinned.

"Shut up, pipsqueak. I'll give you a bloody piggy-back up!"

"Ooh, big man!" exclaimed Kyle as he mounted up.

Five and a half floors later, Darren had slowed almost to a stop. Kyle weighed barely eight stone, but after a hundred and fifty steps, eight stone felt like eighty. The situation was not being helped by the fact that Kyle kept playfully nipping at Darren's ears and kissing his neck.

"It's hard to climb stairs when you're, you know, HARD!" complained Darren.

"That's the whole entertainment value of it." Kyle actually licked Darren's neck sending a shiver of pleasure through Darren's body. Finally at the door, Kyle dismounted and unlocked it. "There's beer and white wine in the fridge. Take your pick."

"I don't think I should. I'm in recovery."

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't think." He actually looked a little ashamed.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to dating a junkie," said Darren with a little sadness in his voice. He had the sudden disheartening thought that there would be no champagne at his wedding. No toast when he graduates University. His Dad would never be able to buy him a pint on his eighteenth birthday.

"Hey, it's okay." Kyle stood on his tiptoes and gave him a hug. "We all have our baggage. At least you seem to be getting a handle on yours. Now, for dinner I was thinking of the whole enchilada. Proper Sunday dinner, except we go with a clucker instead of a mooer. White meat is much better."

Kyle set Darren to preparing the veggies while he put the 'clucker' on to boil. He was being so serious, which to Darren's mind was so out of character for him. Every moment he had ever shared with Kyle, he had been the giggly, happy little man. Now he was carefully measuring his herbs and checking gas flows like a pro. It was nice for Darren to see this side of him.

It didn't last long. As soon as Darren had the veggies in the steamer, he started to give Kyle a back rub. Kyle quickly admonished him and put the potatoes on to cook. When the water came to boil, Darren reached his arms around Kyle from behind and pulled him in tight before starting to kiss and nibble his ears.

Kyle would allow Darren's ministrations to go on for a few seconds at a time, releasing a few smalls moans before tapping Darren's hands away and returning to the stove. Darren quickly changed his tack.

He put his mouth right next to Kyle's ear, pressing his crotch to Kyle's backside and running his hands over his chest. "Do you know how cute you are?" he said breathily into Kyle's ear. He wrapped his arms around Kyle's waist and kissed his earlobe. Kyle moaned softly. "Your lovely soft skin." He kissed Kyle's neck. "Your cute little bum." Another kiss and he spun Kyle around. He picked him up by the buttocks and placed him on the worktop. "Your full, red lips that always taste of some fruit or other."

Darren leaned in slowly. Kyle's breathing had become heavy as Darren had built the atmosphere. He had his eyes half closed as Darren took his bottom lip into his mouth. 'Mmm,' thought Darren, tasting Kyle's lip-gloss. 'Peach.'

They kissed slowly, enjoying the sensuous feel of each other's lips. Kyle's hands roamed over Darren's back. He pulled Darren in tighter to his body. It felt like he wanted to pull him right into himself. Darren put his tongue to Kyle's lips and Kyle opened his mouth. Their tongues touched and began to massage each other.

Kyle pushed Darren's face away, just by an inch. He could still feel Kyle's breath on his lips when he said in a low voice "I need to have a gander at the chicken."

Smiling widely, they both went back to work. Darren took a quick moment to rearrange his erection. He rewashed his hands and put the Yorkshire puddings in the oven.

Kyle started to hum 'Poker Face' while he carried on. Darren stepped back and just watched him. He flitted from pot to pan and back again with grace. He sang and hummed and wiggled his little arse as if he were alone. As Darren watched, he found himself thinking that he might be looking at his future. He thought that 'Mr Kyle Dempster' had a nice ring to it. He thought that 'I love you Kyle' had a nice ring to it too.

He wanted to say it out loud, but two dates was too soon, but as he watched Kyle in all his domestic glory he knew he felt it. Kyle was the man for him.

"Right, Jamie. Get your coat."

Jamie stared warily at his mother. "Why?"

"Because you and I are going to rescue the Carters from a roastless Sunday," she said brightly. She grabbed her car keys and tapped her foot impatiently. "Well?"

Jamie rolled his eyes. He should have known. With Diane out of commission and both Gerry and Dawn completely incapable of cooking, there was nobody to left to do it. The Lawrences had hosted Shane almost every night since Diane's accident, but 'Beth the Samaritan' wanted to give them a family meal before they forgot what one tasted like.

Jamie's biggest concern came from the fact that his mother had yet to meet either of Shane's parents. Beth knew that Gerry had no idea about his and Shane's relationship, so there was no worry on that score. The worry was that Diane and Beth wouldn't get along. Warring mothers were a guaranteed end to a relationship in Jamie's mind.

Jamie tried to surreptitiously text Shane to give his family some warning, but as he fondled his coat pocket in the passenger seat of the car, he remembered that he had left his phone on his dresser. All too soon, they pulled up outside the Carters' home.

Without knocking, Beth burst into the house and loudly declared "Never fear! Beth is here!" Jamie felt that a vague entrance like that needed some additional information so he ran through to the kitchen where the Carter clan, plus the two Henrys were gathered.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Beth Lawrence." He pointed over his shoulder to his mother.

Diane looked up as Beth walked into the room. Her eyes went wide as she took in the sight before her. "Lizzie?!"

Beth looked back at Diane, utter shock on her face. "Oh my days! Annie!" She darted forward and, mindful of Diane's casts, gave her a gargantuan hug. "Annie! My Annie!"

"Lizzie! Lizzie Williams. I never thought..." said Diane, her voice catching in her throat. There were tears in her eyes and strain in her voice.

Beth looked around and spotted Gerry. "Gerry!"

Jamie, Shane, Callum and Dawn were all looking back and forth, completely nonplussed. "Could somebody please clear up what the hell is going on?" demanded Jamie.

Diane and Beth were both crying. Gerry was grinning ear to ear. "Diane, Gerry and I all went to Uni together! I guess because I used to know her as Annie, I never made the connection."

"And Lizzie became Beth?" asked Diane, wiping away tears.

"Yeah, I thought Lizzie Lawrence was a little heavy handed so I started to go by Beth."

"Wait." Diane had clearly only just pieced it all together. "YOU'RE Jamie's mother?! This is unbelievable!"

The excitement in the room was starting to wear on Jamie. The longer the conversation went on, the higher the pitch of the women's voices became. More than anything, Jamie wanted to kiss his boyfriend. It galled him that he couldn't kiss Shane just because his father was there.

He gave Shane a quick wink. "Shane, didn't you say there was an article you wanted me to see?"

"Oh. Um, yeah! Come on, it's on my laptop." They both hurried up the stairs and were in Shane's bedroom within seconds. Almost as soon as the door was closed, Jamie bounded into Shane's arms.

"Hey sexy." Jamie pressed his lips to Shane's. "Happy one-month-aversary."

"Wow. Has it only been a month? I feel like we're already an old married couple."

"Are you calling me old?" asked Jamie playfully.

Suddenly the door burst open and Shane pushed Jamie away. 'Wow; that stung' thought Jamie. He had only really been out to the world for a little over a month, but sometimes it really did feel like he needn't have bothered.

In the doorway stood Callum, Shane's younger cousin. Much to Jamie's dismay, the thirteen year old was actually an inch taller than he was.

"Hey. The grown-ups wanted me out of the way. Is it okay if I hang out with you guys?"

"Sure! This is Jamie, my, er, best friend."

Callum looked at Jamie, disbelief evident in his stare. "Best friend?" He shrugged. "Cool. Nice to meet you."

"You too. So, are you looking forward to starting back at school tomorrow?" asked Jamie.

Callum shifted uncomfortably. "I don't really like school. I don't have many friends."

"Well, there are some great ways to make new friends. Have you thought about joining the choir? Or the orchestra. Or a sports team?" Jamie sat down on Shane's bed and was immediately joined by Callum. He sat so close to Jamie that their elbows kept brushing together. He kept his head down.

"I guess. I just get kinda nervous around people."

"Well, you seem fine with us two."

"Well, Shane's always been really nice to me. And you seem nice too."

"Aww!" Jamie cooed. He slung his arm around Callum's shoulders and gave him a one armed hug. "How can a sweetie like you not have friends?" Jamie reprimanded himself for being camp and continued. "How about girls?"

"Girls don't like me. I'm too much of a geek."

"I'm sure they do! And there's nothing wrong with being a geek. We always end up getting the girls in the end anyway." Jamie laughed internally.

"Really?" asked Callum, his eyes wide.

"Definitely. Think about it. We geeks end up getting good jobs. We're nice to be around. We don't just talk about football all the time. We're catches!"

"Seconded," said Shane, giving Jamie a surreptitious wink.

"Plus, we give the girls smart kids, and that's what they really want."

Callum seemed slightly happier with that. He excused himself to go to the bathroom. As soon as he was out the door, Shane came over to the bed and lay on top of Jamie. "Let's try this again."

"Callum will be back any second."

"Then we'd better hurry!" said Shane, pressing his lips sensually against Jamie's. They shared their tongues and rubbed their bodies together before they heard the creaky floorboard outside Shane's bedroom and they pulled apart. Callum came into the room with a smile on his face and the trio started playing on Shane's Xbox while they waited for dinner.

"Okay, you go set the table," said Kyle, grabbing a handful of Darren's firm arse. Left alone in the kitchen, Kyle took a deep breath. Generally, if John-Paul hadn't liked anything Kyle had cooked, he expressed his displeasure with a fist. Kyle kept reminding himself that Darren was not John-Paul. Darren seemed genuinely pleased to be here with him.

He placed both plates on the table, and Darren grabbed Kyle's arm. Kyle instantly cringed, but Darren simply pulled him into his lap and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Thank you, babe." He gave Kyle a noisy kiss and released him. "It looks great."

Kyle beamed. It had been a long time since he had had his cooking complimented. He took his seat and the pair tucked in. Darren sampled everything quickly and moaned his appreciation. Kyle ate with just his left hand since his right was being held gently by Darren.

Darren devoured his meal in record time. Kyle couldn't remember ever eating like that, even when HE had been sixteen. He wondered quickly where Darren put it all. Kyle had only eaten half of his meal when he put his fork down. "I want to save room for dessert," he offered seeing the questioning look on Darren's face. "I made Sticky Buns."

Darren pulled Kyle back into his lap. "Hmm, I think I could make some sticky buns too," he said slyly.

Kyle rolled his eyes at the terrible pun. "Shush, you. Shall I go get your dessert then?"

Darren looked dreamily into Kyle's eyes. "They'll keep." He picked Kyle up bodily, moved him over to the settee and lay on top of him. His tongue quickly broached Kyle's lips and the two made out with abandon. Kyle lifted Darren's shirt halfway up his back and caressed his skin while Darren rubbed his crotch against Kyle's.

They both moaned as they got more and more into their little after dinner treat. Darren had one hand up the front of Kyle's shirt, massaging one of his nipples, even as his lips massaged Kyle's neck. Kyle was as hard as he ever remembered being.

All too soon Darren pulled away, breathing heavily. "Sorry. Need to cool down or I'm gonna blow."

"Good point. Don't want to ruin the upholstery." Kyle giggled. "Do you want to have a shufties at a film?" Darren nodded and Kyle directed him to the DVD cabinet. "I'm going to have some vino. Back in two shakes of a stick."

Kyle nipped into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of white. Once back in the lounge, he saw that Darren had put on 'Troy.' "Ooh, Brad Pitt is such a hottie!"

"Really? You go for that kind of guy?" asked Darren, his eyebrows arched.

"You don't?!" Kyle was incredulous.

"Well..." Darren looked odd for a moment. "I actually haven't thought about any guy but you. Strange, huh?"

Kyle practically floated into Darren's arms. He was such a sweet boy. They kissed again as the film started. Darren kicked off his shoes and settled onto the couch. Kyle grabbed the woollen blanket his grandmother had knitted for him last Christmas and lay on Darren's chest. Darren promptly wrapped his arm around Kyle, and they lay comfortably together.

It was when the war started that Kyle decided the time was right to return to their amorous activities. Kyle leaned up while Darren was immersed in the film and started to kiss Darren's neck. He had discovered that Darren's earlobes were his weakness, so he worked his way up and took the nearest one into his mouth, nibbling on it gently.

What he had forgotten is that he had an almost full glass of wine in his hand, so when Darren reacted to Kyle's attentions, he knocked the glass out Kyle's hand and all over himself.

Darren jumped up. "Aah! Shit! Sorry, Kyle. Fuck, I'm such a dick. Damn it, I'm so sorry!" He darted to the kitchen for a cloth, but when he returned, Kyle took the cloth from him.

Darren was working himself into a frenzy. "None of it went on the couch, so calm down. It's all over you."

"Yeah, and it's really fuckin' cold!" He chuckled and pulled his sodden shirt away from his body.

"Okay, strip. I'll put your clothes in the washer and you can wrap up in this until they're dry." Kyle held up the blanket.

"Are you just trying to get me naked?" asked Darren with mock suspicion.

"Would li'l old me do that?" he asked in his best 'innocent' voice.

Darren rolled his eyes before he started to strip right there in the living room. He pulled of his t-shirt first and Kyle saw the rippling muscles flexing. They were wet from the wine, and Kyle had to remind himself to breathe.

Next came the jeans. As Darren peeled them off, Kyle actually did stop breathing. His well defined legs were a sight to behold. Kyle's heart was beating out of his chest. "Um, if you...er, want to...uh, you know, shower..." He pointed towards the bathroom. His mouth had gone suddenly very dry.

"Thanks." Darren walked over to the bathroom door and shed his boxers, giving Kyle a flash of his two perfect cheeks. Kyle was hard again. He took Darren's clothes to the washer. As he went to insert the boxers, he couldn't resist having a little sniff. It was musky, and sent another quick pulse through his dick.

Kyle returned to the film. Unusually for him, he sat with one hand down his trousers, slowly rubbing his five inch dick as Brad and Orlando went about their business. When Darren returned, wearing nothing but a towel and his skin glistening with water, he pulled Kyle back onto his chest. Kyle, however, was not interested in the film.

It had been over a month since he had seen any action, and Darren had awoken his desire. He kissed Darren's chest, taking a nipple into his mouth and lathering it with his tongue.

Before he knew what he was doing, he yanked Darren's towel from his waist and stared at the young, naked specimen before him. Darren was beginning to rise to the occasion, and as his beautiful seven inch cock filled fit to burst, Kyle let out a breath of anticipation.

He pulled off his own shirt and shoes and lay on Darren's naked form, returning to Darren's lips while his left hand roamed south to grasp Darren's throbbing erection. Clearly the excitement of the day had been too much for Darren as after only four or five strokes, he moaned into Kyle's mouth, gripped him tightly, and shot his hot load between them.

Kyle moved down to Darren's chest and lapped up his cum, savouring the taste and texture even as his own balls begged for release. In a flash, Darren had Kyle on his back. He kissed him deeply and said "Your turn."

He kissed fervently down Kyle's tiny chest before using his teeth to undo the button and zip on Kyle's trousers. Kyle lifted his bum so that Darren could remove them fully.

Naked now, Kyle watched as Darren absorbed the sight before him. Darren took Kyle's dick in his hand and squeezed slightly. Kyle couldn't help but moan. Darren kissed the inside of his left thigh, and then the right. He moved up a few inches and kissed again. The anticipation was driving Kyle wild.

Darren took Kyle's hairless balls into his mouth and gently swilled them around with his tongue. Kyle was in heaven. John-Paul had never seen fit to pleasure Kyle so thoroughly, but Darren seemed to really enjoy it.

Releasing Kyle's balls, he kissed his way up the shaft, sticky with streams of pre-cum that had oozed out. Darren stopped for a second and smacked his lips together, clearly sampling the sticky substance. It seemed to pass the taste test.

Kyle was breathing heavily now, moaning at every tentative touch. Darren kissed the head of Kyle's dick before he finally took the whole of his shaft into his mouth eliciting a small gasp from Kyle. The warmth of Darren's mouth; the feel of his soft, agile tongue running time and time again over the sensitive underside of Kyle's dickhead; the tightening of Darren's lips as he buried his face in Kyle's shaven pubic region. All of these and more were sending shockwaves of delight through his little body.

While Darren played along the shaft, he rolled Kyle's balls around in their little sack. Kyle laced his fingers through Darren's soft hair and started to moan in time with Darren's head movements. At length, Kyle felt his long overdue orgasm rushing forth.

He tapped Darren's shoulder. "I'm about to cum," he warned. Darren sucked harder and faster, his hands playing along the inside of Kyle's thighs. Kyle tapped again. "Baby, I'm gonna-ah!" cried Kyle as his will to hold back crumbled and his pent-up load busted out.

Kyle shot three times into Darren's mouth, his breathing jagged and little moans of pleasure coming out at the same time. Darren had swallowed the whole offering and was now kissing up Kyle's chest, stopping to kiss each tattoo star on his way up. He tongued each nipple before finally returning to Kyle's lips.

The ecstasy Kyle was feeling was unparalleled by anything he had ever experienced before. He knew that he was falling hard and fast in love with this boy, but he was scared to say it too soon in case he scared Darren away. They kissed for a few minutes more before they lay naked together under the wool blanket watching the television. Kyle fell asleep on Darren's chest, happier than he had ever been before.

Sunday night was peaceful for Diane and Beth. Beth had cooked and served Sunday lunch for seven. Gerry had apologised and left before dessert was served saying that he was going to wet his whistle at the Duck on the Water. Dawn had gone to bed complaining of a headache, and the three boys were upstairs playing on Shane's Xbox again.

Beth had wheeled Diane into the lounge where they now sat drinking tea and catching up on the twenty years they had been apart. Beth was flabbergasted that they could have lived so close for so many years and not run into each other. Even more shocking was that not only had their two sons attended the same school for the last five years, but were in fact in love with each other.

Diane, or Annie as Beth knew her, sighed happily. "Young love. I see it every time my Shane talks about little Jamie."

"I know. Jamie's head over heels for Shane. I remember you and Gerry being like that in Uni. All gooey eyed."

"He still gets like that sometimes." Diane chuckled.

"Spare me the details!" laughed Beth, holding up a hand in surrender before turning serious again. "I've been meaning to come round and talk to you about the situation with Gerry. Shane seems desperate to come out to him."

"I know. It's awful, but I don't know what I can do. I've talked to him and we're going to wait until after I get my casts off. It seems logical in case we need to make a hasty escape. Beyond that, I have no idea." She rubbed at her temples with her one good hand. "I hate talking about Gerry this way, but if he doesn't take it well, I'll have to leave him."

"We don't need to talk about that just yet. I was thinking of something else. Jamie's birthday is coming up in about a month. I was thinking that we could send the boys off for a spa weekend. We can tell Gerry that they went camping."

"What does that achieve?" asked Diane uncertainly.

"Well, it gives the boys a chance to be a real couple. They'll spend a weekend, just the two of them, and then maybe it'll make Shane feel better about the whole thing; if they reaffirm their relationship, it'll make the lying easier. They don't have to come out yet, but they need to explore their relationship a little more. They're still young."

"Sounds like a plan, Lizzie." They clinked their cups. "God, I've missed you." Diane took Beth's hand and they fell into a comfortable silence as they basked in the glow of a friendship rekindled.

I hope you enjoyed this. This chapter is definitely one of my favourites so far.

Before any of you dirty minded folk say it, in Britain the word Shufty means to 'look at something'. Get your mind out of the gutter!

Any comments, questions, or even suggestions are welcome. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts at thebobbyfish@gmail.com. Your emails are all very welcome, and I will try to answer ever single one of them!

If you haven't already, you should start reading Val 'n Tyne. Also, Riding Lessons is coming along nicely. Both can be found in the High School section of the website.

Keep an eye out for Chapter Fourteen!