Ring in Mine #3: Nephi and Jerome: Chapter 21
I apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. I spent a week with my grandbabies in New Jersey. I continued writing but did not take the time and effort away from my little ones to edit and proofread. Thanks for sticking with me.
I know this chapter is a cliff hanger. This was the only good place to break the chapter. The next chapter is written I promise to post it quickly.
Chapter 21 begins a new set of chapter in the lives of our little family. If we grow through adversity. Nephi and Jerome are giants, but will they need their strength.
Time Line: We are in April/May. What all of you are dreading is in February.
Remember that Nifty Archives is not in the business of making money. The opposite is true. If you can please click on the link and donate. If you check the list you should find my name.
Thank you, Zach for your editing skills.
--------- Nephi & Jerome Chapter 21
Easter came late in the year. Paula, Marie and Mary flew out to join Grace in Florida for the week. The boys and Jerry packed the truck and made the trek to the cabin. Jerry took one look at the bunk beds and claimed one of the top bunks. Nephi and Jerome gave up the loft to Jared and Drake after extracting promises to keep the noise down. Nephi had found one of his clients that made rustic furniture. The bunk beds sported double mattresses on the bottom bunks.
After getting a fire going in the stove, the first order of business was dinner. Nephi had insisted he pay for the food from Marco's restaurant. In retaliation Marco had the keep-warm packed with extras. Tonight on the menu was calzones and breadsticks. There was a cooler with a green salad and Marco's famous salad dressing.
Nephi had packed swimming suits for the hot tub in deference to Jerry. Nephi had the suits in hand when Jared and Drake stripped to the skin, ran through the cold, across the deck and slid into the swirling waters. Jerry must have thought it looked fun; he followed suit. Jerome wasn't far behind. Nephi gave up. He stopped to light the patio heater and the three tiki torches. He slid next to his lover. Jerry sat on Nephi's lap.
It had snowed earlier in the week and fresh packable snow was still on the edges of the large deck. In the flickering light of the tiki torches, Jared was the first to throw a snowball. Jerry was throwing snowballs as fast as anyone. Everyone realized they needed to be careful throwing snowballs at Jerry. At three years old happy anything could turn into a crisis. Jerry returned to the tub often. His little body got colder faster. They broke down and helped Jerry make a small snowman.
"Is it a snowman or a snow woman?" Jared asked his nephew.
"It's a snowman." Jerry answered.
Jared made two small snowballs and placed them at the base. "Now it's a snowman. It has snowballs."
Nephi had to explain about the physical differences between girls and boys. Jerry must have understood. He made a small snow penis and added it to their creation.
"Daddy Nephi, why is daddy Jerome's penis the biggest?" Jerry asked.
Jared and Drake were trying to keep themselves under control as Nephi tried to answer Jerry's questions. Jerome and Jared were inches longer than Drake and Nephi. Nephi looked to Jerome for support but Jerome was in the same state as his brother, stifling his laughter. The three men lost all control with Jerry's last question.
"Is bigger better?" Jerry asked.
"Since Jerome and Jared are the biggest, they will answer your question." Nephi dropped Jerry on Jerome's lap as he got out of the tub. Nephi put out the tiki lamps as Jerome stumbled through his explanation. Jared didn't help when he said everyone one wants a big one.
Nephi knew this topic would have to be revisited when Jerry gave him a goodnight hug.
"Daddy, don't feel bad maybe yours will still grow bigger." Jerry scrambled up the ladder and into his bunk before Nephi could put pajamas on his boy.
Nephi felt vindicated when Jerry announced from his bunk. "I can see Uncle Jared kissing Drake."
The groans from the loft were audible as they realized they would need extra self-control this trip.
Jerome woke to an interesting sight. Jared and Drake had drawn the short straw and were making breakfast in the nude. Jerry was at the table drinking juice also naked. Jared was mixing the pancake batter putting on quite a show as his member swung from side to side.
Jerome woke his lover with a passionate kiss and some intimate caresses under the covers. Together they watched the show unfold. Jerome didn't stop his efforts under the covers. Nephi tried to remain quiet as his passion flared. Jerome pressed his lips to Nephi's too late to avoid Jared's notice.
"Jerome and Nephi sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Nephi with a baby carriage." Jared laughed.
Nephi didn't care about the teasing for the moment. His eyes rolled back in his head moaning into the kiss.
"I've got to wash up." Nephi gasped getting out of bed trying not to let his son see his sticky midsection. Jerome followed his lover into the bathroom. Nephi dropped to his knees and returned the favor. They hopped into the shower.
The pair emerged drying their hair. They hadn't thought to grab any clothes in their rush to the bathroom. Nephi picked up a pair of shorts.
"Daddy it's just the big boys we don't need clothes." Jerry announced.
Nephi looked to Jared and Drake to see who came up with this rule. With a pointing finger Drake ratted out his partner. Nephi slid into his shorts.
"I don't want to sit on a cold chair with my bare bum." Nephi answered.
"I don't want cold on my bare bum either." Jerry climbed down from the table and found the new boxer briefs just like his dad's. Jerome smirked at his brother.
Jared and Drake wanted to hike to the falls like they had done the previous year. Nephi thought it was a little far for Jerry.
"Watch for the notches on the trees. If all else fails follow your steps back to the cabin. Do not cross your own trail." Nephi suggested.
Jerry looked so cute in his Peter and Sons coveralls, Jerome had to take lots of pictures. Nephi had made small snowshoes for Jerry. They hiked to the meadow. The roar of a snowmobile came up behind them they turned to find the ranger with Benny riding behind him.
"Have you noticed any naked Sasquatch today?" The ranger laughed.
"Are you still coming to dinner at 4:00?" Nephi asked.
"We will be there with bells as on." Benny called out.
The little family stopped and watched a family of deer on the edge of the meadow. AN exhausted Jerry snuggled up with his big teddy bear on his dads' bed and fell asleep.
Jerome and Nephi got the meal going in the Dutch ovens. Four ancient looking iron pots filled the metal table in the yard.
Bertram and Marco brought an unexpected guest, Leonard. "We found this lost soul looking for his brother. We knew where to find him."
Leonard looked like a lost soul. Something was bothering the man. Jerry seemed to think nothing would help this sad man like a little boy on his lap telling him about the deer in the meadow. It wasn't long before the pair disappeared out the back door. Leonard was laughing when Jerry brought him back inside.
"Have you seen his snowman? Jerry just made him a lot happier." Leonard laughed.
Nephi looked at the snowman through the window. Jerry had enhanced its endowment. It was certainly a happy snowman.
It was getting dark when the ranger arrived with Benny and Luke. Jerry wasn't relinquishing his patient. They were building with blocks by the fire.
Nephi pulled the ranger off to the side. "Jared and Drake went to the falls. They should be back by now." Visions of the pair buried under an avalanche haunted him.
The ranger powered up Nephi's snowmobile. As the darkness deepened. Nephi was sure it would be a night of disaster. As they heard the roar of the snowmobile nearing the cabin, Nephi was the first out the door. The ranger had two tired hikers sandwiched behind him.
"They were on their way back when I found them. One snowshoe had broken." The ranger explained.
Nephi looked at the pair and sent them to the hot tub for a quick warm up before dinner. The lost adventurers were safe but the feeling impending doom didn't fade.
Around the table Jerry insisted Uncle Leo sit next to him. Dinner was a success. After dessert Jared and Drake barely made it to the loft falling into a sound sleep. Jerry wasn't far behind. The remaining men retreated to the hot tub.
Luke opened the conversation. "Ok, brother, what happened?"
"She left me. After twenty years, I came home to find her closet empty and divorce papers." Tears filled Leonard's eyes.
"Who? Why?" Luke wasn't sure what to ask.
"Turns out she's been doing it with that personal injury lawyer from TV." Leonard sadly announced. It was well past midnight when the ranger took Benny and Luke with him. Bertram and Marco took the other double bed. Leonard felt a little childish climbing into the upper bunk. Nephi's feeling of dread was still there.
Kneeling side-by-side Nephi prayed for the safety of his families. Jerome put a chunk of coal on the fire. Nephi walked around to shut down the cabin for the night. He rarely locked the doors, but they were tonight. He made sure the gas was off on all the burners. Nephi tossed and turned before finally falling asleep.
"Daddy, Uncle Leo is crying." A little hand was trying to pry his eyes open. Nephi didn't respond as fast as Jerry thought he should.
"Uncle Leo are you having bad dreams?" Uncle Leo was getting the Jerry treatment. "I know what gets rid of bad dreams."
Jerry made Uncle Leo climb down the ladder. "Scoot over daddy." He looked at Uncle Leo. "In the middle and the dreams can't get you."
Leo found Jerry was not a force to be ignored. Nephi was too sleepy to argue. Leo lay in the middle of two young gay men. Jerome snuggled up on one side and Nephi the on the other. Jerry returned to his bunk.
Leo fell asleep listening to Nephi and Jerome steady breathing. He woke the next morning rested. Maybe Jerry was right there were no nightmares sandwiched between Jerry's dads.
Bertram was making biscuits while Nephi prepared sausage gravy. After breakfast Bertram, Marco and Leonard headed back to the real world.
The boys were getting the snowmobile out when Benny's car appeared in the driveway. "Nephi, I need you to come down to the valley this morning."
Nephi didn't want to leave but Benny was insistent. Jerome promised to watch over Jerry while Nephi was gone.
As the car made its way down the canyon, the feeling of dread returned. Had something happened to Paula? Had something happened to the business? Benny reassured Nephi that the ladies in his life were safe. It concerned Nephi when his lawyer met him at Benny's office.
"The important thing to remember is no one was hurt." The lawyer started. Why was that statement not reassuring?