Super Jeff

The following story is a work of gay fiction. If the subject matter is offensive to you or you are too young please exit now. This story is the property of the author and may not be duplicated without permission. John E. Tucker JETjt@aol.com

SUPER JEFF

Chapter Twenty-four

CHRIS' POV

I was glad when we had finished with golf, though the course was beautiful. I think I played well, but misjudged a couple of shots over gullies and my overall score wasn't that impressive. Afterward we went into the lounge and ordered cokes while Jeff called Sterling to pick us up. It wasn't long before we saw the white Escalade that we'd ridden in before pull up at the bag pick-up area. We paid for our drinks then rushed out the main entrance doors toward the vehicle. By the time we reached the large SUV the bag guy had hefted them through the rear hatch. Jeff slipped him a couple of bucks and we climbed in.

It was not yet noon and we were getting hungry so Jeff asked if we could stop at a BK or something similar on the way back to Tyler's. Sterling said that lunch was ready at home and that we'd be there soon, unless we preferred a Whopper. Jeff retracted his request not wanting Sterling to think we didn't appreciate the hospitality offered.

We arrived home quickly and made quick waste of lunch since we'd built up a huge appetite playing golf. After a short breather, we took showers and I checked our e-mail while Jeff worked on some writing for his English teacher in California which he would put on the computer and e-mail later. Even though we'd just cleaned up, Jeff insisted that it was time for our workouts. Putting on our workout gear we left our room and headed for the exercise room, taking along our swim suits.

In the "entertainment building' where the exercise room was located we found the beautifully equipped facility. There was a pair of treadmills that we got on first and made up for our lack of running earlier. An hour later we had finished our routines, and after again showering, hit the outdoor pool for a few laps and some horsing around. I hope no one was watching. A quick trip back into the building to the sauna then to the shower completed our routines. It was after two o'clock when we headed back to our rooms.

"I wonder where all the boys are?" Jeff asked. I haven't seen Jon and Ben, or any of Tyler's guys since we got back."

"They must have gone somewhere," I theorized.

"I'm going to call Sterling and ask if he knows where they are," announced Jeff.

Picking up the phone he dialed Sterling's extension.

A look of surprise crossed Jeff's face after he requested the information and received his reply.

"Thornton?" he asked. "We were just there yesterday."

He listened again, shook his head, then thanked Sterling before hanging up.

"They went to Thornton again. Tyler's guys took them. Sterling said they were going to eat out while they were gone, so he didn't have to make lunch for them."

"That's strange," I responded. "I guess Jon and Ben really like that place. I like it too, but compared to here and our house in Palos Verdes, it's pretty Spartan."

"I think they liked that everyone there is like them. I mean not only gay, but with no homes to go to," Jeff said. "I guess I don't understand what they find wrong at our place."

"I think they like our home, but I understand completely. Think of how you'd feel at a huge party where there were only black people. Even if they were friendly, you'd feel oddly out of place. It's not that they're worse or better than you are, it's a matter that they're different. Their upbringing is different, their friends are different, their cultural heritage is different. They might even, in jest, call each other the "n" word. You can't do that, of course, not that you'd want to, but `you don't belong to the club,' so to speak."

"I see what you're saying," Jeff replied. "Did you feel that way?"

"At first I was scared to death," I admitted. "There were a few things that made me stay. First, I had nowhere else to go. That was the biggest thing. Second, you were so nice and seemed to really care about me. Third is that I thought I was the luckiest guy on earth to be in your presence. I still think that. The other side of the coin is not so pretty. First, I thought I was worthless. That is certainly what I'd been brought up to believe. Second, I was scared that your folks would throw me out. Finally, I thought you'd get tired of me or find out that I'm a wuss and I'd be alone again."

"How do you feel now?" Jeff asked.

"I'm not scared any more," I said. "Your love and the acceptance of me by Dr. Mel and Pop set my mind at rest. Having a little money in the bank helps too. You have to realize that I only had a little change in my pockets when I got thrown out. I didn't have enough money to buy lunch at Mickey D's. That's terribly unsettling, especially when you have no idea where your next dollar or meal is coming from. I thought I had a few dollars from my mowing job, but when I went there my mother had sent my little brother to collect it and to take over my job."

"I guess I knew that Babe, but I'd forgotten," Jeff admitted. "You're a different guy now than you were then. I'm really proud of you. Not only are you much more self assured, but physically you're much stronger too."

"If that's so, it's because of you Lover," I said with a laugh. "If this keeps up the kids at school are gonna call me Super Chris."

Jeff laughed.

"Hey," he said. "Let's call over to Ron and Matt's. I'd like to go over there early and try out their grand piano. I really need some practice."

"How can you practice without music?" I asked.

"Oh, I can run through my exercises, and I have enough pieces memorized that it won't be difficult. They may have some music there too."

"What will I do over there while you're practicing?" I asked.

"I'm sure that you'll find something of interest," Jeff said with assurance. "If not, we'll have a golf cart and you can come back and take a nap or get onto the computer or whatever. Their house is gorgeous."

"I'll call, then we'll go," Jeff said. "I saw extensions for their house on the phone list. I think I remember Ron saying something about Parks or something like that, as the guy who takes care of everything like Sterling does here. Let me look."

He fumbled with the phone list, quickly finding what he was looking for.

"Yes! Here it is. It's Parker," he said snatching up the phone and dialing the extension.

Jeff heard the phone ring and shortly it being picked up.

"Yes Mr. Richards," the voice on the other line answered, "how may I help you?"

Jeff was so surprised he could almost not speak.

"Uh, is this Mr. Parker?" he asked.

"This is Parker Sir," Parker replied. "You may forget the `mister'."

"Sorry, Mis.. uh ^Å Parker. This is Jeff Richards."

"I surmised as much from the phone extension Sir," Parker replied. "Mr. Ron Turner said you might come over today. "That's why I'm calling. Chris and I would like to come over early," Jeff replied. "I'd like to try out Ron's grand piano, if I may."

"Of course Sir," Parker agreed. "Our home here is at your disposal. Please come over whenever you're ready. Do you need transportation?" Parker inquired.

"No, I think not," Jeff replied. "I saw two carts in the garage when we came back from golf. I took a jog around yesterday. I think I can find my way there."

"It's the path with the intermittent yellow line," advised Parker. "We have surveillance cameras scattered about so I'll know when you get close and will meet you," said the Major Domo.

"That's very kind of you," Jeff responded. "We'll be leaving shortly."

"Not at all Sir," Parker said. "We'll see you soon."

"Oh one thing Parker, please call me Jeff and Chris, Chris."

"As you wish Jeff," Parker concluded. "Good bye."

"'Bye," Jeff said as he hung up the phone.

"Let's go," Jeff announced. "We'd better take our swim suits with us. We may not make it back here before dinner."

"Sounds good to me," I said in reply. "Let's tell Sterling that we're going though. There's no point in anyone wondering where we are."

The rest of the afternoon was fun and informative. Jeff got in an hour or so of practice and I got the grand tour of the place by Eddie and David. The place was unbelievable. Unlike Tyler and Dan's home which was modern, hugging-the-earth, with lots of texture from the rocks cast into the walls, Ron and Matt's was modern-modern, multi-story, clinging to the rocks, with huge cantilevered decks giving breathtaking views of the valley below. It's no wonder that Wright's Falling Waters project in Pennsylvania is considered by many to be the most famous house in America.

After Jeff finished his practice, he joined us in the game room. We only played a couple of games of pool when we tired of it and we went into the family room for refreshments. We all exchanged stories of how we came to be here, and I can tell you that Ron and Matt, as well as Tyler and Dan have to be saints. It seems that all of their boys have their own background of woe. You wouldn't know it to see them now, but some of them have scars, not all physical, that will never completely heal. The most touching story they told was of their brother, Douglas, who had conquered crippling birth defects only to die of cancer in Texas, but who left an indelible stamp of love, selflessness, and bravery in their hearts. Even as he was dying he was more concerned about the welfare of another boy in the hospital than himself. We were all in tears by the time Ron and Matt came in.

"Hey guys," Ron said with a smile on his lips, "why the long faces?"

"Oh we were just telling Jeff and Chris about Douglas," Eddie said.

You could tell from the look that came on Ron's face that just the mention of Douglas' name brought back painful, yet loving memories of their son and brother.

"Yes, I understand," he said. "Doug was a wonderful boy and a great example for us all. He's with us now in our hearts just as surely as if he were in this room. I guess it's what we really leave of ourselves that is important. It's what makes our lives meaningful. In that instance, Douglas gave far more than anyone I know. The guys that he touched with his life are far better people because of his being here."

"We know that he's okay though," Eddie continued.

"Oh?" Jeff asked. "I don't mean to pry and you don't have to tell us if you don't want to, by how do you know?"

"It's the family ghost," Eddie said with a giggle.

"I guess you could call it that," Ron agreed with a smile. He then told us the fantastic story of Ted Thornton, who the Thornton Center was named after. He told us how Ted had died and how he "came back" to his partner assuring him that he was happy and fine. That in itself was unbelievable, but when he came back to his lover twice more, when Barry Young, the first Recreation Director at the Thornton Center got killed, then once again when Douglas died, it made the story seem plausible in spite of its unbelievable nature.

"The guys have been telling us about Tyler's and your family," Jeff explained to Ron. "What a fantastic group!" he gushed.

"Yes, everyone here has a history of pain, even me," he admitted. "Maybe it's what makes our family so strong. We've all had our struggles, regardless of how it appears on the surface. We love each other and support each other because we understand."

"I can't tell you how much I admire you all," I said in awe. "I thought you were really cool because you took in a bunch of boys in trouble, but now I realize it's a lot deeper than that. When we first met on your yacht, I saw a bunch of happy boys, and was envious of them because of how easy they had it. Now I know better. They are more than just lucky, they are blessed. They are blessed because of you and Matt, as well as Tyler and Dan, and they are doubly blessed because they have each other."

"It's getting a little `deep' in here," Ron said with an embarrassed grin. "Why don't you guys get on your suits and hit the pool. Ronnie and Carl should be joining you soon. You might call over to Tyler's too and invite the other boys over. Jeff and Chris, if you didn't bring your suits they could bring them, or we have plenty of extras. Dinner should be ready in a couple of hours."

Everyone seemed in favor of the idea, so after it was decided who would do what, we split up to don our suits and to meet at the pool.

Dinner was not formal but everyone had on long pants and collared shirts. The large table was beautiful, with gleaming silver, china and crystal.

Ron, as expected, stood behind his chair at the head of the table. Everyone gathered behind their own place which was marked with little signs next to the plates with names. I thought it was pretty fancy for a `family dinner', but was told by one of the boys that it was spruced up more than usual in honor of their guests, us. I looked over at Ben and Jon who were understandably nervous. I caught Ben's gaze and smiled, trying to give him some long-distance assurances that everything would be fine, but I was a bit edgy myself. I could see Jeff across and down the table from me. He appeared comfortable and enjoying every minute.

Once everyone was in place, Ron began to speak.

"We are gathered here tonight to honor our guests, Jeff, Amanda, Rick, Chris, Ben and Jon. Welcome to our home. We hope that you enjoy your visit, even though the reasons for it are less then ideal. Please feel free to make our homes yours. Now that I've said that, I'd like to continue a tradition at our table by telling a joke."

Several groans were heard from around the table.

"A blonde called her boyfriend and said, `Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure it out or how to get it started.'"

"Her boyfriend asked, `What is it supposed to be when it's finished?'"

"The blonde said, `According to the picture on the box, it's a tiger.'"

"Her boyfriend decided to go over and help with the puzzle."

"She let him in and showed him where she had the puzzle spread all over the table."

"He studied the pieces for a moment, then looked at the box."

"He turned to her and said, `First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a tiger.'"

"He took her hand and said, Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of hot chocolate and then ^Å,' he sighed. Let's put all those frosted flakes back in the box.'"

The boys' giggles out-blasted the laughs and snickers from the adults. Ron just grinned. Finally he raised his hands for silence. Everyone knew the signal and bowed their heads.

"Lord," he began. "We thank You for our many blessings. We thank You for our families and our friends, those people who mean the most to us. Now we come before You to ask that You lay Your protecting hands over Dr. Jeff Richards, and his wife, the parents of our guests Jeff and Amanda. Keep them safe from harm and guide those who search for them. We ask that You provide comfort and patience for Amanda and Jeff during this uncertain period. We ask that You bless them, as well as Rick, Jon and Ben and reveal to them Your will. Now we thank You for this meal and those who prepared it for our use and nourishment. We know that You hear the prayers made in Your name. Therefore we offer these supplications and thanks in Your name, our Lord. Amen."

A chorus of `Amen" followed before chairs were pulled back and everyone was seated.

To say that the meal was good was like saying that Brad Pitt is nice looking. It was wonderful. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Whoever had figured out the seating arrangement did a masterful job. We all had someone different and interesting nearby to converse with. Ron and Matt sure knew how to put on a spread.

Afterward, the older people and some of the older kids, such as Amanda, Rick, Jeff and I, as well as a couple of Ron and Matt's older guys, all adjourned to the family room for coffee, after dinner liqueurs or soft drinks while the younger guys headed for the game room. While we were talking, Tyler turned to Jeff and Amanda.

"I think we're getting close to finding your parents," he stated. "We think we've found the hospital where they're being held, but we need a lot more information before we act. We're trying to be very cautious because we don't want to endanger them, or frighten their captors into moving them somewhere else. Please hang in there with us. We'll get them."

A look of relief crossed Jeff's and Amanda's faces.

"We trust you Tyler," Amanda said. "Do whatever you need to do."

"Try to keep a little busy. It will help" Tyler advised, "Leave this to us. If it's humanly possible we'll be able to act soon."

"We really appreciate what you're doing for us," Jeff added. "I guess the best thing to do is just wait."

"And work out," I added.

Everyone laughed, breaking the tension.

That night Jeff and I broke a little of the tension ourselves. As we made love, I thanked the Lord for my lover, my Super Jeff.

Dr. Jeff Richard's POV

Mel and I had three days respite without word of Osama's whereabouts. I had to assume that he was somewhere taking the tests that I had ordered. During that time Mel and I had plenty of time to talk and to even make love. We worried, of course. It was not only for our welfare but for our kids, Amanda and Jeff. It was not knowing that was so troubling. Did they think we were dead? I had confidence that Ed, our attorney, would see to their welfare, yet we knew that neither of our offspring were fond of each other (to say the least). Every visit home from Mandy was like the outbreak of World War III. It's hard to blame either of them, but Amanda always seemed to be jealous of her younger brother, and neither had ever developed an appreciation for the other. It was like oil and water. In the old days you would have called Mandy the Bohemian, or maybe the Flower Child. She was laid-back and, while not shirking her studies, was not driven by academic excellence, but rather craved attention, even demanding it if nothing else worked. Maybe that was because she felt ignored by us while growing up. We were delighted when Jeff was born and he always seemed more like Mel and me in temperament, making him easy to love. Recently we came to understand that even he felt left-out of our attention and affection. I can only guess how she must have felt.

Mel and I have always been achievers. Our pride in each other's accomplishments was a big component in the glue that kept our relationship strong. Jeff was a chip off the old block. The development of his body and mind was foremost in his personality. I'm sure his self-motivation made it easy for us to not stay personally involved in his achievements. It's not that we ignored him, yet now we see that we took the easy way out with him, leaving him to his own devices with only remote encouragements without personal involvement. Except on a couple of occasions, we never attended his sporting events or functions of academic recognition in person, but simply expressed our pride in his accomplishments.

Mandy was a whole different story. While her grades were good, they were not all that she was capable of. She had a rebellious streak that was not really overt, not wishing to challenge us directly, but she did her own thing, skating along the line just enough to avoid any major confrontation with us. If we failed Jeff, we doubly failed Mandy.

Since we were isolated together, Mel and I, for the first time, had plenty of time to talk about out kids and our lack of parenting skills. We both wished for another chance with our kids, hoping it was not too late to make up for our lack of attention in their formative years.

On our fourth day alone, the door suddenly opened and I was directed at gun-point to come with the two men who appeared in the doorway. I was taken to an empty examination room and handed a large envelope. The men then exited the room after instructing me to remain there. Opening the envelope I saw the negative images and the test results that I had ordered. Placing the images on a back-lit, wall mounted light table, I gave the images my full attention. As a doctor I was pleased that only one growth in his stomach appeared. I then turned my attention to the biopsy report on his lymph glands. The nodes appeared clear of any cancerous cells. I then reviewed the blood work. It was then I saw it.

JEFF'S POV

Chris and I awoke early and not so quickly showered together, enjoying each other's body in a way that only true lovers can appreciate. It was more like worship than unbridled sex. I had come to realize that in my former life a huge vacuum had existed which I'd never comprehended. I now understood why people became committed to each other. I'd become a part of Chris and he a part of me. I couldn't fathom us being apart, yet I could appreciate that we were individuals with our own needs and goals. It was like I was now two people and then some. Instead of being self-serving, my overriding desire was to care for Chris; to make him happy and complete. I could see that in giving of myself to him, I received far more satisfaction than I could get by selfishly serving only my own desires. Now when I worked out I did it to make myself attractive to Chris. My achievements were only a vehicle to make myself worthy of his love. In spite of that desire to earn his love, I also knew that love was a gift, one that is given, not earned, but one that was given without conditions. As much as I wish for Chris to improve himself and to gain knowledge, health, a sense of achievement and self-confidence, I love him as he is. I know that he loves me too and accepts me as I am even though I want to be better for his sake, no longer for mine.

It's the true definition of love: the caring more for the happiness of the one you love than for your own happiness, then achieving greater happiness yourself by his reciprocation in loving you.

I could see it around me with new vision and for the first time I could see it in a "gay" flavor. Tyler and Dan, Ron and Matt, and even some of the younger couples exhibited that caring for their partners that most heterosexuals would find difficult to fathom. Nevertheless, any straight person being around them, who understood what real love is, would recognize that real love between two men was as genuine as love between a man and a woman. It was not what these men said as much as what they did; how they treated each other. You could see the happiness in their eyes.

These thoughts ran through my mind as we dried ourselves and dressed. I finally came "back to earth" when Chris said, "I'm ready. Let's go out and chase around a little white ball."

I smiled as I checked my pockets to make sure I had everything in there.

"I'm ready," I declared as I moved to him and planted a quick peck on his lips.

Giving his hand a squeeze, I released it, then turned toward the door. We exited the room and the "guest wing" and headed for the main building. There we found Tyler and Dan in the breakfast room.

"Hi Guys," Dan said as we entered. "Grab a bite to eat. Tyler's going to run you by the golf course on his way in to work. I'll go in later. When you're finished with your round call Sterling and he will pick you up."

"Thanks," we both replied as we stepped to the buffet table and loaded up plates and poured juice and coffee for ourselves.

"Did you sleep well?" Tyler asked.

"Perfect," Chris answered, giving me a smile and a wink. His gestures were not lost on either Tyler or Dan, who both displayed knowing grins.

"I had to make a reservation for you at the TPC Canyons rather than the slightly larger TPC course nearby," Tyler explained. "They were having a member's tournament at the bigger course. I think you'll like the Canyons course as much as the slightly bigger course. It's very picturesque. It does have some deep ravines though, where if you hit into them, your ball is lost. The sides are too steep for climbing. All you need there is to hit it straight and get it up."

"Jeff has no trouble getting it up," Chris declared.

Tyler and Dan both laughed as I blushed.

Chris laughed too at his little joke and gave me a wink. God, how I loved that boy!

We quickly finished our breakfast snack then followed Tyler into the garage. There we found two golf bags already loaded into his Mercedes sedan.

"You should find everything you need in the bags except for shoes," Tyler declared. "When I called the pro-shop, I told them to outfit you with shoes and to put it on my account. I've taken care of the green fees too, so all you should need is a little money for drinks. They have a cart that travels the course, so make sure you buy plenty to drink. It will get hot out there before you've finished and I don't want you to get dehydrated."

"Thanks Tyler," I said gratefully. "We could have paid our own way, but we do appreciate your hospitality."

"It's our pleasure," Tyler declared as we traveled down the long driveway. "I'm glad that Ben and Jon decided not to go though. The course is not for beginners. If they want to go golfing while they're here, I'll set them up on an easier, flatter course."

"We'll ask them," I promised. "Honestly I think they are fascinated with the Thornton Center. I know they were very impressed and spent a lot of time talking to each other about it. I wouldn't be too surprised if they wanted to move in there rather than come back to California with us."

"Oh?" Tyler said with a surprised look on his face. "Why do you think that?"

"I think it's the boys there, and the atmosphere. It's more like they're used to. I know that they're uncomfortable living at our home. It's far different than where they came from. They're like fish out of water."

"I can understand their feelings," Chris chimed in. "I really felt that way for awhile. Having Jeff's parents accept me was a great help, but compared to Jon and Ben, I came from "comfortable" circumstances. I'm sure they would get used to it, especially if Dr. Mel and Pop were around, but I'm sure they feel that when the parents return, they'll be ejected."

"I understand," Tyler said. "If they decide they really want to move into Thornton, I'm sure it could be arranged. Matt is on their Board of Directors and manages the trust that provides the funding for their operation."

"I'm not going to push them that way," I asserted. "They're welcome to stay with us, but I do understand their discomfort and if that's what they really want, then I'm in favor."

"It's a very good facility," Tyler declared. "Virtually every younger person there is finishing high school, and the older ones either have jobs or are going to college on a trust scholarship."

"That's good to know," Chris responded. "I thought that maybe when a kid turned 18 he had to leave."

"Most do," Tyler said, "but they are not forced to. We try to see that they have jobs and a future before they leave. If they have a scholarship and want to work, they can leave and get their own places to live, but we encourage them to stay at Thornton their freshman year so that we can make sure they get a successful start in their college career without the necessity of providing for their own living expenses. We tutor them too if they need help. We try to provide a ladder to success if they choose to climb it."

"Wow!" Chris exclaimed. "I didn't realize that your interests in the boys were that comprehensive."

"They're good kids," Tyler said. "They just need a break and a secure place to grow up so that they can get ready to face the world on their own when they leave. They are not prisoners however. They can leave any time they want. They are told when they move in that if they leave they might have trouble getting back in. We want boys who will obey the rules and want to make something of themselves. We're not just a motel for wayward, gay boys."

"From what I could see from our visit, I think any gay guy would be lucky to have such a place to live and grow up, especially if they came from a bad or non-existent home environment."

"We've done our best," Tyler asserted.

"Well, here we are at the club," he said as he turned into the driveway. The car traveled a slightly circuitous route and quickly arrived at the bag drop-off area. Tyler pulled to a stop and popped the trunk. The attendants quickly unloaded the bags and put them on a cart. Tyler came around to the curb.

"It's the Turner reservation at 7:38," Tyler announced.

"Yes sir," the cute attendant answered. "Please check in at the pro-shop which is located on the back side of this building," he said pointing.

I tipped the bag boys a couple of bucks and we again thanked Tyler as we climbed into the cart.

"Have a good round," Tyler said with a wave as he walked back around the car.

We waved back and I took the wheel of the cart, driving it between two buildings toward the pro shop.

AMANDA'S POV

This visit to the Turners' has been a real eye-opener for me. I mean, it's not like I've never been around gay guys before. Heck, I grew up with one, and the theater attracts them like flies. Some of the ones I know act pretty straight, but if they are really good actors, they can portray themselves to others however they choose. The Turner households are different. Everyone here is so damned normal! It's unsettling. There's not a limp wrist in the bunch! If you met anyone that lives here, alone, you'd never guess that they were gay. It's not that they're hiding it either. It's only when those who are partners look at each other that you can detect a closeness that two straight guys seldom if ever, display. There is every kind of guy here too that you can imagine. Some of them are bookworms and studious, others are rather macho and have well developed bodies that didn't get that way picking out curtains. Even the studious ones work out a bit to keep in shape. It's kinda like healthy body, healthy mind.' From what I can see the four fathers' have plenty to be proud of. I'm not speaking of financial success either. I'm talking about the rapport the older men have with their sons. They are such good examples that you want to move right in and join the family. Ha! That would be a laugh! I can just see me living here as their sister. Would that make heads turn!

I think Rick is as impressed as I. Even though he loves the theater his personal involvement with gays is not as extensive as mine. Yet I can tell that he admires what Ron, Matt, Tyler and Dan are doing here and I know that he has developed true respect for Jeff and Chris' relationship.

That Tyler is a hunk! If he wasn't gay and I wasn't so attached to Rick, I'm afraid I'd throw myself on the ground and gasp, `Take me, I'm yours!' Not that any of them are slouches. In a way I'm glad they're gay so I'm not tempted.

I'm so pleased that Tyler's security company is getting results on finding the folks. Even though I've distanced myself from their influence as I grew up, I still love mom and dad and care for them, perhaps more than I've ever admitted. Maybe I was wrong about them. I know I was wrong about Jeff. He's everything you could ask for in a brother. On looking back, I'm sure that it was my own jealousy of his getting our parents' attention that separated us. I think when the folks get back I need to have a heart-to-heart with them. I need to apologize for being such an ass. I'm so glad that Jeff now feels as close to me as I do to him. It feels good.

Damn, I wonder what's taking Rick so long. I thought only women took a long time in the bathroom. I'm finding that I love Rick more every day. In many ways it will be sad to leave here to go back East, but the experience here is one I'll never forget. I'm sure Rick won't either.

"Sorry I was so long Baby," Rick said as he exited the bathroom.

"I'm sure it will be worth the wait," I surmised aloud.

He grinned.

"I'm planning on making it so," he promised.

Climbing into bed he kissed me and pulled me to him. As I feel his strong body against mine, I can understand the attraction of one man to another. God his body feels good!

I can only hope that Jeff and Chris are as fulfilled as I am when they make love with each other. If they do, they have my every blessing.