That Was Unexpected

"That Was Unexpected 04"

Copyright 2021 Azstoryguy@gmail.com

Note: this prologue may contain spoilers!

This is a period piece (1970s) erotic love story featuring two main characters in their early twenties. There is a considerably extended sexual scene in this chapter, so if that offends you....how did you get this far? Where contextual clarification may be needed, a set of [ ] provides relevant information. The characters are all based on real people but "the names have been changed to protect the innocent." There are real places intermingled with fictitious constructs necessary for the story. Grammarians may notice that I frequently shift the tense. It reads better that way; and this isn't an English Lit assignment. Although that would be an interesting idea... I do claim responsibility for all typos!

Thank you for reading....

From Part 03...

We walked side by side up to the door. I stood very close to him.

"Is my hair okay?" he asked.

"YOU LOOK FINE!" I chuckled as I rang the bell.

The door opened....

"Hey!" I said to Mom, "Here we are!"

Part 04

There stood Mom... All 5'3" of her...wearing a kitchen apron. Her eyes raked up and down my skinny body before she burst out in a emotional greeting starting with a kiss on the cheek and then a hug. Cooing, clucking, gushing...typical motherly affection.

"Let me look at you...!" she cried.

Like it has been a hundred years since.....!" I thought to myself.

"You look very healthy!" she exclaimed.

"Hi, Mom!" I managed to reply as she fussed over me.

"Your hair is getting longer," she observed.

"Yeah. I guess so...!" I replied.

It is true. Mark's hair is longer than mine. I guess I am trying to match his style. I even exclusively part it in the middle now, with some bangs on my forehead.

Just like the boy I love.

He must have been relishing the site of Mom making a spectacle over me....

"Uh...Mom....!" I said, interrupting her reverie, "...this is......!"

Simultaneously with my attempted introduction, she said, "And this must be....!"

"MARK!"

All three of us said it together in perfect unison. Then came that (in)famous "pregnant pause" before we all burst out in laughter.

Mom scanned the tall picture of perfection standing next to me. I tried not to smile as she looked up, up, up at his 6'4" frame.

"Oh my! He is SO cute!" she blurted out, "As cute as a button! And handsome too!"

I never understood the origin of that phrase "cute as a button." I've seen lots of buttons in my life, and "cute" isn't an adjective I would use with any of them.

"So tall and fit too!" she continued.

The shoe was now on the other foot. Mark was trying not to blush (to no avail) and he had that cute, shy look on his sweet face.

"Oh and I just love your hair! It's just the right shade between red and blonde! You know, I once tried coloring my hair like that and it didn't turn out well at all... Yours looks so soft and fluffy!"

"It is!" I chirped, recalling the "tragedy" of her attempt at going "ginger."

Wow! That had been a disaster of monumental proportions! Her hair had ended up the same bright color as Mark's wild nest of pubes.... I had to suppress a smirk! The color looks so sexy on him, but not a good color for Mom's hair!

"Why, you must have had all the girls in high school just hanging all over you...!"

Then she stopped and stammered before turning beet red.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried.

"For what?" Mark asked.

"I... I ...I've already gone and made a fool out of myself....!"

"It's fine," Mark replied in his classic Okie twang.

"It's just that... I don't know... I don't understand... about...!"

"It's alright, Mom... You don't have to understand anything!" I assured her.

"But I WANT to! You're my son! I tried to find some reading material on... on.... !"

"There isn't a lot. Not that helps in any way," I told her.

Mom looked at Mark again.

"And such broad shoulders too!!" she gushed.

Mark blushed like a beacon. I was loving every minute of it.

"Uhhh... May we come in?" I asked, as the entire exchange had taken place at the front door.

Now it was Mom's turn to blush. I was enjoying this! So far, my total "blushing time" had been minuscule...

"Of course!" she laughed.

The smell of something cooking instantly hit our nostrils.

"MMMMM!" Mark said.

"Oh I hope you like my dinner!" she said.

"As long as it's not prunes or liver, we'll be fine!" I assured her.

We all laughed.

"Have a seat in the den while I check on the food. Would you like something to drink? A soda or maybe some lemonade?"

"Oh yes! I love lemonade!" Mark replied.

"I'll be right back," she said.

Mark and I sat down on the softest sofa I had ever encountered.

I watched as he looked around.

"This is nice," he said, "A fireplace too!"

"Yeah... We've... well.... they've only lived here for about a year... maybe a little longer," I said.

"Your Mom is funny," Mark smiled.

"I.... yeah... I know.... So far, it's going a lot better than I expected!"

Mom returned with our drinks. She sat down opposite us in a matching, and quite comfortable looking, chair.

"So tell me all about yourself," she said to Mark, "I want to know all about the boy who has captured my son's heart!"

I had to fight back tearing up...

What followed was a revelation to both Mom and me! Mark started talking about his life. He had been raised in a large, rambling farm house near Broken Arrow. In fact, it has been in the Ellis family since the 1800s!

I learned more about his Brothers: Ed, the oldest one, was the "brains" of the two, while Stan, the middle Brother, was very good with his hands.

Mark explained that Ed took two years of business classes at Tulsa Junior College. He put that learning to use helping his Mom and Dad arrange and manage the finances of the farm.

At the same time, Ed was definitely a hard worker in the fields when it was needed; generally during the spring, summer and fall months.

"Well... what do you do in the winter? You can't farm then...!" Mom asked.

"No... We have to.... actually, Dad has to... manage the money we make on our crops to get through the cold months.... Oh and he also does side jobs....!"

"Side jobs?" Mom asked.

"Yeah... That brings me to Stan.... I didn't mean to imply that he's opposed to going to college or anything... It's just that he's a natural when it comes to working on stuff. Like cars and trucks. He keeps them in top running condition. He rebuilt this ancient Caterpillar bulldozer... Dad uses it for side jobs in the winter. Clearing snow, brush, leveling fields, cleaning out the creek beds.... general road work... There's always SOMETHING to be done. And the neighbors pay him handsomely for it."

"When it's off-season, Stan works at a garage in Broken Arrow too...!" he concluded.

I learned that both Ed and Stan were quick tempered and wouldn't back down when it came to defending their Family or friends.

"Neither of them go looking for fights. None of us drink either. Except well... maybe some champagne or wine from time to time," Mark said, and he added with a grin, "And I'm not even old enough to drink yet .. At least legally!

Mom smiled at his comment.

Technically Mark COULD drink if he wanted to imbibe in what is known as "3.2 Beer," a watered down disgusting product that is available to those eighteen and over. Provided they live in the right county. Yes. Oklahoma has prehistoric liquor laws dating back to Prohibition. "Wet" and "Dry" counties. Right out of the Stone Age.

I told him one day, " 3.2' tastes like moose piss!"

He cocked an eye at me and I saw an "eat shit" grin on his cute face.

"Oh, so my boyfriend drinks moose piss?"

"Are you being a smart ass?" I challenged him.

"My ass IS smart. But so the rest of me!"

"Maybe I should find out about that!" I laughed

"You already know ALL about it... but feel free to....!"

I did....

Back to reality...

"My goodness! It sounds like a hard life!" Mom said.

"It is! Up before daylight. Working all day. Hoping the crop doesn't fail."

"What happens then?" I asked.

"We all starve!" Mark chortled, then he became serious, "We have to cut back on everything for the year. I mean Stan can always find work... Ed can too... But we haven't had a crop failure in... WOW! A long time.... Dad always builds up a reserve fund to cover that possibility."

"But you don't want to work on the Family farm?" Mom asked.

Mark looked at me before answering.

"No, Ma'am. It doesn't appeal to me. I mean I did... All through high school... And I would if I had to now... But I want something different. So I applied at ATCO and was I ever surprised!"

"Not as surprised as I was the first day I saw you there!" I exclaimed.

Mark turned beet red as I giggled., "Well... It's true... It was like the best day of my life ever!"

More blushing came from my "stud!"

"So is it.... How do you know....?" Mom was clearly grasping for the words.

I took over for Mark.

"It's... I guess the same way that it is with a guy and a girl.....When I first saw Mark, my heart started beating like drum and I got all nervous and...!"

Mark was staring at me as I confessed my feelings for him in front of my Mother...

"I kind of felt the same way too!" he laughed.

" Kind of?'" I ribbed him.

"Okay... Well... Exactly the same!" he chuckled.

We all laughed.

"And now you two are ready to take a big gamble...!" Mom started to say.

"Not really a gamble,' Mom, just a change. A BIG change. I mean... ATCO isn't the only company in the country. Phoenix has almost a three-quarters of a million people...if that's where we end up.... So finding another job should be easy!"

"It's so far away...!" she said softly.

I think then it hit me. She was going to be alone for the first time in her life since marrying Dad. She had a job and a nice house, and she liked gardening and puttered with ceramics, but in the end, she would be all alone.

"You gotta find yourself a boyfriend too!" I laughed.

She blushed.

"Yeah, Mrs. Martin, you're a nice looking woman.... I bet lots of men would do hand springs to meet you!" Mark added in his best Okie twang...

Mom giggled at his comment.

"Your voice is so alluring," she added.

"I've always hated it....makes me sound like a hayseed!" Mark barked.

"The hell if it does," I countered, "It makes you sound very sexy!"

Beet red on Mark's behalf as Mom again broke into huge smiles.

"Just remember not to get remarried," I cautioned, "You'll lose your alimony!"

"Oh you don't have to tell me that!" Mom declared, "That louse Husband... EX-HUSBAND... of mine ....is gonna pay and pay and pay!"

We all chuckled at her honesty.

"I better check on dinner," she said.

"May I help?" Mark asked.

"You're my guest here and...!" she started to say.

"Mom... Forget it... You won't win with him.... Besides... Mark is a really good cook!"

"Oh?" she exclaimed, "I thought you looked well fed...!"

"Really? Am I getting fat?" I exclaimed.

"Oh no, honey! Not at all.... I just worried .... I mean...when you moved out on your own... about you starving or something...!"

"Nothing to worry about there," I giggled, "Mark keeps me well fed! VERY well fed!"

I shot him an evil grin as he blushed. Mom didn't catch the double entendre....

My eyes feasted on Mark's tight, muscular butt as he followed her into the kitchen.

While both of them were gone, I wandered around the house. It didn't really have a lot of memories for me either way; bad or good. I hadn't lived here that long.

Stopping in the hallway, I peered into my old bedroom. All my personal stuff was in my apartment. The bed, desk, dresser and other furniture that had been mine while I lived here remained untouched.

Closing the door, I wandered back into the den. I could hear laughter coming from the kitchen....

"Oh No!" I heard Mom exclaim, "Then what?"

I appeared in the doorway. They both smiled at me.

"Mark was just telling me about some of his .....!"

"Cooking disasters!" he laughed.

Damn he's so fucking cute! And apparently he and Mom were getting along just fine!

"YOU had cooking disasters?" I exclaimed.

"Oh yeah!" he chuckled.

"Mark was just telling me about the time... His first time he tried to make biscuits.... And put them in the oven.....!"

"A little too hot," Mark laughed, "I thought they would cook faster....!"

"Then he....," Mom started to say, "Oh honey....you go ahead and tell Randy...!"

"Yeah!" I smirked, "I think I'm going to enjoy this!"

Mark just grinned as he told me the story...

"Well besides turning the oven up way too high, I kind of.... forgot......!" he paused as his blushing came back, "I was watching TV and all of a sudden I smelled something.... burning. I knew I had made a big mistake!"

"My" Mark had made a mistake? Somehow I knew this was going to end as a classic!

"So? What happened?" I asked

"Well.... Then came my really huge goof... I opened the oven door and all this sooty black smoke filled up the kitchen before I could carry the pan outside. The biscuits looked like something from a forest fire...all charred and black. The entire house smelled like a burning bakery!"

I lost it and started laughing.

"Wait... honey," Mom said, "How old were you ...?"

"Let's see...," Mark said, "I was eleven....right before....!"

"ELEVEN? You were just a baby!" Mom gushed.

Mark blushed some more.

"It was supposed to be a surprise... No one was home...!"

"Did you get in any trouble?" I asked.

"Trouble? Shoot no. Ed and Stan were laughing about it for weeks....!"

"I bet!" I replied with another chuckle.

"It was then that Mom started teaching me how to cook. Everyone else in the family can... although personally I stay away from some of Stan's concoctions.'"

"And he CAN cook," Mom said, looking at Mark, "We've been talking about some of our favorite recipes!"

"Yeah. That's why Randy looks so fit. I feed him as much as he can eat!" Mark laughed.

His eyes met mine; they seemed to be saying "Payback!" Once again, Mom missed the entire double meaning of his remark.

"Well we all have mistakes," Mom said, "One of my best was when I was making your birthday cake...let's see... you were six and....!"

"I sure don't remember that!" I said.

"For that I am glad!" she chortled, "Anyway, cake mixes were much more difficult then. You had to be so careful when the cake rose while cooking... or it would end up looking like a pancake. Which is exactly what happened."

"How?" I asked.

"I must have slammed the oven door too hard."

"That's all it took?"

She nodded affirmatively.

"So I didn't get a cake...?"

"Oh yes you did. I had to run to the store and buy one before Dad got home with you!"

"What? Dad actually spent time with me?"

"It was a long time ago," she frowned, then suddenly her mood changed, "Dinner is ready! I hope you boys are hungry!"

"You can count on that!" I replied.

"Me too," Mark chirped.

Mom outdid herself with the meal. Slow cooked Moscow chicken wrapped in bacon with onions, green peppers and served over pasta, along with a huge leafy salad and garlic bread sticks.

Mark's eyes widened as he saw the food on his plate.

"I hope there's more!" he said while snorkeling it down.

Mom laughed; I had already warned her in advance about my boyfriend's tremendous appetite.

During dinner, Mark stole the show by talking at length about Arizona and New Mexico.

"I just don't understand why you both want to move to such a dry, hot, sandy place," Mom remarked.

"But it isn't that way at all!" Mark chirped, "You've been duped by TV and the movies. Like Lawrence of Arabia' or John Wayne films! The Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts are both completely unique in their nature...!"

That started his lecture.... I felt like I was back in college. Except the "professor" was absolutely cute as hell, and for once the topic interested me.

Mom seemed entranced by Mark's knowledge and then... his voice. I could listen to that all day long!

"My goodness! How did you learn so much....?" she started to ask.

"You should see the kitchen table in our apartment," I hooted, "Covered with World Books and Encyclopedia Britannicas and I think he's bought a copy of every book he could find on the Southwest...!"

Mom looked at me, then Mark, then back to me.

"You said our apartment,'" she said softly.

I nodded.

"Yes. Mark's been living with me for a week. I know it's no time at all... but we were actually....!" I paused and looked at him.

"We were dating," Mark said quietly, "We just didn't know it, but we were. For over a year!"

Mom stared at both of us and then broke out in tears.

I wondered if we had said something wrong.

"My baby... My baby," she sobbed.

"Mrs. Martin.... I promise to take care of Randy no matter what.... I love him with all my heart and would never hurt him... I'm sorry if you think it's wrong but....neither of us chose to be gay. We just .....!"

"WRONG?" she looked at him then me, "I think what you both have is the most beautiful thing in the world. Who can say, or has the right to object, when two people fall in love? No matter what their gender....!"

My eyes also started to tear up.

"Mark is my everything....!" I sobbed.

"Oh honey... Don't you think I know that? I raised you. I've known you all your life. I've never seen you so happy... Ever! I can see it in your eyes. The way you look at Mark... speaks volumes of words.....," she stopped and then turned to Mark, "And you, young man.... and a very fine young man at that... I had no idea what to expect.... but you surpassed anything I could have ever expected!"

She looked back at me.

"Mark adores you. I would say he worships the ground you walk on....!"

"But Mom... how...?"

"I can see it in his eyes too, his face, his body posture. He loves you more than you can probably realize...!"

Now all three of us were crying.

"When I first met Randy, my heart did somersaults," Mark said softly, "He took over my thoughts .... but I didn't know how to tell him...the way I felt!"

I was bawling like a baby....

"I think he knows now," Mom said.

Mark nodded.

"Love...honor...cherish...respect...defend and protect... That's my promise for your son. For Randy Martin! Forever!!" he cried.

"Always!" I blubbered, "We have no secrets! We never will!"

There was silence at the table as we all regained our composure.

"My door is always open for both of you," Mom said.

"I'm just kind of sorry that I can't give you any grand kids!" I laughed.

Mom's head snapped up.

"Grand kids? Oh please NO! I've done my part by raising you. I don't want to be a grandmother. I have enough problems dealing with age... every time I look in the mirror!" she laughed, "And having little ones running around would only accentuate a nightmare version of my reality. Besides.... I've gained a son-in-law! And a very fine one at that!!"

We all laughed...

"And.... Isn't that the name of a song?" she asked.

"Huh?" I grunted.

" We Have No Secrets!'" Mark said.

"Oh... Yeah! I... Gee... Mom... I didn't think you listened to Top 40....!"

"I'm not completely over the hill...yet!" she chortled.

"Yes... It's a song... and a .... challenge we took....and accepted!"

Without going into unnecessary details about candles and watermelons, I described to her how we had bared our souls to each other. That only initiated another round of her crying...

"Gee.... Mom.... I'm sorry!" I started to apologize.

"No apologies needed.... I just think that's the sweetest thing I ever heard in my life. I wish your Father and I had done something similar!"

Once we all regained our composure, Mom brought out two home baked cherry pies.

Mark vacuumed up his slices, leaving not one crumb on the plate.

"This sure is great food!" Mark exclaimed between mouthfuls of pie.

"My goodness! No wonder you're such a strapping, tall and very handsome young man!"

"You're spoiling him," I hooted.

"And tomorrow we get to do it again!" I chirped.

"Oh?" Mom asked.

"I get to meet Mark's family...!" I explained.

"Oh... I see.... Do .... Do they know....?"

"I don't know for sure," Mark replied, "Ed does. That probably means Stan does too. Mom and Dad? I doubt it!"

After dinner, Mom LOADED us up with leftover food. Including another full pie. Then she dragged out the camera.

"Pictures?" I moaned.

"Of course!" she replied.

"Do you want us together or separate?"

"Why together, honey, you are a couple!"

Mark and I smiled, goofed and clowned around as we posed. She must have taken two dozen shots.

Afterwards, I chided Mark as he placed the containers in my car, "You're gonna get fat!"

"No chance. You'll just have to work it all off of me!"

"Don't tempt me!"

"Why? Maybe I want it!" he chuckled.

"Then you'll get it!" I promised, then I noticed Mark had a handful of books, "WOW! What are all of those?"

"Some of your Mom's cookbooks. She said she has a million of them so she gave me these. With her favorite recipes marked."

I smiled from ear to ear.

"You really made a good impression on her!"

We said our goodbyes. Mom had excelled both in preparing dinner and accepting both of us! I hadn't known exactly what to expect. She surpassed any and all expectations.

Before leaving she hugged me. Then Mark.

"It was such a pleasure to meet you," she told him "I feel so much better now knowing that Randy will be safe and secure."

"Trust me on that," Mark promised, "Nothing bad will happen to him. Ever!"

Mom started crying again. I had to console her.

"Look. We're not leaving for three weeks. We can do this again. If you don't mind...!"

She brightened at the notion.

There was only one sour note for the afternoon.

"Are you going to say goodbye to your Father?" she asked.

WOW! I hadn't even thought about that. And what exactly would I tell him? Would I introduce him to Mark? THAT would not play out very well.

"Why?" I asked her.

"He's your Father...!"

"Only in a legal sense!" I said.

I promised her to give it some thought, then turned to a brighter realization. Mark and I were headed back to "our place."

That phrase made me feel so warm and fuzzy!

On the drive home, I noticed out of the corner of my eye (another saying I never really understood since eyes have no "corners!") that Mark kept looking at me.

"What?" I laughed as we sat at a traffic light.

"Huh?"

"You keep looking at me like I have a big booger on the end of my nose or something...!"

He just smiled.

"No. I was thinking about what you said. About how you felt about me."

"Oh!"

"I never... I mean... This is all so new to me.... and to hear you saying those things....!"

I felt goose bumps all over my body.

"I seem to recall something like, love...honor...cherish...respect...defend and protect,'" I replied.

I saw Mark shudder.

"It's how I feel about you. There's no limit to what I would do to protect you!"

"Oh..... fuck......baby.... I love you!" I whispered to him.

Once home, Mark stashed all the food in the refrigerator. I watched him as he bent over; my cock sprang to life. His ass was so.... Oh fuck!!! How can I explain it to anyone?

"There" he said as he stood up and closed the door, "She sure gave us a lot!"

"I need to be fed," I said softly.

He looked at me funny.

"Damn, baby! All that food you packed away and....!"

"No! Not that kind of feeding!'"

A huge toothy grin crossed Mark's face.

"OH!" he chirped.

I felt him gently guiding me into our bedroom....

We awoke early next morning and I knew today was my turn.... I was fidgety as hell as Mark fixed us breakfast.

"Would you RELAX? You're just going to meet my family!"

"What if I bomb out and make a bad impression?"

"You didn't make a bad impression last night ....!" he smirked at me.

True. Mark had "fed" me several times. I loved it. I loved him. We cuddled together. His strong arms held me next to him all night long.

"This is different...!" I tried to protest.

"Don't worry!" he tried to reassure me, "Ed already knows about us. If there were going to be ..... fireworks or something, he would have let me know!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Positive?"

"YES!"

"Double positive?"

"Come here!" he motioned to me.....

We took off for Mark's home around two-thirty. Down the Broken Arrow Expressway and then Eastward down a series of streets that became narrower with each intersection. I had passed through Broken Arrow many times. There really wasn't much there. Just another small Oklahoma town, only this one was trying fight off eventually being consumed into the Tulsa metropolitan area.

"You drive this route every day?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah. It usually takes me forty-five minutes to an hour to get to work."

At last Mark turned his Challenger down a long dusty gravel road.

"Bet it's fun washing your car while living out here!" I laughed.

Mark smiled.

"I usually don't. I take it to a car wash in town so it will be clean at least...for the ride back home!"

We both laughed some more while speeding by green plants on each side of the road.

"Is this your driveway?"

"Yes."

"Then those must be soybeans!" I chirped.

Mark laughed again.

"Very good! I didn't think you'd recognize them...!"

"I didn't," I confessed, "I just remember you telling me that was this years's crop so I.... took a guess!"

He really started laughing at my revelation.

"It's good to know...!"

"What?"

"That you listen to me."

"Are you kidding? I listen to EVERYTHING you say!" I gushed.

He blushed and smiled again. That infectiously cute toothy grin..... My cock started to bone up.

I tried to take my mind off the party in my pants....

"Then all this land around us is yours? Well, belongs to your family?"

"Yes," Mark replied as he pulled up to a large white farm house.

The dwelling had been visible for quite a distance. It was surrounded by an open area, presumably for parking. Behind the structure were two large barns; one old and one much newer. Several smaller sheds were interspersed between the larger structures. A large water tank, a windmill, and a huge silo also sat nearby.

"What goes in that?" I said while pointing to the silo.

Mark just rolled his eyes.

"Uhhhh! Grain!" he chortled.

"Oh. I'm surprised you don't have a tornado shelter....!"

"It's out back behind the kitchen," he laughed.

The farm house itself was enormous. And typical for the setting. Two stories with a porch that looked to go all the way around the building.

"Come on," Mark said, "There's Dad and Ed!"

I tried not to shake. My persistent boner had magically wilted away.

Mark hopped out and I followed...looking, admiring.... his body.... something that I NEVER tired of!

"Hey Dad!" he shouted.

"Son!" the man replied.

I tried not to gawk.

There.... in front of me were....TWO Marks! His Dad was an exact copy of Mark down to the reddish-blonde hair. Oh.... sure... he was an "older" version, but otherwise.... a complete duplicate!

If that weren't distracting enough, Ed was another exact copy of Mark! Except a little bit shorter... Maybe by a couple of inches. The image in front of me was surreal...

"Dad... This is Randy!"

Mark's introduction was enthusiastic and proud. The man eyed me like a lab specimen.... I soon learned his name... Raymond. Apparently he preferred that over "Ray."

"Pleased to meet you... Mark has told me a lot about you!"

I tried not to blush.

"Pleased to meet you, Sir!"

"And this goofball is my oldest Brother, Ed!" Mark chortled.

"Goofy enough to kick your ass!" Ed chuckled.

There was no hostility; it was the camaraderie of close, affectionate family members.

"Howdy!" he said.

Yes. In the same "Okie" twang... Both of them!

"Mom's....?" Mark started to ask,

"...Inside working on dinner!" Ed replied.

"I hope you like chicken," Raymond said.

"Oh yes sir!" I squeaked.

"Because there's a lot of it and.... you look kind of skinny!"

Mark seemed to blush at his Father's remark.

"He can easily eat his own weight!"

"That's good," his Father said.

"Come on... I'll show you the house!" Mark motioned to me.

I was eager to move on since the current setting seemed...awkward.

"Don't worry about Dad," Mark explained as we headed inside, "He's kind of gruff sometimes!"

I wasn't reassured. This isn't a job interview. Mark is my boyfriend which makes me his....

"Relax!" my brain tried to say.

The first story of the house was impressive. A massive living room, a den, a dining room, a "parlor" (just what purpose that room served evaded me), and then into the kitchen.

"The bedrooms are all on the second floor," Mark explained.

In the kitchen, a woman busied herself at the sink. I stopped and really tried not to stare.

There he was.

ANOTHER Mark!

Mark must have read the look on my face.

"Yeah! We all kind of look alike!" he chuckled.

" Kind of?'" I thought. Dead ringers. Except Stan was a little bit shorter than Ed.

"Mom!" Mark said.

"Oh Hi, Sweetie!"

I had to smile hearing her address him that way. My strapping stud... With a mile long cock.... "Sweetie!" Well, she wasn't lying...

"Oh and you must be Mark!" she gushed while turning to swat Stan's hand away from a pile of brownies.

"Stan Ellis! Keep out of the food!" she yelped.

"Pleased to meet you, Ma'am!" I replied.

I soon found out her name, "Martha."

"And this is my biggest pain in the butt Brother, Stan!" Mark chuckled.

"Hi!"

We both shook hands. Maybe I had read too much into the meeting with Mark's Dad. Neither Stan nor Martha gave me the "examining eye."

"Mark had certainly told us all about you," she did say.

"All about?'" I glanced at Mark. He just smiled at me.

"Dinner will be ready in about forty-five minutes," she said, "Are you going to crank the churn?"

"Sure! Just let me know when!" Mark chirped as we headed out of the kitchen and up a flight of stairs.

"You didn't tell me," I said quietly.

"What?"

"That all the guys in your family look just alike!"

Mark flashed me a goofy grin.

"It was fun when we were in school," he chortled, "Teachers couldn't tell us apart."

I remembered Mark telling me that he had the biggest cock of all three of them...

"There's one way you could have made it easy to tell!" I giggled.

He stopped, looked at me funny and then my remark registered with him.

"THAT would have been fun to watch on the six o'clock news!" he hooted.

The second floor was pretty basic.

"We used to have six bedrooms," Mark explained.

"Six?"

"Yeah. Don't forget this house has been here for a long time! Anyway, Dad remodeled part of it just before I turned twelve. He added a bathroom, ripped out a wall and combined two bedrooms into one."

"And that's for your Mom and Dad?"

He smiled.

"No. That's mine! At the opposite end of the hall from theirs. I ended up with two huge rooms and a door out onto a balcony."

"NEAT!"

"Yeah! I got my own bathroom. Ed and Stan have to share one, and Mom and Dad have their own. I mean I only have a stall shower, but it...!"

"Nothing wrong with that!" I remarked while opening the door to his room.

Instantly the scent of Mark invaded my nostrils. Wait. I mean... it is already there because I have been with him all day... I mean.. FUCK! This is different. More powerful. This is Mark's ROOM! Where he used to come home every day after work; completely frustrated because I was... Never mind! That was in the past!

He still had a lot of stuff here: models, books, pennants on the wall, some posters of rock stars and..... one wall completely covered by beautiful full color astronomical posters.

I stopped and stared at them.

There was a picture of the sun. Another scaled picture of the sun and the planets, with information about each one. There was more.....

I stopped to look at one.

"Know what it is?" he asked.

"Uhhhhh.... I should but I.....!"

My mind raced, trying to place it.

"Take a guess!"

Obviously it is a galaxy...but not the Milky Way...

"Damn!" I barked, "OH!!!! ...The Andromeda....?"

"Very good!" he giggled, "And this?"

He pointed to another one.

"I.... I.... Oh.... The Horsehead Nebula!" I guessed.

"Very good... And that's the Pleiades... and that one is the Hyades...!" he said while pointing to

each poster.

"How do you know all of these?"

"I guess... Well.... I really liked science in school and astronomy really....!"

Every time I thought I had Mark kind of figured out, he would surprise me with something new!

"You are amazing!" I said softly.

Mark blushed and flashed me another cute grin.

It was then that I stopped and really looked at his models. The standard kind I had seen in lots of

toy and hobby stores. Each one had been perfectly assembled. What really caught my eye was

that they all had been painted....by HAND!

"You did all of these?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah.... There's not a lot to do out here sometimes!" he said shyly.

"But the .... detail... the quality of your work.... I could never do anything like that!"

"I bet you could!"

"No. My hands would shake too much!" I confessed, then I looked at three particular models,

"Do... you like Star Trek?'"

Mark opened up like a flower.

"It was the best TV show ever... Why did they have to take it off the air.....?"

He waxed about his favorite episodes.

"I thought it was pretty cool too!"

Walking over to the door that led to the balcony, it suddenly hit me.

"I bet this is where you lost your tan lines!" I giggled.

He blushed again. And there was that cute smile. I melted just a little bit...

"Yeah! No one can see me from down on the ground!"

The image of this tall, strapping stud lying nude in the sun was making my cock start to ache. I

had to fight the urge to throw him down on his bed and ......

There was a knock at his door.

"Come in!" he said.

Ed entered the room.

"Mom says it's time to crank the churn," he said.

The look on my face must have said it all.

"Don't tell me... You've never had home made ice cream before!" Mark chuckled.

"You guys make your own ice cream?"

"It sure beats store bought!" Ed remarked.

Mark headed for the door.

Ed turned and said, "We'll be down in a minute!"

"Okay!" Mark replied.

The bedroom door closed. Ed looked me over. Again I felt like a bug under a microscope.

"You sure aren't what I expected," he said quietly.

"Huh?"

"This is a big day for my little Brother!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I think you know why...!"

"Huh?" I grunted again.

"Look. I know about Marky....!"

"Marky?" I thought to myself.

"...Have known about him for a long, long time."

"Oh?"

"Yes. He's not like most guys. He follows a another path. He listens to a different drummer."

"You mean...!" I started to say.

"Like I said, he isn't like most guys. Or rather, if what I have read is correct, he's like about ten

percent of them...!"

"I see...!"

"So that makes it different for him. Tougher in many ways."

"I know," I replied.

"I know you know," Ed said.

He appraised me again. More microscope time....

"You sure aren't...!"

"What does that mean?" I asked, cutting him off.

"Mark has talked to me about you for almost a year. I know all too well... because...at times he

cried himself to sleep over...!"

"Over ME?"

"Yeah. That's why I don't understand it."

"What?"

"You seem like...complete opposites."

"Really? Maybe we're more alike than you give us credit for...!"

"Why?"

"Because we both want the same thing."

Ed stared at me.

"How far are you willing to go with my little Brother?"

"As far as I can!"

Ed smiled.

"I like that. What does Mark mean to you?"

"Everything!" I said slowly, "My world changed the day I met him."

My answer brought more smiles...

"Don't get me wrong about Mark. He's tough. Never underestimate him. He won't back down.

He won't take shit from anyone," Ed paused, "Oh I know he seems like a goofy, casual, fun

loving guy and he is....!"

"But?" I asked.

"There's no one I'd rather have at my back than him! He's a fighter. He respects people who are

truthful and sincere. He can see through bullshit in a second."

"I kind of figured that out," I said.

"I made him tough. Because I knew.... that being different would make him an easy target."

"How did you make him tough?"

"By teaching him to defend himself. To stand up for what he thinks is right. To defend his honor!

I thought about what had happened to Timothy....

"I've seen him in action," I said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah...!"

I told Ed about the incident at the pizza parlor.

He thought for a moment.

"That's interesting. I think that physically, Mark is the strongest of all three of us. I wouldn't

want to have to face him...!"

"But you taught him...!"

"He's a quick learner. He watches everything. He listens And he remembers and learns!"

Did those words ever ring true!

"There's more!"

I was all ears...

Marky is a schemer. I don't mean that in a bad way. A planner. He has dreams. Aspirations. Yet

for all his virtues, little Brother has one big flaw!"

"What?"

I couldn't imagine what that would be...

"He's afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of being hurt. I can make him physically tough, but I can't crawl inside his brain and change his

feelings. He's lonely. He always has been... He never had many friends because....!"

"Because he's like me?" I asked.

Ed nodded affirmatively.

"Marky wants to fall in love so badly. To spend his life with someone who cares as much about

him as...!"

"Like me?"

"That's what I want to know. Why I am here. What are your intentions with him? I ask you this

because if you're not sincere, then it would be best if you just left and never saw him again. He

can't take being hurt. Not emotionally....!"

"I love your Brother!" I said quietly.

"I hoped you would say that. Are you prepared to be his...!"

"YES! Forever!" I exclaimed.

Ed just stared into my eyes.

"I will only say this once. It's not a threat. But if you ever hurt Marky.... I mean... were untrue to

him... He would... You would...never see him again. He'd disappear just like that!' All you

would have then would be memories...!"

"We talked about this," I said, "And we have NO secrets between us!"

"He told me about that. I think it was very......sweet for both of you....!"

"And I learned a lot about him," I interrupted.

"As he did you," Ed replied, "Marky is... special in so many ways... If you think you can handle

all that he has to offer...!"

"I already have!" I said, staring into Ed's eyes, "I can handle EVERYTHING your little Brother

has ....!"

"Then you are one hell of a man," he smiled.

Our conversation paused.

"Okay. I have heard everything you said. But I don't think you understand how much alike Mark

and I are," I said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. All my life. For twenty-one years, I have been a loner. I could be in a crowd of a thousand

guys and I'd still be alone. Part of it has to be because I am different....!"

I noticed Ed had avoided using the word "gay" so I chose to follow his example.

"Part of that ten percent," I added.

He nodded.

"But there's more. I am REALLY different. Inside. I never played sports. Dad gave up on me

because of that...!"

"Now that's a bunch of bullshit!" Ed barked, "Mark doesn't play team sports. He's too much of a

free spirit. But he loves activities where he can measure himself by his performance...!"

I must have looked puzzled.

"Do you like to swim?"

I nodded "Yes."

Ed smiled again.

"Mark is like an otter....!"

"A very sleek one!" I giggled.

The thought of Mark in a skimpy bathing suit...... Oh WOW!"

"Archery?"

"No!"

Bowling?"

"A couple of times."

"Darts?"

"No!"

"Horseshoes?"

"No!"

Well... You got one out of five!" he laughed.

"Yeah but now you gave me some ideas!" I chirped.

"I am sorry... I interrupted.... Please continue...!"

"So... Oh yeah... Twenty-one years and maybe a handful of friends. Probably partially because

we moved. All the time. My Dad couldn't hold a job at all. I have dreams too. Well... One... It

was always to find someone special and spend my life with him!"

I paused.

"HA! That's a lot easier said than done," I continued, "And then... Mark fell right into my life.

Like an answer to my prayers. Except I didn't pray. It... He...just happened. And I delayed and

hemmed and hawed around and around and around for a damned year... Because I was too

stupid or naive to ...!"

"Don't blame yourself. I heard the exact same thing from him," Ed chuckled, "Night after night.

He kept asking me why... what to do.... How the heck could I answer that? Knowing that.... he's

just as shy as you...!"

"So then.... what happened?" I asked.

"His world fell apart when you took that big trip out West. I know he would have loved to have

gone with you... Marky has some wanderlust in him. But he wants to have a place to come back

to...!"

Ed paused...

"Then you gave your notice at ATCO and I think that .... drove a spike through his heart!"

I started to tear up....

"It's not your fault! I understand why Oklahoma isn't that attractive to someone like you...!"

"Yeah but what you don't know is all I have are bad memories here. Now Mom and Dad are

getting divorced...!"

"Really? He didn't tell me that...!"

"Because I just found out this week," I said, "But I did take Mark to my Mom's place last night

for dinner."

"Well... You two are certainly going to be well fed for this weekend!" Ed chortled, "How...does

your Mom...?"

"She adores him. Cute as a button,'" I laughed.

"I never understood that saying," Ed chuckled.

"You wanna know if I can be true to Mark? Fuck yes!" I barked, "My Dad destroyed my

Family's honor because he couldn't keep his dick in his pants. He threw away almost twenty-

seven years of marriage for a fling. Or a bunch of flings. So I know how that can hurt someone. I

am not going to be that way. Not to Mark. Not ever!"

I paused, "So then what made Mark... How did he muster up the courage to....ask if he could go

with me?"

Ed looked surprised.

"I thought you asked him?"

"No. Not really. This adorable guy with a blue baseball cap showed up at my front door about a

week ago and ...!" I smiled, "He's a schemer, all right. His plan was to stay with me until I was

convinced.....!"

Ed laughed.

"It looks like it worked!"

"We came to it mutually. I mean at the exact same moment! He asked me and I asked him!"

"All I can tell you is that.... Mark is ecstatic about leaving and heading West with you! I've never

seen him so happy. There's not a doubt in his mind that you're both going on an adventure

together," he paused, "And it makes me so happy. If you two hadn't met.... Mark probably would

have stayed here for the rest of his life. I mean he will always have a home here but... he wants to

see and do so much more. Damn! He hasn't stopped talking about Arizona since....!"

"I know," I laughed.

The thought of Mark languishing in Oklahoma alone for the rest of his life; or even alone for one

minute, made my heart ache.

"So...!" I stuttered, "Do ... Did I pass the test?"

"Test?"

"Weren't you checking me out to see...?"

Ed laughed.

"In a way, yeah. And no... Mark has NO idea I did this. Like I said, we stick up for each other,

and Mark certainly gets the most support. Stan is pretty tough. Nothing phases him. But my baby

Brother......!"

"I hope you understand. Why... FUCK! I don't even know how to explain it....!" I paused,

"Okay.. Yeah... Mark and I look nothing alike. Complete physical opposites. Just on appearance

alone, I would never have even tried for someone as cute and perfect as he is.... But inside, we

are a LOT alike. From the minute I laid eyes on him, I knew... I wanted him. I just never thought

it would actually happen. Of course.... not knowing what to do didn't make things any easier!"

"That must have been tough!" Ed replied, "I guess love is like that. You don't pick someone. It

just happens!"

We both nodded in agreement.

"Okay.... So........ What happens at... dinner?" I asked.

"Oh, Dad might ask you some questions about your plans....!"

"Does he... Or your Mom... know...?"

"I don't think so. Dad is so busy running this place and trying to keep our head above water...!"

"Is it that hard?"

"He's getting tired of doing it. There's a lot of pressure from developers for him to sell this land

so they can build crappy little tract homes all over the place. But as long as we can make it work,

I think he'll resist," Ed explained.

"Somehow I can't see you living in a tract home," I laughed.

Ed smiled.

"That's one reason why this place is still here!"

The sound of fast footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door burst open and there stood Mark.

"What's up, guys? Are you gonna stay here all afternoon?" he asked.

"No... Randy and I were just having a little talk," Ed explained.

"Well I made a TON of ice cream and Mom said dinner is ready!" Mark announced.

"Great! Let's go eat!" Ed replied as he led us out of the room.

I stared at Mark. It was much different now. I knew more about him than ever.

He looked at me questioningly.

"It's okay.....I just... I completely know now.... how much you mean to me!" I whispered.

His face lit up like the sun. I threw my arm around his shoulder as we walked down the hallway...

We entered the dining room, which was filled with Mark's family and the overpowering scents of

fresh food. I had a chance to scan the area. It spoke of very old and sturdy construction,

something not seen very much any more.

I wondered how many generations of the Ellis family had shared meals at this very spot. The

centerpiece of the room was a huge dining table. Something I might expect to see in the

executive board room of General Motors...not that I had any knowledge of such actual things.

"Welcome," Raymond said with a smile.

He didn't sound so gruff this time.

"Help yourself, boys!" Martha chirped.

Off to the side of the dining table was another long serving table covered with food.

"Buffet style," Mark whispered to me, "Just take whatever you want!"

There was a huge platter of chicken. Corn on the cob. Asparagus. French bread. Mashed

Potatoes. Condiments galore.

"There's fresh Jello in the kitchen!" she added.

My eyes focused on what looked to be the biggest French fries on the planet!

"What are those?" I whispered to Mark.

He gave me a goofy grin.

"Are you kidding?"

I nodded, "No!"

"Home-made French fries!" he giggled, then he added, "city slicker!"

I poked him in the ribs and then scooped up some fries.

"Here," Raymond said, pointing to a seat at the end of the table and on his left. Mark sat opposite

from me on his Dad's right.

Ed was next to me, then Stan across from him.

Way down at the end sat Martha.

It was a classic formal dining setting. Husband and wife facing each other from each end of the

long table - although a pair of binoculars might have helped.... and Mark was facing me.

I knew enough about such formalities to know that this was the proper way for a couple to be

seated. It allowed conversation without having to turn your head to speak to your partner.

I wondered.....

Dinner was absolutely perfect. I could easily see where Mark learned his culinary skills!

Stan was an eating machine.

As we stood at the serving table, I asked Mark, "Why does he have two plates?"

"Because he eats like a hog," Mark hooted, to which Stan turned, looked at his younger brother

and made snorting noises.

"STANLEY!" Martha barked, "Manners, please!"

We couldn't help snickering.

Mark talked about work and living on a farm. I talked about my trip out West and how it set the

stage for my decision to leave Tulsa.

Raymond surprised me with his comment, "I can understand why someone your age would find

Oklahoma pretty boring. Especially if you don't have something tying you down here. Like this

farm!"

Mark was like a classroom movie, telling everyone about Arizona and the desert Southwest.

"Where did you learn all of this?" Raymond asked.

"I think he bought every book in town on the subject!" I chirped, "Plus .... the World Books and

my Encyclopedia Britannica."

"It gets very hot in Phoenix," Raymond said.

"But it's dry!" Mark countered.

His Father did like our plan to head to El Paso first, then Tucson and finally Phoenix.

"It gives us a chance to look over each place," Mark said.

"What if it doesn't work out? If there aren't any jobs?" his Father asked.

"Well.... There's always Albuquerque," Mark added, "But I bet I can get a job in construction

without even trying!"

"Do you want to do that for the rest of your life?"

"No. It's just something to get started. Randy and I both talked about this. We want to be equal in

paying our expenses but if only one of us gets a job right away, then ....!"

"...We both have some money saved up too!" I added, "We'll get a one bedroom apartment and

then grow from there...!"

After I said it, I realized the implications of both of us sharing a bedroom.... Which we were

already doing, but living fifteen hundred miles away and doing it permanently somehow seemed

different.

"It sounds like you both have everything planned out pretty well," Raymond said.

My remark about us sharing a bedroom didn't seem to phase him at all.

"Mark did a lot of it! He's very good at....!"

"You helped just as much," he countered.

We grinned at each other.

Martha was also smiling during the entire conversation.

"My little baby is leaving the nest!" she joked.

"Ohhh Mom.... You can always fly out to visit us."

"Us...." not "me!" I liked that!

"It'll give you a good reason to take a vacation and it beats going to Dallas....," he added.

I looked at Mark, clearly not understanding the meaning...

"Family," he said to me.

"Oh!"

After everyone had finished dinner, which took a long time because Stan kept going back for

seconds, thirds, fourths... I lost count.... Raymond said to Martha, "We'll take dessert in the

parlor!"

The parlor? I had briefly seen that room after arriving but really didn't know anything about it.

"Certainly, honey," she said while rising from the table.

"This way," Raymond said as we passed through a huge double door into another equally

spacious room.

"Ed, Would you please help your Mother?" Raymond asked."

He nodded and disappeared.

"Make yourselves at home," Raymond said to us.

This room was less formal. It had a fireplace, comfortable looking chairs and a huge sofa, and a

large table where the desserts started to appear. Yes. "Desserts." Plural...

There was a large chocolate layer cake. Cherry, apple and lemon meringue pie, and the biggest

brownies I ever saw in my life.

"Don't forget the ice cream!" Martha chirped.

"Do you ALWAYS eat like this?" I whispered to Mark.

"No! Mom and Dad went all out this time!"

Mark and I settled down on a sofa. Raymond sat in what Mark said was "His chair!"

Stan sat closest to the food table. Which didn't surprise me.

Ed helped his Mother with everything before they both took seats near the fireplace.

"I'm very impressed with the research and planning both of you have done," Raymond said, "It

shows very keen minds. Most people don't take the time to do this kind of work. They just take

off without a plan, or even a destination.

"We kind of lean towards Phoenix," I said, "Because it's the biggest city and it has a

semiconductor and aerospace industry. Mark and I thought we might be able to land jobs similar

to what we have at ATCO."

"That makes sense," Martha said.

"We still need to install our CB radios and get both cars serviced before we leave," Mark added.

"CB radios?" Raymond asked.

"I thought it would be a good way to keep in touch with each other as we traveled!" Mark

explained.

"I like that!"

"Where you gonna get the car work done?" Stan grunted.

Mark thought for a moment.

"I guess at the dealership...!"

"No, dummy! That will cost you a fortune and you'll get some idiot who doesn't care working on

your car...!" Stan replied.

"Honey, your Brother is NOT a dummy!" Martha exclaimed.

"So then... what is YOUR suggestion?" Mark countered.

"Leave them here. Overnight. Maybe next weekend. I can do it all and install the radios too!"

Stan offered.

"Are you sure you can work them in between your meal times?" Mark quipped.

Everyone laughed...

"Yeah!" Stan replied as he scooped up another slice of pie.

"You two have thought everything out pretty clearly, " Raymond said, "I imagine once you get

settled in...wherever you land, you'll split up and get your own apartments....!"

My ears perked up when I heard that comment.....

Mark glanced at me and then back to his Father.

"Are you sure you two can get along okay while living together for a while...?" The man added.

"Yes, sir!" Mark replied, "And we kind of.... Don't plan on splitting up after we get settled!"

"Oh?" Raymond replied.

His eyes were focused on Mark's....

"No, sir. We're going to live together."

"Really" the man said.

I noticed he glanced at Martha. Her face seemed.... to me like she was trying to hide something.

"Is that to save money?" Raymond asked.

"No, sir!" Mark said softly.

I had a feeling Raymond was leading him into .....something. He was fidgeting as he replied to

his Dad.

"So you're just going to live together.... for how long? For a month? A year? Two years?"

At this point, all three "Marks" were focused on MY Mark!

"No, sir," he said softly.

"What? I didn't hear your reply!"

"NO, SIR!" Mark said in a louder voice.

"Well then... How long do you... I mean....!" Raymond started to ask.

"Forever," Mark said in a very shaky, soft voice.

Raymond stopped and stared at his youngest son.

I knew exactly what was happening...

"I didn't hear you, son! Don't mumble. Don't hold your head down when you speak. You are an

Ellis! You will stand and speak clearly and with conviction so we can all hear you!" Raymond

barked.

Mark shot up out of his chair. I could see him shaking. My heart was aching.

"NO SIR!" Mark said loudly and forcefully, "RANDY AND I ARE GOING TO LIVE

TOGETHER FOREVER. BECAUSE I'M GAY AND HE'S MY BOYFRIEND!"

WOW! HE DID IT! I was never so proud of Mark in my life!

"I see!" his Father said, "That explains a lot!"

The room was silent as a tomb. Raymond frowned as he looked at Martha, "Damn! I'm not

gonna get my shotgun!"

All I heard was "get my shotgun" and I froze in fear!

He stared at his wife.

"Honey... You win! You were right all along!"

Martha started dancing and singing around the table.

"I won the bet! I won the bet!" she chanted.

"Sit down, son!" Raymond said to Mark, "What you just did took mountains of courage!"

"Huh? The bet?" Mark stammered.

He seemed "dazed and confused" to say the least.

"What?" he gasped.

"Oh big deal! Marky is gay! We all knew that!" Stan barked, "Mom, can I have another bowl of

ice cream?"

Martha stopped celebrating long enough to reply, "It's may I have another bowl of ice cream,'

and the answer is Yes!'"

The room broke into bedlam.

"You guys had a bet...on... me being...gay?" Mark stammered.

I looked at Ed who was smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh honey... It was just a joke....!" Martha tried to explain.

"Then you did it recently... for today...?" Mark asked.

"Oh heaven's NO!" she giggled while turning to Raymond, "Honey..When did we first start...?"

He looked upwards, as if trying to remember.

"I think it was when he was in the sixth grade...!"

"The SIXTH GRADE?" Mark exclaimed.

"Oh it was just a little thing then.... I mean a $5 bet...," she chuckled, "And every year on your

birthday, we'd up the ante..."

"What was remark that about your shotgun?" Mark asked.

"Not my' shotgun, the' shotgun. The Browning double-barrel that I had my eye on at Looboyles

[a sporting goods store]. Now it looks like I'm not gonna get it....!" Raymond groused.

"...And I get to go shopping!" Martha chortled, "That was my part of the bet! I won! I won!"

"All right, honey. What's it gonna be? Kansas City or Dallas?" Raymond asked.

"WHAT?" Mark gasped.

Ed let out a loud chuckle.

"This pie is great!" Stan said.

"Oh...Kansas City wins hands down!" Martha said.

"So then... Mom... Dad... how long have... BOTH of you known? And how?"

"Oh let's see," Martha replied, "There were all those questions you used to pepper your Father

with about.... parts of your body growing at different rates...!"

"Don't forget that kid who used to hang around him all the time," Stan said between mouthfuls

of pie.

"What was his name....!" Raymond queried.

"Oh him!" Ed exclaimed.

"I think it was Robin!'" Stan said.

I almost choked on a brownie at the mention of the name.

"That tadpole!" Ed laughed, "He was always following you around with his big saucer eyes!"

"Then you've know.... for.... a long time?" Mark gasped.

"Why do you think I tore out that wall in your bedroom and built that additional bath?" Raymond

explained, "So you could have some privacy... I knew you must have had a lot to figure out!"

"And Ed... And Stan? You told them?" Mark croaked.

"Those two blabbermouths? They could never keep a secret. Of course not!"

"Hey!" Ed protested.

"So that's why I got my own huge room and private bath!" Mark laughed.

"With a place for you to skinny tan!' If there's such a word!" Raymond chortled.

Mark turned beet red.

"You saw me?"

"Did you forget we have a windmill in the backyard? And someone has to climb it for regular

maintenance!" his Father laughed, "And it sure looks like everything grew out just fine!"

"DADDDDD!!!" Mark whined.

"Honey... You're embarrassing him!"

"I don't even want to know what else...!" Mark started to say.

I was alternating between laughing and crying while watching this event come to pass. It

certainly wasn't what I expected!

"Oh honey... You obsessed over your clothes so much. And how they had to fit just right! And

your grooming. And you never had any girlfriends. You're as cute as a bug! You should have had

every girl in school chasing you!"

"Cute as a button" yesterday and now "cute as a bug" today! I still didn't know where either of

those sayings came from, and how exactly they made sense!

"But.. But... Dad.... If you and Mom had a bet, that means you bet AGAINST me?" Mark said

softly, "Why... How come? Are you ashame----!"

"No son, of course not! You can't have a bet without two sides! It means I don't care! You are

my son no matter what! And we all love you!"

Mark started to tear up. So did I.

Raymond tapped a spoon on his glass.

The room grew silent.

"Son... I will say it again! What you did today shows exceptional courage. You stood up for who

you are. That is the sign of a true man. You didn't back down and you didn't hide. Your Mother

and I both knew it was only a matter of time until you decided to tell us!" Raymond explained,

then he looked at me, "And you, young man!"

I swallowed hard and gulped for air.

"Yes, sir?"

"Do you think you have what it takes to handle this supercharged ball of energy?" Raymond

laughed as he nodded at his son.

"YES SIR! I DO HAVE WHAT IT TAKES AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF MARK.

FOREVER!"

He eyed me very carefully.

"I was wrong about you! You may be skinny, but .... I think you DO have what it takes!"

"Is there anymore pie?" Stan asked.

Let's all go outside and pitch some horseshoes!" Raymond announced.

"There's apple pie and ice cream waiting for everyone," Martha added.

Apple pie? How come I didn't see it?" Stan groused.

"Because I HID it from you!" she laughed.

Everyone got up from the table and headed outside.

Raymond shook my hand.

"Congratulations, son!"

"Sir?"

"For having what it takes to tame this boy!"

He patted Mark on the shoulder.

I was grinning from ear to ear.

As we moved outside, Mark whispered to me, "I bet you don't even know how to play

horseshoes!"

"No, but you're gonna teach me!" I said, "And archery and darts and... maybe you can give me

some tips to improve my bowling skills, too!"

His raised an eyebrow like Mr. Spock...

"I sure wish you could swim....!"

"Who says I can't?" I fired back, "I bet I can out-swim YOU!"

Mark's green eyes were bright as two beacons!

"A bet, huh? What do I get if I win?"

"Something you like a whole lot!" I whispered.

He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"But you'll get that anyway!" I smirked

I threw my arm around his shoulder and we headed outside...

We played horseshoes until almost dusk. I wasn't as bad at it as I thought I might be! Afterwards,

the rest of the family moved indoors while Mark took me on a tour of the grounds.

"This is our new barn," he said with pride, "It replaces that older one behind it."

It was filled with various pieces of farming equipment. I recognized a tractor...!

"Very good, city slicker,'" he hooted as he kissed me on the cheek.

We sat down on a bale of hay.

"They both knew! All along! For YEARS!" he gasped.

"Better yet, they didn't CARE!" I added.

"YEAH!"

He looked me in the eyes.

"I think this is the happiest day of my life!"

I snuggled up next to him.

"It sure didn't turn out the way I expected," I laughed.

"YEAH!" he exclaimed again.

Outside, Mark showed me the 1948 Caterpillar D4 bulldozer.

"It looks brand new!" I gasped.

"Stan stripped it down to the frame and rebuilt everything. He even rigged up a paint booth in the

barn and refinished it with the Cat yellow color," Mark said.

"WOW!"

I was becoming more impressed with Mark's "middle" Brother.

"Come on," he said, "I have something to show you!"

It was after dusk now but still light enough to navigate.

"SHHHH!" he said.

I wondered what was happening.

Carefully Mark opened a door to the old barn. It was much darker inside. There was more

equipment scattered around the interior.

"Be very quiet," he whispered. Taking my hand, he led me to a spot directly under the highest

part of the roof.

"Look up there in the rafters. Do you see it?"

I tried focusing in the darkness. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust.

"A nest?"

"Yes!" Mark whispered excitedly.

There was some subtle movement and two round faces appeared.

"Owls?" I whispered.

"YES! Barn owls! A pair!"

"Neat!"

"Come on, I just wanted to show you... Let's don't disturb them," Mark said.

Back outside we stood in the fading twilight. The distant lights of Tulsa lit the night sky.

"How long have they been here," I asked.

"Just since this Spring," Mark replied, "Dad's all excited because owls are great at getting rid of

mice, rats and snakes!"

I looked around at the ground. The darkness hid everything.

"S..S..Snakes?" I stammered.

Mark laughed. I loved hearing the sound of his voice. It seemed like days since we had talked

together.

"You wanna move to Arizona and you're afraid of snakes?" he chortled.

"Well...!" I hemmed for a reply and he just laughed some more.

Mark waxed about the events related to his revelation.

"Mom and Dad knew about me for YEARS! So did Ed and Stan!"

We couldn't stop talking about that!

"And that bet your Mom and Dad had," I laughed, "but I really got scared when I thought your

Dad said something about getting a shotgun!"

Mark started rolling with laughter.

"What did you think? He was gonna shoot us?"

"Maybe just me for stealing his son's virginity," I giggled.

"You didn't steal it. I willingly gave it up to you!"

I could feel the heat of Mark's body; his scent invaded my nostrils.

"I had fun," I said.

"Me too!"

He gazed off into the distance. I couldn't stop staring at him. There he stood. Mark Ellis. All 6'4"

of his almost twenty-one year old body...

There was more silence between us. Then he spoke. Very slowly and deliberately.

"I'm kind of like a barn owl," he said quietly.

"What.... do you eat mice and snakes?"

Right after I said it, I thought "how fucking stupid!"

"No," he said in a very soft voice, "What do you know about them?"

"Nothing really. I've just seen pictures of ....!"

"Did you know....," he stopped and drew in a deep breath, "That they mate for life?"

My head snapped in his direction.

There it is! I had learned so much about Mark today. A tough, honest, intelligent guy with a great

big soft spot in his heart. He was afraid. Afraid of losing me. Of being dumped, abandoned or

hurt. Why HE had that fear instead of ME made no sense. Maybe it's because he has always lived

within a close knit family and now the biggest change in his life is heading right towards him.

Yet deep down inside he wants me so badly.....

I heard him let out a long breath of air. My body shook as I scanned his lean, tight frame.

Instantly my knees buckled and I dropped to the ground. Clasping my hands to my chest, I looked

up and our eyes met.

"I'll mate with your for life. I promise! We can build a nest together anywhere...!"

Suddenly I felt him lifting me up on my feet. His arms circled my body and we hugged each

other.

"Oh baby..... Randy.....Randy....Randy...... that's the sweetest thing I ever heard in my life!!!"

He started to cry.

"You won't regret nesting' with me! I promise!" he sobbed.

I felt his huge cock pressing against my thigh.

"Forever!" I said softly.

"Yes!" he cried.

"Damn! I wish we were home!" I whispered.

"We can do it here!" he said.

He knew what I wanted...needed....craved!!

I looked around in the darkness. The two barns hid the house from view. In a flash I dropped to

my knees. Mark already had his cock out of the dark blue Levis.

"YEAH!" I hissed as my mouth opened wide.

His long hard prick quickly slid down into my gullet. It was so easy! There must have been some

expert sword swallowers in my family genealogy!

"MMMMMM!" he moaned as his hands gripped my head.

Slowly at first he began fucking my throat. I felt his long, steely hard rod sliding in between my

lips.

"YEAHHHHH BABY!!!!!" he cried.

My cock was screaming for relief. All it could do was slip and slide inside my jeans.

Mark picked up the pace. I could smell sex all around us. His moans came faster and faster as he

pressed my face into his crotch.

"UHHH..... RANNNNNDYYYYYY!!!!" he yelped.

I felt his cock grow thicker and harder. Which seemed impossible but it did.... Then his body

tightened up.

"CUMMMMMMMMMMMMMIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he sighed.

I couldn't taste it. His massive prick was buried too deeply in my body. I knew he was unloading

his jizz deep inside of me. He held my head in firmly place and let his cock finish its torrential

outpouring of spunk.

Slowly I started to let his swollen rod slip out of my throat.

"No... Baby... please....Double.....!" he stuttered.

I knew what Mark wanted. Something he did all the time. With ease. A "double cum." The same

thing I had done for the first time in my life last December in the park. While some young boy

sucked my cock for the first time, I blew two loads in rapid succession as visions of Mark danced

in my brain.

Mark was a master of that spectacular feat. He could even do three in rapid fire. I hadn't made it

that far yet.

I backed off his rod so that just the head and a few inches were in my mouth. This time, I wanted

to taste his offering. The only trick was to keep swallowing. Or risk drowning in a flood of dick

snot!

That would have made an interesting headline in the newspaper....

Mark shuddered and made tiny little cute whimpering sounds. He was just where I wanted him!

My tongue began servicing the swollen head of his beautiful cock.

He gripped my shoulders for support... this wasn't going to take long.

I knew what he needed and wanted, and how to make it happen.

"Baby!" he cried.

I felt his cock expand in my mouth.

"UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" he grunted.

A wad of thick, hot cum quickly filled my mouth. My cheeks bulged and then I swallowed. Just

in time. Then came another. And another...

After swallowing the best dessert I ever tasted, his long slimy bone slipped out of my mouth. I

looked up; he looked down. We smiled. He easily lifted me up and again hugged me.

"Thanks!" he gasped.

"No, thank YOU!" I giggled, "That was FAST!! You wanted it really....!"

"Are you kidding? Sitting next to you all afternoon and not being able to even touch you!"

I swooned at his remark.

He reached down and caressed my aching prick.

"You can't....!" he started to say.

"I can wait until we get home!"

"No, you can't! The ride on the expressway will finish you off long before we get there!"

I laughed. He knew me all too well!

"Won't your family wonder where we are...?"

"Can you be quick?" he said with an evil grin.

I was! My cock exploded the minute his long, talented tongue touched that bulbous mushroom

head.

Mark gulped down my jizz like it was honey.

Eagerly we kissed. Deeply. Tasting each other's juices.

He put his arm around my waist as we walked back to the house.

"I love you!" I cooed to him, "My gorgeous barn owl!"

I felt his hand rest upon my tiny ass.

"So hot!" he whispered.

As the light of the house came into view, we assumed a more "modest" stride.

Raymond and Ed were sitting on the porch.

"We thought you two might have gotten lost!" Raymond said.

"No, I was just showing Randy our new residents!"

Ed shot me a curious grin.

"They're pretty neat!" I chirped.

"Mom has some food packed for you guys!" Ed said, "Unless Stan has eaten all of it!"

We all laughed.

Inside, Martha loaded us up with chicken, some more of those really tasty home made French

fries, pie, brownies and corn.

"We won't have to cook for a week!" I exclaimed.

As we prepared to leave, she looked at me and smiled.

"You are just what Mark needs!" she said.

"Ma'am?"

"It's so obvious you two are in love!"

I was getting used to hearing that and it made me feel really good!

"But how did you know?" I asked, "We always try to act so casual...!"

"Oh honey! You can't hide your feelings! Not when they are as strong as yours! I could see it in

your eyes. All afternoon long. Both of you. The way you treat Mark... is so precious!"

I knew I was blushing again...

"He means everything to me," I said softly.

"I can see that. We all can. Even Stan....!"

"Well that is special!" Mark chuckled, "Usually cars and food are all he notices...!"

We all laughed together.

Just then Stan wandered into the kitchen.

"Any pie left?" he asked, then he stopped and looked at me.

"You sure aren't what...!"

"Please!" I protested.

He laughed and ruffled my hair!

"Take good care of my little Brother!"

"Oh I plan to!" I giggled.

Martha helped Mark and me load all the food into his car.

"Now don't be a stranger here!" Raymond said.

"Yeah!" Stan added while munching on a piece of chicken.

"I thought you were looking for some pie?" I asked.

"I was...but I saw this first!"

Mark and I rolled our eyes.

"Don't forget you're both gonna bring your cars out here next weekend!"

"We could drop them off Friday after work," I suggested.

"That would be fine!" Raymond replied.

While Mark was busy talking to his Dad, Ed nodded at me.

"I had a great time!" I said.

"It turned out a lot differently than I expected," he said, then he laughed, "Mom and Dad having

a running bet.... for years!"

I also chuckled.

He looked me in the eyes.

"We were all wrong about you!"

"Huh?"

"How you feel about my little Brother....!"

"I love him!"

"That's obvious. We may not understand how love always works, but in this case, it is so

obvious!"

"Your Mom said something similar...!"

"You were right about something else, too!" he said with a big grin.

I was now completely lost...

"Huh? What?"

"You CAN handle what little Brother has to offer!"

At first I was confused. Then it hit me!

"You saw us?" I gasped.

"Dad sent me to find you guys."

"I guess you did," I giggled.

"Well... I damned sure wasn't going to interrupt both of you... and he," Ed casually nodded in

Mark's direction, "looked liked he was in Heaven!"

Even in the dark my blushing must have been obvious.

"Yes sir... You sure took it.... all of it!" he laughed.

"Every day!" I said proudly.

"Damn! No wonder Mark is so happy!"

We both laughed again.

"Keep doing that and...!"

"Oh... I intend to," I assured him.

"Perfect!" he said with a big toothy smile....which reminded me of Mark!

Mark popped out of the dark with his an almost identical grin. My heart melted at the sight of

him...

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yup!"

On the drive home I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Since it was dark, I had to be content with

a shadowy outline behind the steering wheel, but that was enough to make my cock ache....and

there was his scent. Once we get settled wherever we land, I want to take a long, long road trip

with the boy I love.

Okay. "Man." Mark is ALL man but he only looks.... maybe...barely....eighteen! Man, boy,

whatever... he's mine and I'm not letting go of him. Never!

He looked at me and smiled.

"What?"

Should I tell him? Of course!

"No secrets?" I asked.

He seemed puzzled.

"Not from you. Ever!"

I exhaled....

"Uhhh... Someone...saw us behind the barn!"

The car became quiet except for the radio.

"Oh?"

"Yeah!"

"Who?"

"Ed!" I said.

He started laughing.

"I hope he got a good look!"

I smiled.

"He said I impressed him!"

Mark laughed some more.

"You do have a very unique talent!"

"You're not mad? Or upset?"

"Are you kidding? Over that? We were doing what is natural for two guys like us. I'm sure Ed

could have walked away if it bothered him."

"You amaze me!"

"How so?"

"Do you want a list?" I giggled.

"Maybe. In triplicate!"

"You're so casual and... cool about everything!"

"Life isn't worth living if you're all tied up in knots!" he said.

I thought for a moment.

"Some day. Some really rainy dark day...!"

"Yes?" he looked at me.

"We're gonna stay indoors. All day long. And I'm gonna see how many times you can....!"

"Oh shit!" Mark laughed.

"What?"

"It hardly ever rains in Phoenix so we might have to wait a long time!"

We both laughed, then grew silent.

"How many?" I asked.

"What? How many times...?"

"Yeah!"

"I don't know. Are we talking about a twenty-four hour day?" Mark asked.

"Of course not! We need to sleep!"

"Okay then... maybe twelve hours?" he asked.

"Once and hour?"

"That's only twelve times. Heck, I KNOW I can do that!"

"Twice an hour?" I prodded him.

"That would be twenty-four!"

"I can add!" I hooted.

"I can do that!"

"Are you sure?"

"Wait... Are you gonna just be keeping score, or are you gonna be helping me...?" he said with a

cheeky grin.

" Helping you,' Of course! Why?"

"Well.. I don't think I'd be interested in just jacking off that many times alone but if I had you

to...!"

"Oh...You can count on me being there...and....doing whatever you want...!"

"This is getting interesting," he laughed as we pulled into the driveway, "I'm revved up now and

ready....!"

A huge smirk crossed his cute face.

I looked over at his crotch.

"Amazing! Every time I see it...!" I panted.

"The sooner we get this food unloaded...!" Mark started to say.

I was out of the car like a flash of lightning!

We snuggled together in bed. I played with Mark's hair while we talked about the day.

AGAIN.....

"They knew.....for years!" he said quietly.

"And better than that, it didn't bother them!"

"YEAH! But..but.. I can't believe they brought up... ROBIN?" he giggled.

"You... Uh..... Didn't do anything with him in your.....?"

"NO! I would have never messed around with a guy at home....!" he started to say.

"....Like we did tonight?" I cackled.

"That's different. Robin was a long time ago. When I was young!"

"Uhhhh .... You're still young' now," I chuckled.

"It's different. A line has been crossed. You're my boyfriend and I finally get it!" he replied.

"Get what?"

"How in to me you really are. That you'd never leave me or hurt me...!"

Every time this came up, I thought the roles should be reversed. Like I would EVER hurt Mark?

No way on Earth!"

"Barn owls!" I said softly.

He turned on his side and pressed into me. There it was. Nestled against my asscrack.

"Fuck me!" I panted.

"Okay!" he replied.

Mark started to turn over on his back. I grabbed him.

"No! It's time for me to take it like a man!"

"You ARE a man!'" he replied.

"No! You know what I mean. And what I want!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I cried.

"Double sure that you can handle me? You won't be in control. I will. I mean... I don't want...

Would EVER want...to hurt you but...!"

"Fuck me!" I begged again.

Mark slithered down to my ass and started....

"OHHHH FUCK!!" I moaned as his tongue dove deep into my crack.

My body writhed and squirmed on the bed as he prepped me for the big event.....

The cocoa butter felt cool on my ass, which must have been superheated after getting an

extended tongue fucking. Mark's long, fat middle finger slid deep inside of me. Past that special

spot, which made my cock spasm...

"Ready?" he said softly.

"YES!"

Straddling me, Mark slowly lowered his body down on top of mine.

"Say STOP' if you....!"

"I know!" I yelped.

His cock slipped in between my butt cheeks. I felt a pressure as he entered me.

"OHHHHHH!!!!" I sighed.

Slowly he entered me. Both of us were face down on the bed. Inch by inch his long cock slipped

into my guts.

I writhed, thrashed, bucked and moaned. Unlike Mark, I didn't have enough body strength to lift

both of us upward. I did arch my butt and that pushed him in deeper.

"AHHHH!" he groaned as I responded in kind.

Then I felt it. Or rather, HIM! He was lying on top of me. I was pinned between Mark and the

bed!

"You're in!" I panted.

"YEAHHHHHHH!!! Baby..... you are so fucking tight!"

"Fix that please!" I giggled.

Slowly Mark began taking me. He was a master of his task. Careful, considerate, passionate,

dedicated, loving.... As the pace increased, I felt some pain. Nothing that made me say, "STOP!"

I figured he was going deeper into my body than when I was riding him. The pain slowly faded.

In any event, it paled in comparison to the sensations I experienced when his long hard cock

raked past that spot in my ass.

Faster he went. Vocalizing all the time. Moaning, Groaning. Telling me how he was going to

seed my hot little ass. I was losing control as well. It felt so much better this way than before.

Mark was dominating me just as I had dominated him. We were now completely equal!

"You hot little stud!" he groaned, "It was worth waiting twenty years for you to come into my

life!"

Tears started flowing when I heard his words.

"FUCK ME MARK! RIDE MY ASS! BREED ME! MAKE ME YOURS!"

My words turned him on even more. Mark is a complete stud. One hundred percent! And he's all

mine!"

"OHHHHHH YEAHHHHH!!" he screamed.

Then I did it.... It kind of just slipped out.... because I was so horny....

"FUCK MY ASS, MARKY!" I begged.

That did it! Mark started slamming me like a rag doll. The bed springs were squeaking as the

headboard repeatedly banged against the wall.

"MARKY IS BREEDING YOU!" he screamed, "AND HERE IT CUMMMMS!!!"

I felt it. A warmth in my bowels. Mark was filling me with his cum!

"MARKY!" I cried.

"YEAH! TAKE IT, BABY!" he yelped.

I felt my cock losing control and shooting its load into the towel on the bed. Hot jizz was pressed

between the cloth and my stomach while Mark kept slamming his fuck stick into my ass.

Slowly we finally tapered off. He remained on top of me. Both of us were panting and covered in

sweat.

I didn't want him to pull out... but he did. Slowly I felt that long fat cock slip out of my hole.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I just smiled.

" Marky?'" he giggled, "Someone has been talking to my Brothers...!"

I blushed.

"I'm sorry. It sounds so cute and....!"

Mark stared at me.

"I HATED that name when I was....!"

"I'm sorry... I promise.... I'll never use it again !"

He pressed a finger to my lips.

"But when you said it.... I ..... got so horny!" he smiled, "It's different now.... Then it was my

Brothers... usually teasing me.... Now it's..... you're my baby!'"

"It's okay then?"

"Only when you use it. When we're together!"

We kissed and nestled together until sleep overtook us. Marky and me....

It had been the most perfect day in our lives!

Monday morning we both arose, showered, ate and headed to work. I mean, there was time for a

quick blow job, but not much else. Mark did ask me if everything was okay. I just smiled.

"I'm all yours now. You can do whatever you want with and to me!" I said in a dreamy voice.

"You can count on that!" he assured me.

Work was routine with the exception of Timothy, who appeared with a tightly bandaged hand.

At lunch, Mark told me what he had heard, "Supposedly he fractured his wrist when he took a

spill off his motorcycle!"

"Sure.... Supposedly!'" I chortled.

The impact of how easily Mark had taken Timothy down was still highlighted in my mind....

Tuesday after work, Mom called around six.

It was a call I wish hadn't happened...

I mean... the first part was fine. She REALLY likes Mark. No reservations or reluctance at all on

her part about who I love.... The crappy part of the call came at the end.

"I spoke with your Father yesterday."

"Oh?"

"Honey.... I told him you're leaving at the end of the month...!"

"I supposed that really impacted him...!"

"I didn't say a word about you and Mark..... I mean.... That's a decision I think you should

make."

I was glad to hear that. If my Father was going to find out that I'm gay and have a boyfriend, I

wanted to be the one to tell him...

"Remember what we talked about?" she asked me.

"Uhhhh...We talked about a lot of things....!"

"He wants to see you before you leave!"

"Oh!" I said flatly.