The Professor and Sean

BOOK TWO

The Professor and Sean - Book Two - Part 4

by Scotty

Disclaimer:

This is a fictional story dealing with love and consensual sexual activities between males. If you are not of legal age, reside in an area where viewing such material is illegal, or are offended by homosexuality and/or homosexual themes, leave this site now.

The characters in this story do not always practice safe sex. Remember this is fiction. You should always use a condom for the your protection and especially for the protection of the one you love. The author recommends only safe sex. Be wise and follow safe sex practices.

Several songs are quoted in this story. The copyrights to these are held by the artists or their publishers and not by the author. They are quoted as a tribute to the artist and the piece.

All persons in this story are fictional and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

The author retains all rights to this story. No reproductions or links to other sites are allowed without the permission of the author.

All other disclaimers apply.

We all find treasure in the strangest places; it is the wonder of being alive.

Scotty

Thanks to the individuals who have emailed me to tell me they are enjoying the story. It is great to hear from you. I try to answer all of you; but if you have to wait a day or two, it is because I just can't keep up with the emails.

There's more story to come.

The marked improvement in the punctuation and spelling is because of the intelligent and careful assistance I have received from Wayne. This wonderful man is my editor, I thank him here publicly. As Sean would say, "He is awesome!"

NOTE: If you would like to know when I am posting the next part of the story, send me an email requesting that I notify you when I post to Nifty.

The Professor and Sean, Book 2 - Part 4

(Ryan narrates)

Except for giving me a mighty hug, Sean was exceptionally silent. I stroked his curly hair and remained silent, too, knowing he would tell me what was still bothering him. He kept snuggling to me, our two naked bodies connected. He sighed deeply, looked at me with those beautiful eyes, and said to me,

"Hon, I'm scared."

I was taken aback by his admission. I couldn't imagine what would frighten him. I remembered the terrible nightmare he had, but I thought we settled that matter, at least for a long time. I cleared my throat and asked him,

"What are you scared about, Baby?"

He shook his head as if to say no, but then he spoke in a tentative soft way,

"It's the concert."

"What about the concert?"

"I'm afraid I'll screw up. I'll spoil it for everyone in the orchestra. The audience will laugh at me. I will have let Rog down and he has worked so hard to make me better. I've been thinking about pulling out, not doing the concert. No one will care."

"Bullshit! I'll care. Rog and Greg will care. Mom and Dad will care. Aunt Emily will care Cathy and Janet will care. The entire music department at State will care. And Sean, half the students on campus will care. And what about the conductor, Dr. Coen, he'll certainly care. My good God, Sean, don't you care?" I asked firmly.

He pulled away from me in a rough movement. He turned his back to me and bent forward, his face toward the floor. I could see his shoulders shaking and I knew that he was crying. I decided I wouldn't let him get away with tears in this situation. He had made a promise, and I was not about to let him get out of it.

"Stop the crying, Sean. It isn't becoming. Look at me. Please look at me," I pleaded.

He turned and I saw the red of his eyes and his tear-stained face and I wanted to take him into my arms and assure him that all would be right. Yet I knew I couldn't do that, at least not yet. I saw anger and disbelief in his eyes, but I starred him down, saying,

"You may hate me right now, but I won't let you get away with this. You're a remarkable pianist, maybe a virtuoso. You have the skill and training to play the concert with exquisite precision, skill, and emotional understanding and depth. You are not the one to be scared. The orchestra might wish to consider being a little frightened because you are going to blow them away with your skill and talent and interpretation.

"Rog would never have suggested you to Dr. Coen if he hadn't thought you were talented and skilled enough to do the concert, and do it well. Think of what this could do to Rog's reputation. If you are a little concerned, that's good since it will keep you on your toes, practicing to make sure you won't make a stupid mistake.

"Sean, with all the love that will be flowing your way on that night, you will wow everyone. Please, dear lover, for my sake, do it and do it well."

"I'm so selfish, thinking only of myself. I don't deserve your love, Ry. I'm immaure and self-centered, and a craphead. I don't want to let you and Rog down. That's part of the problem.

What if I screw up? Rog will loose faith in me, And what about you? If I don't do well, you'll love me less and I don't think I could stand that. Forgive me for being such a weak person."

I grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. Squeezing him and looking him directly in the eyes, I told him,

"Sean Kelly, you are not selfish; you are one of the most generous people I have ever known. Forget that shit about being immature. You handle yourself better than educated men who are twice your age. And, fuck it, Sean, you won't screw up. And if you did, do you think I am that transparent a person that I would or could love you less. Sean that hurts me. I love you with my entire body and soul. Don't you understand, Baby? I love you because of who you are. That could never cchange."

He threw himself into my arms and began to kiss me with so strong a passion that it took my breath away. He pulled me on top of him, and as we broke our kiss, he asked me,

"Are you ready to show me how much you love a craphead like me. I'm sorry for doubting you even for a fleeting moment. If you love me, fuck me now. I want to be totally yours, right now at this moment so that we can strenghten our marriage. Please, do it for me now," and he pulled back his legs, lying under me with his most private male body part inviting me inside of him to share my most inner and sacred essence with him. I don't think that I have ever wanted him as much as I did at that moment in time.

"Sean, I want you so much right now, please lover, let me show you how much I love you."

"My lover, my husband, take me. Bring me to the heights of sexual ecstasy, where together we can share our essence and our seed. Make me yours, Ry. I give myself to you."

Together we climbed the mountain of sexual stimulation, reaching the heights of ecstasy and erupting and spewing our essence; mine in Sean's innermost being and his landing between and on us, connecting us in a remarkably provocative way. Our lovemaking had been punctuated with all the sounds of sexual energy and unbridled passion. There was no doubt, as we lay there together, that we were a couple until death parted us.

Our moment of sexual pleasure and fulfillment was interrupted by Greg's raucous voice, calling us to action,

"You guys going to sleep all day or whatever, or are you going to take a swim with Rog and me. Come on lovebirds, get going." and with that he began to pound on the door.

"Just a minute, Greg, we're getting into our swimsuits. We'll be with you in a couple of minutes.

We'll meet you down at the pool."

"Okay, okay, but no monkey business, guys. Put on those suits and get yourselves down here for some fun. See you there," he said. We could hear him stomping away from the door.

Sean began laughing and I joined in,

"Can you imagine what Greg would have said if he could have seen us here, naked and covered in dried cum. I think we would never have heard the end to his ribbing."

"You're right, but we had better get going. We need to clean up the cum, and get into our suits. The pool will take care of any remaining evidence of our lovemaking," I told him as we hurried to the bedroom and opened our luggage, getting out our bathing suits. I was just about to pull on a pair of boxer style, when he ripped it from my hands and gave me one of the new Speedos.

"Come on, Baby, I won't look too good in this. I mean, I am getting a little rounder around the middle, and well..."

"Forget it, Ry, your body is beautiful and you are at your prime; and besides that, I want to see your love tool outlined in all its glory. If you don't get into this thing, I will be on my knees sucking your beautiful cock."

"Yours is the body that's beautiful, perfect for a Speedo," I countered. "And, Baby, your cock will outline nicely in that suit. Everyone will notice, and if you don't hurry up and get it covered, we'll be in the sixty-nine position eating cock. Now, let's go. Everyone is waiting."

"Yes, master. I am here to serve you," he replied with a laugh.

"Tonight, when we get into bed, your master will show you, my pretty slave, what pleasure there can be," I added, laughing.

Together we left the suite after I had closed the door. Sean took my breath away. He was so hot.

I hoped I could keep my love tool under control, as I didn't wish to embarrass my mother. We had only walked a few steps toward the pool, when he stopped me, hugged me and kissed me heartily.

I was beginning to get hard.

"Stop it, Baby, you're making me get hard."

"I hope so," he said with a laugh and ran ahead of me toward the pool.

I followed him in hot pursuit.

(Greg narrates)

I felt a little like a gremlin when I arrived at Ry and Sean's suite and yelled at them as I pounded on the door. The afternoon was quickly passing, and Rog and I wanted to spend some time with them. We were warm and wanted to enjoy the pool. It was a beauty.

When I told Rog what I had done, he was really pissed at me. He told me I was a real dunce for being so lacking in good manners. He wanted to know why I didn't use the doorbell, and why I shouted at them. I finally had taken his shit long enough, so I told him,

"Rog, if I hadn't taken the approach I did, those two would have been fucking all afternoon and night. They're so hot and sexy, I can't imagine how often they must get it on in one day. So I shouted and made some demands on them. No harm done. They said they just had to put on their swimsuits."

"I can understand that they are very much in love, and let's face it, they are both sexy. Greg, take a look over there. It's Sean; he is really hot and sexy. I wonder where Ryan is. Oh, there he is chasing Sean. I wonder what that's all about.

As we watched, Ry caught up with Sean. He turned him around and planted a kiss on him that almost made smoke come out of his ears. From the distance it looked as if the were both laughing and enjoying a private moment.

"Whatever is going on, they seem to be having a good time," observed Rog.

"That's the way it is with those two. They are always so much into each other, that without meaning it, they sort of leave the rest of the world out. Holy shit, Rog, take a close look at both of them. Look at their cocks; they're as stiff as steel rods. Let's hope that their Mom doesn't chose this moment to come out and join us," I said with a laugh.

"God forbid that she would see that. Those two horny bastards have to keep things under control. I think I'll tell them so when they get here, too," Rog said with a touch of anger in his voice.

"You'll say nothing, my horny lover. This is their home, not ours. Ry is no fool. He'll get things under control before his mom comes out to join us. Let's just keep it cool, okay?"

It was then that the two of them arrived by our sides. They were both red faced, and they were losing their erections. I think they might have seen some displeasure in Rog's eyes, but I felt they were old enough to take care of their own business.

Ry was the first to speak.

"Sorry for that little display, guys. It all started earlier, and, well, we were both still horny, and before we knew it, we were outside playing around and making each other horny as hell. We decided to cool it so that Mom wouldn't see us in this particular state. If we offended you, we're sorry."

"It's really my fault, guys. Ry was being so good, and then I decided that I wanted him to get a hardon in his Speedo so that I could see his hard cock, and then he got me in the same condition. I ran away from him, and he followed me, caught me, kissed me, and then, well, we both got hard again. I am the slut, not Ry," said a blushing Sean.

"No one is a slut. You have a right to do what you please. After all, this is your home, not ours. Frankly, I was just concerned that your mom would see it and she would be embarrassed and so would you. But she's not here, so let's just forget it, please. I want to enjoy our stay with you all," said a subdued Rog.

"I second that idea," added Greg.

"And we both agree with you, don't we Sean?" Ry interjected.

"Sure do," came Sean's quick reply.

Ellen and Gerry were walking down the path to the swimming pool and heard the last part of the discussion. Ellen, as usual, asked,

"What are you seconding and agreeing with, boys?"

"Just some trivial boy stuff," Ry said.

"Let well enough alone, Mother. The guys do have some private conversations, which we're not supposed to hear," Gerry suggested.

"You're absolutely right, Honey. I forget sometimes that all of them are grown men. Forgive me for behaving like a stage mother."

"No forgiveness is necessary, Ellen. You have only acted as a loving mother."

Changing the subject, I asked, "Anyone for some swimming in the pool? It's heated, guys. Of course, Ry knows that."

"I'm ready," said an anxious Sean. He headed to the diving board, and within seconds did a remarkably good dive.

"What doesn't that guy do well?" asked an astonished Rog.

"He really can't cook," said Ry as he dove into the pool and swam toward his lover.

In quick succession, Rog and I dove in and we were all soon frolicking. Then Ellen and Gerry joined us in the pool. As we enjoyed the water, Charles appeared with some before-dinner snacks and arranged them on one of the umbrella covered tables.

(Sean narrates)

One of the reasons I dove into the pool was that just looking at my lover was causing me some difficulty in the crotch department. I thought the water would cover my stimulation. I swam a short distance to the side of the pool at the deep end, and held onto the pool's side, admiring all the rich landscaping. I think I was in some kind of trance, which had been brought on by the utter loveliness of my surrounding. I was quickly brought back to reality when Ry swam up behind me and put his arms around me.

"You know, Baby, I am so hot for you right now that I could take you right this minute in front of our folks and best friends. You are beautiful in your Speedo, Baby, but I like you naked even better. Maybe late tonight we can skinny dip out here in the pool. Would you like that?" he asked.

"I would like anyplace where you are, Hon. Rub your cock against my ass, please," I implored.

Ry was just about to fulfill my desire when Greg popped up on one side of us, and Rog on the other.

"So, my fine friends, what's going on?" asked a playful Greg.

Rog laughed and added, "Yeah, wanna play in the water with us?"

Ry burst into raucous laughter and asked, "It depends on what you mean by play?"

"I like all kinds of games," I giggled in response.

"You guys have such gutter minds. I didn't mean that kind of play. I meant some kind of pool game. Get with the program you two sex fiends," came Rog's retort.

"Now, Baby, don't let's get huffy. I sort of liked the idea of some other kind of game. You know the kind Ry and Sean were playing when we swam up. I think the game is called, `Who's the Hardest Quickest?'" offered Greg.

Everyone was laughing now, and we could see that Mom and Dad were curious as to what was happening. I pulled away from Ry and the others and swam to the shallower end of the pool and hugged Mom and Dad. Their smiles were broad, and whatever they might have been curious about melted away. Ry appeared milliseconds later. He hugged all three of us. And then Rog and Greg appeared.

"Isn't the water lovely?" asked Mom.

"It's awesome," I said, and added, "Can we swim here later at night, or is it out of bounds."

Dad laughed, and looking directly at Ry, said,

"Ryan Taylor, haven't you told your husband and your friends that the pool is open twenty-four hours a day; that t's lighted at night, from inside the pool, and the walkways are dimly lit, too. That way you can find your way to the pool. To answer your question, Sean, you may use the pool anytime. And at night, but only at night, you may swim naked if you wish. The pool is located so that, although you think you might be able to see it from the house, we had some trees planted so that the pool is secluded from both the house and the Intercoastal Waterway."

"Sorry, Dad. Sometimes, I forget to be the gentleman that you and Mom raised," said a red-faced Ry.

I hugged him and came immediately to his defense. After a gentle loving kiss on the cheek, I told everyone,

"Ry is a perfect gentlemen, always concerned about everyone's feelings. He doesn't wish to hurt anyone. And with me he is perfect in every way, and certainly a gentleman."

"No need for you to defend him, Sean. We all agree with you; in fact, we all know how much of a gentleman he is. I consider myself lucky to have him as a friend," added Rog.

"No argument from me," seconded Greg.

Mom and Dad had quietly left the pool area, going to check out the table that Charles set. Mom did the inviting,

"Come here, guys. We have some snacks to keep us fortified until dinner later tonight. We hope that seven-thirty is an acceptable time for dinner."

"That's a perfect time, Mom," said Ry as he kissed her on the cheek.

We all quickly agreed with the suggested time for dinner as we left the pool, and headed for the snack table. To call it a snack table was truly an understatement, as it was covered with wonderful foods: gulf shrimp, large sea scallops wrapped in bacon, two or three different dips, crackers of every kind and style, brownies and other delicious desserts. There were lemonade, iced tea, soda, milk, three kinds of beer, and bottles of water, all of which were ice-cold.

The dishware was lovely, and there were crystal glasses for drinks. For a long time I just looked somewhat bewildered by the choices. The vegetable platter was a work of art with numerous veggies and a wonderful dipping sauce, which I suspect was some type of ranch dressing. It was spectacular.

Ry came and stood beside me. He smiled a knowing smile, and said,

"A lot to choose from, isn't there? That's Mom's way. She loves to entertain. Wait until dinner tonight. Bet she serves champagne."

"Ry, what's that funny brownish stuff that looks like fish eggs?" I asked.

"That, Baby, is black caviar. Don't worry about it because you do not have to eat it. Some people love it, but I don't."

"And, Ry, what are those strange rolls, or slices of rolls that contain things I can't identify," I asked.

"That's sushi, a Japanese dish, which contains rice, raw fish, sea weed and other things. It's okay, but again, not my favorite."

"Jeez, raw fish, really? I think I would barf."

"It's an acquired taste. I suggest you try just one and see how it settles with you. Or, if you would rather not try it, don't. I think there are other things that you would enjoy," he told me.

We filled out plates with food from the table. I tried a small bit of caviar (which I hated) and a little piece of sushi (which I disliked even more than the caviar). I did enjoy the scallops, the shrimp and the veggies. The dips were good, too; one was make with clams, which I really enjoyed. Another had cheese and spinach in it; I didn't care too much for that one. And the third was some sort of Mexican concoction that I found tasty and enjoyable.

Rog and Greg were accustomed to the sushi and caviar as I noticed that they ate quite a bit of that. Ry, on the other hand, didn't eat much of anything: a couple of scallops and two shrimp, a small taste of caviar, and no sushi, He did sample all the dips. He ate heaviest of the raw vegetables.

For a finish to our late afternoon snack, Charles brought out a large crystal bowl filled with a fruit salad encompassing all the local fruits. It was a winner!

Conversation during the snack was easy and comfortable. Mom and Dad were curious about our plans.

They were a little astonished that we really didn't have any specific agenda. We wanted to go to the Orlando area and do our thing there. I had never been, and it was important that I got to experience all of Disney World, Sea World, Universal, and a number of bars Ry had learned about in downtown Orlando.

We also told them we wanted to try to get to Miami and South Beach, but that wasn't high on our list. We also wanted to see some manatees if that were possible. And on the West Coast, there was Marco Island, Ft. Myers, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and while in the Tampa there was Busch Gardens, which we wanted to visit.

Ry didn't mention that the bars he wanted to take us to were gay bars, but I suspect that at least Dad understood this. Ry told our parents that he wanted to take me to Key West for a second honeymoon. Rog and Greg chimed in with an assertion that they would not accompany us to Key West.

Since we would be doing that late in our visit, they would already be back at State.

After our break for snacks, we went back in the pool. We played water volleyball with Ry and me against Rog and Greg. Mom and Dad sat it out, encouraging us and laughing almost as much as we were. It was impossible to keep score, as most of the time one or all of us were under water. Rog especially spent most of the time underwater, coming up gasping for air and laughing heartily. Greg was in absolute heaven as he laughed and encouraged Rog `to get with it.'

Ry and I were no better, as we spent most of our playing time underwater. But it was so much fun, and it was great to see Ry relax and enjoy himself. Finally, we were not only tired but had become waterlogged; our hands wrinkled like an ancient man's. It was finally Rog who called it quits,

"No more, no more. Not only am I exhausted, but I am sore from laughing. I really need a break."

Surprisingly it was Greg who seconded the idea of a break. Ry joined in, too. Although I could have gone on for a while longer, I agreed we needed a break. Mom and Dad were also ready for a break, as they, too, were sore, from all the laughter and the shouting of encouragment to the struggling athletes in the pool.

We climbed out of the pool said our good-byes and wandered to our various places in the house.

Ry and I walked back along the path, still enjoying the time in the pool, laughing occasionally, and discussing how terrible we were as volleyball players. As we got nearer the door to our suite in the carriage house, Ry put his arm around me and kissed me lightly on the cheek.

"You need some time to rest, Baby?" he asked.

"Maybe, what have you got in mind?" I asked.

"How about some lovemaking, a nap, then a hot intimate shower, some more lovemaking, then get ready for dinner. How's that sound to you, Baby?"

"Seems like we'll be spending a great deal of time on things that aren't too important. Could we get the lovemaking closer together and the other things for later?" I said with a laugh.

"I was hoping that's what you would want. I'll see if I can arrange that for you," Ry told me.

We went into the suite where Ry closed the door, locked it, took off his speedo, fell to his knees, removed my Speedo, kissed my abs, and then slowly took my steel-hard cock into his mouth. I groaned, and rubbed his head as he bobbed up and down on my fuck tool. Our lovemaking had begun, and it would be ongoing until we showered and dressed for dinner.

This was what I had expected our vacation to be.

Ry didn't intend to disappoint me.

(Ryan narrates)

Our lovemaking had been hot and heavy, more as an expression of passion and sex than of some esoteric type of love. That would happen tonight when we retired for the night. Sean had been very responsive to my lovemaking, and in turn, he was an animal when he took me. I loved it.

Finally, with no nap, we were exhausted from our heated time together, sexually satisfying each other. Although we didn't want to stop what we were doing, it was getting late, so after a quick shower, we dressed in our white trousers and bright floral shirts. We both wore sandals, which made it difficult for me as I have a strong fetish for feet, and believe me, Sean's feet are extra special. We stood in each other's arms and kissed gently. I love him so much.

"Ry, I love you more than I can explain. I know I've told you this countless times before, but I want to say it again and again because it makes me feel better and I hope that you will always enjoy my telling you," Sean said to me.

"I feel the same way, Baby. And I will never tire of you telling me you love me. I pray you feel the same way, because I love you more than I can explain. I feel it in my heart and soul, but even with my background in language, I cannot express it in words, because I realize that words would be so inadequate. I hope that when I make love to you, that you understand how much I love you, Baby."

Before Sean could answer, the phone rang. It was Rog.

"You guys heading over for dinner? Stop by our suite on the way and we can all go in together. That sound okay to you?" he asked.

"Fine with us. We'll be along in a couple of minutes. Bye."

"Before you say another word, Ry, I need to say this to you. When you make love to me, I understand in a way I can't articulate how much you love me. So don't worry about your lack of words. Your body speaks volumes for you."

"Thanks, Baby. That's how I feel about you, too. That was Rog. He wants us to stop by their suite so that we can all go to dinner together. I guess they might be a little shy. So let's go."

We walked hand-and-hand up to the main house and upstairs to the guest suite. I knocked, which brought Greg to the door. He laughed as he looked at us.

"Rog come here. You won't believe this." he said.

When Rog came to the door, we understood what had caused Greg's reaction. There they stood in white trousers and floral shirts and sandals. We looked at each other, smiled and then started to laugh.

"We certainly know how to dress, don't we?" I said.

With agreement from the guys, we left for the dining room and one of Mom's dinners. I was sure that it would be a spectacular event. I also knew that Dad had plans for later, but I chose not to reveal anything to Sean or Rog and Greg.

I realized as we moved toward the dining room that no one had seen most of the house. I would take care of that tomorrow. I had Sean's hand in mine as we entered the living room where we would wait to be summoned for dinner. Mom and Dad were already there, dressed casually, but with great taste, having an aperitif. They rose from their seats and came to us, Mom kissing us all while Dad gave us huge hugs. We settled into the comfortable furnishings; Sean and I on the love seat, Greg and Rog on one of the sofas, and Mom and Dad in their usual chairs.

After everyone had something to drink, nothing alcoholic for the two of us, the conversation began in earnest.

Rog began by thanking Mom and Dad for including them in the visit to Florida. Greg was also expressive of their gratitude for the kindsnesses they had shown to their guests. Sean was the next and he told them,

"As always, you both show love and kindness that is far beyond anything anyone could expect. I want you to know that your son has learned this from you. He, too, is the most loving and kind human being I have ever met. Thank you for including me in this family."

"Sean overstates the situation a little. I try to be kind, and I really love him, so it's easy to be loving. But he is right about one thing, and that is, that I learned some valuable lessons from the two of you. For that I can never thank you enough, or ever repay you," I told them.

"Don't you understand, Ryan, that as we watch you with your husband and with your friends, you constantly demonstrate all those important graces and good manners that we hoped you had learned. You, dear boy, are an example to others, and we are blessed that you have developed into such a wonderful young man. We couldn't ask for more. That, dear Ryan, is why your father and I love you so much," my Mom said.

Dad gave me his broad, face -filled smile, and told the assembled group,

"I agree totally with your mom, Ryan. How could we expect more from you than you have already demonstrated. And I must say, you have good taste. Just look at Sean, your devoted partner, and your wonderful friends Rog and Greg. They prove how good your taste is and how well you use it."

Rog was smiling and Greg was almost giggling. Sean got up and walked over to Mom and Dad and gave them super hugs. I followed him and did the same. Even Rog and Greg joined in, and soon we were all smiling and happy. As Dad began to say something, Charles interrupted,

"Dinner is ready, Madame."

"Thank you. Charles. Shall we?" asked my mother.

Still chatting amiably, we went into the dining room. There was an audible gasp from three of the guests. The room by itself was lovely, with dark walls and a wall of windows. The table was massive, and the china and crystal sparkled. The table was adorned with lovely flowers and candelabra, which bathed the table and its contents in a lovely soft light. Charles assisted Mom into her chair, and we all found out places, sitting where we found our name-cards. They were held in a silver cardholder.

No one sat until Charles had seated Mom. I could tell from looking at the three others, that they were in awe of the room, the table, and soon the food. Dad sat at the head of the table with Mom to his left; Sean sat next to her, I sat across from Mom, Rog sat next to Sean, and Greg sat opposite Rog.

"Let us join hands and say grace. Ry, I would like you to say grace for us, if you don't mind?" Dad asked.

"It would be an honor, Dad. Please bow your heads. Dear God, please bless each of us gathered at this table. Through Your infinite kindness, You have provided us with the treasure of the land and the sea, of which we are about to partake. Dear God, I am personally thankful to You for giving me such wonderful and caring parents who love me dearly. I thank You, too, for such close friends as Rog and Greg. They are steadfast and strong. I thank You for Mom and Dad, who, with Rog and Greg, supported Sean and me in a terrible time in our life. But dear God, I am most thankful that You gave me Sean, my beloved, who is the center of my life and being. He is gentle and caring and he loves me completely with all my imperfections. We pray for peace in the world and happiness for all mankind. We ask You this in Jesus' name. Amen."

"Amen," came the quiet response from all the others in the room.

I looked at my lover and saw the tears running down his cheeks. Mom had her arm around him and I could see tears in her eyes, too. Rog, Greg and Dad also had some glistening in their eyes. I smiled at Sean, and as I did, Mom squeezed him tightly to herself.

"That was a beautiful prayer, Ryan. Thank you for what you said," Mom said quietly.

I could see that Sean was still emotional, so I got up from my chair, went around the table, leaned in and kissed him, saying as I did,

"You are my life, Sean. Without you, I am nothing. I love you, Baby."

He was in my arms in a flash, and I hugged him to me as firmly as I could. He stopped his emotional roller coaster, and told me,

"What you said about me, Ry, touched the very essence of my being. My soul was elevated by your love. I humbly thank you, my husband. I am so lucky." And then he kissed me, but with a gentleness and caring that took my breath away. Our kiss was interrupted by the light applause of our parents and friends.

Mom moved on to the dinner, "Charles you may serve the appetizer and check with the quests about wine. Thank you."

The appetizer was pate with small crispy crackers. I wondered what Sean would do, but I watched my Mom whisper to him and he tried it. I smiled, as it was evident that he liked it.

Finally Mom announced, "Ryan, you and I are about to change seats. I think you should be next to your husband. Come on, let's do it before the soup course."

"Thanks, Mom; that is very kind of you." I told her.

"It is not a problem, now let's do it before Charles clears the table and serves the soup," she ordered.

I didn't argue and as soon as I sat, Sean reached for my hand and grasped it tightly. I guess it was in that moment I realized that he was still a young man who had not lived in the world I had become accustomed to. Mom knew that before I did, sensing that Sean was uneasy about the proper manners at a dinner such as Mom had decided to serve. I squeezed his hand back and he moved his hand to my thigh and looked at me with thankfulness and appreciation.

By this time Charles had cleared away all the particulars of the appetizer and was serving the soup. I knew immediately that it was vichyssoise . From the look in Sean's eyes, I understood that he wasn't sure what it was, or which piece of flatware to use. I carefully raised the soupspoon and held it briefly above the soup. I saw him look and then raise the proper spoon. I said aloud,

"Mom, it's so good of of you to serve vichyssoise. You know it's one of my favorites. Cold potato soup sounds unattractive and not too tasty, but once you try it, most people love it. I see you have added some chopped chives for a garnish. That will add to the flavor. As I chatted good naturedly to Mom, I watched Sean from the corner of my eye and could see him relax. After one spoon of the vichyssoise, he was hooked. He ate the rest with relish, as did we all.

"Have you given any more thought to where you guys would like to go?" asked Dad.

Rog replied, "Not really, Gerry, the four of us have to get together later tonight and make some decisions. Do you or Ellen have any things you would like to do with us? We'd love to know your ideas."

"We certainly would, Mom and Dad. I know that Ry has a good idea about Florida, but I am a real novice. I want to do as many things as possible that will help me understand this state," offered Sean.

Charles was now clearing off the soup course. He hesitated, and then said,

"If I might Madame, I would suggest the Kennedy Space Center. It reveals much about our country and our idea of exploration. It's pretty much space and the sea now. It's well worth a day!"

"That was high on my list," said Dad, "I have visited it five or six times, and I have enjoyed it each time. We might get a chance to see some manatees, too. I think you would enjoy that. You also might want to camp our a couple of nights at Dickinson. I suppose you already have plans for Orlando and Miami. You should also get to the West Coast, as there's much to see in that area."

Mom joined in, "In West Palm there's the opera and the philharmonic, and in Jupiter Farms there's the theatre that used to belong to Burt Reynolds. There are also plays and other things in Stuart, Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie, and Fort Pierce. You might enjoy dinner at the Seminole Inn in Indiantown. And one of your priorities should be a visit to St. Augustine where you will learn about early Florida history and the fascinating story of Henry Flagler."

"Wow" said Greg, "if we can fit in only a small portion of that we'll be dragging. But you know, I'm with Sean. I want to learn as much as possible about Florida.

"It all sounds great, but I don't want Sean to lose sight of the need to practice for the concert," cautioned Rog, always the teacher.

"Don't worry, Rog, Sean knows there's a piano here, and he and I agreed that we would make sure he got plenty of practice time at the piano. But I want him to have fun, too. We'll find a way to do both, won't we, Baby"

Sean smiled at all of us and said, "You bet we will. All work, and no play, makes Sean a dull boy. And whatever I may be, dull isn't one of them."

Everyone was laughing as Charles appeared with the salad course' lovely Boston Bibb lettuce with a cold lobster tail and three large shrimp, and a quarter of a beautiful Florida tomato with a lovely dressing that tasted somewhat between Ranch and Thousand Island, but carefully harmonized to contribute to the crustaceans.

Thank goodness for friends. Rog had picked up his salad fork and knife and was making a point about the lobster. As he commented about the lovely tail and how much he enjoyed lobster, he made it clear to Sean that these were the utensils to use. I smiled at Sean as a sign of agreement. He understood and was soon using the utensils to help him devour the delicious salad. It was a masterpiece; Cora had outdone herself.

The topic that I knew would come up, and the one of which I held in the most concern, was the adoption. I thought that Greg and Rog had done their best not to bring it to the forefront. I also knew that Mom had been inquiring of Sean all afternoon, principally about that matter. So it was no suprise when she asked me,

"Ryan, dear, what progress is being made with the adoption of the boys. You haven't mentioned it."

"We are waiting from some definitive word from our attorneys. There are some legal matters that need to be completed so that there are no surprises later on. There are things we need to know: for example, in what states will the adoption be considered legal; will the state where the boys now live allow a gay couple to adopt; our financial standing, jobs, housing. All those things need to be reviewed," I told them.

My Dad cleared his throat and spoke, "Ryan, your mother and I want you to know that if money should be a problem, we will assist you in every way. I know that you understand how happy having grandchildren will make both of us. Your mother is really excited about it all. Truthfully, so am I."

Sean spoke next, "Mom, Dad, we want to have the boys, too. But I am trying to be realistic about it. It may not happen, and if this first attempt doesn't work, I know that Dan and Craig will be trying something else for us. I have tried to muster my best patience, but it's difficult. Thank you so much for your offer to help. I think we are fine, but who knows what might happen. We love both of you so much."

"Dad, you have no idea how much that offer means to Sean and me. It may never be necessary, but knowing that there is support here from you two, makes us happy and thankful. It shows us how much you love us, Mom, Dad; it's more than we have a right to expect."

Charles had removed the salad course, and was serving the main course. Each plate held a delicious filet mignon with a topping of beautiful mushrooms. The starch was a twice-baked potato, which was lovely to look at as well as being delcious. To the side were small, tender asparagus with a light dressing of hollandaise sauce. Everything was perfectly delicious. Rog and Greg were enjoying wine with their dinners. Sean and I had ice water, and Mom and Dad had joined Rog and Greg in drinking wine. Conversation lapsed quite a bit during this course as each of us was involved in eating the succulent food.

Dessert followed; gorgeous Plant City strawberries with loads of whipped cream. That finished, Dad suggested we adjourn to the living room for coffee.

We were just about to get up from our places when Charles appeared,

"Excuse me, Madame, but there is a telephone call for Mr. Kelly. It seemed important, so I dared to interrupt."

Sean sat white faced and alarmed.

What could it be?

(To be continued)

If you wish to comment on the story, you may email me at niki200sc@yahoo.com.