Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 19:18:18 EDT
From: RitchChristopher@cs.com
Subject: briarwood:briarwood-lost-27 (revised)
All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or
are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language,
please exit now.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
"BRIARWOOD"
aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
Revised Version
A dramatic saga
by
Ritch Christopher
with literary enhancement by
Les Martin
<><><><><>
BOOK THREE
"BRIARWOOD LOST"
Chapter Twenty-Seven
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"When you part from your friend, you
grieve not.
For that which you love most in him
may be clearer in his absence, as the
mountain to the climber is clearer from
the plain.
And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide,
let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should
seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not
your emptiness.
And in sweetness of friendship, let there
be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things, the heart
finds its morning and is refreshed.
Kahlil Gibran
"The Prophet" (1923)
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Jeff was the only member of the Clayton Clan who was looking
forward to going to St. Genesius for Sunday's eleven o'clock mass. Walter
looked upon going as a public relations gesture for his newest and biggest
client, although Roger wouldn't be there himself, Roger's lover and heir
apparent should get the same attention which Walter owed to Roger
himself. Kyle had explained to Ryan the whole story concerning Jay, Lonnie,
and the history that joined Kyle to them. Ryan was understanding as was
expected and he thought it would be nice to expand the circle of friends
with Cliff and the rest of his Briarwood Boys.
Going to high mass was foreign to the Clayton's and only Jeff tried
to 'fit in' with the Anglican congregation by attempting to genuflect,
kneel, or stand, mimicking what he saw everyone else doing. Walter, Alex,
Ted, Ryan, and Kyle all remained seated throughout the service. When it
came time for Cliff to invite his fold to come to the altar to receive
communion, Jeff just assumed that that meant him as well. Jeff stood and
Walter grabbed him by the belt in the back of his trousers and whispered,
"Not now, Jeff. Communion is only for members of the parish". Jeff did not
understand because Father Cliff had invited EVERYONE to partake and that
should mean him, as well. Finally, Jeff relented while he watched all the
members, including Earl, Earl's mother and two sisters as they went down
the center aisle of the church to receive bread and wine.
Alex thought the service was like something out of a Hollywood
religious movie with the chimes, the choir in the loft in back of the
church singing echoes after Father Cliff's monotone 'solos'. Alex was
pleased and grateful when Cliff's sermon only lasted five minutes and not
once did Cliff pound the lectern and scare everyone out of his wits with a
message about the horrors of hell, nor did Cliff warn anyone about their
daily deeds and misdeeds which endangered everyone's afterlife. All in all,
Alex was fairly pleased with the mass, for, come to think of it, Cliff
hadn't mentioned heaven OR hell in his sermon. Alex concluded if someone,
including himself, HAD to go to church, this was one of the better ones to
attend.
The thing which impressed Alex, Ted, Ryan, and Kyle most was the
astounding number of young gay men in attendance. Even those who weren't
gay seemed friendly to those who were. One thing Cliff mentioned in his
lesson was that it was important in life for everyone to accept his fellow
man as he was and not merely the way other's expected him to be. Alex liked
that bit of philosophy. He would probably had enjoyed the service much more
if it weren't for the pain he was experiencing after having anal sex the
night before with Ted for the very first time.
Saturday night Alex had promised he was willing to try 'going all
the way' with Ted, only if Ted promised to go slow and be gentle. As a
foreplay, in preparation for their 'first time', Ted did his best to relax
Alex by telling him jokes and giving Alex a long deep massage on his back
and legs. Alex didn't fear the impending pain as much as he dreaded that
anal sex might be messy and, in the long run, become disgusting and
repulsive. However, the thought of having Ted deep inside him was worth a
small sacrifice if they were ever going to consummate their union. Alex had
read enough about it to know that it was the natural thing for male couples
to indulge in intercourse.
Ted had given Alex his word that Alex could reciprocate the action
immediately after, or after he had had a chance to rest. However, that
didn't lessen the embarrassing idea of feeling like a virgin bride on her
wedding night. He wanted to please Ted so very much. Still, he remembered
reading in an anatomy book in the high school library that a vagina was
much larger than a male anus, which meant a woman would have less
difficulty and would experience less pain than a gay man on HIS
consummation night. His second thought was if a woman had to take it up the
ass the first time, there might be more female virgins and a lot fewer
weddings!
The final thought which made Alex want to give himself to Ted was
that Alex knew that Jeff already had been screwing Earl Freeman for weeks!
An older brother is supposed to be more experienced in the coming-of-age
steps than his sixteen year old younger brother. This was all a little
humiliating to Alex. He not only had to catch up with his brother's
advanced sexuality, but Alex somehow needed to find a way to surpass Jeff's
knowledge. Alex had no idea of how that could be possible unless he talked
Ted into weird sex with chains and whips...but for now, THAT was out of the
question!
And so Alex had managed to let Ted do it to him one time. When it
came time for Alex to mount Ted, Alex became confused and nearly stopped
when he noticed that Ted was actually enjoying the new sex act. Ted began
pushing backward toward Alex's thrusts and kept crying, 'Harder! Harder!
Deeper, Alex, deeper!"
In his mind, Alex knew he HAD to be hurting Ted. Ted had to be
suffering severe pain, and yet Ted wanted MORE! Was Ted showing a sign of
latent masochism Alex had never seen before? There was no way Ted could be
enjoying the excruciating anguish as Alex was pounding inside him. Alex's
second fear was that Ted might never want to go back to their usual oral
sex! What if this became a nightly chore? How would Alex ever get used to
it without putting a glitch in the nightly love making?
So Alex was relieved that he wasn't expected to follow the Anglican
mass ritual of rising, kneeling, and sitting, as the congregation seemed to
have done at least a dozen times during the service.
After the communion portion of the mass was finished and everyone
returned to his pew. Jeff, once again, began sitting and standing on
cue. While Jeff remained seated during the dispensing of the 'body' and
'blood' of Christ, Alex noticed Jeff eyeing the two young acolytes
assisting Father Cliff. Even Helen Keller would have noticed Jeff's
adoration of them. Alex would have bet one-hundred dollars that Jeff had
become sexually aroused while looking enviously at Jason and Tony. Alex
remembered his dad telling him the list of guests expected at the pool
party after the service and Alex was sure that the two acolytes had been
invited. Although he was not one to pray, Alex at least hoped that Jason
and Tony were gay because, if Jeff should get either or both of them
cornered in the swimming pool, Jeff could cause the party to turn into a
minor fiasco. Jeff might have the two of them headed toward a tattoo parlor
on Monday to get a Gay Pride rainbow etched on their arms. Alex briefly
thanked God that Earl would be there to occupy most of Jeff's attention.
In Dr. Hughes' group sessions, Alex had learned from Kyle that Kyle
had AIDS and, before moving in with them, Kyle made it clearly understood
that every member of the Clayton household should be aware of all the
precautions which should be taken. He wanted Jeff to know everything
possible about the condition and learn not to be afraid of catching it as
he might any other contagion. To reinforce Kyle's concern, Walter had had
an open discussion about the 'do's' and 'don't's' while living with someone
who was either HIV-positive or who had AIDS. Kyle also broke a confidence
to them about his meeting with Jay and, on learning that Jay had the same
affliction as he, wondering if Lonnie had given it to Jay as well.
<><><><><><><><>
When the mass had ended, Cliff stood at the door of the church with
his usual 'hello's', 'thanks for coming', 'I hope to see you next week', or
'I'll call you later in the week to discuss 'that' problem, you're having',
after which it was time for the Briarwood Boys and the Clayton Clan to hop
into their designated vehicles and head toward Cliff and Roger's estate for
an afternoon swim and buffet. Alex and Ted drove the Mustang while Walter
escorted Jeff and Earl in his Chrysler town car. Timmy and Rob rode
together in Rob's Toyota and Cliff piled Jason and Tony into the backseat
of Roger's Lexus.
Just like Noah's ark, everyone was paired with a partner except
that Roger was not there to be with Cliff and Walter was solo due to
Bruce's necessitated reunion with his wife, Jane, the result of her
pregnancy. So Cliff and Walter could at least 'act' as a couple. That was
actually a benefit since Walter and Cliff really needed more time to get to
know one another since Walter had the final say concerning Roger's money
and how it should be dispersed to Cliff, the Briarwood Boys, St. Genesius
and about everything else that pertained to Roger's wishes.
The long drive from the gate of the former Marsden estate to the
front door of the manse gave the Clayton Clan the same excited feeling one
might get on entering Disney World in Orlando, Florida, when Sleeping
Beauty's castle came into view.
Kitty Marsden had spared no expense when she designed and oversaw
the construction on the sweeping acreage. In back of the mansion was the
swimming pool...not just a normal kidney- shaped pool, but rather an
Olympic size pool, even including both a three- and a ten-meter diving
board. Approximately a hundred yards east of the pool was a hard surface
tennis court. To the west was an enormous open green flatland which could
double for field hockey as well as a playground for soccer or baseball.
Actually when she had these athletic venues constructed, she never
had any intention of letting Kendall participate in team sports, but just
having the arenas there increased the value of her property plus it
elevated her stature with the fellow members of the Briarwood Country Club
for the elite.
Ted, whose love for sports was second only to his love for Alex,
was in total awe of the sports-minded layout of the estate. Jeff and Earl
might well have believed they had entered Jurassic Park and expect to see
Tyrannosaurus rex ready to leap out at them over the tall eucalyptus trees.
The driveway made a huge turn to the right just before approaching
the house. Looking out their windows, the Claytons saw the small memorial
garden which Kitty had set aside for Kendall's grave. For some unknown
reason, Kitty hadn't placed Kendall's remains in a mausoleum. He had been
buried in the ground, but Kitty had placed a six foot memorial monument of
a shepherd, holding a lamb in his arms, just at the head of Kendall's
grave.
Walter wasn't sure if any of his boys knew of Kendall or his tragic
death, but it had made the headlines on the front page of the Briarwood
News. Walter hadn't known Kitty Marsden personally, but her reputation had
been known by all of Briarwood's prominent citizens, one of whom was
Walter. When Roger had explained to Walter he had bought a huge estate, he
hadn't mentioned Kitty's name and, upon learning that the property had once
belonged to her, Walter didn't pry as to why she had decided to sell
it. Walter had heard nothing about her financial difficulty, but it did
seem rather unusual that Kitty would sell her property so quickly and leave
her son's remains buried there.
Jay had rolled Troy in his wheelchair onto the veranda and the two
of them were waiting there for their 'family' and the other guests to
arrive. It seemed to take nearly fifteen minutes for everyone of the
Briarwood Boys to meet the Clayton Clan with one exception, Kyle and Jay
DID know one another. Everyone greeted the other with loud 'hello's' and
'so nice to meet you's', interspersed with both real and faux hugs.
Jay insisted that all the Claytons plus Tony and Jason come inside
and allow him to give everyone the 'grand tour' of the domain. The front
foyer led into a large anteroom which acted as a pivot to gain access to
the rest of the house. The anteroom in turn led to a huge living room while
on the left was an even larger den, behind which was another room Cliff
used for his home office. The entry way toward the right opened up into a
dining room with a extremely long dining table which could easily seat
twenty people. Just beyond the dining room was a kitchen, bigger than most
restaurant kitchens. As a selling point, Lance had told, or lied to, Roger
that Kitty had had Martha Stewart, herself, fly down from New York to
design it. The arches leading to the living and dining rooms were separated
by an extraordinarily large winding staircase leading to five mammoth sized
bedrooms on the floor above.
To Walter, all that was missing was Scarlett and Melanie traipsing
down the stairs in hoop skirts. Little did he know---and would probably
never learn---that Jay had dressed in drag one night in a red velvet gown,
descending the staircase as if he (she) were looking for Rhett. On that
particular occasion, Roger and Cliff had bent over double in laughter; Rob
and Timmy had laughed so hard they were both rolling on the floor..
After Jay finished his tour, he invited everyone into the den to
sample his mint juleps. He had prepared non-alcoholic drinks for Jeff,
Earl, Jason, and Tony. The VERY last thing Cliff needed was for someone in
his congregation to learn he has served strong spirits to minors on Sunday
when he had just filled their souls with the Holy Spirit!
On the speakers which were in every room of the house, Jay had
chosen several CD's of John Williams playing old standards and Broadway
show tunes.
After Jay had served the drinks, he went back into the kitchen,
calling Rob and Timmy to come help bring out the trays of hors d'oeuvres.
When the trays arrived, no one in the room, including Cliff, had any idea
of the ingredients. Everyone was afraid to ask or else no one really cared
to know. When Jay, Rob, and Timmy offered a tray to one of the guests, each
person replied with, 'I...I'll have one of the gray ones', 'that pink one
looks interesting'; or 'isn't that a nice shade of blue?'. Jay had made
dozens in various colors, but strangely enough, despite the fact that no
one knew what he was eating, everyone took 'seconds' and 'thirds' after
downing the first. Although the flavors were unrecognizable, the food was
delicious.
Jay's next order on the afternoon's agenda was a swim before the
buffet was served. If no one had ever christened Jay with a pseudonym,
'master planner' would have been the best choice. Planning was, indeed,
Jay's forté as he thought of EVERYTHING when it came to catering or
throwing parties. He had less than a week to plan and prepare, but the
outside decorations surrounding the pool and areas for sitting, as well as
sunbathing, had been decorated with large magnolia branches filled with
white fragrant blossoms. To protect his and Kyle's sensitivity, since the
sun rays were a 'no-no' for people with HIV, Jay had rented a gazebo to
shelter them as well as Troy, who was still wheelchair bound. Actually, Jay
and Kyle looked healthier than anyone else at the gathering. The two were
handsome, Kyle's masculine appearance more than complementing Jay's
feminine pulchritude. Each could still have had successful modeling careers
with the right connection.
Troy was wearing a Speedo which showed him to advantage. Because of
his daily physical workout, he had built up his body muscles, especially
his pectorals, biceps and triceps, which made him look like an Adonis or
some other Greek god. Jay took great pride looking at Troy, while in the
back of his mind he was always thinking, 'He's mine...ALL mine!"
In the 'good looks' department, either Alex or Ted could easily win
a teen body builder's contest. Jeff was a younger image of Alex. As Walter,
still carrying and enjoying his mint julep, sat down next to Cliff, he
remarked to Cliff, "This is a fine array of masculine beauty you've
assembled in your pool, Cliff."
"I was just wondering what Roger would say if he could see Jay's
muscular 'decorations'. They seem to overshadow the magnolias, wouldn't you
say?"
"I was just thinking, and wishing to myself at the same time, that
this could be the beginning of a merger between our two families, Cliff."
"I don't see why it shouldn't be, Walter. You and I will be seeing
a lot of each other since you're Roger's executor. I thank God in heaven
that whatever large or slight rift that kept Jay and Kyle apart has
disappeared forever. Each of them has someone to love now---someone who
will love the other in return. Now both Jay and Kyle have someone to watch
over them as well as having someone to look after. I find it wonderfully
unusual that you and I have similar families, with the exception of you
having two real sons of your own, but both of us have four boys each in our
families."
"Do Rob and Timmy plan on staying indefinitely?" Walter asked.
"I hope so, while at the same time, I would like to see them,
especially Rob, to pursue their careers in New York. Rob has so much
talent, as does Timmy. Roger is a tremendous Broadway musical buff, as am
I, and Roger thinks Rob has what it takes to become a Broadway star."
"What about Timmy?"
"Roger visualized Timmy conducting a Broadway pit orchestra for one
of Rob's musicals. I would hate to see either of them leave us, but
starring on Broadway is a much higher ambition than appearing in a local
musical at the Briarwood Little Theatre."
"You and Roger will be able to sit back proudly and pop buttons,
saying, "I knew them WHEN!"
"What about your boys, Walter? Have they said anything about their
future plans?"
"Next to Alex, Ted loves sports more than anything...ALL sports,
but he is a realist with a pragmatic opinion of himself. He realizes that
he doesn't excel in playing any particular sport nearly as much as he loves
to write about them. Although Ted hasn't told me or Bruce, his dad, I have
a feeling Ted would like to be a sports journalist, either on TV or in
print, writing for a newspaper or a magazine like Sports Illustrated."
"And do Alex's dreams fit in with Ted's love of sports?"
"Not unless he decides to become an athletic trainer or sports
psychologist. Alex is undecided as to what he wants to do to make his
living, but I honestly believe if money wasn't a problem for him, he'd
become a social worker. If he and Ted hadn't fallen in love and become an
inseparable couple, it wouldn't have surprised me if Alex joined the Peace
Corps or joined some agency which would have sent him overseas to help
indigent nations. Alex LOVES helping people...ALL people."
"You have reason to be very proud, Walter."
"I'm proud in many ways. Jeff is cantankerous, he loves to play
pranks, but he's just as good-hearted as Alex. Neither of my sons...and
I'll include Ted in that, have ever given me the slightest problem,
especially after my wife died. I'm afraid I've not always been there for
them as much as I should've, but they always know they can come to me with
any problem, no matter the size. Alcohol and drugs don't interest them. I
doubt if any of them have ever tried either. Alex is a careful driver. None
has ever been in legal trouble or even close to it. They don't fight. We
all share a mutual respect for each other. I love them and they love me. I
guess that boils down our relationship."
"What about Jeff? Has he said anything about a chosen career?"
"Jeff? It depends on the day of the week. Often, I'm sure Jeff will
become a promoter for women wrestlers, while at other times, I can see him
being the head of a Salvation Army chapter doling out free meals for the
homeless. A few Sundays ago, when he attended your church with Earl, I
could almost swear he was ready to tell me he was going into the
priesthood."
"You're kidding!"
"No, Jeff is very impressionable. Whenever he sees anyone doing
good works, that person becomes Jeff's hero of the moment. On that
particularly Sunday, YOU were his idol."
"Walter, would you like me to talk with Jeff, privately?"
"By all means! Maybe he'll tell you things he's beekeeping to
himself from Alex, Ted, and me."
"Let me ask something, just between you and me..."
"What is it?"
"Suppose Jeff were to tell me he had a deep desire to go into the
ministry or even the Anglican priesthood. How would you feel?"
"Are you asking if I'm prejudiced toward your religion? In no
way. However, he's only sixteen and has yet to run the full gamut from
becoming a fireman or a trapeze artist to..whatever. But if the priesthood
is what he really wants, he'd get my wholehearted support...hopefully he'd
get YOURS as well."
"You did imply that he was gay, didn't you?"
"Which day?" Walter joked. "I'm kidding. I don't think I've ever
seen Jeff give any girl a second glance unless she weighed
one-hundred-eighty pounds, fully muscled, and wearing a female wrestler's
singlet. But when it comes to sex, I'm afraid Jeff is totally satisfied
with Earl's anatomy and might be extremely disappointed with what's missing
between a woman's legs."
"Jeff sounds like quite a character, Walter!"
"I hope you won't take this personally, but I presume that your
church has no objection to a gay priest?"
"I'm living proof with one of the largest congregations in the
diocese and I haven't been excommunicated yet."
"Well, that's one thing in Jeff's favor, IF he should decide to
follow in your footsteps."
"I see your drink is empty. Let me get you another."
"Wait and I'll go with you." Walter rose and joined Cliff, walking
back to the house.
In the meantime, Jay had planned ahead and had names posted on the
dressing rooms around the pool. He showed everyone where they could change
out of their street clothes into their bathing suits. Inside each room, Jay
had stocked a rolling butler containing sunscreen, suntan oil, towels,
tissues, tiny boxes to place jewelry and private possessions. He even had
a cooler on the top shelf filled with ice, bottled water and soft drinks.
Cliff had put his foot down and all but threatened Jay's life when
Jay suggested that he ought to include a supply of condoms and
lubricants. After all, this was a 'family' swim party with kids, not a
Sunday afternoon soirée like the ones Jay had often visited at the old
Marlin Beach Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. Jay conceded and made the affair 'G'
rated. Anyway, he was thrilled by the way the exterior decorations had been
carried out. Jay was certain that if Adam had seen Eve in this setting,
Adam's first words to his wife would have been, 'Wow! What a swell place to
fuck!". Roger often said that Jay was perhaps the only living soul who
could make Don Rickels blush!
The Clayton guests were pleased with the shirts Jay had placed in
the dressing rooms for everyone to wear. Everyone joined in with Jay's
festive decor and donned Hawaiian shirts with huge hibiscus blossoms
printed on them.
While Cliff and Walter were inside, everyone paired off and began
to apply lotions and oils to one another's back and parts he couldn't
reach. Jay exited long enough to roll out the portable bar with potent (and
'impotent') potables decorated with fruit kabobs. Once everyone was greased
and handed a drink, Jay took his place inside the shaded screened cabana
with Kyle, leaving Ryan and Troy to get better acquainted at one of the
umbrella tables. Rob and Timmy were sitting at the table next to theirs,
sipping a tropical rum drink. Jeff, Earl, Jason, and Tony were already in
the pool. Alex and Ted had positioned themselves down at the far end of the
pool sitting on the edge while dangling their feet in the water. They
weren't talking much, just looking moony-eyed at each other.
When Walter and Cliff returned and sat down in a double swing
covered by a canvas canopy and carrying two fresh mint juleps, Walter
continued their conversation.
"I was impressed by your words this morning." Walter said.
"Thanks. Would you believe, after all the sermons I've given since
I was ordained, today was the first time I've ever gotten butterflies?"
"Why, for heaven's sake?"
"I'm not sure, Walter. Maybe not having Roger there. Or maybe I was
just trying to make a good first impression on you and your boys."
"Then let me put you at ease by saying I was impressed and I think
the boys were too, especially Jeff. Again, let me apologize if he disrupted
your service or your concentration by not knowing when to stand or sit."
"Please don't apologize--there's no reason for it. I like it when
people like Jeff get caught up in the moment and plunge ahead."
"He got that from his mother. She was very out-spoken and was
always the first to stand up for a cause or to defend a person if it was
needed."
"Do Jeff and Alex still miss her a lot?"
"Not as much as they used to. Fortunately, they allowed me to
become both father and mother to them. As I said a few minutes earlier,
they've never have ever had a problem they couldn't discuss with me
comfortably. That is, until recently, when Alex tried to take his life just
a few weeks ago."
"Why, for God's sake? He seems so mature and settled."
"I'm afraid he couldn't cope when he started questioning his sexual
identity. That was the week before he and Ted formed their union."
"I trust now that all of his suicidal ideations have vanished?"
"Look at him sitting over there with Ted, the love of his life. I
only hope that he and Ted will always be as happy as they are now."
"You or Ted's parents never had any diversity over their decision?"
"No way. As a matter of fact, Ted's father and I took the two of
them on a camping trip just to see how serious they were about themselves
and their chosen lifestyle, Once the two of us were convinced their
relationship was for real, we gave them our blessing."
"My God, where did you learn your parenting skills? Skills like
that the whole world needs to learn!"
"I know how I felt when I was his age. If my dad had been as
tolerant to me, I never would have married. I would be living with my first
love in a gay relationship."
"Are you referring to Ted's father?"
"Yes. Bruce was my first love...my only real love, But ever since
we both married and had families, we've had to settle for a strained
relationship, interspersed with loving each other from afar."
"I guess after your wife died you needed him more than ever."
"He'll never know how much. He was there for me. I needed him, but
not in a physical way---at least, not then."
"And you said that he and his wife are about to have another baby?"
"Yes, I'm about to become an 'uncle' for the second time, but I'm
afraid I'll be pushed farther into the background of Bruce's life. But
that's O.K! That's as it should be. I'd probably do the same thing to him
if I were about to become a new father."
"Pardon my being direct, but it sounds like you have a void in your
life you need to fill. I can sympathize, because I do too until Roger finds
what he's looking for and returns to me."
"I only met him a couple of times, but God! He seems like a
wonderful person."
"He's my other lung every time I inhale. We're that close."
"But he must've had a good reason for leaving."
"That's what I've told myself. Roger wouldn't've left me for
another person. Roger's trying to find God. I can be his lover and his
life, but I can't be his God. If that's what he needs, I'm willing to wait
for him."
"I'm afraid God was never that important to me," Walter
said. "Today is the first time Jeff, Alex, or I have darkened a church
doorway since my wife's funeral."
"You don't know God? Or do you feel you don't need Him?"
"I know I need God...for my sons' sake, if not for any other
reason."
"But not for yourself?"
"Cliff, if I'd been raised in a church or with a family who shared
even half the ideas you expressed in your sermon this morning, I'd be the
first one in line to unlock the door every Sunday morning."
"Do you think you can't find God...or are you afraid to?"
"I DO know my boys need some spirituality in their lives."
Cliff looked directly at Walter and said, "I was asking about you."
Walter paused and his eyes filled with tears,
"Yes, Cliff, I need HIM too. I'm like Roger in that sense, I don't
know where to start looking."
"Do you think I could help?"
"Before today, I would have said 'no'.
"And now?"
"You son-of-a-bitch, I've only known you for a week and already
you've changed my life."
"For the better, I hope."
"I don't know. Everything I had in my life I felt sure of...my law
practice, a nice home, two fantastic sons, a new son-in-law, and two more
that I've taken in as 'adopted' sons. After listening to you this morning
and letting your words sink in, I realized there is a big empty hole in my
life! Is it God that I need to fill it...or another wife...lover...or just
a friend?"
"I can't be God to you, anymore than I could for Roger. I can't be
your wife or your lover, but I CAN be your friend."
"I knew you would say that...and I was hoping you would...Yes, I
want you to be my friend. I think maybe you're what I've been missing."
"We could arrange to meet for dinner or a movie, or just go some
place quiet and talk when you need it...or you could start meeting me at
church on a regular or semi-regular basis."
"All of that! I'll do what I can to bring the boys with me to
church, since there's no rules or dogma in your church to condemn them for
what they've turned out to be."
"I hope you won't be offended, Walter, but I WILL pray for you."
"Thanks, Cliff."
<><><><><><><><>
Jay and Kyle were sitting alone on chaise lounges in the shaded
gazebo, sipping Long Island iced teas, They had become so familiar that
they were almost like 'old friends'. They had many privately individual
stories they could share about Lonnie, but who knew what would offend whom?
So at present they each steered clear of that topic. Instead, they chose to
converse about other common bonds they had.
"How are you feeling?" Kyle was the first to ask,
"Almost brand new. How about yourself?"
"I'm getting there. What was your last T-cell count?"
"Around 1250."
"Good God. From what I had heard, just before you came home, you
were near death's door."
"I was--until I met Cliff, later, Roger, and last but not least, my
love, Troy."
"Do you think it's the new meds the doctor has you on?"
"I don't know. Everyone here at the house says it's because of the
broccoli diet I'm on....It could be a combination of both or it might be
the company I live with. How about your count?"
"I guess I'm up to about 500 or 550 since the afternoon we had
coffee, I got depressed a few weeks ago and tried something stupid. In
retrospect, it's probably the thing that saved my life."
"What do you mean?"
"It's just funny how things work out for the best some time. If I
hadn't wound up in the hospital and got forced into joining Dr. Hughes
suicide group, I never would've met Alex, Ted, Jeff, Walter....and fallen
in love with Ryan. I guess Walter is to me what Cliff is to you. He looks
after me and Ryan both. We never want for anything. Of course, I still get
my residual checks from the networks in New York. It gives me extra
financial padding since Walter won't let me pay for food, utilities, or
rent."
"That's the way it was with Cliff at first. Then Roger started
dishing out money like he was Elizabeth Taylor or Rosie O'Donnell. It's
only a shame that so many other stars didn't follow their suit. The last I
heard, Elizabeth had raised over one-hundred millions dollars for AMFAR and
Rosie, almost as much.!
"You gotta hand it to those two women, Jay. They made their
millions and showed how great it was to spread their wealth among those who
needed it."
"Yeah, Rosie has done more to promote equality for gays and
lesbians than anyone in history."
"Of course, Elizabeth Taylor isn't lesbian, but I think she's done
most of her work in honor of two of her best friends, Rock Hudson and Monty
Clift."
"I can't help but wonder how much Roger has donated. He and Cliff
are about my age, but somehow I look up to them as if they were my
parents."
"How's Troy's rehab coming along?"
"Kyle, he's getting stronger every day. We kid the others that
we're planning to be married. But only Roger takes us seriously---he says
he'll pay for the wedding. But I hope you understand how I feel. When
you've tested positive, you don't make any long-range plans or get involved
with someone whom you might have to leave suddenly if you got sick enough
to die...How about you and Ryan?...any wedding bells in the future?"
"I wish I could say 'yes', but, like you, being afflicted with
AIDS, I know how much you must have gone through taking care of Lonnie and
how devastated you must've been when he died. I don't want to wind up being
a burden on Ryan."
"Have you attempted to have sex with Ryan yet?" Jay asked timidly.
"Nothing more than a few hugs, kisses and nightly jerk-off sessions
to relieve any tension that might be building between us. I don't mean this
to sound the wrong way, but can I ask how long you plan on staying with
Cliff and Roger?"
"Oh, I don't know. I know I can't leave Cliff while Roger's gone. I
also know that if and when Roger returns, he won't hear about my
leaving. He looks on Troy and me as his sons, we're permanent fixtures
around here. The estate IS big and he does need someone to help him take
care of it. He's let me redecorate the house, both inside and out, until I
almost feel it's MY home."
"If you should decide to leave, would Troy go with you?".
"I would like to believe so. Neither one of us has any money or
income except disability and that doesn't go very far when you're living at
the Ritz and suddenly have to settle for the YMCA."
"I know the feeling. I was living in a flop house until Walter
refurbished a guest house for the two of us. Ryan's folks are one-hundred
percent homophobic and won't even let him near his home any more. He has a
so-so job at a CD store and, between us, we could manage to get our own
place, but, hell, we've GOT our own place now, with a loving family to
boot. Walter treats us just the same as if we were Alex's and Jeff's real
brothers."
"Same here, I don't know if I want to grow up the second time and
leave my new family."
"What's the story with Timmy and Rob?"
"Two more 'sons', just like Troy and me. Both come from intolerant
families. Rob has the talent to make it big in New York...probably on
Broadway, but he got into a messy divorce with some cunt who trapped him
into marrying her...said she was pregnant until they got married and
overnight the 'baby' disappeared."
"Shit! Was he straight before he married her?"
"Did you ever know a gay guy who WAS straight when he married a
cooze? While we're talking 'girl talk', tell me about Walter."
"Both his sons are gay. He was, too, before he married his
wife. His lover, Ted's dad, Bruce, was in the same boat...only he was on
the port side. Walter's wife died several years ago...and Bruce's wife
found out she was pregnant a couple of week's ago."
"So Walter's still IN the boat, only he's lost his first mate so to
speak?"
"You got it! Walter hasn't 'let on', but Ryan and I both know he's
lonely as hell."
"Do you think he's interested in Cliff?"
"Probably, for the time being. But I don't think he wants a sex
partner. He just needs a friend,"
"If it's only friendship he wants, Cliff's the best friend he could
ever have. I swear, some times when one of us is talking to Cliff, we
expect to see his crown light up the way Roma Downey's, John Dye's or Della
Reese's does on "Touched By An Angel". We all think of Cliff, and Roger,
too, as our 'angels'."
"Then Walter and Cliff should get along just fine."
"I won't form an opinion unless I see something concrete building
up in a relationship."
"Me, too, but I guess it wouldn't hurt for us to keep our eyes
open, just in case."
"Kyle, I'm so glad we met. I hope we can be friends for a long
time. Until the other day, I didn't think I ever wanted to meet you. I
guess, for obvious reasons, a 'hate' had built up between us."
"I know. We're very much alike. We must be. We were both attracted
to Lonnie, weren't we? Lonnie must have seen it too, by choosing both of
us to be his lovers."
"Would you like another drink?"
"Why not? This is the first party I've been to in years."
<><><><><><><><><>
Rob and Timmy weren't embarrassed to show their affection to one
another in front of the crowd. They had learned to be openly gay for the
first time in their lives and it was wonderful. They had been great support
for each other while each had gone through his own private scandal.
Together with Cliff and Roger's encouragement, they had become brave in
becoming one unit, despite all the odds of Timmy being a schoolteacher and
Rob having a houseful of critical 'in-laws'.
"What would you say or do if I were to go to New York and audition
for some shows? It's almost summer and all the fall shows will be casting."
Rob asked,
"It would scare the hell out of me because I know, with your
talent, you'd be wanted by several producers and they'd be fighting over
you." Timmy replied.
"You wouldn't be jealous, would you?"
"Well, I've heard all about 'casting couches'...."
"That's in Hollywood. I don't know of anyone who ever had to earn a
Broadway role in a bedroom!"
"That's not what I heard. You remember how the lead knight was cast
in our favorite show?"
"That was just a rumor...Name me another instance."
"Well, if only THAT rumor is true, that's enough to worry me. I
don't doubt your talent, it's your frigging good looks that concerns me."
"Timmy, you mean after all we've said to each other and all the
things we've done, you wouldn't trust me to be faithful?"
"YOU, I trust. It's the producers and directors that I don't know
that create a problem for me."
"Well, if I got a good part, would you come to New York and live
with me? You know you could get teaching accreditation there easily."
"Yeah, but I'd be teaching all day and you'd be at the theatre
every night. We'd never see each other."
"OK, What if I got a role in a musical and you got a job
conducting, or playing in the pit? We could be together all day and all
night."
"That's just a pipe dream to think that ever could happen."
"Don't ask me how he would do it, but I'll bet you my bottom dollar
that if we wanted to work together, Roger would find a way. Did you ever
see him fail at anything?"
"How about the present? Where is he now?...and why did he leave
Cliff without saying a word?"
"That's different. Roger's looking for something for himself. He
would never disappoint us if we asked him for something."
"I'd feel too guilty to ask Roger for anything else, after all he's
given us."
"Timmy, you know Roger as well as I do. If he thought going to the
moon would make us happy, he'd buy us tickets on the next rocket. I don't
want to take advantage of him, but Roger's only happy when he's helping
somebody else."
"I know that. But what if he doesn't return soon and you have to
wait until all the good roles have been cast?"
"That's why I need you to trust me! I know I can succeed. I hear
some producer is planning a revival of the musical 'Fanny' with that great
Harold Rome operatic score. I'd give my left nut to play 'Marius' and get
to sing 'Restless Heart' And what about the title song?."
"Yeah and a producer might require you to let him have your right
nut and your cock to go with it, just to sing that song...and then where
would I be?"
"In the pit conducting, giving me my cues with your baton. I know
goddamned well nobody knows that show and can sing that score as well as I
can. And I WOULD get to sing the title song, too."
"That was the role Horst Bucholz played in the movie, wasn't it?
But it wasn't a musical."
"The music was used as underscoring, but the Broadway play is
vastly superior to the film."
"If I DID move to New York with you, could you learn to survive on
pizza and hot dogs?"
"I'd learn how to make an Alpo casserole if you were there with
me!"
"Rob, I know that being on Broadway has always been your dream and
if I stood in your way, you'd hate me forever...So I see I have no choice
but to trust you."
"You will trust me once it sinks into your head that I DO love you
and you're all I want for the rest of my life."
"I wonder how you'd feel if I had to walk the streets and turn
tricks to pay the rent?"
"Shit, I don't want to live on Park Avenue. The kind of tricks
you'd attract would put us on Beekman Place, but before I'd ever let you do
that, we'd find a nice large Northern tissue box and live in an alley some
place."
"I'll say 'yes' for now, but I hope Roger gets back before we have
to make a final decision."
"Thank you, my love. You DO know that I DO love you, don't you?"
"And I must love you or I'm crazy in the head, one or the other."
*************************----AND AT THE NEXT TABLE---******************
Due to Troy's physical therapy, he'd built his physique
admirably. The sun had bleached his hair and his skin was turning
bronze. Ryan had eyed him up and down, managing to stop each time at Troy's
crotch. The bulge underneath that tiny yellow bikini left nothing to the
imagination.
Muscles had always turned Ryan on. That's why he spent every lunch
hour from the music store at the nearby gym, drinking protein shakes and
lifting weights for a half hour daily. Ryan's shapely chassis was nothing
to slough over. The two of them together looked like the cover of a Falcon
Pac video... or two centerfolds in a Colt magazine.
"How are you feeling since you've begun walking again?" Ryan asked.
"I'm still wobbly...not quite ninety-percent, but I'm getting
there. I have a lot that I owe to Jay's workouts and the help Cliff and
Roger gave me after the wreck." Troy answered.
"Did you hit another car?"
"No, I swerved to keep from killing some little old lady I mistook
for somebody else."
"I don't understand. If it had been the woman you thought it was,
would you have hit her?"
"Dead on! I would've tried to knock her into the next county with
my car."
"So what did you hit?"
"A very large tree."
"May I ask you something personal?"
"Sure."
"After you missed her and you started going toward the tree, did
you try to hit the brakes?"
"I don't remember. Probably not."
"You mean you would have killed yourself?"
"I was in a desperate situation. Death would have been a relief."
"God damn!"
"Ryan, I was being blackmailed. The woman thought she owned me,
like a slave! I would have done anything to get out of her clutches."
"Jesus! What happened? Where is she now?"
"She left town. I'm living now where I lived when she owned me."
"You don't mean THE Mrs. Marsden?"
"One and the same."
"Good God...and Roger and Cliff bought the place from her?"
"After some rigid negotiations. Roger bought it on the condition
that I came with the house."
"You were part of a package deal?"
"So to speak. I was being "kept" by her...to do her little
dastardly duties. To make a long story short, she not only lost me and her
house, she lost her son as well."
"I remember that! Her son was killed in a car wreck! That was his
grave we passed on the way up the driveway!"
"After he'd just left my bedside visiting me. I was staying with
Cliff in the old manse the night Kendall came to see me to apologize for
his mother's behavior. He left and fifteen minutes later he was dead. I had
gone to church and met Cliff before MY accident and the night of MY wreck,
he and Roger came to see me at the hospital. I was flat broke and Roger
paid every dime of my hospital bill and moved me into a spare bedroom and
got Jay to take care of me. Jay was down on his luck the same as I was. He
was staying at the manse in another bedroom."
"Good Lord, you could put all of us together with our hard luck
stories and someone could write an all-male soap opera! Only no one would
believe it was true. All we're missing is a visit from an alien or
something." Ryan joked. "Alex, Kyle, and I met at a session for suicide
prevention. Kyle and Jay, both contracted AIDS from the same lover in New
York. I don't know Rob and Timmy's stories but somehow I believe theirs
must be similar to ours...and all of us got taken in by Good Samaritans!
Shit, this plot just goes on and on."
Jay and Kyle had noticed Ryan and Troy laughing and were pleased
that they were getting along so well.
"I guess we sorta attracted attention with my outburst," Ryan said,
much more quietly.
"Looks like you made everyone laugh without hearing what you said,"
"Laughter is infectious when you need it. The other night, when
Kyle and I delivered the letter to Cliff, I sensed an air of gloom hovering
over everyone."
"Yeah. All of our heads have been dragging since Roger went away."
"What's the deal on his disappearance, if you know?"
"I know as little as you do. He just had to 'get away' for whatever
reason. It must've been important for him to leave Cliff the way he did."
"Do you mind if I ask something on a personal level?"
"Go ahead. Just keep your voice down if you want an answer."
"How attached are you to Jay? Are you like...lovers or something?"
"As much as we can be, I guess. We've both expressed our love for
each other, but Jay's sickness keeps him from committing himself totally to
our relationship. I don't know if he's afraid I can't love him because he's
'positive' and I'm not. I don't know if he's afraid of getting real sick or
even dying and leaving me alone the way Lonnie, his former lover, did. Jay
is probably the most caring, the most wonderful person I've ever
loved. I've told him over and over that his illness doesn't matter to me. I
could have died in the car accident, the same as he could get acutely sick
and die. There is no certainty about who's going to live longer, but we
can't just stop living and loving while we sit around moaning and waiting
to die. I'd love Jay if I knew we only had 24 hours left to be together,
the same as if we had 24 years. Love is love. You don't put barriers or a
time frame on it."
"You sound like one of Father Cliff's sermons might."
"If I do, it's only because Cliff and I feel the same way about
love, relationships, and commitment."
"Father Cliff seems like a great guy. He must mean a lot to you."
"I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him. I owe my life to him
and to Roger. There's nothing I wouldn't do for either of them."
"I guess that's the way I feel about Walter."
"How about Kyle? Do you feel anything for him?"
"Again, it's like your situation with Jay. I'm in love with
Kyle. But more, I wish he would LET me love him. But, like Jay, he's so
afraid of getting sick and becoming a burden on me. He'd rather go off in
some hole and live by himself and brood, waiting to die alone, leaving no
memories or regrets."
"Have you told him how you feel?"
"Only about a hundred-thousand times."
"It sounds like the four of us should get together and have a big
open talk. People with AIDS are conditioned to be shunned by their friends
and families. It's hard for them to believe that someone could actually
accept them and love them, no matter what. A few weeks ago, I didn't know
if I'd ever walk again. I thought about the chance I'd be a burden on
someone, and my first thoughts were of suicide...But Jay, Cliff, and Roger
opened my eyes, showed me that someone could care for me...really CARE for
me, not pity me...no matter how bad off I thought I was. I need to apply
the same psychology to Jay as you do to Kyle. I've only known you guys
about a week, but you two seem so suited for one another. There has to be
a way to make it work if that's what you want."
"I think it is, Troy. I think I want to love him. I just wish there
was some way to convince Kyle that I'm what HE wants."
"My turn to ask a personal question?"
"O.K."
"Have you two had sex? Or is you either of you afraid to have sex
with the other?"
"We masturbate and kiss, but that's about all.:
"I assume you've been well versed on the theory of safe sex?"
"I've read enough to know to be careful and take precautions."
"That's all you have to do. It's O.K. to have oral or anal sex, as
long as you're well protected. If you are, there's no reason why both of
you couldn't enjoy it. It felt a little strange the first time I went down
on Jay with him wearing a rubber. I knew if I was going to make our
relationship work, it was MY problem, not his. So until I got used to it, I
made a sort of game out of it and had Cliff buy me some flavored condoms.
I wore one too, just to make everything stay on an even keel between Jay
and me. Every night, we made a big deal out of who was going to taste like
what flavor...cherry, orange, lime, or grape. Did you know they even make
them bourbon and scotch flavored? You can almost get high going down!"
"I presume Jay bought the idea?"
"Totally...I'll tell you what. Before you go home tonight, I'll
give you a full box and you can go home and experiment with Kyle. Who
knows? Maybe a good fuck or blow job is just what he needs to find out he's
in love with you!"
"It's worth a try. God, I hope we can become good friends and see
each other from time to time."
"I don't think you have anything to worry about on that
score. Cliff will see to it that we see each other...often. I think he's
enjoying Wally's friendship and from what I see from this side of the pool,
the feeling is mutual."
"Do you and Jay ever go out to eat or to a movie?"
"Not very often. Nearly everything in the world we could want is
right here in this house. Roger has turned this into a Shangri La and seen
to it that we have everything here already. He turned one of the parlors
into a theatre with a full scope screen and a sound system you could
probably hear at your house, if you wanted to. Jay plans all the menus and
there's always a culinary delight on the table. There's no reason why you
and Kyle couldn't come over once or twice a week or as often as you like. I
think the four of us could hit it off just right. I don't mean to exclude
Rob and Timmy, but they'd rather go into their bedroom and do things to
each other than watch a movie, any night of the week. I know that Cliff
would enjoy the company, especially if you brought Wally with you."
"Sitting here talking with you like this, you make it sound like
all things are possible."
"The more you're around Cliff, you'll realize that all things
are. He's like a saint on earth."
"Do you believe in God and in the church's teachings, Troy?"
"I had my doubts up until a few months ago...until I moved in
here. But now, everywhere I turn in this house, I feel a presence I'd never
felt before. I don't know whether it's God or not, but whatever it is,
Cliff showed me how to feel it. Do you think you and Kyle will come back to
Cliff's church?"
"I think so. I started to feel what you were talking about while
Father Cliff gave his sermon this morning. I felt that what's missing in my
life might be found in that church. A couple of times I sensed that Kyle
was "moved" this morning. One time he even reached over and grabbed my hand
without fear of consequence. It might've been my imagination, but I thought
I saw the hairs on the back of his hand standing up. I don't know, maybe it
was just an illusion, stemming from the way I was feeling."
"I know what you're talking about. Sometimes I can be talking to
Cliff, even in the kitchen, about something as innocuous as a recipe Jay
wants to fix for dinner...and then out of the blue, I get this tingling
sensation and I feel the hair on the back of my neck spurring up and the
only thing that had happened was that Cliff had just smiled at me. It's
eerie, but there's some kind of energy that pours out of him when you're in
his presence. No matter how troubled you are, just looking into Cliff's
eyes gives you an assurance that everything's gonna be all right. When he
speaks to you, you know that you're in the right place, you're safe, and
that nothing wrong could ever happen. And if Cliff is only a follower of
Christ, then the real messiah does exist,"
"Maybe I could get Cliff to sit down and have a private talk with
Kyle."
"I think that could easily be arranged, Ryan, very easily. Cliff
always seems to find the time for everyone who needs him.
<><><><><><><><>
Alex and Ted were talking at the far end of the pool. They hadn't
openly discussed their 'advanced' sexual session from the night before.
"What did you think of the church service?" Alex asked Ted.
"It seemed like a lot of pomp and circumstance to me," Ted replied.
"It sure didn't feel like church, at least not the way I remember
church."
"Do you think Daddy Walt is going to make a habit of going there?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure I don't need any kind of religion in my
life," Alex said, almost boasting.
"Don't you believe in God?"
"I did until He took Mom away from us."
"Just saying that shows you still believe, otherwise you wouldn't
blame Him for taking your mom away."
"I didn't mean to phrase it like that. I just don't believe,
period! I only believe in the here and now...you...me...and the love we
share between us."
"If you DID believe in God, do you think that you and I would go to
hell for the things we do in bed?"
"Not according to what Father Cliff said this morning in his sermon
or did you not get the same impression?"
"I heard him, I just wondered if you had caught on to what he was
saying."
"Yeah, he painted a nice picture through his rose-colored glasses
of how God could accept people for what they are because that's how He
created US."
"And you don't want to believe that's possible?" Ted asked.
"No, only because I don't want to believe in anything."
"Just suppose I liked what Father Cliff said. Just suppose I wanted
to start coming to St. Genesius' every Sunday. Would you come with me?"
"I'd come---to be with you...the same as if I'd go to a movie with
you, but I wouldn't come with you to church to worship. Why? Do you believe
in all that bullshit?"
"Yes, I do, and I don't think what he said was bullshit!" Ted said,
raising his voice a little.
"Ted, I've known you and loved you all my life. We're practically
Siamese twins joined at the heart. I can't see you fall for all that
religious bunk."
"My life hasn't been as sad as yours, Alex. My mother didn't die
the way yours did. I still have mine and she's about to give birth to my
baby brother or baby sister. I believe that it IS God who gives life."
"And takes it away, too, I suppose?"
"Sometimes. We're ALL gonna die, Alex. You almost died last month
when you took all those pills...but deep inside, I believe that God
could've taken you then, but He didn't want to. He wanted you to keep on
living, so that we could be together and so we could love each other. Don't
you think it's a miracle that you're alive and here with me?"
"Not really, but I DO see how you could feel that way."
"You know, neither of us has said a word about last night," Alex
said, changing the subject.
"What's there to talk about? We both finally did it, didn't we?"
"Did it leave you sore?"
"Just a little," Ted replied. "I have to be careful sitting down
and I hope to God, they don't serve baked beans with the buffet."
"Why?"
"Because I feel that if I have to fart, the entire lining of my
rectum will pop out!"
Alex laughed out loud! "I've been worried about the same thing!"
<><><><><><><><><><>
Despite Walter's misgivings, Jeff had managed to behave himself
while swimming with Earl, Tony, and Jason. Jeff's family would have been
astonished to know that Jeff hadn't mentioned anything pertaining to sex
the whole time the four youngsters played in the water.
Soon everyone at the party heard Jay shouting, "Is everybody ready
to eat?...I'm talking about the food I prepared, not the 'food' you're
thinking about, you perverts!!"
There was a big laugh and a cheer as Jay raised the cover off the
barbecue bin with enough food to feed the multitude of 5,000. All gathered
around the tent housing the food, while Father Cliff offered 'thanks' and
then made an announcement. "I hope everyone is having a good time. I thank
God for bringing our two families together. Since I believe in Divine
Intervention, I believe it was God who brought us all together. I hope
this is just the beginning of many more good times that we can share with
each other. Remember, each and every one of us is here FOR everyone else
and I hope we can always feel free to call upon one another if we should
need any kind of support. That's the purpose of a family. I hope everyone
enjoys the food and stays as long as he likes. As you know, Sunday is a
work day for me and I have to be back at the church by five for a short
evening service. So I pray that you will all be here when I return. I'll
make the gesture of saying anyone who will join me to go to Evening Vespers
is more than welcome. Do I hear any takers?" Father Cliff asked as he
looked around the crowd expecting no one to respond. Only one hand went up.
"I would, Father, I'd like to go with you." Jeff's voice sounded
with happiness.
When everyone had eaten, Jeff went with Cliff to church, leaving
Earl behind to play with Jason and Tony. Walter had a surprised expression
on his face while Alex looked askance at his brother.
<><><><><><><><><><>
(To be continued in "Briarwood" BOOK THREE-"Briarwood Lost"-chapter
twenty-eight)
Copyright Ritchris, 2005.