Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 01:33:07 EST
From: RitchChristopher@cs.com
Subject: briarwood:briarwood-u-59

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"
                            Copyright Ritchris, 2005

                          aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
                            Copyright Ritchris, 2003

                                Revised Version
                       
                                A dramatic saga

                                      by

			        Ritch Christopher

                                  <><><><><>><>	
                                    	
				
		   	            BOOK SIX


                                  "BRIARWOOD U"

			        Chapter-Fifty-nine


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

	 Jim made it back into the house from Cliff's in time to scurry Tom
back to the dorm with the instructions to stay close to Howie, Phil, Wylie,
Bobby, Randy, or any of the guys Jim like being around. Jim got back home
just as Nina was waking. He quickly dashed into the bathroom for his
morning regimen, hoping she wouldn't know that he had been gone from the
house. She went downstairs to begin breakfast. However, Nina, being Nina,
she knew something was up. In all the years she and Jim had lived and
shared together, they had learned to read each other's moods like road
signs down the highway of life. Jim joined her at the breakfast table,
stirring and stirring his coffee, completely unaware that he had not added
one drop of cream or sugar. It was only after he tasted it that he realized
the futility of his use of the spoon.

	"Sweet enough?", she asked.

	"Hmmn?" Jim said blindly.

	"Your coffee?"

	"Huh? Oh, yeah, it's fine." he replied, returning his speculative
thoughts to the present.

	"I thought maybe you were trying to scrape the glaze off the bottom
of the cup.", she said. "Jim, I watched you. You didn't add the first of
your usual three spoons of sugar. What are you so preoccupied with this
morning?"

	"I had a call from the Dean. There were a couple of unexplained
accidents around the campus last night."

	"Oh?"

	"You remember Sandy Cummings...the little wannabe groupie that
loved to stalk my team?"

	"Yes."

	"She slipped and fell last night on her stoop and later died in the
hospital."

	"My God, but well, accidents DO happen."

	"Yeah, ACCIDENTS do."

	"You think it wasn't an accident?"

	"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm sure it was," Jim lied. "It's just so tragic to
see someone that young, built like a brick shithouse and with a whole world
of guys ahead of her that she'll never get to fuck, lose her life."

	"It sorta puts a damper on the team's victory, doesn't it?"

	"To say the least."

	"You know more than you're telling, don't you?" Nina asked,
pointedly.

	"I may...uh...I mean...of course not!! How could I know anything
about the accident?"

	"Only by the way you just implied it might not be an accident."

	"I...don't know why I said that. It WAS an accident."

	"I don't believe you. Was a team member somehow involved?"

	"Not really...HELL! How should I know?" Jim said, getting
aggravated with his verbal slip-ups.

	"Was it Tom?" Nina asked surreptitiously.

	"NO! Goddamn it! It wasn't Tom?" Jim blurted back at her. "What is
this...'Twenty fucking Questions' at the breakfast table? Shit! Nina! We've
never kept secrets from one another. Someone told me that Harm had
something to do with it!!"

	"It was Tom who told you, wasn't it?"

	"Yeah, well, so what? He wasn't involved."

	"Tom's the only person I could think of that you would try to
protect so nobly."

	"What's that supposed to mean? What are you implying?"

	"Jim, no one knows you better than I. I know that you're smitten by
him. I don't know how far it goes between the two of you but there IS a
definite bond."

	"You're assuming too much. One doesn't fall in love after one roll
in the hay," Jim said, defensively.

	"It's been known to happen. Now that I know what's bothering you,
do you mind telling me the details of Sandy's 'accident'? But you spoke of
'accidents' in the plural. Who else?"

	Jim realized the seriousness of his faux pas and thought it best to
tell Nina everything he knew. She would be more supportive if she didn't
feel that he was hiding anything from her.  Jim related everything to her
that Tom had told him, including the earlier bedroom tryst between him and
Harm and about being caught by Sandy. Nina seemed actually shocked that
Harm could be capable of such an action. The sex part didn't seem to bother
her. She had been raised as a liberal in the 60's and the idea of male/male
sex between two teammates was now a common thing. Even straight guys had
experimented in some form of bisexuality. The age of inhibitions was long
past. Guys showered together, slept together, even in the nude without
having second thoughts about it. Girls as young as 13 or 14 were already
experienced in giving oral sex to boys while their vaginas remained
untouched. They had learned to swallow jism or hold it in their mouths long
enough to transfer it back to their boy partners in a kiss, which meant
boys were accustomed to the taste of semen. On the weekends when the guys
spent the night together, it was commonplace for the best friends to help
get each other off, either manually or orally...and yes, they even came in
each other's mouths without thinking much about it. The old traditional
taboos and mores had gone by the wayside with the "next" generation. There
were really no published statistics on how many 'best friends' went farther
and engaged in anal intercourse, but chances are, if the truth be told, the
number would be relatively high. Then Jim told her the skimpy details of
the auto accident that killed the kid who worked at Shoney's. Jim, somehow,
saw no correlation between the two episodes. Accidents happen every weekend
in all parts of town without having any connections. He dismissed Harm's
being the cause of the car wreck totally, never giving it a second
thought. Jim told Nina as much.

	"Do you think Harm had enough of a streak of jealousy in him,
enough to use bodily force on Sandy? I mean, after all, Sandy made no bones
about going after any guy she set her sights on." Nina offered.

	"I don't know," Jim added, "but the thought did occur to me."

	"My God," she exclaimed. "You don't think Tom let it slip about
yours and his little 'slumber party', do you?"

	"Of course not!"

	"Are you sure? I mean, if he's capable of killing in a jealous
rage,,, YOU just might be on his hit list."

	"Nina, for God's sake, you're letting your imagination run away
with you. I'm Harm's coach. I've known him since he was a little boy.
There's no way in hell he'd come after me...even if he knew.  But I know
goddamned well, Tom would never tell anyone about what happened between the
two of us!"

	"Okay. I just wanted you to be on guard, just in case."

	"I really don't think I have anything to worry about. I just wish
to hell I knew where he was. I think he'd talk to me. I want to see if he's
guilty before I start making preconceived judgments. The only people who
know about Tom and me are you and him and I have nothing to fear...not from
Harm or anyone."

	Jim's mind raced with the idea Nina had just sprung on him. He
thought it through on fast forward and was sure what he had said was
correct. Jim DIDN'T have anything to worry about personally. His greatest
fear was that Harm might have seen Tom talking or paying attention to some
other team or class mate, then he might misconstrue an innocent
conversation into a relationship and then there might be some concern about
revenge or danger.

	Jim looked at the clock and motioned to Nina that it was time to
leave. He couldn't wait to get to school, while at the same time, today
would be a good day to take a sick day. But he had too much private
investigating to do and couldn't do it sitting at home watching 'The Price
Is Right'.

	Noticeably absent from school that day was Harm, noticeably to Jim,
that is, as he was the only person besides Tom and Nina who had an inkling
about Harm's possible weekend behavior. Jim figured he would take it upon
himself to go to the dorm on his first break as concerned coach to see if
Harm would be at practice later in the afternoon. When Jim arrived, he got
the answer he had expected. Harm had not checked in all last night or
today. It was too early to report his absence to the Dean or else Jim could
create unfounded suspicion, Lots of guys skipped classes after a wild
weekend, which was cause for concern but not alarm, Jim wondered how long
he should wait, The best thing to do was act normally around the rest of
the guys on the team. Who knew? If Harm was innocent, he just might show up
on the field at 3:30 PM as usual, then Jim could relax. Good God! If Tom's
account of the 'accident' was true then somehow Jim would have to get
involved, but he couldn't betray Tom's confidence or indict him. The day
seemed to pass slowly with mounting anticipation and trepidation. Would the
day never end?  Jim saw Tom in the cafeteria. They didn't speak but Tom did
give Jim a questioning look with a raised eyebrow, asking if Jim had seen
or heard from Harm. Jim replied by shaking his head one time and then
looked in another direction. Goddamn! This was too much for Jim to
fathom. he'd known Harm for nearly twelve years. He was totally unlikely as
far as inflicting pain on anyone outside of an opposing football
player...but that was in sports, not in real life.

	Needless to say, Jim was a bit jealous of Harm's sexual encounters
with Tom. Jim wondered if this had been Harm's first and only homosexual
experience. If not, with whom else. Jim knew practically every guy that
Harm hung out with. Ninety-five percent of his friends were fellow football
teammates. Come to think of it, Jim'd never noticed Harm with a girl at a
prom or anywhere else for that matter. The fact remained though, Harm had
been brazen enough to have sex with Tom after knowing him such a short
time. There probably WERE others. Jim picked up a team roster and went down
the list of names, trying to picture Harm naked in bed with any of them. It
was funny as Jim looked at the names of all his boys. They were all
straight as far as he knew, but after Jim's strange and sudden desire for
Tom out of the blue, he could imagine nearly everyone of them trying to
have, or having, a male/male experience. Hell, Jim had seen all of them
naked in the gym shower at one time or another and really never paid any
attention to their masculine private parts, but now, with whatever Tom had
awakened in his thoughts and desires, Jim suddenly looked at all of them
under a different light. Jim knew a guy doesn't turn gay overnight but he
wondered how long he, himself, had suppressed his homosexual
instincts. When did they first begin?
 
Jim laughed to himself by thinking a guy...a straight virgin guy, can go to
bed with a woman and have one careless orgasm and get her pregnant. Could
the same thing happen if this same straight virgin guy could go to bed with
a man...what are the chances of his discovering he's gay? It was Jacqueline
Susann who said, "Once is not enough"...'tis a pity old Jackie didn't know
Tom as Jim had. Once WAS enough and it was driving Jim insane. What kind of
effect had one night with Tom had on Harm? Had he gone off his rocker
enough to actually kill someone like Sandy? Jim realized the more he
thought about these things...the crazier he was becoming. He was teacher
with a Master's degree. He was married. He thought rationally. He worked as
a coach and a counselor to a bunch of young men. What the hell was
happening to his rationality? Goddammit! Wouldn't 3:30 ever get here!?

	It did, and by then Jim was a nervous wreck. He tried to appear
calm as he came out of his office to meet and greet the team. Jim still
wanted to convey his elation over Friday night's victory to them as his
eyes surveyed the team, looking for Harm's friendly face...but it wasn't
there! Maybe Harm would come in late. How long should Jim wait before the
panic set in?

	"All right, guys," Jim began, "we proved to the school and the
conference as well as ourselves that we can be, and we ARE, winners! That's
gonna be our goal for the rest of the season. I want you all to go out on
the field and do your regular warm-up with Coach Waters and Coach
Mansfield. I want Howie, Wylie, Phil, and, oh yes, Tom...you four stay in
the locker room with me for a few minutes and we'll be out to join the rest
of you in a few minutes. Thanks again, guys, for a great game Friday!! You
done good!! Now, let's keep the momentum going!"

	They all cheered and ran out of the locker room to the practice
field. Jim waited until all of them had gone and the door was closed before
he began his conversation with his four 'stars'.

	"What's up, Coach?" Wylie asked.

	"I don't know how to begin except to ask if any of you know of
Harm's whereabouts?" Jim asked. He didn't want Tom to answer because Jim
didn't want him to incriminate himself.

	"Nope, no, nah, not since Friday night," they all answered, almost
at the same time.

	"Apparently he's missing. NO one has seen him since then." Jim
said. "I just wondered if he said anything to any of you about having to go
out of town or something."

	Once again, they answered in the negative.

	"I know I shouldn't bring up such subjects because it's really none
of my business, but does Harm have a girlfriend that I don't know about?"

	"Harm? Hell, no!" Phil replied.

	"Rosie Palms, maybe," Howie answered.

	"I don't think he's had a date since school started," Wylie added.

	Jim took a deep breath before he asked, "Does he have a boyfriend?"

	All but Tom laughed out loud. "God, no, Coach, what are you getting
at?" Howie asked.

	"Guys, please don't take this the wrong way, but after the way you
five were horsing around in the shower the other day, I didn't know.  Hell,
I'm not one to judge and I wouldn't think the less of him...or even you
guys...if you did have boyfriends. I'm just trying to get some focus on
Harm's situation before I go to the Dean or maybe the police and file a
missing person report."

	"Maybe he ran off with Nicole Kidman, now that she's free...or if
your suspicion is founded, Tom Cruise." Howie said, laughing.

	"Not Tom, his dick's too little." Phil chimed in.

	"How do you know, queer?" Wylie asked him.

	"Heck, as many times as we've watched that football movie, "All The
Right Moves"...Remember the night we froze the frame to get a look at
Cruise's cock. Shit! He didn't have three inches on hard." Phil answered.

	"Jeez, I didn't know you were measuring. It looked bigger on my
wide-screen TV." Wylie replied, making them all laugh again.

	"Guys, guys, please! We're getting off the subject." Jim
interjected. "This could be serious!  Harm is missing and no one has a
clue. I have to do something. Do any of you have any ideas?" Jim looked
squarely into Tom's eyes trying to give him a signal not to answer. He got
Jim's drift and maintained silence to his relief.

	"Sorry, Coach. What do you want US to do?" Howie asked in a serious
tone.

	"As soon as practice is over, could you ask around? Make a few
phone calls without causing alarm or suspicion, and call me at home if you
find out anything?"

	"Sure." they replied. "But don't worry, Coach, he'll show up. He's
OK."

	"I hope you're right." Jim said. "Now if you three will go out with
the team, I'd like to talk to Tom for a few minutes. I have a couple of
sneak plays I want to discuss with him. The two of us will be out to join
you shortly."

	Howie, Wylie, and Phil left, talking amongst themselves about
Harm's disappearance. The thud of the door closing behind them echoed in
the almost empty locker room...empty except for Tom and Jim.

	"What gives, Coach?" Tom finally asked.

	"I just wanted to talk with you and see if you're all right."

	"I'm fine." Tom replied.

	"I've been worried all day. If Harm is as crazed as you say, I
thought you might be in some danger."

	"Nope! I'm not worried."

	"I'm sorry, Tom, but I wanted you to know that I told Nina what you
told me about the 'accident'."

	"I figured you would. What'd she have to say?"

	"Ha! She was worried about me. She thought if Harm's anger had been
provoked by jealousy...maybe Harm would come after me if he had found about
us and our little adventure at my house last week."

	"Shit! There's no way he could know. I sure as hell didn't tell him
anything."

	"I knew you wouldn't," Jim said.

	"Don't tell me you're afraid of him."

	"Of course not. Every time I see Harm, I think about him in red
short pants when he was six years old.  I've known him all his life. I've
been like an uncle to him. He'd never believe that you and I had sex even
if someone told him."

	"Is that what we had?...Sex?"

	"I didn't mean to minimize it that way." Jim answered,
sincerely. "No, Tom, we didn't just have sex. To me it was more than that."

	"Me, too," he replied.

	"I haven't been able to get you, or that night, out of my mind
since it happened."

	"I've jerked off a time or two thinking about it...and you."

	"Tom, so much has happened so fast and I can't seem to get my
bearings...our night together, Friday's game, Harm...Harm and
you...Sandy...so goddamn much inside of one week."

	"You mentioned Harm and me. What about YOU and me? Where do we
stand?"

	"What do you mean?"

	"What about US? Is there an 'us' or was it a one night stand and
something we should forgive, forget, or regret?"

	"Tom, I wish there COULD be an 'us', but how is that possible? I'm
your teacher...well, your coach, anyway, and I'm married. I have a wife...a
very understanding wife...but she's my wife all the same."

	"But you don't love her." Tom said.

	"Why do you say that?"

	"By the way you made love to me. You couldn't do the things you
did...trying to ravish or devour me and still love someone as a mate...or
are you accustomed to loving a wife and making physical love to whores? Is
that it? Was I just a night with a whore?"

	"God, no! Of course not, Tom."

	"You don't feel anything for me?"

	"Yes, yes, of course I do!"

	"Then what? Tell me!"

	"This is all so strange and new to me. I never loved a man
before. I never thought it possible for me to love a man...What's worse is
that the man is a student of mine. You don't know what a position this has
put me in."

	"If I were to drop out of school and no longer be a 'student',
would your situation be simpler?  I mean, maybe if I dropped out of
school...."

	"I don't know. But for God's sake...and my own...I DON'T want you
dropping out of school. And I don't even want to think about your leaving
me."

	"Ah ha! Then, you DO feel something for me."

	"Of course I do, you little idiot."

	"Do you love me...a little?"

	"I...uh..."

	"Come on, brave man, tell me...'yes' or 'no'! Do you love me?"

	"Jesus, Tom! It's not the kind of thing I know how to say."

	"Very simply...'I...love...you'...one word at a time."

	"Come here," Jim beckoned to him. opening his arms. Tom came
forward and Jim embraced him. Jim felt his body tremble as his arms went
about Tom. All the tension Jim had stored inside himself for the past 72
hours hit him all at once. Jim's mouth almost missed Tom's lips as Jim
pulled him closer to kiss him. Jim couldn't help himself. Tears gushed from
his eyes, rolling down his cheeks to invade their lip lock. Jim suddenly
became the older father-figure of the two of them. Jim knew he needed this
relief and Tom raise his hands to wipe the tears from Jim's face with his
two thumbs. Jim's hands traveled down Tom's back and invaded the waistband
of his practice uniform until Jim had cupped each of Tom's ass cheeks in
his hands. Jim squeezed hard as he felt the hard, young butt muscles
tighten beneath his grip. God, how Jim had dreamt of this!...how he had
wanted this!...how he had needed this!...Tom...here in his arms with their
lips touching. Jim could never think of a time in his life when he felt so
physically fulfilled. He would lock this moment in his indelible memories
bank. This was the 'sublime' the songs were written about. Jim had never
known it before...not even their one night in the bedroom together. Yes!
Goddammit! Jim DID love him. He would trade his job, his marriage, all his
worldly possessions to keep this feeling going, no matter how long or short
a time it would last.

	Tom pulled back for a moment to say, "I love you, Coach."

	"Uh uh, you don't love me as your coach. At this moment, I'm
'Jim'," Jim softly corrected him,

	"Then, I love you, Jim," he suddenly added.

	"I can't hide it, Tom. I love you, too."

	Once again their lips found each other's and their tongues battled
to see whose could fit first into the other's mouth. Jim remembered a movie
he once saw, "The Thomas Crown Affair" and the scene where Steve McQueen
kissed Faye Dunaway. The cinematographer had spun quickly around the room,
doing complete 360 degree turns without stopping round and round as the
song said, 'like the circles in a spiral'. The director and the crew were
never seen. The room just kept spinning. This is how Jim felt the gym
locker room was rotating just now.  Tom and he were oblivious to time and
place. All that mattered was that Jim was holding him, and he, him. This
was a critical mistake for neither of them had heard Howie and Phil
re-enter the locker room. They stood looking aghast at the spectacle they
were seeing...their coach and their star quarterback engaging in a scene
hot enough for any gay Hollywood flick. Jim don't know how long they stood
there watching. It didn't matter...one hour or one second...they had seen
Jim and Tom. Neither of them made a sound until Jim opened his eyes from
the kiss and saw the two of them standing just inside the door.

	Tom didn't need to turn around to know that they had been 'caught'.
He could see by the embarrassed, startled expression in Jim's eyes that he
was looking at someone over Tom's shoulder.  Tom broke free from Jim's
embrace but continued to stare straight ahead, still not bothering to turn
to see who had interrupted their 'moment'. It was goddamned awkward.  None
of the four of them knew what to say...or who was to speak first for that
matter. Jim tried the best he could to ease the tension and ignore what
they had seen.

	"Hey, guys," Jim said, clearing his throat, "did you forget
something?"

	"Huh?" Phil answered, almost at a loss for words, "oh, yeah, Coach
Waters needs the new play book."

	"Tom and I were just about to come out and join you. I have it and
I was going to bring it."

	"Great!" Howie exclaimed, This was his chance for Phil and him to
exit as fast as possible. "We'll tell him...See you two outside!" They both
turned to leave the room.

	"Wait!  Wait! Not so fast!" Jim said stopping them. Their backs
were toward him and Jim knew they were just as embarrassed as Tom and
he. Jim had to say something...God knows what...but something. This was his
second 'indelible' moment all within five minutes time. Being
'caught'...and by two students was something that just wouldn't 'go
away'. "Phil, Howie, please come back and sit down. I know how you must
feel...and yet, you probably know how I feel. So before our 'feelings' get
away from us, I think I should explain what you just saw."

	"Oh, no, Coach," Phil said, hurriedly. "Whatever was going on is
yours and Tom's business. It's none of our affair."

	"You're wrong. What you just saw is something neither of you will
ever forget...nor will Tom and I. A moment as auspicious as this DOES
require an explanation and some conversation...only for the life of me, I
don't know what I'm going to say right now." Jim managed to stammer.

	"Coach," Howie interjected, "can we just forget about it and go on
with practice and talk about it some other time?"

	"No. The longer we stay quiet about it, the worse it will become
for all four of us." Jim said.

	"Look, Coach, I think I can ease the situation if you'll give me a
chance," Howie replied.

	"How?" Jim asked.

	"With this...," he quickly added.

	Without a moment's hesitation, Howie grabbed Phil and planted one
enormous kiss on Phil. Phil showed no delay in responding. He wrapped both
arms around Howie and the two of them locked in a lovers' embrace. This
action made Tom turn around and look at Jim, almost in shock.  At first Jim
didn't know if Phil and Howie were kidding or if they were being serious
until Jim saw Phil open his mouth to receive Howie's tongue. Then Phil's
hand went downward to grope Howie between the legs and Howie followed suit
by returning the gesture. The two of them were actually getting 'hot and
bothered' by the way their bodies writhed. This display lasted only for a
couple of minutes before they broke away and faced Tom and their coach.

	"Now, are you going to tell on us?" Howie asked with a bit of
pride.

	Neither Jim nor Tom said anything.

	"Good," Howie continued, "then what the four of us saw in this room
will remain a secret among the four of us."

	"Damn, Howie, I don't have a thing to say." Jim uttered, still in
disbelief.

	"Good. You had no idea that Phil and I are gay, did you?"

	"It never occurred to me. Even if it did, it's none of my
business," Jim said.

	"That's right...and what you and Tom do is none of ours. So can we
make a pact to keep it that way."

	"If I were a fellow student or teammate I would say 'yes'. But I'm
faculty...YOUR coach. I'm married and you both know my wife. I'm in a
little different dilemma than you two."

	"Yeah, yeah, and I go steady with Kathy and Phil fucks Laura on the
weekends...but neither of them have anything to do with Phil's and my
love...Yes, love! Does that astonish you? We love each other like boyfriend
and girlfriend and have for years. We date and go steady for appearance
sake, but once we graduate, it's just gonna be US for the rest of our
lives. I'm not saying that you and Tom are in love, like Phil and I...If
you're not...so what? There's nothing better than a good roll in the sheets
between two men...and if you ARE in love...then again, so what? I hope to
God you are. We like and admire both of you as people and if you can find
happiness together...GO FOR IT!  Right. Phil?"

	"Absolutely!" Phil exclaimed.

	"I still don't know what to say, but I AM relieved...for the moment
anyway."

	"Jim, don't be an asshole," Tom said, "be a man! They probably
heard us saying we love each other. Are you too embarrassed to let them
know after all they've revealed to us?"

	"Tom, don't make Coach say it. That's between the two of you."
Howie quickly said before Jim could speak.

	"Thanks, Howie," Jim said. "Tom, what I say to you in private must
remain private for the time being or I'll be looking for a new job and
another place to live."

	"OK, girls," Phil interrupted, "let's pick up all the hairpins the
four of us have dropped and get our gay asses out to practice with the
boys."

	His remark relieved the tension as the four of them laughed
heartily.

	"All right, let's go!" Jim said, slapping Howie on the butt.

	Howie turned to Jim and joked, "Now when you hit me there, it MEANS
something."  He smiled openly at his coach, then at Phil.

	"Shut up and get your ass on the field." Jim joked back. "One more
thing--- I said I wouldn't pry, but since the two of you 'fessed up, how
about Wylie? Is he gay too?"

	"Shit, no, Coach!...But he does like to watch the two of us in
action. He sometimes even holds up point cards and grades us. He even gave
us a 6.0 once." Howie said, laughing.

	"Are you serious?" Jim asked, not believing.

	"If you and Tom ever want to find out how good you are, just call
him. He compares us to all those fuck movies he rents and uses the pros as
his judging standards for Phil and me."

	"I suddenly feel anachronistic, like I'm living in the wrong world
in the wrong century." Jim sighed.

	"Don't worry, Coach, we'll never mention you and Tom to Wylie."

	"Thank God! That's a relief. It would kill me to get a 2.5 from
him!" Jim said, in a lighter, relaxed tone.

	The four of them left the locker room in glee, reminiscent of Fred
MacMurray and his 'Three Sons'.

	The episode wouldn't have ended on such a happy note if any of the
four of them was aware that way down on the lower side of the locker room,
squatting behind the last row of benches and lockers was Harm...who had
seen and heard everything that had just happened. It wasn't so much what he
had seen, it was when Tom and the Coach said that they loved each other
that had left an indelible mark on Harm's psyche. "I love you, Jim.....I
love you, Jim." kept pounding his brain like a claw hammer. Tom was in love
with the Coach? Harm decided that this was one romance that wouldn't last
if he had anything to do with it. Sure, he, Harm, had had sex with Tom, but
it was just sex...nothing emotional. But then, he had just learned that his
two closest friends, Howie and Phil, were really queer for each other. They
had even said it out loud. They loved each other. Why had they kept this
from him? Maybe their romance should be cut short too.


         * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


	The football practice was sensational. It's strange what a big
victory can do to pump up confidence. The guys had never tackled or run
pass plays as well as they did that afternoon. Jim, Buddy, and Dan were all
equally delighted with what they saw. The three coaches finally had a team.

      After the first hour, no one seemed to notice Harm had failed to show
up.

	It was a Monday night, a school night, but the coaching staff
decided to treat all the guys to pizza at Papa John's for such a great
afternoon. Jim called Nina on her cell phone and told her he would be late
and asked if she would call Mabel and Becky and tell them that Buddy and
Dan would be late also. She didn't ask about Harm, nor did Jim bring up his
name in their brief phone call. The declaration of his and Tom's love, the
revelation of Phil and Howie's relationship, combined with the enthusiasm
of the team's practice had all but erased all thoughts of Harm and his
alleged trouble. Jim hadn't been this happy or elated in a long time and he
was relishing every minute of it. A new-found love and a winning team was a
combination that meant sheer rapture for him.

	Nina, not having to hurry home, decided Monday would be a good day
to do the weekly grocery shopping. So after Jim had called her, she drove
to the Piggly Wiggly and filled two complete shopping baskets. This was
normal for her as she always kept extra food in her pantry for whenever
unexpected guests from the football team stopped by and seemed NEVER to
refuse to stay for dinner. She didn't mind. She loved the company. Not
being able to have kids of her own, she liked it when her house was full of
young people even though 98% of the time they were young males.

	It was nearly 8:30PM by the time she returned home from the
supermarket. She didn't expect Jim until some time between 10:00PM and
11:00PM. Tonight it might be even later since they were still celebrating
their win on Friday.  Monday night TV's fare consisted of "Third Watch" at
nine and "Family Law" at ten.  She especially liked "Third Watch" just to
get a look at the hunk, Eddie Cibrian, whom she thought should be "People's
Magazine" sexiest man. This was the year of the firemen and policemen. Why
not give it to a guy who played a fireman. Eddie was a far cry more
handsome and sexy than Pierce Brosnan, "People's" choice.  Nina remembered
the scene in the movie, "Living Out Loud" where Eddie took off all his
clothes to give Holly Hunter a massage. My God! What a body he has. Nina
couldn't understand why the producers of "Third Watch" didn't give him more
scenes...maybe showering at the fire station. Suddenly another thought went
through her mind...Jim liked "Third Watch" too. Was he turned on by Eddie
too?  She made up her mind to watch her husband the next time that they
viewed the show together. Maybe Jim had been giving her hints all the while
concerning his attraction to well-built. young attractive men. Huhn!

	The house was dark when she entered. She fumbled with the key while
holding two large sacks of groceries. There were five more bags in the
trunk of the car, so it would take several trips to gather all of
them. Then it would take another half hour to unpack the sacks and
replenish her cabinets and pantry. Supper would be a frozen dinner in the
microwave if she wanted to watch the opening of "The Eddie Cibrian Show".
The only light she had turned on was the kitchen when she began her
restocking. The rest of the house was still dark. She selected a Stauffer's
broiled chicken breast dinner and put in it to nuke for three minutes.  The
oven beeped and Nina took a diet Coke out of the refrigerator, grabbed her
food and went into the living room to turn on the lights and the TV.

	Nina's heart stopped and her blood curdled when the lights went
on. Sitting in Jim's chair was Harm. She didn't know how long he had been
there sitting in the dark or how he had gotten into the house...but there
he was. She dropped her plastic dish and the Coke at the same time when she
saw him.

	"Evening, Mrs. Kerr," Harm said, quietly.

	"Harm! My God! What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

	"I came by to see the Coach. Don't worry, I didn't break any
windows or door frames. I have my way of getting into places without
causing damage."

	Nina's voice was shaky. "Why didn't you turn on a light or
something?"

	"When I got here, the sun was still up. I sat down in this chair to
do some thinking and I guess I fell asleep."

	Nina tried her best to pretend composure. "Are you hungry? Can I
fix you something to eat?"

	"No thanks...Looks like you're gonna have to fix yourself another
meal though."

	"It's just that you startled me! I don't mean you personally, but
the surprise of finding anyone in a darkened house sort of took me by
surprise."

	"I'm sorry," Harm said. "I'm sorry I spoiled your dinner, too."

	"That's OK. I have plenty of food. Are you sure you wouldn't like
something?"

	"No, ma'am. I'm fine."

	"I'm afraid that Tom won't be home for hours. He's out with the
team."

	"The WHOLE team or just a member of it?"

	"The entire team."  She stopped suddenly and asked "Why did you say
that?"

	"I have my reasons."

	Nina was frightened before...NOW she was petrified with fear. The
speculations she made to Tom earlier at the breakfast table were more and
more becoming realities. Harm DID suspect something between Jim and
Tom...but how did he know? Had Jim been that careless at school and let his
new feelings get the best of him? There was no way Nina could physically
defend herself from an irate, jealous, muscularly framed football
player. She and Jim had always been against having guns in their house. She
couldn't get to a phone to call Jim, the police, or a neighbor. Her only
defense was to play it low key like Michelle Pfeiffer or Grace Kelly and
act if she were pleased to have him as a guest in her house...THE
TV!!!...'THIRD WATCH'!!! Let Channel Six carry the conversation and
distraction. She excused herself to go back in the kitchen to heat another
dinner, but Harm, suspecting she might try to leave or make an S.O.S. phone
call, followed her.

	Nina wasn't sure how long she could maintain her apparent calm
demeanor. The last thing she wanted to do was to show her fear to Harm.
She grabbed another frozen dinner from the freezer without even looking to
see what it contained.  There were certain foods that she bought for Jim
and the boys who would stop by for a meal. Things she would never eat under
any circumstance, but at this stage in her anxiety, she would have eaten
pork brains mixed with lamb kidneys.  As she took the wrapper off, she
almost gagged when she discovered she'd picked a Mexican dinner of tacos
and refried beans.  She almost laughed to herself.  If she woofed down the
gastronomic malady fast enough, then maybe she'd fart loud enough to scare
Harm to go away.  That was ridiculous of course, but she had to find SOME
way to get him to leave before Jim got home.  Damn! Suppose Jim brought Tom
home with him.  Her fright was letting her imagination run away from her.

	"Were you at football practice this afternoon, Harm?"

	"No, ma'am.  I wasn't feeling too well today," he replied.

	"You DID go to school today, didn't you?" she asked, already
knowing the answer, but thinking it was still better to play dumb and
innocent.

	"No, ma'am. I was sick the whole weekend."

	"Too much victory celebration, I guess," she quickly added. "That
was SOME game! They'll be talking about it for years to come!"

	"Yes, ma'am.  I suppose."

	Nina thought she would do a little nonchalant prying.  "Is that
what you came by to see Jim about?...Your being sick?"

	"Sorta."

	"I guess maybe you boys had a little too much to drink.  I've known
hangovers to last a whole weekend. That's all part of winning and
celebrating, I suppose.  I'm sorry you haven't had much to celebrate about,
but I think you'd better get used to a new attitude. Things are going to
turn around.  Jim seems to think you're gonna win the rest of the season.
Tom sorta brought new life to the team."  She hated that she'd made that
last remark. If there was the slightest bit of envy that Harm had for Tom,
she had just poured fuel on the fire.

	"Yeah, Tom seems to have brought new life in a lot of activities
on, and off, campus," he said, almost grumbling to himself.

	"Well, sometimes it just takes a new catalyst to make an old
formula work." she said.

	"You mean like when the guy dropped the molded bread in his
chemical concoction and discovered penicillin?"

	"Something like that," she replied, just as the microwave bell
dinged.  She was nervous enough, but to add Mexican food to her trembling
stomach made her inwardly shudder.  "You sure you don't want some Mexican
food? I can give you this dinner and heat myself something else," hoping
Harm would agree to take the dreaded meal off her menu.

	"No, maam. I'd better not eat anything that might upset my stomach
again."

	That was great! But what about HER stomach? "Why don't you join me
in the living room and see if we can catch up on the plot of 'Third
Watch'?...Or would you rather leave and I'll tell Jim you stopped by to see
him? As I said, there's no telling how late he's going to be."

	"Do you mind it I just hang around?" Harm asked.

	Nina got brave. "Yes, I do mind, Harm. I have a bunch of things to
do and several telephone calls to make and if it won't offend you, I would
prefer being alone.  I hope you understand.  You see, after I teach all
day, Jim and I respect each other's privacy and we've learned to leave each
other alone and give ourselves a chance to unwind."

	"Well, if you'd rather I leave..." Harm said.

	"Yes, I would. I just don't want you to take it personally and hurt
your feelings.  I'm sure Jim isn't angry with you for missing
practice... especially since you were ill.  I'll tell him as much and maybe
you'll feel well enough to talk with him at school tomorrow and tell him
what you wanted to say tonight...that is, unless you want to leave him a
message I can give to him."

	"No, ma'am. What I have to say to him, I have to say in person."

	"Do you have a problem? Something I can help you with.?"

	"I have a problem.  I don't want to go into it, but you may have
the same problem as I."

	"Now I'm intrigued.  What kind of problem could the two of us have
in common?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't go into it.

	"I'd rather not say. But you'll find out about it soon
enough...that is, if you don't already know."

	"Harm, you're talking in circles.  If you have something to say,
just spit it out!  I've known you since you were a little boy.  I can't
imagine anything that you couldn't talk to me about."

	"Mrs. Kerr, have you ever been involved with one of your students?"

	"Heavens, no!  Why do you ask?"

	"You must have had favorite students...some that stood out more
than others.  One or two you might have even been attracted to."

	"I really haven't, Harm, but I don't think this is a subject we
should be discussing," she said, still avoiding putting the first bite of
that horrid meal in her mouth.

	"Has the Coach?" he quickly asked.

	"Jim? Of course not. There've been times when a little cheerleader
might have had a schoolgirl crush on him, but that's to be expected and
easy to deal with."

	"What if you found out that some guy, one of your students, had a
crush on you?"

	"I would be polite, but I would find some way to discourage him."

	"Even if he was a good-looking hunk like Tom?"

	"Even a good-looking hunk like Tom." She was certain now that Harm
suspected something between Jim and Tom. "Jim and I are very happily
married and have a close relationship.  I could never imagine anyone coming
between us."

	"You might be in for a shock!" he suddenly blurted out.

	"You think some girl has the `hots' for Jim?"

	"Nope...not some girl!"

	"Harm, I don't know what you are implying, but I don't like the
tone of what you're saying...and now I WILL ask you to leave."

	"I'll leave...but I may wait outside until the coach gets home."

	"Harm, I don't want to get angry or nasty, but if you do, I'm
afraid I'll have to call the campus security. Now I'll ask you one more
time...please leave!" For the first time, she raised her voice above a
friendly level.

	"All right, I'll go, but after I'm gone, you sit here alone and see
if you can put two and two together, and see what you come up with.  You're
a schoolteacher!  You're the smart one. See if you can figure out what I'm
referring to."

	Nina walked to the door and opened it, giving Harm a look that she
wanted him to leave...and now! Harm slowly sauntered to the door to make
his exit.  Before he took his last step out, he turned to her and said, "If
I were you, I'd go to my fuse box and click off all the circuit breakers,
because, like I said, `You're in for a shock!'  I wouldn't want to see you
get hurt, but I'm afraid you will be, in spite of my warning."  With that,
he left.

      Nina closed the door, latching the chain and turning the deadbolt
lock in place.  Her whole body was trembling.  She picked up the Mexican
dinner and took it to the kitchen sink where she promptly spilled it down
the garbage disposal.  She held on to the edge of the sink to steady her
nerves and tried to assemble her thoughts on what to do? Call the police?
The campus security? Risk the chance of getting in her car and driving in
the night to find Jim?  She had never seen this side of the usually
laughing, fun-loving Harm. He was like another person...or at least the
same person with a separate identity. She suddenly believed Harm was
capable of killing Sandy.  If he had suffered some kind of psychotic break,
he could easily kill again. Jim must be his target...or Tom...or, stranger
still, Jim AND Tom.

	She became edgier with the thought that Jim and Tom might NOT have
gone out for pizza. What if they were together somewhere, doing God knows
what? Both of their lives were in danger if Harm found them. She had to
find them. If she alerted the police or security and if they found Jim and
Tom engaging in some kind of sexual interlude, then all would be ruined for
everyone concerned.  Then again, without police protection, they could both
wind up dead and she would blame herself for not trying to stop it.

	She ran to the living room and got the coat she had thrown over the
back of the easy chair, grabbed her purse and pulled out her car keys.  She
made a dead-run for the car from the kitchen door. Once inside, she locked
all the car doors, started the engine and began her trek to find Jim before
Harm did.  Her mind was racing with a million ideas of things she could do
or could have done.  She could've picked up a frying pan and conked Harm
over the head.  Then she could have tied him up with the new clothes line
she'd bought for her undies in the bathroom. Maybe she SHOULD have kept
Harm there with her until Jim came home.  She and Jim could have
overpowered him some way.  DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!..."Shoulda, coulda, woulda,"
was the story of her whole life. She'd even be willing to give Jim up to
Tom as long as they both were safe and alive. Her thoughts were going too
far now. As she drove, she suddenly had this pain in her chest.  SHIT!  A
heart attack or a panic attack?  Either one, she couldn't get her breath.
She couldn't stop! She had to make it to the pizza parlor, at least, before
she worried about her own well-being.  GODDAMN! Was she blacking out?
Should she pull the car over to the curb until she regained her
consciousness?  NO! She had to keep going.  Her vision was getting so dim,
she didn't even see the headlights of the on-coming car that was
approaching nor did she hear the sound of her car crashing head on into the
newspaper van.  EVERYTHING WENT BLACK!! The car accident was loud enough to
bring four houses of neighbors to their front porches. The only sound any
of them heard was the hissing radiators from both vehicles.

<><><><><><><>


(To be continued in "Briarwood"--BOOK SIX--chapter--sixty.)