Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2004 18:02:23 EST
From: RitchChristopher@cs.com
Subject: hawthorne-awakening-10

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.

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                               Hawthorne Awakening

                                        by

                                Ritch Christopher


                                     Part Ten



	Steve Jarvis had gone to his room when the phone rang. His mother
answered.

	"Hello?"

	"Mrs. Jarvis, this is Hal. Is Steve home?"

	"Yes, Hal, he's up in his room."

	"Would you mind getting him for me?"

	"Of course not," Mrs. Jarvis replied. "How are you doing, Hal?"

	"I...I'm fine, thank you."

	"Steve mentioned something about your going out of town. Is that
right?"

	Hal didn't know how much Steve had told his mother about Carolyn
and about his running away to get married.

	"Yes...for just a few days..."

	"Well, be careful," Mrs. Jarvis replied. "Hang on while I go get
Steve for you. Oh, and maybe you can find out why he's acting so strange."

	"Oh? What do you mean strange?"

	"He went off somewhere tonight in his car and when he got
back...Hal, I've never seen him acting the way he did."

	"How?"

	"He hugged his dad, gave me a big kiss and all but floated up the
stairs to his room. I don't mean to be telling things out of school, but
his dad and I think he must be in love...only he wouldn't tell us who he
went out with. Maybe you can get it from him."

	"I'll try, Mrs. Jarvis."

	"Hang on, then..." She laid the receiver down and went to the
bottom of the stairs and called, "Steve?  STEVE?"

	"Yes, Mom?"

	"Hal's on the phone and wants to speak to you."

	"Thanks, Mom, I'll be right down."

	Still in his euphoric state, Steve hopped down the stairs two at a
time and picked up the phone.

	"Hey, Dude!" Steve said.

	"What's going on that has your mom in a dither?"

	"Oh, nothing much. Where the heck are you?"

	"We made it as far as Gatlinburg and Carolyn wanted to stop for the
night."

	"How ARE things between you two?"

	"We're...well, I...she...fuck, Steve, I don't know what to do?"

	"What do you mean? What's happening?"

	"Carolyn...well, she's getting cold feet about having the baby."

	"I thought everything was all settled...you and she were going to
get married and raise the kid."

	"That's what I want, but she's not so sure now. She's all but got
her heart set on having the abortion."

	"She doesn't want to get married?"

	"I don't think so."

	"But what about you?"

	"Steve, this kid is my own flesh and blood. I want it more than
anything. I just can't see killing it!"

	"Looks like you're over a barrel, pal."

	"Yeah, and my body's being stretched on both ends."

	"Hal, is there any chance she'd go on and have the baby and give
full custody to you?"

	"I've thought about that," Hal sighed. "I think she's more worried
about having to carry it for nine months and then all the pain she'll
endure when the baby's delivered."

	"That's bullshit, Hal. Millions of women give birth every day and
the pain can't last more than a few hours. I mean, they can knock her out
with drugs or something in the hospital."

	"I know. I tried to explain that to her," Hal said. "Shit, man! I
don't know why I called you to tell you my troubles...it's just that I
needed SOMEONE to talk with...and, well, you're my best friend."

	"Hey, buddy, you don't need a reason to call me. I'm always here
for you. We're blood brothers and buddies under the skin...always have been
and always will be."

	"Hey, why was your mother going apeshit over the way you're
acting?"

	"What did she say?"

	"Oh, something about your floating up the stairs like you were in
love or something. What gives?"

	"I'd love to tell you, Hal, but there are too many ears...too close
to the phone and I'm not ready to reveal any secrets to my mom and dad just
yet."
	"It doesn't involve my brother, Noah, does it?"

	"Not directly," Steve said. "Besides, didn't you hear that he went
back to school this morning?"

	"Hell, no! What the fuck for?"

	"I don't know really. I didn't see him before he left. I
wouldn't've known he left unless Wade stopped by to tell me."

	"Steve, you didn't hurt him, did you?"

	"Hell, no, Hal. I promised you I wouldn't."

	"Can I ask you something and will you give me an honest answer?"

	"Hal, buddy, you know that you and have NEVER lie to each other."

	"OK. There's only one way to word this. Did you have sex with
Noah?"

	"God as my judge, no!" Steve replied strongly. Then he cradled his
hand over the receiver to whisper, "It's not that I didn't want to...it's
just that when the moment was right, Noah turned me down."

	"Well, that little shit! Why, for Christ's sake?"

	"Beats me."

	"Well, we're getting off the subject. If it wasn't Noah who made
you so fuckin' happy, who was it?"

	"Hal, old boy, you wouldn't believe it if I told you."

	"Steve, don't tell me that you finally slipped up and became
careless and knocked up one of your whores?"

	Steve laughed out loud. "Not on your life, buddy boy, not on my
life either."

	"But you DID fall in love, didn't you?"

	"I think so."

	"Jesus H. Christ! I never thought I'd live the day to hear you say
that. Damn! Just when I leave town, you fall for some girl!" Hal
exclaimed. He thought for a second and quickly added, "It IS a girl, isn't
it? I mean, I knew you had some queer notion about my brother, but I
thought that would pass. Tell me that it's a girl...PLEASE!"

	"Hal...I...I can't actually say that..."

	"Holy shit! It's a GUY?"

	"It was the last time I looked."

	"WHO...for cryin' out loud?"

	"Ha! I don't think I'm ready to tell you that either."

	"Well, it MUST be someone I know. I know every guy in Hawthorne!
Tell me this...is it someone I know?"

	"Well...yes...kinda."

	"All right, dickwad, enough with the guessing game. Who the fuck is
it?...Oh, I get it! You won't tell me because your mom and dad are within
ear's reach."

	"Boy, you nailed that one."

	"If I were to name a few names, would you just say, 'yes' or 'no'?"

	"Nope!"

	"God damn! Am I gonna have to drive all the way back to Hawthorne
to find out?"

	"If you plan on finding out, you might just have to," Steve
joked. "Hey, don't you have enough trouble with Carolyn without taking on
my problems?"

	"Shit! I got so wrapped up in your fuckin' romance, I almost forgot
about her and the reason I wanted to talk with you."

	"Hal, I can't help you solve your dilemma with Carolyn. That's
something you and she are going to have to work out yourselves. But as soon
as you reach a conclusion or a solution, call me back and I'll lend you
moral support...whatever you two decide."

	"I will, bro. I guess I just needed to hear your voice."

	"You know I can be reached day or night...so just call me."

	"OK...Steve?

	"Yeah?"

	"Tell me it's NOT Randy or Tyler."

	"It's not."

	"Whew! What a fuckin' relief THAT is! I know sure as shit, I can
rule out Wade. So, who else could it be?"

	"Good night, Hal, and don't forget to call me."

	"Oh, fuck no! It's NOT WADE, is it?"

	"Good night, buddy, I love you."

	"But..."

	Steve laughed as he replaced the receiver on its cradle, turned and
started back up the stairs when the phone rang and again, Mrs. Jarvis
answered.

	"Hello?"

	"Mrs. Jarvis?" Wade said, in tears, making it almost impossible for
her to recognize Wade's voice?"

	"Yes?"

	"Has Steve gotten home yet?"

	"Yes, he has...is this Wade?"

	"Yes, ma'am."

	"I almost didn't know it was you. Are you all right?"

	"Yes, ma'am."

	"Wade, are you crying? What's wrong, dear?"

	"I...I need to talk with Steve."

	"Sure. Let me go get him."

	As before, Mrs. Jarvis called Steve from the bottom of the stairs.

	"What, Mom?"

	"You have another phone call."

	"Who is it?"

	"It's Wade and he sound like he's in some kind of trouble!"

	"What do you mean, Mom?"

	"He's crying."

	Steve rushed for the phone.

	"Hello?"

	"Steve?"

	"Yeah, Sport, what's wrong?"

	"Steve, I gotta get out of here..."

	"You mean your house?"

	"My house...my mother...everything!" Wade began to cry harder and
louder.

	"Wade, don't hand me any bullshit! Tell me what happened," Steve
said in a very serious tone.

	"Mother had a fit after you brought me home. She doesn't want me to
see you, Randy, Tyler, or Steve ever again."

	"Well, I think I'll have something to say about that!"

	"Steve, I just wish I could see you. I need someone on my side
right now."

	"You just hang on, little guy, and I'll be there to get you in a
cat's wink."

	"I can't go anywhere with you."

	"We'll see about that when I get there."

	"Hurry!"

	"I will."

	Steve slammed down the phone.

	"What's wrong with Wade, Steve?" his mother asked.

	"I'm not sure, but I would guess that Wade's mother has given him
another religious lecture. You know how she is!"

	"Good Lord, son, why doesn't Thelma let that boy of hers grow
up. He's nineteen years old, for heaven's sake! She'll be treating him the
same way when he gets to be forty if they're both still alive."

	"Mom, I'm going over to Wade's and have it out with her. I don't
know what'll happen. I mean, she may kick Wade out of the house...as a
matter of fact, I HOPE she kicks him out of her house. I'll bring him home
with me."

	"Steve," his mother continued, "don't say anything to her that will
get you into trouble, but if Wade wants to come over here and stay, well,
you know he's perfectly welcome to stay as long as he likes."

	"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

	Steve kissed his mom for the third time of the day and she rather
liked it. Whomever or whatever had brought about the sudden change in
Steve...well, she was grateful!

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

	Tyler hadn't bothered to call his folks to say he was spending the
night at Randy's. It wasn't that Tyler's parents didn't care or needed to
know, the fact was that they had spent nights at each other's houses for
many years. Tyler's parents, Nora and Fred Groom, respected his privacy and
if he was parked on the side of the road; at an all night drive-in movie;
or even at a motel having sex with a girl...the didn't get upset. Tyler was
an adult and if he should get into trouble or have an accident, either
Randy or the Hawthorne police would call and tell them.

	Nora secretly wished that Tyler would find "that" girl, get
married, and have at least six children in consecutive years. Nora often
thought how crowded Tyler's household would be with a wife, six kids, and
probably Randy living with them. She laughed, as she knew it would be more
difficult for Tyler to give up his best friend than his own parents. The
boys were totally inseparable. What's more...Randy's parents, Jim and Ethel
Sage, felt the same way. The Jarvis', the Sage's, the Carson's, and the
Groom's were all friends and had raised their sons almost in the same
manner. It was Wade who was the outsider. Gladys English was the most
devout Christian in Hawthorne. She knew that all the wages of sin were
death and she made dead certain that her son, Wade, was reared that way.

	How surprising it would be to all of them if they knew that all six
boys were engaging in homosexual relationships. First of all, none of the
parents would believe it. Hal and Steve's weekend sexual shenanigans were
known all over town. The Sage's and the Groom's only assumed that their
sons, Randy and Tyler were getting the same experiences or "tastes of life"
as their buddies.

	Randy worked in his dad's auto repair shop while Tyler sold auto
parts in HIS dad's store. If either of them were ever late for work, then,
what the hell, they knew their bosses and had the confidence that neither
would ever lose his job.

	On the morning following their first night of real love, neither
felt like going to work as both of them had been up all night,
experimenting with new sexual acts and making up for some of the years they
had wasted by giving the other his emotional love.

	It was nine o'clock in the morning when they both began to stir in
bed. The sheets were a disaster. The bottom-fitted sheet was pried loose
and half on the floor. There were enough semen stains for a year's supply
at a sperm bank. Their bodies were practically glued together from dried
sweat and caked seminal fluid. They had fallen asleep facing one another
and awoke in the same position.

	First, Randy opened his eyes and a minute later, Tyler opened
his. Their faces were inches apart. Tyler leaned over to give his new lover
and old buddy a morning kiss. Randy pulled back, slightly.

	"Damn, Tyle, your breath smells like my mother's Clorox."

	Tyler laughed, "I thought it was yours."

	"Does mine smell that way, too?"

	"Like swimming pool chlorine," Tyler laughed again.

	"In that case, go on and kiss me."

	Tyler leaned forward to touch his lips to Randy's. Their morning
erections lunged forward, becoming even stiffer.

	When the kiss broke, Randy said, "I gotta pee like I never have
before."

	Tyler smiled and replied, "My bladder is about to bust."

	"Then why are we lying here suffering? Let's go pee!"

	Both hopped out of bed and made a dash toward the door.

	"Wait!" Tyler exclaimed, "shouldn't we put on some clothes or
something?"

	"Shit, Tyler, my parents have seen us naked since we used to bathe
together when we were three years old."

	"That may be, but your folks have never seen dried cum all over our
bodies."

	Randy looked down at his body. "I guess you're right. Here, put on
one of my long-sleeve shirts, it's long enough to hide your cock...and the
rest they won't see."

	Randy hurried to his closet to get two flannel plaid shirts and
tossed one to Tyler. They quickly buttoned up, opened the door and made a
mad dash to the bathroom. They were safe. Randy's parents didn't seem them
go into the bathroom.

	Randy and Tyler stood on either side of the commode and let their
golden jet streams flow for what seemed to be five minutes. Following the
well-needed pee, both of them hopped into the shower after they had gargled
with Listerine. Once the water was regulated to the right temperature, they
turned to face each other. The first order of the bath was a long
passionate kiss. They pressed their bodies as close as their erections
would permit.

	Tyler had his arms around Randy's neck as Randy placed his around
Tyler's waist.

	"Good morning," Tyler said.

	"Good morning to you," Randy replied.

	"How do you feel after last night?"

	"Sensational!"

	"No regrets? No 'being sorry' about what we said and did?"

	"Not on my part."

	"Mine either," Tyler said. "You still love me, don't you?"

	"Maybe I'm a fool or maybe lightning struck me while I wasn't
looking, but, yes, Tyler, I DO love you."

	"Think we should tell your folks?"

	"Not right now. They'll find out soon enough."

	"What about Kathy, Wanda, Mickie, Pearl, Sandy, and all the other
girls we go out with?"

	"Either they'll have to find new boyfriends or turn Lesbian and do
the same things we're doing to each other. You're mine from now on."

	"That's what I want to be, Randy. I want to belong to
you...totally, this time...from now on. Don't forget, it goes both
ways...you're mine, too, you big hunk!"

	"I won't forget. We've been each other's lives, practically since
birth. But that was the 'old' us. Today is the beginning of the 'new' us."

	"I don't care who the fuck knows and could care less about what
they say. From now on, it's just you and me, babe."

	"That's fine with me."

	"Wanna have sex in the shower?"

	"I WANT to, but I think we should go back to my bedroom and change
the sheets and open the windows to air the room out."

	"THEN, can we have sex?"

	"If we both wear condoms and don't stain the clean sheets."

	"It's a deal!"

	The two of them finished showering, dried off, and wrapped towels
around their waists, not bothering with the plaid shirts. They opened the
bathroom door and all but ran into Randy's parents who were both going down
the hall.

	"Morning, son...Tyler," Mrs. Sage said.

	"Morning, boys," Mr. Sage echoed.

	"Morning," the boys replied.

	"You two shower together?" Mrs. Sage inquired.

	"Yes'm," Randy and Tyler replied, as Ethel averted her eyes.

	"Good," Jim said, "that's one way of keeping the water bill down."

	All four of them laughed.

	"You coming into work, son?" Jim asked Randy.

	"Probably," Randy answered, "I REALLY should clean my room."

	"Yes, you should," Ethel said. "The shop can do without you this
morning."

	"You heard what your mother said, son...and she's the boss. Stay
and clean up your room and when you get through, give me a call and I'll
tell you how busy work is."

	"Thanks, dad."

	"Tyler?" Jim said, "I've often wondered how it feels to take a
shower with my son? It must be a lot different from when you shower with
one of your girlfriends."

	Tyler's face turned red. Was Mr. Sage kidding him or did he KNOW
something. Tyler thought it best to make a joke to the question. "Well,
sir, it's a lot different. You see, Randy won't kiss me in the shower."
Tyler smiled a 'half' smile as Randy looked for a loose board in the floor
to crawl under.

	"What's wrong, son. Isn't Tyler a good kisser?" Jim jested.

	"Not with a lip of whiskers," Randy half-hearted joked. "It sorta
breaks the mood."

	Again, the four of them laughed out loud. Jim picked up his keys,
kissed Ethel on the cheek and said, "Now don't forget to call me, Randy,
when your room passes your mother's inspection."

	Jim walked down the hall, out the door, got into his truck and
drove off to work as Randy and Tyler scurried into Randy's room to strip
the bed. In their hustle, Tyler's towel fell from his body to the floor. He
froze when he saw Ethel in the doorway looking at him. She couldn't help it
but her eyes were focused on Tyler's crotch.

	"Excuse me, boys, but let me do that," she said.

	Tyler bent down to get the towel to hold it in front of his
privates. Thank God, he hadn't had time to get an erection.

	Randy looked at the soiled sheets of the 'crime' scene and tried to
stop his mother.

	"No, Mom, I said I would do this and I promised Dad."

	"Nonsense!" Ethel replied and reached for the sheets, pulling them
from Randy's hands. As Randy's bad luck would have it, she grabbed the
lower sheet where a puddle of still wet semen had been deposited. As soon
as she saw it, she knew what it was. Randy cringed in his tracks. Tyler
turned away, leaving his buttocks exposed.

	Both of the guys nearly wilted when Ethel said, "Looks like you two
had a busy night. Did you go to a dirty movie or something before you came
home?" Her voice was as cheery as Florence Henderson's on "The Brady Bunch"
or Jan Clayton's...Timmy's mother on "Lassie". She continued..."It would
appear that the girls you went out with last night disappointed you. Am I
right?"

	'Oh, God! How can I explain those sheets to my mother?' Randy
thought.

	Tyler had even more drastic thoughts...'I wonder if I close my eyes
and wish myself dead...would it happen?'

	By now, Ethel had both sheets and pillowcases wadded up in her arms
as the two boys stood there watching silently. She happily made her way to
the door.

	"Mom?" Randy weakly said, stopping her.

	"Yes?" she replied without looking around to face her son.

	"I...uh...we...I...well, there's something you should know?"

	"Oh? Is it about the sheets?"

	"Yes, ma'am."

	"Is it about the stains on the sheets?"

	"Yes, ma'am."

	"You think I don't know what the stains are?"

	"Mom, I'm sure you know what they are."

	"And you think I'm so dumb I'd think that they all came from one
person?"

	"No, Mom, in no way are you dumb."

	She turned around to look at the two embarrassed young men. "Randy,
I don't have to call William Petersen and the CSI squad to run a forensic
report to know that these stains are mixed together...and since I'm not
investigating a murder or a crime scene, I conclude that the two of you
were having sex together!"

	The more she talked, the lower the boys sank.

	Ethel continued to Randy and Tyler's dismay, "I suppose this has
been going on for a number of years. It's something that your dad and I
have talked about ever since you were both fifteen. Am I right?"

	"No, Mom, not really," Randy replied, above a whisper.

	"Mrs. Sage," Tyler broke in to assist in the denial. "It only
happened last night...for the first time."

	"Then I'd say that you two have wasted a number of good years," she
replied.

	They looked puzzled and their faces were saying, 'What?'.

	"Randy, Tyler, my brother, your Uncle Ted, was gay from the time he
was fourteen. I knew it sometimes runs in the family. Jim knows about Ted
and we both kept watching the two of you for some outward sign. You two
have always been best friends. Jim and I suspected that your friendship ran
much deeper."

	Randy spoke up, "But you or Dad never said anything."

	"We, or rather 'I', never had any proof until just now...with these
sheets."

	"Damn!" Randy said. "I knew I should have made the bed before Tyler
and I showered."

	"I'm glad you didn't," she replied. "It's out in the open now and
maybe the four of us can relax...as soon as I tell Jim."

	"But, Mom......!"

	"Don't worry, you're dad is not like Gladys English. He's a
left-wing Democrat and he'll be pleased to have Tyler for a second son...if
you two are serious about your relationship."

	"We are, Mom."

	"Then...are you in love with Tyler?"

	"I think so," Randy said, sheepishly.

	"How about you, Tyler? Are you in love with my son?"

	"Yes, ma'am."

	"Then what's the problem? I think the four of us will make a big
happy family. You ARE going to adopt children, aren't you?"

	"Mom, we haven't discussed our relationship that far."

	"Well, I think you should! I would like to have two grandsons when
you make your minds up."

	Randy and Tyler were so astonished at the way Mrs. Sage was
reacting, they didn't know whether to wind their watches or sing, "Auld
Lang Syne".

	"I'm not so sure how happy our family will be once MY folks find
out," Tyler said, grimly.

	"Tyler, you don't seem to know your parents at all. Jim and I have
talked about this with Nora and Fred, years ago. They've been expecting it
as long as Jim and I have."

	"You mean about Randy and me?"

	"Would you like to call them on the phone and ask them?...Or should
I?"

	Tyler felt that his bowels would open and he would shit all over
the floor at Mrs. Sage suggestion.

	"I...think I'd better break the news to them gently," Tyler said.

	"I have a better idea. Why don't the two of you NOT go to work and
go to the store with me and the three of us will fix a big dinner and I'll
invite Nora and Fred over? The six of us can have a long talk. We'll have
an 'in-law' meeting since we're all going to be related."

	Tyler wanted to say something...ANYTHING, but before he got a
chance, Ethel kept talking. "By the way...does Steve Jarvis and Hal Carter
know about you, two?"

	"Steve does...but he and Hal have problems of their own."

	"What kind of problems, if you don't mind my asking?"

	"Well, Mom, don't breathe a word of this, but Hal got Carolyn
pregnant."

	"Good Lord!"

	"...and Steve...well, Steve's going through the same thing that
Tyler and I are..."

	"'Steve the Stud', has a BOY friend?"

	"I'm afraid so...but NO ONE knows it...NOT his parents...only the
two of us."

	"I'm sure his BOY friend knows."

	"Well...the three of us."

	"Oh, I just can't wait for Steve's mother to say something about it
to me at bridge club."

	"Mom, for God's sake, DON'T invite Steve's parents to dinner."

	"I won't," she laughed. "I'm just happy for the two of you," she
chirped as she left the room to wash the dirty linen.

	STUPOR! That was the word that best described Randy and Tyler when
Mrs. Sage left the bedroom.

	"Do you believe any of this?" Tyler finally asked.

	"Hell, no!"

	"Well, I guess we'd better get used to being a couple because at
dinner tonight, it looks as if our parents are going to marry us."

	"I know one thing for sure," Randy said.

	"I'm not wearing white!"

	"Me, neither! It's bright red or nothing!"

	"You got it, lover! Bright red!" Tyler agreed, laughing.

	They kissed and Tyler dropped the towel he was holding in front and
at the same time unhitched Randy's towel and it, too hit the floor.

	Tyler looked into Randy's eyes and asked, "Hey, you wanna make
out?"

	"Only if we nail the door shut!"


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


	One brief conversation; one brisk jog of a few miles; and a slow
ride down the side of a mountain was all it took for Noah to fall for
Father Steve. It was love at first sight, on Noah's part at least. Steve
hadn't said anything to encourage Noah, Steve just happened to meet Noah in
Noah's desperate time of his life. Noah had finally had sex with Wade and
now he was ready for a relationship. His main problem was how to convince
Steve to respond? What if Father Steve was straight? So what? Steve Jarvis
back in Hawthorne was probably the straightest guy Noah had ever known, but
the Hawthorne Steve had fallen for Noah. He had to plot his wiles carefully
if he wanted the handsome, blonde priest to be seduced by a
seventeen-year-old high school senior.

	Noah just couldn't come right out and ask Father Steve if he was
gay, nor could he attempt to flirt with him in the car headed back to the
school. This was going to take some careful planning, but if it paid off
the way Noah hoped, it would be worth it.

	"Your job at Zephyrhaven...it must be taxing on you," Noah said,
about halfway down Signal Mountain.

	"Oh, I think if I had a church of my own with hundreds of
parishioners, listening to their confessions, taking their problems to
heart and making them my own, that would be much more stressful," Steve
replied.

	"Yeah, but don't you get depressed working with all those sick guys
and maybe watching them die little by little every day?"

	"Perhaps, but I also watch many of them get better and sometimes
conquer their illnesses. That's what makes it all worthwhile."

	Noah was trying to build up his bid for Steve's attention.

	"Uh...what do you do for recreation besides taking morning jogs on
Signal Mountain? I mean, do you ever go out to dinner? Take in a movie? Do
you ever go out on a date? I'm sure there must be many women who find you
very attractive," Noah said.

	"Oh, I wouldn't say that I'm all that attractive," Steve replied.

	"To me, you are..." Noah said, without thinking.

	"You find me attractive?"

	"Well...as attractive as one guy can find another..."

	"Why, Noah, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were hitting on
me."

	"Gosh, no!" Noah said strongly. "I like sports. I...I'm not saying
I'm attracted to you...I mean, I like girls and such. I was just merely
trying to say you are good-looking."

	"Ah, you're going to make me blush," Steve said.

	"Sorry, I didn't mean to," Steve quickly added. "But you still
didn't say what you did for recreation...you know, when you want to get
away from your facility."

	"Well, then...yes! I do go out to dinner occasionally. I like going
to movies. I sometimes go to the concerts of the Chattanooga Symphony or to
an opera. This past year, the Chattanooga Opera Association did a marvelous
production of Puccini's 'Turandot'. That's my favorite opera. Do you like
it?"

	"I'm not too familiar with it."

	"It's the ONE dramatic opera that ends happily. The boy gets the
girl at the end. I'm not sure if Puccini intended it to end happily, you
see, because he died when he was three-fourths through and another composer
finished it for him WITH the happy ending."

	"I've never seen an opera," Noah said.

	"Maybe some time this year, I'll take you to see one," Steve said
and Noah was pleased with the idea. "Do you ever go to the Broadway road
shows that come to the Tivoli?"

	"Yeah, a couple of times, we got student discount tickets at the
school."

	"What did you see?"

	"We saw 'Rent', 'Thoroughly Modern Millie', and a real crazy
musical called 'Urinetown'. It was funny. There was a big ruckus at City
Hall whether or not they were going to let a show called, 'Urinetown' be
presented. I guess they thought the title was too dirty to go on the
marquee."

	"Commissioners and the town fathers are always afraid of something
they're not familiar with."

	"What kind of movies are you favorites?" Noah asked.

	"I know I should go to more comedies to relieve my tension from my
work place, but I always seem to enjoy heavy dramas with depressing
subjects."

	"Like what?"

	"Oh, my favorite that I've seen this year was probably,
'Thirteen'."

	"I saw that."

	"Did you like it?"

	"Yes--and no."

	"Oh?"

	"Yeah, my social studies teacher made the entire junior class go
see it and write a report on it. I'd probably've liked it more if I hadn't
been forced to see it."

	"What about 'Mystic River'?"

	"Yeah, that one I liked a lot. Sean Penn's my favorite actor," Noah
said.

	"Oh, mine too. He's my favorite younger actor, but for plain honest
drama, I like Anthony Hopkins and Meryl Streep."

	"Yeah, HANNIBAL LECTOR!" Noah exclaimed, followed by making the
slithering noise that Anthony Hopkins made with his mouth and tongue, which
made Steve laugh. "I...don't get to see everything I want to."

	"Why is that?"

	"Oh, it takes a long time to catch a bus if no one is going into
town."

	"Am I reading between the lines? Are you trying to get me to invite
you to go see a movie with me?" Steve asked.

	"Well, no...but it WOULD be nice. I mean, I only met you today and
I'm a bit reticent about asking you to take me to a movie."

	"What? Are you afraid with my being a priest and you being a minor,
I might try to molest you or something?"

	The conversation was headed exactly the way Noah hoped.

	"Heck, no. I'm not afraid. I'm riding with you right now, aren't
I?"

	"You'd have nothing to worry about. Besides, I'm not blind. In
spite of MY being a man, don't think I didn't take the time to admire your
muscular build. Do you work out a lot?"

	"I did all last year. I put on about twenty-five pounds...all
muscle."

	"Now, don't take this the wrong way, Noah, but I find that
attractive."

	Noah smiled to himself. Steve HAD noticed him. Steve WAS attracted
to him...he just said so.

	"Thank you," Noah replied, and then added, "you know, if you wanted
to invite me to a movie, I'd pay for the dinner if you wanted to go eat
some place first."

	"No, no, that would be too much like a date. If we go to a movie
AND if we go to dinner first, we'll go Dutch, if that's OK?"

	"Sounds good to me."

	"Let me make another supposition," Steve said. "IF I were to ask
you to go with me, would you be free this Friday night?"

	"Shoot, yeah. I've got nothing to do for the next three weeks
before school actually starts."

	"Is there some girl you'd like to bring along?" Steve asked.

	"Heck, no. I don't have a girlfriend...right now. What about you?
Is there some girl you'd like to bring?"

	"No, not at the moment. I guess we're in the same boat. Neither of
us has a girlfriend at the moment."

	This put Noah's mind at ease...Steve had no girlfriend, but he
MIGHT have a boyfriend.

	"Do you have a friend who might want to join us? You know...like a
best friend?" Noah said, nonchalantly.

	"No, it'd be just the two of us...you and me."

	"Are you asking me, then...this Friday?"

	"If you want to."

	"Sure...I'd like that."

	"What time is your curfew?"

	"Well, since I'm really not legally back in school. I can stay out
as long as I like. I have ways of slipping back in. No one will check my
bed."

	"I just don't want to get you into trouble."

	Noah thought to himself, 'No, but I'd like to get YOU into all
kinds of trouble...especially if I could get you undressed!'. Aloud, he
responded "I won't get into trouble."

	"Since I don't know how to contact you, Noah, you have my card. Why
don't you call me around Wednesday at Zephyrhaven and by that time, we'll
know what's playing and we can decide what we want to see."

	"Sounds like a winner!" Noah said.

	They were at the driveway of the school and Steve pulled over to
the side of the road for Noah to get out.

	"Here we are...back, safe and sound," Steve announced.

	"Yeah, thanks a lot for the ride." Noah got out of the car and
turned to say, "I'll call you Wednesday."

	"I'll look forward to it! Goodbye, Noah."

	"Bye," Noah echoed as Steve drove away.

	Noah skipped down the long driveway to the main part of the
campus. One of his mother's favorite DVD's back in Hawthorne was "South
Pacific" to which, for some strange reason, Noah knew the lyrics to every
song. He began to sing, "I'm in love. I'm in love. I'm in love. I'm in
love. I'm in love with a wonderful guy!"

	On the drive back to Zephyrhaven, Steve's mind was racing. "What
just happened? Am I falling for a seventeen year old kid?" This was deja
vu. It was starting all over again. This is the way it started the last
time when he had lost his church and had been sent by the Bishop to head up
a facility for sick young men...those that he dare not get involved
with...and now, Noah had come into his life.

<><><><><><> (To be continued in Part Eleven of "Hawthorne Awakening".