Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 08:32:29 -0400 From: Tom Cup <tom_cup@hotmail.com> Subject: David's Fortunes - Chapter 7 Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 by the Paratwa Partnership: A Colorado Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, except in the case of reviews, without written permission from the Paratwa Partnership, Inc, 354 Plateau Drive, Florissant, CO 80816 This is a fictional story involving alternative sexual relationships. If this type of material offends you, please do not read any further. This material is intended for mature adult audiences. Names, characters, locations and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. ************************************************************************ Author's Note: This is the final chapter of the alternative ending, written some time ago, based on "David's Christmas Present" which can be found here on Nifty. The original author was unable to finish the story and asked for others to do so. For reasons that I won't go into here, these chapters have been only available to the members of TomCup.com. We are releasing them now for the enjoyment of Nifty readers. Because "David's Fortunes" begins where the original ended, at chapter 11 of "David's Christmas Present", the reader may wish to read the original eleven chapters before proceeding here. If you are familiar with the original story, we hope that you will enjoy the alternative ending in the following chapters. ************************************************************************ What's New at TomCup.com? Article: My New Swimsuit's Too Small Added 6/03 KOA Boy Chapter 7 Added 6/01 Calvin: Identity Crisis Chapter 12 Added 5/25 Mentoring Brandon Chapter 10 Added 5/24 Labor of Love Added 5/21 Of Our Teenage Years Chapter 13 Added 5/20 The Innocents Part 4: Paulo and Beto By Richard Dean Chapter 8 Added 5/18 Private Lessons Chapter 6 Added 5/12 Stephen Miller's Journal Chapter 12 Added 4/13 Raptors By Richard Dean Chapter 7 Added 4/13 Age Before Beauty Chapter 4 Added 4/08 In Memory of Steve: Chapter 9 Added 2/13 Short Story: Ambrosius Added 1/29 Short Story: Blair Manor Added 1/29 ************************************************************************ David's Fortunes By Tom Cup Chapter 7 Begins and Endings Val's eyes left the cup she had been absentmindedly drying and met Karen's worried gaze. Val had insisted that Arnie stay with Jody and Eric so that the twins wouldn't be home with strangers, even if one of those strangers was David's mother. It was tempting to believe in women's intuition as the McDougal women stared into each other's eyes with looks of concern -- had it not been for the fact the within seconds Billy was also looking longingly at his mother, Val might have at long last given some validity to the myth -- but this was not female intuition. It was the love of family and logic that caused the family's concern. David, Adam, Jody and Eric were, for all intents and purposes, part of the McDougal family. That was why Arnie had not resisted in the least when Val suggested that he stay with the twins. It wasn't that either Val or Arnie felt that Gwen and Betty couldn't be trusted. It was that in times of stress, one needed the comfort of home and family. But that wasn't what was bothering Val and her children; what was bothering them was that David hadn't called. He would know how they felt. He would know that they would be worried, about him and about Adam, and he hadn't called. Val sighed, put down the cup and towel and said, "OK, enough moping around. If we are going to worry, we might as well worry over at David's." The words had barely escaped her lips before Billy threw Karen her coat, slipped into his and pronounced that they were ready to go. ************************ "Don't you think he should have called or something by now?" Gwen asked. "I'm sure David and Adam had some things to discuss privately before they returned," Arnie answered. "Arnie," Gwen sighed, "are you being this calm because you really believe what you're saying or because you don't want Betty and I to worry. It's been two days. I think we should call someone." "Who?" "Well Adam's grandfather for one." "Gerald already called and told us that David arrived safely; and that the elders would be counseling both David and Adam. I'm sure they're fine." "But two days with no word." "You don't have to worry," Eric broke into the conversation, "Adam's OK. He knows how to take care of himself. And Grandfather Lee is really smart." "Grandfather Lee?" Betty asked, "You call Adam's grandfather, Grandfather Lee." The twins looked to each other and shrugged. "Well," stated Jody, "really we just call him Grandfather. He likes that, especially since we became members of the tribe." "What?" Gwen and Betty asked together. Eric and Jody alternated filling the two women in on how they and David became members of the Cherokee tribe. Betty and Gwen's heads continually swung from one twin to the other as the Eric and Jody had the habit of finishing each other's sentences. Arnie couldn't help but smile at the bewildered women. He himself had forgotten how unnerving it had been when he first experienced the twins' excited unified speech. "Funny," Arnie thought, "how when you come to know and love someone all the things that you thought were strange when you first met become comforting." "Well, humph!" Betty exclaimed as the boys finished their story, "So they think they can just take my grandchildren away from me do they?" "I don't think that is the intent at all," Arnie said soothingly, "The tribe saw David, Adam, Eric and Jody as, well, orphans in a sense and became their extended family. There was no..." "I know exactly what they were doing," Betty said waving her hand for silence, "And they were right. I had abandoned my son. I am not proud of it but it is the truth. That doesn't mean I intend to allow things to stay that way. I want to be a part of my son's life. I want to be a part of my grandchildren's lives. Yes, don't give me that big-eyed stare. I'm talking about you two, and Adam also. You are my grandchildren and though I don't begrudge what the Cherokee tribe has done, I want it understood that you are also part of my family!" Eric and Jody smiled, nodded, and embraced Betty. "OK, grandma," they said together. ************************ Val had known that Billy and Karen were worried but as they drove to David's house she realized how worried they really were. The possibility that David or Adam might be hurt wasn't what was bothering them it was Gwen. "If she finds out she could get really pissed," Billy said. "Billy," Val chastised. "Sorry," Billy answered. "He's right though mom," Karen said defending Billy's comment but not his choice of adjectives, "I don't know if she can handle uncle Dave being gay and I think she would have a cow if she knew that Adam was unc's lover." "Yes, yes," Val said in exasperation, "I know this!" "OK," Karen said becoming exasperated also, "We're just worried about them, OK? You don't have to get pissed." "I am not getting pissed," Val answered annoyingly. "Hey," Billy questioned, "Why is it OK for you two to say pissed but when I say it I get yelled at?" "A woman's prerogative," Val defended, "And watch your language!" They all laughed and then fall silent, each contemplating David and Adam's relationship and how it effected them. Billy's mind went back to the year before when David had taken him to Mexico. It was during that trip that Billy had realized that David was gay and not simply too busy to be bothered with women. Up until that trip, Billy had pushed the thought of David's sexuality out of his mind -- David was his uncle, though not by blood (both Arnie and Val were only children) he was certainly better than any other uncle Billy and Karen could have hoped, and until then Billy kept an "uncles don't have sex frame of mind -- but as they spent time together swimming, boating, and lounging on the beach, Billy spied David's eyes move uncontrollably, and unmistakably, over the bodies of the young men in their scant beach wear. Billy wrestled with several emotions as he realized that he was in a foreign country, sharing a hotel room, with a man that was gay -- that liked other men. He found the situation nervously amusing and exciting. Billy loved looking at the scantly clad Mexican girls but found that his eyes also, occasionally, wandered to one of the boys. He also found that he could become excited from staring at one of the boys as easily as by staring at one of the girls. He was silent for a day and a half, contemplating his own feelings -- David realized that something was bothering him but never knew what -- before deciding that because he became excited over a half naked boy didn't mean that he too was gay. Some of the boys on the beach were simply beautiful and sexy. His body responded to the sexiness presented to him, but Billy wasn't interested in pursuing a relationship with a male. It was the girls that really interested him. He acknowledged another truth that day also. David had never tried to seduce him, he had never touched him in anyway that could be construed as inappropriate. In fact, Billy concluded, David was so busy trying to be straight that David probably didn't even realize that he was gay. With these thoughts settled, he was free again to enjoy the trip. Though David never realized why, Billy became freer with his show of affection toward him. David's shock at Billy's hug the morning that Billy decided that David being gay didn't matter to him proved to Billy that David was indeed hiding from his own sexuality. "Duh," Karen had said when Billy returned and told her that he though that their uncle was gay. Billy shrugged. So he was the last one to figure it out. Again, it was made concrete in his mind and heart that David was a trusted member of the family. "So mom," Karen began her tone signaling mischief, "Adam is fourteen and Uncle Dave is his lover and that seems OK with you and Dad." "Karen?" "I'm just wondering. If it's OK for Adam to have a lover, I guess that means it's OK with you and Dad if Billy and I have sex too." "Sure," Val said dryly. "Really?" asked Billy. "Really," answered Val, "If you both want to die young, go for it." Billy and Karen smiled at each other, shaking their heads, as Val pulled in front of David's house. ************************ Eric and Jody were only mildly disappointed when the front door open and it wasn't David and Adam. Although Gwen, Betty and Arnie were doing their best to entertain the boys, the best entertainment arrived in the form of Billy and Karen. There was nothing like two willing teenagers to entertain two bored pre-teens. Within minutes the four kids were headed toward the pool, talking excitedly, and laughing. "Thanks," said Arnie to his wife, "I think they are better at alleviating each other's fears than we are." "Hmmm..." questioned Val, "Does that mean you will start listening to my advice?" "And waste all those years I've practiced ignoring your advice? Hardly!" Betty and Gwen laughed as Arnie and Val embraced and gently kissed. "So Arnie doesn't think it's strange that we haven't heard from David," Gwen offered, "I think something might be wrong." "Well, Arnie's not to terribly bright," Val offered, "He assumes that if something were wrong that David would call." "That's exactly right," Arnie said. "And he would," Val said, "if he is able. Has it occurred to you Arnie that David may not be able to call? It has been two and a half days. David knows that we all will be worried about Adam. He should have called by now." "I know," Arnie defended, "but Gerald said that David and Adam were going to be counseled by the tribes elders. Chances are that they rested the first night, were counseled the next day and David and Adam stayed an additional night to talk things through." "So why didn't he call to let us know?" Betty asked. "I don't know. They probably needed time to sort things out," Arnie offered, "You know we men can be awfully inconsiderate." "What you mean," Val translated, "is that you can be awfully inconsiderate. David isn't like that and you know it." Arnie sighed. He was out numbered and out flanked, three to one. "Might as well throw in the towel," he thought, "No use trying to argue with women that have their minds made up." "OK," Arnie said, "What do you want me to do?" "Well," said Gwen, "as I have been suggesting, call Gerald Lee!" "OK, OK!" Arnie said moving toward the phone, "Give a guy a little room. He picked up the receiver and began dialing the number when they heard the garage door begin to open. *********************** David didn't immediately understand why everyone seemed so agitated and confused. It took him a few minutes to realize that it had been nearly fifty-three hours since anyone of them had heard from him. He was apologizing and trying to calm the worries of the adults when you heard Billy's voice behind him. "Where's Adam?" Billy asked. David turned to see the twins, Billy and Karen, towels wrapped around their bodies, looking anxiously at him. The twins were nodding in agreement to Billy's question. Karen's hands were on her hips. Her posture gave her a motherly, not to be ignored look and reminded David instantly of the look the Val calmly gave him as he entered the house. "OK, OK," David laughed, "You guys get dried off. I guess I have some explaining to do." "I'll get the kids dried off," Val said moving towards the children and ushering them back toward the pool. "I'll help you," Gwen offered. "I'll put on some coffee," Betty said, "Are you hungry?" "As a matter of fact," David answered, "Now that you mention it." "I'll make a bit of lunch while I'm at it," Betty sang, already headed for the kitchen. Arnie looked around the foyer and discovered that David and he were alone. He wondered for a moment if the mass exodus had been planned. He shrugged and turned to David. It had been obvious, from the moment that David entered the house, that his reconciliation with Adam had been a positive experience. David absolutely beamed. Arnie had watched as Gwen and Betty's looks of concern turned to pure curiosity. "You need to calm down," Arnie cautioned. "Why? What do you mean?" "David you have the look of a bride on her honeymoon and I am not the only one that has noticed." David laughed and slapped Arnie on the back. Arnie took a deep breath and stared into his friend's eyes. ************************ "Go ahead," Val said picking up the discarded towels, "I'll be in in a minute." She smiled to herself as she dropped the last of the towels in the laundry basket. David was in love. It was written all over his face. Val couldn't help but be happy. "What's going on?" Gwen's voice startled Val from the warm of her revelry. The heated smells of the pool swirled in the air giving the moment a surreal presence. Val turned slowly toward the woman that she had thought exited the poolroom with the children. Gwen stood staring at Val, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm not sure I know what you mean," Val answered trying to deflect the question. "I think you do. I saw the look in David's eyes. I saw it!" Val sighed. "OK, so what did you think Gwen? That after all the years you have been apart that just by showing up you could capture his heart?" "No, that's not it." "Isn't it? David's happy. For the first time in his life, he is really and truly happy. I don't know what happened the last two days and I don't care. All I care about is that finally, I can look into his eyes and see the sadness and regret of the past gone. That's all I care about." "You don't like my being here." Val sighed again. "Gwen, you came for your own reasons. They weren't good reasons or bad reasons. They were just reasons. Maybe you love him, I don't know. I do know that he cares about you, about your feelings but that's it; it ends there. David doesn't love you; not like you want to be loved. I'm sorry if that hurts you but it's the truth. I don't want to see you two fall into the same trap as before, trying to make something work that won't. And I won't see David sacrifice his happiness trying." "You talk like I want to see him unhappy." Val shook her head. "No I don't believe you want to see him unhappy. I believe that you want to be happy and don't realize that if you get things your way David will be miserable." "I can't help the way I feel. I've spent years trying to deny how I feel, years rejoicing over his success with PowerNet, chatting with Betty at holidays hoping to hear some word from him. I love him, Val. I really do." "Do you?" "Yes. I do." "This may be the hardest thing I have ever said to anyone, Gwen, but I am going to say it to you because I love David too. If you love him as much as you say you do, then walk away. Leave him and don't come back. Make a life for yourself without David, because you will never fit into his life comfortably. I'm sorry Gwen but that's the truth." ************************ Eric and Jody sat on David's lap chatting excitedly about the possibility of living on the reservation with Adam. Billy sat comfortably on the arm of the chair with his arm draped over David's shoulder as David told of his plans for turning over PowerNet to Arnie. "Hey," Arnie said as Gwen and Val joined the group, "You missed the big announcement. I've been promoted to chief cook and bottle washer. When it comes down to it I'll make more money and work more hours, so really I'm taking a pay cut! Doesn't that sound great? I'm really moving up in the world!" "So you're moving to the reservation?" Val asked. "Yes, we talked it over with the tribal elders..." "And Arnie will head PowerNet for you," Val continued, "Of course the kids and I will stay on to help. Your mother will stay here, of course; that will solve the problem with finding her housing and of course you'll want a place here anyway for when you need to chair the board of PowerNet..." "Whoa... Board of PowerNet?" David asked. "David, you can hand over the day to day operations of PowerNet to Arnie," Val continued, "But the long term strategy is yours. You direct this company. You've made it what it is and you'll make it what it will be in the future. Now, I've already taken the liberty of having Ben draw up a new corporate charter with an inclusion for a board of directors..." "What?" David and Arnie voiced at the same time. "I love you so David but some times you are as slow as Arnie. Of course you would want Adam to grow up with his grandfather and brother. Once you found them, I knew that this move was just a matter of time. So I've been thinking about this for some time." "Remember earlier when I said that I would continue to ignore your advice?" Arnie asked Val. "Yes," Val smiled. "Forget I said that, will you?" David laughed and looked at Gwen. He had forgotten that she was there. Now, a sickening feeling began to brew in the pit of his stomach. "Gwen," he said. "Oh," Gwen smiled sheepishly, "I've already overstayed my welcome. Val's agreed to drive me to the airport." "What's the hurry? You're welcome here, you know that." "I know David. And thank you. But it's time for me to go. You're starting a new life here and I'm in the way." "You're not...." David began. Gwen step forward and pressed her lips to his. "Yes, David. I am." She said, turned and hurried to her room to retrieve her things. ************************ It had taken six months -- Adam was placed on probation for driving without a license, Arnie was confirmed as the new CEO of PowerNet with David serving as Chairman of the newly formed Board of Directors -- but every moment had been worth the effort. The house that was built for David's new family was a two-story, six-bedroom, colonial style home; it was small compared to the house they were leaving behind, and had practically none of the amenities of the mansion that the four males had shared at their meeting. None of them seem to care. This was their house, the house that they had decided to build and share together. This was home. Most of the reservation came to house blessing celebration. Arnie, Val, Karen and Billy, as well as David's mom attended the ceremony. David invited them to stay at the house with them, reminding them that the reason he had six bedrooms was so that his family could stay with him whenever they wished. "I think we will be getting back," Betty said hugging David and Adam, each in an arm, "Besides, I think Adam would like to be alone with you the first night in your new home. We'll take Eric and Jody back with us. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a trip to Busch Gardens." Eric and Jody nodded readily and begged, "Please Dad, can we?" "Mom," David said, "You don't have to do that." "I'm not doing it just for you," Betty said, "I'm doing it for my son-in-law also." Adam's eyes grew large. David stopped breathing. Arnie, Val, Billy and Karen fell silent. Jody and Eric fidgeted nervously. "My god," Betty continued, "I'm a little slow but I'm not stupid. Come on boys get your things. Your Dad and Adam need to spend some time alone." ************************ They were giddy as they lay with each other. David wasn't sure if he had ever been more caught up in love. He was panting. It had been the second time that night that Adam and he had made love. David knew it would not be the last even before the song began to play: I never felt like this before I want to feel like this some more How did you do what no one's done Chance were million to one Betcha you can't do that again Move me like you did just then Make me want to spend the rest of my life here in your arms Betcha you can't take away my breath Even with no resistance left See if you can. Betcha can't do that again. Adam laughed out loud and then lowered his lips to David's ear. He kissed David's lobes teasingly and then flicked his tongue in David's ear before whispering, "Betcha I can." David smiled and forced his lover over on to his back. As the next verse began, he sang it to Adam: I'm at the mercy of your touch Never wanted anyone so much But can you do that one more time I'd really love to see you try Betcha you can't do that again Move me like you did just then Make me want to spend the rest of my life here in your arms Betcha you can't take away my breath Even with no resistance left See if you can. Betcha can't do that again. "Betcha I can," Adam whispered between the words of the song. David smiles and sang: See if you can. Betcha can't do that again. Adam's legs wrapped around David's midsection. David sighed deeply as he felt himself entering his partner. He would lose the bet. All the joy and happiness of their meeting filled his heart at that moment. His spirit soared as his heart swam in the warmth of their companionship. From their meeting in the Target store, Adam had mesmerized and amazed David. From their first night together, David could think of no other place that he would rather be than in Adam's arms. Adam had always made him breathless, David knew he was at the mercy of Adam's touch. Yes, Adam was doing it again, but as he felt Adam begin to tremble beneath him David knew he was too. The End ************************************************************************ Send comments to: comments@tomcup.com To support this and other stories by the author, join at http://www.tomcup.com. If you like this story, check out Tom Cup's "Calvin: A Coming of Age Story." Available at Barnes and Nobles Bookstores, Amazon.com, your local independent bookseller, or from Tom Cup.com.