Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:51:01 -0400
From: chris james <drmeta4@gmail.com>
Subject: Gene, Chapters 11 & 12

   Dear Reader: those of you under the age of 18 are not allowed to read
this adult material.

	I want to thank all of you for your patience. You have allowed the
characters to develop this wonderful relationship in a real and
understanding manner. Although the story is fictional the reality of the
lives portrayed is not. As the old saying goes: Good things come to he who
waits, your wait is almost over. As always, comments welcome.

	drmeta4@gmail.com



				Gene  (M/B)

			   Chapter 11- Interlude

      The pleasant climate of a Marsh County fall gave way at Thanksgiving
to the first bad weather they had encountered all season. Brad and Dean had
joined them for a welcome feast on Thursday's turkey day. But they were
just picking at the carcass two days later when the first snow began to
fall...all of six inches.

      Like most of the south, the storm closed down everything, including
the wrestling meet they were scheduled to attend. Ben had no concerns about
getting around in his 4 X 4 but when schools remained closed it didn't seem
necessary to leave the comfort of their home. The courts were closed as
well. Gene heaved a sigh of relief at having a few extra days off, but he
finished his homework and read on into the next chapter of his history
book.

      The boy's improved work at school earned him praise from all the
teachers. Simon Hanover was pleased enough to call Ben with the good news
that the boy's test scores were up. Something had motivated the boy and he
could only credit Ben's oversight. No one except Brad and Dean knew that
Gene was doing it for love.

      Ben had watched the boy's personality change and smiled at the
confidence he now exuded. A new life, the sense of belonging and a caring
relationship did wonders for the boy's ego. But they had still not done the
much desired deed in bed.

      With the guardianship papers filed, Ben had gone on, taking care of a
few things he wanted the boy to have. The first was a valid passport. More
than an identity card, it might be needed if they decided to travel. The
idea of showing Gene the world was thrilling, an educational experience the
boy really needed to broaden his horizons.

      A medical checkup had confirmed what Ben already knew, Gene was
malnourished. His doctor made some dietary suggestions and gave the boy a
few shots. Other than that he was healthy and Ben was grateful for that
small favor.

      Ben finally found the confidence to e-mail his father about the boy's
presence in his life. Using his best parent psychology, he took a firm
stance.

      "Dear Mom and Dad," he wrote.

      "It is the weekend after Thanksgiving and the snow has covered the
bushes in the front yard. Yes Dad, I'll go broom them off after I finish
this correspondence. It was good to talk with you Thursday before my guests
arrived. Brad Wilson is the wrestling coach at Southeast; we became friends
when I took over the responsibility of becoming Gene Carr's guardian.

      "Yes, you read that right. I am now the guardian for a seventeen year
old young man, a former client and a student at Southeast. Tom made all the
arrangements and thinks the boy is better off with me here in a stable
home.

      "I'm not going to divulge too much of my client's privileged
information here and now, but let's just say his former parent situation
was untenable. His mother signed over her rights and I intend to remain his
guardian until he turns eighteen next month.

      "I know you're going to say that I have no experience raising a
child, but then Gene is far from needing his diapers changed.  I am
learning to enjoy the role of parent as he is a most gifted young
man. Needless to say he will be coming down with me at Christmas and you
can see exactly what I mean for yourselves.

      "There is something very satisfying about watching this boy learn and
develop. He finally has a stable home life, something I always felt secure
in having when I was his age. I consider this another learning experience
in my life and I gratefully accepted the responsibility.

      "Looking forward to the drive south in a few weeks, we'll probably
arrive on the 21st as that is the first day of vacation from school for
Gene. Tom sends his best regards and says to tell you I haven't lost my
mind in all this.

      "All my love and best regards, Ben."

      His father's response was brief:

      "Looking forward to seeing the both of you, Love, Dad."



Chapter 12

      The weeks following Thanksgiving were a flurry of activity for them
both. Gene was hunkered down at school as they began a general review prior
to exams. The courts were swamped yet again and Ben's firm took on another
armload of cases, more gang activity, more shoplifting...more nonsense.

      He assigned away whatever he could and hired a well needed para-legal
to follow the cases. But the most gratifying piece of paper that passed
across his desk was the notice of dismissal for Gene's case.

      They bought Gene a suit to take south as Ben knew full well that his
parents would take them out to dinner on several occasions. And then there
was the matter of the bathing suit. It seems that California style board
shorts were the 'in thing' and it took several trips to various places
before they even found them. They were baggy and saggy, and unfortunately
they hid some of Gene's finest attributes, but he loved them.

      Final exam week rolled around and Gene was beginning to look a little
ragged around the edges from staying up late at the books. Three days of
hell as Ben remembered them, but then came the payoff. Gene was bursting
with pride when he slid that yellow report card under Ben's nose and waited
in silence. Two A's, two B's and a lone C.

      Ben gave the boy a hug. "This calls for a celebration, you're
amazing."

      "No wine...please," Gene replied. They both laughed and then the boy
gave him a little smile. "I did it for you, Ben...when are we...?"

      The thought left unsaid as usual. Ben knew that the boy wanted to
take that final step. The thought had been implied on several occasions and
yet...he asked Gene to take a seat at the kitchen table.

      "I can't sweetie..."Ben replied. "It's not that you aren't ready or
that you don't deserve to have what you want...Its me, I just can't."

      "You would if the law said we could...if I was eighteen, right? My
birthday is in four days."

      "Yes, that's no longer an issue. But Gene, it's more than that too."

      Ben swore to himself that he'd never discuss this with the boy, but
he had to. It wasn't fair for him to have this hidden agenda between them.

      "I'm worried Gene," he began. "I am concerned that the things Dean
finds so easy to accept have influenced you in all this. I know that you
love me; it's just that I don't want it to be for all the wrong reasons."

      The boy looked puzzled, he wasn't explaining it the right way.

      "Dean is gay, he accepts that and I'm not sure you can right now. I
wonder if you see us having intercourse as just a small price to pay for
being in my life...and that would be the wrong reason for me to involve you
in something like that."

      "You think I want to do it just to pay you back?" Gene said.

      "Yes, that's part of it. You've been through so much, sweetie. I
can't feel that I'm taking advantage of you. The things we do now are over
the line but...but I feel like I have to give you something...you demand
it."

      "You feel guilty...but why? I want to do these things with you."

      "I know...it's just that, well, if we're in a relationship then you
need to accept the fact that you're gay too."

      "Is that all? Then I'm gay...does that make it better?"

      "It's more than a word, Gene. Even straight boys will have gay sex if
all it means is enjoying the pleasure of the moment. Damn, how do I explain
this? Being gay just for me is different than you feeling and understanding
that you are gay deep inside.

      "Being gay is about knowing that you want to be a part of a loving
relationship with only men, that you can't get the same feelings with a
woman. It's not just about sex; it's about living in the company of men. A
part of me isn't sure you really know what you're getting into when you say
that you're gay."

      Gene stared at him and Ben could see the boy was thinking hard,
trying to define his feelings. There could only be one right answer and he
knew it.

      "I guess I understand," Gene said. "I never really thought about this
before. I suppose that watching Dean and Brad together made me want
something like that too. It's just that I never been with a girl so how do
I know? I wanted to try it but something always stopped me, something just
didn't seem right about it."

      "Didn't you think that having a girlfriend would be wonderful? Wasn't
having something with a girl a part of your fantasy. Uh, part of your
thinking when you masturbated?" Ben asked.

      "Yeah...sometimes, I tried to think of having sex with a girl, even
when Dean and I were doing things."

      "And when you were on top of Dean, when you were having anal
intercourse, were you pretending it was a girl underneath you?"

      "No, it was Dean, it was real...and I loved it."

      "Didn't you feel that it was just doing something sexual with him as
practice for having the same experience with a girl?"

      "I thought about having sex with a girl, yeah. All the guys at school
kept talking about how great it was...but I kept thinking about Dean." Gene
smiled a bit. "It was kinda like having sex with me, ya know? Our bodies
were almost the same...but I wouldn't let him fuck me back."

      "But you wanted him to, you wanted to know what it felt like?" Ben
asked.

      "Yeah, I dreamed about him doing it...I jerked off thinking about it,
but it scared me too. Does that make me gay?"

      "Maybe, it helps me understand what you feel about sex with guys,"
Ben said. "And you never got the same dreams about having sex with girls?
You never masturbated to thoughts about girls or looked at naked girlie
magazines?"

      "Dean and I looked at some magazine pictures a couple of times, but
he didn't like them showing all those boobs and stuff. I looked too but
then he was naked and right there, thats what I looked at."

      Ben smiled. "And what do you think when you look at me, sweetie?"

      Gene grinned. "You're one sexy dude...you have an awesome body."

      That was enough. Ben knew that the incestuous brother to brother
relationship might drive a shrink up the wall with concern, but he didn't
feel that way. If both boys were gay, and considering the situation they
had been forced to endure, there had been nothing amiss in what they had
done together.

      It had been a time of self discovery, a sharing with the only partner
that could possibly understand what they felt. Dean had been bolder; in
time he had come out and accepted his gay feelings. Gene was less sure of
himself, unable to make that decision when his surroundings had been so
oppressive.

      But nothing the boy had said could defer Ben's conclusion, Gene was
gay too. He had never had the chance to openly feel and discuss those
feelings...until now. It was enough that he was in a relationship, secure
in the warmth of loving another man and focused on their future together.

      Ben's thoughts were interrupted by Gene's look.

      "Umm, you're thinking again," the boy said.


      "Yeah, I know. I've heard enough to think that you're really
gay...just based on the facts. Having sex with me is legal in a few days;
still I see one other problem. The age of consent might be eighteen here
but then there is the matter of our age difference, I'm almost twice your
age."

      "Well that doesn't mean anything," Gene said. "I'm old enough to
choose who I want to love, age doesn't matter."

      Ok, he had tried his best; there would be no diverting the boy from
his intended course. Four days remained and it would be legal. Oh Lord, and
they would be in Florida with his parents on Gene's birthday.

      Ben finished up his work week and they packed for the drive
south. Gene tried not to show the nervousness he felt about meeting Ben's
parents, it was there just beneath the surface. But the plans had been
made; there was no backing out now.

      The drive south was fun. Placing Gene in charge of their musical
entertainment, Ben focused on keeping the Vette close to the speed
limit. It was Christmas and the state police were out having their usual
holiday fund drive for the state coffers. Speeders seemed to line the
highway while dozens of tickets were handed out.

      The trip always took him the same amount of time, barring major road
construction. Sometime into their third tank of gas and twelve hours after
they left home, Ben pulled into his parent's driveway.

      Gene had been in awe of the changing landscape as they traveled
southwards, but he was thunderstruck at the posh country club estates where
Ben's parents had come to roost.

      "My Dad's a golfer," was Ben's only explanation.

      The pink stucco walls of the house topped in red clay tiles seemed
like any of the other hundred or so residences that surrounded the
artificial lake, but this one was just off the third green of the golf
course. Of course no one was out today, it was not unusual but rain seemed
to have settled in over Florida's east coast.

      Ben dragged Gene through the front gate and up the walkway, running
to avoid getting too wet. He could see the grill already up and running on
the side porch and hoped his dad was planning some nice juicy steaks for
dinner.

      His mother must have seen them coming because the front door was open
and she stood inside with a towel for the each of them.

      "Take your shoes off please," she commanded. "Maria just did the
floors this morning."

      Once their shoes were off she gave Ben a hug and then turned her
smiling face to Gene.

      "You must be Gene...I'm so glad to meet you." And with that she
hugged the boy as well.

      Gene grinned, a bit of his nervousness slipping away in the warmth of
that greeting. Ben smiled knowing his mother always managed to put people
at their ease.  She took Gene's light jacket and hung it in the hall
closet, while Ben took care of his own.

      She led them both into the kitchen, managing to hold on to Gene's arm
the whole time. The boy followed her lead, and took a seat at the table.

      "Your father is out on the porch firing up the grill...you boys made
good time, dinner will be ready soon," she said. Then her eyes went back to
Gene and she sat down beside him. "So what do you think of Florida? A bit
wet today I am afraid."

      Ben knew he should go find his father since mom had the boy firmly in
hand. She would have her way and there was nothing he could do to deter her
inquisitive mind. He could see his father on the porch through the patio
windows and so he went that way.

      "Ben...good to see you, how was the drive?" His father yelled from
across the porch. "Got the grill going and some fine steaks in the fridge,
hope you brought your appetite."

      Ben walked over and gave his father a hug. There had been a time when
his father seemed too austere for such a sign of affection, but those walls
had finally come down.

      "It was an easy drive, even the weather didn't slow us down," Ben
said.

      Eye to eye now, his father opened the dialogue. "And how is the boy
doing?"

      "Very well I believe. I managed to get his case dismissed by having
the complaint withdrawn. His grades are up and even his teachers have
noticed the difference. You aren't going to interrogate him are you?" Ben
asked.

      His father looked up through the window and chuckled. "No, I imagine
your mother is doing a fine job of that right now. Tom called me, I'm sure
you knew he would after you sprang this on him."

      "Yes, I'm sure he did. He seemed to like Gene right off the bat."

      "Tom's an old softie, that's why I always had to do the ass kicking
in the firm. Yes, he likes the boy, says he will go far with your
guidance...I imagine he will too. How did this come about Ben...what
possessed you to take on this responsibility?"

      "You see a need and you meet it...you always told me that, Dad. Gene
had extraordinary needs when we first met. I knew the state would botch the
whole thing; they usually do in such cases. In fact I discovered that they
already had when Gene was younger, I couldn't allow that to happen again."

      "The white knight syndrome...I understand," Ben's father
said. "Sometimes even a single caring person can make a difference to these
kids."

      "Exactly, and I would be a poor leader in my business if I didn't
know that I could do something and change Gene's life forever. Look at him,
the doctor says he's at least at thirty pounds underweight. His mother was
starving him to feed her addictions, its criminal."

      "And what of her position now?"

      "I'm his guardian and she's still collecting his welfare checks, it's
only a matter of time before the state catches on. I imagine Tom might say
something in someone's ear before too long, I know how you guys work behind
the scenes. I never want to see her again...and neither does Gene."

      "Gene has no family ties?"

      "He has a twin brother and they are really tight. They both endured
that woman before the brother managed his own way out two years ago. But
Gene is beginning to blossom and that's gratitude enough for me."

      His father gave him a knowing look. "I pretty much figured this out
for myself you know. I'm sorry we never gave you any brothers or sisters,
but Mary's medical condition wouldn't allow it. I suppose we might have
adopted but then I was too busy to see that you might have some needs I
wasn't meeting. I'm sorry, Ben. I suppose you've found your own way in all
of this...but I'm proud of you for doing it."

      And with that his father gave Ben another hug, one of real affection.

      "Thanks Dad...coming from you that means a lot."

      "I still think you would have made a fine lawyer, but now I
understand that your calling is higher than that. I'm sure the house is big
enough but you be careful, don't try to take them all in."

      "I won't," Ben laughed, "Just this one, he's special."

      "Then we better go rescue the boy before she puts him to work," Ben's
father said.

      Too late, Gene was already wearing an apron and slicing salad
vegetables. He gave Ben a grin when they walked through the kitchen door.

      "Dad, this is Gene...Gene, my father." Ben said.

      "Good to finally meet you, son...welcome to the family."

      It was those words that made Gene lose his smile. Tears formed in his
eyes and Ben could see the boy was on the verge of crying. Ignoring his
parents, Ben put his arms around Gene and whispered in his ear.

      "You don't have to cry, it's good to be loved."

      Gene sniffed and the moment passed. Ben released the boy and saw his
mother watching him, a knowing smile on her face. After a moment, Gene
straightened himself out and looked at Ben's father.

      "Thank you," he said, and that was it. His place in this world
reassured, Gene once again became the happy boy Ben knew and loved.

      "Gene tells me his birthday is tomorrow," Ben's mother said. "Thanks
for the warning."

      "Um, I dont want you to worry about it," Gene said.

      "I'm sorry, Mom...I forgot," Ben said. "There's been just so much
going on..."

      "Nonsense," his mother replied. "We'll just have to bake a cake
tomorrow. I imagine Gene won't mind if he has to wait a few days to open
presents, will you dear?"

      "No ma'am," Gene grinned.

      "You're learning fast," Ben laughed. "Mom always wins."

      The cake was special and his parents made Gene feel genuinely happy
on his birthday. Becoming an adult was an important change of life
experience and yet Ben knew he would always see Gene as the boy in his
life. The moment had arrived and yet Gene didn't question when it would
happen for them. Ben could only smile, knowing what lay ahead.

      It was astounding to watch his father and Gene get along. They
watched football games side by side and made sandwiches together in the
evening. These were things Ben had done with his father while growing up,
comforting things...the things that made a family whole.

      His mother stood by watching Ben and Gene together, thinking and
giving her approval of their relationship. She had given them a guest room
to share, twin beds and their own bathroom. This allowed them to share
crowded nights together, messing up the second bed only for looks. But
under this roof neither of them felt comfortable indulging in any sexual
activity, much less the big one.

      Christmas arrived and there were presents under the tree for Gene. A
few from Santa, others from his parents, and a couple from Ben. It was like
having a small child in the house that morning, a welcome addition long
missed. And when every package had been opened, and every scrap of paper
picked up, Gene sat amidst his treasures with a grin that wouldn't go
away. That was when Ben decided it was time.

      "Gene...I have one more present for you," he said.

      "Oh Ben, this is all too much...what is it?" Gene asked.

      Ben handed the boy an envelope and watched as he opened it. His
parents had long since forgotten their morning routine and gathered to see
what was in the envelope. Gene pulled out two slips of paper.

      "What are these?" he asked.

      "Airplane tickets...I'm taking you to Aruba."

      Gene looked at him, the puzzled look once again.

      "Aruba....what's that?"

      It was Ben's mother who supplied the answer.

      "The finest beaches in the world, that's what, you lucky boy. Frank
and I went there last year, it's a blast."

      "Well I figured it might not stop raining here anytime soon, so five
days on a beach in the Caribbean might be just the thing. At least you'll
have a tan when you go back to school."

      Gene leapt in his arms, nearly knocking Ben to the floor. He was
almost afraid the boy was going to give him one of those long passionate
kisses he'd been dying for all morning; instead he got a passionate hug.

      "Wow...this is awesome...I've never been on a plane before." And then
he stopped, looking up at Ben's parents. "But...but we came here to see Mom
and Dad."

      It had happened quite naturally on his birthday. Gene had asked Ben's
mother what she wanted to be called now that he was family. She had been
most pleased when he asked but decided that grandmother was a bit much, so
they had settled on Mom and Dad instead. Gene was like another son to her
and Ben decided that was just fine.

      "We want you to have a good vacation, Gene," Ben's mother
said. "We're going to come visit you up north real soon. So you go to Aruba
and have some fun, maybe next year we can all go together, OK?"

      "Really? That would be awesome," Gene said. Looking at the tickets he
asked, "When do we go?"

      "Tomorrow, that way we'll be back to have New Year's with Mom and
Dad."

      "Sweet, that would be the best one ever," Gene laughed.

      Ben couldn't say how he felt right then, but his love for the boy had
reached a new plateau. This thing they had, this sense of family was all he
had ever wanted to share with someone. But he couldn't kid himself, someday
Gene would be grown...independent, and maybe then he would go out on his
own.

      That meant living for the moment and not being selfish. He had to
prepare Gene for the big bad world out there. Fostering dependence just to
keep him close was out of the question. But if he stayed...if he
stayed...then he would give the boy the moon if he asked for it.