Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 21:35:28 +0100
From: Adrie van Dijk <ganymedes62@hotmail.com>
Subject: Lashes of Love Chapter 5

The following story is in part fictional. It describes the relationship
between a man and a teenage boy. Sex will only play a minor part in the
story.

The story is copyrighted, but free distribution in any form is allowed, as
long as no changes are made.

All the usual disclaimers apply.

My thanks to those of you who have taken the time to e-mail me. Your often
kind words add to my inspiration.

Lashes of love

Chapter 5. Routines and questions.

The days were growing shorter and temperature had gone down considerably.
Fall holidays had come and gone and now the Christmas season was almost
upon us. Ramadan had also started and that meant I didn't see Nafut as
often or as long as I normally would. There were still the afternoon
visits, but those were short and the evening visits were suspended
altogether. He didn't seem to suffer too much, but I did make sure that
anything eatable was out of sight, whenever he was at the apartment.

Two days before the end of Ramadam Nafut came by and I immediately knew
there was something on his mind.

"You know Willem, that after Ramadan we have a celebration called Eid al-
Fitr, don't you?"

"Yes, I've heard of it. It's not a big secret is it?"  I tried to break the
tension.

"Well, my father told me to ask you if you would like to come and join us.
You would have to dress up a bit and such, but there will be plenty to
eat."

Now this was a surprise I hadn't counted on. "Would you like me to come?"

The beaming smile I got was all the answer I needed. It would be my first
Eid al-Fitr.

When I got there, I found the house packed. Halil was there too, so I got
to meet his parents and smaller sisters. It was the first time I had been
in the living room as previous visits had always been restricted to Nafut's
room and the toilet. I think Nafut's mother thought I had been fasting too
as she pushed me to try each and every dish that was served. By the end of
the evening I had eaten so much that I barely managed to waddle back to my
apartment.

Later, during the Christmas holidays Nafut came over almost every day. I
bought a racing wheel and he became quite adept at playing some of the more
popular racing games. It amazed me how he could always make me smile and I
loved the wonderful feelings his mere presence provided me.

Then January came around, and Nafut's birthday. I knew I couldn't let the
opportunity pass and had to come up with an acceptable present. I would
have gotten him a whole new system, but in the end decided that a racing
wheel, just like the one I had, would be better. When he came over the day
before his birthday I handed him the wrapped box.

"Happy 15th birthday, Nafut. I expect you'll be spending tomorrow with your
family and friends, so I'll just give you your present now. You may not
open it until tomorrow, though! Promise?"

He blushed, smiled and then thanked me, and made the promise.

A few minutes after midnight, my phone rang.

"I could see the lights on, so I knew you were still up. Thank you very
much for the present, it's wonderful. I'm not allowed on the computer now,
but I'll connect it first thing in the morning. Thank you and I'm sorry for
calling this late. Goodnight Willem!"

He had hung up before I could get a word in. He had kept his promise, only
opening his present after midnight. I just smiled and loved him for it.

A few weeks later the bell rang on a Wednesday evening. When I had opened
the door I was surprised to find Nafut coming up the stairs with his book
bag.

"Would you mind going over some homework with me, Willem? There's a new
subject in economics class that I don't get and I also have an English test
coming up."

"Sure, no problem, but aren't you supposed to be at soccer practice?"

"No, I quit the team."

"Care to tell me why?" I asked, as we sat down on our usual places on the
couch.

"I just don't feel like playing anymore, the other boys are all acting
stupid."

I couldn't believe it. I knew full well that Nafut loved soccer and now
here he was telling me that he had quit the team. When I tried to probe
into the matter further it quickly became clear to me that he wasn't about
to give out any further details. His seemingly sudden decision bothered me,
but I just dropped the subject. There was homework to be done and my lovely
Nafut needed my help.  So that's what I did, and thought no more of it.

A few weeks later the phone rang, and I picked it up.

"Are you at home Willem?" Nafut's voice greeted me.

"No, this is Willem's evil twin speaking. Willem has gone out to visit his
parents. He will than visit a bar, drink himself into a stupor, and come
home all drunk and useless."

There was a silence, followed by an all too familiar chuckle.

"OK, my uncle is here and would like to talk to you, could we come over
now?"

"Sure and remember that when you ask stupid questions you get stupid
answers."

"We'll be over shortly."

A few minutes later Nafut came in with Gorzan, Halil's father, and I
wondered what this unexpected visit was all about.

It turned out that Gorzan was planning to surprise Halil on his birthday by
giving him a new computer. Nafut had then taken it upon himself to convince
him that giving me the job could be mutually beneficial. After thirty
minutes of talking I had a new customer. We agreed that I would build the
PC and pre- install everything that was needed, including some of Halil's
favourite games. I would deliver and set up everything on the evening
before the actual birthday.

When I had gotten all the parts I needed, I called Nafut and he agreed to
help me build and do some of the installing. After we had finished, I
stopped Nafut as he was about to leave.

"Wait a minute! You've done some work here that that I'm getting paid for!
I don't think that's very fair, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I think it would be only fair if I would pay you for the work you've
done, don't you agree?"

He just blushed and smiled, then stammered I was overpaying him, when I
handed him 25 Euro.

"Go on, take it, it's only half of what your uncle is paying me for putting
the system together. Just promise me you won't tell anyone, or they'll all
want to come work for me."

His big familiar grin appeared and with a nod and chuckle he left.

The scheme worked as Halil almost went berserk when I brought over and set
up HIS new computer. When I left to go back to my apartment I knew I had
gained a few friends.

Nafut, from then on, regularly helped me out and it was great to see how
quickly he picked up on certain things. Writing HTML was still a mystery to
him, but he got quite proficient in creating website graphics.

The day before I turned 39 Nafut came by and gave me, what I still consider
to be the best birthday present I ever had, a bouquet of flowers. I had a
hard time to keep from crying, but broke down just after he had left. I sat
on the couch, watching the flowers in a vase on the table, and cried,
feeling all happy and warm inside.

In less then a year so much had happened. When would I ever be able to make
love to him, the way I wanted to?  I was happy with the friendship we had
forged, but I was also a man of flesh and blood. Would I be able to tell
him I loved him? His face appeared in my mind, his perfect lips, his nose,
those wonderful dark eyes with these incredible lashes.

I couldn't read the future.  I could only let it happen.