Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:28:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: justinr_88@yahoo.com
Subject: Love is All that Matters part 16

Do not read further if you are not of legal age to do so.
All the usual disclaimers and copyright laws apply. "Love is
All that Matters" is the second volume in the "Doing Hard
Time" saga.


LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS
~ Chapter 16 ~

From the Narrative of Joshua Spencer:

Phoebe rushed over to a stunned Harry and enveloped him in a
hug.

"What's going on?" he asked in confusion, trying to
disentangle himself from her embrace.

She broke off the hug and glared at him through teary eyes.
"You stupid boy! I asked you so many times, and you told me
everything was fine with Dad. You could have told me."

"Oh," Harry said weakly. "Mom told you."

"Of course she told me, you idiot! Why would you keep
something like that from me?"

"I didn't know how - I just can't explain it, okay? Why does
everyone keep bugging me about it?" he said in frustration.
"I was stupid, okay? I thought Dad actually cared for me."
Then he realized that Reid was present and immediately
clammed up.

Fortunately, Reid quickly caught on and was smart enough to
pretend not to have a clue about what was going on. He gave
a puzzled smile and said, "I'll go and tell Marcia that
you're here, Phoebe." Turning back to us he added, "It was
nice meeting you."

Once Reid had retreated into the kitchen, Phoebe said, "Oh,
Harrison. I'm so sorry."

"C'mon, Pheebs, it wasn't your fault," said Harry.

Phoebe shook her head. "I'm your elder sister. I should have
protected you."

Harry looked sadly at her. "You did what you could. It could
have been worse if not for you. I never thanked you."

"You don't have to thank me, Harrison."

At this point Marcia appeared on the scene and hugged her
daughter. "I'm glad you managed to come. Did you bring all
the things?"


Phoebe wiped her tears with the back of her hand and said,
"Yeah, they're all in these couple of bags." She looked
around for them. "I had them with me ."

I held up the one I was holding. "I have this one, and the
other one's with Reid."

"Yes, he gave that one to me. But they were mostly
Harrison's clothes," confirmed Marcia. She took the bag from
me and sifted through its contents. "Yes, this is mine."

Phoebe looked at Harry. "Don't blame me for the selection of
clothes. I chose them blindly while creeping around and
hoping Dad wouldn't get back from the office early. He's
been in such a foul temper lately. And the house is a mess.
I think the maid's decided to go on strike, too."

Marcia commented, "It would serve him right if he had to do
things by himself for once."

"He wants you to return to him before next week's
fundraiser," Phoebe said.

"Did he say anything about Harrison?"

Phoebe looked down. Harry said, "It's alright, Pheebs. I've
always been a disappointment to him, so it probably suits
him perfectly that I'm not there anymore."

"He owes you an apology," Marcia said firmly.

Harry laughed bitterly. "Has Dad ever apologized for
anything?"

Marcia slowly shook her head.

"You know we're always for you," Phoebe said. "Ronald was
quite concerned about both of you too. In fact this is from
both of us." She dug into her handbag and held a wad of cash
out to Harry. He didn't reach out to accept it.

"Harrison, take it. Since you don't want to stay with us, at
least this will cover your expenses."

"Pheebs, I'm getting a job. I can support us."

"Don't be stubborn. You won't get your first paycheck for
another month at least. You'll need some cash in the
meantime."

I interrupted. "I can handle their expenses, at least for
the first month."


Phoebe smiled at me. "I'm sure you can, Josh, but you must
let me do this. They are my mother and brother. Okay?"

I nodded. Harry looked at me and only then accepted the
money with profuse thanks.

"Harrison," Phoebe said warningly, "what did I tell you
earlier about thanking me?"

"Well, at least say thanks to Ronald."

Phoebe nodded and turned to her mother. "Well, Mom, Dad
asked me if I was in contact with you."

Both Harry and Marcia looked alarmed.

"You didn't tell him where we were, did you?"

"Of course not," she said indignantly. "I can barely stand
to look at him now that I know he used to beat Harrison. I
didn't tell him anything. But Dad thinks I should find some
way of reconciling the two of you."

"I have absolutely no intention of reconciling with that
man. You can tell him I will see him in court for divorce
proceedings," Marcia said angrily.

Harry was shocked. "You - you want to divorce Dad? But it's
not that bad!"

Marcia looked at him. "It's not that bad? I can't believe
that I spent 28 years living with a man who abuses his own
son! I can no longer stand next to him at his fundraisers,
smiling and pretending everything's alright."

Harry was even more distressed. "Mom, you can't. I don't
want to be the cause of your break-up."

Marcia grabbed hold of Harry by the shoulders. "You are
certainly not the cause of it; Alistair is. I already called
my attorney to tell her to look into it."

Harry glanced at Phoebe. "Pheebs, at least you can tell Mom
not to go through with this," he pleaded.

She stared at him sympathetically. "Harrison, he really has
brainwashed you properly. Don't you see that we can't just
keep giving in to him all the time? That's what's made him
think he can get away with whatever he does. He shouldn't be
allowed to!"

"Harrison," Marcia said gently. "Alistair has brought this
on himself. I'm not only doing this to seek justice for you
- no, don't protest - but I'm also doing it for myself. It
has been hell living with that man for all these years. The
first few years weren't too bad, and having two wonderful
children was great, but after that . . . the only reason I
stayed with him was for the sake of our children. But now,
with these revelations, I don't think it's fair on me, or
you for that matter, to have to put up with Alistair any
longer. I've thought about it carefully, and come to the
decision that a divorce is the best solution. He won't leave
us alone otherwise."

Harry was quiet for a while after Marcia finished talking.
Then he said, "Are you sure? I'm not going to stop you, but
I still think you're making a mistake." He slowly turned
away and left the room. We all stared at his back.

Phoebe was the first to speak. "Mom, I don't think you're
making a mistake. I mean, a couple of years ago, I might not
have understood why, but now that I have a son of my own . .
. If Ronald ever did anything like that to Alan, God help
him. Not that I think he will. But how could Dad do that to
Harrison? He was just a kid, in high school."

"You know your father, Phoebe. And you know the truth as
well as I do. But I will not lose my son because of that
man." She started to cry and Phoebe hugged her.

Suddenly she looked at me and smiled sadly. "Josh, you must
think we're the strangest family you've ever met."

"Not at all," I quickly assured her. "I think you're both
wonderful, how you're both supporting Harry against the
congressman."

"But it's not fair of us to burden you with all this,"
Marcia said.

"Aunt Marcia, I already told you, you're not burdening me at
all. Reid and I both love having you around. You can stay as
long as you like."

"I'm guessing that for Harrison, it's going to be a
permanent arrangement?" Phoebe smiled slyly.

"I have to honestly say, I don't know," I admitted. I did
want Harry to stay with me, of course, but I didn't know if
he wanted to. A couple of days ago we had agreed on a brief
stay only.

She appeared puzzled. "But he sounded very much in love with
you when I talked with him on the phone. Why would he
leave?"

"I think Josh is worried that Harrison will leave if I do,"
Marcia interjected. "I'm afraid I have always been on the
top of Harrison's priorities and that might not change
anytime soon, but I rather think I have to share that place
with someone else now." She smiled at me.

I wasn't sure what to say.

Marcia patted my hand. "I'll stay as long as necessary, at
least until Harrison is comfortable here. By then I am sure
he won't leave even if I do. Now I must go and finish
cooking dinner. Phoebe dear, thanks for bringing all the
things I asked you to."

"Sure, Mom." Marcia went back into the kitchen and Phoebe
rounded on me.

"So! You love my brother?"

I blinked but nodded without hesitation.

"Take good care of him, Josh. We're counting on you.
Harrison is . . . emotionally fragile. So if you ever hurt
him -" Her voice held the hint of a threat and she looked
hard at me.

I didn't blink. "I know he's fragile. I promise I will look
after him."

She relaxed noticeably. "I'm sure you will. I'm sorry if I
over-reacted, but he is my little brother. I'm used to
protecting him, and I can't believe I failed so miserably.
Anyway, I'm guessing I will be seeing a lot more of you .
and your friend, too - what was his name, Reid?"

"Yeah."

She grinned. "I'm beginning to understand why Harrison might
be tempted to live here permanently. Not one but two good-
looking guys." She giggled. "It almost makes me wish I
wasn't respectably married."

I blushed again. "You wouldn't have any luck. Reid is also
gay."

"Not him too!" she exclaimed in mock horror. Then she
grinned. "I kind of guessed it. But that doesn't mean I
can't notice how damned good-looking he was."

I grinned; I was starting to really like Phoebe. Then her
pager beeped. She hurriedly glanced at it.

"Oh bother, I have to attend this emergency at the
hospital," she said. I showed her out, and was closing the
front door when I remembered the incident outside the cafe,
earlier that day, and what Reid had suggested I do. I
quickly ran out again to catch her before she got into her
car.

"Um, Phoebe? It's just - it might be nothing, but we're a
little worried that your father might, well, be up to
something. I don't suppose you've happened to see anyone who
looks like a private investigator, with a black car, around
your Dad's house?"

She stared at me. "Now that you mention it . . . While I was
upstairs getting these clothes, Dad came home early. I was
trying to creep out the back way when I heard this car drive
up. And when I walked past his home office, I overheard him
talking with a man. I didn't see his face but his car was
parked in the driveway, and it was black. Luckily I parked
round the back so Dad didn't know I was even there."

"Did you overhear anything from the conversation?" I
pressed.

She screwed up her face, trying to remember. "I don't think
so, I wasn't really paying attention - too busy trying to
get out unnoticed. Was it important?"

"Yes, I think so. It appears your Dad has hired this guy to
keep an eye on Harry and we - Reid and I - think he might
try to spoil Harry's job prospects."

"Oh dear - wait a minute! I think I did hear the guy mention
something about a job, at some place, I can't remember
exactly . . . Fern something or rather . . ."

"Fernley and Ashmore?" I prodded.

Phoebe's eyes lit up in recognition. My heart sank.

"Yeah, that was it." Then she looked somber. "You really
think he might do something to ruin the job prospects?"

I was silent and it was her who answered her own question.
"Yes, he would. Oh no, Harry can't take another rejection ."

"Don't worry, now that I know, I will do something about
it," I tried to reassure her. I wasn't quite sure what I
would do, but I knew I had to make sure Harry didn't face
another disappointment.

Unexpectedly she kissed me on the cheek. "If you help
Harrison with this, you are officially a hero in my book. My
brother is lucky to have you for a boyfriend. Okay, I really
need to get to the hospital. Keep me posted, okay?"

I nodded and watched her drive off. Now exactly how was I
going to solve this new problem?



From the Narrative of Harrison Ridgeway IV:

"You were awfully quiet during dinner," I told Josh as we
lay in bed.

"I was thinking," he mumbled absent-mindedly.

"About what?"

"Huh?" I realized he wasn't really paying attention. I
jabbed him in the chest with my elbow.

"Ow!" He rubbed his chest gingerly. "I was just thinking
about your sister."

"What about Pheebs?"

"Why do you call her that?"

I shrugged. "I used to tease her, just to annoy her, but
then the name stuck."

"She really loves you."

"Well, I love her too. If anyone were to ask me the names of
two women I love, I would say my mother and sister."

He grinned. "What about the men that you love?"

"Oh, I don't know - maybe Reid?" I said with wide-eyed
innocence.

"Okay, baby, so you want to play it like that, huh?" He
proceeded to mercilessly tickle me until I was begging him
to stop.

"Let me go! Okay, I'll say it. Just stop!" I said through
tears of laughter.

He ceased the tickling. "I love -" He looked at me
expectantly.

"- Brad Pitt," I finished. He glared at me and grabbed the
pillow to thump me.

I put up my hands to defend myself and yelled, "Okay, I love
you!"

He grabbed hold of both my hands and held them together.
"Say it properly."

"I already did."


"Uh-uh." He rubbed my cock with his free hand. I immediately
sprung a boner. "You're not getting any release until you
say it properly."

I glared at him. "You can't do this," I protested.

"Sure I can. Unless you say it." He squeezed my balls
gently.

"You are so mean -" He looked at me threateningly. "- but I
love you all the same, Joshua Spencer."

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" He kissed me on the
lips, relaxing his hold on my hands. I quickly took
advantage of it and rolled over on top of him. My semi-erect
cock rubbed against his chest.

"Role-reversal, huh?" he grinned. Of course I melted and
smothered his body with wet kisses instead. Halfway down, I
stopped.

"Just now, when Phoebe was here, you said you could handle
the expenses, for at least the first month. But I never said
I was going to be here for a month, let alone more than
one."

He looked at me worriedly. "You don't want to stay longer?"

"Do you want me to?"

"What sort of stupid question is that?" he exploded. "Of
course I want you to stay here! I want to be able to kiss
you goodbye when you leave for office in the morning and
make love to you at night."

Silence followed his outburst. Then he said softly, "I
didn't mean to get angry with you -"

I put my finger on his lips. "Everything you said . . . I
want them too. And I'm not ever going to leave you."

"Not even if your Mom does?" he asked.

"You don't want her here?"

"I love having her here, Harry. And I think Reid has become
particularly fond of her. And she just said she will stay
here as long as necessary."

"She did?"

He nodded. "She told me and Phoebe just now."


"Then it's settled." I settled back comfortable onto the
pillow next to him. "It's your turn tonight."

"My turn?"

"Well, it's nighttime and you said you wanted to do
something with me . . ."

He grinned. "I knew it! The innocent angel is just a
disguise. Underneath you're a horny little devil. But that
doesn't matter because I'm here to fulfill your desires."

And he certainly did that night. It was a lot less painful
this time around, just like he'd said, and I was soon in
orgasmic heaven. It was only as I drifted off to sleep, with
my head on his chest, that I realized how he hadn't really
told me what he'd been thinking about during dinner.

                    To be continued . . .


I don't usually reveal what's coming up in the next chapter,
but I'll make an exception this time. I'm sure Caleb fans
will be pleased to know his character returns in the next
chapter. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and the
story in general, by dropping me an email at
justinr_88@yahoo.com. Thanks for all the feedback so far,
and keep it coming :-)