Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 19:20:16 -0500
From: kenlou16 <kenlou16@yahoo.com>
Subject: Nudist Camp Vacation - Chapter 19

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The usual stuff applies.  This story is Copyright 2005, by the author
represented by the email address, kenlou16@yahoo.com.  Please don't read it
if it isn't legal for you to do so.  (I have to say that.  I know I can't
stop you from reading it.)  Also, if you don't like reading about gay
stuff, then what on Earth are you doing reading this?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dedication:

There is one person in particular who has written to me and touched my
heart.  In his youth, he suffered from abuse much like Stevey did.  It is
to Rick that I dedicate this story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Live simply, love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.  Leave the rest
to God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FROM THE END OF CHAPTER 18:

As I arrived at my office, Lucy greeted me with an odd smile.  "Hi, Alan!
Nice of you to show up today!  Did you forget to tell me your schedule,
again?"

"Uh, I guess I did.  I had a doctor's appointment at nine then a meeting
with DPS and the FBI at DPS Headquarters.  Then I had lunch with a new
friend."

"Okay . . . .  I need to know BEFORE hand in order to plan your calendar!"
she said coldly.  "Maybe next time you'll let me in on your secrets?"

"I'm sorry, Lucy.  As usual, I'll try to remember."  I know I should have
told her my schedule, and I usually do, but this has been a very strange
time in my life.  I walked to my office door, which was closed.  I was
about to ask Lucy why it was closed when I opened it and the strong scent
of roses almost knocked me over.  There were red roses on every horizontal
surface everywhere in my office!

I was standing there with my mouth hanging open, when I felt a small hand
on my back push me the rest of the way through the door.  As I stood there,
stunned, I heard the door close and the lock click.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nudist Camp Vacation
CHAPTER 19

My office was a riot of red roses!  There were vases and arrangements of
red roses, everywhere!  They were on the coffee table, the side tables, the
sofa table, all over my desk, and even in the chairs!  I even noticed that
the floor was peppered with red rose petals!  The smell was romantically
intoxicating.  One thought occurred to me: When I had given him one, Tim
had said that a red rose signified the romantic love of another.  If one
meant love, then this was infinitely greater!

I stood there, taking it all in, trying to control my emotions as it sank
into my hard head, when I caught two eyes peeking at me over the mass of
roses on my desk.  Immediately, I recognized the sun bleached light brown
wavy hair, the thin, straight eyebrows, and those dark brown eyes as Tim's!
I was captivated.  All I could do was to stare at him.  I think my mouth
was hanging open, too.

Slowly, with fluid, cat-like movements, he slinked around my desk.  As his
full face came into view, I saw a maelstrom of emotions: anxiety, hope,
sorrow, longing, fear, and . . . love!

As he approached me, I finally noticed that he was carrying a single red
rose, and all he was wearing was an expression that made me feel that I'd
better pay attention!  My breath caught, just as it had the first time I
saw him.  I allowed my eyes to drink in the full length of his tanned
physical excellence.  My head became light, as I gasped for breath and my
heart began to pound.

He stopped and stood silently about three feet in front of me with his left
hand at his side and his right hand holding the rose just touching his
lips.  While his mouth was seducing me, his eyes told me he was afraid.  I
was intoxicated and paralyzed as I took a long mental picture of his
visage.  It was a scene that many would envy, and it was being presented to
me, a mere mortal!  I know we had already committed to one another, but
this seemed to be Tim's recommitment to me.  It was what my heart yearned
for.

I stepped slowly to him, moving my hands carefully to his face.  Cradling
his head, I glided to close the distance between us.  When my lips met his,
I slowly brushed his mouth with mine, increasing the pressure slightly,
tenderly, until I pressed a kiss into his pursing lips.  Carefully, my
tongue touched his lips and gently parted them.  Ever so slowly and
carefully, I searched for his tongue with mine, and I felt his hands and
arms encircle my waist.

I was in no hurry to increase the passion of my kiss.  I was intoxicated,
not only by the roses, but by the sight of him, his touch, his scent, and
the moment.  Instinctively, I felt that this would be the redefining of our
love for one another.

Time seemed to stop.  I reveled in the tenderness of our kiss.  I could
feel his breath on my face and the softness of his hair on my fingertips.
I realized that the depth and speed of our breathing was increasing.

I became aware that his hands had moved to my coat.  He was trying to push
it off of me.  Reluctantly, I released his face, but not the lock I had on
his embrace.  I dropped my arms and allowed my coat to fall to the floor.
He gracefully removed my tie and began to unbutton my shirt.

I became anxious to be as exposed to him as he was to me, so I removed my
cufflinks and discarded them on the floor as well.  As I did so, he pushed
my shirt from my shoulders and I let it drop from my arms.  Tim unbuckled
my belt, loosened the waist of my pants, and unzipped them in one fluid
movement.  I kicked off my shoes and stepped out of my slacks.

It was with agony that we broke our kiss.  I groaned at the feeling of loss
my lips felt.  Immediately, with his first swift movement, he grabbed my
jockeys and ripped them to my ankles.  Then he grasped my socks, one at a
time and pulled them off my feet as I lifted each from the floor.

He stepped back, away from me, and I took a step toward him in confusion.
He kept the distance by stepping further back.  Then I realized that he was
taking a long look at me, as I had done him.  I stood, allowing him to
satiate his hunger.  When his eyes returned to mine, they reflected his
lust.  I looked down and discovered both our batons conducting a symphony
to our heavily beating hearts.

Without warning, we both took a step toward one another and quickly closed
the chasm between us.  As he moved into me, I was reminded of our first
encounter in the motor home, when he had fallen against me.  I almost lost
myself in the memory as he pressed himself against me as he had that day,
but this time he added a desperate kiss.

I felt his writhing body becoming rigid.  He was quickly getting close, so
I pulled my lower body away from him to stop his stimulation.  He groaned.
Reluctantly, I broke our kiss and slowly licked and kissed down the firm
flesh of his neck, shoulders, pecs and nipples (giving them both ample
attention), then down his cut abs, cleaning his bellybutton.  When I got to
his outdoor plumbing, I avoided his dick and went straight to his `nads.  I
sucked briefly on each, swirling one, then the other in my mouth with my
tongue.

By this time, he was moaning loudly.  I was growing self-conscious about
Lucy hearing us, so I gulped down his steely tool.  This had the opposite
of the intended effect.  He nearly screamed!  I reached around his firm ass
with one hand and pressed firmly on his perineum with two finders of the
other.  Simultaneously, I massaged his spongy helmet with my larynx and he
immediately blew his load down my throat!  He involuntarily bucked at my
face, thrusting himself further into my throat.  I would have moaned
myself, if his exploding cock hadn't been expanding my windpipe.

I was trying to hold back my own excitement, but I realized my pecker was
dripping onto my thigh like a leaky faucet.  Tim dropped to his knees and
pushed me back.  Since I was kneeling, I fell backward onto my haunches,
and then to my back on the floor.  He quickly fell between my legs,
gobbling my stony hardness into his mouth.  Slowing his pace, he
deliberately impaled his throat with my erection, not stopping until his
nose was pressing into my belly.  He held me there and, whether or not
intentionally, he flexed his throat muscles, as if to swallow.  I was on
the brink as it was, but this sudden sensation put me over the edge!
Without warning, I convulsed and exploded directly down his throat.  I held
his shoulders in my hands as I bucked like a wild stallion!  I couldn't
help myself!  I don't think I've ever experienced an orgasm so all
consuming!  I have no idea if I made any noise, but I wouldn't be surprised
if I'd alerted the media!

If I hadn't already been flat on my back, I would have collapsed, but Tim
did just that, on top of me.  If I hadn't just had such an electrifying
orgasm, I would have become hard again!  I wrapped my arms around him
tightly and held him as if he were trying to get away.  He rested his head
on my chest.  We stayed in that position until well after our breathing
returned to normal.

We had yet to speak a single word.  Our only communication had been
eloquent in our moans, groans, whimpers, and airy screams.  When I began
stroking his hair, he looked up into my eyes.  I'd been thinking about how
miserable I had been without him, and my eyes were wet.  He moved up, even
with my face, and tenderly wiped my temples dry with his thumbs.  Then he
pressed his mouth into mine for yet another of his patented kisses.

Finally, he whispered, "Alan, please forgive me."

"I will, if you forgive me, too."

"Forgive you?  Why?"

"I should never have let you leave.  I never want to force you to do
anything you don't want to do, but I was wrong to let you go."

"I shouldn't have left.  I know that, now."

I stroked his silken hair as I gently whispered, "You left without saying
anything.  You didn't tell me what was wrong."

His eyes clouded.  "I'm sorry.  I just got to thinking about Stevey and
imagining him dead or at least in some terrible situation somewhere.  I
felt really guilty that I was so incredibly happy and he could've been
. . ."  He swallowed hard.  "I just couldn't stand it. . . .  And then
. . .  And then, you saved him!"

His eyes were dripping tears.  It was Frank and his friends that saved the
boys, but I'd explain that later.  It was my turn to console him.

"Tim, I love you more than my own life.  Of course, I forgive you.  Just
promise me one thing?"

He breathed, "Anything."

"Don't ever do that again.  If something's bothering you, talk to me about
it.  That's the way it's supposed to work.  We talk about things."

"I promise!  I promise now and forever.  I love you so much I can't exist
without you!"

He started crying, again.  As I wiped his tears from his cheeks, I
whispered, "Okay, stop that.  It's over.  I'm never letting you go, again.
At least, not without a fight."  I smiled into his face as he smiled into
mine.  He dropped his face, resting his cheek wearily on my chest and
sighed.

I hugged him tightly and he hugged me back.  We lay there on the deep
carpet of my office for a very long time.  I didn't want the moment to end,
and I don't think he did, either.

Suddenly, I heard his stomach growl.  Loudly.  For some reason, I found
that amusing, so I chuckled.  I felt Tim's body begin to convulse,
slightly, then he began giggling.  Then my stomach growled.  We both
laughed.

 "Must be because we had so much protein on an empty stomach!"

He actually laughed at my attempt at a joke.  "I'm starving!"

"I think we need to continue, elsewhere."

"No, not that!  Well, yeah, there's that, and I could do with a lot more of
it, but I haven't eaten much of anything since Saturday morning.  I could
eat a horse!"

That's when he reached down and grabbed my reawakening pecker.  He slid
down and took it back into his throat in a single move.  I gasped and
moaned!  Slowly, he released it, licking the new juices from it as he did.
He licked it slowly like a lollipop.  The roughness of his tongue sent me
into overdrive.  I sucked in a quick breath and sat up in a convulsive
movement.

"Tim!  That's not a horse!" I whispered.

"Mmm?" he mumbled as he continued to lick.

"Tim!" I said more loudly.  "If you don't stop right now, I'll come again!"

He looked up at me, in deep thought.  I thought he'd finally let me get up
and get dressed, but instead, he grabbed my scrotum around the base and
jammed my cock back down his throat.  His aggressive movement sent me
soaring!  He firmly massaged my perineum, stimulating my prostate, so that
I didn't have the ability to object.  Just a few strokes were all it took.
I thought my last orgasm was intense, but this one made me feel as if every
nerve in my body exploded!  I felt like I was containing an atomic blast!

When I finally settled to earth from my trip to the stars, I heard
something brush the outside of the office door.  Someone must have been
listening!

When Tim finally released my tortured member, he was chuckling.  "Like
that, didja?"

It was a minute or two before I could catch my breath.  When I finally
recovered enough to speak, I slurred, "Y'know, paybacks're Hell!"

He laughed!  No respect, that boy!  But when he laid all of his weight on
top of me and smashed my mouth with a deeply passionate kiss, I quickly
forgave him.  I could taste myself on his tongue.  My hunger for his touch
and need for his closeness were insatiable.  It was only a few minutes
before I realized that I had yet another erection.  That damn thing doesn't
know when it's got it good!

Tim noticed, too.  He pressed his groin into my hardness and chuckled.
"So, it feels like you're ready for more!"

In spite of being incredibly turned on, I was sore and not ready for any
further action.  At least not for a short while, anyway!

"Tim, you are unbelievable," I whispered as I stroked his hair with my
fingers and brushed his cheeks with my thumbs.

He chuckled, seductively.  "I think you rattled the windows."

I think I lost the color in my face.  "Did I make a lot of noise?"  I
looked toward the door.

This time he laughed!  "Yeah, you could say that."

"Oh, God," I groaned.  "Lucy might have heard!"

He chuckled again!  I'm glad he finds this amusing!  NOT!

"Yeah, and Stevey, too!"

"Stevey?  Is Stevey here?"

This time he only smiled at me.  "Yeah.  Who do you think helped me with
all this?  Who do you think pushed you through the door?"

"Stevey?"

"Yeah. . . .  Lucy helped, too.  Y'know, she really loves you."

"LOVES me?"

"Like a boss, or maybe like a brother.  But she's definitely protective
where you're concerned.  It took some doing, but when she found out what I
was up to, she really pitched in to help!"

>From my position on my back on the floor, I looked up at the flowers
around the room.  "Where on earth did you get all these roses?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed.  "Let's just say that if anyone within a
hundred miles wants to buy a red rose, they'll be SOL.  Dad's truck has a
shell, so I borrowed it, and Stevey and I drove all over the county to ever
florist I could find.  We bought every red rose there was, but it still
wasn't enough.  When I got here and we brought them in, Lucy saw that I was
disappointed.  I wanted to you to be impressed, but I didn't think it was
enough.  Lucy told me some guy named Carl had called here about
seven-thirty thinking you might be here.  She said he mentioned that you
probably wouldn't be in `til after lunch.  She said you had a doctor's
appointment and a meeting, then he was gonna take you to lunch.  She called
some numbers and had the rest of these roses delivered.  I don't know where
she found them all!  I'm gonna be paying for this for a long time, but the
look on your face was worth every bit of it!  I don't know what I'd have
done if you didn't like it."

He frowned and brushed the hair from my forehead.  I swallowed hard.  Tim's
determination and apparent devotion were more than I felt I deserved.

I whispered through the lump in my throat, "I know what you wanted to say
with the roses.  I don't know what I've done to be so blessed."

I pulled his face down to mine and again smothered him with kisses.  When
we finally had to come up for air, I sighed.  We shared a deep look into
each other's eyes.

I swallowed, hard.  "We'd better get up and get back to the living."

His expression changed to disappointment, but he nodded.  As nice as it
would have been, we couldn't stay there any longer.  Tim raised himself off
of me and I slowly climbed to my feet.  I couldn't help sharing one more
naked kiss.  He smelled intoxicating, like sex.  I finally released him and
I reached for my clothes.  He was watching me.

"You didn't come in here like that, did you?"

He glanced down at his nude form and chuckled at me.  "No.  I had some
clothes on."

After he watched me for another moment, he retreated behind my desk and
started dressing, too.  Tim was dressed before I was.  He caught my eye as
he darted to my private outside door and removed a chair he had jammed
against it.  I shook my head at him when I caught his eye.  He blushed.

"You really planned this, didn't you?"

"Actually, Lucy helped a lot!  She's the one that thought about the outside
door and how to delay you at security.  I needed some warning to make sure
I was ready."

I thought about him shedding his clothes behind my desk and I started to
become aroused again.  I remembered an old saying my father once told me:
"When two hearts race, both win."  I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.
I knew I wouldn't be able to stand being separated from him for the drive
to his house to take Stevey home and return his father's truck.

When I finally finished dressing (I didn't bother with my tie), he stepped
up to me and grabbed me into a bone crushing embrace.

He breathed, "I love you, Alan."

I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes.  "I love you, too, Timothy
Smith."

I took him by the hand, still looking into his eyes and led him to the
office door.  I had an eerie feeling about what was on the other side of
the door, so I put one finger to my lips to tell Tim to be still.  Grasping
the door handle firmly, in one movement I twisted and yanked the door open.

Confirming my hunch, Stevey fell from his knees into the office.  He lay on
his back on the floor, blushing and giggling with his hands over his mouth.
At the same time, I heard Lucy's chair squeak as she sat in it.  She wasn't
giggling, but she was smiling and blushing.

I smiled at both of them.  "Uh, huh!  I don't get any privacy around here
any more, do I?"

Stevey and Lucy looked at each other and this time they both giggled.
Stevey said, "Not when you're making noises like you were making, you
don't!"

I bit my lips and looked at Tim.  He was smiling and blushing as he
shrugged his shoulders.  I could feel myself blushing, too.

I looked at Lucy.  "No one else knows about this, do they?"

She shook her head, sheepishly.  "No, boss.  Your secret's safe."

Somehow, that didn't comfort me.  "It had better be."

She could tell by my smile that I was serious, but not seriously
threatening her.

Then I became more tender.  "Lucy, thank you for helping."  That was all I
could get out, so I winked the rest of my sentiment.

She whispered through her smile, "My pleasure."

By then, Stevey had clambered to his feet.  I looked at him with a raised
eyebrow.  "As for you, little imp, you pushed me through the door, didn't
you?"

He had a hysterical smile on his face and giggled again.  "Yeah!  Someone
had to do it!"

I reached to hug him, but he giggled and tried to avoid me.  I grabbed him
into a tight hug from behind before he could run from my reach.  I
whispered into his ear, "Thanks!"

He giggled and wiggled, wildly.  When I let him go, Stevey turned to me and
threw his arms around me, burying his face in my chest.  He looked up at me
and said, "So, you're back to loving Tim, right?"

I smoothed his hair out of his eyes.  "I never stopped.  We just needed to
talk."

He looked at me with an odd expression.  "I heard you . . . talking.  What
kind of language was that?"

I blushed and laughed at him.  Then I whispered in his ear, "That was the
language of love!"

He giggled and blushed.  "Oh!"

I searched his eyes.  While Stevey had experienced sex, he had yet to
experience any real, romantic love.  I sighed a quiet sorrow for him.

When I finally released Stevey, I turned to Lucy.  She was still beaming at
me.  "I forgot to tell you.  The doctor gave me stern orders to go home and
rest until next Monday."

She raised her eyebrows at me, expecting more of an explanation.

"The last few days have been difficult.  He just wants me to recuperate."
I wanted to change the subject.  "Does Bill still have that monster SUV?
You know that extortion, exhibition, whatever it is?"

She snickered.  "Yes, I think he does.  Should I call him and get him to
help with the flowers?"

I really like the way she knows what I'm thinking.  I can't help thinking
she's far too intelligent to be just a secretary.  "Yes, please.  And we'll
need another strong back, too.  Someone who can drive Tim's truck."

Tim was looking at me curiously.  "I can drive, you know."

"I know, but you're not leaving my side!  You can drive the Hum-Vee if you
want."

"HUM-VEE?  You've got it HERE?"

I chuckled.  "Yeah."  I looked at Stevey.  "You ever ride in one?"

Stevey was glowing.  "I can ride with you?  Way kewl!"

I put my arm around Stevey's shoulders.  "You bet!"

Lucy hung up the phone.  "Bill said he'll be right here.  He's bringing Joe
with him."

Joe Brandon is a tall, blond, twenty-something body builder.  He usually
has three or four young ladies hanging all over him.  It's so tedious!
They just can't seem to keep their hands off him, so it'll be a relief not
to have any around for this.  When Bill and Joe appeared, I noticed
middle-aged Lucy lose her concentration as she looked at Joe with a blank
expression.

Joe smiled at Lucy and said, "Hi, Lucy!"  He must be used to the kind of
attention Lucy was giving him.

Snapping out of it, she said, "Hi, Joe."  Turning, presumably to look busy,
she grabbed a stack of papers and straightened them, but she kept an eye on
him out of the corner of her eye.

There is something about Joe.  He has a wonderfully charismatic
personality, but he's one of those guys who seem to reek pheromones.
Almost everyone seems to respond to him either very positively or very
negatively.  The rare people who don't like him are all redneck jerks.  He
seems to be a good barometer for personalities.  Personally, I've always
found that he makes me uncomfortable.  I find I've got to concentrate on
not staring at him.  I know he's straight and I don't want to make him ill
at ease, so I've got to try to keep from being drawn into those beautiful
blue eyes of his.

I cleared my throat and Tim jumped.  He was looking at Joe.  I think he has
the same problem as I do where Joe's concerned.  Tim caught me smiling at
him and blushed.  I whispered to him, "It's okay.  I'm the same way."  That
only made him blush more.  I chuckled, quietly.

When we got all the roses loaded up, they just barely fit into the three
vehicles.  Joe drove Tim's dad's truck, Bill followed in his monster, and I
led the procession in my behemoth.

It seemed an incongruity that an intimidating military vehicle like this
Hum-Vee would be outfitted in luxury and carry flowers.  Tim was in ecstasy
driving it, and Stevey was in his glory looking at all the features in it.
I think he was especially happy to see Tim and me together.

When we got to my (our?) house, I grabbed a single rose and asked Tim and
Stevey to wait before coming in.  "Tim, count to twenty, then come in."  He
had a question on his face.  I explained, "Nell told me not to come home
unless you were with me.  I want to surprise her."

He smiled a deeply dimpled smile.  Did you know his eyes smile, too?  God,
I love him!

I was beginning to perspire as I tore my eyes from Tim and entered the
house.  I shouted, "Nell, I'm home!"

She came stomping out of her rooms, looking past me.  She drew up all of
her five foot, two inch height, put her hands on her boney hips and said,
"Alright young man, where is he?"

"I have this for you," I said evasively, as I handed her the rose.

"Don't give me that!" she said as she took it from my hand and sniffed it.
"I want more than this, anyway.  You can just get your little tush out of
this house until you get Tim here!  I will NOT have you dragging your
depressed carcass all over my clean floor!  I mean it!  Out, damn you!"

I think she was ready to grab me and throw me out bodily when she froze.  I
turned and saw Tim barely visible behind a huge vase of red roses.  She
actually gasped!

She looked at me, angrier than ever, and slapped my arm.  "Why didn't you
tell me you brought him home?"

I grabbed my arm, feigning pain.  "Ow!  When did you give me a chance to
say anything?"

"Okay, mister, how was I supposed to interpret that silly grin of yours?
Well?"

I looked at Tim.  We both burst out laughing.  "Tim, are you sure you want
to live in a house with this woman?"

He looked at me with "that look" and nodded.  If we'd been alone, I would
have eaten him where he stood.

I turned and looked at Nell.  She was staring at my eyes.  "Uh, huh!  Good!
It's about time you worked it out!"  She grabbed the roses out of Tim's
arms and almost dropped them.  Tim grabbed them back just in time.  "Follow
me!" she ordered.

Tim dutifully followed her past me, winking at me as he went.  Coming
through the door were Stevey, Bill, and Joe, all carrying large armloads of
roses.  I scurried after Tim.  I had to see the look on Nell's face.

When she turned and told Tim to put the roses on the dining room table, she
caught sight of the procession behind us.  Her eyes nearly popped out of
her face!

"Wha . . . ?  Where did all these roses come from?"

I chuckled and looked at Tim.  I said in a low voice, "When Tim does
something, he does it right."

He caught my innuendo and began panting with his mouth open.  I bit my
lips.

When I heard Nell groan, I looked at her.  She was watching us.  "I think
I've created a monster.  Check that!  TWO monsters!"

For now, if it makes her feel better, I'll let her take the credit.  We
were two "monsters" on our own!

Stevey caught every word and was grinning like a Cheshire cat, but I don't
think Bill or Joe heard the exchange.  I wouldn't have minded if Bill heard
it, but I didn't want Joe to hear any of it.  I don't think he knows
anything intimate about me and I want to keep it that way.

By the time all of the roses were in the house, it seemed that they had
multiplied!  Nell had the guys put them in the foyer, library, parlor,
living room, media room, and even in the powder rooms.  It seemed like the
entire first floor was covered with them!

We were in the living room and Nell was just finishing admiring the last of
the roses, then she started admiring the men who delivered them.  Stevey
happened to be too close to her.  She quickly grabbed him from behind and
hugged him, but he screeched in surprise!

Nell quickly released him, laughing at him.  "I didn't mean to scare you!
Are you related to Tim?  You look just like a junior copy of him!"

Stevey's eyes were huge and he was trying to catch his breath.  She had
scared him badly.  Tim explained, "Nell, this is my brother, Stevey."

Nell's expression turned serious.  "Oh, my God!  Stevey, are you the one
. . . ?  Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry!  I didn't mean to frighten you!  Did
they hurt you?"

Stevey looked confused as he caught his breath.  He looked at Tim and me
and said, "Tim and Alan would never hurt me!"

"No, I mean the kidnappers."

The color left his face.  He looked as if he were about to faint, but he
leaned over and put his hands on his knees.  Both Tim and I rushed to his
side.

"Stevey?  Are you all right?" I asked.

He was breathing hard.  "I'm fine."

I knew better.  He was still looking at the floor with his hands on his
knees.

"Come sit down."

Tim and I guided him to a chair.  I looked at Tim and said in a low voice,
"Stay with him."

Nell darted toward the kitchen, muttering, "I'll get some water."

I turned to Bill and Joe.  "Thanks, guys.  I appreciate your help."

Bill's eyes were wide open, but he nodded.

Joe was staring at Stevey with a stricken look on his face.  "Is he all
right?"

Bill turned to him and said, "I'll tell you about it on the way back."
Then he turned to me and said, "See you tomorrow?"

I explained about having to take the week off.  "You're in charge `til I
get back."

Bill nodded.  "I'll see you next week, then."

"Thanks, Bill."  I escorted them to the door.

When I got back to the boys, Nell was hovering over Stevey, making him take
sips of water.  Tim was kneeling in front of him.  I knelt in front of
Stevey to look into his lowered eyes.

"Stevey?  Tell me, what's wrong?"

He looked into my eyes.  He was a little spacey, but he blinked a few times
and I saw his eyes dart toward Nell.  "Nothing.  Nothing's wrong."

I looked toward Nell.  "Nell, would you excuse us for a minute?"

She nodded with an understanding look.  "I'll be in the kitchen."  Before
she left she touched Stevey's shoulder.

When she disappeared, I said, "Stevey, tell us what's wrong."

He looked at Tim then me, and his eyes filled with tears.  He whispered,
"They hurt me."

"The kidnappers?"

"Yeah."

Tim reached out and held Stevey's hand.

"Stevey, tell me what they did."

With his wet eyes, he looked at me for a moment, working up the courage to
speak.

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To be continued . . . .

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