Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:07:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mickey S <njmcmick@yahoo.com>
Subject: Second Wind, Chapter 4

If you are under age, or live in an area where reading stories that include
sex between males is illegal, or if you're not into this type of story,
please leave. This is a love story and it will take a while to develop, so
there won't be any love scenes in the first several chapters. If you're
looking for a more sexual story, I've written a few of those. Ask me. If
you're into romance, I hope this story pleases you.

I'd like to thank my friends in the Nifty Six for their support and
encouragement, especially Tim for his advice and his editing
assistance. The author retains all rights.  No reproductions are allowed
without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at
NJMcMick@yahoo.com.

Chapter Four

Joey

Monday night I was running late for bowling. Connor had an ear infection
and I'd taken off from work to take him to the doctor in the morning. The
antibiotics had started to kick in by evening but he was still
uncomfortable and cranky. I considered staying home but Mom insisted that
she was fully capable of taking care of him and that I should go. Even so I
dragged my feet, hating to leave him when he wasn't felling well. By the
time I got to the lanes they were just about done with practice. I had no
more than changed my shoes and it was my turn to bowl. Having the lowest
average on the team, I went first. I'd been hoping to get a chance to talk
to Ben but his league was at the far end of the building. In between turns
I looked down that way, trying to see if he was there.

Finally, in the short break between the first and second games, I had time
to go to the bar for a beer. I called Mom on my cell phone to check up on
Connor. She assured me that his fever was down and he was sleeping
comfortably. I wandered down toward the other league.

When I saw Ben he was just getting up to bowl. I watched his form as he
released the ball, not that I was an expert. He threw a straight ball, no
hook, no spin. He put it right in the pocket, but because of the lack of
spin he didn't get much pin action. He left the five and eight pins. On his
second ball he hit them dead on picking up the spare. As he turned away
from the pins he saw me watching him and walked back to me.

"Hey Joey, how are ya doing?"

"Okay, I guess. How about you?"

"Pretty good."

"That was a nice shot."

"Yeah, I'm not getting many strikes tonight but at least I'm picking up the
spares."

"That's all you need, sometimes." I looked back down the lanes and saw John
and Vinnie craning their necks, looking around. "I think I'm up. I gotta
go. Maybe I'll see you later."

"I still want to thank you for your help last week. Can I buy you a drink
when we're done bowling?"

"Sure, that would be nice. Catch you later."

I went back to my team and started bowling again. John was looking at me
funny. After I'd bowled and Vinnie got up he turned to me.

"You know that fag, Joey?"

"Fag? What are you talking about?"

"That queer you were talking to down there." He pointed in the direction of
Ben's team.

"What makes you think he's gay, John?"

"Duh, they're a gay league, Joey. Don't tell me you didn't notice."

"No way." I looked back at the other league, trying to see something I
hadn't seen before. "There's lots of women in the league."

"You never heard of dykes, baby bro?"

"You're just jerkin' my chain, right John?"

"I'm serious. My friend Bill is the assistant manager here. He told me all
about them last week. They're very open about being queer."

"Well, they may be a gay league but not all of them are gay, John. Ben's a
customer. Sal and I were at his house last week. I've met his girlfriend."

"Yeah, sure. Better keep your eyes open, Joey. You're a naïve kid, only
seeing the best in everyone. He could be after you and you wouldn't even
know it."

"I'm not that naïve, John. I think I'd know if he was coming on to me."

All through the rest of the game I thought about Ben, trying to think of
any indication that he might be gay or interested in me. He'd just acted
pretty normal, like any other guy. Yeah, he wasn't very masculine but he
wasn't feminine either. Not being able to change a tire wasn't exactly
proof that he was gay. And that woman at his house that morning had
obviously spent the night with him. I decided I couldn't just come out and
ask him but I'd do as John suggested and keep my eyes open, look for some
sign. I'd liked him so far and I didn't really care if he was gay but I'd
never had any gay friends and I didn't want things to get awkward.

Ben

After Joey went back over to his league the guys on my team starting asking
questions about him.

"I thought you were more into the daddy type, not hot little twinks, Ben."

"I am, Scott. Joey's just a friend. Well, more like an acquaintance,
really."

"Then you don't mind if I make a play for him? Little hotties are just my
type."

"Forget it, Mike. He's straight. I think he's married."

"Hey, we've all done a married guy or two haven't we? Married doesn't mean
straight."

"No, but it's a pretty good indication most of the time. Leave him alone,
guys. He's just a nice kid."

Joey's team finished up their games before we did so he was hovering in the
back watching me and talking on the phone as I bowled the last few
frames. He finished up his phone call and came over as I was putting my
ball in the bag.

"Want to go to the bar here for a drink, Joey?"

"No, I don't think so. My brothers are in there. I've spent enough time
with them tonight. There's a place a little ways up Main St. we can go if
that's okay with you."

"Sure, no problem. I'll follow you."

I followed him out to the parking lot and couldn't take my eyes off his
butt. I'm not generally into asses but he had such a cute round one encased
in his tight jeans. I knew I had to stop looking at him that way. He was a
nice straight guy who I sensed could be a good friend and I could use all
the friends I could get. Aside from Becky and, to a lesser extent, Scott
and Mike, there really wasn't anyone much in my life. Most of the friends
Paul and I had had were really his friends. Of course, I wasn't sure that
Joey would want to be friends with a gay guy. I hadn't mentioned that I was
gay but he must have noticed the league I was with. I decided to try to
casually work it into the conversation just to be sure that he knew.

He pulled into a small parking lot next to a tavern and led me in through
the side door. There was a long bar along the wall opposite us and booths
along the wall the door was in. There were three guys sitting at the bar
and a middle-aged couple in the front booth. Joey led me to a booth near
the back. We hadn't even sat down when the bartender came out from behind
the bar and headed over toward us. He was a short bald man in his late
fifties.

"Joey! It's so good to see you." He threw his arms around Joey and hugged
him tight, kissing him on the cheek. "You're looking good. How are you
doing?"

"Good, Angelo. This is my friend Ben. We just came from bowling. Ben, this
is Angelo."

"Nice to meet you, Ben. It's so good to see you out, Joey. What can I get
you boys? It's on the house."

"You don't have to do that, Angelo."

"I insist. Now what'll it be?" Angelo didn't look like he served many
cosmos in his tavern so I ordered an Amstel Light. Joey asked for the same
and we sat down.

"He sure seems to like you, Joey."

"Yeah, but he has to. He's my uncle and my godfather. Pop has been a
regular in here since before I was born."

Angelo brought over our beers and we talked about bowling for a while. In
spite of our having different completely styles, our averages were within a
few pins of each other.

"I hope you don't mind my asking, Ben, but my brother John was talking
about your league tonight. He said that it's a gay league." Joey seemed
really uncomfortable.

"Didn't you know that? I thought we were pretty obvious, though actually
gay-friendly is probably a better description. Some of us are straight."

"I was right then! I told John that you all weren't gay, that I'd met your
girlfriend at your house."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Joe, but Becky's not my girlfriend. She just a
friend, my best friend. I'm one of the gay majority in the league."

He just sat and looked at his beer bottle for a minute.

"Does that bother you, Joey? I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but it
just never came up. It didn't seem important."

"No, it doesn't really matter. It just didn't occur to me. I don't think
I've ever known anyone who was gay."

"Oh, I'm sure you have but maybe you just didn't realize it. There are
quite a few of us out there."

"You're probably right. So are you open about being gay? I mean, you must
be, bowling in a gay league like that."

"Well, I've pretty much been out since I was in college. It's not like I
walk up to people and say, 'Hi, I'm Ben and I'm gay,' but I don't try to
hide anything. It's not all there is to me but it is an important part of
who I am. I just act like myself and people figure it out if they want
to. Lots of people just can't imagine that their nice accountant could be
gay or they just don't want to know so they pretend not to notice."

"And then there are others who are just dumb like me. So, we've established
that Becky's not your girlfriend. Do you have a boyfriend?"

I had intended to answer that with a brief 'not at the moment' but I must
have had lots of emotion still bottled up inside me and Joey was easy to
talk to so before I knew it we had gone through a second round of beers and
I'd told him the whole story of Paul and how I'd come to buy the house in
Florham Park.

"Hey, I'm sorry, Joey. I've been rambling on and on about my life and
dumping all my troubles on you. What about you?" I nodded toward his left
hand, which was lying on the table. "You're married, right?"

He looked down at his hand and the smile that had been on his face since we
got to the tavern faded and was replaced by a look I couldn't read. He
didn't say anything for a while, just stared at his ring. I was just about
to say something when he shook his head, straightened up and looked at his
watch.

"Gosh, where did the time go? I've gotta get going."

"I'm sorry, Joey. Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to be nosy."

"No, Ben, it's okay. My life's, well, it hasn't been very good for a
while. I'll explain another time. Right now I really do have to go,
though. I was expected home an hour ago."

We got up, Joey left a big tip on the table for Angelo and we walked out to
the cars in awkward silence.

"Have a safe trip home, Ben. See you next week." He got in the car and
drove off.

I cursed myself all the way home. He'd been so upbeat and polite every time
I'd talked to him so I had assumed that he was one of those perpetually
cheery people who often annoyed the hell out of me. But he obviously had
serious stuff going on deep inside. I was so wrapped up in my own misery
and self-pity and he was such a good listener that I hadn't really been
aware that he might need to talk, too. I made up my mind to be less
self-centered and more attentive to him next time. If there was a next
time.

Joey

I drove the few blocks home from Angelo's and let myself in the back
door. I heard Jay Leno talking in the living room so I went in there to
find Pop sound asleep in his recliner. I turned off the TV and gently shook
his shoulder. He opened his eyes, stretched and yawned.

"Were you waiting up for me, Pop? Is Connor okay?"

"He's fine, Joe. I wasn't really waiting up but I thought you'd be home by
now. When you called earlier and told your mother you were having a drink
after bowling I was glad you were finally having some fun, but then John
said you didn't go to the bar with them so I was a little worried."

"You called him to check up on me? I'm not a kid, you know."

"No, I wasn't checking up. John called about a job tomorrow."

"I went to Angelo's with a friend and had a couple of beers." I didn't have
to tell him but he'd hear from Angelo the next time he saw him.

"Good for you. Didn't I tell you that you should get out with someone other
than family now and then? What friend, any one I know?"

"No, he's a new friend, a really nice guy."

Pop got up and we went upstairs. Outside my bedroom he reached over and
squeezed my shoulder.

"You're gonna be okay, son."

My room was dimly lit by a nightlight. I went straight to the crib and put
the back of my hand on Connor's forehead which felt pretty normal. I just
stood and watched my beautiful boy sleep for a few minutes, then stripped
down to my boxers and lay down, staring at the ceiling.

I'd had a really good time with Ben, right up until the end, anyway. It was
interesting, listening to him talk about his life. I'd never given much
thought to what a gay lifestyle might be like. It must be different from
what I imagined though. I'd always assumed that being gay must be all about
sexual attraction, sort of like those mild feelings I'd felt in the locker
room years ago, only much stronger. But I could tell from the way Ben
talked that he had really been in love with that guy Paul and he was
devastated when Paul broke up with him. All these months later I could
still see the pain in his eyes and hear it in his voice. Being gay was
obviously about more than just lust, at least for Ben.

And then I'd messed up the whole night. He'd opened his heart to me, showed
me the pain inside and when he asked me a simple question about my life I'd
clammed up, not able to say a word. He probably thought I was just another
insensitive straight jerk. Even though I'd been surprised to discover he
was gay tonight, the more I learned about him the more I liked him. Though
I hadn't known him long I'd enjoyed every minute with him. But I'd probably
ruined what had seemed to be the start of a good friendship by shutting him
out.

Mom and Pop were right. Not about dating, but about my life. For the past
year I'd just closed myself off from the world. Other than customers at
work, I hadn't had any contact with anyone except my family. And, looking
back, they'd all spent the year tiptoeing around me, leaving me alone,
being careful not to intrude. No mean feat for a family like mine that most
of the time didn't seem to know the meaning of the word privacy. I'd
retreated from life, wallowing in my grief and self-pity. I had to snap out
of it. Maybe I'd never love again but I had to start living again.

I made up my mind that the next time I was with Ben I would talk to
him. Bare my soul to him the way he'd bared his to me. How could I even
think about a future if I couldn't talk about the past? I'd start with Ben,
if I hadn't already completely turned him off, that is.

Ben

All day at work on Tuesday my mind kept going over the time I'd spent with
Joey at Angelo's. It had been such a pleasant evening. He was so nice to be
with. Nice to look at too, but that was besides the point. He was straight
and, though beautiful, he wasn't my type. But after I'd talked to him at
the bowling alley and he'd agreed to have a drink with me I'd been feeling
better than I had all summer. Sitting having a beer with him at Angelo's
had been great. It was the first time all summer I'd hung out with anyone
but Becky. I loved her dearly but she understood me so well that sometimes
when I was with her it was like I was talking to myself. And then I blew it
by going on and on about Paul, sounding like a real loser. He'd probably
been having enough trouble just digesting that I was gay without my coming
across as a pathetic queen. I'd clearly said something wrong toward the end
of the evening.

Tuesday night Becky came over to watch American Idol with me and brought
Chinese takeout for dinner. I didn't tell her about Joey and tried to put
him out of my mind but I was pretty quiet while we ate and I was sure she
knew something was bothering me. I could never hide much from
her. Fortunately the drinks we had with dinner helped quite a bit and by
the time the program came on I was feeling more like my old self. We
watched the show and ripped the contestants apart mercilessly. Our comments
were so vicious we made Simon sound positively gracious. I was in a much
better mood by the time I went to bed.

I was lying naked in bed on my belly. Someone was kneeling over me,
straddling me, their knees touching either side of my waist. Their hands
began kneading the back of my neck, then running lightly up and down the
sides of my neck. Both hands moved from my neck along my left shoulder,
then slowly continued down along my arm, squeezing and massaging the
muscles. When they got to my wrist they moved back and started again at my
neck, this time working their way down my right arm. After both arms had
been lovingly massaged, the hands started in on my back. Their owner sat on
my butt. I could now tell it was a man because I felt a large, swollen but
not erect, penis lying in the cleft between my cheeks and two large balls
pressing into me below it. The hands continued their work on my back,
firmly pressing together in the small of my back, pushing up my spine to my
shoulders, then separating and sweeping across my shoulder blades and down
my sides, ending up at my lower back again. They continued this circular
motion over and over. Each time my muscles felt more relaxed. The touch got
lighter and more sensuous. I was in heaven, totally relaxed, with those
magic hands working their way all over my upper body. I realized my cock
was harder than it had been in ages. With every movement the masseur's
weight on my ass pushed my dick down into the bed as if I were fucking the
mattress. I felt as if I were going to explode all over the sheets when all
of a sudden he stopped and got off me.

"All done now. You can turn over." His voice sounded so warm and familiar.

I rolled over and Joey was standing naked next to the bed, looking down
into my eyes, giving me that beautiful smile of his.

"Feeling better now, Ben?"

"Oh yeah, Joey. That was the best."

His eyes wandered down my body until they came to my throbbing hardon. He
quickly looked back into my eyes with a look of disgust on his face.

"Fucking faggot!!"

He turned and took a step away from me and instantly disappeared.

I sat bolt upright in the bed, looking around my dark room, gasping for
breath, trying to figure out where I was. Lula groaned and shifted her
position against my legs. Home, alone. It was a dream. But what the fuck
was that all about?

Joey

I was about to leave the office Thursday afternoon when Sal stopped in.

"We finished up at the Donnelly place this afternoon, Joe. Why don't you
swing by on your way home and make sure it's what you wanted?"

I hesitated. I really wanted to see Ben but I didn't want to face him, if
that made any sense.

"I could take a look tomorrow at lunch. Is that okay?"

"Sure, if you say so." He looked a little puzzled. He knew I wasn't the
type to put things off. "But then if you want any changes they'll have to
wait until next week."

"You're right, Sal. I'll go now. I'll call you if I want any changes made."

I wasn't sure what time Ben got home from work but it was only four so
there was a good chance he wouldn't be there. The driveway was empty when I
pulled up and parked on the street. I walked around the side of the house
and let myself into the backyard through the gate. We'd ripped out the old
vegetable garden and seeded the area to match the rest of the lawn. I'd had
a hedge put in along the north side of the patio, the only direction from
which the patio could be seen by any neighbors. Along the back fence we'd
planted a row of hemlocks. I went out to take a look at them. I felt
something tickle the back of my leg and looked down to see Lula sniffing my
ankles. I turned back to the house and Ben was coming across the patio
toward me.

"I'm just inspecting Sal's work. What do you think of it, Ben?"

"It's beautiful. Anything special I have to do to take care of it?"

"No, we'll water what needs to be watered when we cut the grass. By winter
everything should be okay on its own."

Ben looked around the yard. "You guys really did a great job, Joey. The
fence, bushes, grass, everything. It's wonderful, nicer than I
hoped. Thanks."

"If you're happy, we're happy."

There was a long awkward pause as we both looked anywhere but at each
other. Why was this happening? We'd been so comfortable with each other up
until just before we left Angelo's Monday.

"Do you have time for a beer, Joey?" Maybe he was just being polite but he
sounded friendly enough, though a bit strained.

"Yeah, sure, Ben. I can't stay long but that would be nice."

He went in the house and brought out two bottles. We sat on the patio and
drank in silence for a while, watching Lula sniff her way around the
yard. We both started talking at the same time, then stopped, then started
again.

"You first, Ben. It's your house."

"I just wanted to thank you for putting up with me the other night and to
apologize as well. I don't know what came over me, crying in my beer like
that. It wasn't like I was drunk or anything and I don't usually spill my
guts like that to someone I've just met."

"You want to apologize? I'm the one who was rude. You were obviously
comfortable enough with me and trusted me to confide in and I pretty much
turned my back on you. I'm not usually like that. I'm sorry."

We looked at each other and laughed.

"How about we accept each other's apologies and move on, Ben? We both seem
to be feeling worse toward ourselves than toward the other."

"You're right, Joey. The evening ended a little awkwardly and we both blame
ourselves. It wasn't anyone's fault. Things like that happen when people
first meet. I do feel bad for monopolizing the conversation, though."

"Tell you what. Come to Angelo's with me again after bowling on Monday and
I'll get even by telling you the story of my life." I wasn't sure how that
would go but now I was committed.

"It's a date."

"I'm glad we had a chance to talk today, but I have to get going. I catch
hell if I'm late for supper. Thanks for the beer."

"Okay, I won't keep you, but before you go I have one question. What's with
the hedge here along the side of the patio? It's nice, but why just there?"

"It's for privacy. Your girl, er, your friend, said you liked to sunbathe
in the nude and she didn't want you scaring the neighbors."

"Becky told a complete stranger that? I'll kill the bitch!"

 To be continued...