Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:14:10 -0400 (EDT)
From: dastardlyd3@aol.com
Subject: Surprise Guest, Chapter 8

From the author to the readers:

This story includes male to male sex.  If it is illegal for you to read
this because of age or what laws govern your reading material, please do
not read this story.

You will note that the characters asked each other before having unprotected
sex.  It is unwise to have unprotected sex if you can not trust your
partner.  These characters did trust one another.



Surprise Guest
Chapter Eight

    The drive to the farm was uneventful.  It was summer, and the road was
bordered by small farms and houses on big lots.  The Salinas Valley is
known for its lettuce fields.  It supplies about 80% of the lettuce moved
across state lines in the United States.

    Vineyards had been a part of the landscape for years, but in the last
50 years many new vineyards had come to this almost ideal climate.  Jean
was proud of the accomplishments of the farmers, and of the home owners who
kept their homes and yards looking good.

    At Jean's farm, Jean noted the house stood on a mowed lawn in front,
flowers well tended.  They walked around the house to the back and noticed
the back lawn and shrubs were also well tended.  Jean wondered aloud, "I
wonder who's keeping the place up?"

    They walked up to the hot tub, removed its cover, and found the heater
was on, and the water was very warm, just right for relaxing.  Ralph
suggested they try it out, and they both stripped and climbed in.  Jean
turned on the jets, moved his back against one and declared, "I had
forgotten that my uncle had installed this hot tub.  When we worked in the
vineyard, we could get some sore muscles, but always lost the soreness once
we got into the hot tub."

    "Great idea," said Ralph, reaching an arm around Jean and moving close
enough for their legs and chests to touch.

    They didn't see the two men approach the hot tub.  They were surprised
when one dark-skinned man with a mustache said, "Well, look at this.  We
found two lovers in our favorite spot.  Could that be Jean Roualt?"

    Jean replied, "Yes.  I am the nephew who just retired in Washington
State and came to take over the farm.  I see somebody has been doing some
good work to keep things mowed and pruned.  Are you the ones?"

    The dark-skinned man said, "Sorry, I should have told you my name.  I
am Juan Ramirez.  Your uncle hired us each year to help with the pruning
and the harvest.  We live just beyond the vineyard.  When he died, we
decided we'd keep the house looking lived in.  That didn't stop somebody
from setting fire to the house.  We don't know who did it.  We thought the
new owner would like to find the place looking nice, and wouldn't mind if
we used the hot tub."

    "It's o.k. with me if you want to use the hot tub any time.  In fact,
you can join us now.  I want you to meet my partner, Ralph Johansen."  Jean
put out his hand to Juan, and Juan took it and shook it.  Then he shook
Ralph's hand.

    "This is my partner, Sean Murphy.  He's the Anglo in our home.`

    Jean put out his hand to Sean, who took it and greeted Jean and Ralph,
"We liked your uncle very much.  He was the first man to accept us as a
couple.  Of course, we look pretty odd to many of the homophobes here: me
with my very white skin, and Juan with his beautiful darker skin.  I think
we are called `Cafe Negro and Cafe con Crema' by the Hispanics.  I don't
know what the Anglos call us behind our backs."

    Juan looked at Sean, raised an eyebrow and nodded to the hot tub.  Sean
nodded `yes' and stripped.  Juan was right behind.  They got into the hot
tub, and cuddled as Jean and Ralph were doing.

    Jean asked Juan and Sean if they would continue to work at the vineyard
and keep the lawns mowed and shrubs pruned.  He wanted to figure out what
he owed for the maintenance of the yard and continuing.  He explained that
he wanted to get a contractor started as soon as possible, making the house
livable.  He would try to come to work the vineyard daily, except when he
was at the insurance agent's office, or with the contractor.  He wondered
if they knew the contractor who had built his uncle's home.

    Juan thought a moment, then replied that he thought John Calvin had
built the house, but he was long dead.  "There is a contractor who lives
down the road a bit, Carlos Sanchez.  He has a good reputation in the
community.  If you'd like to talk with him, I could get his phone number
and call you, or just give me a number where he can reach you."  He reached
over the side of the tub for his shirt and brought out a pen and a small
writing pad.  Ralph told Juan his phone number, and explained that Jean
would be there, or an answering machine would take the call.

    When the timer rang, and the jets stopped, everyone got out of the hot
tub.  Being four gay men, they all looked at the nude figures of the other
men.  Sean smiled and said, "This is a good looking group.  Too bad we're
all spoken for."

    Jean asked Juan and Sean to follow him.  He led them to the back wall
of the garage, where you could look in and see the empty garage.  He
pointed to the place where the pickup truck usually parked, and asked them
both if they knew who took it.

    Sean looked at Juan, and together they said, "It was stolen? "  Then
Sean said, "We didn't know it was stolen. When we could look into the
burned garage, the pickup wasn't there, and we assumed somebody had stored
it until the new owner arrived.  Do you know who stole it?"

    Jean explained he had seen the truck, painted olive green, a sloppy
paint job, last week.  He had told the sheriff's deputy about it, and hoped
that it could be found and restored to its original condition.  Jean
thanked them for the work they had done and asked if they could help him
tomorrow.  He'd like to start at 9 a.m.  That would give him time to talk
to the contractor.

    They all dressed, all looking at the other nude men as they covered
their nude bodies.  Again, hands were shaken and Jean thanked them for
keeping the place looking good.  Juan and Sean went home through the
vineyard.

    Jean led Ralph to the front door.  Beside the front walk he picked up a
plain rock, turned it over and removed a key.  It opened the front door.
They went in and looked around the living room.  It was dusty, but
otherwise in good condition.  So were the two bedrooms and the bath.  The
kitchen could use some paint, but looked quite usable.  The laundry room
needed a new door to the garage and to be repainted.

    Jean led Ralph into the living room, to a sofa opposite the missing TV,
and asked, "Ralph, what do you think?  Could we live here?  I'd like to be
next to the vineyard.  This is a quiet neighborhood.  We could meet people,
invite them to dinner, share our hot tub.  Do you think we could live
here?"

    Ralph put his arm around Jean, and they sat down.  He said, "Lover, I
could be happy anywhere with you, as long as you were happy.  I wouldn't
mind selling my house.  It is filled with difficult memories, and I
wouldn't mind leaving them there.  I know I could sell it easily, for
commuters to Salinas and Monterey would have an easy commute.  I've kept
the house in good condition.  I can talk to a real estate agent I know
tomorrow."

    Jean smiled, reached up to kiss Ralph, who pulled Jean onto his lap and
kissed him passionately.  "I love you, Jean.  I want to spend the rest of
my life making you happy."

    "I love you, too, Ralph.  I know we can have a good life together.

    "We can afford to do some things to this house while the contractor is
rebuilding the garage.  The kitchen was built big enough so that the
kitchen table can be expanded to seat eight people.  I'd like to replace
the old appliances, and have the tile counters regrouted.  I'd like to turn
the laundry room into a mud room, like I had in Washington.  That way you
can come in from the vineyard, take off your clothes and leave them in the
washer."

    Ralph spoke up, "You know, we need an office.  I don't think your uncle
needed one, but I do, and I believe you do, too.  It wouldn't have to be
fancy, just a room large enough for computer desks, some book cases, a
printer stand, a couple of file cabinets, and a couple of comfortable
chairs for guests whom we allowed to enter our sanctum sanctorum.

    "How about the bathroom?  I really haven't looked at it."

    Jean led Ralph into the bathroom shared by the two bedrooms.  It was
small, and the shower was too small to allow two men to use it together.
Ralph said, "We need a shower big enough for two lovers.  We need two wash
basins.  This toilet is designed for small children.  I'll bet you would
like to have an adult-size toilet, one with a long bowl so your cock won't
rub against the seat when you sit down. "

    Jean agreed that they needed to add a big bathroom for their use only.
"When we talk to the contractor, let's ask for his suggestions also.  Now,
let's get home and I can get started on a dinner for my man."

    Ralph wrapped his arms around Jean, kissed him, then led him out the
door to his pickup.  Neither spoke on the drive home.  They were both
thinking about the home they would share and how to make it comfortable.

    When they got to Ralph's home, Deputy Bob White was waiting for them in
his own car, dressed in shorts, t-shirt and sandals.  He asked if he could
come in.  Ralph and Jean together invited him in.  They went to the
kitchen, where Jean started the coffee pot.  Bob's eyes were red, and he
looked very tired.

    When they were all seated around the kitchen table, Bob said, "I have
some difficult news.  Roy was a passenger in your uncle's pickup, Jean,
when a police car spotted it, and turned on the siren.  The driver tried to
outrun the patrol car.  He couldn't.  He tried to make a turn at high
speed, but those old cars just don't handle like modern cars.  The pickup
flipped over and over.  Both the driver and Roy were thrown out.  There
were no seat belts in the pickup.

    Bob paused, his face drawing up as he began to cry.  "Neither Roy nor
the driver survived."  He sobbed deeply, trying to talk, but all that he
could say was, "I miss him."  He began to cry harder, and to rock back and
forth.  Both Jean and Ralph moved beside him, putting their arms around him
and kissing him, saying how sorry they were.

    After a few minutes, the sobs lessened, and Jean said, "Come with us to
the bed room.  It's time for some hugs."  Ralph nodded his agreement.

Once in the bedroom, Jean and Ralph stripped Bob, then themselves, and all
three climbed into the bed, Bob in the middle.  Jean and Ralph lay on their
sides facing Bob, and ran their hands over his chest and arms.  Ralph's arm
was under Bob's head.  Ralph's hand touched Jean and patted him.  After a
few minutes, Bob closed his eyes and slept.

    Ralph and Jean continued to caress him for a few more minutes, then
Jean whispered to Ralph, "I'm going to start dinner for three of us.  He
may be hungry when he wakes."  Ralph nodded his head in agreement.

    While Ralph continued to stroke Bob's body, and to hold him closely, he
thought what a shock it must be for Bob to lose his partner, let alone have
him die so senselessly.  He assumed that Bob was called to identify Roy's
body.  Now he was all alone with difficult memories.

    When Ralph was aware that Bob was in a deep sleep, he went into the
kitchen where Jean was at work preparing dinner.  "Jean," he began, "Bob is
in no shape to return to his home.  Let's suggest he stay with us tonight,
and, if he wishes, a couple more days.  What do you think?"

    "You're right.  He shouldn't be alone in that apartment where so many
memories will surround him.  We ought to take him in, keep him until he can
decide what he wants to do.  I don't mean that we have to be lovers with
him, but, at the least, keep him from being alone and dwelling on the sad
death of Roy.  Who knows?  He might even decide he caused Roy's death, even
though that's not true, but people often do that when they lose a loved
one."

    "You're right on again, lover.  We can take him in, keep him if
necessary.  He needs a lot of hugs and kisses.  He ought to share our bed.
Let's see how this works out.

____________________________________________________________

Any comments?  I read all the comments and try to incorporate suggestions
into the story.

dastardlyd3@aol.com