Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:50:32 +0000 From: David Lee <dlee169@hotmail.com> Subject: Second Chance, Ch. 20 Second Chance, Chapter 20 Warning: This story is copyrighted by the author known as David Lee and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without explicit permission. This story contains descriptions of love and sexual fulfillment between people of the same gender. If possessing or reading this kind of material is illegal where you live, please leave this site at once. My previous stories may be quickly accessed by searching for my name under the "Stories by Prolific Net Authors" heading which is found under the "Information for Readers" spot. You may write to me at dlee169@hotmail.com. I'll do my best to answer promptly. Please put the title of this story in the "subject" line when you email. For the full disclaimer and additional info, please read the statement that precedes Chapter 1. As always, I thank my editors Tom and David for their proofing my work and giving me suggestions and lots of positive feedback. They're an integral part of this effort. Chapter 20 The phone in the garage apartment rang about 9:00 on Saturday morning. The call was from the country club telling Blake that he needn't report for swimming lessons because the whole metropolitan area was all but completely shutdown. Although northern cities are prepared for winter weather, the unusually thick coating of ice had brought traffic, including road maintenance machines, to a virtual standstill. In addition, many tree limbs had broken under the weight of ice bringing down power lines with them. Travel was restricted to emergency vehicles and even they were moving with extreme caution. A power-outage had shut down the heat. Blake and Reese were snuggling together to keep warm. It wasn't a bad thing, but they wondered how cold it might get before the electricity came back on to allow the furnace to operate. Their closeness led to making out and making out led to making love. After they'd sucked each other nearly dry, they felt the need for breakfast. Since the range worked on gas, cooking was not going to be a problem. As they were pulling on sweatpants, the phone rang again. This time it was Ben asking them to come over to eat breakfast with the guys at his house. He told them that the two wood-burning fireplaces in his house were blazing brightly and that the oven was on baking an egg casserole. He knew that their apartment must be cooling down. Reese and Blake washed off the evidence of their lovemaking and wrapped up against the cold to run across the back yard. When they were ushered into the kitchen, the aroma of breakfast cooking made their mouths water. The boys were helping set things up, so Reese and Blake pitched in as if they were part of the family and not guests. Rob got introduced to them and liked them immediately. He wasn't put off when Reese squeezed his shoulders and told him how adorable he was because Josh and Eric had warned him not to be surprised by anything that Reese might do. ---------- When everyone had been sated and satisfied with food and the dishes washed up, Ben and Scott asked Blake and Reese to stay until the power was restored. "But that could take up to 24 hours or longer," Blake said. "That's why we want you to stay," Ben answered. "We have the two fireplaces, a gas space heater in the kitchen and another in the basement. There's lots of camping equipment that we can pull out and everyone can have a warm place to hang out until we get electricity again." "Wow! We didn't know that we were getting a surrogate family as well as an apartment," Reese exclaimed. "This is really kind of you." "These guys are becoming known for taking in strays," Rob smiled. "Uh, not that you're strays!" Then looking sober, he said, "I don't know how I would have survived in this storm if they hadn't taken me in." ---------- Without the Internet, TV, or video games, it might seem like everyone would be bored silly. But, Ben and Scott dug out a number of old games that had been around for ages. The guys all participated in playing "Monopoly" most of the morning. Eric went broke fairly early, but teamed up with Josh for the rest of the time. Josh ended up as the big winner, crediting Eric's advice for his success. Lunch consisted of hotdogs cooked in the fireplace, bags of chips, and Clementines for fruit. There happened to be a few marshmallows that they could toast over the coals for dessert. Once that was finished, Scott and Ben brought in more wood to build up the fire again. Most everyone took a nap in the afternoon. It was still nasty outside and the warmth of the living room and den were conducive to making them drowsy, especially after their big lunch. Ben and Scott didn't sleep as long as the rest. They were busy preparing the three chickens that they'd taken out of the freezer after breakfast. There were more cuts of meat and a few bags of frozen vegetables on hand, but the men were already thinking of how they could stretch their supplies until things got back to normal. They decided to stuff the chickens with rice, celery, and herbs mixed with diced up giblets. It would extend the meat a bit. They would have felt better to have had half a chicken per guy, but with the addition of Rob to their family it didn't come out that way. Whether it was the large baking potatoes and the generous salad or whether everyone held back a little, there was plenty to go around and there were still pieces of roasted chicken left over. Scott suggested taking the leftover bones and meat and making soup for the next day's lunch. He had learned to conserve during the period when he'd been down on his luck. He had not lost the art of creating something out of almost nothing. In the early evening, the snowfall stopped and the clouds began to break up. That meant the storm was over, but it also meant that temperatures would drop without the cloud cover to act as a kind of blanket. Reese and Blake thanked their landlords again as they unrolled sleeping bags that Josh and Eric had loaned them. They placed them in front of the fireplace in the living room, zipping them together for warmth and the chance to cuddle. However, they didn't climb in immediately because they weren't that sleepy having napped so long. Josh and Eric raided their dads' room for the large comforter so that they could snuggle under it with Rob. If their fathers thought it strange that the boys bedded down with him, they didn't indicate it. Scott and Ben took their bedding to the den and camped out by that fireplace. It would give them a little more privacy and would allow the younger males a chance to stay up longer without feeling guilty about keeping anyone else up. The younger guys did spend a couple of hours talking. Reese and Blake told Rob about their relationship and Rob told them his story about being thrown out. They were quite sympathetic and said that Blake would probably face a similar situation of family rejection if he were to admit his orientation openly. Blake told Rob about a couple of part-time jobs that were coming up at the country club. He'd been asked to recommend someone because the staff there liked his work ethic and trusted his judgment. Rob decided to pursue at least one of those as soon as he could. "Do you think they'll be filled before I get a crack at them?" he asked. "No, but I'll call tomorrow on my cell to let them know you're interested. I'm pretty sure you have a good chance." After banking the fire, the boys retired for the night. Within a few minutes there were no sounds except for a bit of soft snoring. ---------- As soon as the breakfast dishes were cleared on Sunday, the younger men in the household donned their warmest gear and began to clear the drive and walks. With the big two-stage snow blower and several shovels, the task was accomplished fairly rapidly. The boys also picked up several tree limbs that had broken off due to the weight of the freezing rain that preceded the heavy snow. The one good thing about the thick blanket of snow was that it functioned like insulation. Since the ground temperature was not yet at its lowest, the precipitation that had fallen as sleet began to warm up and melt. With the help of the sun and lots of street crews, traffic was beginning to move in a more or less normal fashion. When the guys came into the house again, they were greeted by the return of electrical power. That was wonderful, but no more so than the aroma of chicken soup. Scott served an early lunch to the hungry crew who had cleared the snow. No one was disappointed with having homemade chicken soup and fresh-baked bread at 11:30 a.m. This time the dishes could be put in the dishwasher instead of being done by hand. Blake and Reese didn't leave before helping to tidy up the kitchen and again expressing their thanks. ---------- The boys spent part of their day finishing up homework and hanging out in the studio. Josh wanted to complete the painting he had started, so Eric and Rob got naked again to pose. Rob managed pretty well for most of the time. When Josh gave his models a break, Rob reached over and ran his hand across Eric's bellybutton. That caused a "rise in interest" from Eric and gave Rob a hardon as well. He apologized to Josh and Eric for his audacious behavior, but they told him not to worry about it. That night the two told Rob that they needed a bit of quality time alone and he said that he fully understood. He needed time to take care of his own needs as well. The modeling session had made them all horny. ---------- "Do you think we should shower first," Josh asked as the broke their passionate kiss. "I'd just as soon lick the day's sweat off your balls, if it's okay with you," Eric answered in a voice thick with desire. His response earned him a deep, probing kiss that he returned with pleasure. They spent the next five minutes or so undressing and licking each other's bodies. They hadn't had a chance to make out for the past 48 hours and both were starved for the physical side of their relationship. It seemed like every time they were around a group of other young gays their libido level shot up by several points. Was it from all of the testosterone in the air, or just knowing what the other guys did when they were alone together? Whatever the stimulus, their passion was white-hot! Eric knelt in front of Josh in order to bury his nose in his buddy's crotch. The scent served as an aphrodisiac that made his loins ache for release. "Wanna go up to the studio and do this on the rug?" Josh whispered in Eric's ear. "We might even catch a show from the apartment." "Or maybe we'll give them one," Eric snickered. They slipped into their lounge pants (which tented indecently) and tiptoed up the stairs. To their delight, Blake and Reese were standing naked in their bedroom making out. Josh and Eric left the light on doing the same thing. "Do you think that they see us," Eric asked. "Would it bother you if they did?" "No, I guess fair's fair. It's kind of sexy doing it around other guys even if they can't see us below the waist from that angle. Did you hear them making out in their sleeping bag last night?" "I didn't because I went right to sleep. Are we going to have to put our bags in the washer to get the stiffness out of them?" Josh giggled. "I checked for cum stains and didn't find any." "If you'd have found some, you'd probably be even more turned on than you are. What's made you so hot, lying around naked with Robbie?" "Yeah, partly I guess. That was pretty intense. I know he was hard the whole time. I felt that stiffy against my butt when we all slept together. I'll bet you did too. Be honest, didn't it turn you on?" "Yeah, he's a hottie, but let's not discuss him anymore. Let me try to convince you that I'm all the man you'll ever need." They stopped talking as their lips met again. Out of the corners of their eyes they saw the light go out in the bedroom across the yard. Josh kissed his way down Eric's chest, nibbling on his nipples and stopping to tongue his bellybutton on the journey southward. Eric tensed and giggled as Josh's actions tickled his loins. His chuckles turned into deep, lustful moans as the tip of Josh's tongue made contact with his foreskin. The feeling intensified as Josh milked Eric's prepuce back to lap up the clear, pearly drops of precum. Eric was on fire, but he didn't want to cum before he'd had a chance to give his lover pleasure. He gently nudged Josh to a standing position and pretty well duplicated the moves Josh had done on him. He took extra care to lick the sweat off of Josh's balls. The scent, texture, and taste of Josh filled his senses to the point that he was oblivious to anything else. The boys lay down on the rug facing each other's dick and proceeded to make good on Josh's plan to empty out their stored-up cum. ---------- Swimming practice took up a lot of their free time in the next few weeks. Their schedules didn't coincide with Rob's as much once he began working at the country club. So the boys mainly saw each other at meals and in science class. Rob commuted with Blake most of the time because he didn't have reliable transportation do to the condition of his van; and their work times were nearly parallel. Ben had offered to have his mechanic work on Rob's vehicle after they rescued it from the pound, but Rob declined, saying that he couldn't even afford liability insurance and wasn't going to throw good money after bad trying to make the van reliable. He'd try to sell it for whatever he could get and look for something better when he got his settlement. Ben and Scott were really pleased with how well Rob had fitted in with their family. As soon as they had taken him in, they had wondered if they had acted too quickly - before all the facts were known. Would Rob be difficult to manage? Would he come between the boys? Would he turn out to be a spoiled brat who demanded material things? Now, a month or so into the arrangement, they were thrilled that their initial qualms had been for naught. ---------- Thanksgiving was just around the corner. Eric and Josh were very happy when they received an email from Dane saying that they would be in Minneapolis with their extended family for the holiday. The best part was that they wanted to hang out with Eric and Josh. Dane and Colt were eager to meet Rob too. They said that you could never have too many friends who were on the "same team" as you were. ---------- A week before Thanksgiving, the phone rang and Josh picked it up. "I'll check to see if he's in," he said into the mouthpiece before covering it up. "Eric, it's your mother. Are you in?" "Hell! I suppose that I'd better take it or she'll keep calling back until I do. Might's well get it over with." Josh was going to leave the room, but Eric grabbed his arm to keep in near. (He might well need his lover's moral support before this conversation was over.) They ended up sitting on the floor with the receiver between them so that Josh could hear both sides of the conversation. "Eric, I would like you to come home for Thanksgiving. I miss you, honey. I tried to call you last week, but I got a message that your cell number was no longer in service." "I am home, mother. How did you get this number?" "Your father called me from there when he stole you away after forcing you on that dreadful trip! Anyway, I don't want to spend the holiday alone." "What happened to Antonio, the Roman God?" Eric asked, not rising to the bait about his dad. "That disgusting pig; I caught him cheating on me in my bed with his wife! The nerve of that man!" "Well, that's your problem. The old saying that `you've made your own bed, so you'll have to lie in it' comes to mind. I'm sorry, but I feel no obligation to entertain you." "Eric, I'm going to have to go into rehab next month to stop drinking and my business is way down in this recession. I don't have anyone," Tina sobbed. "I need you!" "Mother, I feel bad that you have to get dried out, but save the drama for someone who hasn't heard it a thousand times. I can't let you pull me down too." "You cold hearted ungrateful brat! How can you be that way?" "I learned from a professional! I have to go now. I'll say a prayer for you. Goodbye." "Wait! If you come, I'll buy you a new car or whatever you want..." (Click) ---------- "You certainly think well on your feet," Josh complimented him. "She makes me so frustrated," Eric said with tears forming in his eyes. "She's so erratic. One minute she sweet-talks and the next she tears me a new asshole and then she tries to bribe me with a new toy. She never cares about how I feel. It's all about what she wants!" "It's okay, Baby, you can cry. I'm here for you." Josh crooned. Josh held Eric tightly, rubbing his back and kissing his cheek. Rob came into the room just then, raising his eyebrows quizzically. "His mother just called and upset him. I think she gets off on messing with his head." Josh responded to Robbie's unspoken question. "Can I do anything?" Rob asked, kneeling beside them. "He can always use another hug," Rob got on the other side of Eric and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. For a long time the three boys sat on the floor huddled together. Eric's mood began to lift because of the affection he felt from his two best buds. He would be okay. Scott discovered them that way when he came in to ask them to help prepare dinner. "What happened?" "His mom called." Josh answered. "Shit!" Scott exclaimed. "What now?" "She played on my sympathy trying to get me to go there for Thanksgiving. She went on about business losses and getting treatment for alcohol abuse. At least that's what I understood her to say." "Do you want to go?" "Hell no! Dad, you've seen her carry on to get what she wants. I'm immune to that. I'm not falling for it." Eric talked tough, but no matter how bitchy and unpredictable Tina could be, she was still his mother. He wished that he could love her like Josh did his departed mom, but it wasn't possible. A part of Eric felt guilty, but another part of him felt that he needed to build a stronger wall of defense. Rob got up to help Scott in the kitchen while Josh spent a couple more minutes with Eric. They soon appeared as well. Eric said that doing something constructive and mindless like peeling potatoes would be good therapy. Scott came up behind him and hugged him. "I love you, Son. You're going to be okay." Eric settled back against his dad's chest and sensed the rhythm of his heartbeat. Yes, he would be fine. ----------- Author's notes: Thanks to all who wrote since last posting. I hope I didn't miss anyone! They include: Jim C, Paul R, Polar, Mike DeW, Ken, Jim C, Vann, Harry T, Mike and BF, Jim We, Paul L, Baruch, Tom A, Joe w, John E, Dave J, Pete R, Harry T (Zeke), Rutabaga, DW, Brandon S, Tim E, John McD, and Mark H. Thanks! David.