Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2009 15:43:57 +0000
From: David Lee <dlee169@hotmail.com>
Subject: Second Chance 26

Second Chance, Chapter 26

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
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You may write to me at dlee169@hotmail.com.  I'll do my best to answer
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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 26

On Saturday morning everyone intended to sleep in.  Unfortunately, no one
had told Robbie who was up bright-eyed and ready to eat around 6:00.  Rob
went to tend to him, smiling as he did so.

"Robbie, I think you're old man is in love.  Please keep it a secret for a
while till I can sort out my feelings.  I know that you like him too.  And
he loves you like his own.  He's older and wiser, but we're both just kids
in the grand scheme of things.  But he's steady and giving and caring.  Oh
God, I hope it can work.  I think he feels something deep for me too."

----------

Ben and Scott got up shortly after Rob had and joined him in the kitchen.
They sat at the table drinking coffee until Robbie finished eating his
breakfast and then they began preparations for the rest of the family.

"Sit still, Rob," Ben said when the young man tried to get up to help.
"You've already had a busy morning."

"I know, but I feel like I'm sponging.  I appreciate every single thing you
guys have done for me, but I need to contribute.  For my project in econ,
I've figured out about what it costs to feed Robbie and me plus a share of
the overhead for utilities and things like that.  I'm going to pay you that
each month.  If I'm not being fair, I want to know.  You might not want to
take it, but I need to do this to feel like a man – or at least try to
become one."

"No one in this house doubts your masculinity or your maturity!" Scott
insisted.  "You have never shirked your duties.  If all young men were like
you, there'd be no court hearings over child support."

"And I'd be looking for work!" Ben chuckled.  "We will accept your offer
for the time being if it makes you feel better.  But you must know that we
love you like another son and you need to include that in your
calculations."

Josh and Eric came shuffling into the room about that time.  The aroma of
coffee had signaled the possibility of getting fed.  While neither was that
fond of the taste, the smell of coffee brewing had become a signal that
food was forthcoming.

"Hey Josh, how did you do last night?  I saw several "sold" stickers over
the price tags even though we left early.  I want to get back to see the
show again before the paintings get taken away." Rob said.

"Everything will remain in place for two weeks, except for one of the
paintings of Robbie.  Some man gave us an extra $500 to have it delivered
today and Norm accepted it for my sake even though it's against his policy
to do that."

"That man was Roberto Mancini," Ben said.  "Although I had made myself
scarce, I saw him going over to Norm right after the near fainting scene."

"Are you sure?"  Rob asked.

"Yes.  I know your father pretty well from working on that case with him.
Are you upset?"

"No," Rob sighed.  "I can't keep them from buying a picture of their
grandchild and I'm glad that Josh got extra money out of the deal.  I just
hope that they don't try to use my son to force their way back into my
life."

"Oh Rob, I would have put a sold sign on it if I'd have thought."

"No, it's okay, really.  Tell us more about how things went."

"Norm's supposed to call today with a more exact figure, but as of last
night he was estimating that I'd clear between $5,000 and $6,000 after his
commission and expenses!  He said it's the biggest opening he's ever had
for an unknown artist and he's absolutely ecstatic.  He wanted me to thank
his lawyer for putting him onto this young dude."

"Oh, God!  He's talking about himself in the third person.  Pretty soon
he'll be demanding to be addresses as `Sir Joshua' or something." Ben
gasped in mock despair, lightening the mood.

"It will be sufficient if you simply call me `sir' as long as you still
call me on time for meals!"  Josh giggled.  "I promise I won't get the
big-head."

"Speaking of calling people for meals, where's Blake?  Is he upstairs
sleeping?" Eric snickered.

"Eric!" Scott scolded.  "Don't tease your brother."

"Sorry, Rob."  Eric grinned after an unsuccessful attempt to look penitent.

"It's okay.  I was wondering if I could invite him to sleep over.  I'm not
sure what the rules are..."

"The rules are whatever you're comfortable with in this case," Ben said and
Scott nodded.  "Our sons share their bed, and we assume their bodies, and
we can't ask you to live differently than they do."

Rob blushed deeply; the boys to a lesser extent because they were used to
good-natured teasing from their dads.

"I don't know that we'll be doing that." he said quietly staring at the
floor.

"I'm sorry for presuming," Ben said gently.  "I just want you to know that
if you have an intimate relationship with another guy under our roof we
won't be upset."

"So, do you care for him?" Eric teased as he nudged Rob playfully in the
ribs.

"Yeah!" Rob grinned, responding without hesitation.  "I really wanted to
sleep with him last night, but he said I was too vulnerable after that
scene at the gallery and he didn't want to take advantage of me.  I agreed
that I'd better think about it.  Well, I have slept on it and I rested well
because there wasn't any decision to fret over.  I still feel the same."

"Why don't you give him a call and invite him to breakfast.  It's almost
ready."

Blake was at the door nearly as soon as Rob had hung up the receiver.

----------

Blake was still there when Mr. Hadley called with the good news.  He had
purposely underestimated the totals lest he had forgotten some expense or
other.  He was pleased to tell Josh that he was a little over $8,000 richer
and there were still several paintings that people were interested in
purchasing.  He and Charles were going to open up another small room to
display the extra ones that hadn't been hung originally.  He encouraged
Josh to contact the frame shop for mats to be cut for some of the smaller
things he had at home.  They could be sold without frames to people who
wanted a genuine "Joshua" but couldn't afford to spend top dollar.

"Let's go out and get mat board and a cutter," Eric suggested.  "We could
get a bunch of paintings ready and over there today if we do.  You know
there'll be people in on Sunday.  If we wait for the frame shop, the show
will be over."

The boys scurried upstairs to shower and dress so that they could get
started.

Blake said that he really needed to go home to finish a paper that was due
for his philosophy class on Tuesday, but that he would be back in the
evening if that was okay.  Rob got up to see him to the door.  He gave him
a hug and a quick peck on the cheek to give him extra incentive to work
hard.  Before their embrace ended, Rob was convinced that Blake had the
"hard" part mastered.

----------

Norm Hadley was considering leaving early since Charles had everything
under control.  However, he shelved his plans when Josh and Eric showed up
with the additional paintings.  He was impressed with the job the boys had
done.  They admitted that their dads had helped, but Eric said that Josh
had known what to do because his art teacher had taught the basics in one
of their advanced classes.

"I've got to thank him." Josh said.

"Why not give him a small painting," Norm suggested.  "I'm sure he'd love
that."

Norm, Charles, and the boys spent the next hour putting up the matted work.
Without the frames, the effect wasn't as grand as the "Genesis" show, but
looked pretty nice just the same.  Norm was happy to have the extra art to
sell.  In the current recession, a hundred here and a hundred there helped
to keep the bills paid for him as well as his artists.

-----------

They were tired, but Josh and Eric offered to play with Robbie while Rob
entertained his "gentleman caller" in the parlor or his bed or whatever he
had in mind.  Rob and Blake thanked them, but said that they wanted to be
with Robbie themselves.  Rob didn't want to be away from his son
unnecessarily and besides, Blake was completely enamored of the little one.

Eric and Josh showered and headed for bed early.  They didn't bother to put
anything on as they went to their bedroom.  It was an all male household
after all and they weren't sporting wood.  Instead of making out, they
cuddled and talked.  They discussed the show, Garret, Blake, and Rob of
course.  Eric could empathize with the hurt Rob was feeling about his
mother's actions, or inaction to be more precise.  He could also understand
how much Blake's kindness meant to him in his hour of need.

"Hey Stud, do you know what today is?" Eric asked.

"Yeah, it's Saturday the 14th and my opening is out of the way at last."

"No, Silly!  It's February the 14th and it's our first Valentine's Day
together.  I got you something special.  Wait here with your eyes closed
while I get it out of the closet."

Eric came back into the bedroom a minute later wearing a shiny red thong
with a heart on the front and holding a red rose in his teeth.

"You can look now," he mumbled around the stem.

"Ooh!  Can I open my present, please?" Josh asked springing up from the
bed.

"Here it is," Eric said handing him a gift bag."

"No, I want to open this one," Josh insisted, groping Eric's crotch.

"Look in the bag first."

Josh pulled out a black thong with a heart made of sequins covering most of
the front.  He put it on as quickly as he could, trying to contain his
stiffening rod.

"Look, I've got a heart-on!" he joked.

"Yeah, I noticed," Eric giggled as he knelt before his boyfriend's bulge.

"I'm sorry I don't have anything for you, damn it!  With my opening, I
forgot all about what day it was.  I'll be more romantic next year." Josh
promised.

"You've got the perfect present right here!  Now tell me if you're too
tired to get romantic tonight."

"Not a chance!  Get your sweet body over here and let me find out what
you're hiding in that thong."

----------

While Rob and Blake were in the living room, Ben and Scott stayed in the
den watching TV.  They wanted the two young men to have the opportunity to
be on their own although that was rather difficult to achieve with a six
and a half week old infant.

It wasn't until they heard Rob going to the kitchen that they stirred from
the den.  When they joined the two younger men, they found Blake sitting at
the table holding Robbie and Rob busy warming formula.  On the table was a
small bouquet of red roses.

Ben and Scott busied themselves making a snack for everyone.

"There's nothing better than having a dad who knows your orientation and
loves you just the same – unless it's having two dads like that," Rob
said as he brought the bottle to Blake.

"Or maybe two dads, two brothers and a handsome neighbor," Scott teased.

"That's for sure," Rob agreed, "especially one that loves your kid and
brings you flowers."

----------

Once Robbie had been fed, changed, and put in his crib for the night, Rob
and Blake retired to Rob's bedroom.  Blake stripped to his underwear and
pulled back the covers to get in.

"Let's not go to bed yet," Rob requested.  "Let's take a shower to get
squeaky clean and then we can sleep naked."

"You do know where that could lead," Blake said.  "I mean it doesn't have
to and it can't go too far until I've been tested.  Reese cheated on me and
I'm not exactly a virgin.  I wish I'd saved myself for you."

"Don't worry about that, everyone has baggage.  I'm not going to think any
less of you because you have experience.  And yes, I know how it could end.
I may have less experience, but I'm not totally naïve!"

The shower was even more erotic than either of them had anticipated.  Once
they got each other's body soaped up and began to rub together under the
warm water, it was all over – literally.  There was cum dripping from
their abs and accumulating on the floor of the tub not to mention a few
stray globs on the shower curtain.  For the moment, they were oblivious to
the mess as they kissed long and deeply.

"Oh Rob, I've had great sex before, but never knew it could be this
awesome!"

"You don't have to say that to make me feel good." Rob said.

"I'm not; I mean it!  Sex is always fun, but I now know that I've never
felt so close to anyone - ever.  It's like I want to be inside your skin
with you – like our souls are melted together."

"I know; I feel it too.  Do you think this is love?"

"Oh, Rob, I really hope so!  But let's go slow because I thought I was in
love before.  I don't want to mess this up!"

The two young men cleaned out the tub and dried each other off.  They
slipped into boxers to get to Rob's bedroom, but shucked them the minute
they got there.

Rob lay on his right side and Blake spooned up against his back.  Both of
them enjoyed the presence of another warm body in bed.  They might have
enjoyed a second round of hot sex, but each was concerned about rushing
things.  Blake had learned the hard way that sex wasn't the only important
element in a relationship – maybe not even the main one.  Rob was more
interested in finding a soul-mate who loved him and his son than in
bounding from one sexual high to another.  At that moment, he was thinking
that he might have found that kind of affection.

They talked openly about their feelings, desires, and plans.  They
discussed the pros and cons of finding a lover at a young age.  Neither of
them wanted to sow wild oats anymore.  (Rob really never had.) Both were
interested in making a good life and sharing it with someone who cared.
The more they talked, the more it felt right to be together.

----------

Scott and Ben had their own little celebration in the master suite after
the others had retired.  They showered together unhurriedly before dressing
in the red silk robes that Ben had bought them.

Scott dimmed the lights and poured champagne into two ruby-red flutes that
were his contribution to their romantic night.  He lit the incense and
proposed a toast to their continuing life together.

As they propped up on the bed sipping their wine, Ben moved his knee so
that his robe gapped open revealing his semi hard appendage.  Scott
followed suit showing that he was as interested as his partner.

Their glasses were soon deposited on the nightstands as they found
something sweeter than wine to taste...

-----------

It would have been easy for the 20 year old college student to roll back
over to sleep when baby Robbie demanded his breakfast.  Rob was up already
heading for the nursery, but Blake felt that he'd better get used to this
if he wanted to be a real part of Rob's life.  So, he put on sweats and
stumbled down to the kitchen to help.

Eric and Josh arrived soon after and started the coffee for their dads.
Then they hunted in the fridge to see what was available for breakfast.
They got out the waffle iron and skillet to make waffles, bacon, and
scrambled eggs.

They had nearly completed their task when Ben and Scott came in.  Of the
whole group, the two adult dads looked the most tired. It made the boys
wonder what they'd been up to last night!

"Is anyone up for going to church," Ben asked.  "We have plenty of time."

"I'd like to go," Rob announced.  "I want to talk to Pastor Mann about
having Robbie baptized.  I know that he's not going to be damned if I
don't, but I'd like to have it done."

"Don't you want to raise him Catholic?" Scott asked.

"And have some priest tell him his father's bound for hell because he's
gay, while he, himself, is molesting altar boys?  No thank you!  I've seen
how my church operates and how yours does and now I know what I want for
Robbie and me."

"I understand where you're coming from Rob, but you need to know that not
all priests are like that." Scott said.  "I had a good friend back in Iowa
who was a Catholic priest and who was also gay.  He had no interest in
having sex with children.  If fact he helped to rid the church of someone
who was abusive."

"You're right.  I shouldn't assume that they're all like that, but I've had
it with my church.  I want Robbie to grow up in a more inclusive
environment.  I want him baptized there and I want Josh and Eric to be his
God Parents."

Blake looked hurt for a second, but successfully masked it.  He smiled when
Rob continued.

"I'll probably wait until spring when I hope to have a couple more things
straightened out in my life.  You will stand up there with me, won't you,
Blake?"

----------

Blake was positive that his conservative classmates would be concerned
about his soul when he didn't show up to the church they went to.  He would
have a difficult time explaining why he had worshipped with a congregation
that openly accepted gays into membership.  He would hide that from them
for the time being, but he would have to look into transferring to the
state university for next year.  There was no way he could chance being
thrown out of his present school before he got his credits and there was no
way he would trade being with Rob for the chance to remain enrolled there!

At first Blake thought that the service was not going to be completely
different from what he was used to.  But as it continued, he could see a
number of things that were unusual.  First, the hymns were not all that
familiar.  Second, the preacher's whole approach was different.  He spoke
in a normal voice as if he were talking to a group of friends instead of
gesturing and pontificating.  Third, his message had more emphasis on the
love of God than on the sinful nature of human beings.  Forth, there were a
number of same-sex couples attending together. The service left Blake
feeling refreshed and closer to his Maker instead of feeling like he was
wicked beyond redemption.

When Rob talked to Reverend Mann, he was elated to find that he would be
welcomed as a believer instead of having to be baptized again and go
through a lot of training sessions.  He was invited to a class that would
explain the basic beliefs of the church.  Rob was also pleased that Blake
expressed interest in attending it with him.

----------

On Sunday afternoon, Josh and Eric went to pick up Dylan, Garret, and
Damian who had all expressed an interest in seeing Josh's show.  They took
Ben's vehicle in order to accommodate everyone.  Marissa was a little
peeved that Dylan was going without her, but she didn't make an issue over
it after he told her that guys needed to do things with their buddies and
if he couldn't do that, he wasn't interested in going steady.

Blake took Rob and Robbie to the gallery in his car so that Rob could have
a better chance of seeing the total exhibit without the drama of Friday
night.  He also wanted an excuse to be with them for the rest of the day.

As Garret looked at the paintings, he could see the love that Josh had for
Eric.  He wondered if he would have noticed had they not come out to him.
He felt that he would have, though.  His awareness of body language, and
with it his gaydar, seemed to be developing by the day.  He smiled
wistfully at the interaction between Rob and Blake.  The more he observed
them together, the more he felt that he had no chance of being with Rob
even though he suspected that Rob was gay.

Damian took in everything.  He appreciated the figure studies, but
especially loved one of the small landscapes based on the Boundary Waters
photos.  Josh made a note of that and thought of the small one in his
studio that was similar.  He decided to give it to Damian if he could do so
without hurting anyone else's feelings.  He knew that Dylan could afford to
buy one if he wanted it bad enough; he wasn't sure about Damian or Garret.

All of the boys were impressed with the large painting of father and child.
Garret voiced his opinion that it captured the infant and his father's love
for him perfectly.  The others agreed.

----------

It was time for the students in the parenting class to care for their
robotic babies for an entire week.  Their duties would begin Wednesday and
end the following Tuesday.  That way, they'd find out what it was like to
have to schedule around a baby on the weekend when many had plans to study,
go to a basketball game, or just hang out with friends.  Several students
were already figuring out that an infant could put a damper on their
activities.

Rob had to get permission from the administrators to bring a real, live
infant for the experience.  He had no trouble doing that because Miss
Hovland had already talked to one of the vice principals who had agreed
with her point of view and had convinced the others.

If the girls in the class had seen Rob as boyfriend material because of his
trim body and raven hair before he showed up with an infant, they were
absolutely smitten when they saw him in his role as a father.

Robbie was a chick magnet.  Puppies tend to attract girls, but babies are
serious bait.  Robbie was on his best behavior smiling and cooing as if he
were incapable of fussing.  Everyone wanted a turn to hold him.

Miss Hovland asked Rob to demonstrate changing a diaper when it was time.
Robbie did his part by filling one with a particularly smelly load.  Some
of the guys held their noses, but Rob went about his task matter-of-factly
ignoring their response.  He had a cloth ready to deflect the stream when
Robbie peed in the air like a miniature fire hose while being changed.

Some of the students noticed that Robbie hadn't been circumcised.  One boy,
Peter Staley, was brave enough to ask about it.  Miss Hovland explained the
terms "foreskin" and "prepuce" and mentioned that there was a growing trend
in the US not to remove that extra skin.  Rob explained that he wanted his
son to grow up "natural" like many Europeans and all of the males in his
family.

"Isn't it necessary to cut that off for health reasons?" one girl asked.

"Actually, boys can be taught to pull the skin back to clean it and it does
have a purpose.  It keeps a guy more sensitive from what I've been told.
Of course, I don't know any different." Rob blushed.

"Some religions require circumcision," Miss Hovland added.  "Some primitive
tribes perform the rite when boys turn 13 as an initiation into manhood."

Several males in the group cringed and rolled their eyes.  It was all that
they could do to keep from clutching their crotches in a protective
gesture.

----------

Robbie proved to be a lot different from the robotic infants.  His moods
were more predictable, at least for his father.  And, he tended to settle
down with a pacifier when he was cranky and in need of a nap.  All in all,
he charmed students in other periods as well as in the parenting class.

Garret took Robbie to his Spanish class which was at the same period as
Rob's science class because Rob had a lab that day which involved chemicals
that might be hazardous for a child to be around.  Rob got Garret's fake
baby in the exchange.  Ironically, the robot acted up and would not respond
to whatever Rob tried while Robbie slept in his carrier on a table beside
Garret's desk.

At lunch time, Rob was allowed into the cafeteria kitchen to warm Robbie's
bottle of formula in the microwave.  Practically everyone in the lunchroom
came by to admire the infant and several offered to feed him while Rob got
his lunch.  The honors went to Josh and Eric who took turns.  Robbie also
seemed to know them either by sight or scent.  Whatever his source of
information, he was comfortable with guys he knew.

Garret was in the next lunch shift and felt a bit left out that he couldn't
have been there to help with the feeding.  He would love to be as close to
Rob as the guys who lived with him.  He envied Blake who lived right next
door and had a car to take Rob places.

Garret would have to be very careful to hide his feelings around Eric and
Josh.  Those two had figured out that he was gay and that he had a crush on
Dylan.  He couldn't risk having them guess what he felt for Rob.

----------

Authors notes: If you don't hear back quickly from me it's because I'll be
out of town a few days.  Don't assume that you're not important to me!
Thanks to those who wrote since I last posted: Polar, Baruch, Bill K, John
McD, Harry T, Jim C, Mike DeW, Paul R, Tom A, Vann, Jim We, Pete R, Gary
McC, Rutabaga, Dave J, Rad, and Steve (Angels).  As you can see, I still
get responses occasionally from earlier stories that readers have recently
discovered.

Weather here in Iowa has been beautiful and things are growing will.  Other
than an onslaught of gnats (buffalo flies) who have multiplied like rabbits
since last year's flooding, it's been nice lying out bare in the woods...

I hear that New Hampshire has joined Iowa and several other states in
allowing same-sex marriage even if California remains back in the Dark
Ages!

David