Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 05:02:11 -0800
From: Mike <thornado5@netscape.net>
Subject: A Thousand Rainbows 32

Welcome back! Okay, so the last chapter was kind short. I'll make it up to
you this time, as we attend a concert performance by Dylan Cruz, one of the
hottest country stars in the world. And even he has a little surprise for
us.

This story deals with adult themes, primarily same-gender sexual
relations. Such relations have their basis in love and commitment, rather
than sex for the sake of sex alone. In some cases they will use protection;
at other times they will not. You and I should always use protection
because we do not live in the world of fiction.

If you are offended the idea of homosexuality or if you are under the age
of consent or if you reside in an area where such things are considered
illegal or immoral, then you should seek entertainment elsewhere.

Comments may be directed to the author at thornado5@netscape.net

This story is copyright 2004 by Mike Williams. All rights reserved. Thou
shalt not steal.

-0-


A Thousand Rainbows
by Mike Williams

- 32 -

Low clouds had rolled in during the early morning hours. It was nearly noon
when Brian, Bjorn and the boys returned home from church and a late
breakfast. And the rain that had greeted the village of Bridgewater that
Sunday morning had not let up.

As they pulled into the driveway, Todd could see an envelope attached to
the front door. He retrieved it while Brian parked the minivan in the
garage and the rest of the family made themselves comfortable in the family
room for an afternoon of football. The envelope was addressed to Brian and
Bjorn, but they didn't recognize the handwriting. Brian opened it, pulled
out the card and read it aloud.

    "Dear Brian, Bjorn, Jason, Josh, Will, Sarah and Todd,

    "We just wanted to thank you again for your hospitality on Thanksgiving
Day.
    Holidays like this can be difficult on people with no family, and all
of you made us
    feel like family. We couldn't have asked for a nicer place to be.

    "To show our appreciation we would be honored to have you as our guests
tonight
    at the Dylan Cruz concert in Eugene. Enclosed are tickets for all of
you.

    "Again, thanks for everything, and we're looking forward to seeing you
tonight.

    "Regards, Dylan and Sean"

Todd stood close by Brian. He got a look at the tickets, and his mouth
dropped open.

"These tickets are front row, center ... the best seats in the house!" Todd
exclaimed.

Brian looked to Bjorn as if asking what to do. "It is a school night. We
wouldn't be home until maybe midnight."

Bjorn nodded and looked to the twins. "What's your first class tomorrow
morning?"

"Algebra," Jason said.

"8:45," Josh added.

Bjorn looked back to his partner. "Well, it's not exactly first thing in
the morning. I think we can spare it."

"Todd would never forgive us," Brian said.

All the while Todd had been holding his breath, hoping for that
answer. "Yes! Thank you!"  He hugged both his uncles enthusiastically, then
turned to his half-brothers. "We are gonna have the best time."

"Provided," Brian warned, "they have all their homework done."

"I can help with that," Todd said.

"Thanks for the offer, Todd," Jason said. "But you've got your own homework
to do."

"And our dads are gonna make sure we do it for ourselves," Josh added.

"So," Brian said, "we're agreed. Homework, then football game, if there's
time. Then we get cleaned up and head to Eugene for the concert tonight."

And the boys dashed up the spiral staircase, eager to get their homework
out of the way in time to catch part of a football game.

-0-

Dylan Cruz' concerts were not known for their fireworks or
theatrics. Rather, his stage shows always had a more intimate feel to them;
he wanted his audience to focus on the music. His devotion to the pure
sound of un-electrified music showed in both his recordings and his stage
shows. The acoustic instruments played by his backup band were equipped
with small pickup microphones and wireless transmitters to keep the stage
free of clutter. With the exception of the drummer he and the members of
his touring band were able to move freely about the stage and the
amphitheater.

They concluded the last song of the evening, and the audience was wild with
their applause, eager for an encore. When the stage was dark, an unseen
stagehand placed a single microphone on a stand in the center of the stage,
then disappeared into the shadows.

When the stage lights came back up, the audience also saw that two guitars
were waiting on stands placed near the microphone. Dylan walked back to the
center of the stage, alone, to the enthusiastic applause from the audience,
and took the wireless microphone.  He held up both hands to quiet the
audience.

"Thank you. Thank you all very much for coming out here tonight. Well, this
is the last stop on this tour. And we have had a great time, traveling all
over the country and seeing people and places that most people will
probably never get to see. And we always look forward to playing here in
Eugene ... not because it's the last stop on the tour and we all get to go
home after tonight ..."

There were a few chuckles from the audience.

"Okay, that might be part of it."

A few more chuckles from the audience.

"... But because it's just one of our favorite cities in the world, and you
folks are always so nice to us. And we really thank you and the good people
at Country 97 Radio, who bring us here every year. So give it up for
Country 97; they're all sitting over here in the front row, stage
left. Stand up, you guys."

The audience showed its appreciation to the radio station with their
applause.

When the cheers subsided, Dylan continued. "And because you all braved the
weather and the parking and everything else, I think you deserve one more
song. So give yourselves a hand. Yeah!"

Again, the amphitheater was filled with applause.

"But ... but first, I want you all to meet some friends of mine who came
all the way from Bridgewater for tonight's show. And they're right down
here in the front row, center."

He descended the stage as he spoke to the crowd. "Thanksgiving was just a
couple days ago. And, y'know, when you're on the road ... like we've been
for the last four or five months ... you don't get to go home for special
events like Thanksgiving dinner. But these good people took me in, and we
had a Thanksgiving dinner I will remember as long as I live. Why don't you
guys stand up?"

Dylan shook their hands and introduced each of them to the crowd. "This guy
right here, this guy is Bjorn Larkin, and he makes turkey and cornbread
stuffing just the way Mama used to."

Bjorn smiled and waved to the audience, acknowledging their applause.

"And over here is Brian Connor, and there's nobody in the world can make a
better apple pie than Brian. Yeah."

Likewise, Brian waved to the crowd. Dylan then stepped between the twins
and put his arms around their shoulders. A photographer had appeared and
was capturing the images.

"Then there's these two guys ... Jason and Josh Connor. You'll be hearing
from these guys real soon because they write some songs I know you'll be
hearing on the radio in a couple years."

The twins beamed as the audience gave it up for the boys.

"Now, if this guy hadn't opened the door when I knocked, then I would have
gone hungry on Thanksgiving. Give it up for Todd Becker."

Todd removed his cowboy hat and wave it high above his head to the
enthusiastic cheers of the crowd.

Dylan noticed two empty seats in the front row. Holding the microphone
away, he asked, "Where's your mom and dad?"

"Second honeymoon," Todd replied.

Dylan turned back to face the audience. "Todd's folks couldn't be here
tonight. Aww."

They responded. "Aww."

Dylan continued with a cheeky grin. "They're on their second
honeymoon. Woo-hoo!"

The audience applauded with whoops and cheers.

When the audience settled down, Dylan moved on. "And finally I want you all
to meet a man who is very special to me. We've known each other since we
were in school, and he's my very best friend in the whole world. Ladies and
gentlemen, Sean Ludwig."

Again the audience acknowledged Dylan's friend with their applause.

Sean held out his hand. But Dylan surprised his friend and gave him a hug
right in front of the audience. He held the microphone away and whispered,
"I love you, Sean."

"I love you too, Greg," Sean replied.

Before the applause died down, the two men exchanged a few words. Sean
looked nervously to the stage before allowing Dylan to lead him up the
steps of the stage. Dylan replaced the microphone in its stand, and the two
men picked up their guitars.

Dylan stepped forward and spoke to the audience. "It's been about five
years since Sean and I sang together. I just hope we remember how."

He and Sean smiled at each other, and a chuckle rolled through the
audience.


    "The radio plays a love-song
    And the music wraps around me
    And the words speak of a love
    With no beginning and no end
    And the autumn leaves kiss the ground like a lover
    As the rain gently falls outside my window.

    "I look up and I see your face
    Your smile, so warm and tender
    And I realize there's nowhere else
    In the world that I'd rather be
    And I thank God every minute for bringing you into my life
    As the rain gently falls outside my window.

    "Take away my pain
    Take away all trace of sorrow
    Make me whole again
    You take my lonliness away, away.

    "The love-song on the radio
    The melody goes on and on
    And the singer puts into words all the things
    I could never bring myself to say
    You are everything, the answer to all my hopes and dreams
    As the rain gently falls outside my window.

    "As the rain gently falls outside my window."


As the last notes echoed through the amphitheater, the audience broke into
thunderous applause. Dylan and Sean took their bows, waved to the audience,
and walked off the stage together.

-0-

"As The Rain Gently Falls" (Copyright 2004, words and music by Mike Williams)

-0-

to be concluded in Chapter 33