This is a fictional story dealing with love and consensual sexual activities between males. If you are not of legal age, reside in an area where viewing such material is illegal, or are offended by homosexuality and/or homosexual themes, leave this site now.

The author retains all rights to this story. No reproductions or links to other sites are allowed without the permission of the author.

Note: I owe a special thanks to Robb for doing the final proofreading and catching all those silly little errors that I missed.

LOVE ON THE COURT

CHAPTER 13

JOE’S PERSPECTIVE:

Trust Witt to be thinking about his stomach in a time of crisis, but he was right. We all needed to calm down and think though our options. It would be easier to do that with some pizza. Hey, pizza always makes things better!

Antwon ordered three large pizzas with pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, and extra cheese. We’d shared pizza so often he didn’t need to ask what everyone wanted. He just made the call.

Rhonda arrived at the same time as the pizza delivery guy. Witt put the tab on his credit card, and we all adjourned to the kitchen to tackle the food. Between mouthfuls of cheese and pepperoni, Witt told Rhonda about being asked to leave the team by Coach Melton.

When Witt was done talking Rhonda was silent for a moment before stunning us with her next statement. “I think I know what’s happened. Jeremy’s brother, Rod Small, is a sports writer at the city paper. I’ll bet Rod was the reporter who called Coach Melton, and I’ll bet he got the tip from Jeremy. One of the many reasons I broke it off with Jeremy was his attitude toward gays.”

We all looked at her. Finally Antwon said, “Rhonda girl, you have got to start being more choosey with your boyfriends.”

We all cracked up.

“I guess so. I’ve been trying to get that big jerk out of my life for over a year, and haven’t managed it yet. I think this gives us an idea of what’s going to be on the ten o’clock news.”

“Speaking of that. It’s almost ten. Let’s go find out the rest of the bad news.” I stood up from the table and headed into the living room.

I tuned the TV to channel 3 as everyone settled around the living room to watch. Sure enough, the opening teaser for the sports portion of the broadcast delivered by the carefully coifed talking head for the sports was, “Trouble on the Alberts College basketball team this evening. One of the star players is gay.”

“Sheeit. Here it goes,” moaned Antwon.

No one said much during the news. After the commercial break, the sports announcer was back on screen. He launched right into the topic. “Channel 3 Sports has learned through an exclusive source that a story will appear in the early addition of tomorrow’s paper revealing that Alberts College round ball star DeWitt Sadler is gay. Our source also told us that Sadler has been removed from the team by Coach John Melton. The first game of the season is less than a week away for the defending league champions who now must fill a large gap in their lineup. When contacted by this reporter about Sadler, Coach Melton’s comment was, ‘No comment.’”

The newscast continued, but Antwon reached out and shut off the sound on the TV. We’d heard enough.

The doorbell rang. We all glanced at each other with questioning looks. I pulled myself up off the couch from my position next to Witt and went to the door.

I half expected to find some reporter camped on our doorstep. I definitely was not expecting the person who was standing there.

“Hi, Joe. Can I come in for a minute?”

“S...sure.”

I stepped aside, and Aaron Cole’s six foot five inch 220 pound frame walked through the door.

Witt, Antwon, and Jean-Marc all made their greetings to Coach Cole.

He responded, “Hi, guys. I was hoping to catch Witt. I didn’t know the rest of the Four Horsemen would be here too.”

He walked over to the couch and extended his hand to Rhonda as he flashed a wide smile. “You’re Witt’s sister, Rhonda. I’ve seen you in the stands at our home games. I’m Aaron Cole.”

Rhonda was always pleased when someone noticed her. She smiled and took Coach’s outstretched hand and returned his smile with her own. “I know who you are. I’ve seen you on the sidelines at the games. It’s nice to meet you in person.”

“Uh, Coach, what’s up?” Witt asked.

Coach Cole looked around the room at all of us before looking at Witt and answering. “It might be better if I talked with you alone.”

Witt moved his hand to indicate all of us in the room. “These guys all know the score, Coach. You can talk in front of them. Besides, it was just on the ten o’clock news. The whole world’s going to know by tomorrow morning.”

“Damn, I’m sorry to hear about the TV, Witt. Do these guys know that you were asked to leave the team?”

“Yes.”

After Witt’s answer I moved over and put my arm around my lover’s waist. “Coach, We all know Witt’s gay. In fact, so am I, and what’s more Witt and I are lovers.”

Antwon reached out and took Jean-Marc’s hand. “And Jean-Marc and I are lovers.”

Coach Cole looked first at Witt and me and then at Antwon and Jean-Marc before a huge smile broke across his face. “Holy shit!” Then he threw back his head and began to laugh.

He laughed so hard that he had to sit down in one of the chairs. His laugh infected all of us, and we joined him laughing until the tears ran down our cheeks.

When the laughing fit was over, Coach managed to start speaking again. “This is just great! I came over here to explain to Witt why I felt I had to resign from the coaching staff, and I find out that ALL of you are gay. This is way too much, guys.”

Witt wiped the tears from his eyes. “Okay, Coach, tell us why you resigned.”

“Guys, I have a brother. He’s three years older than me. He was an outstanding athlete all though high school and got a full ride scholarship to State for football. My brother also happens to be gay, and a couple of guys on his team found out. They told the coach, and Andrew was booted off the team. He lost his scholarship and had to drop out of college for a year and work before he got enough money together to go back and finish his degree. He’s now a lawyer working for the ACLU. I love my brother very much, and I’m very proud of him. What happened to him was wrong, and when Coach Melton told me why he’d asked you to leave the team, I just couldn’t sit back and not say anything. What happened to my brother was wrong, and what happened to Witt was wrong. I had to do something. Coach said he wouldn’t take you back on the team, so I quit.

“Now I find out that four of the team’s starting five are gay. I can’t imagine what Coach Melton would say to that or what that son of a bitch reporter would say if he found out.”

Aaron had said ‘four of the team’s starting five’ were gay. That meant he didn’t know about Reggie. I spoke up, “Coach is going to find about me tomorrow. If he wants me off the team too, then I’ll go.”

Antwon spoke. “The same goes for Jean-Marc and me. We’re going to talk to Coach tomorrow.”

The doorbell rang, and our discussion stopped while I went to answer the door.

It was Father Mac.

“Hi, Joe. I heard the news on the TV and thought you and Witt might need a sympathetic ear or shoulder right about now.”

I brought Father Mac into the living room to join the group. He already knew Antwon and Jean-Marc. I introduced him to Coach Cole and Rhonda.

Father Mac shook hands with the two of them and then chuckled, “Well, I thought Witt and Joe might need some support, but I see the really major support arrived before me.”

Witt replied, “Father, right now all of us could use any support you could provide.”

We began filling Father Mac in on the events of the evening and what we planned for the next day. We had just finished telling him about our plans to talk with Coach Melton when there was a loud knock on the front door.

Before I could get to the door Reggie Winters opened it and stepped into the house. “Could one of you tell me just what in the hell is going on? I thought Jean-Marc, Antwon, and I were the only queers on the team.”

He stopped short when he saw Father Mac, Rhonda, and Coach Cole. “Oh, shit! I think I just came out.”

Everyone laughed at poor Reggie’s embarrassment. Aaron Cole walked over to him and gave him a big hug.

“Reggie, personally I don’t care if you’re gay or straight. It’s just funny that the entire starting line up for Alberts College is gay.”

Reggie got a confused look on his face. “Wait a minute. You said the entire line up? I know about Antwon, Jean-Marc, me, and now Witt. Does that mean that Joe is...”

“Yup,” I chimed in, “I’m one too. Witt and I have been lovers ever since a year ago last summer when you had that little problem in the locker room at basketball camp.”

Reggie smiled, “Well, thank you very much for telling me! Okay, so it’s all of us. We need to go in and talk to Coach. I guess if you guys are ready to come out of the closet, then I am too. We need you back on the team, Witt.”

The phone rang.

I answered. “Hello.”

“Joe?”

“Yes.”

“Hey. This is LeVan Child. Is Witt there?”

LeVan was one of the second string juniors on the team. “He’s here, LeVan, but he’s kind of busy right now. Can I take a message?”

“Have you guys seen the ten o’clock news?”

“Yeah, LeVan, we have.”

“Okay, then tell Witt that I don’t care if he’s gay or straight. He needs to come back to the team ‘cause we need him.”

“Thanks, LeVan. I’ll tell him.” I paused for a second before continuing, “Say, LeVan, would it make you feel any different about this to know that I’m gay too?”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. I’m dead serious and what’s more...Witt and I are a couple. We have been for over a year.”

Silence and then, “Okay, I guess that explains the way you two know what’s happening with the other on the court. And to answer your question, no. It doesn’t make any difference to know that you’re gay too. You and Witt are the hearts of the team. We can’t afford to lose either one of you, and we damned sure can’t lose you both. You’ve got to talk Witt into coming back on the team. Don’t worry about the story on the TV. No one will care when we start winning games.”

“LeVan, thanks for your support, but it’s really going to be up to Coach Melton whether Witt comes back on the team and whether I’ll still be on it after I tell him I’m gay too.”

Another silence before LeVan continued, “Are you saying that Witt didn’t leave the team voluntarily?”

“Exactly.”

“That’s just not right, Joe. Is there anything I can do?”

“Talk to Coach Melton. He told Witt that none of the guys would want him on the team after they found out he was gay.”

“Oh for crying out loud! There may be a few guys who aren’t going to be real comfortable with the idea, but I can’t imagine anyone would want Witt...or you...off the team. We all want to have another championship season, and I’m not sure we can do that without you two.”

“Thanks, LeVan. That means a lot to us.”

“Uh, Joe, would it be okay with you guys if I talked to a couple of the other guys on the team. I mean, they’ll already know about Witt, but can I tell them about you’re being a couple and all.”

“LeVan, Witt’s already been outed on TV. I’m going to tell Coach Melton about me tomorrow so I’ll be out one way or the other. At this point I don’t care who knows.”

“Okay, bro. You guys stay cool, and I’ll get back to you after I talk to some of the guys.”

########################################

WITT’S PERSPECTIVE:

Joe told all of us about his phone conversation with LeVan Child. Almost as soon as he finished, the phone rang again.

That call was from a reporter wanting to talk to me. Joe covered the mouthpiece of the phone and asked if I wanted to talk with the guy. Both Aaron Cole and Father Mac looked at me and shook their heads to tell me not to do it. I looked at Joe and shook my head. He got rid of the guy, but the phone rang again almost immediately. It was another reporter.

After the fourth call from a reporter, we took the phone off the hook. It was crazy. Then it got even crazier.

The doorbell rang, and Antwon looked out the window. “Guys, there’s a truck from Channel 3 News out here, and a guy with a microphone on the front porch. Jeez! Now there’s a van from Channel 6 coming down the street.”

I looked at Joe. “Babe, I really don’t want an army of reporters waiting for us to come out the door. What’re we gonna do?”

Father Mac spoke up, “We need to get you guys out of here. We could bull our way out to my car and take you guys over to the rectory at St. Elizabeth’s.”

“Thanks, Father, but Rhonda has to come with us. I don’t want her staying here alone or going back to her apartment until we know what old Jeremy is up to. She can’t go to our parents ‘cause they’re both out of town at a medical convention.”

Aaron stood up from the couch. “Going to your parents’ house probably isn’t a good idea. I’ll bet the TV stations have that place staked out as well.” He turned to Father Mac, “And no offense, Father, but what are your parishioners going to think if you have a woman staying overnight in your rectory? Last I knew the Church was still insisting on at least the illusion of celibacy for it’s priests.

“I have a better idea.”

(To be continued)