Part 6, FAMILY REDEFINED
Mike, Eric and Brian made short work of
unloading the Cherokee. The makeshift caravan of three brought the entire load
of luggage and boxes into the duplex condo in minutes. Eric directed which
items went into each of the two bedrooms. He observed his son check out the
Wrangler that was parked in the vacant garage space several times.
“Thanks for the pickup, Brian. You wanna
beer and a sandwich before you go?” They were all standing in the kitchen and
Eric knew that Mike would be ready for some food. It was only 6:30 p.m.,
Pacific Time, and the box lunches they bought for the flight had been pretty
meager.
“I’m going to take a pass. I’ve got to
get back and close the restaurant.”
“I feel your pain. It’s back to the salt
mines for me tomorrow.” Eric thought about the paperwork waiting for him.
“Mike, we’ve got a date for some exploring on Wednesday. Okay?”
Brian asked.
“Yeah, that’ll be fun. I’m looking
forward to it,” Mike was enthusiastic and beamed a huge, broad smile.
Eric noticed that Mike had really warmed
up to his friend. ‘Well,’ he considered, ‘only a friend at this point. Stay
tuned.’
“In the meantime, give your new uncle a
hug. I think I’m going to enjoy getting to know my nephew.” Brian opened his
arms and Mike eagerly glided into a warm embrace. “Just so you know, I’m going
to help your dad in whatever’s needed to make you feel at home,” Brian said in
a low voice directly into Mike’s ear.
“Thanks, Uncle Brian. I look forward to
it.” One final squeeze and Brian released Mike.
“I’m outta here. Bye, guys.” Brian waved
and exited out the door to the garage.
“Well, Son, this is it. Welcome to your
new home. I’m sure you won’t turn away a sandwich?” Eric said, gesturing Mike
to sit at the kitchen table.
“And a beer?” Mike laughed and sat down.
“Maybe a root beer. Or a Coke?” Eric
opened the refrigerator and checked the contents. “Hmm. I also have OJ or
milk.”
“Milk will be fine. If you have it,
maybe a PB and J sandwich? I’m a little too wired to eat much of anything
else,” Mike said with a little edge in his voice.
“Buddy, I stocked up. That was your
comfort food when we all lived together. Jif Extra Crunchy.
Right?” Eric saw Mike’s mouth drop open.
“And grape jelly?” Mike replied with his
eyes widening.
“Welch’s…of course.”
“I’ve been eating PB and J since I can
remember,” Mike replied anxiously.
“I guess since you were three years old.
I used to make them for you when we were all together.” Eric ruffled his son’s
hair and proceeded to grab everything from the fridge. He made two, thickly
spread sandwiches, using whole wheat bread: another of Mike’s favorites from
simpler times. He placed the two sandwiches on the table, poured two glasses of
milk and sat down.
Quietly, Mike wolfed the sandwich and
washed it down with milk. Eric smiled when he remembered that a three-year-old
Mike used to call it ‘moo-juice’.
“You want another?” He was amused at the
mess of peanut butter and jelly that gathered around his son’s mouth.
“If it’s no trouble. I guess I was
really hungry.”
“No trouble. You wipe your face and I’ll
fix another sandwich. You can use a paper towel for a napkin.” Eric got up from
the table and his half-eaten PB and J. ‘Gotta go shopping tomorrow,’ he
considered.
“Just so you know, I’m not usually such
a pig,” Mike said with a laugh. “I promise to be better with my table manners.
I guess it’s just a lot of stuff goin’ on with me.” He paused and a more somber
expression washed over his face. “Ya know…Mom, you, um, the trip…”
“That’s understandable. You’ve had a lot
of stuff, as you say, thrown at you in the space of a few days. I remember
being a little wound up when I was your age. Believe it or not, I was twelve
once,’ Eric said with a wink as he tried to regain the previous, lighter
spirit.
“Oh, Daaaad, I know that,” Mike replied
with mock indignation. He eagerly accepted the second sandwich and started
eating it with a little less gusto.
“And I know that you are experiencing a
growth spurt that all boys at your age go through. Your voice, body, ah…lots of
changes as you transition from boy to young man. We probably need to have a
little father and son chat when you’re comfortable with that.” Eric looked at
Mike with a questioning look.
“Um, Dad, I guess I’d like that after we
get settled here. This was something Mom could never do and I wasn’t going to
ask ‘that man’. I’ve got lots of questions. Some of the stuff has been covered
from talking with my friends back in Richmond. But, still…”
“When you’re ready. I discussed the same
things with my buddies and my dad at your age. I guess that I can help out
sifting fact from fiction. Or wishful thinking.”
“You won’t be embarrassed talking about,
um, sex stuff?” Mike looked at his dad with wide eyes as he ate the remaining
bites of the sandwich.
“That’s what dads are for. You know the
expression, ‘been there; done that’? I can share my knowledge and experience so
that you can better deal with all the stuff that happens growing up.” Eric
considered all the experiences with males that he wouldn’t share with his son.
“Cool. I’d like that.” Mike finished his
milk and wiped the milk moustache from his upper-lip with his tongue.
“If you’re finished, why don’t you go to
your room and get ready for bed. I’ll do the same thing and come in before you
go to sleep.”
“Yeah, I am kinda tired. You going to
tuck me in every night?” Mike asked with a grin.
“A big guy like you? Naw, I just want to
make you feel comfortable on your first night in your new room. There’s fresh
towels in your bathroom and the bed was recently made with clean sheets.” ‘I
won’t tell Mike why there’s clean sheets,’ Eric thought, with fond memories of
last Tuesday evening.
“Okay, Dad. See you in a few minutes?”
“Give me about ten. I’ll straighten up
and get ready for bed. Um, I sometimes just walk around in shorts or briefs. Is
that going to make you uncomfortable?”
“Only if I can do the same. With you and
me, it doesn’t matter,” Mike said as a matter of fact.
“Exactly. It’s like father and son man’s
country,” Eric shot back with a laugh. He was impressed at the maturity that
was shining through Mike’s young personality and pre-teen reasoning.
“I guess there’s not going to be any
women around here?”
“Only grandma or girlfriends of yours.
Then it’s pants and shirt on.” Eric chuckled and offered his hand.
“Okay, that’s a deal.” Mike accepted his
dad’s hand and moved in for a close hug. “Give me a little time to figure out
about you being, um, gay.”
“That’s just a part of me, buddy. It
doesn’t affect you or my responsibility of raising a growing son.” Eric knew
that he’d have to tread carefully for a while with any open relationship with
Brian…if it came to that.
“Dad, thanks for everything. Just so you
know, I love you.” As Mike had done in Richmond, he buried his head into Eric’s
chest, sighed and let out a sniffle or two.
“Buddy, I’m so happy to have you back in
my life. I double love you.” Eric leaned down and kissed the top of Mike’s
head. “Except when you were born, this may be the happiest day of my life.”
*****
‘Man, where the heck am I and what time
is it?’ Mike thought as he opened one eye and initially surveyed the strange
room. ‘Oh, yeah, Dad’s old room. Mine now.’ He opened the other eye and saw the
clock. It read 7:10 a.m.
Then he felt the sheet that was
partially covering him. He must have kicked the blanket off the bed in the
middle of the night. Mike lay there for a minute, one leg dangling over the
edge, when he felt the discomfort in his groin area. ‘Ah, shit…not again.’ He
scooted a little and peeled away a portion of the sheet that was stuck to his
raging erection and stomach. ‘I must have had one of those things happen last
night.’ Mike had been sleeping nude
since the first nocturnal mess about six months earlier. He had been afraid
that his Mom would find his dirty underwear.
He looked down his torso to his groin
and the few dark hairs that had grown there in the last few months. They were
unceremoniously glued to his skin by the dried stuff that had come out of his
dick. ‘Funny,’ Mike thought with a mixture of worry and puzzlement, ‘I don’t
remember any pain. Just some kind of funny dream.’
He pondered his dilemma of soiling the
clean sheets on his first night. ‘Well, Dad said that we could discuss
anything. Might as well ask him about this thing that’s been happening to me at
night. Maybe I need to see a doctor?’ Mike, however, had to take care of other
business first. He was in need of emptying his bladder.
He eased out of bed and went into the
bathroom. This was the first time in his young life that Mike had his own
private facilities and he approved of the new personal territory. As Mike found
relief, careful to aim so as to not miss the target, his hard-on started to
deflate. ‘Jeez, could there be any better feeling than a morning pee?’ he
wondered.
He stepped over to the
washbasin and decided to wash away the stuff that was caked on his body. Mike
admired his body and sprouting pubes while he gently scrubbed the groin area.
‘My dick seems to be getting larger,’ he proudly considered. ‘But my balls are
hanging lower. I wonder what that’s all about?’ As he dried himself Mike
thought about his upcoming 13th birthday and smiled. Returning to the bedroom,
Mike found a clean pair of briefs from his backpack and slipped them on. He
left his room and walked towards the kitchen: music and the aroma of coffee
told him that Dad was up.
“Round round get around
I get around
Yeah
Get around round round I get around
I get around…”
Mike stopped in his tracks at the kitchen area and grinned when he
saw Eric singing along to the music and dancing by the counter.
“…Get around round round I get around
From town to town
Get around round round I get around
I'm a real cool head
Get around round round I get around
I'm makin' real good bread…”
“Go, Dad,” Mike said with a laugh. This was the first time he had
seen Eric in nothing more than boxer shorts and Mike was aware that he was
looking at, more or less, an adult version of himself. ‘Wow,’ he judged, ‘my
old man looks pretty good.’
“Hey, Mike. Good morning, bud,” Eric said, turning around. “The
Beach boys are sometimes part of my wakeup routine. I didn’t bother you, did
I?”
“Naw, I just woke up and came out here.
The music’s kinda old but it sounds fun.” Mike padded in and bumped knuckles
with his dad.
“I noticed some CD’s in your stuff.
We’ll have to play your music, too. I’m pretty much used to living by myself. I
figure that we’re goin’ to be on our own in the morning. There’s juice in the
fridge and I set out cereal. I always set the coffee maker the night before to
brew coffee in the morning. Do you drink coffee yet?” Eric poured cereal into a
bowl, added milk and sat down.
“Um, I’ve tried it but can’t get into
it. Juice and cereal is fine.” Mike followed his dad’s routine and joined him
at the table. He noticed Eric’s beard of day-old growth, chest hair and filed
away the image as ‘things to come’.
“Maybe on Saturday or Sunday we can get
out for a breakfast at Denny’s or IHOP. They’re both nearby,”
Eric said after taking a sip of coffee.
“This is all new to me. Whatever you
say, Dad.” Mike smiled and started on his Raisin Bran.
“Ha, you’re making this too easy for
me,” Eric answered. “Seriously, I know we’re going to have disagreements. And
that’s okay. Let’s make a pact, Son. When something’s bugging you, and vice
versa, let’s talk it out. I don’t have all the answers, but a big part of my
job is to help you get ready for becoming a man. The worst thing is clamming up
and saying nothing. Deal?” Eric looked
at Mike with openness.
“Deal. Um, can we talk about anything?”
“Absolutely. No subject is off base.”
“I, err…I’ve got something wrong
happening with me and might need to see a doctor.” Mike decided that this was
the best time to open the topic of his concern about his problem. He looked at
his cereal bowl and stirred around the contents with his spoon.
“What’s wrong? I’ve got a great family
doctor that we can see today,” Eric replied. There was urgency and concern in
his voice inflection.
“I’ve been…well, ah…sometimes I wake up in the morning with stuff
that has come out of my, um, peter at night. Usually it’s dry like glue by the
time I wake up. It’s scary, Dad. You’re the first person I’ve told.” Mike
looked into his dad’s eyes and felt his face getting flush with embarrassment.
However, he noticed that Eric relaxed and offered a reassuring smile.
“Son, it sounds like your body is
experiencing some growing up steps.” Eric placed his hand on Mike’s and
continued, “First, I’m going to use the official names for the male anatomy and
what’s been happening. Trust me, every guy around your age goes through this. I
did.”
“Yeah? You mean…”
“It’s all very natural. You’re body’s going through the final
stages of puberty.”
“Like growing hair, um, other places and stuff like that?” Mike asked
as if someone had turned on a switch.
“Exactly. Hair and voice change are just part of it. You’re
changing from boy to young man. Clear and simple.”
“Whoa, these are big changes,” Mike considered.
“What you’re experiencing is called wet dreams or, more
technically, nocturnal emissions.” Mike’s mouth slowly dropped open and Eric
nodded his head. “How long has this been going on?”
“Ah, I guess about four months. I was
too embarrassed to talk to Mom. At first I thought I’d peed in my bed. Later, I
knew it was something else. I haven’t even said anything to my friends back
home.”
“Basically, what’s happening is that
your testicles are now making semen. That’s the fluid that carries sperm. The
semen builds up and needs to release. This is what has been coming out of your
penis at night. By the time you wake up it has dried. Do you understand these
terms or words I’m using?”
“Except for penis, I’m not sure about
the other stuff.”
“Well, the easy one is testicle, or
testicles. These are your balls…as in two of them,” Eric said with a fatherly
smile. “The other stuff we need to discuss in length another time. Have you had
any talks with anyone about sex…other than the crazy things that boys talk
about?”
“Oh, gee, Dad. It’s kinda strange to
talk to an adult about this.” ‘Man, did I open a can of worms?’ he thought.
‘But I might as well get it all out.’
“I won’t push you but who better than
your father? We’ve just got together and I know that we need to build a trust
between each other. But I can help with this.”
“I know. Well, to answer your question,
I really haven’t had any adult tell me about the ‘birds and bees’…ya know…sex
stuff. Mom avoided the subject and I wasn’t about to talk with her jerky
husband about anything. I guess the only thing I know is that a guy sticks his,
um, penis in a girl, she gets big and a baby is made. Pretty lame…but that’s
about it. That’s all I really know.”
“Okay. One topic at a time. The ‘birds and bees’ talk we’ll have
real soon. This morning I’m just going to clear up any misunderstandings you
may have about the way your body is changing. But we need to both be very open
with each other.”
“I can do that.” Mike felt very secure in the presence of his dad
even with this gay thing.
“First of all, let me ask you a question that is in the spirit of
our agreement. Do you masturbate yet?”
“Masterbite?” Mike asked with a puzzled expression.
“No. Masturbate. As in masturbation. This is when a male
stimulates his erect penis, usually with his hand, to produce an orgasm. This
orgasm, or climax, produces the white fluid that comes out of the penis. Ah,
have any of your friends ever talked about jerking off, or jacking off? These
are slang terms for masturbating.”
“Well, um, at the ‘Y’ I heard the older
guys talking about ‘beating off’ and shooting ‘jizz’ a couple of times in the
locker room. But I pretty much kept to myself or my friends.”
“Older guys, as in fellows 14 or 15?”
“Yeah, we were at the ‘Y’ for Saturday
basketball league games. There were always a couple of different age group
teams in the morning.”
“Then you probably saw these older guys
without any clothes? I only ask this because you may have noticed how a boy’s
body changes as you enter the teen years. Pubic hair and larger genitals are
part of growing up. By the way, everyone, straight or gay, usually checks out
other guys. It’s just one of those things,” Eric said with a laugh. Mike joined
him and felt the nervousness evaporate.
“Err, yeah, I guess we all did. I know I
was curious about the hair growing down there at the time. Now I’m getting
some,” Mike said with some pride.
“Well, son you’re definitely growing up.
Let’s finish breakfast, get cleaned up and dressed. I’ll meet you in the living
room in about a half-hour. You’re definitely ready for lesson number one a
young guy needs to know about sex.” Eric smiled warmly at his son.
“Do I need to bone up for a pop quiz?” Mike asked. He laughed when
he thought about his unintended joke.
“Oh. My son the comedian, is it? Scoot
and get ready. We’ve got a full day ahead.” Eric and Mike stood and naturally
hugged each other.
“Yes, Sir.” Mike pulled away, popped a
mock salute and returned to his room. “Wow,’ he thought, ‘is my old man cool,
or what?’
*****
Father and son were sitting in the
living room, both with feet propped up on the coffee table. Eric was mentally
exhausted and it was only a little after 10:00 a.m. ‘Lesson one went well,’ he
thought. ‘My son seemed to get the big picture.’ Eric purposely used clinical
terms as well as street slang.
“Dad, this really helps out a lot,” Mike
said with confidence.
“Any questions? We’ll get into what
happens between a male and female another time.”
“There’s much to think over. Maybe we
can talk more about that stuff soon?”
“Let’s plan on it. You turn 13 next
month and I’ll make sure that we get everything covered by then. Knowledge
about sex and a young guy’s responsibilities are very important.”
“Yeah, a lot of stuff to think about,”
Mike said contemplatively.
Eric purposely communicated that he
didn’t consider masturbation in the privacy of the bedroom a big deal. In fact,
he suggested that using hand lotion would lessen skin chafing. ‘Might as well
get the kid off to the right start,’ he concluded, ‘rather than hurting
himself.’
“Let me promise you one thing. Your room
is your kingdom. It’ll be your responsibility to keep the bedroom and bathroom
clean. And everything picked up. However, I will never come in the room unless
I’m invited. Also, I will respect a closed door. If I need you, I’ll knock on the
door and not open it until you say it’s okay.” Eric knew his son was reading
between the lines: your dad won’t interfere while you’re taking care of
‘business’.
“And I guess the same thing applies with
you and your room,” Mike said with a broad grin.
“Let’s just say that your dad likes his
privacy, especially in the morning.” Eric winked and started chuckling. Mike
paused for a moment and joined in on the shared double meaning. “Seriously, if
you ever need me at night, please come in and see me.”
“Got it, Dad. Thanks.” Mike seemed to be
contemplating Eric’s suggestion.
“Okay. Back to the tasks at hand. How
about you and me going down to Vons…that’s the local supermarket…and stock up
on groceries. You can tell me what your likes and dislikes are. Just so you
know, I’m not in favor of loading up on Cokes. It’s a health thing with me.
I’ve got a bottled water service. That okay with you?”
“That’s fine. Mom felt the same way. And
we really couldn’t afford it.” Mike felt just a tinge of sadness when he thought
about his mother.
“Next thing is meeting more family. Mom
and Dad, your grandparents, are coming over here around 2 p.m. They are really
excited about seeing you again. I hope that this isn’t too much for you, too
soon?”
“No, it’s really neat. I kinda remember
them when they lived here. Do I have to get dressed up? I haven’t got my stuff
unpacked and organized yet.”
“Jeans and a tee are fine. I thought
we’d all have a chance to get to know each other and talk a little before I
leave for work. Your grandma is going to cook dinner. I expect that between you
helping her and spending some time with grandpa, it’ll be a fun evening.
They’ll go back to their place after dinner and I’ll probably get home from
work in the wee hours of the morning. You okay being by yourself, big guy?”
Eric didn’t mention that he was going to stop by Brian’s place after work.
“Cool. I’ve been on my own for a while
and it’s no problem. I’m still on Richmond time and will probably go to bed
after they leave.”
“Okay, that’s settled. Let’s go shopping
for some food. Tomorrow we’ll go down to Best Buy and check out computers.
Also, I think it’s time to invest in a Playstation and some basic games. I
think it’ll work with the living room TV.”
“Wow, that’s really neat.” Father and
son both switched on the effervescent, Flynn grin.
For Eric, the smile was masking his
concern about ‘maxing out’ his Visa card. ‘Maybe dad can float a loan,’ he
decided.
“Finally, and probably most important,
we are going to follow you mother’s wishes later this week. She wanted her
ashes to be scattered over the ocean at a special place.” Eric noticed Mike
momentarily freeze in his expressions and movement. “Can you do this with
me?”
“Uh, yeah…well, umm…yes, Dad. I owe that
to her,” Mike replied after he regained composure.
“We both do, I think.” ‘I owe her for
bringing Mike back into my life.’ “Maybe we can drive down to Point Loma this
Friday. By the way, here’s my business card with all the contact numbers. I
keep my cell phone with me at all times. If you need me, don’t hesitate to
call.”
*****
“Hey, Eric. I guess my directions were
pretty clear,” Brian said as he opened the door to his house. It was just after
10:00 p.m.
“Yeah, no problem.” Eric smiled at the
first glimpse of his pal. “I can’t believe how close we live to each other.”
“That can be handy,” Brian replied with a chuckle.
Eric thought Brian looked pretty hot in
gym shorts and a tee. “Very handy.”
“Come in.” Brian stepped aside and
allowed Eric to enter.
“Um, where are the boys and Karen?” Eric
gave Brian a small peck on the mouth. Just a quick, hello kiss.
“The boys are in bed and Karen’s
watching TV in her room. Let me give you an official welcome, babe.” Brian
stepped closer and pulled Eric into a tight embrace. Each other’s lips
immediately found their target, followed by serious tongue engagement. After a
brave attempt to dominate, Eric surrendered to Brian’s tonsil attack.
“Umm,” was all Eric could moan as the
long, probing kiss continued. He was aware that both men were straining in the
crotch area, as two friendly, aroused cocks were demanding escape from the
cloth confines. He pulled back and looked into Brian’s eyes. “I’ve been
thinking about this all day. Missed ya, buddy.”
“The feeling’s mutual. Wanna beer?”
Brian asked.
“Whatever you’re having will be fine.”
“Then Amstel Light it is. Go into the
living room and I’ll join you in a sec.” Eric walked into the living room and
sat on the couch. Without hesitation, he slipped off his shoes. While watching
Brian in the kitchen pass-through window, he noticed that the bedroom areas
were at opposite ends of the house. ‘This could be convenient,’ he thought, ‘if
the master bedroom is off in its own part of the apartment.’
Brian joined Eric in the living room,
offered him a longneck and clinked the two bottles. “Here’s to your new life
and everything positive that’s going to happen, dad,” Brian said as he eased
onto the couch next to Eric.
“Being a dad again is just part of it.
The other part is how you feel about us being boyfriends.” Eric moved closer to
Brian until their shoulders and knees were touching. “I don’t want to put you
on the spot. If ya got second thoughts, I’ll understand. I at least wanna be a
friend.” Eric felt he had said a mouthful as he took a long pull from the
bottle.
“Eric, I think we went beyond that stage
last week. Read my lips: I plan on being your very best, close friend. I’m just
concerned that you might be a little too busy with parenting.” Brian leaned
over and nibbled on Eric’s earlobe and lapped his tongue around his ear.
“Ha, ha. You go right for the gold,”
Eric replied as he squirmed. “You already know where to go to flip on my
switch.” He turned and planted a wet kiss on Brian’s cheek. “I’ve got two guys
in my life now. And unless I miss my hunch, Mike’s going to enjoy getting to
know you.”
“Kind of the makings of a nuclear
family?” Brian started rubbing his hand across Eric’s tented crotch.
“Something like that. I even gave him
the first talk about the ‘birds and the bees’ this morning.”
“Really? You don’t mess around. How’d
that take place?” Brian asked with curiosity.
“Actually, he brought it up. Seems he’s
been having wet dreams and he didn’t have the foggiest what they were. Mike
thought he needed to see a doctor. I decided to give him the rundown on what
was happening to him.”
“Well, I want to give you the rundown on
something else in my bedroom. As I recall, you owe me something,” Brian said
with a snicker and a mischievous leer.
“As my son said this morning, I hope
you’re ‘boned up’ for it.” Eric and Brian rose from the couch at the same time.
“Hmmm, in what context was this?” Brian
asked as he goosed Eric.
“Oops,” Eric uttered with an exaggerated
jump. “I’ll tell you all about it…later. Lead the way, buddy.”
___________________________
TO BE CONTINUED