Date: Sat, 9 Jan 2010 13:36:34 EST
From: bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 9, chapters 7 - 8
Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 4 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 7 -- Many Changes.
**Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read
this.
My contractor arrived the next morning and we discussed what I wanted to
do. He immediately went up to survey the area thoroughly, checked the roof
supports and took the appropriate measurements, before informing me he
would work up a proposal and a few rough sketches, and then bring them by
for me to look over the next day. I told him that would be fine, but I was
surprised he could do all of that so quickly, before he teased it was only
because I was such a good customer.
True to his word, he came back with the diagrams and prices the next day.
He said we'd have to add a permanent stairway to the attic, but we should
also leave the drop down ladder for emergency use. He concluded he would
be able put three small bedrooms and a full bath in the attic, plus he'd
include a storage area for the things we generally kept up there. He told
me he'd make sure each bedroom had one window and he'd put a skylight in
the bathroom, to make it a bit brighter. I quickly okayed the plans, so he
said he'd pick up or order what he needed that afternoon and start work the
next day.
I met with all of the boys later that day and explained what would be going
on. Brent was excited because he thought we were doing all of this just
for him, which in a way we were, but it would also help out at other times.
Frankie and Pat each said they'd like to move into one of the new bedrooms,
once they were completed, so I told them that would be fine. I gave Brent
the choice of Frankie or Pat's old rooms, or the third new bedroom in the
attic, and he quickly decided he'd take the other new bedroom, so things
were set on that front. It would take a couple of weeks to complete
everything, so everyone would stay where they were for the time being.
During that same week, Danny and Brandon broke up with their girlfriends.
They both told me that they were doing this for several reasons. First,
they didn't enjoy going out with them. Second, they thought they were
being unfair to the girls by deceiving them and thought it was time to end
the charade. Last, they felt they had to be who they were and didn't care
any more who knew about them. They figured they only had about a year and
a half left at the high school and then they'd be going off to college,
where no one would know them. Even though they weren't planning to attend
the same college, they couldn't see any reason why they shouldn't enjoy
themselves now. They wouldn't go announcing any of this at school, but
they would no longer put up a front just to deflect criticism or abuse.
Somehow Mark had overheard our conversation and now realized, for the first
time, that those two boys were gay. I guess he had never thought about it
or considered the idea before. However, none of us were aware he knew
about this fact, at least not until Mark stopped to talk to the boys one
night. He went to their bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Hi, guys. May I come in for a second?" he asked, and they told him
'sure,'
The three of them spent a few awkward moments just looking at each other
and wondering what was up, before Mark shut the door and went over and sat
on the bed next to them. "I overheard you guys talking to Pop earlier," he
explained. "I wasn't eavesdropping or anything, but I did hear what you
told him. I didn't know you guys were gay."
Danny and Brandon looked at each other, the shock of Mark's announcement
registering on their faces, and then they looked back at him. "Does that
bother you?" Danny asked him.
"Heck, no," Mark told them. "I like you guys because of who you are, not
because of who you like. Even though I'm not gay, it doesn't mean I can't
have gay friends."
You could hear a collective sigh from the two boys when Mark said this, and
then Brandon spoke to him. "I'm glad you feel that way. We didn't want to
lose you as a friend."
"Don't worry, you won't," Mark assured them. "Heck, if it weren't for the
two of you, I'd never have been invited to join you on that trip and Pop
would never have offered me the summer job and done all this other stuff
for me. I owe you both big-time and nothing could ever make me feel any
differently about you."
"Thanks. That means a lot to both of us," Danny told him. "You're a
really cool guy and we both like having you as a friend. I'm glad you're
not homophobic."
Mark chuckled. "Nope, no way. I don't mind if you love another guy, it
just leaves more girls for me to choose from." They had a quick chuckle
over his comment, before Mark put them on the spot with his next comment.
"You guys didn't happen to have a crush on me that first time, did you? Is
that why you were so nice?" Mark was still grinning, but the boys weren't
sure how to respond to him.
"Well, you are really good looking," Brandon answered, "and we might have
been hoping you were gay too, but we wouldn't have tried anything if you
weren't."
"I didn't mean that in a negative way," he announced, to ease their
concerns. "I was just wondering. In fact, I guess I might even be
flattered that you were interested." Mark let out a healthy guffaw after
admitting that. "Whatever the reason you started talking to me and invited
me to go with you, I'm still thankful and glad that you did. Don't worry,
I won't tell anyone your secret and I won't treat you any differently."
"Thanks, Mark," Danny told him, sincerely, "I'm glad we did too. I'm also
relieved you know about us now, because that makes it a whole lot easier.
We wanted to tell you before, but we didn't know how you'd react."
"That's okay. I understand where you're coming from," he confirmed. "So,
are you two boyfriends?"
"Yeah, we have been for a very long time."
"Hey, that's great. You two do look good together and you do seem to like
each other a lot."
"We love each other," Brandon corrected him, "and we plan to be together
always."
"Good for you," Mark told them. "I hope you're always as happy or happier
than you are now." The boys smiled at him and everything was cool. "Are
any of your brothers gay too?"
"Yeah," Danny responded. "Some are gay, some might be bi and some are
straight. The thing is, none of us really cares who is which way."
"That's cool. I guess I kind of suspected that Trey and Dion might be
gay," Mark added. "They tend to stare at each other a lot and get these
strange expressions on their face when they do. I actually think they're
cute together, but they better be more careful around other people, if they
don't want someone else to figure it out. If I noticed it, then it must be
pretty obvious. I don't usually pick up on things like that, because I
don't care one way or the other, but I'm sure there are others who do."
"Yeah, and we do tend to worry about guys who think like that," Danny
admitted. "Not because we're scared, but because they tend to be cowards
and attack in packs, like wolves. You hardly ever see one of those guys go
at it alone. They generally need three or more to attack one gay guy.
Must be they're afraid we might kick their asses." He chuckled nervously
after he said that, but everyone understood his point.
"I guess I never thought about it like that before," Mark told him, "but
you're right. Every case I've heard of, the attackers either outnumbered
their victims or had weapons. And they claimed the fags are wimps..." he
stopped after saying that, knowing he had misspoken and possibly used a
term he shouldn't have.
"That's okay, Mark," Danny assured him. "We even use that word, just not
very often. I only wish there were more open-minded people like you in
this world, and then we wouldn't have to worry about what we said or how we
said it." They all agreed on this point and then sat around and chatted
about other things until it was time to go to bed. They parted happy and
feeling better now that things were out in the open. Not only that, but
they had all learned a little more about each other in the process.
By the second week after New Year's, Sally and her friend had talked
Brent's parents into giving up legal custody of him. In order to
accomplish this, they cut a deal with them and reduced the child
abandonment and neglect charges to something less severe and agreed they
would recommend they be sentenced to do community service, instead of jail
time. At first they were going to fight it, but when they realized they
were most likely going to lose anyway, they took the less severe option.
Baltimore D.F.C.S. transferred the case to Sally's jurisdiction, so she
could legally place Brent with us. He was jumping all around when she told
him the news, and then he hugged us both, before telling us he never
doubted we'd be able to do this for him.
Once he began to settle down, he then asked me if this meant I had adopted
him. I told him that would take some additional time, but for now I was
his legal guardian. He seemed satisfied with that, although he had managed
to leave me no doubt about what he wanted. While he never came out and
said so, the impression was clear and both Sally and I had picked up on it.
Mark spent most his time during the two weeks after the holidays working
with his mentor and learning the intricacies of the accounts. He was also
informed about the criteria for determining which investments were chosen
and how the money was split up. A certain percentage was kept in a
money-market account, so checks could be cut as needed, but the rest was
split up and invested somewhat conservatively. Part of it was invested in
bonds, preferred stocks and utilities, to generate income and be fairly
negotiable, while the rest was invested in various stocks, which offered
medium to long- term growth.
Mark's name was listed on each of these accounts, as a legal financial
representative of the charity, and he was given a couple of them to handle
personally. The only stipulation was that he couldn't make any changes in
the account without getting approval from his mentor first. He could just
type him an email, stating his proposal, with a detailed explanation and
justification for what he thought it would do to benefit the Foundation.
His boss would then accept, modify or reject his proposal. If he rejected
it, he would state his reasons and possibly give an alternative suggestion,
so Mark could learn from it. Mark liked this arrangement and eagerly dove
into his work. He could continue serving in this capacity while away at
school, so I supplied him with a high-powered computer and
fax/scanner/printer, as well as picking up the cost for him to have a phone
line installed in his room. He would also get a monthly stipend for his
efforts, so he could either give up or cut back his hours at the
restaurant.
Just before Mark was scheduled to leave, the contractor had also finished
the job of upgrading the attic and had given everyone the grand tour of the
new area. There were three bedrooms, each of which would soon be furnished
with a bed, dresser and desk, besides having more than ample closet space.
The bathroom had a fairly large shower stall, which could easily
accommodate two boys at once, a toilet, sink and a couple of cabinets to
store the essentials. There was also a separate door leading into the
storage area and the whole renovation had turned out fantastic.
I informed Frankie, Pat and Brent that I'd called the furniture store and
their bedroom sets would be delivered the next afternoon, after we returned
from dropping Mark off at the airport. I had previously been informed that
it had arrived at the furniture store, since we had ordered it all when the
contractor started work, so they had just been waiting to hear when they
could bring it by. This meant those boys could sleep in their new rooms
the next night, which made them happy, so they started planning how they
were going to arrange everything.
That evening, Brent slept with me for the final time. I thought he'd be
all excited about moving into his new room, but he seemed a little sad.
When I asked him what was wrong, he looked down before he answered. "I
don't want you to think I'm being selfish or anything, but I really like
sleeping with you. My dad never even told me he loved me and would never
have let me sleep with him or hugged me like you do. I guess I don't want
that to end."
"It doesn't have to," I tried to reassure him. "You can join me anytime
you're feeling lonely or need some special attention. The other boys do
that from time to time as well."
"But I also don't want you to think I don't appreciate what you've done for
me," he continued, letting me know there was more. "You went and had all
those bedrooms added because I didn't have a room to stay in, but I really
don't want to be all alone again."
"Don't worry, you won't," I responded. "Believe me, one thing that will
never happen in this house is that you will be all alone... that is unless,
you want to be."
He smiled at that comment and came over and hugged me, so I kissed him on
the forehead and hugged him back. He pulled back and looked at me, then
spoke again. "It's just that when I'm with you, I know that you love me.
I can feel it when you kiss my forehead or hold me in your arms. Nobody
has done that to me, except my mother, but that was only when I was little.
Even she hasn't done it for a few years now. I just feel so special at
night when you hold me that way."
"Well, I'm glad you feel that way," I assured him. "Like I told you, you
can come to me anytime, but I can hold you and be affectionate at other
times too, like when we're watching TV or a video, or when we're just
sitting around relaxing. You can come to me whenever you want and I'll
make sure to show you just how much you're loved."
Brent blushed a little; possibly because he suspected I thought he was
begging for attention, but I assured him I felt the same way about him. He
smiled again and we got into bed. He snuggled up against me one more time,
so I kissed him on the top of his head and said good night. He merely
turned his head, so he could see my face, and then whispered, 'Night, Dad'.
I guess I wasn't totally surprised by that, so I didn't make a big deal of
it, before he situated himself in his favorite position, with his head just
above my heart, and fell asleep.
The next day, it was time for Mark to leave and return to college. He was
a little sad about leaving us, but it wasn't totally bad. He was excited
about his new job and the experience he'd be getting from it, but he also
knew he'd be coming back to work here during the summer, so that tempered
his disappointment about having to be separated from us once again.
I was a little surprised that all of the boys indicated they wanted to go
and see him off, but I gave in and agreed we'd take the van so they could
all go too. I had to wake them all early, because of the drive and Mark's
early departure time, but they all got up without too much grumbling. We
stopped for a quick breakfast and then drove him to the airport in
Baltimore. Everyone was a bit sad to see him leave, but understood he
wouldn't be gone for long, so they all hugged him, before he went to board
his flight. I think that having all the boys see him off, and each of them
hugging him before he was on his way, definitely let him know he was truly
considered part of our family.
The rest of the month of January went by quickly and included two snow
days. We all enjoyed an extra day off from school and the boys made the
most of it, having snowball fights and building snowmen -- which included
some anatomy others generally left off, but the snowMEN were behind the
house where hardly anyone else could see them. Brent continued to adjust
to being with us, but still managed to find me for some special attention,
from time-to-time.
During that same month, Kevin and Frankie took the written test for their
permits. Both young men had studied really hard for this and passed it on
their first try. They were both pretty proud when they came home and
announced this fact to their brothers, knowing they were now on the way to
getting their licenses. Although I told them I'd take them out to practice
occasionally, their serious driving lessons wouldn't begin until I took the
others for their road test. They were mildly disappointed when I explained
that wouldn't be until late March or early April, depending on the weather,
but accepted the inevitability and knew I'd keep my promise.
Those practicing for their road test were getting better all the time. I
would even take them out to practice in snowy and icy conditions too,
although only in the various parking lots, so they could learn how to
handle the car in bad weather. I taught them about braking on slippery
roads; how to handle it when your car started to fishtail and then I
advised them on the little secrets for starting up on slippery surfaces.
They got a real good lesson one day, totally by accident.
We were driving along in the van when I rounded a curve in the road and hit
an icy patch. It was on a part of the road covered by shadows, which
allowed the treacherous spot to remain on an otherwise dry surface. The
back of the van started sliding one way and then the other, and I kept
turning the steering wheel into the slide. Eventually I got the vehicle
back under control and the kids started breathing again. After we had all
regained our composure, we talked about what had happened, how I had done
the things the way I had been trying to teach them and how it had corrected
the problem. I think that was a lesson they wouldn't soon forget.
As February began, three of the boys approached me with a problem. It was
Danny, Dion and Nick. It seemed like a strange combination to me, but I
sat down with them and listened to what they had to say. It seemed that
Danny, being the oldest, had been selected spokesman for the trio. "Dad,
we have something we'd like to do, but we don't know how to pull it off,"
he told me.
"Well, why don't you tell me what it is you want to accomplish," I replied,
"and I'll see if I can come up with some options for you."
"It's about Valentine's Day, Dad," Dion interrupted. "We want to plan a
special date with our boyfriends, but we don't know how to do it or where
to go."
"Well what kind of ideas do you have?" I asked, in order to flesh their
idea out. "Was there something specific you wanted to do on this date?"
The boys looked at each other.
"Well," Danny began, "we thought a nice romantic dinner would be nice."
"With dancing," Dion added.
"And we'd give them cards and candy, or something like that," Nick added.
I was really surprised that Nick had become a romantic and got involved in
something like this.
"Okay. I think I've got a good idea about what you want now, but would you
give me a couple of days to consider your request?"
"Yeah, but don't take too long," Danny warned, before offering me a
reminder. "Valentine's Day is only a couple of weeks away and we haven't
got very much time to pull this off."
"I know, and I promise not to take any longer than necessary," I told him.
"It's just that I tend to come up with better ideas when I've been able to
sleep on it."
"Okay, fair enough," Nick told me, replying for all of them. "Just let us
know if you think of anything."
I assured them I would and they left, satisfied that I'd figure something
out for them. I thought about it the rest of the night, but only came up
with a few vague ideas. I went to bed and was nearly asleep when
everything came together in my mind. I got up and wrote down several
notes, so I wouldn't forget anything by morning, and then I'd discuss these
ideas with the boys the following evening. I can't be positive, but I
think they'll like what I came up with.
Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 4 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 8 -- A Very Special Valentine's Day.
It took a great deal of planning, but we did come up with a very special
Valentines' surprise for the other half of our gay couples. They all knew
the guys with girlfriends were taking their dates out to dinner and then to
the 'Sweethearts Dance' at school, but they also knew it was also something
they couldn't do, at least without a few problems along the way.
Therefore, they were just planning to spend their time at home with their
boyfriends, but I could tell none of them was overly enthused by the
prospect.
Trey was really sulking about this, being extremely disappointed that he
couldn't be among the group that was dining and dancing with the one they
cared about. In order to make that up to him, I wanted this to be as nice
or nicer than what the other boys would be sharing with their dates.
To help set up this little surprise, I talked Trey, Kevin and Brandon into
helping me set up the gym for the Sweethearts Dance at the high school, to
assist a teacher friend of mine who was in charge of the event. Although
the boys complained that it wasn't fair that they'd have to do the work if
they couldn't go, I convinced them that this was more about helping my
friend and me than anything else. Reluctantly, they set their feelings
aside and agreed to participate.
When the big day arrived, I made them come home first and change into
slacks and a dress shirt, before I took them back to the high school to
work. They didn't understand why I had them dress up just to work, since
they never dressed like this for school and wouldn't be staying to attend
the festivities, but I told them it was so they would look nice for their
boyfriends when they returned. After a mild protest, during which they
argued that they'd have time to do that when they got back, they eventually
did as I requested. It took us a couple of hours to finish the
preparations and my friend came over and thanked us all for our efforts
before we left. As I suspected, the boys were very quiet on the way home.
When I pulled into the driveway, I hustled to make sure I was the first one
out of the van and at our front door. It wasn't very difficult to do this
time, because the boys were all sulking now and just slithered out of their
seat and slunk along behind me, especially Trey. When I got to the door I
peeked in, to make sure the others were ready. When I saw they were, I
went in and left the door open, so the other three could follow me.
Danny, Dion and Nick waited just inside, dressed in slacks, dress shirt,
tie and sport coat, each holding a heart-shaped box of candy and a card for
their boyfriend. The jaws on the other three nearly hit the floor when
they saw their lovers. They truly hadn't expected anything like this.
They opened their cards, read them and then apologized for not having their
things with them. That's when they each raced to their rooms, after
setting their boxes of candy down first, and came back with cards and some
sort of gift of their own. Once each of them presented these items to his
boyfriend, each couple exchanged hugs and kisses. That's when the rest of
the plan was set into motion.
First, Danny, Dion and Nick escorted their partners into the dining room,
which had been completely cleared of everything, and I raced through the
kitchen, so I would be at the other end of the dining room and in my
assigned place. I was standing next to our stereo system, which had been
set up on the counter between the kitchen and dining areas, and began my
little address.
"As you have figured out by now, your boyfriends have gone to a great deal
of effort to plan a special night for you. They asked me to help them with
this and to provide the music for the evening. Before we serve you a very
special dinner, we'll begin the evening with a little dancing. I have
selected the music, based on a very special theme, and I hope you listen
carefully to the words of each song. This will not be your typical
Valentines Day dance music or songs you will be familiar with. Instead, I
selected songs that spanned many years, included a variety of styles and
are sung by many different artists or groups. However, all of the lyrics
are appropriate to what your partners are trying to express. It is
primarily slow music, so you can cuddle all you want on the dance floor.
Just relax and have fun."
Since Brent did not have a partner to bring to this affair, I agreed to let
him take charge of playing the music, after I'd made my announcement. This
would make him feel part of the event and hopefully keep him from feeling
sorry about his own situation.
The surprised partners were still trying to grill their boyfriends on when
they had decided to do all of this for them, how they had done this without
them finding out and why they hadn't told them beforehand, so they could
have been prepared. The conspirators deflected these questions, telling
their lovers to not think about such things and simply enjoy the evening,
so I had Brent start the music. As the initial notes of the first tune
wafted from the speakers, the three instigators asked their partners if
they would like to dance. As they held each other close and began to sway
in time to the music, they also listened as Anne Murray's voice sang out
the words to "Could I Have This Dance?" (1980)
I'll always remember the song they were playing
The first time we danced and I knew
As we swayed to the music and held to each other
I fell in love with you
Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?
Would you be my partner then every night?
When we're together it feels so right
Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?
I'll always remember that magic moment
When I held you close to me
Cause we move together I know forever
You're all I'll ever need
I had thought that was the perfect song to start off this evening with, as
it tied their love for each other and dancing together, while signifying
what this evening was all about. My fellow conspirators listened to these
words intently, as I had suggested, primarily because they didn't know the
songs I'd be playing. As the lyrics began to sink in, they coyly glanced
at me, smiled and winked, as they held their partners close. I think they
were beginning to see what I was up to, as I gave it my best to make this a
memorable evening for each of them, while allowing them the opportunity to
explore their love for each other. Brent quickly started the next song and
Nat King Cole tenderly crooned the lyrics of "Too Young" (1951).
They try to tell us we're too young
Too young to really be in love
They say that love's a word
A word we've only heard
But can't begin to know the meaning of
And yet we're not too young to know
This love will last though years may go
And then some day they may recall
We were not too young at all
By this point, the boys were so close together that they almost looked as
if they had one body with two heads, and they didn't separate when the song
ended. For that reason, I quickly had Brent start the next tune, a Paul
Anka number. Soon they were able to hear him belt out "Put your head on my
shoulder" (1959).
Put your head on my shoulder
Hold me in your arms, ba—by
Squeeze me oh so tight, ba—by
Show me that you love me too.
Put your lips close to mine, dear
Won't you kiss me once, ba—by?
Just a kiss goodnight, ba—by
Maybe you and I will fall in love
The boys were now kissing each other and following the suggestions of the
song. I made sure we paused long enough to give them an opportunity to
make out a little bit, while Brent and I watched as they kissed and
expressed their love for each other. Once I felt they had sufficient time
for this endeavor, I allowed Brent to begin the next song. A few seconds
later, he played one of my favorite love songs, a little Bobby Vinton tune
entitled "I Love How You Love Me" (1968).
I love how your eyes close
Whenever you kiss me
And when I'm away from you
I love how you miss me
I love the way you always treat me tenderly
But darling most of all
I love how you love me
I love how your heart beats
Whenever I hold you
I love how you think of me
Without being told too
I love the way your touch is always heavenly
But darling most of all
I love how you love me
I love how you hug me
I love how you squeeze me, tease me, please me
Love how you love me
I love how you love me...
The mood had been adequately set and the boys were really getting into
kissing each other, as well as doing some hugging and groping. Not only
that, but I saw plenty of tears streaming down their cheeks, indicating how
touched they were because of this special evening.
As we watched the boys a little longer, I saw one of my 'assistants' trying
to get my attention, so he could give me the high sign that the meal was
ready. I immediately told our couples it was time to eat, and Cole and
Graham escorted them all into the living room, which we had turned into an
intimate dining room. I had Cole and Graham dress in tight-fitting khaki
slacks, with pink dress-shirts opened in a 'V' and tied at the waist, which
I thought looked sexy. They led the couples in and seated them at one of
the three card tables we had set up in different corners of the room, to
give them some privacy. Each table was covered with a red tablecloth and
set for two, and the couples excitedly took their seats. Each table also
had a large candle placed at its center, lit for atmosphere. Once everyone
was comfortable, Cole and Graham asked for their drink orders, after
telling them their choices.
I had purchased a couple of different bottles of wine for this very special
evening, both being a sweeter variety than I would usually purchase,
because I felt they would be more to the boys' liking. Cole and Graham had
been informed that each boy may have a glass or two of the wine, or they
could have soda, juice, milk or water instead. Each boy decided to try a
glass of wine, as it made them feel more grown-up and the night less
childish, and I got a kick watching them sip their drinks like macho old
pros. The couples chatted with each other at their tables and continued to
sip their drinks, before I sent my next surprise into the room. At that
moment, my two little waiters arrived to deliver the first course.
Sammy and Andrew walked into the room clad only in tight black pleather
shorts, black- cloth shoes and a red bow tie strapped around their necks,
sans shirt. They looked absolutely adorable and this fact wasn't wasted on
the other boys. They had already commented on how sexy Cole and Graham
looked, but now they just stared at my two sexy waiters, as each carried in
a platter with three bowls of salad on them. My waiters gave each boy
their salad and then left, soon returning with a basket of rolls for each
of the three tables. While my waiters were performing their duties, the
other boys made sure to tell them how great they looked. All four of my
helpers were pleased that the older boys had noticed them and thought they
looked good.
The rest of us then waited in the other room, giving the boys time to eat
their salads, and then Cole and Graham removed the salad bowls from the
table, before Sammy and Andrew delivered the main course. Each of our
diners was served a small filet mignon, small lobster tail and a baked
potato. Cole and Graham also delivered small bowls of melted butter and
sour cream to each group, which they could use as desired. The boys then
ate and talked, but mostly just stared at each other, making mental
pictures for later, but still found a way to hold hands in between bites.
I wasn't letting these intimate moments pass without making longer-lasting
mementos of this night, as I had been snapping pictures since their first
dance had begun. Now I took more photos of them sitting and eating, to
ensure they would be able to remember their most precious moments from this
very romantic evening.
After they finished their meals and had a second glass of wine or something
else to drink, the tables were cleared and then Sammy and Andrew brought
out the desserts, a small slice of Black Forrest cake, topped with a couple
of cherries. Soon I saw the boys feeding each other the cherries and then
they ate the rest of their dessert. When they had finished everything and
the tables were cleared, they had time to talk or kiss some more. During
that time, the boys moved their chairs even closer together and their heads
began to tilt and meet, as their tongues and lips began to explore each
other. They were really into this celebration of their love now and I was
starting to worry they might want to move on to other things, before they
benefited from the rest of my planning. I waited about a minute or two
longer, before I announced that the dance floor was reopening and the music
would soon begin again. The boys smiled at each other, asked their
partners if they would care to dance, and then they came strolling back out
to the dining room, arm in arm or holding hands.
"Will you dance with me this time," Brent asked. "I'd like to try it too."
"Well, I suppose that can be arranged," I agreed, which caused Brent to
flash me a smile.
I had selected several more songs to finish off this romantic evening, each
with a special message or just to get them in the mood. I started this
second session off with Bobby Darin's "More" (1964) and the boys melted
back into each other's arms. Slowly they began to dance again, as the
music filled the room. As the first notes filled the room, I grasped Brent
as my dance partner and we slowly began to sway to the music. As we did
so, I also noticed Cole and Graham dancing with each other in the kitchen,
along with Sammy and Andrew. I guess everyone was getting into the act
now.
More than the greatest love the world has known
This is the love I'll give to you alone
More than the simple words I try to say
I only live to love you more each day
More than you'll ever know
My arms long to hold you so
My life will be in your keeping, walking, sleeping, laughing,
weeping
Longer than always is a long, long time
But far beyond forever you'll be mine
I know that I never lived before
And my heart is very sure
No one else could love you more.
I think the words to that song really set the mood for the rest of the
evening. It not only expressed the depth of their love, but also indicated
it could last forever. It is a very deep and moving song, and Brent
followed it up by playing a very special duet, sung by Nat King Cole and
his daughter Natalie Cole. Although Nat had died when his daughter was
still very young, she did this tribute to him by taking his 1951 recording
and dubbing her voice in with his. This time the father/daughter team
joined their talents to give us "Unforgettable" (1991). This recording
displayed all the fine qualities of his satiny voice, while his daughter
sang harmony and blended her soulful voice in with his.
Unforgettable, that's what you are
Unforgettable, though near and far
Like a song of love that clings to me
How the thought of you does things to me
Never before has someone been more
Unforgettable in every way
And forever more, that's how you'll stay
That's why darling, it's incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am unforgettable too
The boys were really getting into this now, and I started to see hands move
lower, rubbing their backs and sides, occasionally caressing their
partner's buns, or nibbling on an ear or neck. Suddenly the house was
beginning to feel warmer, as these couples began to heat things up. The
night was progressing very nicely and my young lovers were getting a rare
opportunity to experience a traditional date. Next, I had Brent put on the
melodic harmony of the Everly Brothers to work, as they combined on "Let It
Be Me" (1960).
I bless the day I found you
I want to stay around you
And so I beg you
Let it be me
Don't take this heaven from one
If you must cling to someone
Now and forever
Let it be me
Each time we meet love
I find complete love
Without your sweet love
What would life be
So never leave me lonely
Tell me you'll love me only
And that you'll always
Let it be me.
The final chords of this song had barely died before Brent started the next
song by the brothers, this one entitled "Devoted to You" (1958).
Darling you can count on me
Till the sun dries up the sea
Until then I'll always be
Devoted to you
I'll be yours through endless time
I'll adore your charms sublime
Guess by now you'll know that I'm
Devoted to you
I'll never hurt you, I'll never lie
I'll never be untrue
I'll never give you a reason to cry
I'll be unhappy if you were blue
Through the years my love will grow
Like a river it will flow
It can't die because I'm so
Devoted to you.
I just loved how their voices intertwined in a way that most non-related
singers could never hope to accomplish. At this point we took a little
break, to let the boys relax, get a drink or use the toilet. My little
waiters took orders and brought back drinks to those who had wanted one,
while the other boys did whatever else they had to do. By that time Brent
and I were ready to finish the last set before the evening ended, but first
we had to get our audience back.
The boys were busy hugging and kissing, while their hands roamed freely
over each other's bodies and their lips tasted every exposed part of their
lovers' flesh. I gave them a few minutes more to carry on like this, while
sending the little ones off to bed, despite their protests. Even though
they wanted to stay with us, I felt the remainder of the night belonged to
the lovers. Now, it was time to bring out 'The King,' as I signaled Brent
to start playing Elvis' version of "It's Impossible" (1973).
It's impossible to tell the sun to leave the sky,
It's just impossible.
It's impossible to ask a baby not to cry,
It's just impossible.
Can I hold you closer to me,
And not feel you going through me
But the second that I never think of you?
Oh, how impossible.
Can the ocean keep from rush to the shore?
It's just impossible.
If I had you, could I ever ask for more?
It's just impossible.
And tomorrow, should you ask me for the world
Somehow I'd get it
I would sell my very soul and not regret it
Or to live without your love is just impossible.
Once that song finished, I decided it was now time to bring a feminine lilt
to the night, as I had stuck to mostly male artists up to this point.
However, I was planning to finish the evening off with two female
vocalists, putting the final touch on the emotions and sentiments I had
tried to instill in my star-crossed lovers. First, Debby Boone belted out
"You Light Up My Life" (1977).
So many nights I'd sit by my window
Waiting for someone to sing me his song
So many dreams I keep deep inside me
Alone in the dark, but now you've come along
And you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
You light u my days and fill my nights with song
Rollin' at sea, adrift on the water
Could it be finally I'm turnin' for home?
Finally a chance to say "Hey, I love you"
Never again to be all alone
'cause you, you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
You light up my days and fill my nights with song
It can't be wrong
When it feels so right
'cause you...you light up my life.
There was one final song to complete this evening, and then the boys would
probably be heading to their rooms, to spend some time alone. When I
announced that this would be the last dance, I heard a few groans, which
led me to believe the boys had appreciated our efforts. For their final
dance of the evening, I had selected one of the strongest female voices
around. It was Celine Dion's chance to sing out her version of "When I
Fall in Love" (1993).
When I fall in love
It will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before it's begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart
I give it completely
Or I'll never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that
You feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.
As the music faded and the boys finished dancing, they walked over to me to
thank me for what I had done.
"Thanks, Dad," Dion said first. "That was even better than I'd hoped.
Trey was really surprised and he's been crying most of the night. He told
me it was what he'd always wanted for us, but couldn't have until tonight.
We tried to do something like this on New Year's, but it wasn't quite the
same. Now he's happier than I've ever seen him before."
"Yeah, this was fantastic," Trey added. "I was really down earlier,
because the other guys were doing all sorts of things with their
girlfriends, but this was just as awesome. The words to the songs were
just so perfect and they said all the right things."
"The music was kind of old-fashioned and kind of gross, though," Nick
chirped in.
"No, it was nice," Brandon corrected him. "Different, but nice."
"It was elevator music," Nick persisted. "That's only for really old
people." I shot him an evil glare.
"But I think those songs said the right things and set the mood for a
really fantastic evening," Kevin told him. "I'm not sure playing the tunes
we normally listen to would have had the same effect. Thinking about the
words of the songs and how they talked about falling in love, what love
really is and saying that love will last forever made it special and caused
me to feel even closer to Nick."
"I think Kevin's right," Danny added, in his support. "The songs played
talked about love a little differently than I'm used to, so it made me
think. I've never considered some of those things before, like what you do
when you love someone so deeply or how strong and long-lasting love can be.
I know I love Brandon, but now I think about us a little differently. Now
I'm more concerned about how I can make him feel good and not so much about
how he makes me feel good. That's still important, but now I'll notice
more about how he's feeling and try harder to think about what his needs
are too. If we had done this before, I don't think either of us would have
chosen to date those girls. By doing that, we almost said our love wasn't
real or worth as much as boy-girl love. I sure feel differently about it
now."
"I guess you're right," Nick conceded. "I never thought much about love
before, just the sex and how it made me feel so good. I still like the
sex, but I'll start thinking about the other stuff too. Kevin said he'd
help me with that." Nick laughed after he said that, so Kevin gently
elbowed him in the ribs.
I said goodnight to the boys and started cleaning up the mess. They
offered to help, but I told them this was their night, so they were not to
lift a finger. I also told Brent it was time for him to turn in too.
While they headed to their rooms for some unscripted time together, I
finished putting things away and getting everything back in order, while I
waited for the others to arrive home. However, after everyone else had
left the room, Brent came back down to me to talk.
"Thank you for dancing with me and making me part of the night," he told
me, sincerely. "It was a lot of fun, made me feel special and I'll always
remember it."
I was so choked up by his sincerity that I wasn't sure how to respond, so I
merely hugged him and whispered in his ear. "You're welcome and I enjoyed
it too." After that, he went back upstairs, as I stood in the kitchen
thinking about what had just taken place.
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