Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:34:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Matthew Templar <matemp1148@yahoo.com>
Subject: Never Take Love For Granted - Chapter 16

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enjoyment, no part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted by any
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	Furthermore, every word of this story is fiction. Nothing within
this tale happened to anyone I know.  Any reference to anyone, anything or
any place, real, living or dead is coincidental.
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	Finally, there is not enough room to express my gratitude to my
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encouraging me to continue. Read Brad's Idol in Adult/Youth and New
Horizons in Authoritarian (it's really anti-authoritarian) to know the
experience he brings to my story.  You will not be disappointed!  Then tell
him to write FASTER!  I need my fix too!

Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
Matthew Templar at matemp1148@yahoo.com

	         * * *

Never Take Love For Granted - Chapter 16


	"'Bout time you boys showed yer hides," came the gruff voice that
met us at the top of the stairs.  Russ didn't sound too pleased.  As our
heads came over the last step, the most incredible sight was playing before
our very eyes.

	"I wanna pla-ay," whined Grant as he took in the sight before us.
He quickly galloped over to where Dustin and Petey were kneeling on one of
the throw rugs in the living room.  But with them, with looks of pleas for
their salvation, were Clayton and Russ, sitting with the boys, playing some
game, I think.  Now that was so much a picture from which everlasting
memories would emanate that I could have sold it to either of them for far
more than I could have made by selling it to the Euphoria Weekly Gazette or
whatever their local gossip sheet was called.  I started chuckling and all
three boys looked at me like I was so strange to laugh at something so
special.  The two older guys looked at me like, if I didn't stop laughing
and get over and join them, there would be more hanging from the rafters
besides that balcony up there, and I probably wouldn't be hanging by my
neck, was my guess.  Unfortunately, there was no way in hell that I would
ever be caught...

	After about an hour of playing, half of which, I noticed, didn't
include Russ or Clayton, who had made their hasty escape downstairs the
minute after they explained Dustin's game to me, we all got up to go find
drinks in the fridge.

	"Oh, I forgot what I was s'posed to tell you," said Grant, after
offering, for the little ones amusement, the most generous of belches.  I
was hoping he hadn't overlooked telling me that we needed to evacuate or
defuse the timer on a bomb or some other none essential piece of
information.  He quickly went back to showing off to the kids while I
waited for, oh, a second.

	"Grant.  Did you forget what it was that you had to tell me or did
you just forget to tell me?"

	He turned to look at Dustin and turned back to me grinning, "Yes!"
To which, both Dustin and he laughed out loud.  Petey laughed too but I
could see he wasn't really sure why.  These were the boys I was used to.
When I was their age, I would have tried it once too.  Of course, by the
time I could sit down again, I would have thought better of trying it a
second time.

	"Ha, Ha.  Very funny.  What were you supposed to tell me, little
wiseacre."

	"Heh, heh, heh.  Oh, nothing.  Just that we're havin' guests for
dinner and we need to dress."  And all three let out a 'whoop!" and ran
around laughing like the crazies they were.  I stood there, hands on hips,
watching their naked little rumps bounce around, as they enjoyed some funny
joke that only they knew about.

	"Who, Grant?  And when?" I called as they took off around the wall
to the front entry.  How could a twenty-one year old naked brat, think for
one minute that he could hold any form of discipline over this bunch?
Well, if you add 'naive' to the equation it can't happen, and to prove it,
I stormed into the entry way, caught Grant as he tried to speed by me and
held him at arms length to repeat my question of him.

	"Grant?  Who and when?"  He stopped laughing and breathed deeply as
he caught his breath and the littler tykes sauntered up to us.  He opened
his mouth to answer me just as the front door opened, letting in Sam and...

	I felt Grant tapping on my naked butt cheek as I stood up straight,
looking as the last portal of my respectability slammed shut along with the
front door.  With my mouth permanently fixed as a gaping cavern I looked
down to see who this strange boy was that was hitting me in the ass, where
my head should have been.

	Grant said, quietly and in an almost dignified way, "Auntie
Charlotte and now."  He turned toward them and motioned with his hand
extended toward the lady who Sam had rolled in on a wheelchair, and who was
sitting with eyes fixed about two feet too low to recognize my face from my
first night in Euphoria.  I reacted quite well actually, I thought.

	I quickly grabbed Grant and pulled him in front of me, relieving me
of any further indignation on my part or any further seizures on Aunt
Charlotte's part.  In the second it took Grant to realize his sacrificial
place on display, he grabbed Dustin to cover him, who in turn, grabbed
Petey who just smiled his broad grin.  There was no getting around it.  We
all stood there, well Aunt Charlotte sat there, and laughed at how
ridiculous it looked but how well it all came to play out.  Just about the
time I was beginning to see light at the end of a very dark tunnel, that I
might live through this storm too, Sam leaned down and said, very loudly,

	"Aunt Charlotte, this is David, Pop's houseguest."  He stood up
straight and motioned to me with his hand out.  Then Petey caught on and
turned to one side and did the same outstretched arm, copying Grant's daddy
like the big boy he was.  Not to be outdone, Dustin giggled and turned to
the other side to help present me, complete with arm.  This was all fine
until I looked down at Grant and saw that devilish gleam in his eye as he
quickly side-stepped my hands and made his own presentation of all of me.

	She actually took the time to look up this time to see my face as
she said, loudly, "I will have to admit young man, that I have never been
greeted in a more open, expressive way (to which there was barely subdued
utterances of frivolity at my expense.)  May I offer you my lap as my
nephew pushes us into Russell's home?"  Of course, she said this as she
patted said lap!

	Remember, my mouth was fixed open, gaping?  Well, while I was busy
with lockjaw symptoms, all the others were rolling all over the floor
laughing their heads off.  Grant may have been embarrassed for a whole
minute, the two youngsters didn't know the meaning, and Sam was fully
clothed.  And I was quite sure from Aunt Charlotte's look, and the
direction of her eyes, that she was about to roll over to me and grasp the
moment; my moment!

	"Well, I'm more than happy to meet you, ma'am.  But I should really
go see how our meal is coming along."  How could I have been so stupid?  I
knew the minute that she looked up at her nephew, the chef, that argument
wasn't going to fly.  But I had no idea, when she looked back at her object
of desire that she would have the balls...gumption to say,

	"Well, honey, from the looks of things, you can't be that happy to
see me, h-m-m!"

	I heard more guffaws behind me than were really necessary as I
turned and headed, rudely, downstairs to find clothes to cover my
blushing...everything!

	I think I remember voices as I passed the first level asking if
'they' were here yet.  Since this was obviously Russ's fault, I said
nothing as I made my way to my closet, there, to live forever in shame!

                                   * * *

	As I began to dry myself after a quick shower and slowly walked to
the closet for the dreaded clothes that were expected of us, I thought
about where I was; I thought about where I'd been, a little over a week
ago.  In some ways it seemed longer.  I'd let the bad memories slip away,
leaving room for the wonderful experiences I had been enjoying.  But one
memory began to nag at me more and more.  I needed some time to think.  I
wanted to go over those times with him, few though they were, and see if I
had turned the blame onto the wrong person.  I'm sure that lots of people
would imagine one so naive as I could make a bitter father-son relationship
his fault, but as I listened to the way a relationship was supposed to
grow, hell, as I experienced that very growth in only, what, five short
days since Grant was by my side continually, I began to doubt if I hadn't
really been the major ass in a relationship gone bad at home.  I was so
selfish, so righteous; such a martyr that they didn't come to me on bended
knee to know my needs; instead of me just asking for what I needed.  Such a
waste.

	Oh, I'd blown, I mean, ruined (I forgot who would be reading this)
my share of intimate relationships, just being the jerk I was.  Man, that
seemed so long ago.  But maybe, maybe there was one I could...

	I honestly doubted if he would even talk to me, but I had to try.
There was something here that, in so short a time had changed me from the
core out.  Ha!  I was almost perfect.  Sure!  Horns holding up my halo!
Palm leaves dropped at my feet.

	But I was better at being real.  I knew that and wanted that.  I
wanted to make a difference too.  If I went over the past few days spent
with the guys I could say...well, they said, I'd made a difference.  I
liked that; to help.  I almost felt guilty for all I'd gained in the midst
of their healing.  Okay, 'almost felt guilty!'  Some nights I'd wake up
startled, thinking the dream could end any moment, only to roll over and
drape my arm around one so precious and still needy, yet so happy and
content.

	I finished dressing, trying to think of a way...

	                          * * *

	It was such a typical family scene, right from the canvas of Norman
Rockwell.  Aunt Charlotte was between a couch and a love seat, still in her
wheelchair.  She seemed to be going on and on about something; maybe her
recent hospital stay.  She was surrounded by men.  I was sure that it was
to her delight.  She really was a DeWitt; fed by love and attention, she
glowed just like her brother, nephew and grand nephew, Grant.  I swear, she
could have stopped talking and they still would have been entranced by her
charm, and her hands.  Every word, it seemed, was described by a movement
of her arms and hands.  Of course, they would slowly drop into her lap as
her voice quieted and she seemed to rest for just a second.  Then, as
though someone had put another quarter into her, she was off again, on her
next tale.  Petey was practically on top of her, standing close.  He was
hanging on every word, unaware that anyone was around the two of them.  His
eyes were so busy, trying to follow every movement that I had to force
myself not to laugh.  The men were on either couch, not having to worry
about listening politely.  The story grew on them as well.  But the two
older boys...


	Grant, Dustin and Petey were wearing shorts, though Petey's seemed
to be a bit big.  H-m-m, come to think of it, Dustin's were slightly tight
looking.  That was about when I noticed that the two older boys were
giggling and sharing secrets off to one side of the grouping in which
everyone had gathered.  They were actually being rude to their guest as
they stood there and were pointing toward Petey's problem that was getting
more obvious all the time, to almost everyone except Petey.  He was
standing right beside Charlotte and was captivated by her charm.  She was
an amazing woman it seemed.  I don't think one so young could appreciate
her every word, so it must have been the timbre, the nuances that kept him
drawn to her side.  It looked like all she had to do was swipe a crumb from
her lap and he would have tried to pull up his britches for the fourteenth
time and jump in her lap.  But finally, the britches hand left to a more
satisfying place and started to tweak Petey's belly button as his thumb
slowly found its way into his mouth.  I'm sure that the trauma of the last
couple of weeks had intensified this need in him for extra comfort and
would end when his two major sources of love were well enough to gather him
into their arms once more.  So, I just stood back and watched the results
of the switcheroo Grant and Dustin carried out on the unsuspecting little
guy with his large sized shorts.  I watched as, each time Petey giggled or
moved, his waist got longer and longer.  Pretty soon Aunt Charlotte looked
up and gave Petey a worried smile.  While he beamed back, even pulling his
thumb from his mouth, all the other eyes looked his way to see what
Charlotte saw.  Two chuckles could still be heard on the other side of Aunt
Charlotte, but the attention soon dropped to just around Petey's feet.
That's where Dustin's shorts go when their too tired of trying to hang on
to bony, skinny no-hips.  A little punkin' butt just wasn't designed to
hold them up.

	But the best was Aunt Charlotte.  She barely raised her eyebrows at
the site beside her.  She did finally raise her eyes to see that gleam in
Petey's eyes, blazing out over his fist that had returned his pacifier to
his mouth.  She calmly raised her frail hand and gestured him closer with
her finger.  His beam became even brighter and his hand fell away again.
He leaned in a few inches, right up to her.  Then, in her quietest, most
gentle voice, one that no one had evidently heard in years, she asked him,

	"Honey, don't you feel a slight breeze down south?"

	One of the amazing qualities of Petey was his undying resilience in
the wake of any humor aimed at him.  It may have been that he was unaware
of the fact that a five year old boy who was naked was funny.  That alone
was precious enough.  So everyone, except Aunt Charlotte and I, were
laughing at him. He must have realized it and was so tolerant, innocent and
just plain happy.  That was a gift as well.  He stood proud, naked and
smiling.  What a sweetie.

	"Bo-o-ys!" came the voice of our guest's younger brother, Russell.
It was the type that promoted fear but not enough that it didn't stop two
screaming, laughing kids from running into the kitchen.  That got Petey
laughing too, but when he turned to run with the pack, he tripped over
Dustin's shorts and buried his little nose in the carpet.  His head came up
after gasps were expressed by worried adults.  The impact must have been
hard enough to cause a rug burn or sore knee, because tears and crying
pursued.  I knelt down to him and lifted him into my arms as Clayton and
Russ stood up with me.  They were each caring for him, gently stroking his
arms and shoulders, asking where it hurt, if it hurt and if he knew when it
would stop.  They soon had him laughing and I felt several tugs on my
slacks.

	"Young man!  Bring him down here to me, so I can see my little
boy."  I happened to be looking into Petey's eyes and saw him light up
again and coo.  I couldn't tell you if Petey was smart or conniving enough
to bank this 'modis operendi' for later but he sure was making it work for
him that time.

	I settled Petey into Aunt Charlotte's thin lap and Petey sat up
straight and proud.  She wrapped a long arm around him and patted his other
shoulder.  Our amazing Petey would have buried himself into anyone else by
this time, to get some loving, but he seemed to know that his protector
this time just then needed some pampering of her own.

	"Hm-m-m.  You're not like the big guys here, ya know.  Uh-uh."

	"No?  I'm not?  Why is that?" she asked, as gently and soothingly
as any great aunt should.

	"Cause you smell like my mommy and you're bonier," he beamed.
Trying to keep from laughing was like standing in the middle of the Compton
River with your hands out: impossible to stop.

	"Boys!"  Sam broke the mood a bit to bring us all back to some
perspective.  "Front and center!  Now!"  Hell, I almost stood up in front
of him. He sounded a little too much like the voice from the doorway so
many days ago at their 'garden villa' in town.  His voice scared me back
then and it had me worried that night for Grant and Dustin.  They
sheepishly came into the room with heads down and hands behind their backs.
They moved to the center of the carpet and stood before Grant's father.  I
could see the emotions seem to fight for the forefront in each of them;
fear, sorrow, hope.  Is pleading an emotion?  It made an appearance several
times.  Just as Sam opened his mouth to decree his edict on his subjects we
turned as we heard an 'eek' from Aunt Charlotte.

	Petey must have grazed her with a bony hip or something as he
hopped off her and stood beside his two best friends, looking at Sam and
then the boys, making sure he was doing it all correctly.  He was part of
the pack.

	"Petey," Sam said, opening his arms to accept the littlest charge
in front of him, "You don't have to answer to what happened to you, little
guy.  But these two do."

	He nodded.  "O-o-oh," he said and watched as the other two looked
ready to receive their final breaths.  "But what's the question?  Huh?"
Once again, even the older boys had trouble stifling their laughter.  Petey
looked over at the two boys and started laughing too.  He made a swipe at
them to show they were silly or something and then he looked into Sam's
eyes and said, "We was just havin fun when I tripped, wasn't we?  We won't
do it again, 'kay?  Z'at the right question?"

	"But they...you were...shouldn't they?"  See!  Ha!  I caught myself
before I laughed out loud.  I wasn't the only one with glib comebacks!  Sam
caught on real quick and at the mercy of a five year old.

	This caused tittering from two boys until the DeWitt head slowly
rolled up to look through them once more.

	"Hm-m.  Saved by a munchkin, I suppose.  But let me warn you guys,
if we take a broken Petey back to visit his mommy and daddy, there'll be no
more visits to this place; they'll see to that.  You guys need to play more
carefully and protect the angel left among you three."  It did sound funny,
especially when both boys looked up to notice that their halos had been
missing; for sometime, no doubt.  They snapped straight when we all heard a
throat being cleared.

	"So tell me young ruffians," Aunt Charlotte asked.  "It seems
uncharacteristic of you young boys to be garbed during these fine spring
months.  Why do you wear any now?"

	Two 'huh?'s echoed from in front of her and Clayton knelt behind
them and translated, to which they both nodded and Grant stepped forward,
hands clamped in front of him like he was going to recite the Gettysburg
Address.

	"Auntie Charlotte, Grampa and Dad didn't want to upset you at the
sight of our naked asses, uh, bottoms."  Oops!  "Well, that's what you
said, Dad."  Charlotte chuckled softly, her hand covering her mouth.
"Anyways, we dress for company and dinner, oh, and when we leave the
mountain."  He looked to his dad and Russ to see if he got it right and
they gave him a 'thumbs up', each.

	"Well, it's a crime if you ask me.  Four beautiful young boys
covered up on a beautiful day like today.  You should grow up proud of what
God has given you and strut your stuff."  She looked down into her lap for
a second, to catch her next wave and continued, "It's healthy to take in
that vitamin D, boys; what do you say?"  Grins were hopping around with the
bodies of each of three boys and looking hopefully at Sam and Russ.

	"Now Lottie," started Russ, fidgeting in his seat like he was one
of the four.  Four?  Oh no!  "We really need to think of your health here.
We can't just..."

	"Russell Hosea DeWitt, if we can't enjoy these bursts of freedom
and energy while we're alive, what good are they to us after we're gone
besides gravehole diggers?"  The pause was longer this time and she was
looking tired.  But her grin came back as she raised her head and motioned
for the three boys to come to her.  "Boys, you're all three spinning and
jumping like you're buried alive in your clothes, now admit it."  They did
and jumped and spun to show her.  I was chuckling at the whole affair.
Clayton was having so much fun that Russ was going to have neck trouble,
jerking his head toward Clayton, every time he laughed at someone's antics
or speech.  Russ was not getting the support he wanted.  I think he was
actually concerned for his sister.  That was sweet, but she still looked
like a tough biddy to beat at arm wrestling.

	"Okay, boys.  You can all strip!" Russ said with some resignation.

	"Pops!  Are you sure?"

	"Oh, Sam.  If she didn't leave us at the scene at the front door
you described, she's going to be following us all to that golden highway."
The kids were doing their dancing in front of the two adult male DeWitts,
waiting for their decree.

	"Go for it, boys."  Raining clothes!  Petey just got permission to
stay as he was and the two older boys were bare in seconds.  Petey jumped
over to me and was pulling my arm.

	"David, weeze bare again.  I feel alive again!"

	"Oh.  You do?"

	"Uh-huh!  An' you getz to too, huh, cuzza Unca Clayton's older'n
you, huh?"  That was some good work on his part.  From where I sat, if Aunt
Charlotte knew what was beneath those chinos and that Hawaiian print silk
covering Clayton, she would have chosen more wisely than the youngest four.

	"You there, Daniel!" she said pointing at me,

	"Aunt Charlotte, his name is David," said Sam in her ear rather
loudly.

	"No it isn't," she insisted.  "How could David be here?  Why, Russ,
he'd be your age wouldn't he?  My, my.  He is a site for sore eyes.  He is
a handsome boy; just like your David.  You can undress too, my boy.  Please
don't be shy with me.  You have nothing I haven't already seen."  Then,
like a light going off in her brain, she turned to the doorway that led to
the front door and then, quickly back to me.  She started to giggle and
said, "Yes, indeed.  Nothing I haven't already seen."  She covered her
mouth and regained some composure.

	I didn't.  No, I didn't undress.  Somehow I wasn't up to making
another spectacle of myself in front to this grand lady.  She would have
enough fun admiring the joy the boys felt from their natural state.  It
should be a law that they could be themselves for as long as possible.  The
adult influences that they would come across could change their ideas,
their dreams and their hearts by imposing the need to conform and adhere to
the 'norms' of everyday.  Yuk!  Euphoria was probably the last stronghold
of natural growth and well being for these tykes.  They deserved their say,
their ideals, their dreams.  Aunt Charlotte was one of their instigators
that day.  They were all beautiful.

	She was such a vital part of our male family.  I had never had a
female that wanted to be of help and support; certainly not my mother.  I
was surprised that she went through with the birth, since it would disrupt
her social life.  I was also amazed, as a boy, that I wasn't adopted out or
sent to a boarding school, imposing on her career of social spectacles as I
must have.  Actually, I never really knew what she did.  It occurred to me
that my father was a follower when it came to my mother.  It seemed like
his defining male qualities took second place behind my mother's strong
willed personality.  Perhaps, now that he was free from her....

	                            * * *

	"Tomorrow I start school, Aunt Charlotte," said an excited ten year
old.  The smells from the kitchen were escaping to our noses as we waited
in the dining room area, at the conversation area to the side, and talked
about everything and nothing.  It was fun to watch all three boys with Aunt
Charlotte.  I could see how much Grant must miss his mother, though having
him next to me was so special.  Even so, I had my arm around his naked
waist and I watched as Dustin played that thumb game with Clayton to the
side, a cry or laugh popping from their corner at regular intervals, as
witness to their fun.  Petey was in 'Grampa Russ' lap, swinging his legs,
head on shoulders and stroking the hair on his chest, exposed by Russ'
partially open shirt.

	"That's what Russell said, little one.  How exciting for you.  But
school will be over shortly for the year, I fear."

	"But, Aunt Charlotte," he said, sidling up to her to have my hand
replaced by the sensitive touch of an aunt's loving hand, cupping one cheek
and gently sliding it over the smooth surface.  "I'll at least get to meet
the kids that live here and maybe they can come and play with me and Dustin
and Petey.  I have a new lunch box and everything.  Want to see?"  He
stepped back, ready to launch off to find his new loot, eyes wide, which
made us all open ours and hope we'd see him fly excitedly for his new
equipment.

	"Of course, my boy, of course," she told him, bringing her hands
together to hold one of his.  Then her look was that of surprise when she
realized she was holding nothing but his memory as he sped toward his, our
room.  "And what is to become of these two lovely youngsters.  How are your
mommy and daddy, David?" she asked of Dustin.

	"I'm Dustin, Auntie Charlotte.  I'm eight years old and I go to
Roanoke Grade School in Middleton.  But we have to wait for mommy and daddy
to get better.  Until then we're stuck here," he finished with a wicked
grin at Clayton to see his reaction.  Of course, Clayton did just the right
thing.  He scooped up Dustin until his feet were well over everyone's heads
and tossed him even higher, catching him and returning the giggling mass
until he pleaded 'mercy'.

	"Me too!" screamed Petey who tried in vain to jump from Russ' lap.
He was quickly grabbed up by his host.

	"No you don't, you munckin.  You can't escape the claws of the
mighty Petey eater, Russell DeWitt monster!"  And Russ tossed a five year
old, as though he were light as a feather, into the air and brought him
back to splay on his back, over Russ' legs, who leaned into a puffy tummy
and delivered one raspberry after another until one of them had no breath
left and the other had no laughter in him anymore.  Petey went limp.  His
arms were behind him, almost touching the floor and his little protrusion,
reminding us that he was a he, was barely peeking out between his two thin
legs.  Both boys were totally at ease with their nudity in front of their
adopted family.  It was wonderful to see their play.  I couldn't wait for
Grant to return.  As he tried to sit up, Petey huffed and grabbed at Russ'
sleeve.  Russ finally gave in and assisted him until he was in his arms
once more.

	"Oh my!" Charlotte exclaimed, "You do wear me out.  I seem to
remember two boys as rambunctious as you."  She was talking to the boys but
her eyes were on Russ, remembering a time long ago, evidently.  Russ caught
her eye and looked at me.  Then he shook his head, as if to clear that
thought and spoke of that time.

	"It was so long ago, Lottie.  There's no way I can remember playing
at that age.  But," he said, reaching for Grant as he returned, laden with
treasure, wrapping a free arm around his grandson, "I remember being this
age and playing hours on end in every nook and cranny with my David, my
first David," he clarified, looking at me with a smile, "and causing the
kind of crimes these here boys are getting into already.  We were
inseparable until..."  Then he looked up again at me but his eyes had lost
a bit of luster to the one memory he was unable to shake his head to
forget.

	"See what my dad bought me, Aunt Charlotte; Grampa?  I'm ready to
be a school boy, huh?"

	Quickly, Dustin and Petey climbed from their perches and, together
with Grant, fell to the floor to go through each item and listen to Grant
explain everything, from how they came to purchase just this one, and its
function as a necessary tool in 'school attending'.  They were unaware of
the looks that passed from Russ to Aunt Charlotte and back.  Clayton and I
passed more than one curious look to each other as we tried to decipher the
messages that flew between the two older siblings.

	"A penny for your thoughts, either of you two DeWitts?" Clayton
asked, breaking the spell.

	"Oh, nothing much, Clayton," Russ lied.  I could tell that it
weighed on him, whatever 'it' was.  "I just miss my friend.  I've told you
both about the demise of our friendship.  It still leaves me wondering if
we could just be friends again; how he's doing.  Things like that.  While
he was always closer than a friend to me, I always just wanted him to see
that I was still the Russ he knew and that we could still be blood brothers
again."  As he said that he showed me a small scar on his left wrist, on
the side.  It was a bold move to show their devotion to one another.  A
funny place for a scar, too.  Even stranger because I'd seen it, or one
like it before, but long ago.

	"This is my new backpack, David," said Grant, plunking this massive
ball of black canvas into my unsuspecting lap, breaking the rest of us out
of our thoughts.  "I put everything for school in it.  Pretty neat, huh?"
Both of the other naked boys were at his sides to see if I'd noticed any
weight change in my lap recently.  I think I communicated my realization
well, when, in my best falsetto, I squeaked,

	"My, my, it's a heavy one isn't it!"  I gasped to take the breath
back that was pushed out through my swollen, abused twins.  It dawned on me
that there was probably little chance of children if I stay in a
relationship with Grant.  Not only because of the lack of a needed egg that
neither of us could produce, but, mostly because of my hurting boys down
there, unlikely to ever survive the signs of his love for me that he kept
throwing in my lap!

	All three boys looked at me like I was a pain.  Then Dustin reached
past Grant and pulled up one end of the backpack and said, "Oops!  Damaged
goods, Grant.  You conked his balls."  Gasps and laughing erupted from all
three olders, but I was still recovering and Petey was just smiling and
looking like something else got away.  He looked to see if he could see
anything under there and even reached in to grab whatever nuisance he felt
in my way.  That was a big help; or yelp!

	Grant did a 'Huh?' thing at Dustin then me until he translated my
scrunched up look and noticed tears.  He gasped then too and quickly
removed the backpack to the floor and stepped between my legs to hold me.

	"Oh no, David.  I did that!" he cried.  "I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry!
Don't hurt."  He leaned back to see my reaction as he then gave me his
remedy.  "I'll even kiss it to make it better, 'kay?"  That was all it took
for another round of gasps and hands shooting up to cover mouths.  Then, as
everyone joined in the laughter once more, Grant turned his best shade of
rose red when he realized what he'd said.  Unfortunately, his reaction was
to bury his embarrassed head, you guessed it, in my crotch!

	"Humpf!"  I leaked, as soft as possible.  I knew he didn't know
what he'd done, again, and I was afraid he would be even more hurt than I
was at the moment.

	"Grant, honey?"  It was Aunt Charlotte that reached over to rub his
back where it bent onto me.  "Your Dalton will be very sore if you don't
give his gonads room to breathe, son."  'Gonads?'  From Charlotte?  We all
busted up at that one.  And who is Dalton?  Grant finally raised his head
to look me in the eyes.  He had never heard that word before.

	"It means, that which is squished beyond repair without the loving
kisses of one so close to the victim, to heal him," I informed him, smiling
through the pain.

	"Does not, kidder," he said slapping me, on the knee, luckily.

	"Well, show Auntie Charlotte your loot, Grant," Russ chimed in,
diverting attention from my quiet pleas for medical attention.  I realized
that inner bleeding was a horrific way to go but, loving Grant, I'd have to
get used to it evidently.

                                  * * *

	Dinner, again, was amazing.  If the people came to try out his
restaurant once, Sam would have difficulty keeping them away with this
quality of food.  A juicy roast in a wonderful mild sauce, accompanied by
Yams and an assortment of vegetables that even the kids and I liked.

	Aunt Charlotte was pleased but knew of his skill having invited
Grant and he over many times in her efforts to get her brother back with
his son and only grandson.  Of course, I was given credit for their reunion
and praised by Aunt Charlotte for the miracle.

	"It was so unfortunate, the way they broke up.  The anger that time
in their lives caused, shocked this whole area.  Both Samuel and Russell
were so well liked."  When she looked up and saw the faces of her family in
much the way she remembered only a week ago, she decided to change the
subject, but not without one more go at me.

	"You're a powerful influence on my boys, young Darryl."  Sam leaned
over to correct her but just shook his head instead.  We all smiled.  I
thought it was interesting that mine was the only name she was having
trouble with, except that once with Dustin.

	"He's sure a God-send, Lottie," said Russ, "And we all sure love
him a lot.  He's gonna be stayin' with us for as long as he's a mind to."
Aunt Charlotte was lifting her head to comment when Grant stood up and sat
in my lap.  Luckily, there was very little pain.

	"He's my best friend and everything, Auntie Charlotte.  I love him
big bunches."  He then turned to me and planted a big sloppy kiss right on
my mouth!  I'm pretty sure everyone except Grant was surprised that my eyes
didn't roll out of the enlarged sockets, right over the top of my lover's
head.  Subtlety was such a...well...subtle thing.  Boy, I'm glad that
didn't get out of my...

	"I'd hardly call that subtle, young boys," roared Charlotte, being
deaf but not even a bit fazed. Not her too!  How could I have said that
with my mouth covered by Grant's?  "You two make quite a pair.  Our Grant
is a charmer, just like his father and his grandfather were, in their
days."  I could see a sigh of relief filter through Sam and Russ.  As I
looked over at Clayton he was just recovering from a jab in the ribs from
Russ, to stop his chuckling at their expense again.

	"I bet no one at school has as good a friend as I do, huh, Auntie
Charlotte?" beamed the boy in my lap, unshaken by his near public display
of our love for each other.  While it endeared me to him even more, if that
was possible, it made me concerned for his welfare at school.  I needed to
talk to him about tomorrow.

	"Grant, my angel.  Will you make an old lady happy and come over to
me?" his Auntie Charlotte asked.

	As Grant jumped off me and walked to his great aunt, Clayton worked
at endearing himself to the family forever.

	"Miss Charlotte, I don't seem to see this older lady at present.
Did your mother walk in just now?"  If he weren't attracted to the same
sex, he could have had his pick of women that would be lined up for blocks,
melting over his vocal candy and slobbering over his magnificent physique.

	"Now don't you beat all, young man.  I have to say I was a bit
disappointed when you didn't disrobe with the other children, like I asked.
I suppose it was better for my heart that way."  Humpf!  Did that mean she
thought Clayton was younger than I?  Even Clayton did a quick look and
shrug at me.  Luckily, Grant made known his presence with a burp that had
two other boys in stitches.

	"Well, bless my soul, little one.  A simple tap on my arm would
do," laughed his Aunt Charlotte.  Grant was blushing but giggling each time
he looked at Dustin and Petey.  She steered Grant to her side and put her
hand square on his bottom and must have squeezed him there.  He jerked
away, laughing as he blushed at her open show of his nakedness.  Was this
woman really the same one that wanted to throw me out of Euphoria before I
had a chance to rape and pillage their frail town when all I wanted was a
simple ride my first night in Euphoria?  Was that only a year ago or more?
A week!

	Aunt Charlotte pulled a giggling Grant closer to her and with her
other hand combed back his longish hair.  "Grant, when you get to your new
school tomorrow, you need to remember your manners for your old auntie,
okay?"  Grant eagerly nodded his head, remembering that his wish to know
his classmates would be fulfilled the very next day.  "So, it might make
the other children sad or lonely, or possibly even jealous, if you were to
talk about your Douglas here (raising a hand somewhat in my direction).
You may want to say that a family friend is staying with you now, or that
Russell has a new boarder and you enjoy his company."  I could see that
Grant was storing this information.  I could also see that he didn't quite
know why.  What to do?  Do we continue to direct his innocence away from
the details of an intimate relationship, hoping that innocence won't be his
unsuspecting downfall or do we just tell him like it is?  I guess when
Grant started to look confused, Russ decided to answer those questions for
us.

	"Grant, honey.  You and David love each other so much, some people
may think you're too young to...ah..."

	"Date!" said Clayton.  We all spun to look at his satisfied
expression, then returned to Grant, who was nose scrunching.  Hah!  I
hadn't even had a chance to cause that round of scrunches yet.  Hah!

	"Date?  He's a boy?  Why would I date a boy?  Jeesh!  You guys are
too funny.  David's my best friend.  We already said that what we do is
ours; no one else's, huh David?"  I opened my mouth to let out some wisdom
that probably wasn't there but..., "I only tell my dad stuff 'cuzza I love
him too and he's more than my best friend; he's my best dad!  Huh, Dad?"

	You could've lit the whole valley below just from the DeWitt gleam
on three male and one female DeWitts' faces.  I swear, Clayton and I looked
at each other with mouths open in disbelief.  It was dazzling!  Even Petey
covered his eyes and giggled.  Dustin, well, Dustin looked at the family,
then Petey.  He then kind of looked nowhere really, for a second, and got
down and hugged his brother.  Then he beamed too.  Pretty wonderful kids,
those two.

NTLFG - The End of Chapter Sixteen
To be continued

Comments on the story are very much appreciated.
Thank you for the emails you've written.  Each one is an encouragement.
I'm Matthew Templar at matemp1148@yahoo.com