Brent and I felt awkward when we entered his bedroom. I looked around the room, wondering where he would want me to sleep. He had a queen size bed, so it was big enough for both of us.
“You want to shower first?” he asked nervously.
“Sure,” I said. I usually take my shower in the morning, but he seemed like he wanted me to take it then. I grabbed my pajamas out of the bag I had brought, and then I went across the hall to the restroom. I locked the door, removed my clothes and jumped in the shower. When I finished, I dressed in my pajamas and went back to Brent’s room.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed in just his underwear. I stopped when I saw his near naked body. He may have been small, but he had a well-built body. It was obvious he had been working out. He blushed when he saw me staring at him.
“You've got a nice body,” I said admiringly.
“Thanks,” he mumbled. “Jared makes me work out with him in the basement.”
“It shows,” I replied.
He stood and walked across the room to the bathroom. I turned and watched him disappear out of the door. I looked around the room. He didn’t have posters on the wall like most boys. Instead, he had pictures of landscapes, most of them mountain scenes. The books on his bookshelf were exactly as he had described it in my room. Most were science fiction. He also had a couple of books written for gay teens. I took one, walked over to his bed, sat down, and started reading.
He walked in a few minutes later, still in his underwear. He walked over to his dresser, took out a pair of shorts, and put them on. He then walked over and sat on the bed beside me.
“My dad gave me that.” He said after noticing the book I had been reading.
“How long have your parents known you were gay?”
“About three years.”
“Three years!” I shouted. “You came out to your parents when you were thirteen?”
“Twelve, actually,” he grinned. “I’m a year younger than you.”
“How did they take it?” I couldn’t imagine someone so young telling their parents they were gay. How does someone so young even know?
“They really didn’t say much,” he said. “Dad talked to me and told me I was too young to really know, and then he gave me the book you’re looking at.”
“But you’re sure now?”
“I kissed you, didn’t I?” He giggled. “So yeah, I guess I’m pretty sure.”
“When did you know?” he asked. We spent some time talking about my awareness of being gay. Eventually, the subject drifted to my father. Brent was supportive and said he could understand the conflicting feelings I was having for my father. I wanted to hate him, but after sixteen years of love, it was hard.
“Do you want to see him again?” I sat for a long time before I answered him. He could tell that I was wrestling with an answer. Before the phone call tonight, I would have said no. However, after hearing his voice, I realized that he still loved Randy and me. He was going through as much right now as we were.
“I think I do,” I finally said. “I just don’t know what to say to him.”
“You’ll know when the time comes,” he responded.
He started yawning and stretched out. “I’m tired.” He moved up on the bed, pulled the covers back and then crawled in. I sat looking at him, not sure what he wanted me to do. He started laughing and then pulled back the covers beside him.
“I thought you wanted to sleep with me,” he giggled. “That’s what you told me the other day in the Pizza Palace.” He laughed louder when he saw my face redden.
“Come on, Big Boy.” He wiggled his eyebrows. I moved up on the bed and crawled under the covers next to him.”
We sat up against the headboard. Neither of us knew what to say. He started giggling and then elbowed me in my side. I elbowed him back, and soon we were wrestling on the bed. I couldn’t believe how firm and muscular his body was. He may have appeared small, but he was able to roll me over and pin me down.
“Say Uncle,” he grinned as he looked down into my face. He was lying against my body, trying to hold me down.
“Your old Aunt Bertha,” I laughed. He leaned in and kissed me gently. Suddenly, he stopped and sat up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Why did you stop?”
“I promised my dad that we wouldn‘t...” He stopped and looked over at me.
“Wouldn’t have sex?” I asked. He blushed slightly and then nodded. I started laughing as he gave me a puzzled look.
“I promised my mother the same thing,” I said. “That was the only reason she let me spend the night with you.”
“It seemed easy at the time,” he sighed. “But now I'm not so sure.”
“Me too,” I laughed.
I leaned in and gave him a kiss. He kissed me back more passionately. I opened my mouth and he snaked his tongue in. I moaned as I sucked on his hard, wet tongue. Suddenly, he pulled away again.
“We’ve got to stop, or I’m going to break my promise to my dad,” he said. “He’ll be disappointed if we do something.”
“I have an idea,” I said excitedly. “We can play with ourselves. We’ll close our eyes and not look at each other. That way we won’t break our promise.”
I could see him thinking about it. He looked over and grinned. “Okay, but don’t watch.” I couldn’t help but watch him out of the corner of my eye. I could tell he was doing the same thing.
“That was fun- that thing we didn’t do,” he giggled when we finished.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I laughed. He reached over and turned off the lamp. He snuggled up against me as I lay down and wrapped my arm around him. Within minutes, we were both sound asleep.
“Rise and Shine!” I was suddenly awakened when Jared pulled the blankets off the bed and started shouting down at us. Brent must have jumped a foot off the bed. He had been sleeping peacefully snuggled into my body.
Jared noticed how we had been sleeping and grinned. “He’d still better be intact.”
“Just shut up, Jared,” shouted Brent as he climbed out of bed and walked out of the room.
“He likes you,” said Jared. I looked up and saw a serious look on his face. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him so happy.”
“He’s a great guy,” I responded.
“Yes, he is,” said Jared. “I used to worry about him because he always seemed so lonely. He’d stay holed up in his room reading books rather than spending time with friends like other guys do. I’m glad you came along.”
I could tell that Jared shared a brotherly love with Brent like I did with Randy. “You don’t care that he’s gay?” I don’t know why I asked him that, but it seemed strange that someone like Jared, who was so popular and athletic, would be so accepting of a gay brother. At first glance he appeared to be the stereotypical straight jock.
“It used to bother me,” he confessed, “but I love Brent. I’d die for him if I had to” Tears began to well up in his eyes as he spoke so tenderly of his brother. “Being gay is who he is. It’s also who Amber is. I love both of them.”
Just then, Brent came back into the room. He still had a scowl plastered on his face. One thing I learned about him- he wasn’t a morning person. I excused myself and walked across the hall to the bathroom. When I returned a few minutes later, Jared and Brent were hugging each other.
“Come here.” Jared reached out his arm for me. I walked over and he pulled me into a hug with him and Brent. After a minute he moved away. “All right now, Guys. Eat a light breakfast and meet me in the basement in a half hour. Just because it’s Saturday doesn’t mean you get to take a break.” Brent moaned and fell across the bed. Jared laughed and then walked out.
“I like your brother,” I said. “He’s really cool.”
“Yes, he is,” responded Brent proudly. “I’m lucky to have a brother like him.”
“Twenty-five minutes!” Jared shouted as he walked past the door on the way downstairs.
“Well, most of the time,” laughed Brent. We quickly dressed and then went downstairs. Brent’s parents were sitting at the table eating breakfast. Kevin was reading a newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. Everyone stopped and looked at us when we walked into the room.
The first thing that ran through my mind was if they were wondering if Brent and I had had sex the night before. I guess it was obvious that we had shared his bed. In a way I was glad we hadn’t because I’m sure guilt would have been written over both our faces.
“Did you sleep well, Artie?” Mrs. England asked as she walked over to the counter and poured us a glass of orange juice.
“Yes, Ma’am,” I responded.
“He sure did,” laughed Jared from across the room. “You should have seen how they were snuggled together when I woke them up a few minutes ago.”
I don’t know whose face was redder, Brent’s or mine. I couldn’t believe that Jared had just embarrassed us. I guess it was a trait that ran in the England family.
“Jared,” admonished his mother. “Leave the poor boys alone. It’s not like I haven’t caught you wrapped in the arms of a girl or two in the den late at night.” I laughed when I saw Jared’s face glow bright red. It was definitely an England trait.
Amber came strolling into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes, trying to wake up. I guess she and Brent were both slow to wake up in the morning. She yawned and then walked over and sat down, laying her head on the table.
“I still don’t know why we have to get up so early on Saturday,” she moaned loudly.
“Life is too short to be sleeping it away,” replied her mother. “Besides, look how beautiful it is today.” She handed Amber a glass of juice as she hummed a song.
“I’d rather watch it from the comfort of my bed,” she again moaned. Everyone at the table laughed at her moody behavior.
“Okay, Guys,” ordered Jared. “Downstairs.”
“We haven’t eaten yet,” said an upset Brent.
“I told you, a half hour,” replied Jared. He looked up at the clock. “It’s been thirty-five minutes. So move it.”
Brent looked over pleadingly at his father. His dad merely shrugged and then grabbed a section of the morning newspaper and began reading it.
Their basement was like a gym room in a health club. There were several workout areas, complete with exercise machines. I could see why Jared and Brent were in such good shape.
I gasped when Jared removed the sweatshirt he was wearing. I’d never seen anyone as well built as he was. His body was really developed. It was almost perfect. He looked better than any guy I'd seen on the internet. I thought I’d pass out when he removed his sweats and stood before us in nothing but his jockey strap.
Brent elbowed me in my side and started giggling. “You’d better put your tongue back inside your mouth.” I looked over and he was grinning widely. “Nice isn’t he?” He whispered in my ear.
I wasn’t sure if he was making a statement or asking me a question. He giggled again when I looked blankly into his face. Brent then stripped off his shirt and pants and was standing in nothing but his underwear.
“Get undressed, Silly. You can’t exercise properly in your street clothes.” Embarrassedly, I removed my clothes and stood before them in my boxers. Jared circled around me, appraising my body.
“You’re too soft,” he said as he felt my arms and abs. “We need to work on building muscle tone.” He knelt and began feeling my legs.
“Not too bad,” he said. “You must do a lot of running.”
I spent the next hour in one of the most excruciating experiences of my life. I thought since I was new to using exercise machines, Jared wouldn’t work me as hard; but I was wrong. When we finished, there wasn’t a muscle in my body that didn’t ache. I could also tell that Brent was feeling much like I was.
“Next time, Artie,” Jared said, “I’ll give you a good workout.” I moaned and fell to the floor. He threw a towel around his shoulders and walked out of the room.
“I think I’m going to die,” I moaned. “There isn’t a part of my body that doesn’t ache.”
We took turns showering and then dressed in front of each other. We felt comfortable walking around his bedroom naked. He didn’t seem as shy about himself as he had the day before. I guess he figured I liked what I saw. I did.
Linda was sitting in the den with Amber when we went downstairs. I looked around and didn’t see anyone else in the house. They seemed to be engrossed in a movie on the television.
“Hey,” I said. They threw up their hands without taking their eyes off the screen.
I sat down, and Brent sat beside me. He snuggled into me, laying his head on my shoulder. Linda elbowed Amber, and they both looked over at us.
“You two look comfortable,” said Amber. “It’s almost like you...” A strange expression appeared on her face.
“You didn’t!” she shouted.
“Didn’t what?” Linda asked. Amber whispered in her ear; then she looked over at us and winked.
“Dad’s going to kill both you guys,” warned Amber. “You know what he told you Brent.”
“We didn’t do anything,” insisted Brent. “Artie never touched me. Honest.” He gave me a slight jab in my side.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “We haven’t touched each other.” Amber eyed us suspiciously and then went back to watching television.
“That was close,” whispered Brent. “But at least we didn’t lie.” I nodded as he returned his head to my shoulder.