Gene sat by the window as the American Airlines jet took them out over the ocean. He had held Ben's hand during the takeoff, squeezing hard enough to show how nervous he really was. But things were fine now and they would be landing shortly.

Mom and Dad had delivered them to the Miami terminal only hours before, time enough to get through the Customs check and board on schedule. The sincerity of Gene's farewell to his new Mom and Dad had a wonderful effect on Ben. Just to know that his parents had accepted the boy was gratifying, but Gene's affection for them had been exceptional. It was as if the boy knew what he needed to do, and he had done everything right.

Mom had slipped the boy some pocket money; of course ... she always used to do that for Ben. But the moment Ben remembered most was the gleam in his father's eye, were those tears? His Dad had hugged Gene with sincere affection and Gene had even kissed the man on the cheek.

These were things Ben had never felt capable of doing at eighteen, but Gene had managed them all. And now he was once again alone with his boy ... and headed towards the place of dreams.

It had been shortly after Thanksgiving when Ben had that second conversation with Simon Hanover. The man had gushed over the improvement Gene was showing at school. That was when the idea formed and Simon had been brought into his confidence.

"I love him, Simon...there's no way around it, he means the world to me," Ben had admitted.

"It shows ... he's a changed person thanks to you," Simon said. There had been a pause, and Ben knew it was coming. "So how do you plan to express that love?"

"I don't know ... well I do. He wants something and I can't help but give it, can you understand my position?"

"More than you know ... I was only sixteen when I met my first man. Ah, the feelings were all there, but he wouldn't sleep with me either. I was devastated ... it was like having a wall between us, it must feel like that for you too."

"Yes ... and no, but Gene seems to understand. We'll wait until his eighteenth birthday. But even then, I want it to be special."

"I'm sure the waiting doesn't make it any easier. You can't be equal, that's the hard part. He can only give you so much and then there is this line drawn in the sand and all because you want to be responsible. I don't think any boy can really understand why he isn't allowed to show his love. But I have a suggestion, if I might?"

And Ben had listened. He felt guilty about not being honest with Simon. What he and Gene had been doing in bed shattered any moral and legal convictions he might have had. But it met their needs. There was no longer any doubt; Gene was Ben's partner in and out of bed and they both wanted it that way.

The plane screeched down on the tarmac in the bright Aruba sunshine and Gene seemed more excited than ever.

"Wow ... look at all the palm trees ... did you see the water as we flew over ... awesome."

It was forty degrees at home and ninety-three on the beaches of Oranjestad. Ben led the boy through the lines, paid a fee, had their passports stamped and collected their bags. Then they were whisked away by the hotel bus.

The both of them were taken by the mix of people, strange architecture and the shear size of the capital city. Ben explained that the culture here was influenced by Dutch colonialism and the African heritage of so many in the native population. But the look on Gene's face told him the boy wasn't listening; he was too overwhelmed at the adventure.

Their hotel room was on the sixth floor overlooking Palm Beach, and crowded it was. All those tanned bodies swimming and lying in the sun soon urged them into their bathing suits, down the elevator and out onto the terrace fronting the ocean. Ben felt like he was in a daze as Gene dragged him down onto the sand. Five days, he told himself ... time enough to show the boy everything he would ever want to know about love.

They frolicked in the warm water, drank fruit beverages from the terrace bar and ate lunch on the patio. Gene's energy didn't dissipate one bit until the sun began to set, and then it only flagged a little until Ben said they would be going out to sample the nightlife around town.

Standing in the shower together, he saw the beginnings of mild sunburn on the boy's shoulders.

"We have to keep applying that sunscreen, sweetie, or you're gonna be toast," Ben said.

"Your face is red too," Gene replied, and then he smiled. "Why are we here?"

Ben knew he couldn't hold back, Gene was much too in tune with his thoughts for him to hide anything from the boy.

"I brought you here because I love you and ...a nd I wanted someplace special to show you what that means."

Gene's eyes grew wide. "You mean we can ... ?"

And Ben nodded. "Yes ... we can."

Gene screamed with delight, grabbed Ben's arm and dragged him out of the shower.

"Now ... I want it ... now," he squealed.

Ever since that first encounter in the tub they had been exploring the possibilities of the male body and finding answers that made them both aware of the pleasures two lovers can share. Ben had used their exploration as a means of holding off the inevitable, while Gene found that he could give of himself and still reap the rewards he so desired.

It was time well spent, making them both aware of the needs of the other and fine tuning their responses. Gene's body was ready for this next level of involvement, it was almost begging for it now and Ben knew the boy could handle him without concern.

And so they sprawled across the bed, bodies entwined, and with great love and caring Ben began the dance. There was no need to heat the boy up and allow passion to relax his body; Ben could almost feel the heat pouring off him already.

Gene gazed up into his eyes with sublime satisfaction as Ben raised the boy's legs and knelt between them. And as he pressed forward, Gene's body seemed to relax. The boy opened up at his touch and Ben slid inside.

There was that moment of awe they both felt. Gene felt the discomfort of that first intrusion, but they had planned for this and he seemed to embrace the fullness. For Ben it was like sliding into liquid heat and he was amazed, there was no resistance.

It was a defining moment, an almost holy window of time where the world around them ceased to exist. Gene moaned with the feelings and grasped Ben's waist with his legs, pulling their bodies together.

So enraptured were they that only their eyes aglow with passion and the sound of their breathing gave evidence to the physical act they were performing. This had been the missing piece, the singular moment that would give meaning to all the rest.

The heat of Gene's body seemed to flow around him as Ben began a slow stroking motion. He knew Gene's impatience wanted them to give into the lust they both felt, but Ben knew better. Slow and easy he took the boy's virginity, the last vestige of his youthful obsession.

Ben could feel his passion building very quickly, his body totally absorbed by the new and wondrous feelings. There was no way this first time could last forever, it was just as well, there would be so many such moments to remember. Ben could hold back no longer and after several minutes the shattering climax hit him.

Gene felt the flood released inside of him and it pushed him over the top in a mere heartbeat. He had been in awe of the feelings until that moment of release. He had wanted to scream with joy and yet the silence they shared had overwhelmed him. It had allowed him to focus completely on Ben and the power that seemed to emanate from his very being.

And as Ben lay forward, rubbing against him, Gene let out a long hard stream of cum that pulsed between them. Nothing in his life had ever touched him in this way, and he felt the tears flow down his cheeks, swept away by the joy of discovering what this man meant to him.

Ben had known the boy would cry, for most things that brought out profound emotion in Gene made him cry. It was a reaction that he had come to understand as a necessary part of the boy expressing himself. So the tears flowed as Ben lowered his lips to Gene's and he gave meaning to the joy that they shared.

It was the first time and not the last they shared that night. And to keep the boy aware of how equal their love should be, Ben encouraged Gene to switch places. He knew that they would have to be flexible in their lovemaking. It was an important lesson in giving that Gene took to heart. He had been looking for a means of giving back to his man.

It was like a honeymoon, Ben decided. They arose each morning and made love, showered, ate breakfast and went straight back to bed. Short hours on the beach gave them both a much needed tan, but they always returned to the bedroom several times a day.

Ben was surprised at his own level of achievement during those loving moments. He could understand Gene's response; the boy was insatiable and had a constant desire. By the third day things slowed down and they spent more time being in love then acting on the feelings.

Those hours spent in cuddling allowed them time to talk. And Ben had some pretty serious things on his mind.

"You know, now that you're eighteen you can live anywhere you want," Ben said.

"I want to live with you ... always," Gene replied. "You want that ... don't you?"

"More than anything, this is the most incredible feeling I've ever had for someone else. I'm sure glad you called Hanover a fag."

Gene punched him for that. "That's not fair, I made a mistake."

"I might have gone my whole life without meeting you, sweetie. Now that wouldn't have been fair, look at what we'd be missing."

Gene gazed at him a moment. "You ever worry about growing old?"

Ben smiled. "Not now ... not with you in my life. Growing old doesn't bother me, doing it alone would. What are you thinking about?"

"I was just wondering what life will be like when I'm your age," Gene said.

"Hmm, you'll be thirty-two and I'll be forty-six," Ben said. "Have you given any thought about the future? You'll graduate, but high school is only the first step. What do you want to do after that?"

"You mean like college? I don't know, am I smart enough for that?"

"You can be anything you want, sweetie. College would be the next step if you have a career in mind."

"Yeah, they ask us at school what we want to do after graduation ... what we want for a career, but I haven't any ideas. How did you decide to be a counselor?"

Bens smiled. "I saw a need, knew there was an opportunity there and decided to start the business. I have an interest in keeping kids out of trouble. Sometimes all it takes is someone who cares ... that's me."

"You think I would be any good in your business?" Gene asked.

"Sure, all you need is the right training. Would you like to work with me?" Ben asked.

It was Gene's turn to smile. "I think so ... are you a good boss?"

"For you I'd be the best. But we'd have to start planning a place for you right away. I spent a couple of summers as a camp counselor working with handicapped kids. That taught me a lot about the needs of others. Do you think you could handle that?"

"What would I have to do for kids like that?" Gene asked.

"Kids with special needs just need someone to watch out for them. It would mean you have to help them decide what clothes to wear for certain activities, and just make sure they have a good time. I had to walk the kids to meals and help them learn how to swim. I had great fun with the other counselors, those were wonderful experiences."

"I could do that ... don't you think?"

"I'd miss having you around for about six weeks, but I think we have a plan," Ben said. "But I haven't told you the best part, guess who runs the camp?"

Gene gave him a blank look. "You'll have to tell me, I can't guess."

"Tom ... your big buddy Tom. He's been working with the handicapped since his first child was born. You haven't heard about Eddie; he was born with Down syndrome."

"Oh ... that's terrible," Gene said.

"It's heartbreaking, but Tom did the right thing, he got involved. Eddie passed away about ten years ago, but Tom still works with those kids. He started the camp with a group of lawyers, I'll talk to him when we get back ... or you can."

"I feel so sad for him; he never said anything about his son dying. But you don't work with handicapped kids, do you?"

"No, I don't have to. Kids like that don't get into trouble; they have to be watched all the time. I work with kids who have entirely too much time on their hands and no supervision, which always leads to trouble," Ben said.

"Or kids with a big mouth like me, huh?"

Ben laughed. "Yeah, sometimes ... but in your case it was perfectly understandable considering your environment. You just reacted poorly to something you didn't understand at the time, but now you know better. We all make mistakes, the point is you learned from yours."

"Now I'm the fag," Gene said.

"And why would you say it like that?"

"Cause if anyone at school finds out that's what they'll call me," Gene said. "Not like I'm about to tell anyone, but I don't care anymore if they do find out."

"Are there other gay boys at Southeast you know about?"

"Some ... maybe two or three, but I don't actually know if they're gay. They act a little girly sometimes and they get picked on."

"Does Simon know about this?" Ben asked.

"Probably, he runs the club ... that gay and straight thing."

"The GSA, that's an important outreach program," Ben said.

"Think I ought to join?" Gene asked.

"Only if you felt comfortable doing so. Don't join just to out yourself to the school. Do those kids get a lot of crap for being in the club?"

"Sometimes, everyone knows who's in it. They get hassled, you know, the usual stuff."

"Usual stuff ... like what?" Ben asked.

"Oh someone writes 'fag' on their locker or they get pushed against the wall during change of classes. It gets reported but nothing ever happens about it. Some kids are just mean."

"Well if it happened to you I'd be pretty upset," Ben said. "I don't like the idea of gay bashing one bit."

"Then I won't join the club," Gene said. "If I did someone might pick on me and I would have to fight back."

"It's not wrong to fight back, Gene ... its how you chose to do it that makes it right or wrong. Punching somebody won't solve the problem."

"Well I don't need that club to learn about being gay, I have you."

And like all good things, their little honeymoon was soon over. The flight back to Florida was uneventful; Gene actually enjoyed the trip this time. Mom and Dad met them at the airport and commented on how much better Gene looked with a tan.

They celebrated the New Year with dozens of others at the country club and Gene got his first taste of champagne. Ben couldn't take his eyes off the boy all dressed up in a suit and tie, Gene looked positively radiant.

It was the first day of the New Year when Ben went down for morning coffee in his mom's kitchen. Mary had been sitting at the table waiting for him and she greeted Ben with a smile.

"Your father is still asleep. He's not used to these late night events anymore," she said.

"And what about you?" Ben asked. "You haven't changed a bit in twenty years."

His mother laughed. "I get by. Did Gene sleep well after all the excitement?"

"I envy the way a teenager can sleep for hours and not feel the effects."

"You love him very much and I'm glad. From what I see the feeling is mutual. I just worry that he's a little young for such a serious relationship," Mary said. "And you know what kind of relationship I'm talking about, so let's put aside the pretense."

He should have known his mother would see everything so clearly. It was uncomfortable, yet at the same time it was a relief.

"How long have you known?" Ben asked.

"About you or the two of you together?"

"Let's start with me," Ben said.

"I'd say probably since you were in high school, that's the first time I realized you were special and not at all like the other boys you brought home. But when you brought Joseph home for spring vacation I knew there was something between you two. Mothers usually sense these things, but your father is still blissfully unaware."

"I'm sorry, Mom, I should have told you a long time ago," Ben said.

She smiled. "And what child is ever comfortable talking about his sexual preferences with his mother? But Gene is so young; do you think this is the right thing for the both of you?"

"I've been asking myself that question for months. Being in a loving relationship seems to work for both of us, it meets a need. Without going into details, Gene has harbored these feelings for a long time without resolution. He needs someone like me to feel whole again.

"As for me, just being different all these years was hard enough. I couldn't tell anyone, I didn't want you and Dad to be worried about me. My time with Gene has brought out some wonderful feelings and resolved a lot of issues. I wouldn't feel comfortable evaluating myself in all this except to say he brings me joy and happiness. What else can I hope for?"

Mary smiled. "Love does that to a person. And if you're in this for the long haul then I can't worry about it. Just the look in his eyes when he sees you walk in a room tells me everything I need to know."

Ben reached across the table and took her hand. "Well I learned about love from the best teacher in the world. Love is more than a feeling, it's a compulsion to act, to bring the best out in others, and you taught me that."

"Then you already know that love isn't easy," she said. "I imagine raising a teenager and having him as a partner will try your patience quite a bit. You were a blessing as a child and I've never felt disappointed by the things you've accomplished. Maybe this is what the both of you need, I sure hope so."

"I'm going to give it my best shot," Ben said. "His future is wide open and we've already begun making plans. I'm going to get Tom to find him a place at the camp this summer. It will tell me a lot about how his past will affect his career path."

"So he wants to be like you I gather. Does he have the aptitude do you think?"

"He's a smart boy, Mom, something his former environment didn't allow him to pursue. He's made some changes since last fall, and best of all he now feels those changes as a positive force in his life. I think we're moving past the infatuation stage into realizing how good the relationship can be."

"Then remember ... I'll do what I can to help," Mary said. "Your father and I have been married forty years and not all of that was smooth sailing. You have to expect a few bumps now and then; it makes the whole thing worthwhile. Now let's go get those guys out of bed, I want to get breakfast over with before noon."

But it wasn't until after they were driving back north that Ben told Gene about that conversation. Gene blushed at the knowledge of Mom knowing what she did.

"Are we that obvious?" he asked.

"To her ... yes. Mother's are like that sometimes," Ben laughed.

"But she didn't say anything to me ... does it make her uncomfortable?"

"Maybe a little. I'm sure she doesn't want to know the details of our love, but she accepts it because we're both involved. She trusts us to make the right decision, that's the best part," Ben said.

"Our Mom is so cool," Gene said. And Ben understood that he was implying that his own mother wasn't.

"Dad still doesn't know, and I bet he never will unless she tells him. My father is a complicated man, Gene. But he never failed to support me in anything I did. So I suppose if he finds out about us this won't make any difference."

"I'm sorry. From what you said I gave it away, didn't I?" Gene asked.

"Don't be sorry, sweetie. I want the whole world to know how much I love you. But that just isn't realistic; we have to choose our friends and allies carefully."

They returned north to a breath of cold air, but it only excited them. The shared experience of their bedroom activity in the warm Caribbean gave new meaning to sleeping together in Ben's king sized bed when they got home.

And all too soon the boy was back in school, forging ahead with his studies and showing great promise. They managed to work on several of Gene's school projects together over the course of the winter, allowing the boy to garnish another good grade in his science class. The report card's came out, and this time Ben couldn't find a single C...progress had been made.

With wrestling season over, Dean became a more frequent visitor in their home. And the sly smiles he gave Ben certainly meant that Gene was sharing information with his brother yet again. But Ben only smiled back; Gene had every right to be happy.

It was in February that Ben decided Gene needed driving lessons. It would mean the boy could gain some independence and Ben needed to reward that improved academic behavior. But the thought of Gene behind the wheel of his precious Vette, or that huge truck didn't seem right. He chose a Saturday morning to take the boy car shopping.

"Where we going?" Gene asked.

"Its surprise," Ben laughed, enjoying the boy's moment of doubt. "But I think you need something and I know just the place to find it."

"I don't need anything ... you give me way too much stuff," Gene replied.

But his eyes got wide when they pulled into the used car lot. "I'm going to buy you a car and teach you how to drive it." Ben said.

"Wow ... really?"

"Really."

Barry Stevens showed them some nice cars, but Gene fell in love with a cute little Honda right off the bat. It was red and shiny, had nice chrome wheels and only about eighty-thousand on the odometer. Ben smiled and gave the boy a nod. Gene whooped with joy and slid into the driver's seat as Ben turned to talk with Barry.

"How much?" Ben asked.

"List is nine thousand, you may have it for seventy-two hundred," Barry said.

Barry was grateful; Ben had pulled his son out of a serious drug charge two years ago. The judge only gave the boy three months in rehab; Barry had made sure the kid stayed straight. Straight into the Navy to be exact, he was off in the Mediterranean at the moment.

"I'll take it," Ben said, and wrote out a check. Barry promised to have it delivered to the house by the end of the day.

He drove Gene over to the Motor Vehicle office and picked up a driver's handbook. "You need to study this a few days so we can get you the learner's permit," Ben said. And all the way home Gene flipped through the pages of the booklet.

By Sunday night Ben quizzed the boy and was astounded at the results, it seems Gene had memorized the booklet cover to cover. Birth certificate and passport in hand they went back to the MVA on Tuesday after school, it was a done deal.

Gene had grinned in his photo and kept running his fingers over the little card. "This is so awesome," Gene laughed.

"I'll teach you how to drive responsibly, the rest is up to you," Ben said. "But the insurance rates will only go up if you aren't careful, that's where I have to depend on you."

"I'll be very careful, you'll see," Gene replied.

There was a point behind Ben's desire to have the boy drive. With a license Gene could take himself to school, but then summer was coming. Tom had agreed to take the boy on at the camp, and that was a hundred miles away from home. If he ever expected to see much of Gene this summer then the boy needed a way to get home between camp sessions.

Like a good manager, Tom had developed a training manual for his staff of young counselors. He presented one to Gene the first week in March, along with a book about disabled kids.

It was Gene that got right to the point. "Ben told me about your son, Tom. Hearing about that made me so sad, I'm sorry," Gene said.

Tom got a far away look in his eyes, but then he smiled. "Eddie was a delight, even with his mental disorder. I wouldn't have missed those years we had together for anything, I just wish there had been more time to love him."

"You started the camp because of him, that shows you really loved him," Gene said.

Tom smiled. "Yes, it gives me great pleasure to see all those kids being so happy despite the problems they face. I see a lot of Eddie in many of them; all disabled kids deserve the chance to be happy."

"I'm really going to enjoy being there. Ben thinks it will be a good experience for me."

Ben knew where this was going; Gene had broached the subject several days before.

"Uh, Tom ... do you worry about having a gay boy as one of your counselors?" Gene asked.

Tom laughed. "No way. To my way of thinking gay people experience the same fear and prejudice in society just like my disabled kids do. You all have something in common, so where's the problem? No, I think it will be good for you because of your feelings, Gene."

It had been the week after they returned from Florida. Tom had come over to give Gene a late Christmas present and ask about their trip. It was Gene who had brought up his newly discovered identity.

"I think Mom and Dad are the nicest people in the world," Gene said.

Tom had laughed, immediately recognizing who the boy was speaking about. "Yes, they are ... very nice people," He agreed.

"And Mom, she knows I'm gay and it doesn't matter to her one bit," Gene said. Only then did he realize Tom wasn't in on that little secret.

Tom gazed at the boy, appraising and finally smiling. "So you're happy with the discovery, that's good. I'm sure Ben's happy too."

"I love him, Tom; he helped me discover the truth about myself. All those years wondering about what I felt, what I was thinking and now I know."

"I always knew there was something special about you, Gene. I'm glad you finally got a handle on it." And that was Tom's final pronouncement on the subject, he was totally accepting. And even now it was as if he'd always known Gene was someone special, someone to be cherished.

"We're going to have a camp staff meeting in a few weeks, you'll need to be there," Tom said. "It will give you the chance to meet everyone. Some have been with me a few years; others will be new like you."

"Are any of them gay?" Gene asked.

"I won't tell you, you'll just have to find that out yourself," Tom said. "Ben will tell you what camp life is like. The counselors work pretty hard, but they get to socialize a lot after hours. We try to make sure everyone has a good time there."

"I'm really looking forward to this, thank you so much," Gene said.

"I'm a pretty good judge of character and I think you'll do just fine. So how's about we go eat? I'm starved," Tom said.


On to Chapter Fourteen

Back to Chapter Twelve

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"Gene" Copyright © 27 September 2008 Chris James. All rights reserved.
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