by Jerry Cole
Ness shook his head. “We’ll need to talk about it, but not now. Come on, let’s go have lunch with your mother.”
He reached out for Darren’s hand. They left and went down to the dining room.
***
“We’ve got to get some offices now,” Melissa said. Ness was up in their room working on a song, while Darren, Loretta, and Melissa were in the library. “We can’t run a major organization out of your library any more, Loretta. It’s not efficient, and it’s not fair to you.”
“But it’s been such fun,” Loretta said.
“Yes, but we’re growing up now, and we need adult premises.”
Loretta laughed at that. “Out of the sandbox, huh?”
“Something like that,” Melissa answered. “But what concerns me right now is—we’re getting all this money and we still don’t have a board. And where are we incorporated? New York, Pennsylvania? We can’t set up offices until that’s established.”
“New York. Thornton volunteered his legal staff to help us get started, remember?” Loretta said.
“Oh yes, okay. Then the offices will have to be there.”
“But that means moving, Melissa, are you okay with that?” Loretta pursed her lips. “I’ll need to get an apartment too.”
Darren suggested, “Why not buy a townhouse? Then we could house the offices there, and you could each have an apartment as well.”
“Oooh, I like that idea,” Loretta said.
“Me too.” But then Melissa sobered. “I’ll have to talk to Brandy about this before I decide.”
“If it’s going to be an inconvenience, then we can have a token office in New York and register to do business in Pennsylvania, where we’ll keep our main office. That way nobody has to move,” Darren suggested.
Melissa and Loretta looked at each other.
“Let us think on it and discuss it later,” Loretta concluded.
“Okay then, what about the board? How are we doing with that?” Darren wanted to know.
“We’ve got six who’ve definitely agreed, and we’re waiting on two others,” Melissa said.
“Then can we expect to have a board meeting soon?”
“I’m setting up to have our board meetings done by video conference, so as soon as we have a final board, we can have a meeting.”
“I’m really excited to start hiring our staff for the African project,” said Loretta. “The sooner we hire, the sooner we can get in the field.”
“I’ve already placed ads for staff in the appropriate journals and academic publications, and we’ve already started to get resumes.”
“Damn, you’re good, Melissa,” Loretta beamed.
She beamed back. “What would I do without me?”
***
Darren had left his car at his mother’s before he’d gone to New York so that he and Ness could have a leisurely drive home. They were in their bedroom getting ready for bed.
“Do you mind if we make a detour to Connecticut tomorrow morning so my son can meet you?”
“Wherever you want to go. I’m yours for a week,” Ness replied.
“How I love the sound of that.”
“But you’ll have to wine and dine me. I’m not a cheap date.”
“I’ll do more than that.”
“Can we start now, please?” Ness started slowly unbuttoning his shirt and lifted it off one shoulder. Then he turned his back to Darren and looked at him seductively.
“You are asking for serious trouble, young Ness.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Darren went over to Ness from behind and finished unbuttoning his shirt. He slipped it off and dropped it on the floor. Then he reached around and undid his belt buckle, slipping it off and putting it around his neck, and began pulling him toward the bed. Ness pretended to protest, but was giggling. Darren threw Ness back onto the bed and slipped over on top of him. They began kissing. It had been so long, and they practically devoured each other.
Ness had only his briefs on and he was fully erect. Darren rolled over onto his back and slipped down his pants and shorts. Then he turned back to Ness. He picked up Ness’ left hand and began to suck his fingers. Ness moaned.
“Like that, huh?”
“Almost as good was when you did that to my toes.”
Then Ness reached over and took Darren’s right hand and began sucking and licking his fingers.
Suddenly they both began to laugh. Neither knew why. But that prompted Darren to stop the laughter with another deep kiss. Soon they were turning and rolling, and, suddenly, they fell off the bed.
That shocked them for a moment. Then Darren stood up, helped Ness up and turned down the covers on the bed.
“Okay, let’s try this again,” Darren declared.
Finally, both now undressed, they slipped into the bed, holding and facing each other.
“It seems like forever since we’ve been together like this,” Darren whispered.
“Is this all right with your mother just down the hall?” Ness asked.
“She’s probably recording us for later viewing,” he laughed.
Ness swatted at Darren. “Cruel. Very cruel.”
“No, she’s fine. Besides these old houses were really well built, and each room is virtually soundproof.”
Ness hesitated, then said, “Darren, I think I’m ready now.”
“You mean…?
“Yes. I want you in me.”
Darren thought about that. “Not sure this is the best time. Can we wait until we’re home? There’ll be no one else in the house and we can spend the whole evening by the fire. We can work up to it gradually. I think your first time being entered would be better that way.”
Ness nodded. “Okay. I can see that.”
Then Darren reached over and put his hand on Ness’ face.
“Ness, are there any other gay guys in your band?”
“One. And a couple of the crew.”
He hesitated a moment. “I know we never talked about exclusivity, but have you been with anyone else since we met?”
Ness was quiet.
“Want to tell me about it? It’s okay. I understand. It’s been a long time for both of us.”
“Have you?” Ness asked.
Darren shook his head.
“Once or twice,” said Ness. “Nothing serious. It was just pressure and nerves and the constant stress. I just wanted…”
Darren put his fingers on Ness’ mouth. “No need…”
“I’m sorry.”
“Shhh. Let’s go to sleep.”
“Yeah, I’m beat. It’s been a hectic couple of days.”
***
Ness sat staring out the window as they drove through Connecticut toward Tyler’s school. “Darren, it’s so different here. All these freeways. All these people. All this traffic. I don’t know how you live here. There’s no place to walk.”
“It’s not all like this, Ness. Wait till we get home. There are plenty of trails, the houses have lawns and trees, and you can safely walk the streets at night. At least, most of the time.”
“I guess Athens is pretty big, and crowded and noisy too. And we sometimes have pretty terrible smog.”
“Everywhere is great and not-so-great.”
Ness pointed out the window. “And what’s that? Is that a house in the middle of the highway?”
Laughing, Darren said, “That, my friend, is indeed a house. Well, half a house. It’s called a double wide. It’s a manufactured home, and they transport them in two parts and assemble them into a single house on site.”
“Only in America, huh?”
As they pulled into the entrance of Linwood Academy, Darren could see Tyler sitting on the steps waiting for them. Darren pulled up to the steps and parked. Tyler bounded up and rushed to him as he got out of the car. Tyler flew into Darren’ arms and hugged him.
“That was such a great night at the concert, Dad.”
“Glad you liked it. Would you like to meet the star
of the show?”
Ness was getting out of the passenger side. “Hi there, Tyler. I’m Ness, it’s great to meet you. You father tells me all about you. A little hot-shot, he tells me.”
Tyler was a little awed by Ness, having just seen his amazing performance, and he held out his hand as he went around the car to meet him. They shook hands.
“Very nice to meet you, sir.”
“What a little gentleman. And very nice to meet you as well.”
“You going to show us around the school?” Darren asked.
“I can’t right now. The classes are in session, but later, after ice cream.”
Ness laughed. “He’s got you figured out, Dad.”
“Okay, it was supposed to be the school tour first and then the ice cream, but we can do it the other way around. Get in.”
Tyler directed Darren toward the local ice cream store. He sat in the back seat and leaned forward between the two front seats, alternately directing Darren and asking questions of Ness. Tyler was wound up and even though he was asking Ness questions, Ness never got to fully answer any one question.
As they were entering the ice cream shop Ness quietly asked Darren, “Is Tyler always this hyper?”
“Not really. Don’t know what’s going on with him. Usually, he’s got his face in a book and his head in the clouds.”
Tyler, with his face right up against the ice cream freezer, shuttled along the length of the case scoping out each tub of ice cream.
“I want a scoop of pistachio, a scoop of cherry cream, and a scoop of taffy apple,” he directed the attendant.
Darren stepped forward and said to the attendant, “Make that just two scoops, please.” He turned to Tyler. “Which two?”
“Okay, make that vanilla and maple walnut,” he instructed.
Ness laughed. “Are you sure?” he teased.
Finally, having ordered and been served, they sat at a table by the front window.
Darren wanted some straight answers. “Tyler, tell me, do you really like the academy? Is it working for you?”
“I like it. I like the labs. Much better than the ones at my old school. I also like some of the students—not so mean. And I like the tutors they’re bringing in for me.”
“That’s good then. You’re getting the education you wanted.”
“Well… the library isn’t so hot, but I go online anyway. Can get most of what I want there. But not the practical experience that I’d get at university.”
“But Tyler, you’re only nine.”
“Almost ten. Next month.”
“That’s right. Almost a senior citizen.”
Tyler laughed. “Aw, Dad, come on.”
Ness asked, “So, Tyler, what do you want to do with all this education?”
That seemed to stump him. “Do?”
“What do you want to be? A scientist? A mathematician? A doctor? What?”
It seemed Tyler and never given that any thought. “Can’t I do it all?”
“Well, most folks have a goal. They have something they want to accomplish with all that education. They want to invent something, or discover something, or solve a universal riddle. What about you?”
“Oh, you mean there’s more than just learning?”
“Yeaaah. You get the education to put it to some use,” Darren added.
“Oh…” Tyler thought about it. “Maybe I’ll create a new science or something. Who knows? I sure don’t know at this stage. I’m only nine.
“Well, almost ten,” Darren reminded him.
***
The Thornton Enterprises legal office was humming with activity. Thornton had called an urgent meeting with his legal team. No one knew what the old man wanted, and they were afraid he was in a firing mood.
He stormed into the conference room. “Goddamn upstart pup of a non-profit has raised over fifty million and it’s still coming in. Why can’t we do something like that?” He turned his glaring gaze at his attorneys.
“Well, sir. To start with it is a non-profit. We are not,” said William Pike, the senior-most attorney, and a sometime shooting partner with Thornton.
“Then let’s create a fuckin’ non-profit.”
“It’s not quite that easy, Thornton. First of all, what would be the scope of your non-profit?”
“To make a profit. Rake it all in. Make paying your pitiful asses worth the cost.”
“To be a non-profit you have to do something worthwhile that has no chance of making a profit,” Pike iterated.
“Ridiculous, everybody wants to make a profit. That’s what life is all about.”
“That’s certainly is true for you, sir. But there are very stringent laws and regulations regarding non-profits. And very heavy penalties if you screw up.”
“So what you’re telling me, in a nutshell, is that there is no fucking way in hell to pull this off?”
“You’ve nailed it exactly, sir.”
“Hmm. So what about our plan to use Water Unlimited to buy water rights? Is that still on track?”
Henry Cleaver, another senior attorney, spoke up. “It is. As soon as Water Unlimited becomes operational and they begin their programs, we can swoop in after and secure the rights, as you suggested.”
“Well, that’s at least something. Do we have teams set up to do that?”
“No, sir. We’d have to set those up.”
“Then get the fuck on it.”
Chapter Thirteen
After touring Tyler’s school and saying good-bye, Darren and Ness started driving up to Sanderson. It was going to be a six-hour drive and it would give them a chance to catch up, but Ness was still exhausted from the concert and took the opportunity to take several naps.
It was dark by the time they reached Darren’s house. Darren had a nice house, but it was not ostentatious. Even though he had a substantial inheritance, he lived primarily on his professor’s salary.
The house was surrounded by a wooded area on three sides and a lawn across the front. The house itself was a two-story New England style brick colonial.
Once inside, Ness looked around. “Nice house. You live here all by yourself?”
Darren laughed. “Of course.”
“Nobody on Crete lives alone. There is always family—grandparents, aunts, uncles, in-laws. Somebody has to take care of the children and the elderly.”
“I can see how valuable that can be.” Darren went over and took Ness in his arms and rocked him side to side. “Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you. I’ve looked forward to this.”
“You hungry?”
“A little.”
“Come.” Darren took Ness by the hand and led him to the kitchen.” He checked in the refrigerator. “I got eggs—could make an omelet. I’ve got cold pizza I could heat.” He sniffed that. “No, scratch that.” And he threw it in the trash.
“Eggs are great. I’m not that hungry.”
“Spanish omelet then. Can you dice some onion and peppers?”
“Sure.”
“How about some wine or beer?”
“Beer sounds nice,” Ness replied, taking the knife Darren offered.
Darren pulled out two Heinekens and opened them, handing one to Ness.
Ness began chopping onions. Darren broke eggs and beat them as the pan heated up.
“So what would you like to do while you’re here?”
“You.”
Laughing, Darren said, “Yes, but besides that. We’re not going to just lie in bed all day. And I’ve got to teach.”
“Well, I’d like to meet your friends. And maybe we could go hiking; you mentioned there were trails in this area. And I have to say, I’ve not seen an autumn like this before. The trees with the different colored leaves are amazing. I’ve seen photos before, but to see it live—it’s really amazing.”
“I know a great trail that leads to a waterfall. It really shows off the best features of our landscape.”
“Sounds perfect.”
The
y finished their supper and Darren put the dishes in the dishwasher. This fascinated Ness. “You wash dishes in this?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t seen a dishwasher before.”
“Our village is very small and very poor.”
“If you like, I could get one for Kori,” Darren suggested.
“Oh, heavens no. If she had one of those the entire village would have to come and see it and she’d end up making hundreds of cups of coffee. It would only piss her off.”
Darren chuckled. “Okay. So I was thinking… how about I throw a little party, and you can meet a lot of my friends all at one time?”
Ness nodded. “That sounds nice.”
“But there’s one friend whom you will meet tomorrow. He’s been asking to meet you ever since he knew I was bringing you back here. It’s my insane friend Reggie. You’re going to swear he’s gay, but he’s not. He’s an old friend and fencing partner.”
“Ah, fencing. That sounds interesting. I would like to see that.”
“Sure. I can even give you some lessons if you like.”
“Oh yes, I’d like that.”
“Good. You’re only here a week, so we’ll have plenty to do.”
“I hope that includes sleep as well. I’m bushed and I feel a little achy.”
“But you slept in the car. I hope you’re not coming down with something.” Darren felt his forehead. “You feel warm.”
“Oh shit. Not now.”
“Come on.”
Darren led him to the bathroom and rummaged in the medicine cabinet for a homeopathic remedy he had for colds and flu. “Here, take this. Place it under your tongue and let it melt. If you’re getting something, it might help.”
Ness looked at him with the saddest expression. “I’d better not sleep in your bed tonight.”
“Probably not. Let’s get your things and you can have the guest room.”
Ness reached up and took Darren’s arm. “I’m sorry.”
“How’s your throat? Do you feel a tickle?”
Ness cleared his throat. “It feels like one could be starting.”
“Bummer this. Okay, let’s get you into bed. And I’m going to make you something my grandmother used to make for me when I was coming down with something.”
“What?” Ness asked.
“It’s called a Hot Toddy. Honey, lemon, brandy, and hot water.”