by C. E. Wilson
John looked over his shoulder and smiled and nodded. Clayton moved over next to Robert and sat down. “Hello, Robert. I noticed how you are looking at John and me, and I was wondering what was wrong.”
“I get tired of him bragging because he is this great doctor, and I am just a factory worker. Now he is bragging that he has a new boyfriend that is a lawyer. It all just rubs me the wrong way, and I am tired of it.”
“I have been with John the whole time we have been here. He hasn’t mentioned one time that he is a great doctor, and you’re a factory worker.”
“Just give him time, and he will.”
“Why don’t you talk to him about it? I haven’t known him for long, but he seems to me to be a great guy. I’m crazy about him.”
“Well, maybe you should hold judgment until you get to know him better. You don’t really know what he is like when he as a few drinks. He gets to be mean.”
“Well, I will have to see that to believe it. I don’t see a mean bone in John’s body.”
“Yeah I guess you as his boyfriend would know wouldn’t you.”
Clayton stood up and looked down at Robert. “I don’t know what that was supposed to mean, but I think your out of line with that comment.”
Clayton walked over and put his arm around John’s shoulder again. John was talking to one of his doctor friends, but he reached back and put his arm around Clayton’s waist. John turned to Clayton. “Babe, Mark wants us to come for dinner one day next week. He and Ben want to show us their new house. They just bought it and want to show it off. What night will be good for you?”
“Any night but Tuesday is good for me. I have a late meeting that day.”
Mark said, “Let’s make it on Friday night and then if you guys want to spend the night you can use our guest room. It has a big bed in it.”
John said, “We just started dating two weeks ago, so we aren’t at that stage yet. We are taking it slow.”
Mark blushed. “Oh, I am so sorry. I just assumed that you two were living together.”
John laughed. “No, not yet, but it looks like it is headed that way. So far, we get along great, and I wouldn’t change a thing about Clayton.”
“I wouldn’t change a thing about John either. He’s right, it’s heading in that direction.”
“I guess I better round up Ben and get home so the sitter can go home. We will see you guys on Friday night at say 6:30? Is that a good time for you both?”
John looked at Clayton, and he nodded, so John said, “Sure, that’s fine.”
Mark went looking for Ben, and Clayton asked, “They have a sitter? Do they have children?”
“Yes, they have a girl about four and a boy that is about six months old. Mark is the biological father of the girl, and Ben is the biological father of the boy. They both look just like their fathers too. They had a surrogate to carry them.”
“That might be something we could look into when the time comes. I wouldn’t mind having a son that looks like you.”
“I think your very handsome, Clayton but I don’t want a daughter that looks like you. I want a pretty little girl. As long as she has a girl’s face and your coloring, then I would be happy.”
“Hilarious, John.” Clayton chuckled.
“Mom and Dad want us to stay all weekend. Is that something you would want to do, or do you want to go home? We can go to either my condo or your house. I will leave it up to you.”
“Is Robert staying too?”
“Yea, probably. I know he is a jerk. He has a lot of issues and usually takes them out on me. I just ignore him most of the time. We can go if you would rather spend some time alone.”
“Yeah, I think I would rather spend some alone time with you. Maybe get some movies and cuddle on the couch.”
“I’m right there with you. My dream date.”
“Oh, wait your Dad wanted to talk to me about that property he was wanting. I guess I better find him and talk to him before we go. I don’t want to get on the bad side of the in-laws.”
John chuckled. “Come on we’ll go find Dad so he can get some inside information on this property. I think he wants it, but he doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to buy it or not.”
“I can’t tell him that. I would have to see the property and do an appraisal of it. Let’s see what it is he wants to know, and I will help him all I can.”
They found him sitting at one of the tables talking to a friend of his. John said, “Dad, Clayton, and I are going to go home. If you want to talk to him about that property, now is the time.”
Sam said, “Sit for a few minutes, Clayton. I just have a few questions to ask about it. I want to buy it, but I wonder if it is a good investment. It is five acres and zoned for commercial. They want a quarter of a million for it, but I think it is worth less than that.”
“What is on the property? Any buildings or utilities? Anything at all, or is it just an empty lot?”
“Just an empty lot. It is not even downtown. It is a way out of the town, and there isn’t much around it at all. Just a few houses.”
“I would say that the price is way too high then for just five acres in the country. If the town moves that direction, then it might be worth less than half of that. I know I wouldn’t pay that for an empty lot.”
“Thanks, Clayton I will pass on it then. I thought it was too high and even commercial it wouldn’t pay to put anything on it. It’s too far from town. I think I will look for either a rental or something in town to buy for an investment.”
“I think you would be a lot better off with some rental property. It will not only pay for itself; it will still be yours when you want to sell it. With the way property increases in value that would be the better investment.”
Sam stood up and hugged John and then hugged Clayton. “You boys be careful going home. I wish you would stay the weekend, but I understand you want to spend some time alone and there is no such thing here in this house.”
They left Sam then went to find Alisa, and she tried to get them to stay the weekend, but they didn’t want to. She made a huge basket of food for them to take home with them so they wouldn’t have to cook for the whole weekend. “Clayton, you are welcome at our house anytime you want to come. I promise to make Sam leave you alone and not pick your brain.”
“It's fine, Mrs. Willis. I don’t mind a bit. I am happy to help him out.”
“What is this, Mrs. Willis stuff. Just call me either Mom or Alisa. No, Mrs. or Mr. Willis here. Call Sam, either Dad or Sam. We like you, Clayton. You’re a lot nicer than his last boyfriend.”
“Well, thank you, Mom. I will choose the Mom and Dad since I can’t talk to my own.”
“Johnny told me about that, and I am so sorry for them acting that way. Your still their son no matter what your sexual preference is. I don’t understand that but whatever.”
“I get along just fine. I’m happy with John, and I think he is all I need. Especially now that I have you and Dad.”
John loaded the picnic basket in the car and kissed his mother on the cheek and hugged her. She did the same with Clayton and handed him a cake to take with them. They got in the car and headed home. “Your place or mine, Clayton?”
“Let’s go to your place. It’s nicer than mine. I never did any decorating in it. Just me, and I didn’t see much sense in doing anything to it. I guess when we decide what we are going to do and move in together, it will be one place or the other. Not sure I want to get rid of my house so if we decide to live at your condo, I will rent out the house.”
“I thought we would live at your house. When we decide to have children, it would be better for them. The house is bigger than the condo, and the children will have a yard to play in. I don’t have a yard for them. Children need a yard so they can get out and play in the sun. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes, they need a yard to play in. My back yard is fenced in, and they could even have a dog there. I never was allowed any pets, so I want our children to have pet
s. Do you like dogs?”
John chuckled. “Listen to us. We are talking like we are already married and planning our future. To answer your question, yes, I love dogs. I don’t want a huge one, just a mid-sized dog.”
“To be honest, John, I am ready for the next step in our relationship. I don’t know how you feel, but I would like to spend the night with you.”
“Since we are honest, I was ready for the next step the night I met you. I wanted to have a relationship with you. I am ready if you are.”
“Let’s just see what happens and not hold back. Let’s just let nature take its course.”
“Sounds good to me. What movie do you want to watch tonight?”
“I don’t care babe. Whatever you want to watch is good for me. You know by now what kind of movies I like and don’t like.”
“At least we don’t have to cook for the rest of the weekend. I assume you can run a microwave?”
Clayton laughed. “Yes, I can run a microwave. This cake looks delicious. We can have dessert when we’re watching the movie. Your mom is a great cook.”
John chuckled. “Mom can’t even boil water. She never learned to cook. She has one of the ladies that was cooking the food do all her cooking for her. That woman is the one that taught me to cook. It sure wasn’t Mom.”
When they arrived at the condo, Clayton carried the basket in the house, and John carried the cake. He hadn’t given Clayton a key yet, but he planned on doing it this weekend. He had the extra key in his pocket to give him. They unloaded the basket and set the cake on the counter. Clayton went back out and got his overnight bag and John’s bag and bought them in the house. He took John’s bag to his room and put his bag in the extra bedroom. He was going to put both of them in John’s room, but he would see how things went.
Chapter 5
Clayton went back to the kitchen and walked up behind John and put his arms around him and pulled him to his chest. He kissed John on the neck. John turned his head and kissed Clayton on the mouth in a sweet passionate kiss. He said, “I got the movie in. Let’s go watch the movie and cuddle on the couch. I am so ready to be in your arms and hold you too.”
“Sounds good to me.” He took John’s hand and pulled him into the living room and pushed him down on the couch. Clayton sat down beside him and wrapped his arms around John and pulled him into his chest. He started watching the movie but was kissing John on the neck and under his ear. John tilted his head to give Clayton better access to his neck and throat.
It wasn’t long before John stood up and pulled Clayton up on his feet. He pulled him into the bedroom and shut the door.
The next morning when Clayton woke up, he was in bed alone. He got up and got into the shower. He got dressed and went in search of John. John was in the kitchen, making coffee and breakfast. Clayton walked up behind him and kissed him. “Good Morning, Babe. Why didn’t you wake me when you got up?”
“You looked so cute sleeping. I didn’t have the heart to wake you. I watched you for a little while. Oh, my goodness that sounds so creepy.”
Clayton laughed. “You have my permission to watch me sleep anytime you want to, but I also reserve the right to watch you sleep sometimes too.”
“You have a deal babe. How do you want your eggs?”
“Anyway. I’m not fussy about my food. It's just nice to have someone cook for me. I usually stop by a fast food place and get something to hold me over until lunch.”
John rolled his eyes. “That isn’t good for you, babe. You need to at least get some cereal at the house or something good for you. Fast food is terrible for you.”
Clayton shrugged. “It's fast and easy. I usually don’t have time to eat at home. I just grab something to eat in the office. To make you happy though I will get some cereal.”
“I don’t want you to do that just for me. I was just explaining that fast food isn’t good for you. I don’t want you to change. I like you just the way you are.”
Clayton didn’t say anything. He just poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. He wasn’t going to argue with John about anything, especially something as silly as fast food. Clayton sat at the table and stared into his coffee. John glanced over at Clayton and knew he messed up. He could see it on Clayton’s face. He had to fix this.
John had made eggs, sausage, and pancakes. He set the plates on the table and went back to the kitchen for silverware and him a cup of coffee. He brought them back and handed Clayton his silverware and sat down beside him. “Clayton I’m sorry for saying what I did about your breakfast. I promise I won’t repeat anything about it. I just think about what it will do to your heart, and I know it isn’t good. That’s the doctor in me. I am so sorry.”
“I know your right. I should eat better. I just got into a routine, and I need to break it. Just a bad habit, I suppose.”
“Eat what you want to babe. I don’t have the right to tell you what to eat and not eat. I overstepped my boundaries.”
“Let’s just enjoy our time together and forget what was said. It isn’t that important. I understand what you’re saying, and I agree with you.”
John started to say something when Clayton’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and said, “John, I have to take this. It’s my sister calling, and it must be important.”
John nodded. Clayton picked up his phone and answered. “Hello, Cathy. It is nice to hear from you.”
“Well, it's not good that I’m calling. Dad had a heart attack, and the doctor said it is serious. I know you and Dad had a falling out, but I think that you have the right to know.”
“What hospital is he in and I’ll go right over?”
“No, don’t. You know that Dad or Mom doesn’t want to see you. I don’t agree with them, but nothing I have said in the past has done anything but upset Dad. I’ll keep you advised on his condition. The doctor said that he is going to have to call in a specialist in some type of procedure that this doctor invented, and he is the only one around that can do it. I don’t like the sound of that, but if it saves Dad, then I’m all for it.”
“You don’t think Dad will let me visit him?”
“No, I’m sorry, Clayton, but that is just how it is. You know how damn stubborn Dad is. He won’t let you anywhere near him and Mom won’t either. I have to go, but as soon as we see this other doctor, I’ll call you and let you know what he says.”
“Thanks, Cathy. I’ll be praying for him.”
Clayton hung up the phone and turned to look at John. He started to say something when John’s phone rang. He looked at it and told Clayton. “Now I have to take this one. It’s from a colleague of mine.”
“Dr. Willis,” John said as he answered his phone. “Oh, hi Tim, what can I do for you?” John’s eyes flashed to Clayton. “What hospital is he in? Yes, I have privileges there. Are you sure that’s the problem? Afib as well? Yeah, I can see where that is a problem. I can be there in an hour. I will want to do a heart cath on him to make sure he doesn’t have a blocked artery as well. Sure, I will be there in an hour.”
He hung up the phone and asked Clayton, “Do you know a man by the name of Charles James?”
“Yeah, that’s my dad. He had a heart attack today.”
“I’m not so sure of that. Tim said he had Afib and a heart attack, but there has to be something that caused the Afib. I’m going to go to the hospital and start a battery of tests and see where we are. I will call you when I know something. I’m not supposed to tell you, but since you’re my boyfriend and he is your father, then I think you have the right to know the same as the rest of your family.”
“I’ll go home and wait for you to call. I don’t want to be in your house when you’re not here.”
“No, babe just stay here and make yourself at home. I don’t have a problem with you being here.”
Clayton nodded his head. “All right, I’ll wait here to hear from you. Please take good care of him, babe.”
John kissed Clayton and went out and got i
n his car and headed for the hospital.
When he arrived at the hospital, he met Tim in the ER. “Tell me what happened to the man?”
“Chest pains, he had some enzymes in his bloodstream. Afib and tachycardia. I diagnosed him as having a heart attack but seems to be more than that. I did a CT scan of his heart, and I didn’t find any damage to it.”
“I want to do a heart cath and an echocardiogram of all of his valves. I think that maybe he has a bad valve, but we will have to see about that.”
“I’ll order the tests while you go and talk with him and his family.”
“Room number?”
“He is still in the ER. Bed 10. He is a complainer, so keep that in mind.”
John nodded and walked to the nurse’s station and got his chart, reading what the results are for now. He wasn’t convinced it was a heart attack. John walked over to the curtain and pulled it back and walked into the room and stood next to the bed. “I am Dr. John Willis. I understand you’re not feeling very well. Can you tell me what happened and has this ever happened before?”
Charles said, “I was out in the back yard setting up the BBQ for tonight, and my heart started to race, and it seemed to be skipping beats or something, and I had pain in my chest.”
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Yes, a few times but not as bad as this time. This time it was painful. I almost passed out from the pain.”
“Well, Mr. James, I am going to need to do a few tests. I want to do a heart cath on you so I can make sure that you don’t have any obstructions in your arteries and then I want to do an echocardiogram of your heart to check the valves in your heart. To be honest, I don’t believe you had a heart attack. I think there is something else at play here and I need these tests to make sure.”
“That other doctor said it was a heart attack. You’re telling me that it wasn’t?”
“No, I’m not saying it wasn’t. I just don’t believe it was, but the tests I am going to do will tell me if that is what happened or if it is something else. The other doctor is a good doctor, but he isn’t a cardiologist like I am. I specialize in the heart and circulatory system.”