“Well, I’d like to hide in your trunk and go back home with you, but I’m a New Englander through and through. I guess I’ll go back to where I came from and work harder on getting a job – and a boyfriend, if that’s in the cards. Maybe you and Grant could come out and see me sometime. I’d like that.”
“Sounds cool, but I think we need to work on getting jobs, too, before we think about traveling anywhere. Things are pretty tight for us right now.”
At the airport Bobby and Grant gave their visitor a big good-bye hug and watched him until he was out of sight. Grant had to drive them home. Bobby couldn’t see too well for a while.
CHAPTER 24
With Thanksgiving behind them now, things got back on a more even keel for the Rushtons and Grant in December, as Al was by then well enough to work 30 to 40 hours a week. Of course, he continued to need the help of his family, who were always willing to do their best to see that Al’s business continued to thrive. But some things would have to change by January.
For one thing, Kenny needed to return to his studies at Ivy Tech in order to get his degree and his electrician’s license. Max wanted to resume his online courses in writing. Meanwhile, he continued to enjoy the weekly baths and showers he got from Eric. He was in awe of Eric’s amazing body and of the fact that Eric had no inhibitions about sharing it with him – visually at least. Max didn’t always climax when Eric washed him, but he would usually get aroused. Eric’s gentle, sensual care was something he eagerly awaited every Saturday.
Al had been so impressed with Grant’s financial help with the business that he asked him to stay on for a few more months to see how things would go. He put him on a modest salary and gave him some additional duties that Bobby and Max had been handling. Bobby found work with a temp agency in Evansville, so he was able to bring in some outside money to the household. Barbara and Al invited them to continue living with them for as long as they wanted, especially since they were doing some household chores to earn their keep, not the least of which was yard work – which at this time of year, of course, was snow shoveling.
Christmas snuck up on them quickly, and Barbara was in full tilt the whole month with shopping, decorating the house, and planning a special Christmas Eve dinner for her family. Mindful that money was tight, they drew names to exchange gifts so that everyone got one really nice one. Later that evening when they were alone in their room, Bobby and Grant exchanged nearly identical country music CD sets and laughed about how much their tastes overlapped.
Bobby hated to leave his family on Christmas morning, but he did want to finally meet Grant’s parents, of whom he knew so little. Grant was restive about it, too, but for different reasons. He hadn’t seen his family in a while and was fearful that Bobby would find them dull after living in close quarters with the Rushtons for nearly four months. But – after Barbara started their day with a big breakfast – it was time for the boys to make their first trip to Frankfort as a couple.
With fewer than 30,000 citizens, Frankfort, Kentucky is the fifth smallest state capital in the U.S. Overshadowed in population by nearby Louisville and Lexington – which it sits between, Frankfort isn’t even in the top ten of Kentucky’s largest cities. Grant’s parents, Lydia and Carl, lived comfortably in an older home that afforded a fine view of the Kentucky River as it meandered its way through the city.
Both eligible for retirement, Grant’s parents weren’t ready to take that step just yet. With few interests outside of their careers, they didn’t see a need to give up a life they had grown comfortable with, for the mystery of how they would occupy their time in their golden years. They certainly didn’t need the money – they had saved and invested well and had no expensive hobbies – but they continued to work because it was all they knew.
It was a cold, crisp, snowless, sunny morning as Bobby and Grant drove the 150 miles from Evansville to Frankfort via I-64 through Louisville. They hadn’t been on a road trip with just the two of them since their October trip to Nashville to vacate their apartment there, so they enjoyed talking and listening to music as they traveled east.
They were both a bit tense as they arrived in Frankfort and made their way to the Collins’ Tudor style house and parked in the driveway. Grant wasn’t sure how his parents would act toward Bobby, and Bobby was nervous about making a good first impression.
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” Lydia said as she gave what looked to Bobby like a rather formal hug and kiss to her only child. Carl smiled and warmly shook his son’s hand – they didn’t have a hugging sort of father/son relationship.
“Mom, Dad…this is my partner Bobby Rushton. Bobby, meet my parents, Lydia and Carl.”
Bobby gave them his best Rushton smile as he shook their hands firmly. So far so good, although Bobby saw some initial surprise in their eyes – probably due to his rather apparent age difference with their son. The boys set their bags in the hallway and joined the Collins in their very formal, elegant living room. It didn’t display a lot of tchotchkes, but the furniture and artwork were well chosen, if a bit dated looking. Although Grant’s parents smiled warmly, Bobby felt like he was being inspected. The look in their eyes was cordial but wary.
“How was your trip this morning?” Lydia asked.
“We had no problems. There’s not that much traffic on the road on Christmas Day.”
“Would you boys like some lunch or something to drink? Dinner isn’t until 5.”
“That would be great, Mom. We could get by with a little snack and some coffee – right, Bobby?”
Lydia had prepared some soup, and they all sat down at the kitchen table to enjoy it. The view out the back of the house showed a sloping well-tended yard with a complete border of evergreens that looked as dense as a forest in Bobby’s mind. It provided lots of privacy and no chance for neighborly interaction – quite unlike the Rushtons’ open back yard that practically invited it.
“We understand your father suffered a heart attack a few months ago, Bobby. How is he doing?” Lydia asked.
“Much better – thanks for asking,” Bobby said, in between spoonsful of the delicious soup. “He recovered quickly, but of course he wanted to go back to work too soon. We all insisted that he let us do most of the work until just recently. Your son has been a tremendous help with the business end of the operation. I don’t know what we would have done without him.”
“We’re glad to hear that,” Carl said, “although it sounds just like something that Grant likes to do.”
“And he’s darn good at it, too,” Bobby added. “I wouldn’t have wanted to be one of Dad’s past-due customers in the past four months. Grant really knows how to bird-dog them to pay up. I think he played a bit on their sympathy for Dad’s big medical bills.”
Grant and his parents smiled at the compliment. As the next few hours unfolded, the tension they had all felt at first seemed to melt away. And it was Bobby who was the kingpin in making that happen. He regaled Grant’s parents with amusing stories about his initial caretaking of their son after he lost his job and broke his ankle – and continued to heap praise on his boyfriend for the way he had helped out the family business.
As Grant had suspected he would, Bobby was charming the socks off his parents with his wit, sincerity, and innocent manner. Grant hadn’t seen his parents laughing and so relaxed in quite some time, and it warmed his heart.
Whatever reservations the Collins had about their son’s relationship with a man almost 10 years his junior were soon quite forgotten. They could see how happy the two of them looked together and how much they obviously cared for one another.
The boys excused themselves for a short nap before Christmas dinner. The hullaballoo of Christmas Eve with the Rushtons and the drive to Frankfort had made them yearn for some quiet time in bed together.
“I like your parents,” Bobby purred as he cuddled with Grant on the double bed in Grant’s boyhood bedroom. “They’re very nice.”
“I can tell they like you, too, Bobby
. You’re the first guy I’ve ever brought home, and I can see it in their eyes that they approve.”
After a few winks, Bobby and Grant stripped down and took a long, soapy shower together. Grant pleasured his young partner by lovingly soaping his back and buns and then pulling him tightly against him as he reached around and washed Bobby’s front side.
“Well, what have we here?” Grant said, wrapping a soapy hand around Bobby’s tumescent love organ. Their lovemaking seldom included masturbation, but Bobby responded to his partner’s touch with soft moans as Grant slipped his hand up and down his rigid member and low-hanging balls, resulting in just a couple of minutes in a powerful release against the shower walls that left the younger man weak-kneed and flushed.
“Merry Christmas, baby,” Grant cooed in his partner’s ear.
“That was fantastic!” Bobby exulted as he turned around and kissed Grant passionately, eventually dropping to his knees and taking Grant’s hardness into his mouth. Soon both partners were sexually satisfied and eagerly looking forward to Christmas dinner. Forgoing their usual jeans, they put on some nice khakis and long-sleeved, button-down shirts.
Unlike the informal lunch around the kitchen table, the Collins’ Christmas dinner was a distinctly formal affair – fine china and stemware, polished silver service, linen napkins, candles, and fresh flowers. It nearly took Bobby’s breath away to see a table set this elegantly, as he was used to something much more “down home.”
Lydia had worked long and hard to make everything perfect, and it showed. Despite her labor, she was dressed to the nines and looked perfectly relaxed. Carl had put on a tie, as was his usual holiday dinner custom. The Collins were not fond of turkey, so the entrée was a melt-in-your-mouth ham with all the trimmings. The boys ate until they were almost dizzy and had to go for a walk around the block after dinner before they could even think about sitting down for more conversation.
They stayed for three days, and Bobby swore he’d gained at least five pounds in that time. But more importantly, he had gained the trust of the very people he’d hoped to impress. Lydia gave both boys a warm hug and kiss when they left on the 28th, and Carl used both hands in a firm good-bye handshake. They encouraged them to return whenever they could. It was clear now that they were one hundred percent in favor of their son’s choice of a mate, and the boys made their way back to Evansville with smiles on their faces.
“They like you, Bobby,” Grant said in the car on the way home.
“What’s not to like?” Bobby teased. “You think I won them over?”
“You sure did. You’d be perfect if you weren’t so immodest.”
“Well…no one is – perfect, that is. Seriously, I liked your folks much more than you led me to believe I would. My only problem was figuring out which fork to use at the table. We Rushtons use the same one for everything. Your folks use at least three at every place setting.”
“Maybe they’d use fewer forks, too, if they had six people at every meal like yours do.”
“I seriously doubt that, Grant.”
“You’re right – silly me.”
A couple of weeks later, Kenny was walking through the cafeteria at the UE Student Center when he spotted a familiar face sitting alone at a table.
“Hi, Eric – mind if I join you?” he said, sitting down across from the handsome young man that he recognized as his older brother’s Saturday caretaker.
“Well, I don’t mind at all if you join me, but I’m not Eric,” said the young man, smiling broadly at the unexpected but pleasant interruption. You must know my twin brother – it happens all the time. I’m Ethan Potter, and you are….?”
“Oh, sorry, Ethan. I’m Kenny Rushton. Eric comes to our house once a week to help my disabled brother with his bathing. I thought sure you were the same guy.”
They shook hands firmly…and a second or two longer than customary. Kenny sat down with his cheeseburger across from Eric’s hunky twin.
“Yes, your brother must be Max. Eric’s told me often how much he enjoys working with him. You have two brothers, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do. Max is five years older than I am, and our brother Bobby is in the middle. We all live together with my folks and Bobby’s partner Grant on Archer Avenue. Are you sure you don’t mind me butting in like this on your lunch break? I really thought you were Eric.”
“Not at all, Kenny. I’m happy to meet you. Please stay.”
Actually both boys were happy as larks at the serendipitous meeting, and their respective heart rates had increased dramatically as a result. Kenny wished he’d had a chance to duck into the men’s room to check his hair first, but Ethan’s intense stare made him feel like Ethan liked what he was seeing.
“So, what’s your major, Ethan? That seems to be the usual icebreaker on campus.”
“I’m a sophomore in international studies – and you?”
“I’m not really a student here. I go to Ivy Tech, but I was looking in the bookstore here for something I couldn’t find over there and decided to stay for a burger.”
“Well, just my good fortune. If what I hear from Eric is true, I think we might have something rather significant in common.”
“And that would be…?”
“Oh, I think you’ve probably figured it out,” Ethan said, with a shy smile. “Eric’s told me all about your family.”
“Well, if it’s true that identical twins lean the same way, then yes I think I catch your drift.”
With knees touching frequently, the two young men chatted for over an hour before Ethan had to excuse himself to go to class, but not before trading cell phone numbers with Kenny. Kenny reluctantly went back to his own classes at Ivy Tech, his feet barely touching the ground. All thoughts of the long-gone Philip, which had haunted him since Thanksgiving, had just been pushed to the back of his mind.
The following Saturday, Eric showed up as usual to bathe Max. But this time he was not alone. Ethan was with him. Through text messages they had exchanged over the past few days, Kenny knew that Ethan was coming, so he had gone to great pains to clean up and dress in something eye-catching. Kenny hadn’t mentioned to his family about his chance meeting with Ethan a few days earlier in the week, knowing they would learn about it soon enough.
The way that Kenny was dressed wasn’t lost on Bobby, who never missed a thing. Usually on Saturdays his younger brother looked all morning like he had just crawled out of bed and thrown on whatever he was wearing the night before, but this time Kenny had showered and shaved early and put on one of his best outfits.
“What’s with you?” Bobby said to him. “Gotta hot date today or what?”
Kenny just grinned and said, “You’ll see.”
The whole family was around, as usual, when the Potter twins arrived, and Eric introduced his brother to everyone. They all felt like they were seeing double. The other Rushtons were a little surprised that Ethan called Kenny by name even before the introductions were made.
“You two know each other?” Grant asked.
“Yeah, we met at the UE Student Center a few days ago when I had to get something from the bookstore over there. I thought it was Eric, so I asked if I could sit and eat my lunch with him. Ethan set me straight, so to speak, and we chatted for quite a while. He said he was coming over here this morning to help Eric.”
Well, that explains the way you look, Bobby thought to himself with a knowing grin and a wink at Kenny.
“Actually, I wanted Ethan to come with me this morning and then again next week, Max, because we have a proposition for you. I’ve joined a biking group, and they meet on the first and third Saturday mornings of the month. Ethan said he’d cover for me on those days over here, if you don’t mind. Would that be all right with you?”
Max looked at the handsome identical twin brothers and marveled at how there wasn’t an apparent hair of difference between the two. Frankly, he was a little wary about this unexpected development, since he and Eric had forged a personal bond in the
past two months. But he didn’t want to appear uncooperative.
“I guess so, if Ethan is willing. How am I going to tell you apart, though? I’d have to mark my calendar with your names because you look completely alike!”
The twins looked at each other and blushed.
“Ethan has a little mole on the side of his neck. See?” Eric said, touching his brother on the neck to point it out. It was almost too small to see, but Max finally did.
“Well, you’d better not wear turtlenecks when you come here, or I won’t know which twin I’m getting,” Max quipped. The whole family laughed at the joke.
“Are you ready for your shower, Max?” Eric said.
“Sure. Come on back.”
Max started wheeling himself down the hall to his bedroom. When he was there and turned himself around, he was surprised to see both of the lookalike twins in the room with him. Eric noticed the expression of surprise on his face.
“Ethan needs to learn the ropes, so to speak, so he’s going to help me this morning and next week, if you don’t mind. Today we’ll show him how to do the full shower, and next week we’ll show him how to do the sponge bath routine. Let’s get undressed, Ethan.”
Max watched spellbound as the twin hotties removed every article of their clothing right in front of him and put them on Kenny’s bed. He understood their earlier blushing when he saw that there was one other difference between the brothers that they weren’t about to reveal in front of the whole family.
“Max, you’ve obviously noticed that Ethan and I are not completely identical. Our parents decided to leave Ethan uncut so they would always be able to tell us apart.”
Ethan blushed as the man he had only met moments ago stared at the uncut member hanging between his bare legs. The only difference between his and his brother’s was the natural skin that he’d been allowed to retain at birth.
“I see,” was all that Max could manage to say. These were two of the finest male specimens that he would ever be likely to see in his whole life, and they just stood there unabashedly naked and virtually identical in every way but one.
Someone to Bank on Page 23