An Earlier Heaven

by D. W. Marchwell

  “So… then….”

  “I didn’t want you to feel like I was intruding,” David said as he felt his face flush. “But, now, actually, it would be rather appropriate for me to adopt him—or at least get the paperwork going—on the one-year anniversary of his finding you.”

  “Of his finding us,” Jerry corrected. “And the one-year anniversary of his bringing the two of us together—indirectly, of course.”

  David laughed at the memory that at once seemed so far removed from their lives and yet so recent in his memory that he could still smell the cologne, feel Jerry kiss him for the first time. “I thought you were an uncivilized redneck when I first met you, you know?”

  “I remember.” Jerry laughed and took one of David’s hands in his. “And I thought you were the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.”

  David brought Jerry’s hand up to his lips and kissed it softly. “You were ruthless in your flirting that first night.”

  “I kept making these moves, and I’d see you blush, and I was hoping that you were attracted to me… even just a little.”

  “I will admit to a lukewarm attraction at first.”

  “Lukewarm?” Jerry laughed heartily and pulled David’s head toward him for a scorching kiss. “So somewhere between lukewarm and the end of the evening, I must have really gotten to you.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” David said as he pulled his hand away, the smile on his face betraying any real sense of indignation.

  “I still think about that night sometimes, you know.”

  “You must have me confused with one of your twenty-somethings.”

  “No,” Jerry said as he let himself fall back on the bed. “And do you know why I’m not confused?”

  David raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

  “Because no twenty-something… no man has ever—and I do mean ever—made me feel the way you do.” Jerry pulled on David’s shoulders, bringing their chests together again, and kissed him deeply. Their hands caressed shoulders and heads and faces. Finally, they separated and Jerry looked into David’s eyes. “I think about my life before meeting you sometimes, and it makes me so sad to think that I could have just as easily gone on with what I thought was a happy life.”

  David watched as Jerry closed his eyes. He reached out and caressed his husband’s cheeks. “I know.” He leaned down and kissed Jerry’s lips. “I know. I love you too.”

  “Do you know when I first knew that I loved you?” David shook his head. “It’s my best memory, ever.” Jerry raised himself on one elbow again. “After our first night together, I woke up in the middle of the night and just watched you sleep until I couldn’t keep my own eyes open anymore. You were so peaceful.” Jerry shook his head slowly. “So peaceful when you slept, but so… haunted when you were awake, trying to help William and me even though what’s-his-face had broken your heart.” Jerry took hold of one of David’s hands and kissed it. “And when William came home from school, day after day, telling me how much all the other kids looked up to you, how patient you were with all of them, how you tried to make each one feel so special… and I found myself thinking, And not one of them knows how much he’s hurting.”

  “You are such a romantic,” David said and smiled. “I think I fell in love with you that night by the fire. You held William as he slept. I knew there would never be anyone else for me.” David pushed against Jerry’s shoulder and then put his right hand under his head, caressing and kneading just the right way to make Jerry purr like a kitten. He looked into those beautiful blue eyes for a moment and then brought his lips to Jerry’s, sealing their mouths together in a kiss that seemed to reassure both of them that their lives, Jerry’s and David’s and those of the two boys who completed their family, would be filled with everything that life had to offer.

  Their lips parted, and as if reading David’s mind, Jerry offered a sly smile and winked. “We can handle anything as long as we stick together.”

  Chapter 22

  “I’M COMING already!”

  David looked up as his husband got to his feet, Jerry’s apprehension clear to everyone within a five-mile radius. “You did promise you’d teach him,” he said as he accepted a quick kiss on the lips.

  “I know, I know,” Jerry sighed heavily and then turned to look at Niels who had Puppy in his lap. “Hey, Niels, I can’t interest you in an hour of driving lessons, can I?” David knew that Jerry was only joking, but he looked over at his father to see the smooth and practiced reaction of a man who’d made millions of dollars dealing with this kind of pressure.

  “And deprive you of one of the most exciting moments of being a father?”

  David’s eyes shifted back and forth between his husband and his father, the grin barely contained. He made a mental note to thank Jerry later this evening—in a way that only David could—for giving Niels a second chance to prove he wasn’t going to hurt anyone. David smiled as Jerry only shrugged and headed toward the old pickup, mumbling something about Niels not knowing what he was missing.

  “Do you remember when you were sixteen and I taught you how to drive?” Niels had his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Some nights I wasn’t sure I’d make it back alive.”

  “I wasn’t that bad, was I?” David nudged his shoulder against his father’s chest.

  “No,” Niels said as he brought his hand up to David’s neck and gave it a quick squeeze. “No, you weren’t bad at all.” David reveled in the affectionate gesture, their eyes meeting only briefly before David looked out to see Jerry instructing Cory on how to check the tires for proper pressure. A quick snort of laughter escaped before he could censor it; William was trailing behind Jerry and Cory, being sure to mimic every command and suggestion that Jerry offered.

  “He’s something, isn’t he?” David turned to look at his father. “William, I mean.” David found himself looking out at the little guy who’d been through so much lately. David couldn’t help but marvel at how resilient and earnest their little boy was.

  “He’s you.”

  David turned to look at his father again, the words not so much a shock as a surprise.

  “He cares about everyone, wants to do everything just right, and when he loves someone, it’s with a gigantic and loyal heart.”

  He smiled warmly and draped his arm around his father’s shoulders. “Thanks, Dad.”

  “You’re welcome, Davey.”

  He removed his arm from around his father’s shoulders and said, “Although, I must say that I look at him sometimes and I swear I can see Jerry.” David looked down at Puppy as she clambered onto his lap, and he stroked her soft fur lazily.

  “That’s only normal, I think.” Niels leaned forward, his elbows perched on his thighs. “It’s been almost a year now since the three of you became a family, so you’ll all continue to… absorb some of each other.”

  “As long as they get Jerry’s artistic talent and my—”

  “Heart?”

  David laughed as he looked over at his father. “I was going to say math skills, but I like yours better.”

  “Listen, Davey, I know Jerry doesn’t like me very much—”

  “Didn’t,” David interrupted. “He wasn’t really sure of you at first, thought you would end up hurting me and William, but he’s a really good man, Dad, and he’s more than willing to admit that he was wrong to doubt you.”

  Niels smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. “I’m glad I didn’t disappoint your husband.” When he said nothing further, David turned back to see Jerry stepping down from the truck and finding a position behind it. He was about to instruct Cory how to parallel park. David figured this should be good for a few jibes later on tonight. “I’m glad I didn’t disappoint him because there’s something I need to ask you. A favor.”

  “Anything, you know you can ask me anything, Dad.”

  “Well, it’s not you I’m worried about.”

  “Dad,” David said as he turned to face his father. “What is it? You
’re scaring me.”

  “Diana has been asking about you.” Niels offered a shrug and then added, “Well, it started with Diana, but now Kelley seems to be coming around as well.”

  David sat stock still, unable to move a muscle. He hadn’t heard much about his sisters for almost ten years. It had been an unspoken understanding when he’d reconnected with his father that neither of them would dwell on questions and updates about the other members of the family; Niels’s time—precious as it was—would not be wasted pontificating and wondering when the other members of the family would come around.

  “Diana asked me a couple of weeks ago how my visits were going.” To David, his father’s glances between the ground and his son’s face seemed incongruous; Niels was never nervous, for any reason. “I guess your mother told them that I was spending time with you and your new family, and well… Diana asked me to ask you if you would consider letting her visit.”

  “I… I’ll have to talk to Jerry, but….” David’s mind was racing. He thought of William and how he’d have three cousins in addition to a new brother and a grandfather. But then he also thought of how hurt he’d been when the sister he’d practically raised turned her back on him after saying all those awful things to his face. “What about that husband of hers?”

  “They’re divorcing.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry… for Diana, I mean.”

  “She feels terrible about what she said to you all those years ago.”

  “I don’t know if I can talk about that right now, Dad. I—”

  “I know we all hurt you… very much, but I told you last year that the rest of the family would come around in time.” Niels put his arm around his son. “I think Diana realizes now how much she let her decisions be influenced by that… by Clarence, and she told me she misses you, misses not having you be an uncle to her children.”

  David felt the sting of unshed tears and closed his eyes, opening them slowly as the thought occurred to him. “They understand it’s a package deal, right? Jerry is the man I love, he’s my husband, and I’m not going to exclude him or William or Cory or tell them that they can’t—”

  “They understand,” Niels said as he smoothed the hair off of David’s forehead. “No one is interested in telling you how to live your life anymore, son.”

  David looked down as his hands, continued to stroke the puppy, and was surprised to see that he was shaking. He looked back up into his father’s eyes. David had not yet heard the one name he hoped to hear. “And Mom?”

  “I’m sorry, son.”

  David looked out at his family, the flurry of activity in the cab signaling that perhaps he should go over and give Jerry a break.

  “She’ll come around, I promise.”

  “You can’t know that.” David glanced at his father. “She let Oma die all alone.”

  “That’s not fair, David,” Niels said as he closed his eyes and shook his head. “Your mother and Oma had a very difficult relationship.”

  “That seems to be Mom’s specialty.” David regretted the words right away. For all of her faults, his mother had always been attentive to her children, encouraging them to do their very best at whatever they chose to do. She had not been a perfect mother, by any means, but she certainly didn’t deserve to be summed up with those words. “I’m sorry,” David said quickly. “I didn’t mean that.”

  “I know, Davey. I know.” Niels seemed pensive for a moment. “At the risk of giving you and Jerry far too much to discuss tonight, I was hoping that when Cory has his permanent driver’s license—you and Jerry might let me get him his own vehicle?”

  David shot a glance between his father and the flurry of activity out by the corral fence. All of David’s men were out of the truck, and William was running back toward the house. “I think Jerry was planning on giving him the pickup, but I’ll discuss your offer with him.”

  “Opa, David, did you see me?”

  Both David and his father turned to see William running toward them, his eyes wide and his short legs carrying him toward them at a brisk pace.

  “Dad let me sit on his lap and steer.” William landed on his opa’s lap, his eyes glinting in the dying sunlight, and his cheeks flushed from all of the excitement. As he panted, Puppy made her way onto William’s lap.

  “I did see you, William, and you’re a natural.” Niels wrapped his arms around his grandson and looked over at his son. “David and I were just talking about what a great driver you’ll be.”

  “Cory’s going to be a great driver too.” William pointed out to where Jerry and Cory were obviously deep in some discussion or debriefing. “He only hit the corral fence once!”

  “And maybe tomorrow he won’t hit it at all,” David said as he reached out to tickle William. “You know what might help him, sport? If you stay here with me on the steps, so he can concentrate better.”

  “Yeah,” William said through his giggles. “Dad kept telling me to stop asking so many questions, said I was distracting Cory, so maybe you’re right.”

  “And besides,” David said as he reached out to tickle his son some more. “If you stay here on the veranda with me, you and I can eat cookies and play with Puppy.” David reached down and picked up the puppy.

  “Homemade?”

  “Of course.”

  William turned and looked Niels in the eyes. “David makes the best oatmeal raisin cookies, Opa.”

  JERRY lay back on the bed, his hands going to cradle his head. He watched as David’s hands worked to undo first his own clothing and then his. If there was ever a sight that aroused him faster than a completely naked David undressing him and kissing each exposed piece of skin, he honestly couldn’t remember what it was. He closed his eyes as he felt the cool night air from the open window waft over his naked torso. David’s hands worked quickly to free him from his jeans and underwear, and then Jerry felt the familiar caress of the strong, slender hands over his chest.

  “Come here, baby.” Jerry reached for his husband and pulled him up for a deep kiss. He was gentle at first, the passion building as it always did as their tongues found each other and their hands explored familiar territory, eliciting the hypnotic moans of pleasure. He felt David pull away slowly. “What’s wrong?”

  “Absolutely nothing, cowboy.” David gave his lover a quick peck and then looked down, his hand still caressing Jerry’s scalp. “I have some news for our family.”

  “Please tell me it’s good news.” Jerry pushed himself over on top of David and settled himself so that their bodies were aligned perfectly, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

  “My dad was telling me that my sisters have been asking about me, wanting to reconnect.”

  Jerry felt David’s heartbeat increase slightly, so he chose his words very carefully. It was one of the many things that had helped Jerry fall in love with him, this desire for everyone and everything to be perfect, like a Norman Rockwell painting or something out of a 1950s family sitcom. Before Jerry could find the right words, he felt David’s hands move up his back and begin to caress his scalp again.

  “I was thinking that I’ll maybe go and visit a few times… just to make sure that William and Cory won’t be forced into the middle of anything we don’t want for them.”

  Jerry’s smile was automatic, involuntary. “Sounds perfect then.” He lowered his head until their lips made contact in a soft, gentle kiss.

  “I wanted to thank you, Jerry, for giving my dad a chance.” Jerry opened his mouth to offer some automatic, expected reaction, but David interrupted him. “Even he’s noticed that you’re much more open and welcoming.”

  Jerry stole a quick kiss and then cocked his head to one side. “I didn’t like the idea of him hurting you again at first, but now… guess I finally realized I was just being overprotective.”

  David brought both of his hands to the handsome face and brought their lips together one more time. “You’re a good man, Jerrod McKenzie.” Another kiss. “And a great father.” Another kiss. �
�And I’m the luckiest old fag on the planet.”

  “Don’t know about the luckiest,” Jerry said as he lowered his head for yet another kiss. “But you’re definitely the sexiest.” Jerry pushed his hips against his husband’s, delighting in the sharp intake of air from David as their cocks were pressed together. “Now,” he whispered into his husband’s sensitive ear, “are we done with talking?”

  “Oh… God… Jerry… yes… done.”

  “Can never get enough of you, baby,” Jerry sighed against David’s ear. He felt his lover’s hands flex and release against his back and reached down to hook first one leg over a forearm and then the other. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  “Oh, please, Jerry, please.” David was writhing underneath Jerry, his hands caressing and exploring, pinching and kneading. Jerry placed his hands on the backs of his lover’s thighs and pushed so that David’s ass was raised in the air. His tongue found its way to the pink hole, darting in and out playfully at first until he could feel the slight tremors in David’s thighs.

  “Hang on, baby, wanna get you ready.” Jerry returned his attention to preparing his lover, his tongue licking and poking and laving. He’d discovered, quite by accident one night, that if he hummed while he had his lips against David’s hole, the smaller man fairly leaped out of his skin from the combined sensations. He didn’t do it all the time, preferring instead to save it for nights like tonight. William and Cory were in bed, safe and happy, and mainly due to the beautiful and caring man beneath Jerry at this moment. Tonight would be one of those nights when Jerry would show David how much he loved him and how glad he was that he’d opened up his heart to David; he had a family now.

  When Jerry felt the fevered grappling of David’s hands against his and heard the inane ramblings of a man on the edge of ecstasy, he lowered his lover’s ass and lined himself up, pushing in slowly, tantalizingly. There was nothing sexier than watching David’s face as he opened himself up and took him in all the way. Jerry had always known he was bigger than most men, so he’d had to learn how not to push in all the way all the time; he’d had to learn how to find the other man’s prostate, how to move and adjust so that he could hear those sounds he loved to hear. He leaned forward, letting his tongue find its way to David’s ears, first one and then the other.