An Unexpected Gift

by Brandon Carlisle

  We sat at the kitchen table and chatted, trying to give them their space until we decided that it was time to join them in the living room.

  Once we were seated, Sebastian began, trying to keep it casual. "So, Elias, how do your parents feel about your being gay?"

  "Sebastian!" If Elias weren't leaning against Andy he would have bolted out of his chair.

  Elias turned around and squeezed Andy's thigh. "It's a fair question, and we have to start somewhere."

  The kid was level headed, and I had to give him that. I let out a breath and thought this may go all right.

  "They are very accepting. My mother and father met at a sit-in at U.C. Berkeley where they were students. My father is bisexual, and my mother is straight. They have a lot of gay friends, and, when I was growing up, one thing they taught me was to be myself. That was their only concern."

  "Wow." That was all I could think of. Sebastian put his hand on my leg and covered his mouth. "That's impressive. What do they do? If you don't mind my asking?"

  Elias smiled at us, "My mother is a history teacher at city college, my father is a professor of Political Science at the University of San Francisco."

  Sebastian cleared his throat. "It's wonderful you have such supportive and open parents." When I turned to him, he was wiping a tear from his eye.

  Andy set his bottle down. "Hey, are you okay?"

  "Yeah, I'm fine, sweetheart." Patting my leg, he gave it a squeeze. "Turkey should be just about warm. Let's go finish heating the sides."

  *****

  Once we were all seated it was clear the boys were starving. Their plates were piled high, and we were glad there were plenty of leftovers. Elias told us of his interest in science and, as he explained a few of his ideas, they were beyond my understanding. His goal was to study physics at Berkeley and go for at least a Masters PhD. After that he wanted to see how he could apply it to either teaching or research.

  Alarm bells rang when I thought of how different his and Andy's interests were, but I kept my mouth shut. I caught Sebastian's expression at the news and knew he thought the same thing, even though he was smiling at Elias' news. I watched as Andy and Elias kept stealing glances at each other throughout dinner, wondering how this would play out, and prayed to whatever gods there were that Andy wouldn't get hurt. It appeared Elias was just as interested in Andy, and, for that, I was grateful.

  Everyone was more relaxed as the meal progressed and, though I had my doubts about their relationship, we found Elias charming. He had a rather geeky appeal about him, and I watched as Sebastian was also won over before we reached dessert. Chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream were on the menu for later, and while we cleared, I chased Andy and Elias to the living room while we brewed a fresh pot of coffee.

  Sebastian was standing in the doorway of the dining room, holding the tray with the coffee while I looked over his shoulder. They took no notice of us standing there. Andy was curled up in Elias' arms on the sofa, with the young man stroking his ginger locks. They tempted me to say something about their taking our spot, but I didn't have the heart. Stepping into the living room with coffee, Sebastian cleared his throat as we walked into the room and set down the tray. I thought Elias would have a heart attack.

  Sebastian had a quirky little grin on his face. "Isaac and I will get the dessert. Do you want ice cream with your cake?"

  Andy looked up at Elias who just nodded. "Yes. Thanks, Sebastian." He pulled the young man's hand down over his chest and stroked it. "Relax, baby."

  Once we were in the kitchen Sebastian leaned on the counter and looked at me. "What if he wants Elias to spend the night?"

  "What if he does?"

  Sebastian looked at me as if I were crazy.

  Slipping my hands around his waist I gave him a reassuring smile. "Sebby, Andy is not a virgin. You know that. I doubt Elias is a virgin, either. Even if he is, he's probably eighteen. If it's okay with his parents for him to stay the night, then I don't see the problem."

  "Ughhh. Am I overreacting again?" He buried his head in my shoulder.

  I couldn't help but chuckle. "No, baby. I think you're just acting like any ordinary parent."

  *****

  When we brought out dessert, the boys were just where we left them. Andy's eyes were closed, and he had a blissful expression on his face while Elias placed a finger to his lips.

  "Elias, Andy seems to be tired. Would your parents think it's all right to spend the night?"

  His face lit up like our Christmas tree. "We asked them before coming over. They said it wouldn't be a problem."

  I felt Sebastian's hand on my shoulder. He kissed my ear before turning to Elias. "Why don't you take Andy to bed. I might have something for you to wear."

  Elias looked down at Andy and blushed before looking at us. "I don't wear anything to bed."

  "Oh!" We said in unison.

  "I… I can if you want." He replied.

  At a loss for words, I looked to Sebastian. He cleared his throat. "I'll give you a pair of bottoms, just in case."

  With that he dashed down the hall while Elias and I helped get Andy to bed.

  Saying good night, we closed the door behind us while a sleepy Andy was tucked into bed by Elias, wearing a pair of pajama bottoms much to Sebastian's satisfaction.

  We went back to the living room to put back their desserts and decided to have our own dessert and coffee, passing over the topic on both of our minds. When we crawled into our own bed, Sebastian kept looking at the door and I had to wave my hand in front of his eyes. "Relax, baby. You need to get your rest."

  "Like that's ever going to happen."

  "Sebby, they're almost adults. If anything happens, at least they are here in our home. Now go to sleep."

  Placing his head on my chest he threw his arm across my stomach and let out a sigh. I rubbed circles on his back as I kissed the top of his head. I still could not understand how the young boy with such a tough exterior, who had survived on the streets, could also be so innocent and vulnerable at other times. Though I knew there would be heartbreak in his future with Elias, the young man cared for him.

  Waking the next morning, I smelled coffee and slid from under a snoring Sebastian. It was still early, and I thought I'd let him sleep a little longer. Slipping on my robe and slippers to stave off the morning chill, I made my way to the kitchen to find Andy and Elias cooking breakfast.

  "Hey, Isaac! Coffee's ready." Andy was scrambling eggs and pointed to the coffee maker. Elias turned around and waved a spatula as he was about to flip pancakes.

  "I hope you don't mind? Andy said we should start breakfast."

  "No. That's fine. I appreciate your thoughtfulness." I poured a mug and sat down at the table watching the little domestic scene unfold.

  Andy set a plate of pancakes and eggs in front of me. "Thanks for letting Elias stay over last night. It was nice to wake up next to him. We thought we could hang out together here today, if that's okay?"

  "Sure. Sure. Elias? Just let your parents know your plans."

  "I'm starving!" Sebastian stood at the kitchen door. "I smell coffee and breakfast. Oh, we have two cooks! Good morning everyone." He waved his hands and gave a cheesy smile before entering and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "You both look so cute cooking breakfast. Sleep well?" He gave them a wink before grabbing a mug and filling it. Sebastian plopped down next to me as the boys looked at him quizzically, and I tried not to say anything.

  He glanced around the room. "Listen. I know you are both adults. Well I know you are Andy, at least legally. I don't know about you, Elias. This is Andy's home. Just in case it wasn't clear last night, you're welcome to stay here anytime."

  Elias' face turned bright red and Andy leaned on his toes to give him a kiss on the cheek before turning to us. "You're blushing. Thanks guys."

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Changes in the Wind

  Sebastian

  New Year’s Eve was quiet. We had the house to ourselves and stayed
in. Abby had a date with some mysterious new paramour, and Andy was with Elias. They were going to a friend's house for a small party, and then spend the night at Elias’s house. Curled up in bed with my love, we listened as our neighbors rang in the new year before falling asleep.

  Now here I was wide awake, listening to his even breathing. It was some time after midnight and now 1981. In six months Andy would graduate high school. Isaac and I would be together almost five years. I hadn’t seen my parents since I moved to San Francisco, and had barely spoken to them. I had no contact with anyone else in my family since I had arrived here. What was more amazing was, I didn’t care.

  My true family was here, my friends were here, and I was working at a job I loved; although I did experience a slight touch of jealousy that I missed out on working with the Tutankhamun Exhibit at the museum when it arrived last year. All the gold, jewelry, and historic art would have been fantastic to handle and view closely. But my life is more fulfilled now than it has ever been before.

  When the office next to ours became vacant last year, we took it over, remodeled it, and created adjoining offices for Isaac and myself. We could walk to work and spend quiet time together. Even if it was raining, we grabbed our umbrellas and enjoyed our special time. We continued to gain sponsorships for the clinic and Isaac started a program I never even considered. He arranged and received approval to open a day care center across the street from the clinic in an old store front. Now, single-parent families, and those where both parents needed to work, had a place where they could place their children during the day, or after school while they worked. The foundation fully supported this venture. Our working together towards the same goals made our bond even stronger.

  Running my fingers through the beautiful black hair that covered my Isaac’s chest gave me such wonderful ideas, but after the spectacular evening we had making love, and the way he snored so peacefully, I thought the better of it. Knowing I wouldn’t fall back asleep I slid out from under the covers and slipped my robe and slippers on and quietly made my way to the window seat and looked out at the sky. It was clear and I could see the stars. There was no fog and no clouds to obscure my view. It was perfect.

  There was no need for me to make a wish on a star because I had everything I could ever want right now. I wrapped my robe tightly around me and closed my eyes. I thought I might have dozed off for only a minute but when I opened my eyes the sun was rising, and I almost laughed. My neck was stiff and when I turned around, I found Isaac still sound asleep. I moved to stand, slowly stretching out the kinks from sleeping on the window seat, and decided I wouldn’t try to crawl back into bed for fear of waking him.

  Making my way to the front door slowly while waiting for my muscles to wake up with the rest of me, I grabbed the morning paper and went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. After reading the paper for a while I became restless and checked on Isaac. He was still sleeping, so I whipped up pancakes, bacon and eggs. I plated a breakfast for him and covered it before putting it in the oven to stay warm, and then sat down to eat mine. Once I finished, I put his breakfast on a tray with coffee and made my way to the bedroom. He was still sleeping comfortably, on his back, snoring, with an arm across his eyes. Setting the tray on the chair on my side of the bed I lifted the covers and slipped my head underneath. I licked up the length of his cock before teasing the tip until I heard him groan. Swallowing him whole I heard him shout, “Holy shit!”

  I pulled off as he pulled back the covers and looked up, smiling. “Good morning, dear!”

  His eyes were wide. “Why’d you stop!”

  Pointing to the tray on the chair behind me. “I brought breakfast.”

  “So?”

  “We can finish after you eat.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” I kissed his cheek and pulled the covers over him, grabbing the tray and placing it in his lap before settling in next to him.

  “Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold. Then we can finish before the boys show up and interrupt us.”

  Isaac began wolfing down his breakfast and I had a hard time not laughing as he ate.

  *****

  Once we finished showering and getting dressed, we loaded the dishwasher and made our way to the living room with fresh coffee, where we found Andy and Elias curled up on the sofa.

  “Hey guys.” They looked so cute together. I hoped this would be a lasting relationship, but, being so young, who knew what would happen. “Surprised you’re here so early. So, what are your plans for the long weekend? You don’t have to be back until Monday, right?”

  Elias had his arm around Andy’s shoulder and Andy reached up to hold his hand as he turned to us. “We’re just going to hang out, if that’s okay? The party was kinda boring, so we crashed early. His parents were out late so we thought we would come over here so we wouldn’t wake them.”

  Isaac slipped his arm around my waist. “You’ll have the house to yourselves today. Sebastian and I both have to stop by the foundation for a little while. There’s cash in the drawer in the kitchen if you want to get something to eat.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek.

  “Like Isaac said before, if you guys decide to go out tonight, take a taxi home. It is a holiday weekend. We’re going to head out to the park after we leave the office, and then maybe take in a movie and dinner.”

  Sitting down in an armchair facing them, Isaac propped on the arm, I looked at the boys and then glanced at the paintings. First at Andy in the style of Caravaggio, then at the painting he did of us on the sofa taking a nap. The warmth that radiated through me resulted from everything present. My family, seeing the happiness in Andy’s face, knowing how much love there was in this room. Until I moved to this city, I never knew such happiness was possible. Except those few moments at my grandfather’s home when he revealed his secret, there was never any sense of family. I only found it when I moved here and made my own.

  *****

  When we arrived home later that evening, it was quiet. The boys were out, and we curled up on the sofa and listened to music. Isaac built a fire, and I pulled one of our throws over us as I curled up in his arms, letting out a sigh.

  “What’s wrong, Sebby? You got very quiet on the ride home.”

  “I’m worried about Andy.”

  He stroked my hair, “I wondered when this would come up.”

  I gave him a slight poke in the stomach with my finger. “You’ve been thinking about it too. I know you have.”

  He let out a small chuckle. “You mean about Elias going to Berkeley, or they are looking at very different futures?”

  I thought about what he said for a moment. “Well… the fact he would be at Berkeley. I mean… two people can have different careers, and yet still have important things in common, can’t they?”

  “Sweetheart, in most cases I would say yes. But they have very different interests. In time I think they would find they have little in common. When the time comes for Elias to go to Berkeley, I think it will happen naturally.”

  Just then the door burst open and Andy was grumbling, “I felt like such an idiot with them!”

  Elias followed him in, pleading, “Andy. I’m sorry! Please! I didn’t know they would be there. I only see them in class.”

  They were still in the hall when Isaac grabbed my hand. “Let’s go in the kitchen before they see us.”

  We shut the door to the kitchen and stayed quiet, listening to the argument unfold. What we had been discussing was coming to the surface earlier than expected. As we listened to the argument continue, it seemed they stopped for a pizza and some of Elias’ classmates from his science class were there and invited him and Andy to join them. Andy felt out of place, and the rest of the evening went downhill from there as Elias joined the conversation, and was oblivious to Andy’s discomfort.

  After a few minutes it was quiet. “You guys can come out now.”

  Andy was sitting in a chair, alone in the living room. I sat on the arm, putting m
y arm around his shoulder. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

  He leaned into my chest. “I felt so dumb. I didn’t have a fucking idea what they were talking about.”

  Isaac knelt in front of him, rubbing his thigh. “Hey. You’re not dumb. Your knowledge is in a different area. If you had talked about painting or art, they wouldn’t have had the faintest idea what you were talking about.”

  Andy chuckled at that.

  “Hey, how about some hot chocolate?” He nodded, and I headed to the kitchen.

  When I came back out with the tray and three mugs of hot chocolate, Isaac and Andy were huddled on the sofa, and I could tell it was very serious. They stopped when I set the tray down on the coffee table and sat next to Andy, offering him a mug. Isaac grabbed a mug and blew on it while Andy turned and gave me a sad smile. “I really like Elias, and the sex is great." He blushed.”

  I cleared my throat and picked up a mug.

  “This was the first time we were ever with other people, and it was very different. I didn’t fit in. Sitting there, I wondered how would he feel if things were switched and we were with people from my art class, or spending an afternoon upstairs with Abby.” A tear ran down his cheek. “I really like him.”

  Setting down the mug he leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around him as his shoulders shook and the sobs came out.

  *****

  The next day as we got ready for work, I wanted to stay home with Andy, but he was determined to handle this on his own. Last night he called Elias and asked him to come over today so they could talk. He would be honest and tell him how he felt, and hope they could agree that, as much as they cared about each other, it was for the best if they break up.

  I was adamant that he call either of us if he needed to talk. Before I left, I also stopped by Abby's to explain what happened and asked her to check in on him later that day. I don't know where all these damn mothering tendencies came from, certainly not from my own mother.