Nevermore!

by and © Henry Higgins

Chapter 23 - A Distant Connection

As we settled with our drinks, I felt the boys trying to sense Wyatt James. Rog and I sat in easy chairs, the boys on the couch, and Wyatt in a recliner, so that we could all see each other. I don't know whether the boys could read anything about Wyatt, but I didn't pick up anything. The man seemed completely at ease; but still, there was something about him that puzzled me. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

Wyatt took charge of the conversation. "So, Rusty and Kenny, you guys are interested in our group for gay teens?"

"Yeah, I guess..." they both said in unison.

Rog added, "Jim and I hope that if there's anything we can do in support that you'd let us know, Wyatt. I don't know if adults can participate in the group, but if they can, we'd like to - anything to support these boys."

"That's great Roger," said Wyatt. "Right now, we try to run it just for the teens. But, there's always a lot of support work needed. You're a medical doctor, right?"

Rog nodded yes.

"We haven't needed emergency medical support for a while, but early on we had a kid who had no other medical resources. Fortunately, we found a gay-friendly doctor to help us," said Wyatt. "And Jim, I understand that you're an editor, am I right?"

"That's right, Wyatt," I replied.

"It seems that we frequently have some written communication going out that needs editing. We do our best, but..." he said.

"I'd be delighted to do whatever I can, Wyatt," I said.

Wyatt continued, "Well at this point, guys, it would help me if you could give me an idea of just how you all relate to one another. Usually, we have a teen that is living with one or two parents and referred by a counselor. Occasionally, an enlightened parent knows enough to see that a boy needs help and contacts us. But, from what Peter told me, none of you are related, is that right?"

The boys nodded yes, along with Rog and me.

Wyatt continued. "Well, it would help me to know just how all of you came together."

Rusty fidgeted and tried to slide closer to Kenny (as if it were possible for him to get any closer), then spoke. "Well, when I moved into this school district, Kenny noticed I was new and kinda showed me around, like where stuff was in the school, how to get to some classes, stuff like that. I really appreciated it and we began to spend time together. We were in three classes together, so we sat next to each other in those. Then I began to find that I really like him a lot, like more than just liking him back because he showed me around. I guess somewhere along in there we each got onto the idea that the other is gay. I mean, one day we were talking at lunch and he was like, 'You're gay, right?' and I said, 'Yeah, you are too, right?' and he said yeah.

"We didn't start messing around with each other for sex, we just spent time together in school. And then he had a bad time with his old man, so my mom let him stay with us a few days. We got real close after that, but for some reason, we still didn't have sex together. That's kinda how it's been and still is."

Immediately I foresaw a serious dilemma looming. It was important to both boys, but particularly to Rusty, to keep their prostitution activities secret. Yet, knowing about those activities was key to understanding how we all fit together. I had tried so carefully to think through this business of getting the boys into the gay teen support group, but I hadn't anticipated this glitch.

I could sense that the boys saw the problem too. I felt a sinking feeling of apprehension in both boys, but mostly in Rusty, and wondered if we could get through this and still keep their secrets. More and more, I began to think that we must level with Wyatt. Otherwise, he'd be seriously handicapped in doing anything to help us.

This was one time that I was indeed grateful for the boys' empathic abilities because I could sense that they were right with me in my thinking and reasoning, if not altogether supportive of the conclusion that seemed inevitable. I tried to be strong in my thoughts so that they could pick up on the message I was trying to send. In a few seconds I could sense Rusty's feeling of resignation and concurrence with my conclusion, along with Kenny's.

Wyatt concentrated on the boys as Rusty and Kenny first looked at one another in one of those silent communications and then nodded slightly in agreement.

Rusty said quietly to Kenny, "No, you. It's okay."

Kenny put his arm protectively around Rusty and hugged him tightly as he said, "Um, Mr. Ja... uh, I mean, Wyatt... Rusty and me, we, um, both like to, um, do it... with men that we meet - you know, for money."

Wyatt didn't bat an eye as he said, "Oh, yeah. A few of the kids in the group have been into that." Then he smiled at the boys, who stared back at him wide-eyed.

Kenny continued as his voice began to get a little tight, "You see, my old man's a drunk and Rusty's mom has to work three jobs just to pay their rent and buy food. So, neither of us has ever had, like, much money. I mean, usually, we didn't have any. So we each discovered on our own that men would pay us if we'd let them blow us. It seemed like a real good deal - it felt way cool, and we got spending money besides. I had t' keep my money in my locker at school so's my old man wouldn't steal it for booze.

"Course, we tried to keep it top-secret so none of the kids at school would find out and try t' mess with us. But after a while, I think most of them knew what we were up to. Some of them wanted to pay us to blow them at this one place we used to find, um, business. So, I think the talk got around."

By then, Rusty was crying quietly as he hugged Kenny as tightly as Kenny was hugging him. My eyes were about to overflow and I heard Rog give a little sniffle.

Wyatt's attention to Kenny was rapt. In fact, so was mine. I heard a little choked sound from Wyatt's side of the room and looked at him, surprised to see tears flowing down his cheeks as he said, "Oh Kenny! Rusty! I can imagine the pressure you both must have been under to try and keep this hidden. It's tough enough just to be gay at your age. But... to have to try to hide your activity with men, too! It just must seem too much at times."

The boys still stared at Wyatt as they nodded through their sniffles.

Kenny must have been on a roll because his words continued to pour out. "After my mom died a few years ago, my old man started drinking worse and hitting on me. I mean... he raped me! After a while, I got kinda used to it, but I could never get it that my own father would rape me, even if he was drunk. I started looking for ways to keep from going home at night. It felt safer if I could find a nice man to spend the night with. Then I met Rusty.

"Rusty's old man nailed him, too. When he was three! Tore him open back there. He didn't know what was happening to him, just that he hurt like hell. His old man's in prison now for what he did to Rusty. That's why his mom has to work so much.

"Rusty's right. We have been growing closer." Kenny looked at Rusty as he said, "Rusty, man, I love you! I just whispered it to you the other night and I don't know if you heard me; but now I'm tellin' you right out, I LOVE YOU! Please don't throw me away because I'm saying this, Rusty. God, I hope you love me, too! I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, Rusty. I don't want you to have to hurt any more, bro'. I wanna make it better for you. I want you to make it better for me."

Rusty cried harder as he clung to Kenny and said, "Kenny! I love you too. I was just always scared to tell you."

Wyatt James sat there, mouth slightly open, seemingly in shock. I think all three of us men were - in shock and in awe. Never from one so young had I heard words of such deep emotion and wisdom. I hadn't even heard it from men twice Kenny's age. Maybe that's what made that boy so special to me.

In that moment I knew beyond any doubt that I could and would control my lust for his beautiful young body so I could be his mentor, even if it meant I had to castrate myself to do it. I knew this to the very core of my being. Oh! Kenny, my Kenny! My sweet, beautiful, sensitive, smart boy! I couldn't help but smile at him through my tears. I was just so proud of him.

Kenny was just about wound down. "Wyatt, we know it's wrong. And it could be dangerous. But, do you understand at all why we do this?"

Wyatt could hardly speak as he croaked, "Oh, yes, Kenny. How well I know what you kids are going through. I went through some very similar shit when I was your age."

And, he turned to look at me with that intense gaze that bored into my soul. I could only return his gaze in response. And in that moment, I suddenly put together what had seemed so puzzling since he had arrived. It was his eyes - not Wyatt's eyes but David's eyes!

My soul was stabbed with the blinding light of recognition. I totally lost it. "David? You're not Wyatt, you're David. Oh, David my love! Oh, my God! It's you. All those years! I thought you were dead or gone or had thrown me away because of the way I hurt you. And you're here! Now! In my house! How can this be?"

Rog, Rusty, and Kenny stared at me as if I'd gone mad. But David knew better. In a second he was in my arms crying, "Oh Jim, my dear Jim. You saw! You found me! Oh, my love!" And, we both held each other as we cried our tears of joy and anguish for all of the missed time and opportunity to love and grow with one another.

"David, I didn't know. I tried to find you when I got out of prison, but couldn't. I thought you had left for a new life, or taken your own life. Oh David! I just can't believe it's really you. Oh, my God! How beautifully you've matured! In spite of all that happened... of all that I did to you! You are such a beautiful man."

"Jim! You did nothing to hurt me. I thought it was I who had hurt you. I let you down. That's why I couldn't just come right out and greet you as me just now. I mean... I had to find out first if you even would want anything to do with me. That's why I had to continue to be Wyatt. I mean, I AM Wyatt. I had my name changed and everything, with all the hassle at school. As soon as I could, I emancipated myself from my parents. But, I had to know if you could accept me after all that has happened to us and all this time."

He clung to me as though his life depended on it. Indeed, I suspected that it may very much have. At that point, mine certainly depended on him. We clung to each other and sobbed until our spell was broken by a wail that arose from the other side of the room. It had started low and then grew louder. Rusty and Kenny were clinging to each other. But it was Kenny who was wailing, crying, "Jim... Oh, Jim. Oh my Jim... Oh! Rusty, he found David. Jim, don't leave me. Jim, I need you. I need you! Oh, Jim..."

Rog got to the boys before I could disentangle myself from David. However, within seconds, all three of us men were kneeling in front of the two boys who so tightly clasped one another on the couch.

Rusty kept saying, "Kenny, Kenny... it's okay. Jim and Rog aren't going to leave us. It's okay! And this time, it was Rusty who rocked Kenny to and fro as he held him and Kenny faced one of his demons. It kind of got to be one big, wet, sobbing hug as each of us men tried to hug the boys from whatever angle we could.

Rog said, "It's okay, Kenny. It's really okay. Jim isn't going to leave you just because he found David."

I followed Rog with, "He's right, Kenny. I love you and I love David with all my heart and all my soul. You have a place with me for as long as you need it - longer, even. But, it's like you're my son and I'm your dad. Rusty is your lover and David is my lover."

And then David broke some of the tension with, "What's more, Kenny... you and Rusty... Well... You would be the first gay couple in our teen group. You could make history with us! Just think of all the kids you could mentor and be role models to!"

All of this seemed to work at pulling Kenny out of the royal funk that he had fallen into upon learning that "Wyatt" was indeed "David" and that I was reuniting with my lover. Rusty further broke the tension as he said, "Hey! D'ya think we could all fit into that poolwhirl?"

Kenny looked at him with what could only be true love as he sniffled and said, "Whirlpool, dude."

"Oh yeah! That. Well, could we?" The little redhead grinned, still tightly entwined with his lover. Did I see a mischievous gleam in his eye as he got us all laughing about his version of the language? I looked at David and Roger. "What do you guys think?"

Rog said, "We're every one of us gay, right?"

"Yes," I answered.

"So, what could be wrong with it? You've just found David, Kenny and Rusty have just pledged themselves to each other, and if I'm too much a fifth wheel, I'll just call Peter to come over to make it six of us. I think that's capacity, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah," I said. "But what about David being nude with the kids and their group leader, too?"

"Hell," said Roger, "What do you think nudist families do? The parents still maintain control of their kids."

"Oh," I said. "I guess you've got a good point, there."

David said, "Well, I've never been nude in front of any of my group members, but Rog has a good point. I think it would be worth a try. So, you have a hot tub, Jim?"

"Not exactly," I said. "When I bought this house, my one splurge was to install a combination shower-tub-whirlpool in the bathroom. The tub holds six people."

"And what's more," added Kenny, "It's way cool because there's a skylight in the bathroom, so it's almost like doing a nude hot tub in the middle of the forest, only with heat!"

"Yeah," chimed in Rusty. "And if you sit just right, you can get a water jet to jiggle your stuff for you! Way, way, cool!"

I nuzzled David's ear as I said in a husky voice, "You think you're up for that, bro'?"

"Well..." said David, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right?" He grinned that ear-to-ear grin that I remembered being so dear.

Rog punched up his cell phone to ask about Peter's status as we made our way down the hall and into the bedrooms. Kenny and Rusty had both brightened considerably at the prospects of getting to see their new group leader (and my lover) in the buff, along with their other two favorite men. Before any of the men had even taken their shirts off, the boys had bounced back into my room, sporting hefty semis that were showing further growth into full-fledged tumescence. That sight stimulated me as I began to feel that familiar swelling between my legs.

Peter was still busy with his houseguest, so it would be just the five of us, which didn't seem to faze Roger. I couldn't help wondering how David had changed in the fifteen years since we had last seen each other naked. I would soon find out. Our boys stood with arms folded, waiting for the show, their dicks fully at attention.

And, we gave them quite a show! Rog started it with an oh-so-slow removal of his shirt. I followed, and by then, David had caught on to what we were doing.

"Oh come on," whined Kenny. "You guys can do better than that! Look at Rusty and me - I think we stripped in about ten seconds flat."

"Oh. Well," I said, "You kids gotta give us old men a little more time, you know. Arthritis and all that."

Rog, who had just exposed his left nipple, erect and poking through his red chest hair, said, "Yeah. It hurts when we stretch. See, even David has problems." David took the hint and started rubbing his shoulder. I moaned.

The boys looked at one another as they stood there, fully erect. Rog had just tossed his T-shirt at them and was beginning to open his pants. David slowly pulled his T-shirt up to reveal his magnificent upper body, smooth except for little tufts of hair fluffing out from his armpits. His nipples were just as they had been when he was fifteen - broad, pointy, a little puffy, and just begging to be suckled. As I recalled, they were one of his most erogenous areas. I couldn't take my eyes off him. Neither could Kenny and Rusty.

"Gymnastics?" I asked.

"High school and college," he answered. "Rings and parallel bars were my best." He had undone the clasp on his pants and opened the fly as he began to slide them gradually over his hips.

"Oooh," said Kenny. "Boxer boy!"

David grinned, enjoying the admiration of my two young charges. A form-fitting pair of Natural Issue came into view as the pants continued their slow journey down his legs and off his feet. Rog and I were at about the same point in our strip tease. It was just fine with us that David was the high point of the boys' attention - actually, I guess he was the high point of everyone's attention and he was loving it.

Rusty caressed his rigid little cock tenderly while Kenny just let his wave in the air.

"Oh, bro', you're gettin' that pre stuff," said Rusty as he pointed to a little thread of drooling pre-cum that glinted in the daylight coming through the window.

"Pre-cum, dude!" said Kenny.

By then, all of us men had our pants off and were all more or less tenting our underwear as we feasted on the sight of the aroused boys. Rog and I let David lead the way for the final act of stripping.