The Sins of the Father

by N Fourbois

Chapter 5

Carl Lindstrom was in a state of mild shock as he reversed his car off the drive. He needed to calm down and think. He drove to the local lake set among trees and parkland, parked the car, got out and headed towards the lakeside. At this time of year it was full of young birds fast approaching adulthood, many with the tell tale signs of a moult before gaining their adult plumage. If you were quick and lucky, you might see a water vole scurry along the bank from one hole to another. Carl walked to the café, ordered a strong black coffee and sat near to the water's edge, watching the antics of the water fowl.

Why had he been so shocked on discovering his sons involved in a bondage scene? The simple answer would have been the fact that they were doing it at all, especially so soon after they had come out during Saturday evening. He was still deeply affected by the way his wife had received this news. The boys knew that she was not best pleased, but he had managed to shield them from the full, drastic reaction she had experienced and he was pleased that things had apparently returned to normal by that morning when they both went off to work, on the surface at least. But there was an underlying factor. Carl could look back to the experiences of his own youth and understand why his sons were gay, something Veronica was not in a position to do. It was a boy thing, a gamut of emotions which a female could never go through and experience. Nor was it a surprise to Carl. The beating session was.

Gazing across the water, he saw nothing of the water and its wildlife. The vision before his eyes was entirely inside his head, a flashback to one Christmastide he spent with relations on his father's side of the family in Sweden where he was introduced to the Nordic joys of a sauna. His eyes glazed over. In front of him appeared a vision of Björn, cousin, best friend and lover. Oh, how he reminded him of his own sons, the hair colour of Rufus, the flowing mane of Hugo, the tight, small, firm buttocks with their large dimples which all the male Lindstroms inherited.

"Carl, have you ever had a sauna?" He couldn't remember whether the conversation had been in English or Swedish. Usually they started off in their own language and continued in that language until the other initiated a new topic.

"No. What's it like, Björn?"

"I can't really describe it. You must try it. I'm going to ask mother if we can have one, but you will have to wait until tomorrow."

"Why's that?"

"A fire has to be lit and it takes time to get to the required temperature. Then you must always take your time with a sauna because it is supposed to reduce tension and stress. And finally you must not have had a meal before you go in. So there is no time today. But tomorrow we have all the time in the world."

Carl was visualising Björn. They were the only two using the sauna. They were admiring each other's naked bodies and surprisingly not getting erections. Perhaps it was the temperature combined with the humidity, but one just did not get physically aroused in the sauna.

"How hot is it in here, Björn?"

"Only about 70° Celsius."

"Only?"

"Oh, yes, Carl. Sometimes it can be 80° and some people put it up to 90°, but that is considered excessive, unhealthy and dangerous."

After they had lain there for some time, Björn said

"And now comes the next part. We are supposed to beat ourselves with those birch twigs."

"Oh, I wondered what they were there for."

"But as there are two of us it is more exciting if we beat one another."

"Are you sure?"

"I would not lie to you, my dearest cousin. Let me show you how it's done and if you don't like it, I will stop. But you must promise to do it to me, even if you don't like it."

"Okay, promise."

Lying on his towel, Carl stretched out full length on his stomach on the bench.

"This helps the cleansing effect," said Björn. At first it tickled, but as time went on the power of the strokes was increased. The feeling Carl had was supposed to be a pain, but it wasn't. He found it exhilarating and was disappointed when Björn said that he had had enough and that he did not want to break the skin as that would risk infection. "Now it is my turn." Carl gently thrashed the prone body in front of him. "You must do it harder. Don't forget that I am used to it and I want to enjoy it." When he thought he had had enough he told Carl to stop. "And now for the best bit. We leave our towels behind and we go out and roll in the snow.

"You must be mad."

"Swedes don't do mad. They may do suicide, which some consider mad, but they don't do crazy. Last one out in the snow is gay."

"But we are both gay."

"So it doesn't matter. Come on."

Carl followed Björn as he rushed out of door still naked and threw himself into the nearest drift of snow, rolling around in it. He threw himself on the ground as well, enjoying the cooling effect of the snow. Finally they went back into the sauna, collected their things and made their way back to the house wrapped in bath robes. They dried themselves off and got dressed.

"How do you feel now?" asked Björn.

"Great… and rather hungry… and…"

"And?" Carl lowered his voice.

"Horny. It all started when you were beating me with those beech twigs. Then I thought the snow would stop all that, but it didn't. How about you?"

"Can you keep a secret, Carl?" Carl nodded. "The same. It's never happened to me like that before. I've always enjoyed the beating part, but it's never made me feel horny like this before. You know, Carl, I have to confess. It's because you were doing it."

"And do you think that's why I'm feeling this way? Because you did it?" After a long pause Björn whispered yes and kissed him on the lips. "I want to go to bed with you. Let's just check where Mamma is." They went down to the kitchen and found a note. 'I'm having coffee with Fru Bergquist. Back at 12.30. Lunch at one.' Next to the note was a plate of cakes and the makings of some hot chocolate. Björn quickly heated some milk, made the drinks and the boys got stuck into the cakes. He looked at the clock on the wall.

"The best part of an hour, Carl. Are you up for it?" Carl didn't need asking twice.

Carl's thoughts were interrupted by the waitress asking him if he had finished his coffee. He took a sip and found it had gone cold.

"It's okay, sir. I'll fetch a hot cup for you. No charge."

"Thanks. That's kind of you."

Carl sat there watching the ducks. 'Yes, that was the beginning of it. Not our love affair of course, but that was our first experience of bondage. In time it developed. We did some cruel things to one another, but we always got off on it. Then there was the time I went to one of those specialist clubs, but it was so impersonal and it meant nothing. A shag, or rather a rape, and a wank where I was barely stiff, and when the clock ticked over the half hour, I cleaned myself up, got dressed and I was back on the street, lighter by fifty pounds. Okay, that was my life, but not at any time did I think I would pass it on to my boys. What now? How can I reprove them after what I did in my younger days? That would be pure hypocrisy. How can I talk to them? I must. I fear for them. Then there's Veronica. I don't like withholding things from her, but after the knock she's taken this weekend it would be the end. She would blame me and… she might not be wrong.'

At that moment his mobile rang. He looked at the screen – Veronica.

"Hello, dear."

«What time will you be home, Carl?»

"In about fifteen minutes. I've had a difficult day and so I took a breather by the lake."

«Okay. See you then.»

Carl paid for his coffee and walked back to the car. As he drew up on the drive he automatically pressed the zapper and the garage door opened. He drove in, the door closed behind him and he went into the house.

The next morning Carl and Veronica went off to their separate employments, leaving the boys in bed. It was not long until Rufus got up, showered to rid himself of the sticky detritus from his morning fantasy and dressed in shorts, tee shirt and sandals he went down to get himself some breakfast. He was just finishing when the twins came down, unwashed, unshaven in running shorts and vests.

"Morning, Rufus."

"Morning, you two. You look a bit rough this morning," he said to Hugo and Magnus.

"Yeah, well," said Magnus "after yesterday afternoon we had a little bit of making up to do." They grinned at each other.

"You all right for this afternoon?" asked Hugo.

"Sure. Bring it on, whatever," replied Rufus. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Nothing for the moment," said Magnus.

"We're going for a run first," continued Hugo.

"I hope you don't frighten the horses… and little old ladies," said Rufus.

"Why should we?" retorted Hugo. "Just because we haven't shaved?"

"No," said Rufus. "Because you're freeballing."

"Oh, that," said Magnus, grinning and giving his tackle a shake with his hand. "It's just the mood we're in today," and they went out of the back door.

Rufus had his own plans for that morning. He was off to hang out with a couple of friends from his school. They were an item, inseparable for most of the time, but Rufus was used to dealing with two as if they were one. Not only that, the three had another interest in common, their sexuality, and so they got on well together. He was even allowed to enjoy fun time with them on occasions. Rufus got on his bike and cycled off before the twins returned. He knocked at the front door, but there was no reply. He could hear some noise coming from the back garden and so he went round to the back gate.

"Toby, William!" he shouted out. "It's Rufus." The gate was unbolted and he went in and was greeted with hugs.

The three lads played football in the back garden until the sun, which was warming up the day quickly, started to get the better of them. Toby's mother came out with a tray of ice cold drinks, home made lemonade old fashioned style.

"I've just got to pop into town for an hour to do some shopping. Behave yourselves while I'm gone."

"We always do," replied Toby.

The boys sat on the patio cooling down. After Toby's mother had been gone a safe while he said

"Anyone feel like a bit of fun?"

"You two go ahead, but count me out. I've got a bondage session with my brothers this afternoon and I've got to save myself for that."

"Bondage?" said William. "I would have thought you would have bonded with them years ago."

"No, bon-daage," emphasised Rufus. "Not bonding. They're different."

"I've heard of bondage, but I can't remember what it is," said Toby.

"Its proper name is BDSM which stands for bondage, domination, sadism and masochism."

"So what's all that when it's at home?" asked William.

"Well, bondage is tying your partner up and having fun with him," said Rufus.

"Or her," piped up Toby.

"Or her, I suppose," said Rufus, "but we're not into any kind of perversion like that."

"Go and wash your mouth out with soap and water, Tobes, using language like that."

"Sadism is when you get horny from causing someone pain," Rufus went on, "and masochism is the other way round and domination is when people get off doing role play, the slave and master thing."

"And you're into that?" said William truly puzzled.

"I'm not sure," answered Rufus. "My brothers are and they've only just let me join in."

"What? Hugo and Magnus? Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs," said Toby. "I'd never have guessed. Mind you, if you hadn't said anything, Rufus, I wouldn't have guessed they were gay, let alone incestuous."

"Tell us more," said William. "I'm interested."

"There's nothing to tell really," said Rufus. "They've been doing this together and now they've asked me to join in and this afternoon will be my first session as the sub."

"Sub?"

"Submissive – slave – the one getting tied up."

"And you want to do this?"

"Yes," said Rufus. "I'm like William. I'm curious."

"Oh."

At that moment Toby's mother came through the house and out onto the patio.

"More lemonade, boys?"

"Is that the time?" said Rufus. "Thank you, but I must be going, Mrs Cholmondeley." As he was leaving, Toby said

"Come over and tell us all about it, Rufus."

"Or perhaps we can come over and find out for ourselves some time?"

When Rufus arrived home, he was greeted by his brothers.

"Do you want the bad news first or the bad news?" said Magnus. Rufus thought for a moment.

"Mmm, I'll go for the bad news, I think."

"Our parcel of goodies hasn't been delivered today," said Hugo.

"And the bad news?"

"We've got to postpone your session until tomorrow or until it's arrived," said Magnus.

"And so no good news I take it?"

"Oh, we almost forgot that," said Hugo. "The July edition of GY magazine has arrived."