Priorities - Book Two
Chapter Twenty-Two: Birthdays
(A Crossover with Still Another Chance)
Author's Note: When doing a crossover between two stories, every effort is made to keep the stories interconnected yet separate. In some cases this isn't prudent to the story-line. The chapters, Priorities Book II Chapter 22 and Still Another Chance 9, have some areas that are virtually identical, but different in many areas. Both authors contributed to the creation of the entire chapter. Please read both stories, you will come across many differences; some more subtle than others.
Maurice opened his eyes and couldn't help but smile. For the first time in his life, he felt free to be who he truly was. Turning his head and seeing the peaceful expression on Brian's face as he slept, filled him with such euphoria.
As he looked upon his new boyfriend, his mind went back to the tender loving they'd shown each other during the previous evening and night. It surprised Maurice when Brian asked if he could stay overnight. Not that it was in any way an unpleasant surprise.
Brian opened his eyes to see Maurice's handsome face as if in a trance. His expression, one of wonder. He giggled and asked, "Where's your head at?"
Maurice shook off his daze and smiled. "I just cannot believe how lucky I am to have found you."
Brian's smile intensified. "You know, your accent really turns me on."
The pair shared a passionate kiss. Maurice, holding his new lover in his arms, quietly responded, "As much as I would like to spend the whole day in bed with you, I cannot. Do you have to be back to the farm today?"
"I'm off on Mondays and Tuesdays. I'm free to be with you as much as you'd like."
"Henri and Marine are returning to Rapid City today. I also need to speak to François and find out his plans."
The boys went to get breakfast. Maurice, Brian, François and Ange were preparing it so that Henri and Marine could prepare for their trip home. As the boys were sitting at a table waiting, Zac and Jim walked in. Patrick walked up to them and asked, "Papa, Dad, Uncle Joe has agreed to take Trevor and Phoenix shopping to get things for our camping trip. I was wondering if I could go, too."
"I have no problem with it, but what do they plan to get?" Zac stated, "We have almost everything that you will need."
"Trevor wants to get a couple of ATVs... with trailers, some really big coolers for the food and a few other things that he and Roger may want. He's also wanting to get a present for Eric's birthday, which is why Phoenix is going and I want to go."
"Will Uncle Joe be able to haul a couple of ATVs with trailers as well?" Jim inquired. "Or will a second vehicle be needed?"
"That was going to be my next question," Patrick admitted. "Can one of you drive the second vehicle?"
Zac smiled, "Only if Jake can go so he can buy a present as well. That is, if we can pry him away from Roger or Xander. I swear, that boy is crushing on the two of them, bad."
Jim just chuckled, "One of us will take you, but it will have to wait until the chores are done."
"We were wanting to go after breakfast, can the chores wait until after?" Patrick asked.
"The chores include feeding the horses. How would you feel if we made you wait to eat while we went shopping?" Jim admonished, while trying to keep a friendly tone.
"I'll explain to Trevor that we need to wait." Patrick groaned.
As Patrick sat down, he told Trevor that Jim said they had to wait until the chores were done. The horses needed to be taken care of. Trevor replied, "We've seen what they do at Tony's ranch, and your Dad's right. We should all pitch in to get them finished sooner, then we can go."
Maurice announced that breakfast was ready and as the boys were getting their food, Jake asked Brian, "Who are you and why are you here?"
"Jake!" Jim scolded.
Brian held up his hands, "He's just asking a simple question, or actually two. He's never met me and those are valid questions." Then turning to Jake, he asked, "Do you know Maurice?" Jake nodded. "Well I am his boyfriend, Brian. Why I am here is, I had a sleepover with Brian and since I am off today, I thought I would help him out."
"OH!" Jake's face lit up. "Will we get to see you more often, then?"
Brian gave Jake a smile, "I certainly hope so."
"Nice to meet you then, Brian," Jake smiled and then added with a chuckle, "and not just because you have the bacon."
"That boy loves bacon," Jim stated, shaking his head.
After everyone was finished eating, Jim and the boys went to take care of the horses. Joe started making plans for the Home as well as a birthday party while he waited. Joe also had a few riding lessons scheduled for that afternoon.
With everyone pitching in it didn't take long for the morning chores to be completed. Afterward, everyone went to clean up and change so they could go shopping.
In their room, Roger asked if Trevor really needed him to go. He said he'd rather stay at the ranch and rest. Trevor was a bit concerned because he thought there may be something more to it, but decided to let it go… for now.
When Trevor exited the dorms, Joe and Jim were waiting. Jim had his truck and Joe had his SUV. Jim asked Trevor if he knew who was going.
"Well, I thought it was going to be Phoenix, Patrick, Jake, Roger and me, but Roger asked if he could stay here, so it'll be the four of us, I guess."
Phoenix approached as Trevor was speaking and said, "I'd like to ride with Jim, if that's okay."
Jim smiled at the boy before nodding. "So, I guess it'll be Phoenix and Jake with me, Patrick and Trevor riding with Joe."
They had decided to go look at ATVs first, since Trevor had said he'd reviewed what model he wanted to look at first, Joe, leading the mini-caravan would head to the Kawasaki dealership.
A few minutes later, Patrick joined them and they loaded up as Jim had said. On the way, Trevor asked, "Does Eric own his own horse yet?"
Patrick replied, "I don't think so."
Trevor thought for a moment before asking, "Joe, do you think offering to buy him the horse of his choice would be a good gift? I don't want to choose a horse, I think it would be better if he picked his own."
"I agree; a horse is a personal thing. You have to get a feel for the horse… if their personality meshes with yours. Living here, I know having his own horse would be great for Eric, and to answer your first question, no he does not have one, yet."
Trevor nodded, but remained silent for a time before asking Patrick, "What do you think you'd like to get him?"
"Well, I haven't known him that long, but I do know he likes cars. If you're going to get him a horse, maybe I could get him some tack or some western gear?"
"Tack can be kind of expensive, Patrick. I think the western gear is a great idea," Joe replied.
Trevor reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills, leaned over and whispered, "In case you need more to get what you really want for him." Once he sat back up, he winked at Patrick who had put the money into his pocket without looking at it.
Arriving at the dealership, Jim, Phoenix and Jake walked over and started looking at one end of the line of models while Trevor started looking over the various models of ATV from a distance. A salesman came over and started talking to Joe, ignoring Trevor and Patrick completely. Joe tried to tell him several times that it was actually Trevor who would be making the purchase, but the man simply started talking about the various available ATVs they had in stock. Every time Trevor tried to ask a question, the salesman ignored him.
Trevor walked over to the reception desk and asked to speak to the sales manager.
A few minutes later an older man approached and asked, "My name is Alex Thompson, and I own this dealership, is there something I can do for you, son?"
"Well, Sir. My name is Trevor King and I believe you need to train your sales staff a bit. I came in here today to purchase two ATVs completely loaded with trailers. When your salesman, Art, approached, he never qualified who was going to be actually buying them."
At first, Alex wasn't sure what to do until he realized who he was talking to. "You're one of the lads who got married the other day, aren't you?"
Trevor smiled and said, "I am."
"I'm proud of you. My son is 15 and after reading about you in Sunday's paper he sat my wife and I down and came out to us. I told him that who he loves doesn't matter, all that matters is that he's happy."
"I wish all parents were like you, Sir."
"Please, call me Alex. I think we’ll step over and I'll tell Art that I'll handle your business personally."
When Trevor approached, Alex stood back for a moment as Trevor said, "Excuse me, Art, but I have a few questions."
Art looked at him before saying, "Can't you see that the adults are talking here? Don't you have any manners?"
Trevor was about to reply when Alex stepped over. "Art, this young man was polite in how he interrupted. Did you ever ask who was actually making the purchase?"
"Well, no. It seemed pretty obvious who'd be buying. The two kids wouldn't have the funds to be able to make this kind of purchase."
"Well, Mr. King here will be making the purchases. Why don't you see if anyone else needs help, I'll take care of these folk personally."
Art looked as if he was going to question Alex, but stormed off in the direction of the offices instead.
Alex turned back to Trevor and apologized for Art's actions before asking, "Did you have a specific model in mind?"
Trevor simply replied, "I do, but what I'd rather do is tell you what I need the ATV to do and you tell me what would be the best option. Price is not a concern at this point, functionality is primary."
"That sounds like a plan. So, what do you need the ATV to do."
"Well, they're for a ranch, so they'll need the ability to haul a trailer. They'll need to be easy enough to operate so someone say… Patrick's size wouldn't have a problem with it. I would like them to be durable enough to handle any terrain while pulling the loaded trailer."
"Well, when you said pulling a trailer, are you talking about moving horses around with it?"
"I wouldn't think so, but, maybe moving empty horse trailers would be a possibility."
Alex thought for a moment before saying, "If it were me, I'd probably go with the Brute Force 750i. It has the towing capability you are looking for since it can pull a trailer loaded up to 1,250 pounds, it's quite easy to operate, and from the looks of the lad sitting on the red one, he'd be able to operate it well enough."
Trevor looked over and saw Patrick astride a red ATV. His expression told Trevor he really liked what he was looking at. "So, he's on a 750i?"
"He is." At that point, Alex did what any good salesperson would. He stopped talking, allowing Trevor to formulate the next question.
Trevor walked over and looked at the ATV Patrick was seated on. He liked the look of it, then when he reviewed the spec sheet he was pretty much sold on the unit. "This looks good. Actually, it looks like it's pretty much the top-of-the-line."
"It is the best of the best in my opinion. I actually bought this very model for my son for his 15th birthday."
Trevor didn't feel he needed to waste much more time so he said, "What colors do you currently have in stock?"
"Well, you can see the red, I also have blue and green."
Trevor considered that and replied, "Ok, we'll take a blue and a red one. Now, are there any specific requirements for the trailers?"
Alex led Trevor over to a display of trailers. After reviewing them, Trevor selected a model and told Alex he'd be taking two of them.
As Alex and Trevor were talking, Art was seated in his office reading the Sunday paper. He'd just finished the article about Trevor and Roger's wedding when he got up in a huff and walked out to talk to his friend Alice, the dealership's receptionist.
"Can you believe this crap? First, they give those faggots the right to demonize a sacred institution like marriage, but then they allow two little kids to get married? How can any parent allow their child to marry at 14… let alone to another of the same sex? It turns my stomach!"
Alice agreed with Art, but wasn't going to be as vocal about it. "I know what you mean, Art. One of those kids is here right now. He's the one talking to Alex."
Art's head snapped around and saw the two over by the trailers. He stormed over and immediately said, "I am going to have to ask you to leave. We have no intention of doing business with the spawn of the devil. What you are sickens me!"
Alex couldn't believe his ears. "Just who do you think you're talking to, Art?"
"I'm talking to the little faggot who's infecting our dealership with his very presence."
Alex looked at Trevor,, who was standing calmly, waiting to see how Alex handled the situation."
Alex was angry, but kept his cool. "Art, the only thing infecting this dealership at the moment is a cancer called hatred. I own this dealership and I will choose who we will and who we will not do business with. As far as this young man is concerned, I salute his self-confidence. In today's world, it's not easy for a gay person to go through life without hearing homophobic bullshit like you were just spouting. My own son happens to be gay. I do believe that you may not be the best person to be representing this dealership. I think it's time for you to go to your office and pack up your things. I'll have your final commission check ready in an hour."
Art made a critical mistake at that point. He chose to attempt to attack Trevor. He grabbed Trevor's hair and was pulling it and him toward the door. The ensuing melee was averted abruptly when another customer, who happened to be nearby stepped in. "Sir, my name is Steve Chambers, Detective Steve Chambers, Cody Police. You are under arrest for assault and battery of a minor. I am going to make certain that your crime is upgraded to a hate crime since, I distinctly heard your comments and believe that your actions are solely due to the fact that the boy is a homosexual."
Detective Chambers handcuffed Art and asked that Alex call Cody PD and ask that a unit be dispatched to take this person into custody.
After assuring that Trevor was unharmed physically, Alex couldn't apologize enough.
"Alex, you had nothing to do with it. I hold no animosity toward you or your dealership."
"Well, allow me to at least discount your purchase as an apology."
"I will not accept a discount, but if you feel strongly enough about it, why don't you just make a donation to the Boys' Home at Another Chance Ranch?"
Alex smiled, but didn't say anything.
An hour later, Trevor had purchased two ATVs, two trailers and a dozen helmets in various sizes from Jake's size up through adult. After paying the more than $42,000 bill with his credit card, Trevor asked if the dealership could walk Jim and Joe though connecting the trailers to their vehicles.
Alex had two of his lot attendants work with Jim and Joe. Trevor sat and talked to Alex while that was going on. Just before they were going to leave, Alex's son Timothy stopped by.
"Hi Dad!" Timothy said to his father and even though he wasn't alone wrapped his dad in a tight hug.
"Tim, it's good you stopped by. Remember the article you showed us yesterday?"
"How could I forget it? It gave me the courage to tell you and Mom something I'd been worried about for a long time."
Trevor stepped over and reached out to shake Timothy's hand. "I'm Trevor King."
Tim's eyes bugged out. "Y… y… you're one of the boys who got married! Oh, my gosh!"
With a wide grin, Trevor said, "That I am. Your dad told me that you came out to him and your mother last night. I know it was probably the most frightening thing you've ever done."
"Not really. It was a relief, actually. I've known for a couple of years and I was more frightened about them finding out before I got the balls to tell them."
"I'm happy for you. Here's my number," Trevor said, handing him a card, "if there's anything you need or just need to talk, contact me."
Tim smiled, "I'd really like to meet your husband."
"I think that can be arranged. Is there a special someone in your life?"
"Not yet, but I'm hopeful. I decided that I'm not going to hide who I am any more, and that includes at school. I know I can't be the only gay person at the school."
As they were talking, they were walking toward the trucks. Trevor introduced Tim to the guys. Joe shook his hand and said, "It's very nice to meet you, Tim. We're going to be having a birthday party on Wednesday afternoon for my son, we'd love it if you'd join us."
Tim looked up at his dad and seeing him nod, his freckled face split in a huge grin. "I'd love to go."
They talked for another few minutes, then the crew, after deciding to drop the ATVs back at the ranch, hopped into the vehicles and headed back. They would then continue the shopping trip afterward.
The two vehicles pulled in to the ranch, pulling the trailers with the ATVs. Eric, seeing them return, went out and the moment he saw the blue ATV and the vehicles had stopped, he ran over to it.
"This is so cool! I love the color!"
Trevor smiled. "I'm going to go check on Roger, after that we can go do the rest of our shopping."
Trevor walked over to the dorms. Entering the room he shared with Roger, he saw his new husband asleep in the bed. He was drenched in sweat. Trevor sat on the bed next to him and touched Roger's forehead. He was burning up with fever.
Panic-stricken, Trevor raced out of the dorms calling out, "Roger's really sick, we need to get him some help!"
Everyone dropped what they were doing and as a group they ran to the dorms. When Zac felt Roger's forehead he immediately told Jim to call 911. Trevor was in tears. The other boys, Patrick primarily, were trying to comfort their friend.
After what seemed like an hour later, but was, in reality, less than ten minutes, they heard the approaching sirens. Eric and Phoenix ran out to direct the paramedics to where Roger was.
Once they arrived, they asked everyone to clear out of the room. Trevor flatly refused, "That's my husband, I'm not going anywhere!"
The Paramedic who seemed to be in charge, looked like he was going to refuse but eventually said, "Ok, but stay on the other side of the room so we have room to work.
They began assessing Roger, asking Trevor if Roger had been sick, then if he had any allergies. About that time, the other paramedic said, "John, look at this."
He showed John a red welt on the back of Roger's neck. It was clearly an insect bite of some sort. John said, "We need to get him to the hospital as soon as possible. He grabbed his radio, "Unit 3 to WPH. We have a fourteen-year-old male. Temp is 102.3, BP 100 over 65, Pulse 155. He has what appears to be an insect bite on the back of his neck. According to others on the scene he seemed fine, just a bit tired, two hours ago."
"Unit 3, this is West Park Hospital ED, Doctor Cooper. Start an IV and administer 75mg Benadryl. Transport ASAP. Monitor and advise of any changes."
"Starting an IV… 75mg Benadryl IV, Transporting. ETA 15 minutes. Unit 3 out."
They got the IV started and the Paramedic injected the medicine into it. They then loaded Roger onto a gurney and started wheeling him out. Trevor wanted to ride with them, but was told that was not permitted. Zac agreed to take him to the hospital. Patrick insisted on going with them.
When they arrived at the hospital, they went to the Emergency Department reception area and told them who they were, then asked if there was any news.
"I'm sorry, they just got him in and the doctor is with him. As soon as we know anything, someone will be out to talk to you."
Trevor was going to object, but Patrick said, "Look, he's in there with the doctors. We'd just be in the way. Let them work on him."
Zac and Patrick sat while Trevor paced back and forth, tears flowing down his face. The minutes ticked by slowly. About an hour later, a Doctor in green scrubs came out, asking for the family of Roger King.
Trevor was there in an instant, followed by Zac and Patrick. The doctor started talking to Zac, asking where his parents were. Trevor, in an uncharacteristic move said, "Look, he's MY husband, talk to me."
The doctor looked oddly at Trevor then back to Zac who said, "They were married on Saturday, yes, it's true, he's Roger's husband."
"I'm sorry, but it's not usual for someone of your age to be married. Roger suffered an allergic reaction to a fairly common insect bite here. Most people who grew up here have a natural immunity, however, being that your husband isn't from the area, he didn't have that immunity. We've stabilized him and he's responding to treatment. He's sleeping now, but should be fine in a day or so. We'd like to keep him overnight just for observation; I see no reason at this time why he can't go home in the morning."
Trevor was relieved. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, Doctor. We were just married and I didn't know what I'd do if I lost him so soon. Thank you for saving him."
"Quite understandable, young man. Are you the couple I read about in Sunday's paper?"
"Yes, we are."
"Well, congratulations on your wedding. I wish we could have met under different circumstances."
"Thank you, Doctor. Can I see him?"
The doctor led the trio back to the emergency room where Roger was just waking up. Seeing Trevor, he reached out his hand. Trevor took it, then wrapped his other around his husband, burying his face in Roger's chest and wept.
A few minutes later an orderly came by and said they were going to move Roger to a private room. Trevor asked if he could go with them. The orderly was about to say no when Zac said, "Trevor; let them get him settled. We'll go up in a few minutes."
Trevor was about to balk when he realized he was being overly protective, and it was a battle he'd likely not win. "Okay, I should call Grandpa and Henri and let them know what's going on."
After giving Roger a kiss, Trevor stepped back so the orderly could get Roger ready to be moved. He told Trevor that they'd be moving him to room 203 and he could come up in about fifteen minutes.
They watched as Roger was wheeled out of the Emergency Department. Zac called Jim to let him know what was going on and Trevor called Nate. Through his tears, he explained what had happened. Nate said he'd be there as soon as he could and that he'd call Henri.
They walked out into the waiting area where Trevor collapsed into a chair holding his face in his hands as he cried out his fears.
After about twenty minutes, the trio got up and walked over to the bank of elevators. They took one up to the second floor. Finding Roger's room easily, they were introduced to his nurse, Carla. She told them that since he had a private room, they weren't all that worried about visiting hours; she made sure Roger knew where the call button was, then as she was leaving, told them that the doctor would be in to see him shortly.
Patrick gave Roger a hug. "I'm so glad it wasn't more serious. I don't know what I would have done if it were worse."
"Thankfully, it wasn't." Roger then turned to Trevor and said, "I probably should have told you I felt weird this morning, but I really just thought I was tired. It's been a busy few days."
"I don't care, as long as you're ok. I do want you to promise me if you're feeling badly in any way in the future you won't try to minimize it." Trevor admonished.
Roger peered into his husband's eyes and said, "I'll only make that promise if you promise me the same."
The two shared a kiss as they made that promise to each other. The group chatted about the morning's events at the dealership. Roger was appalled over the treatment that salesperson had put Trevor through, but was happy with how the owner handled things. He was interested in hearing about Timothy.
"Babe, if I weren't already married to you, he'd give you a run for your money. He's amazingly cute." Trevor joked.
"Yeah, and if I didn't have Scott, I'd be all over that! Even if he is older than me." Patrick smiled.
"Well, you're both spoken for." Roger huffed.
After talking for another few minutes, Trevor suggested that Zac and Patrick go back to the ranch and pick up Phoenix and Jake and do the rest of their shopping. He was going to stay with Roger. Nate was going to be there shortly anyway.
Zac and Patrick gave Roger and Trevor hugs and turned to leave. As Zac was leaving, Dr. Bashir entered Roger's room. "Zac, what are you doing here? Surely Roger isn't one of your sons, I've met Patrick and Jim told me the other boy is Jake and that he was only six."
"It's good to see you again, Dr. Bashir. Roger and Trevor are friends of Patrick's. They were here for the wedding we had at the Ranch on Saturday."
"I heard about that. Wait a minute… Trevor and Roger… King? You were the two who got married? Congratulations. I wish I didn't have to meet you under these circumstances."
Looking at Roger, Dr. Bashir related, "I've looked over the ED Doctor's report and I concur. Everything looks good, you seem to be responding very well to the treatment he gave you. Scary thing is, had someone found you ten minutes later, this would have been much more serious. As long as you don't have any bad reactions overnight, I can see you leaving us in the morning."
"Thank you for taking such good care of him, Doctor. I'm so happy he's going to be okay." Trevor said, shaking the Doctor's hand.
After talking for another few minutes, Dr. Bashir left, saying he'd check on Roger again before he left for the day. He said goodbye to Zac and Patrick as well before heading out to see to his next patient.
"Well, you're in good hands, Rog. Dr. Bashir is the best. I'm going to head out and take the boys out to get the presents they wanted to buy. We'll see you tomorrow, Roger. Feel better!" Zac said as they left the room.
Roger scooted over a little so Trevor could lay with him. They chatted quietly for a while before they heard, "Leave you alone for a few hours and you find some way to bringing everyone's attention back to you!" Nate joked as he entered.
François left Jacques and Ange in search of his son Robert and his boyfriend. He had little doubt where he'd find them. The two of them hadn't spent a minute outside of their room, more specifically their bed, since they had been together; unless they were forced to be. François was beginning to lament his decision to bring Ricky on this trip. He had thought he was doing something nice for his eldest son, but now, he wasn't so sure anymore.
The news of his brother, Maurice, made him very happy. The fact that Maurice found someone who could make him happy was the best outcome he could have hoped for.
As he was about to knock on Robert's door, Maurice called to him. François knew what he was going to be told, and he knew his younger brother was right, but… Robert is far too young to be that involved with someone. Boy or girl.
The news of his brother, Maurice, made François very happy. The fact that Maurice found someone who could make him happy was the best outcome he could have hoped for.
When the couple heard the knock on the door, Robert was pretty sure who it would be. It was a conversation he was expecting; one that he was not looking forward to, in any way. He and Ricky had actually spent the majority of the day discussing this very topic. Contrary to belief, they hadn't had sex since the night before.
As he opened the door, Robert, without looking started; "I know Papa…" The surprise was evident on his face when he looked at the recently opened door and saw his Uncle Maurice, not his father.
"I am surprised to find you both dressed." Maurice started. "You know your Papa is worried about you."
"We know, and we've been talking about it all day. We love each other, but… we figured we probably got a bit carried away." Robert said contritely.
"I know you do and so does your Papa. You two should go talk to him. Let him see that you do think with the big head, not always the little one."
The two boys wrapped Maurice in a tight 3-way hug as the man kissed both on the forehead. "I am going to miss you two."
Maurice went back to his room as the two younger ones went to find François .
"I'm fine now, Papa. The Doctor said it was some sort of fly and I just had a bad reaction to it." Roger related to Henri on the telephone. "I promise to get some rest and not overdo it. Trevor will make sure of that."
Roger listened intently for a moment before ending the call. "I love you too, Papa. Give Mama a kiss for me and tell her not to worry."
Trevor was just finishing a call on his phone as Nate re-entered the room with a tray of food for Trevor.
"Eric's present is taken care of. I also called and arranged for a getaway for Heather and Nick for Heather's birthday present," Trevor related.
After Trevor had finished eating his meal, he crawled back into bed next to his husband. It had been a long day. The door opened and Jake, Patrick, Phoenix and Jim entered.
"Roger, Daddy said that since you married Trevor, you can't be my boyfriend anymore, but we can still be friends."
"We will always be friends," Roger declared. "And yeah, Trevor is my husband now, so maybe you'll find a boy your age to be your boyfriend."
"Or Xander," Jake replied.
Roger was about to say something, but Jim started clearing his throat.
Patrick stepped over to Roger. "Jake and I bought you something," he stated as he handed Roger the fox.
"That is so cute," Roger averred as he took the fox and gave it a hug.
Patrick quietly said, "Dad said that we can't stay long. He says that you need your rest. It looks like Trevor is about to fall asleep himself."
"Yeah," Roger responded, "I'm not trying to push you out, but I am a bit tired. I'm glad that you thought of me when you saw this fox."
"First, I thought of Scott. He is the foxiest guy I know, but then I thought of you," Patrick teased.
Roger laughed, "Oh, I see where I sit on your totem pole."
Patrick was quick, which caused Roger to laugh, Jake and Phoenix to give him a funny look and Jim to choke, again, "Scott is the only one who will sit on my totem pole, and we haven't done that yet."
Jim just announced, "OK, I think it is time to go. We'll see you when you get home, Roger."
"Thank you, again, for the fox."
After Jim and the boys left, Nate told Trevor and Roger that he'd see them in the morning. He was going to go back to the hotel. He'd call Nick and Bobby and let them know what had happened. Moments later, Roger kissed his sleeping husband's forehead and joined him in slumber.
Tuesday morning, Maurice and Brian were working in the Boys' Home kitchen preparing breakfast for the remaining boys. Joe walked in and offered to help. As they were talking, Maurice asked if arrangements had been made for the birthday cake for the following afternoon.
"Actually, that's one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. With all the commotion, we neglected to order cakes from the bakery. Would it be too much of an imposition to ask you to make them?"
"Joe… I would consider it an honor to do. You have all accepted me into your family, it's what family does, non? What kinds of cakes did you want?"
"Well, Mom's favorite is spice cake with cream cheese frosting and I wasn't sure about Eric's. Probably strawberry cake with the same frosting and fresh strawberries on top."
"This is not a problem. I can prepare cakes. What do you think of a marbled strawberry and chocolate cake with a buttercream frosting with strawberries?"
"That would work fine. Thanks, Maurice."
Dr. Bashir stopped in to see Roger early on Tuesday morning. When he entered, he saw the two newlyweds cuddled together still in slumber. He smiled as he approached the bed and gently shook the two boys awake.
"Well, normally we like to keep it to one person in a bed, but… I guess there was no harm done. How are you feeling this morning, Roger?"
"Much better, Doctor. Trevor told me last night that had I been found just a few minutes later, my recovery wouldn't have been as easy."
"That's very true, Roger. You were a very lucky young man. The Elk fly is one of very few insects here that actually bite humans. Normally, it's not that big a deal, however, if the person has an allergic reaction such as you did, it can be life-threatening. When you get home, I want you to see your personal doctor and have him run tests to see if you have allergies to other bites. Some people are just more sensitive to that kind of thing."
"I'll make sure he does, Doctor," Trevor volunteered. "I'll have the same tests done on myself as well. Roger deserves to know where I am medically as much as I need to know about him."
"That's very true, Trevor." After finishing his examination of Roger, Doctor Bashir stated, "I see no reason you can't be released. Is someone coming who can take you back to the ranch?"
At that moment, Nate entered the room and introduced himself. The two men chatted for a few minutes before the doctor excused himself to prepare Roger's discharge from the hospital.
Thirty minutes later, Nurse Carla brought Roger down to Nate's motor coach. They thanked her for her care and headed back to the ranch.
When they got there and after being greeted by everyone, Trevor brought Roger back to their room so he could rest. Roger tried to complain, but Trevor wasn't hearing any of it. Roger would rest the entire day so he could be 100% for the festivities the following day.
Late in the afternoon, Tuesday, François noticed that his wife, Ange and their youngest son, Jacques were asleep. They'd been on the road for nearly five hours on their way back home from Cody. Robert and Ricky had been oddly quiet during nearly the entire trip. François decided this would be a good time to have a little heart-to-heart talk with the two boys.
"I must say, I was proud of the two of you when you told Maurice what you did. I can't help but wonder though, why?"
The two boys glanced over at each other, deep scarlet blushes coloring their cheeks. A few moments later, Robert said in a quiet voice, "Well… we kind of made ourselves sore… you know…"
François had to work at stifling a laugh, knowing that would have an undesirable effect. "I guess it's like when you get a new toy for Christmas. You want to use it so much, but you learn that it'll be there for you to play with whenever you want, you don't have to play with it constantly. Toys are fun, especially when you can share yours with your best friend."
The double meaning wasn't lost on the two boys who simply nodded. Moments later, both were giggling and on the verge of laughter. Ricky said, "I think Robert's 'toy' is way more fun than mine."
That was all that was needed for the three to fall into peals of laughter. The ice had been broken. François then went into 'Dad' mode. "Boys, I know you two care about one another, but, you have your whole lives ahead of you. We were in Cody to share Trevor and Roger's joy at their wedding. You two barely left your room for meals. Robert, your little brother missed you. He actually said that he thought you two were trying to make a baby!"
Robert's head dropped as he quietly said, "I'm sorry, Papa. I just missed him so much. We will make it up to Jacques when we're home. One of the things we talked about was that Roger and Trevor got married. We actually thought about doing that too, but, their situation is very different from ours. Ricky and me may marry at some point, but probably not until we're both done with school."
"Besides, I think my dad would tell me I was thinking with the wrong head again." Ricky volunteered. "I love your son, but, neither of us is ready for marriage. I think we want to date for a few years first."
François was happy. He knew both boys were intelligent and, he remembered when he was just starting puberty. His best friend Pierre and he used to play with their 'toys' so much and so often, they thought they'd break something. Now, he's married with two beautiful sons and Pierre with four.
The man and the two almost men had a great time on the remainder of the trip, just talking. François was happy he'd be able to explain to his wife that he had no worries about their sons.
Another major event happened on that fateful Tuesday. Henri was sitting in his office, preparing to open the restaurant for the first time in a week. Marine and he had, on the way home, discussed the fact that so soon after Roger became their son, he was no longer going to be living at home.
They were happy that Roger and Trevor would be together, but Marine still had a place in her heart that needed filling. They had agreed that they would, at some time soon, make another trip to the orphanage to discuss adopting another boy.
Looking at his watch, it was nearly 4:00 pm and time to open the restaurant when his telephone rang.
"Chez Henri, how may I help you?" He answered, professionally.
On the other side of the line, a voice he hadn't heard before spoke, "Mr. Duchamp? My name is Tina Masterson. I work for Rapid City Children's Services. Mrs. Granger recommended I call you."
"What can I do for you, Mrs. Masterson?" Henri replied, his curiosity piqued.
"Sir, I have a bit of a situation I believe you may be able to help me with. We have these two boys… twins… their mother was admitted to the hospital after an accident yesterday and… I'm afraid she didn't make it through the trauma. Mrs. Granger told me that you might be willing to take these two boys in, at least until we can determine a more permanent placement. The Orphanage would be unable to take them because there is a language barrier."
"I do not understand, what kind of language barrier?" Henri asked, dismayed.
"It appears that these two boys, and their mother, were here on vacation. They're from France and the boys seem to speak only rudimentary English, so you see how you and your wife may be just the people to take them in, at least until we can determine if there are any other relatives who can take them on a permanent basis."
"I will talk to my wife, but I cannot believe she'd turn them away. Can you bring them by the restaurant? Marine can meet them, we can get them fed and take care of any arrangements. What are their names?"
"Thank you, Mr. Duchamp. Their names are Leon and Noel Montblanc. We will see you soon."
"We'll see you soon, Mrs. Masterson." Henri hung up the phone and called out, "Marine!" Montblanc was a name that Henri knew quite well.
A few minutes later, Henri was sitting with Marine in his office. He had told her about the call from Mrs. Masterson and, as expected she had no problems taking care of these boys.
Marine, almost as an afterthought she asked, "Do you know their names?"
"Oui, Noel and Leon Montblanc."
Marine's eyes went wide. "It cannot be! I have a cousin in France who has twin boys about their ages. The boys' names are the same. Did you get the name of the mother?"
"Non. But Mrs. Masterson will be here with the boys soon. If these boys are hers, then they're family."
"Juliet was the last of her family. She was an only child and I know her husband died years ago. We may be their only living relatives."
"If so, then they'll be with us where they belong." Henri said, wrapping his arms around his wife.
Henri unlocked the door and opened it. Standing there was a woman with two boys… twins. He invited them in, repeating himself in English and French.
[Author's Note: From this point forward all dialogue between the twins and Henri or Marine will be in English, regardless of the language it's actually spoken in.]
He led them to the office and everyone took a seat. Marine looked intently at the boys. She didn't need to ask, she knew. These were her cousin's sons.
Henri asked Mrs. Masterson, "Before we get into introductions, may I ask if the boys' mother's name happened to be Juliet?"
Mrs. Masterson's expression conveyed her surprise. "How could you know that?"
Marine replied, "Before I married, my family name was Montblanc. Juliet was my cousin. These boys are family."
Henri turned to the boys and explained what had been said. Instantly, Henri had two boys hugging him, a head on each shoulder as they cried over the loss of their mother.
Joe walked to the kitchen Wednesday morning, where he found Maurice alone. "Where is everyone else?"
"François , Ange and the boys left to head home, and Brian has to work this morning," Maurice answered.
"Yeah, I saw François and them leave," Joe stated, "I was more curious about Brian. I guess from here on out, this is your kitchen, and I will assist as you need me."
"Oui," Maurice have Joe a smile, "we will make great food, together." Joe just laughed. "Henri thinks a lot about you, and he is very confident in your ability, so I have confiance confiance ("Spoken in French. Translates to Confidence")in you as well."
Joe told Maurice what Eric wanted for a birthday breakfast and Maurice had a worried look on his face. "We may need more strawberries for the cake, then."
"Call Brian and see if we can get some, and see if he can come for the party. If he can't bring any, I can run to the Farmer's Market. There are always farmers selling fresh crops there this time of year."
As they prepared breakfast together, Joe following Maurice's instructions, they talked. Joe said, "You know, the boys will need to eat seven days a week, but that doesn't mean you have to work seven days. Whenever you want or need a day or two off, just let me know. Until it gets to be too much for me, I will cover for you. When we get that busy, we can hire an assistant for you, but I will still help as I can."
"C'est très apprécié," Maurice stated. "Sorry, there I go again; that is much appreciated. I will need some time to go get my stuff."
"Don't apologize, I like hearing the French," Joe encouraged, "perhaps, I can learn enough of it to help you feel more at home."
"I like you, Joe," Maurice declared.
"As for going to get your things," Joe began, "if you want to leave after Brian gets off Sunday, I will cover for you. Or, you can take off whatever time you need. I was already planning to do the cooking; you moving here will be helping me reduce my stress, so I think I can deal with it while you are gone."
Trevor and Roger entered the dining room and found Jake and Xander, Scott, Patrick, Patrick Henry and Austin just sitting down to eat. Trevor thought about it for a moment before saying, "I guess Phoenix and Eric are eating in their room."
Patrick smiled and voiced his agreement at Trevor's assessment. The conversation over their breakfast started off with everyone wanting to know how Roger was feeling before moving on to the upcoming party.
Brian entered the kitchen at the Boys' Home just as Maurice was putting the finishing touches on the cake that had been prepared for Eric's birthday. When Maurice noticed Brian, he made a comment that the additional strawberries were of top quality and he really appreciated Brian bringing them out earlier in a special trip.
He also noticed that Brian was carrying a container. "What is in the container, mon cheri?"
"I was telling mother about Jake and his love of bacon. She insisted in sending him a special treat. In our family there's been a tradition of sorts."
He set the container down and removed the top. Maurice looked at the cake and asked, "Is that bacon on top of the cake?"
"My grandfather… my mother's father, lives in Vermont. He sends her the best natural maple syrup. His favorite dessert is a maple bacon cake. It sounds odd, but it's really quite tasty. When she heard about Jake's love of bacon, she dropped everything she was doing and prepared one, special for him."
Joe happened to choose that moment to stop into the kitchen to see how things were progressing. There was still over an hour until the actual party was to start. When he overheard the description that Brian had given, he took a good look at the cake and said, "Jake will be over the moon for this. Why don't I go get Jim and Zac to bring him in so we can give it to him?"
A few minutes later, Joe led Jim and Zac into the kitchen. They described what Brian's mother had done and Jim thought it was a wonderful thing to do for Jake. It would make his day. Zac prepared his camera app on his phone as Jim went to find his youngest son.
Jim returned, holding Jake in his arms. When they entered, Jake saw Brian and said, "Hi Maurice's boyfriend, I'm sorry, but I forget your name."
"It's okay, Jake. You only met me briefly, and you had your attention on the bacon I was holding. My name is Brian. I was telling my mommy about how great this little boy I met was and she wanted to send you a present."
"A present? For me? But it's Eric's and Gramma's birthday." Jake asked questioningly.
Jim averred, "It doesn't have to be a special day for someone to send you a gift. It shows that they are thinking of you."
Jake was all smiles. He hopped down and went over to Brian wanting a hug. "What did she get me?"
Brian stood Jake in front of the container holding his cake as Zac got his camera at the ready.
Brian removed the lid and Jake's eyes went wide. "A CAKE!!!!" Moments later, confusion was evident on the little boy's face. "Is that… BACON? On a cake?"
"It's a special cake my mommy makes for my grandpa and now for you. It's a maple bacon cake."
Of course, Zac had captured a video of the great reveal and Jake's subsequent reaction.
"Oh my gosh!" He turned to Jim and asked, "Can I have a piece now, Daddy?"
Jim laughed before answering, "What good is a cake if you can't eat it? I'll admit, I'm kind of curious about it as well."
Brian helped Jake cut the cake and served a small piece to everyone there. Jake took his first bite and said, "This is great! Daddy, I want this kind of cake for my birthday."
They enjoyed their early treat. When they were done, Jake ran over to Brian and wrapped him in a huge hug and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Bacon… Um… I mean Brian, and please thank your mommy too."
"I will, little man. But you might want to thank her yourself one of these days. I am sure she'd like one of your hugs too. You never know, if you spoil her with hugs, you may get this kind of surprise more often.
Jake was all smiles as he and his parents left the kitchen. Joe said, "You know, I don't think he'll ever forget your name again."
At about 12:30 pm, Trevor received a telephone call from Tim. He and his father would be arriving within a few minutes and had Eric's present. Trevor had checked with Joe and it was agreed that Trevor could leave Eric's present behind the building outside of the Kitchen door.
Alex pulled his truck behind the dorms and, after they greeted Trevor and Tim, had been introduced to Roger, Alex pulled the tarp off of Eric's present. The actual gift was much nicer than the picture led Trevor to expect.
Trevor led them into the dining room and began to introduce Tim to the others. When they approached a group of the boys, Tim stopped short.
Surprise evident in his voice, Tim commented to a boy he'd seen at school a few times, "Xander? I'm a little surprised to see you at a Home, let alone one that caters mainly to gays."
"Yeah, so what of it?" Xander snapped back, before he could catch himself.
"Nothing, I just never thought you were gay. I mean, this still doesn't say that you are, I'm just surprised," Tim replied.
Xander just smiled, "Well, now you know I am gay, and I'm happy that I don't have to hide it."
"That's cool. When I told my parents, I also felt relief in not having to hide it."
"Wait," Xander looked stunned, "you're gay? I would have never guessed it."
Tim noticed a huge grin appear on Xander's face. After a few moments, feeling a little self-conscious, Tim asked, "What?"
"I just never really noticed how cute you are," Xander stated, causing Tim to blush. "Are you staying for the party?"
Tim declared, "I was invited."
"And speaking of which," Trevor reminded them, we need to get back inside. Joe should be bring Eric down any minute."
Maurice and Brian were in the kitchen putting together the light lunch Joe had asked them to prepare. Brian had been mulling an idea around in his head but decided to check on things before he brought it up to Maurice. He excused himself and stepped into the kitchen office, pulling out his cell.
"Hi Dad. I wanted to check with you before going further with an idea I have. Maurice told me earlier that he needed to go back to Rapid City to pick up his personal effects and had asked me if I wanted to go with him. Normally, I'd just wait until my next scheduled days off, but Maurice's duties over this coming weekend are pretty much non-existent since all of the boys he normally would be cooking for will be off on a camping trip."
"Brian, I appreciate you asking, but, it's important to your mother and I that you be happy. In the short time you've known Maurice, we've seen you happier than we've ever seen you. Why don't you tell him that the two of you can leave tomorrow afternoon, after the boys are on their way. That will give you until Sunday evening to get his stuff and bring it back here."
"Gosh, Dad. Did I ever tell you that you're the best father a guy could ask for?"
"Well, it's only fair since you're the best son we've ever had."
"But, I'm an only child!"
"Just because you didn't have any competition, doesn't mean it's not true. Go get his stuff, get to know each other better. There's no better way to see if you two are compatible than to be stuck in a vehicle for hours with nothing but each other to while away the miles."
"I love you, Dad."
"We love you too, Son. Now go break the news to your suave Frenchman."
Brian hung up his phone and went back into the kitchen. Joe had stopped in to check on things. He and Maurice were talking about the fact that the boys would be away and he could spend some time with me…
"Actually, my father just told me that I have off from tomorrow afternoon through Sunday evening. Why don't we go get your stuff while the boys are away on their camping trip?
"That would work out great for me." Joe averred.
"Oui, it makes sense. I do not have that much things. We can spend a day with my family there before we come back." Maurice responded.
"Then it's settled. If you need use of a vehicle, since you work for the Boys' Home, you can use one of our trucks or SUVs." Joe offered.
Maurice thanked Joe who went back to check on his guests while Maurice called his brother to let him know to expect them the following evening.
Joe stood on a chair and announced, "I want to thank everyone for showing up to help celebrate my mom's and my son's birthdays. Maurice has prepared a light lunch if anyone gets hungry, but we will be having cake and ice cream in about half an hour. Then in an hour, Eric and Mom will be opening presents."
A few people grabbed something to eat. Eric saw a bowl of fresh strawberries and grabbed just a few. Maurice and Brian smiled at him. Brian commented so that only Maurice could hear, "He's going to love that cake."
At the appointed time, Maurice and Brian brought out two carts. One had Heather's cake and the other had Eric's. Eric's cake had fourteen candles on it. Heather's just said, "Happy Birthday" in purple frosting.
Everyone started singing the traditional Birthday Song as Eric went to stand, ready to blow out his candles.
Heather looked at her cake and seemed disappointed. "Where are my candles?" she asked.
"I did not know your age and didn't want to insult you if I put thirty-seven on and you are only thirty-six," Maurice apologized.
"I like you, Maurice," Heather chuckled, "for the record, I am proud of my age. I turned forty-four today. At least you did use my favorite color for the lettering."
"Joe suggested it. Would you like me to put candles on your cake?"
"You can next year, but no, I'll just help Eric blow out his, if he needs it," Heather suggested.
Eric said, "We can blow out my candles together, Grandma." Heather stood beside Eric as they blew out the candles together.
Maurice explained what the cakes were and started cutting Eric's while Brian cut Heather's. "I'm guessing that you would like a piece of your cake," Maurice suggested to Eric.
Eric responded with a question, "Actually, I want to try some of Grandma's, too, but can I have my name?"
"That would be way too much cake, especially if you're wanting to try the spice cake. How about the 'E-R' or the 'I-C'?" Joe offered.
Eric explained, "I'm wanting to share it with Phoenix, Dad."
Joe smiled, "That's still a lot of cake, but it's not like you eat unhealthily. Go ahead."
"Great, now Phoenix can help me eat me," Eric chuckled.
Joe looked at Maurice as Eric walked over to Phoenix, "I think he's past his shy nervousness. I'd almost bet, those two do something besides kiss, tonight. I may need to have a talk with him."
Xander, Tim, Patrick, Scott, Trevor and Roger were sitting together. Patrick saw the grin on Eric's face and asked, "What do you think that's all about?
"He's probably just happy being with Phoenix. I think they are as much in love as we are," Scott surmised.
"I heard him joking with Joe that he was going to have Phoenix help him eat himself," Roger stated.
Trevor watched the two for a bit and then suggested, "Perhaps he wasn't totally joking."
Joe stood and said, "Mom, Eric, if the two of you can come over here, we have plenty of presents for both of you to open."
"Can't I wait until I get home to open mine? Let Eric have the spotlight, today."
Joe insisted, "Not happening, Mom. Everyone would like to see what you get, and I know I can't wait until I see your face when you open mine." Heather and Eric took seats while Joe brought over a present for each. He instructed them, "Read aloud who it is from, then open it."
"This is from Dad and Daddy," Eric read before opening his present. He pulled the jacket from the box Joe had put it on and got excited, "This is so cool! Thank you, both."
"This is from Patrick and Jake," Heather read. She opened the present and pulled out a necklace with three stones in settings that "floated" around the chain. The first stone was a ruby, the second was an emerald and the third was a garnet.
Patrick explained, "It's a grandma necklace with Eric's, Jake's and my birthstones. The lady said that as you get more grandchildren, you can add more stones. She also said that it can be a mother's necklace if you want to add stones for Dad, Uncle Joe and Uncle Chris."
Heather had a tear in her eye, "It's perfect, I just love it."
"Did we do good?" Jake asked. Then he added, "Patrick suggested it, but let me help pay for it."
Joe handed Eric his next present while Heather was opening hers. As Eric opened it, he handed Heather one. Eric announced, "This is from Jake." And he opened it and pulled out the cowboy hat. "This one is black," Eric stated as he pulled it out. "I won't worry about getting it dirty as much as my white one."
When he saw the medium blue western shirt, his eyes bugged. "Oh wow, it's even my favorite shade of blue. I think I have a new favorite shirt." Jake was all smiles.
"This one is from Trevor and Roger," Heather announced. She carefully opened the envelope and grew the biggest smile on her face, "Nick, there are two tickets to Paris, can you believe it?"
There was commotion until Nick looked in the envelope...
He read aloud, "Paris -- Las Vegas. This is for an all-inclusive five-day, four-night stay in a suite, including all meals... and first-class airfare. There are also two passes for two full days at their spa."
"It's still a great present," Heather chimed. "Nick and I can finish our honeymoon."
"From Uncle Jim and Uncle Zac," Eric declared. "I think I need a crowbar to open it." Everyone chuckled as Joe handed Eric the crowbar. After working to open the crate, Eric finally pulled out the contents. "My own saddle!" Eric exclaimed as he looked at the name plate reading 'Property of Eric Archer-Bolt.'
Jim asked, "Do you like it?"
"Now I need a horse to put it on," Eric chuckled.
Heather read the card on her next present, "To a very special lady who makes being a mother look easy and was patient and kind with this humble man. I love you more than words can say, Nick." The box wasn't very big, but when she opened it and saw a one carat black diamond ring, her jaw dropped. "Oh Nick, the card meant so much, and then seeing this. I love you so much."
"I never thought I would meet anyone like you, and then you graced me enough to be my wife. That ring doesn't even compare to you," Nick averred as he placed his arms around Heather. Then he kissed her.
Eric joked, "This present is from Phoenix. Are you sure it's safe for me to open in front of everyone?"
"It better be," Joe announced with a straight face, "because you are… opening it, that is."
Eric unwrapped the present and it was a model car. Phoenix stated, "I tried finding the Fenyr that you liked, but couldn't. I saw this car and the picture looked like the Shelby Cobra on your shirt, so I hope that you like it."
"Phoenix, it came from your heart. I love it," Eric replied.
After Eric and Heather finished with the presents inside, Buster told everyone, "Eric has two more presents outside. One from Jackson and Ryan, and another from Trevor and Roger."
As they went outside, Eric saw a black mare standing there with a blue ribbon. His face lit up, "You got me a horse?"
"Her name is Cire," Jackson stated. "That's C-I-R-E, not to be confused with Sire."
"That's Eric, backwards," Eric noted. "She's a beauty. Uncle Jim, I have that horse for my new saddle."
"Knowing you for as little as I have, I believe that this horse will mesh perfectly with your personality, but if you feel you need to…"
"OH NO!" Eric exclaimed, "she IS my horse, I already know we will get along."
"Are you ready to see what Trevor and Roger got for you?" Joe asked.
Eric was all smiles, "You bet!"
Just then, Trevor and Roger came around the building in a customized golf cart. Trevor was at the wheel and drove right up to Eric. It was designed to look like a blue Dodge Charger with white racing stripes. Both boys looked at Eric and shouted, "Happy Birthday, Eric!!!"
"Seriously? Is it legal for me to drive it?" Eric questioned.
Ryan advised, "It's legal for you to drive anything ON THE RANCH. It's private property. A golf cart isn't considered a motor vehicle, so it's legal for you to drive it, even on public roads. I do recommend utilizing an orange triangle, though."
Near the end of the party, Trevor had asked Maurice if he could accompany Roger and him to the grocery store to pick up the food for the camping trip, so after changing their clothes, Trevor grabbed the list he'd made of things they needed to buy and the pair headed to the kitchen where they were supposed to meet
When they arrived, Brian and Maurice led them out to the SUV that Joe had loaned Maurice for the task. Brian asked if they could make a quick stop at the farm because his dad had said he had something for the boys to take on their camping trip.
When they arrived, Brian introduced his father to the newlyweds.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wilkin." Trevor said politely.
"Awww… we're simple folk here, Trevor. Call me Ed, or as everyone else does, 'Big Ed', and this here's my wife, Mary."
"It's nice to meet you both," Roger said as he shook both of their hands.
"I understand y'all are goin' camping. I have a few things I'd like to give you to take with you." He led them into the house and there on the kitchen table were two boxes. One was filled with various different kinds of fruits, the second had an assortment of dried fruits and nuts.
On the top of the box of fruit was a flat of fresh strawberries. Roger took one look at those and said, "We better hide them before Eric sees them or nobody will get any!"
Trevor and Roger brought out their list and asked Big Ed if he could review it and give them advice if there was anything they'd forgotten.
"There's gonna be 13 boys, mostly teens," Trevor said before handing him the list which read:
|
|
After reviewing the list, Big Ed asked, "What about bathrooms?"
Trevor and Roger looked at one another. Roger then took out his phone and called Jim. Finding out that there wasn't any bathroom facilities up at the lake, Big Ed recommended that they buy a camp privy. Peeing in the bushes is fine for a boy, but they'd be happier with one for going number two.
They thanked Big Ed for his help and the four left, heading to Walmart. They split up the task of getting the items on the list.
They met back at the checkout where they paid for everything, loaded up the SUV and headed back to the ranch.
After storing their purchases in the kitchen walk-in and storeroom, Trevor and Roger went to their room. The excitement of the coming weekend foremost in their mind. After showing each other how much they loved one another physically, the drifted off to sleep, safely in the arms of their life mate.