Dinner was lively and the conversation likewise. The chicken was praised as delicious as well as everything on the table. Terri's corn chowder was a big hit as well.
Connor and Liam were both queried regarding Ireland and Dublin in particular. Jim shared that they had hosted an officer from the Irish Naval force and his son and it had piqued the family’s interest in traveling there.
"I plan to retire soon while the boys are still young and do some travelling. Ireland is definitely on the agenda," Jim explained.
"It's a lovely place and I think you'll have a grand time. I can recommend some beautiful places to visit that will entertain your entire family. I recommend late spring as that's the fair season in most counties and you'll find entertainment anywhere you choose to look," Connor expounded.
"Well, Spence and Amanda are both fans of Irish music and Spence plays a pretty good Irish flute. It has to come from Amanda's side; my people are not terribly musical. Poor Shane is the only one that drew that card but he's one hell of an artist. Perhaps we can tempt him to share a sketchbook or two," Jim continued.
Shane blushed but nodded to his dad.
After dinner, the adults migrated to the family room and the boys went to Liam's.
"So Doug, why don't you play your best piece and we'll see if we can help," Liam suggested.
Doug picked up the small guitar and began with Bach’s Air On The G String. It was an impressive performance for a boy with so little actual instruction and playing time. When he had finished he looked up at Liam and Danny to see their reaction and was greeted with warm smiles. Like them, Doug had retreated into another world while playing. He was completely absorbed in the process and the music itself.
"You're a musician boyo, that was really good," Liam praised.
"Thanks, do you think I can really play well enough to keep going?" Doug asked earnestly.
"Absolutely!" Danny returned. You've got good hands there and your timing is great. You sound wonderful. Liam thought you might like to learn a livelier number. Do you know the Rondo a la Turca? Liam taught me and it's pretty easy, especially if you use his tabs. Um… Liam?"
"Right Danny, most of the instructional tablature is congested with chords you don't need with a piece like Mozart's Rondo. I have tabs that will show only the notes you need; you'll be able to move your left hand quicker and playing something complex won't be as scary. Even with the air you just played they have you making a complicated C major chord on the eighth fret when all you're hitting are two notes. So if you work on accuracy when you pluck then you can just fret the strings you need instead of fighting with unnecessary bar chords." Liam played a couple bars of the Rondo and Doug was impressed.
"You really think I can learn that this afternoon?"
"Most of it, you'll start off playing in 4/4 and increase it to 2/4 when you're ready. Let me print the tabs for you and you'll see that it's really a simple adaptation," Liam finished.
Liam walked to his laptop and pulled up the music needed and sent it to the printer. A moment later he deposited the papers in Doug’s slender hands and the boy pored over it.
"This is so cool, I want to start right away," Doug exclaimed.
Liam picked up the stool Doug had been using and instructed him to follow him into the closet where he did his own practicing late at night.
"You go ahead and get started and come get me if you get stuck on anything," Liam further instructed.
Doug followed Liam into the closet. "I'm going to shut the door so you have privacy to make mistakes, but it's unlocked and it won't get stuffy so don't get worried," Liam cautioned, “and don't forget to take a break now and then or it stops bein' fun.”
Liam closed the door behind him and found Danny and Shane standing near the door. Shane approached Liam, wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug, and kissed his cheek.
"Thanks Liam, he needed that. He has a confidence problem. I tell him he's good but he figures it's because I'm his brother. You heard him though, that's pretty good for six months of playing."
Liam hugged back and patted Shane's back, "Yes he's very good considering how long he's been playing. He could become really good, and soon. He has the drive and the love of music and the guitar."
"I'm really glad we came here; I didn't know what it would be like but you guys are really friendly and kind."
"We're glad you can be here, so your dad said you could draw, can we see some of your stuff?" Danny asked.
"Sure, let me go get my sketchbooks."
Shane walked back to his room and Danny and Liam sat on the small couch and cuddled up together.
"Shane really seems to love his little brother, I think that's cool. A lot of the guys at school complain about theirs being in the way or a pain or something," Danny ventured.
"Oh, they probably love them but they don't want to look soft to their mates," Liam countered.
"Probably, um, do you think we might invite Shane to mess around a little tonight?" Danny asked shyly.
"Possibly, I guess it would depend on whether Doug gets to sleep early. He might if he's worn out from practicing. It's worth asking, maybe he knows a thing or two," Liam grinned.
Shane returned with a few sketchbooks and let the boys look through them. As promised, the drawings were very good. Both figures and still life were equally finely rendered.
"Here's one my parents never see." Shane handed Liam a sketchbook with a red cover and Liam opened it. Again all the figures were well drawn but they were all nudes, alone and in pairs or trios, nude boys popped out on every page. Some were quite recognizably Doug. He appeared to be sound asleep cuddled in a big chair next to a window.
One striking sketch was Shane himself in a self-portrait. The drawing captured him in all his considerable beauty. He was a striking figure with steel gray eyes, lithe proportion and a pleasant face.
"Is this a recent work?" Liam asked, showing the picture to Shane.
"Yes, I just finished it last week. As you can see big dicks don't run in our family."
"It looks fine to me, maybe you could show us once Doug goes to sleep," Danny grinned.
"Is that an invitation to have some fun later?" Shane piped.
"If yer up for it, Danny and I discussed it and thought we'd check."
"Doug usually sleeps like the dead after a shower and a tiring day. I could pop back over after he clicks off."
"So what are you guys into? If you don't mind me asking, Shane inquired.
"Just a bit of rubbing and oral and we learned about docking. Liam isn't circumcised," Danny supplied.
"It's all been hands and rubbing for me so far, but the other stuff sounds interesting. I gotta start somewhere," Shane grinned.
"Well then, we'll look forward to that a bit later," Liam predicted.
A knock interrupted them, Connor announced that they were serving dessert and they should come down if we were interested.
"We'll be right down Da, we need to get Doug out of the closet."
"And what's that meant to be about?" Connor asked.
"He's practicing a piece on guitar; he's pretty good so I gave him the music for the Mozart Rondo."
"Well then, that's fine. Pry him out of there and bring him along."
"Okay Da, we'll be right there."
"Did he think we locked him in?" Shane asked.
"No, he knows I would never do that. I can't bear tight places meself and Da's the same way," Liam explained.
"Well, don't join the submarine service, even the big subs are tight quarters all the way through."
Liam walked over and opened the door to the practice room/closet. "Hey Doug, you'll want to take a break, we've all been summoned downstairs for dessert," Liam informed him.
Doug placed the guitar in the stand and walked towards the door. When he reached Liam he hugged him quite strongly and thanked him in a teary voice.
"Happy to help Doug, I hope you're enjoying the practice," Liam soothed.
"I am, but would you play something for me when we come back up?"
"Sure Doug," Liam said, hugging the boy back.
The four boys made their way down to the dining room.
"Mmm, what is this called," Amanda asked.
"It's Lemon Dump Cake, very easy to make and adding a little cool whip or whipped cream sets it off nicely. The recipe is all over the internet," Terri said cheerfully.
"I'll bet you didn't expect to be cooking dinner for eight instead of four, did you?" Amanda added.
"Well, to be fair, Liam actually made the chicken, I just pulled it out when it was done."
"Oh my, a master guitarist and a chef all in one. I'm impressed," Amanda smiled at Liam sincerely.
Liam smiled back but didn't speak. His mouth was full.
"Do you think we could hear you play? I understand you're very good."
"What do you think Danny, shall we play a couple tunes, Doug was asking earlier as well."
"I'm in, let's get a couple guitars and give it a shot."
When they returned, they pulled everyone into the music room.
"This is the piece that Doug is working on, it's called Rondo a la Turca by Mozart."
Liam began to play and his audience was very attentive. He nodded at Danny who picked up on the next bar and continued until handing it back to Liam. When finished Liam smiled lovingly at Danny who returned the smile just as warmly while everyone else clapped.
"Liam, let's play the first song we ever played together," Danny suggested.
"Okay, this time you start off," Liam instructed.
Danny counted in and began playing flawlessly, the guitars rang out the Shuffle Rag and the combined families listened with joy.
"Well lads, it's getting late, if you're riding to the regional tomorrow you'll want to get some rest so you can enjoy the trails. You'll want to go up and shower and ready yourselves for bed. We'll be up to see you in a short while," Connor advised.
"That's our cue guys," piped Liam. And the four boys headed for the stairs carrying the guitars along with them.
Liam put the guitars away and turned off the lights in the closet. By then Danny was down to his purple briefs ready for the shower.
"I'll be with you in a moment Danny, let me get me shoes off and I'll meet you there."
Danny got the shower going and waited for Liam to undress and join him. He struck a muscle pose in the mirror, which amused Liam as he walked in. Liam dropped his briefs and helped Danny out of his pausing to take inventory.
"Oh yeah, this is wonderful," Liam cooed in the shower. I needed a shower after all that." He embraced Danny and the two just enjoyed the hot water cascading off their bodies. Finally he decided they should get busy so he began soaping Danny's back working his way lower and lower. Danny tilted his head up and kissed Liam's lovely lips and they lingered a bit before continuing with the shower itself.
"That was refreshing, I really needed that. We've not had any time to ourselves all day. But it's okay we're alone now. Shall we watch something on Netflix for a while until Shane arrives or doesn't as the case may be?" Liam asked Danny.
"That sounds good," Danny said and reached for the remote.
A few minutes passed and there was a knock at the door, Connor entered and asked if the boys needed anything before they called it a night."
"Just kisses Da, we're good on everything else. Shane might come over to watch something if he isn't already crashed."
"I just passed Jim in the hall and he was checking on his boys, just don't stay up too late." Connor kissed the two boys and patted their stomachs. "Goodnight lads."
Both boys wished him goodnight and he closed the door behind him.
Fifteen minutes later a soft tap at the door announced Shane's arrival. Liam punched the lock on the door in case someone went looking for their guest.
An hour later Shane was out cold on the edge of their bed with a blissful smile on his face. He had sampled docking and oral sex and he was exhausted. Danny and Liam were quite spent as well but between them, they managed to slide Shane's sleeping shorts on him in case of visitors.
Liam unlocked the door and curled up in Danny's warm embrace with his back against Danny's chest.
At nearly one, soft steps of bare feet padded towards Liam's bedroom door. The door opened and Doug made his way to Liam's bed.
"Are you okay Doug?"
"Yes, but I'm lonely, is Shane in here?"
"He is; we all watched some Netflix together."
"Could I get in?"
"Sure Doug, give me a minute while I pee."
"I'll come with you; I need to go too."
"Once finished they returned to the bed and Doug backed up to Liam's chest and Liam wrapped his arms around the boy. Doug wiggled a bit and dropped back off to sleep as Liam followed closely.
"No worries Jim, I found them. They're all in here together.
"Very good then, Shane must have gone over and Doug went looking for him."
Liam smiled up at his father, "Is everything okay, Da?"
"Just some misplaced boys. I remember you saying Shane might join you, what about this one?"
"He came looking for Shane when he woke up alone last night so I let him tuck in here."
"It wasn't long ago that you were like that."
"I know Da, but I still snuggle with you."
"I know, I'll miss it when you stop."
"Well, Terri might not appreciate it if I joined you at night."
"That's true enough, Son. I guess she and I will want to discuss that."