Out in the meadow, with their backs to the only mature tree on the property, the boys sat in the warm sun, faintly hearing the lake's small wave's crash onto the nearby shoreline. Chief, seeing how the lads were positioned, placed herself between her charges so she would be in the best position to get her ears scratched from either of them. The tree sat on a slight knoll which was pretty far away from the house, and it was there both boys rehashed the last 24 hours in their minds.
After about ten minutes, the silence was broken by Eric. "Robert, can I ask you a serious question? And, I hope you won't get mad at me for asking."
"Yeah sure, I guess so," answered Robert.
After a few moments of collecting his thoughts Eric queried, "Why is it that you want everyone to call you Robert and not Bob or Bobby or Robbie even?"
Robert's ears perked up at hearing that question and knew he owed his 'best friend'; at least that is how he was beginning to view Eric, an explanation.
"It's a long story Eric, but I do have good reason for asking people to call me Robert," the lad tried to explain.
"I just don't understand it though, Robert. It's just a name … and lots of boys are named Robert, just like you are, and many are called Bob or Bobby or Rob or Robbie even, all the time," replied Eric.
Robert didn't want to give Eric a 'bullshit' answer, so he thought back to when he first came to Three Finger Cove. He remembered his conversation with Mr. Ken and what the man said about 'commencing a new life' and having 'the chance to begin all over'. He thought he understood what Mr. Ken, his new foster 'dad', told him about being able to start a 'new' life at Three Finger Cove and the great opportunity now to begin anew. The man explained he needed to discard the things from the 'old' life and that included Bob, or Bobby and Robbie from before.
As he finished that thought a new one entered his mind. This one caused him to think of how over the past few weeks the many times he had caught himself almost calling Mr. Ken, 'Dad". With the two thoughts now racing in his brain, jostling for attention, he was becoming confused and a conflict began brewing inside his head. Which was the most important he wanted, NO, needed to know!
Going back through the conflicting issues, he grasped the idea that having people call him 'Robert' allowed him to 'outgrow' the 'child' in him. Little kids are called Bob or Bobby or Robbie even, but older, mature people, are called Robert he remembered Mr. Ken telling him. He understood, too, that using the name Robert would bring him out and away from his past and into the present and hopefully into a new future. He totally understood that staying with Mr. Ken he could actually change his life totally around and really allow him to become someone when he grew up. But how did he explain all that to Eric? And would he accept it?
Then before he could formulate the words to use to explain it all to Eric, 'Should I continue to call him Mr. Ken or … should I decide to call him 'Dad' and see what happens' abruptly resurfaced inside his mind. He knew he wasn't too sure of himself with this one. The down side of calling him 'dad', he considered, was Mr. Ken might reject him and he didn't want that as he really liked Mr. Ken and wanted him to be his 'Dad'! But, if he continued to call him Mr. Ken, he felt he would feel like he was a nobody, or just another foster kid, and he wanted more than that. He wanted to feel that he belonged and was someone. "'What to do? What to do?'"
He was getting more and more confused and didn't know how to resolve it. He felt tired from his minds confusion and became upset with himself because he couldn't decide and come up with an answer. Disgusted with himself for not knowing how to deal with either of his issues, Robert began to slowly leak tears then lowered his head to his now bended-up knees and begin to gently sob into them.
The whole time Robert wrestled with his 'issues', Eric observed his new 'best' friend become oblivious to his surroundings. Then, to try and bring the lad out of it, Eric loudly called Robert's name, over and over, while Chief barked incessantly to get the lad's attention. Nothing they did caused Robert to acknowledge either of them and his unresponsiveness now started some distress in Eric. With everything happening inside his head, Robert sat there oblivious to Eric and Chief.
Outside, under the tree, Robert's sobs became louder and Eric, not knowing about the dual conflict inside his 'best' friend's mind, thought he had truly hurt his friend by asking that stupid question. He now wished he had never brought the name thing up.
Robert though, remained in deep thought over his two issues. His mind was slowly coming to a conclusion. He felt it would probably change his life for either the better or worse. He didn't think there could be an in-between. If Eric didn't accept his explanation for wanting to be called 'Robert', he realized that decision could maybe lose his friend, Eric, whom he felt he was falling in love with.
With his other decision to call Mr. Ken 'dad', the man could reject it and that could possibly cause him to move again and he really had just begun to love living there. He figured he could always find another person he could fall in love with, if he lost Eric, but he didn't know how he would handle being rejected by Mr. Ken. "What to do, what to do", was continually going through his mind as he still hadn't fully decided to go through with them.
Believing Robert was in some sort of distress; Eric now became teary eyed himself. He heard in his mind that he needed to do something, anything! He knew he couldn't just sit here and allow Robert to hurt no matter what. And the 'feelings' he now began to feel for, what he hoped, was his best friend weren't anything he'd ever experienced before about anyone, let alone a boy. With determination, he got up, wiped his own teary eyes and began to lightly shake Robert to try to get his attention. He needed to tell Robert he was sorry for making him feel so bad and for him to ask him to please stop crying.
Not getting Robert to budge, Eric began shaking his hopeful lover harder. Still, there was no response. He tried shaking a little harder, but got again nothing. Desperate, Eric got down in front of his hopeful boyfriend, lifted his head up, brought his lips down to the satiny smooth lips in front of him and gently kissed the crying boy.
Sensing the soft and subtle kiss, Robert's eyes began to open. He looked up into the tear stained eyes of his best friend and he began to come back to reality. He somehow sensed he had gone deep inside with his own thoughts that he had become oblivious to what was happening around him, until the kiss. The kiss not only brought him back to reality but gave him hope that Eric really did care for him and that maybe, just maybe, there could be more to it.
Breaking the quiet, and while still looking into Eric's eyes what Robert said next came from his heart, "Thank you, Eric. I love you!" And with that he raised his lips to Eric's and kissed him.
Eric relished the kiss from Robert and then became totally surprised at what Robert just said to him. Then his own inner 'feelings' came to the surface and he now recognized them for what they were and exclaimed to Robert, "I love you, too!" And the two youths kissed some more.
After about what felt like a hundred kisses the boys sat back and began talking to one another. Eric started off first by apologizing for asking his 'best' friend to explain why he wanted to be called Robert. Robert then apologized for being oblivious to Eric and Chief and not answering his 'best' friend's question or responding to his yelling. They went back and forth like that for a minute or two and then it started. First came some little giggles, followed by some laughs and finished with deep laughter coming from both boys that culminated with one final BIG kiss.
"Eric", Robert began "it sounds complicated but let me try to explain why I only want to be called Robert. When we first met and I asked you to call me Robert, you said something like 'new life, new name' or something like that. Well, it does have to do with me moving here and maybe starting my life all over. … Ah Eric … ah how much do you really know about me? Did your mom, you know, did she ever tell you … tell you why she called Mr. Ken and asked him to care for me?"
"Ah, Robert … ah mom never tells me anything about ANY of the kids she, or her staff, work with," answered Eric.
"Well, I ah … kinda figured your mom told you … ah everything about the kids especially since she is letting her own kid hang out with one," replied Robert. "So, she didn't tell ya why I am here?"
"No! She hasn't said a word about you, even though I did try. I want you to know she hasn't said anything to me about you or about the hundreds of other kids she helped. I hope you'll believe me!" said Eric. "She takes her job very seriously and she's told me many times that it just isn't right that I know about the boys and girls she deals with. Didn't Mr. Ken tell you what I told him that night you had him call about not wanting the kids to know you were living with him at the Cove."
"Well, he might have," started Robert, "but … I don't really remember. I was concerned about the kids learning where I lived and … and then wanting to be my friend so they can come over and ask lots of questions that I didn't have the answers to," replied Robert. "But, I never personally asked you and … and I guess I wanted to hear it from you."
Eric explained, "That night Mr. Ken called, I had tried my best to find out anything about you when I got home … but she told me to mind my own business. Robert … now that she is in charge of Children's Protective Services it's her responsibility to keep the stories about the kid's safe and not let them get out unless the boy or girl tells people on their own. As to why you are living here, I want you to know I have no idea other than you aren't living with your parents or relatives for some reason or other."
"OK, hearing it from you, I totally believe you, and thank you," a relieved Robert replied. … "Now, to answer your question why I want to be called Robert well … it goes back to when I first arrived here. Mr. Ken took us into his Study to talk and the whole time we were in there; any time he addressed me he kept calling me Robert. Then, I asked him something like, 'all the time we've been talking, and everything, you kept calling me Robert. I know that is my name, and everything, but everybody always called me Bob or Bobby, even your mom did so, why didn't you?'
"He said something about me being a 'very perceptive young man', and since it directly affected me he said that if I continued to stay here, it would be like a new start for me and … and instead of me being called Bobby it would give me a sense that I moved on, so to speak, with my new life. He also told me that since no one around here knew me that it would be a good time to start having people calling me a new, more mature sounding name, thus Robert. I couldn't think of anything to say just then, so I said something lame like "Thanks for telling me."
"Later, when we talked some more, he said I should remember to tell everyone who calls me anything but Robert to please call me that. He reminded me that Bobby and Robbie and Bob and anything anyone called me before was a part of my 'OLD' life and that I needed to leave that life far behind me."
"At first, I didn't understand what difference it would make to me … but, you know, as the weeks went by I … I felt … I guess I began to feel different. Hearing my name as Robert made me think of me as I am 'today' and that I am someone else. I now feel as if I do have a new life and of course I do. I live here now … at Three Finger Cove; the most unbelievable place ever! I am the new kid on the block, the new kid in school and I am the new kid who now has friends and they can even come over here to visit me."
"Eric … those other names represent the OLD me! I want to be the NEW me! That is why I want to be called 'Robert'. Those other names remind me of who I used to be and what … and why I have to live here, now. Eric, living with my new foster dad, I now have a NEW life and … well … I have, I hope, a NEW Best Friend, too!"
Robert began to tear up a little as he said those last words but he felt them to be true enough. He was the 'new' kid with the 'new' life and he was enjoying himself for the first time in more than two years.
Eric, after hearing those words, fully understood what Mr. Ken did for his 'new' Best Friend. When he saw the tears begin to streak down Robert's face he went over to the boy and hugged him close and said, "Thank you, Robert … for explaining that to me. Now, that I know when any of the other guys calls you anything but Robert I can explain it to them. … And Robert … you ARE my Best Friend and I do LOVE you!"
The two new 'best' friends just sat back against the tree and continued to enjoy the sun's warmth and the sounds of the lake water coming ashore. They did move a might closer to one another which caused Chief to lose her position between them. She had to pick which boy she wanted to sit next to but there was no doubt she'd pick Robert.
Even though his question about his best friend's name was answered, Eric had another question he wanted answered. He was reluctant to ask it, after how Robert reacted a little while ago, but he figured there was no better time than the present so he turned to look at Robert and asked, "Ah, Robert … did ah … did you like what we did today … you know … together in the shower and … then later? … You know … the sex stuff! That … that was the first time for me that I … I ever did anything like that and I totally loved it. But you want to know what made it really special? … I got to do it with YOU!!"
Robert's eyes got real wide when he heard his new best friend reveal something so personal. He didn't know what he should say or what to do. He just sat there thinking. Then Robert knew in his heart what it was all about.
"You know, Eric, yes; I really did enjoy every minute and every second of what we … we did together. I never got those types of feeling, ever, before today. I never considered I could feel that way about another boy, that is, until we touched. That time in the shower I was so fucking hard I was going out of my mind. Then later, when we lay on the bed and held each other and kissed I … I felt that you were … you were right for me!" replied Robert, as he acknowledged Eric's question.
Looking longingly into each other's eyes, they kissed. Then considering the time, the companions realized it was time to go back so they picked themselves up and began their walk back to the house. Not to be left out there alone, Chief followed along as she chased imaginary rabbits and the occasional black bird foraging for food in the meadow.
Finally, the 'soon-to-be boyfriends' came into the kitchen and found Mr. Ken and Miss Judy having some cheese and crackers and a hot drink so the boys asked if they could have some, too. The foursome just made small talk among themselves as they enjoyed some of Momma Maria's sweet concoctions and their warm drinks. Before long, the youngsters excused themselves and said they'd be upstairs and left the two adults to their own devices.
Upstairs, the boys talked some more about their feelings they experienced which brought about some more discussion about the sex they had shared. A few kisses later the boys began to undress and slowly made their way to Robert's bed.
"Do you think we are safe?" asked Eric.
"Yes, we are! Da ... err Mr. Ken has a three-knock rule." said Robert but, just then, Eric said, "That means if the door is closed you must knock before you enter. And not just light taps but regular knocks. If there is no response after the first knock, and you know there is supposed to be someone in the room, you are supposed to knock even louder the second time. If there is still no response you can knock a third time and call their name to get their attention. After still no response you can slowly open the door and call their name as you enter. Of course, if there is an emergency all 'bets' are off and you can go running in to get them out!"
"How'd you know that?" quickly asked Robert.
"You know I spent a lot of time over here when Collin lived here. He treated me like his 'little brother' and so did Ryan," replied Eric. "Anyway, Mr. Ken, one time, had me go up and wake Collin and Ryan. That's when he explained the Three-Knock Rule to me."
"Oh, I guess I need to hear more about the times you've been here," said Robert.
"So, what if the door is open or even slightly open" asked Robert, looking over at the bedroom door.
"All bets are off then, too," began Eric "but you are still supposed to knock and call out the name and you can slowly enter just in case they are undressing or doing something they don't want seen", Eric said jokingly. "But you see the door is tightly closed, so we'd hear anyone at the door and they have to give us the three opportunities and by that time we'll be dressed! Okay?" responded Eric before taking Robert into his arms to begin kissing him.
This time, instead of the boys lying on top of one another they decided to lie on their sides so they were facing each other. In this position, their 'member' could still touch and get a jolt of pleasure while probing hands could also reach down for the occasional stroke or two or three.
The kissing and caressing and dick touching went on for a period of time which built up to the eventual climax they both knew would soon be there. Knowing they both needed to shoot again and soon, they increased their exploring and hugging and sliding motion of their dicks so as to increase the pleasure coursing throughout their bodies. Then, without warning the highly anticipated explosion put the lads into overdrive and they hungrily kissed and caressed each other until they finally came down from the mountain top they were just on.
Their juices were now mixed all over themselves and of course the bottom sheet. Eric got concerned from the mess but Robert assured him the cleaning ladies will be there in the morning and will change the sheets. Robert then got up and retrieved the box of tissues Mr. Ken made him keep in his room and shared them with Eric so they both could clean up what they could.
"I sure would hate to be found out what we were doing up here, Robert," Eric said uneasily.
"I don't think there is anything to be concerned about as da … ah Mr. Ken hardly ever comes up here. He says this is my domain. Besides, sleeping in our mess I am hoping will help me have some very good dreams tonight and I might lose another load before the morning."
Both new 'boyfriends' laughed at that last statement and began to hug and kiss some more.
Down in the Kitchen Nook, the adults were just about finished talking about what Mr. Ken had planned for Robert during the upcoming Spring Break. Judy said she'd get him the proper paperwork tomorrow so the man could order Robert's official state birth certificate and then apply for his passport. The man then told his friend to make sure she did the same for Eric as he wanted to take the lad with them. Ms. Judy wasn't so sure that taking Eric was such a good idea.
Judy felt the time Ken and Robert would spend together would go a long way towards their becoming 'a family' and felt Eric's presence could hinder their 'bonding' as it were. Ken Thomas, for his part, argued she should still get Eric's passport that if he didn't use it this time he could get to use it later. He explained that it was easier to make plans knowing you had the passports than trying to figure out if you could get them in time for your 'overseas' trip. Judy relented and agreed to order Eric's too, just in case.
Seeing how late in the day it was, Judy asked about her wayward son and mentioned it was time they got a move on and went home as he had school in the morning. Ken asked her to consider staying for dinner but she declined saying she was tired too, and wanted some 'girl' time relaxing in her own living room watching the Sunday night shows.
Ken told Judy he'd go round up the kids and be back in a few minutes and that she could go get another coffee or whatever while she waited.