Adam and Steve Ch. 10

"Excuse me?" Steve started to speak.

Adam put his hand up, "Stress, Steve. I was a bit stressed before leaving for my run tonight."

"Yes, I agree with that," Steve responded.

"And Mr. Ames, that's why I'm not going to keep him overnight. If he was indeed stressed before he walked out the door to take a run. That would cause his blood pressure to fluctuate and cause him to pass out. But as I said, I highly recommend he sees his doctor."

"Oh, he will," Steve responded.

"If he has more symptoms tonight, please bring him back or call nine-one-one. He says he still has nitro?"

"Yes, he does," Steve stated.

"Use it." The Doctor recommended it. "I will get your release orders ready.

"Thank you." Both Adam and Steve said.

*

A week later, Adam and Steve were driving over to the mansion. "Take deep breaths, Babe. I don't want to have to give you nitro just to get you through tonight." Steve could hear Adam taking some deep breaths. "I love you."

"I love you too, Steve."

They pulled up next to what could only be Daniel Cort's car and parked. Frank had already discussed with Dan that Adam had been in the ER. Frank thought Dan should know that Adam was already stressed.

When Adam and Steve walked up to the door, the manager was there to open it. "Good evening, Sirs."

"Randall, how are you?" Steve asked.

"I am well, Sir, and you?"

"Good, thanks. Are they in the living room?" Steve asked.

"Yes, Sir."

Steve took Adam's hand and walked towards the living room, but before they entered, he stopped and kissed Adam. "I love you, breathe. If you need to leave the room, please do. I will leave with you if you want." Adam just nodded his head. "Ready?"

Adam took a deep breath and blew it out. "I guess."

When they entered, everyone stood. "Adam, Steve." Frank greeted them. "Please come sit here. As he pointed to a loveseat, of course, when they came close to Marie, she hugged them both. It was their first time seeing one another since returning from their honeymoon.

They sat down and were sitting right across from Daniel and Carol. Steve doesn't know how he never realized Judge Cort wasn't Adam's father. Having them in the same room together, you can't mistake that they are father and son. Steve leaned over and whispered in Adam's ear just to breathe because he could see him turning pale.

"How are you, Adam?" Daniel asked.

"I'm okay, and yourself?"

Daniel looks at Carol, "We're good, I'm good." Daniel took a deep breath himself. "You're doing a great job at the Academy. The kids seem to like you. Tuff loss last year. I was hoping you could have gone to the finals."

"Had a couple kids that were laid up."

"That would do it." Daniel chuckled. "But at least you did take some kids to the finals throughout the years."

"I did."

"Do you miss it?" Daniel asked.

"Miss what?"

"Playing that you didn't go pro?"

Adam closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Everyone in the room noticed it was not something that he could hide. "Can't miss something that never was, or I should have said it was manipulated from me. But..." Adam looked over at Steve, smiled, and then back at Daniel. "I would have never met Steve if I went pro. So, I think I won in the end."

Randall came into the room and announced that dinner was ready. "Shall we take this to the dining room," Frank asked as everyone stood. Marie chatted to Carol on their way, and Frank talked with Daniel. Steve held Adam back.

"You're doing good, Honey." Steve squeezed his hand.

"Well, I think we will start boring you all with football soon." Adam chuckled.

"If it gets you two talking, I think we can handle it." Steve smiled. "Please don't give what's in the envelope back to your father."

"Depends on how tonight goes," Adam responded.

"Can I put them in my breast pocket?"

Adam shook his head but handed over the envelope, "If I must, but if I choose to give it back, Steve. Don't withhold it from me."

"I won't." Steve kissed Adam and pulled him to the dining room.

Frank didn't know if the envelope was for his wife or Daniel since they both had pissed Adam off that night he ended up in the hospital. He was relieved that Steve was able to get it from him. Steve motioned to his father that he had it in his pocket when he entered the room.

"Adam?" Daniel got his attention after he and Steve sat down. "How is your heart?"

"It's fine."

"His heart?" Carol asked. "What's wrong with his heart?"

Adam took in a breath and blew it out. "I was taken to the hospital three years ago after an incident. I was having issues, and the doctor found the problem and fixed it. I also eat healthier now, thanks to Steve." Adam chuckled but squeezed Steve's leg under the table.

"Is it all...." Daniel started to ask, and Adam interrupted him.

"Stop," Adam said as he pushed his plate forward. "Did you fuck up almost fifteen years ago? Yes. You hit me, you punch me, Dad. You got angry when I told you I was gay. I wasn't taking the Patriots' offer because Ben asked me not to." Adam got up. "You took everything away from me."

"I know." Daniel sat there.

"No, no, you don't. You made it hard for me to even find a job. When I applied, they even told me."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"I didn't want to go back to my high school for that job, but it was the only place that would hire me. Unless my ass wanted to flip burgers or move out of state. Without, at the time, the love of my life." Adam shared more than Steve knew.

"Adam, I regretted what I did and can't take it back. I've wanted to talk to you for years. I even came to your games trying to get the courage to walk down from the stands." Daniel was looking at Adam. "I was just afraid that you would...."

"Call you a condescending asshole?"

"No, you would look at me, then turn and walk away."

"Would that have hurt your ego worse?" Adam looked at his father. Everyone in the room could tell that Adam was turning pale and needed to calm down.

"To know that I would never have a chance," Daniel stated.

"So, you waited years." Adam turned around and walked out of the dining room. He didn't make it far. He made it to the hallway and slid down the wall to the floor. Trying to take breaths that wouldn't come. Steve was right behind him and bent down. They could see him from the dining room. Which made Frank get up as well.

"Do you want a nitro?" Steve asked.

"No." Adam breathed out breathlessly.

"I think you better take one," Steve said, and Adam reluctantly nodded. Steve fished the vial out of his pocket, retrieved a tiny pill, and handed it to Adam. Adam took it and closed his eyes and tried to calm himself.

"Do you want to move him to the family room?" Frank asked Steve.

"When this gets in his system, I'll move him." Once Frank returned to the dining room, Steve sat down next to Adam and held his hand. They could hear what was going on in the other room.

"Daniel, you made it hard for our son to find a job after you took everything away from him?"

"Carol, I told him I regretted what I did. I can't take anything I did back. Yes, I threatened anyone that I found out that he put a resume in with not to give him a job. I'm not proud of what I did. But I can't take it back now. All I can do is ask for forgiveness." Daniel stated.

Frank and Marie just sat there, offering no comment to them. It's something that they will have to work on because, as Adam pointed out, it has been close to fifteen years. Steve did help Adam up and to the family room so he could relax. Adam told him to go back and eat, that he didn't need to watch him breathe with his eyes closed.

When Steve came back into the dining room, everyone looked at him. "He's resting."

"Steve, does that happen a lot?" Carol asked.

"No, not since the stent was put in. Just the night we returned from our honeymoon, we had a mild disagreement, then opening a few items kind of pushed the window a tad too far on Adam's stress level. So when he decided to calm down by taking a run, he passed out and ended up in the hospital."

"What did you open?" Carol asked.

"Not now, Carol," Daniel said.

"What did you do?" Carol asked.

"I took over a wedding gift from me to him, some of my season tickets, and a rookie card."

"You gave him a rookie card from your desk?" Carol asked, and Daniel nodded. "Wow."

"Steve, where is he?" Daniel asked.

"The family room."

"Please, everyone, stay here. Let me talk to him," Daniel said as he left the room.

"What's in the envelope?" Frank asked after Daniel left.

"The tickets and the card," Steve stated. "He took the gift as a bribe. I think Adam would have been fine if Daniel had shown up empty-handed."

Daniel stood in the entranceway of the living room and watched Adam. "I knew you were in the stands. Anytime large school benefactors show up for the games, I was told. They wanted me to go and shake hands, and I always refused. Coach Gibson never did it, I thought. Why start it with me? I was sure you didn't want to shake my hand." Adam spoke with his eyes closed. He knew his father was standing there.

Daniel sat down heavily in the chair across from Adam. "I know what I did is unforgivable and that I should have taken a moment to calm down. But I let the rage overwhelm everything, and I hit you and then took everything from you."

"Not everything, but just about, yes," Adam stated. "I still had Ben, and once I got over the hurt, me."

"Adam, if you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me. You know where to find me." Daniel went to get up.

Adam opened his eyes, looked at him, and spoke calmly. "Dad, why didn't you just try? Why did you have to take fourteen years to talk to me? To fucking give me something you would never allow me to touch when I was growing up. You tried to bribe me."

"No, Adam, please don't take it that way. I was just trying to find something that I know you would like. I knew everything would likely be catered to Steven since most of the guests at the wedding were invited by his mother."

"Okay, let me make the first move. I just need some time."

"I understand, Adam." Daniel got up, walked out of the room, and joined the others.

Adam never came back into the dining room. He stayed in the family room to relax and calm down and get rid of the headache the nitro gave him. Daniel decided it was better if Carol and he left when dinner was finished instead of causing more stress to Adam.

*

The summer ended, Adam was back at school, and football had begun. During the second week of September, he walked into Steve's office one evening. "Steve, will you do me two favors?"

"Anything for you, Babe." Steve looked up from a case he was reading.

Adam sat in the chair and placed an envelope in front of him. "I was wondering if you could get a courier to drop that off and if you wouldn't mind sitting this one out."

"May I?" Steve asked, and Adam nodded his head. Steve picked up the envelope and opened it. It had just one thing inside. One of the season tickets for the September 23rd game against the Chargers. "Have you been speaking?"

"No."

"So, it's a good-faith gesture," Steve stated, and Adam nodded. "I will get it delivered."

"Thank you." Adam got up and left the room to head to bed.

*

"Judge, this arrived for you." Wendy, Daniel Cort's secretary, brought in the envelope.

"Thank you." Dan thought it was a document he had been waiting to look over from a lawyer, or it would have just been sat aside to be opened later. He picked up his letter opener and sliced the envelope open. He was expecting to pull out a letter but didn't find one, so he opened the envelope, revealing a football ticket. One of his season tickets to a game he couldn't go to because he had a scheduling conflict, and that's why he gave them to Adam. "Shit." He closed his eyes.

*

Adam arrived at the stadium at noon. He was a little more than nervous. The game was due to start a few minutes after one. He has heard nothing from his father, so he doesn't know if he will be attending or not. He got out of his car and walked into the stadium. He figured he would settle his nerves and get a beer before going down to his seat.

Adam sat through the entire first quarter with an empty seat next to him. For the first twenty minutes, it bothered him but he started getting into the game and basically said fuck it. During the second quarter, Adam didn't even notice when someone slipped into the seat next to him. He had turned and looked down the field at a play, and when he turned back, he was stunned to find his mother sitting there.

"Hello, Adam."

"Mother?"

"Your father's sorry he couldn't make it. He's out of town at a conference. He would have stayed home, but he was speaking at it." Carol stated, and Adam nodded his head. "He would like to meet up with you when he returns if you would give him a chance."

"I'll call him." Adam smiled. "Mother, I'm not going to make you suffer through a game."

"Nope, you're not getting rid of me so easily, Adam." Carol laughed. "Anyway, I kind of need a ride home." She smiled, making Adam laugh.

The rest of the game was good because the Rams won. Adam and Carol stayed in the stands for a bit because there was no sense leaving right away. They were going to be stuck in traffic.

When he drove his mother home, he sat in the driveway. "Would you like to come in?" Carol asked.

"I shouldn't," Adam stated.

"Adam, please. I have something for you." Carol pleaded, and Adam nodded as he got out, walked around, and opened his mother's door. When they walked up to the house, the maid opened the door.

Just walking into the home, he grew up in, caused a panic attack. He could hear everything his father called him that day, almost fifteen years ago. The house hasn't changed much. Carol turned around once they entered and saw that Adam was getting pale.

"Adam, do you need to sit down?"

"Yeah, maybe that would be for the best." Adam walked to the living room and sat down.

"Adam, everything that was in your room is still here. It was never thrown away. I don't know if you want any of it, but you can go through it and take what you do want and get rid of what you don't."

"He told me he threw it away."

"He did. After he left, I had it all taken and hidden."

"Why?" Adam asked. "I figured you would have the issue with me being gay."

"Why, because of my brother? I hated that he committed suicide."

"Then why didn't you contact me?"

"I didn't want you to have to deal with your father. I know that is a stupid reason, but I thought maybe you would be better off without us, without his attitude. I didn't know he really wanted a relationship with you, or maybe I would have pushed. I'm sorry, Adam. I can only ask for forgiveness as well." Carol responded, and Adam nodded his head.

*

When Adam returned home that evening, the house was quiet. He assumed Steve was in his office. So he headed off to the bedroom to take a shower. When he entered the bedroom, there were candles lit, soft music playing, and Steve was lying on the bed waiting for him.

"Well, hello there." Adam smiled as he walked over to the bed to lean down to kiss Steve.

"How was the game?"

"Good, the Rams won," Adam stated as he sat what he had in his hand on the dresser before he started to undress for a shower.

"And did you two, talk much?"

"He didn't show. He was out of town. My mother showed up during the second quarter. Apparently, he dropped her off on his way to the airport. He had to catch his flight to New York for a conference at which he was due to speak."

"So, they were hoping you would take her home?" Steve asked, and Adam nodded.

"Would you like to join me in the shower or wait for me?" Adam smiled.

"Wait." Steve smiled back.

When Adam came out of the bathroom, he was naked. He looked over at Steve. He was still propped up on a few pillows in the middle of the bed, just waiting. Steve only had on his boxers, and his eyes were closed.

Adam started at his feet, he kissed one lightly, causing Steve to reflexively jerk it away, and Adam grabbed his foot and licked it up the bottom. Steve chuckled, "I love you, Adam." He reached up and grabbed both sides of the boxers, and Steve lifted so Adam could remove them.

Then Adam looked right into Steve's eyes as he licked up his inner leg pushing them wide to get between them. His cock was leaking pre-cum, and Adam reached up and used it to rub him. Licking and sucking Steve's balls caused him to moan loudly.

Steve reached for the lube, almost dropping it before setting it by his hip for Adam to see and use. Hoping Adam would end the torture sooner than later and just make love to him. Adam reached for the lube and started to open Steve. "Please, Babe, I need you."

Adam chuckled as he quickly positioned himself and pushed in. "I leave you for a few hours, and you become needy." Adam laughed as he dropped down to kiss Steve.

"God, Baby. I just needed you for some reason."

Adam started thrusting in and out of Steve, and they both were getting close. Adam came before Steve, but Steve wasn't far behind. "Let's go get cleaned up," Adam said as he pulled out of Steve.

"Hon, is our sex life getting boring?" Steve asked as he followed Adam into the bathroom. Adam turned around and looked at him. "I'm just saying it because it seems so routine now. No spice."

Adam laughed, "I'm sorry. Do I need to do something else? Add some chocolate? Maybe whipped cream, or an old high school football friend told me he likes to use raspberry jam."

"Raspberry jam?"

"Yeah, or honey, we could have a whole feast here. Get some strawberries and cherries, maybe some grapes. What do you think?" Adam smiled at Steve. They had finished washing up. So Steve pulled Adam to him.

"That would change the bedroom routine a little. I think we would need some rubber sheets though." They both laughed. "What's the trophy for?"

"It's my senior championship game trophy. We won that year. My mother kept everything from my room. I told her I would take more later, but I would like this for my desk at school."

"They are trying in their own ways. Sorry that your father couldn't have contacted you beforehand to tell you he was busy." Steve responded. "But I know exactly what conference he's at."

"I'm sure he didn't want me to think he was blowing me off," Adam responded. "I probably shouldn't try to ask him about any of the other games."

"Why?" Steve was confused.

"Mom said he gave me the ones he couldn't use."

*

When Daniel returned from New York on Tuesday, he walked into his home and had a plan. In the morning, he would have his secretary take Adam one of his tickets to Thursday evening's game. He knows that there will be a possibility that he won't show up since Adam has practice.

That night he put the ticket in his briefcase for the next day, and all he could do was hope. And when he arrived at work, he gave an envelope to his secretary with instructions on how to find Adam Ames.

Wendy left the office and headed out to Westbridge Academy. When she arrived, she walked into the school. As soon as she walked in, she was approached by a hall monitor. "Hello, Ma'am. Are you looking for the office?" The man asked.

"I'm looking for Coach Ames' office."

"Who?" The man was confused.

"Coach Adam Ames, he's the head football coach, isn't he?" Wendy asked.

"Oh yes, Adam, I can take you to his office."

"Please and thank you." Wendy smiled.

When they arrived at the sports complex, the man told her to wait outside and that he had to check who was in the locker room. When he came back out, he escorted her to Adam's office. He had caught him just as Adam was about to walk out to his gym class, so Adam told one of the last kids to inform the class to do their warm-ups and that he would be out in a few minutes.