Tommy - A Life Pt. 10

Ben chatted away as they climbed the stairs. Tommy could hear him telling about the first time he had come here, with his mother. He'd forgotten how many stairs there were, now that is was his home. "My room is on this floor, but my Dad's apartment is one up." Tommy hoped he had cleaned his room before showing it to the girl. They again climbed the stairs. "And this is the sitting room and here is my Dad and Thor, his partner." A girl, really a young woman entered the sitting room. She was blond, attractive, and holding on to Ben's arm.

Tommy rose to greet the girl. Ben continued on with the tour. "The dining room and kitchen through there. My dad's study is really neat." Ben led the girl toward the back. Tommy could just hear the girl quietly ask a question to which Ben replied, "Only my dad and Thor's room." Ben led the girl back to the sitting room. "This is the place. I've lived here since my mom died. Dad and Thor have taken care of me ever since - with the help of the Hopkins. Well, it's about time to go if we're going to get good seats. See you guys later." Ben took the girl by the arm and guided her out the door.

Tommy called after them, "Nice to meet you, Amy."

He returned to the sitting room and sat next to Thor. "Did that go ok? I'm never sure how people will take our being Ben's parents, even after all these years."

When Ben returned later that night, he responded that the movie as not that great, that he'd walked Amy home, and that he was going to bed. Tommy asked, "Was Amy okay with, uh, you know, with Thor and me?"

Ben paused for a minute. "It really didn't come up. She did ask if you two shared a room. I told her all about you being sex fiend lovers," Ben teased.

"You'd better not have," Thor threatened. Ben just laughed and walked down to his room. "Love you guys," he called up to them.

***

Dating with Amy continued for several weeks. When calls stopped and her name wasn't mentioned anymore, Tommy asked Ben about it. "Oh, it wasn't serious. Anyway she's in some gymnastic stuff that has her away a lot."

And then another call. "Is Ben there?" No, he's out. "Could you tell him Clay called. He's got my number."

Tommy delivered the message to Ben. Ben ran down to his room and could be heard dumping out his book bag. He returned running and grabbed the phone. "Hi, Clay? This is Ben." A pause.

"Yeah, great. I'll have to ask my dad, but I think it will be okay. Saturday night, at the Civic Center. Sure, it sounds great. How much are the tickets? I'll call you back."

"Dad, can I go to a concert on Saturday? It's a really cool band. I've got one of their recordings. Clay got free tickets through his older sister and asked me to go."

"I suppose so. Who is Clay? I don't remember hearing you mention him before," inquired Tommy.

"He's a guy in my English class. I never really knew him before, but we had to work on a paper together. He seems pretty cool and his sister works for the band."

Tommy didn't really think much more about it until he heard Ben come home from school one afternoon. Tommy was working in his study when he heard Ben's familiar heavy footsteps on the stairs - what had happened to that light-footed child? Ben knocked briefly and entered the study. "Tonight's going to be great. Clay got backstage passes, so it doesn't cost anything for the concert."

"Backstage passes?" Tommy's face showed concern.

"Come on Dad, we're not going to get involved with any weird stuff the band is doing. It'll be neat seeing what goes on, about the performance, I mean. These guys are really talented."

"Okay. I'm counting on your good judgement. Does Clay want to come for dinner before you go? Don't worry, nothing fancy. We could send out for pizza or sandwiches or whatever you guys want. I'd like to show appreciation for Clay getting the tickets. He must be a good friend."

"Why don't you just ask, Dad? 'Is he your boyfriend?' You're about as subtle as a brick. No, he's not. This isn't even a date. Though I'd think about it, if Clay was interested" teased Ben. "But then there's Sheila, she's real pretty. Then there's Jorge. Then again, Claire is a honey."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop butting in" Tommy retreated.

***

Tommy called to ask Thor to pick up the sandwich order on his way home, explaining that Clay would be joining them. Clay had arrived a few minutes before Thor got home. Ben and Clay were talking in the sitting room, waiting to eat.

Thor came up the stairs, dropping off the food in the dining room, then went looking for Tommy. After a kiss he asked, "So is this person special to Ben?"

"Ben told me to back off and stop speculating on his love life. I guess he is sixteen. At his age I was too scared to talk to anyone. I never had a real date until I met Billy, but things picked up speed from there. Come to think of it, I only had one date with you." Tommy said.

"One time is all it takes with me, baby. My own sordid past will remain mysterious" Thor alluded. To Tommy's inquisitive look, Thor responded, "I was too busy lifting weights and doing sports to get involved with anyone. Anyway the coach told us not to fool around. I'm glad I got over that with you." Thor winked.

"Hmmm, we could go to bed early tonight, the kid will be away." Tommy and Thor had begun to become romantic when they felt someone's presence.

"If you guys can control yourselves, we'd like to eat. Forgive them, Clay, for as long as I've been around, they haven't been able to keep their hands off each other. I suppose it's cute, and it is nice that they don't really ever fight, but I wonder what kind of example a couple of sex fiends set for an impressionable youth like myself?"

"Set the table and get some drinks. We'll be there in minute. Now, if you'll close the door on your way out?" Tommy ordered and teased.

***

Ben more formally introduced Clay when as they sat down to eat. "This is my dad, Tommy. He's a professor at the University. This is my, well my other father, Thor. He runs Mike's Gym. He's a trainer to some big sports stars here in the city. Thor, could Clay come work out?"

"Pleased to meet you Clay. We'd need your parent's permission, but sure you could come to the gym. Ben's probably as good a trainer as me. He's been working out since he came here."

Clay quietly said to the table, "I've noticed. I don't know about my parents. They're good people and all, but not much up on different kinds of families. They're not real comfortable with my sister working for a rock band. I guess I could ask. I'd like to do it with you Ben, work out I mean." Clay blushed. Ben blushed.

Following the awkward silence, Thor asked for more soda. Tommy gladly poured.

"Well, it's about time to go" Ben said, looking dramatically at his watch.

"Be careful, Ben." Thor cautioned.

"Let us know when you get in" Tommy requested.

"They sound just like my parents" Clay said.

"Other than being two guys, I'll bet their just the same. Always after me to clean my room, brush my teeth, get a haircut" Ben lamented.

"Way sexier, though" Clay said under his breath.

***

"So, sexy, shall we go to bed?"

"I thought you'd never ask?"

"Since when do I have to ask?"

"I sense some role play coming on."

"Strip and get on your knees."

"Like the kid said, way sexier."

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Ben Graduates

It seemed as if the entire neighborhood was involved. In the midst of a gay neighborhood, there were few children. Some gay couples had begun adopting and there were a few 'weekend children' from divorced families, but Ben had come into Tommy and Thor's life half grown. Eight short years later, Ben was graduating from high school and as a kind of community mascot, all the 'uncles' and neighbors participated in the excitement of the event.

Each of them, Tommy, Thor, and Ben spent a fair amount of time informing the community about progress in selecting a college. They had spent many weekends over the prior eighteen months visiting prospective colleges and universities. Ben had chosen a small school in New England. Ben received advice from everyone. He was very patient with each well wisher, understanding that their suggestions fulfilled their own need to share love as a parent. But his departure for college was in the coming fall. Now was the time to celebrate his graduation.

The morning of graduation began with a grand breakfast served in the dining room. The Hopkins prepared and served the meal. This time, however, they joined Tommy, Thor, and Ben. They felt pride in Ben's accomplishment as much as anyone.

Thor declared that is was time for pictures. He suggested that the front steps would have good light. They rotated groupings for the pictures, first Ben alone, then with Tommy and Thor, then with the Hopkins. Before many shots had been taken, a crowd of neighbors had begun to assemble in the street, all seeking to be in the pictures with Ben. A hapless passerby was enlisted for the final picture, about thirty people crammed onto the steps with Ben in front in his cap and gown.

"Not a typical family" Tommy remarked to Thor.

"No but the best family I've ever known" was Thor's response.

The crowd ambled along in a kind of silly parade to the high school, escorting Tommy, Thor, Ben, and the Hopkins to the graduation ceremony. There was limited seating at the event, so the friends and community settled for 'three cheers for Ben' to his extreme embarrassment in front of his school mates.

The ceremony itself was typical. Speeches that tried for inspiration and guidance, the awarding of diplomas and lots more pictures. Thor became teary when Ben received his diploma. Tommy hugged him, sharing his pride in Ben.

After the ceremony, Ben hugged them both, dumped his diploma and cap and gown with Tommy and ran off to be with his friends. "Be home for dinner, the celebration continues" Tommy called after him as Ben sprinted away.

Thor put his arm around Tommy as they walked home. "He's not our little boy anymore."

"You've done a fine job with him" Mrs. Hopkins assured them.

"With your help. He had a rough start, but with all you've done for him, he's a good, happy person." Tommy came to a halt. "And you Thor, from the first moment, when Ben's mother came to us, you took him to your heart and then gave everything to Ben when you didn't have to." Tommy became emotional.

"Let's go home, Tommy." Thor led Tommy home, winked goodbye to the Hopkins and took Tommy up to their room. He sat Tommy on their bed, got a warm cloth to wash Tommy's tears away, then began to unbutton Tommy's shirt.

"Oh, that's where this is going?" Tommy realized and began to undress Thor.

***

"Is this a gray hair?" Thor asked toying with Tommy's chest hair. They were laying in each other's arms recovering from some extraordinarily passionate love making.

"I'm afraid time is taking its toll."

"I couldn't tell that ten minutes ago."

"It was pretty spectacular. Somehow, it usually is."

"Usually?"

"Stop, you know what I mean. It's enough to just kiss you, smell your scent, hear your breathing for me to be totally happy" Tommy told Thor punctuated by many kisses.

"I prefer it when it goes further" Thor replied, reaching for Tommy's balls.

"You are in the mood today."

"Well, Ben will be going away this Fall. It will be just you and me again."

"Late mornings in bed, early afternoon trysts, before dinner scoozing, and all night humping?"

"Something like that, on a quiet day" Thor teased.

"I love you Thor. You've made my life a joy."

"Tommy, I'll always remember you when Billy brought you to the gym that first day. You were so young and innocent. Not as innocent as the day before, I understand. I could see how in love you were with Billy, but you were already in my head and my heart. I had no reason to think you'd ever be mine. But then it happened. You were there at Mike's looking for me."

"I'm still kicking myself for not finding you sooner" Tommy confessed. "It took you long enough to ask me out. Thank god for Mike's urging. Billy had me dazzled. If his parents hadn't pulled us apart, I don't know what might have happened. But that didn't happen. You did."

"I'll take what the Fates have given me. I couldn't be happier. I love you Tommy."

They didn't hear the knock on the door or notice that Ben had entered the room. "Well, I don't need to guess what you two have been up to."

"He's mine, and I'll make love to him whenever I want to" Thor said declaring his territory.

"It's nice to be loved, but you're not scaring anybody."

Ben sat on the edge of the bed. "Thank you guys. Sometimes seeing other kids and their families reminds me of how lucky I am. You've managed to encourage me without setting expectations. You've let me explore relationships - not too far - and showed me everything about loving. I am a little worried that when I go to college, you'll never get out of bed."

"Funny Thor was just saying the same thing, though he wasn't worried, he was counting on it."

"You're off to a good start, judging by appearances."

"How long until dinner?" Thor asked.

"If we get this kid out of here, we have time for another round."

"Jeez, love birds."