TEXAS LONGHORNS
By Waddie Greywolf

Chapter 9

Vince pulled the Bronco in front of the ranch house and set the brake. Casey got out the same time Vince did but waited for his dad to come around the truck to go into the house together. Vince glanced at his boy and could see the discomfort and desolation in his eyes. He knew he was sharing his brother’s fear and pain. Vince was thinking to himself, the situation was like sitting on an emotional powder keg. Casey opened the door for his dad and followed Vince through. He set his backpack containing his school work down on the hall table and followed his dad into the kitchen. Vince poured himself a glass of juice from the fridge. “Want some’um, Case?” Vince asked his boy.

“Naw, sir, I’m all right,” Casey replied without nuance.

“I ain’t so sure, Boy,” Vince said almost as an afterthought. Vince took a couple of swallows of his drink and finished it. There was a major cloud of despair hovering in the room; an air of foreboding, doom, and gloom. “'At’s it. I can’t take me no more a’ this. I know what chu’ need, Boy. C’moan, follow yore’ old man. You made me a promise this morning I expect you to make good on, and I damn well better see them store bought legs of mine on the front row of the chorus jes’ a tap dance’n their little hearts out,” Vince poured on the cowboy hyperbole. Casey grinned at his dad but didn’t say anything. He dutifully followed Vince up to the bedroom. He helped his dad undress and helped him remove his artificial legs. He carefully set them aside. Vince motioned for Casey to get undressed.

“Git them clothes off’n you, Honcho, and be quick about it. Don’t never keep yore’ old man wait’n when he's got the hongries for a little comfort from him boy,” Vince growled at his son, trying to sound like a no nonsense, hard-nosed dad who was fully in control of the situation. Casey knew better, but he loved his old man for playing the part. It only made his penis grow more erect. He knew his dad rarely initiated anything between them. He always let Casey set the pace of their relationship. Vince would rather masterbate than force anything between them. It was the first good smile Vince saw on his son’s face since they got home. It was Vince’s first sign he was doing something right. Casey slowly took his clothes off in front of his dad and could see his old man responding. Casey was already hard as a rock from the wonderful, full, healthy, clean body smells coming from his dad as he helped him undress.

Vince was propped up in bed with a couple of pillows behind him. He motioned for Casey to lay out in front of him. Casey responded by crawling upon the bed throwing his arms around his dad’s waist and laying his head in Vince’s lap to breathe in the essence of his old man. His dad’s male odors were overpoweringly stimulating to him. He felt like his penis was going to burst its skin. He could feel his dad's male member rock hard beneath his head. Vince was stroking his boy's head and petting him. “Git down there on it, Boy! Take all you need from yore’ old man. I’ll do my best to hold off as long as I can. Jes’ let yourself go, Honcho. Forgit about ever' thing. Put them damn gears inside yore’ head in ‘park’ for a little while to pleasure and bring comfort to your old man. Swallow all yore’ old man’s love you can handle, Son," Vince urged him softly.

It seemed like a dream to Casey. It was like he became separated from his body and became an extension of his dad’s. He needed desperately to become an extension of his cowboy dad, his love, and his strength. Casey made love to his dad’s large bull-like balls and sucked all the good flavors he could. He sucked each ball into his mouth and chased it around with his tongue. He cleaned with his tongue to the base of his dad’s sack and could smell the strong male fragrance of his hole. That would wait for later. Casey needed other things from his dad right now. He needed to lose himself, even if only for a while, within a passionate bond, a comfort zone, they shared so many times. He could feel his dad’s communication through his strong but gentle calloused hands. He would gently rub his boy’s head and every now and then let out a pleased or pleasurable sound to encourage him. Vince was rarely vocal when he and Casey bonded but his boy needed to hear some words of encouragement right now.

“C'moan, Cowboy, suck on your old man’s balls. Clean ’em real good for him. Damn, that feels so good. My boy’s learned how to take good care of his old man. I’m proud of my boy. Take all you want, Son. Yore’ ole man ain’t going nowhere. He’s here for you. Take as much as you need, Buckaroo,” his dad’s running dialogue stirred a renewed passion and Casey began to throw himself into the erotic pleasure of the experience with his dad. Between Casey and Vince this sort of bonding was about Casey. Of course it felt wonderful to Vince, but the main focus was his boy getting his needed fill of his father's love. If his boy was hurting, Vince always knew he could move his son’s emotional love gauge from empty to full. Vince was going to hold off as long as he could to make sure he filled his boy's tank.

After cleaning, and making, what seemed like to Vince, endless love to his balls and penis, his beloved son, Casey, slowly but surely impaled himself on his dad’s cock. Casey slowly inched his way forward taking more of Vince down his throat. He learned to control his gag impulse through many sessions with his old man. He would move back a bit to breathe and then take more. Casey didn’t stop until his was lying with his chin pressed into Vince’s hairy balls and his lips pressed tightly against his dad’s pubs. He could smell his dad’s pungent, clean, masculine odors as he simply relaxed, and closed his eyes with his dad’s penis resting deeply in his throat.

He would lay there for a few minutes enjoying the feel of his dad within his body. Vince learned some time ago to let his boy go with it. He seemed to need the feel of his dad firmly plugged into his throat. Casey would ease off every now and then, and take another slow but sure trip to the base of his dad’s penis to once again impale himself. Vince had his hands placed on his son’s head resting gently. He moved them slowly down and under Casey’s neck to feel himself stretching out his boy’s throat. He could feel and massage his own penis while gently rubbing Casey’s neck. Casey would moan and urge his dad for more. Casey could sometimes repeat the action and lie impaled on his dad’s hard cock for several minutes at a time. Vince knew not to rush him. It was something he seemed to need. It would drive Vince crazy because he wanted to ejaculate so badly, but he played mental games with himself to hold off. He wanted Casey to take his fill of him this evening. He needed to fill his boy with his love. He began to speak to Casey again. Vince knew certain things to say to his boy what was guaranteed to light a fire, a further passion within him.

“Ah, Case, my handsome cowboy, that’s your old man’s love you be suck’n on. That’s his love what’s filling your beautiful throat. Just know your old man loves you, Son. Know that’s his all you’re hooked up to there. Pull it on tighter, Son. Yeah,‘at’s good. Press them pretty lips against your old man’s belly. ‘At’s it. A little more, Cowboy. Woah, you’re almost there, pod’na. Humm, there. ‘At’s it! ‘At’s it! Good'n tight; a right comfortable fit. Now that’s snug, Boy. Now you got all your old man in ya.’ That’s what you needed to feel, ain’t it, Boy? That’s a good feel’n, ain’t it, Son?” Casey knew his dad didn’t expect a reply, but he would gently squeeze his old man's gluts to signify his agreement with his words. After several more minutes, Casey pulled off Vince and quietly told his dad he needed to take his love. He was ready to receive his dad’s seed.

“Git up here, Boy, and give your old man a kiss first. Let your old man show you how much he needs you to take his love, how much he needs to give it to you.’”

Casey couldn’t remember a time when his dad was this demonstrative in their love making. He could tell his dad was really worried about him. He moved to his dad’s handsome face and gently began to kiss him. Vince enfolded him within his big cowboy arms and held him tight. Once again he let Casey take the lead and take all he needed. It was a kiss for the Longhorn record book. By the time Casey broke off from their kiss, Vince was so ready for his son to take his love he could feel his entire body tremble in anticipation as Casey moved down to take his prize.

Casey could see from his dad’s drooling penis he was primed and ready. He no more than got his mouth around it, took one long, slow hit on his dad’s cock moving it down his throat when he felt his dad’s load traveling the length of his shaft. He felt his dad’s hand on his head holding him down on him. Vince exploded into Casey’s throat and mouth. It was one of his strongest and hardest ejaculations since he and his boy started sharing physical love. Casey pulled back a bit to swallow, but Vince pulled him back down on his engorged penis for his second and third volley. There was so much of his dad’s come, Casey couldn’t get it all down fast enough and some was forced up and out his nose. The smell of his dad’s ejaculate, strong, masculine and powerful, with every breath was more erotic than Casey could handle. His own body started to spasm and tremble. Vince couldn’t believe what was happening. He knew he had to hold his penis in his boy’s mouth and ride him on down. It's what Casey wanted. Vince knew it was what his boy needed. Casey’s hips bucked twice and then a third time before he collapsed into a pool of his own fluids on the bed. Casey came as he wanted, impaled on his dad’s big cowboy cock. It was over. It was done. Casey was spent. His dad lay wasted.

Vince breathed deeply, sighed, and lay back on the pillows. He was gently holding his boy onto him. He knew Casey would let him know. Casey didn’t seem to want to move. Finally, Vince felt Casey’s tongue gently cleaning him and getting deep under his foreskin to retrieve his dad’s hidden treasures. Vince released his grip and allowed Casey to slip off of him.

“Git chore’ butt up here in my arms, Boy,” Vince growled at Casey as he held out his big arms to his son.

“But, Dad...?”

“Don’t make me no never mind, it washes off, and we gotta’ change the sheets tonight anyways. Come to me," Vince demanded.

Casey move up into his dad’s powerful arms and collapsed as Vince poured more of his love into his son. He stole kisses, petted his boy, and told him he didn’t need to be afraid, his dad was here and they would get through this together. He and his brother didn’t have to take this on alone. He made Casey feel like he was five years old again, being held close to his huge, imposing dad. In comparison to his smaller size at the time, Vince was a huge man. Now, Casey was almost the same size as Vince, yet his old man could still reduce his heart to that of a five year old, trusting child. Casey’s heart, for the moment, was at peace.

“Ya’ know, Case?” Casey could hear the mischief in his old man’s voice and braced himself, “I could swear I watched them damn legs a’ mine jes’ a tap dance’n on their own over their by that chair a while ago. Damned if’n ya’ didn’t keep yore’ promise, Boy,” Vince laughed at his own joke and stole a kiss.

“I meant what I said in the truck, Old Man,” Casey reaffirmed to Vince.

“I know you love me, Boy. Surely, you can’t have no doubts I love you, too, after that session,” Vince said firmly.

“Nary a glimmer,” Casey replied and smiled, “Kiss your boy, Old Man,” he whispered.

They kissed another kiss of gentle understanding and bonding. Vince got his boy over another hill. He could feel Casey rallying in his arms. Vince could feel Casey’s missing spirit flooding back into his body as he kissed him. After having come only minutes before they were both hard again. Vince reached down and grabbed himself a big ole handful of Longhorn cock. “Now, Son, that’s jes’ plain nasty,” he joked, “damn, h’it’s a wonder yore’ bother’s jaw didn’t need wiring back together after riding yore’ longhorn. ‘At’s your granddad’s gift to ya.’ That, and them eyes of yorn.”

“I’d like to meet him someday,” Casey said.

“No, you wouldn’t, Son. You wanna’ give yore’ old man a heart attack? Don’t never talk like that, Boy! You read that letter from my brother. You know how he is. I guaran-damn-tee ya’ that old bastard ain’t changed a lick. He’s still wallowing in his own very personal Hell on Earth he created for his'self, and I don’t want you near him. I know you’re curious, Son, but trust your old man on this one, he just ain’t worth the pain.”

“I didn’t say I was gonna’ try, Dad. I just said I’d like to meet him.”

“I know you would, and I apologize fer gettin’ so upset. C’moan, Honcho, pull my chair over to here, and we’ll go shower. We need to grab us some supper, a bite to eat, and change them sheets. Damn, Case, that’s a lake a’ come on the bed. Better strip it afore we go to the shower, Honcho,” Vince said.

* * * * * * *
I helped my dad in the shower. I was feeling a lot better after his injection of cowboy love. I wasn’t kidding with my bother. It be some strong, powerful shit. I could feel it working inside me just fighting off them scream’n green meanies of fear and self doubt. I helped him get his legs back on, we changed the sheets, made the bed, and went downstairs to fix supper. It was his night to cook and he decided to make one of my favorites, his world famous Italian hamburger helper surprise. The surprise was it always turned out a little different each time. He’d get creative and add something new. It was always good. He got a really good scald on it. I was fixing a salad when the phone rang. Dad answered, “Longhorn ranch.”

“Howdy, Mr. Longhorn. It’s Sidney Wainright calling, sir.”

“Well, shit howdy, Son! Good to hear from ya’ again. How’s yore’ old man?” Dad asked.

“He’s just fine, Mr. Longhorn, ornery as ever,” young Sidney replied and laughed.

“Good! Good, glad to hear it, and how’s old Sticker, Son?”

“Mr. Wiggins? He’s doing fine. He keeps my ass in line, Mr. Longhorn.”

“Damn glad to hear ole Sticker’s doing his job. He’s a fine man, Son. You listen to that cowboy, you’ll learn a lot,” Dad advised Sidney. “Ya’ wanna’ speak to my boy, Son?” Dad asked.

“If it’s all right, sir. Is he there?”

“Shore’ he's rye-cheer; hold on, Son. It’s for you, Casey. It’s yore’ buddy, Sidney.”

I took the phone from dad. “Hey, Little Buddy, what’s up?” I asked.

“Damn, Casey, I really like your old man,” I heard Sidney's say.

“Yeah, he's one of a kind. They done broke the mold when they made him. Rumor has it they damn near beat the mold maker to death, too. He's kinda like a fungus ya’ can’t get rid of, he jes’ keeps grow’n on ya,’” I said and laughed. I heard Sidney laugh on the other end.

“Listen, Case, I can’t make it Wednesday evening. When I accepted your invitation I forgot something dad had planned. I told Mr. Wiggins about your kind invitation on our way home and he reminded me about dad’s plans. Can we make it another time? How about Thursday evening?”

“Hold on, Sidney. Dad, Sidney can’t make it Wednesday evening. His dad already made plans for them. How ‘bout Thursday?” I asked.

“Why don’t chu’ invite him over for the day. You and Dwayne are gonna’ be trying to built that bird cage. I think you two could use some smarts, and know’n that kid, it’ll come out look’n like the damn Taj Mahal,” Dad replied and laughed, “We can take him home in the evening after dinner sometime. Find out from his dad what time he has to be home.”

“Sidney?” I heard Sidney laughing on the other end.

“I heard him, Case. He’s funny. I’m sure that’ll be all right with dad and Mr. Wiggins. I’ll let you know at school tomorrow, and tell your dad I just happen to have the plans for the Taj Mahal on my lap top. I’ll bring it along. I wouldn’t wanna’ disappoint him,” Sidney said and laughed again.

“I’ll be sure and tell him, Sid.”

“How’s your brother, Case?” Sid asked.

“He’s hang’n in 'nere. I know he’s look’n forward us gettin’ together and talking with you. So am I, Sid.”

“Yeah, me, too,” Sidney agreed, “I told Mr. Wiggins how fond of you and Dwayne I am, and he said I couldn’t a’ picked no better friends. Look, I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Tell your dad thanks for me, and I’ll look forward to seeing him again.”

“Great, Sid. Thanks for calling, Buddy.”

I hung up the phone and told dad what Sidney said. He got a good laugh out of it. My spirits were picking up. I knew food would help and we just about had everything ready. We set down to eat, and I ate like a pig. I caught my dad watching me and grinning. “What?” I asked with a mouthful of hamburger helper surprise.

“J’ever notice how you pack it away after we have a little session like we done earlier?” he asked and grinned at me.

“Yeah, I gotta’ agree with ya,’ Dad. There’s just something about it what makes me get the hongries. Thanks, Dad, I don’t think I have to tell ya,’ I really needed it. My old man’s cowboy love'n has a way of centering me. I’m a lot better now,” I complimented him.

“That’s what dads are for, Son, or at least they should be,” he allowed.

After I did my homework, we watched T.V. for a while, but I soon got bored with it. I turned to look at dad. “You bored, too?” he asked.

“Yes, sir. I’d lot’s rather be lying in bed with my old man, holding him, talk’n to him, and stealing a kiss or two.”

“That’s doable. It’s a can-do, Cowboy. Don’t sound too damn shabby to your old man, neither. C’moan, boy, turn that damnable machine off and let’s hie our butts up to bed.”

After I got dad settled for the night, I lay there in his arms, and we talked quietly, sealing a kiss or two now and then. I don’t remember when I drifted off to sleep, but I woke up in the early hours of the morning and found his arm gently thrown over me pulling me close. As I lay there listening to my dad’s slow, soft breathing, I realized how lucky I was to have a man like him for my dad. How could a man, as bad as my dad told me my grandfather was, produce such a loving man as my father? I knew, one day, I had to find out for myself.

* * * * * * *
Dad dropped me off early at school the next morning. It was Wednesday morning, our last day of school before the long holiday weekend, and I was looking forward to a great weekend with my dad and my brother. Dwayne was already there waiting for me, and we watched as Mr. Wiggins’ imposing Hummer pulled up to the curb. We could see him with his big black Stetson pushed slightly back on his head. He turned and saw Dwayne and me, and put his hand to the tip of his hat in a gesture of acknowledgment. We waved to him. I pointed to the Hummer, and  gave him and okay, thumbs up sign for his new truck. He laughed and waved as he pulled away.

“Damn, Brother!” I exclaimed in a disgusted manner.

“Yeah, I know. He’s so damn good look’n it’s unlawfully sinful. Ever’ time I see him, my old prick gets s'damn hard it hurts, and what’s worse, my twat twitches so bad it’s downright painful. If that cowboy wanted to rape me, I’d sell tickets, Bubba,” Dwayne drawled

“Jesus, Dwayne, don’t chu’ never point no finger at me again and tell me I’m bad. That’s jes’ plumb awful,” I told him laughing my ass off as Sidney walked up to greet us.  

“Mornin,’ Little Buddy?” I said through my laughter.

“Mornin,’ Guys. Hey, I got great news. Dad said I could spend the day with you men. He had nothing but good words to say about you and Dwayne, Case. I don’t know what your dad did for him, but my old man thinks your dad is one Hell of a man. He said as long as I was with you two and Mr. Longhorn, he didn’t care what time I got home as long as it was before ten. What time should I be there?”

“Might as well get an early start on our project. Is nine too early?” I asked.

“No, that’s fine. Mr. Wiggins will drive me over. We’ll be there at nine,” Sidney agreed.

“Listen, Little Buddy, you make damn sure, and don’t take no for an answer, you get that big cowboy to come in for a few minutes for coffee,” I said, winked at Sidney and grinned. Dwayne rolled his eyes at me about the thought of Mr. Wiggins bringing Sidney over, and it started me laughing again about what he said.

“What the Hell’s so funny? What are you two laughing about?” he asked.

“Ah, my brother just said the damnest off-the-wall comment about chore’ good looking trainer when you guys pulled up a minute ago. I told him never to tell me I was bad again.”

“What’d he say?” Sidney was laughing at us ‘cause we broke up laughing again.

“You don’t wanna’ know, Little Buddy,” I assured him breaking up again.

“Hell, I ain’t proud,” Dwayne said grinning real big, “I’ll tell ‘em.”

Dwayne repeated what he said about Mr. Wiggins to Sidney. We thought Sidney was going to have a heart attack.

“Dwayne, I’ve had much worse thoughts about him than that, believe me,” he said. We laughed again. Sidney continued, “You’d think living with someone, day in and day out, year after year, you’d grow used to them and their appeal wouldn’t have quite the same effect on you. Wrong! My poor dick ain’t been soft since I reached puberty,” he said disgustedly. That only set us off on another round of laughter. “I have to lie on the bench-press in our gym every other day with him spotting me. I can look right up his shorts and see his horse cock and them big bull balls a’ his hang’n between his legs. I forget what the fuck I’m doing and drop the weight on my chest ever’ damn time,” Sidney said.

“Stop! Stop! I can’t hear no more!” I yelled at Sidney. I was in pain from laughing. I checked to see if Dwayne was still breathing.

About that time Gary Peacock and two of his regulars sauntered past us. Peacock had a sneer on his face and was glaring at us the whole time. “Wonder what them girlfriends has to be laugh’n about? Probably how good they’s sucked each others clits last night,” he said loud enough the whole schoolyard heard him.

I flashed, “Hey, Peacock! I got chore’ girlfriend right here, you garbage mouthed faggot,” I yelled and groped my longhorn through my Wranglers so he could clearly see the outline. Would you believe, he looked? I moved my hips toward him in a suggestive manner. “You’re so damn obsessed with call’n everybody else a queer it’s so obvious you’re just trying to draw attention away from you being a cocksucker. You’re the biggest goddamn faggot in this high school, Peacock. You ain’t fool’n nobody, Butt-breath. Ever’body knows the only reason them four brainless twits follow you around is ‘cause you’s suck’n their dicks. They wouldn’t give you the sweat off their balls, otherwise.”
    
I must have struck a nerve with Peacock. He came unglued at the hinges and started calling me everything but a good man. I just turned my back to him and smiled at Dwayne and Sidney. He lost a lot of status from my sharp words and planted a seed of doubt in everyone’s mind about him. It put a noticeable chink in his authority with his buddies, too. I almost – not quite, but almost – felt sorry for him.

“Fuck you, Longhorn, if that really is your name. You and Harding are all the time running around suck’n up to that little faggot. You ain’t fool’n nobody neither. You three be suck’n each other off. There’s talk about you sleep’n with you old man, too. Now, that ain’t only major homo, it’s down right disgusting,” he said in a nasty voice. I walked over to him, grabbed the front of his jacket with one hand and lifted him off the ground. I heard Dwayne and Sidney drop their books and knew they had my back. Each went and stood in front of one of the other two of Peacock’s pals daring them to make a move to help him. They weren’t about to go through Dwayne or Sidney to help Peacock. When I’m really pissed, a calm comes over me I’m more afraid of than my anger. It’s put the fear of God in a couple of men over the years.

I held him and looked him straight in his hate filled eyes. "See that little man behind me, Cocksucker?” I said slowly and calmly in a deliberate voice, “He’s more of a man in a minute than you’ll ever be in your whole lifetime, you filthy-minded bag of shit. If I ever hear of you calling him a queer, a cocksucker, or a faggot again, I’ll hunt chu’ down like the rabid, foul-mouthed dog you are. I’ll find you and beat chu’ within an inch of your gotdamn, worthless life. I don’t give a fuck what chu’ say about me, ‘cause ever’ one knows who the real queer in this school is. It’s you, Pussy-face. As for my dad, he’s more of a man than you and your drunk’n sot of an old man put together; that is, if’n he really is your old man. There’s talk around town he ain’t chore’ dad a' tall, and you know what that makes you, Peacock? A bastard. A gin-u-wine butt fuck’n, queer bastard. By your own definition, h'it don’t get much lower’n ‘nat, does it, Fuck-face? You so much as mention my dad again and you’ll wish to Almighty God you never done it. I’ll squash yore’ pansy ass like the worm you are. Got that, you unholy, come drink’n faggot?” I yelled in his face only inches from him.  

Peacock blinked his eyes, and nodded his head once. With that I threw him away from me like a piece of trash, with all the force in my arm. He fell backwards and down on the ground. He got up grumbling and hurried away to be followed by his posse. The three of us were surrounded by the other students patting us on the back. They were telling us how glad they were to see Peacock put in his place. I had no idea he was so hated by the rest of the students. I was pleased to see they were including Sidney in our moment of triumph. After the crowd disbursed, things quieted down a little. We still had a few minutes before the bell for first period.

“Proud a’ you, Bubba,” Dwayne said softly patting me on the back, “That asshole deserved it.”

“Damn, Casey, don’t know about Peacock, but you damn sure got my respect. I swear, those words could’ve come directly from your dad’s mouth, Case. You sounded just like him,” Sidney chuckled, “Thanks for your kind words, I won’t ever forget that, Case. I dearly loved you calling him 'pussy-face,'” Sidney said and broke up laughing. Dwayne and I joined him.

“Ah, what the fuck, Sidney? You’re our buddy now. You damn well belong to us. I ain’t even gonna’ qualify that statement. You’s too damn bright not to understand what I mean. We love ya,’ Little Brother,” I declared as I threw my arms around him and hugged him. I thought Sidney was going to lose it for a minute, but he didn’t. I knew, as moved as he was, he knew this wasn’t the time or place.

“Fuck! If he gets a hug, so do I,” Dwayne said, jump up, and hugged Sidney as well. Sidney laughed at Dwayne’s enthusiasm, but he didn’t hold back. Most of the kids in school witnessed our bonding with Sidney and from that day forth we were a threesome.

 * * * * * * *
We sat together at lunch and pretended nothing happened. We were quietly laughing and joking with each other. Sidney was keeping us entertain with his stories. I could feel the more he was around us the more comfortable he became and the more open we became with him. We noticed Peacock was minus two of his guards. The two who were with him earlier were nowhere to be seen. They started distancing themselves from him. We decided his actions were probably getting a little out of hand even for them. I worried about him a little. He seemed like more than just your average high school bully. I wasn’t sure, but I felt he was deeply, emotionally troubled. He might even be dangerous. One of his statements was really bothering me. I tried to keep it to myself, but his words about me and my dad kept gnawing at me. I quickly learned you can’t keep much from Sidney.

“Casey, what’s troubling you?” he asked.

“Nothing, what’d ya’ mean?” I asked trying to look surprised. He just looked at me and grinned.

“Yeah, I know you too well by now, Bubba. Sidney’s right,” my brother said.

“Ah, it was jes’ something that asshole said this morning.”

“About chu’ and yore’ dad?” Dwayne asked.

“Yeah, how could he know anything about me? I know you two have nothing to do with him or his group. You’d never say anything anyway. It jes’ ain’t like you men.”

“He doesn’t know a damn thing, Case,” Sidney jumped to my defense, “He was fishing in the dark. He’s seen how close you and your dad are. You two never try to hide it. You love each other too much to deny it. You’re not overt about it but someone like Peacock is looking for anything he can twist or pervert to his benefit. It’s a common thing with people like him who have nothing better to do with their narrow minded, vacant lives than to see folks who are living life to the fullest and try to invent things, just in case, by some slim chance, they might be right and devastate you. J'ever play Battleships?” Sidney asked.

“Yeah, lots a’ times.”

“Same principal. You guess where the other man has his ships, and if you guess right, you get a hit. You sink his battleship, right?” Sid asked.

“Yeah,” I agreed quietly. Sidney was beginning to make a lot of sense.

“That’s exactly what he did. He accidentally scored a hit, but you played it cool. You didn’t contradict him. That would’ve been the worse thing you could’ve done.  Then he’d know because of your anger, he scored a direct hit. You just acted like he didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about, but you weren’t going to allow him to defame your dad. I think you scored a greater hit with your shot in the dark.”

“Weren’t no shot in the dark, Sid.”

“Oh, I see,” Sidney replied.

“He don’t look nothing like his old man, but he looks one Hell of a lot like old Ben Reason who owns one of the gas stations in town. There was some talk Gary’s mom and Mr. Reason had an affair shortly after she married Gary’s dad. I don’t think Gary’s dad can have kids; leastwise, that’s what I’ve heard. Everyone thinks that’s why his dad drinks so much. One day he woke up and realized Gary weren’t his son.”

“Come to think on it, Gary does look a lot like Mr. Reason,” Sidney allowed, “Woah. I’d say you didn’t just sink his ship you destroyed his navy.”

“Yeah, but I ain’t real proud of it.”

“There are times, Case, when you can’t feel that way. You can bet chore’ ass he would’ve taken the hit if the situation was reversed. Peacock is so damn jealous of you, Dwayne, and me he’d do anything to destroy any one of us if he could with no conscience. Our conscience is what separates us from the animals. Peacock is, in my humble opinion, an animal and operates without conscience. If a man treats you fairly, you deal with him fairly. If a man attacks you like an animal, you attack him back like an animal. That doesn’t mean you have to stop having a conscience. Just feel bad about it for a while, then let it go.”

“Damn, Case, he makes a lot of sense, you know?” Dwayne said.

“Yeah, he does. Thanks, Sid, I appreciate that.”

“What are friends for, Case?” Sid asked in reply.

* * * * * * *
That afternoon dad picked me and Dwayne up since Dwayne would be staying with us starting that evening. “Yore’ momma called again and asked me to bring you home, Son. Jump in. I don’t know why she called, ‘cause I told her yesterday I’d pick ya’ll up today. She just seemed kind of anxious about some’um.” Dwayne was pleased to be riding home with us again. Dad kept looking in the rear view mirror at me and Dwayne. Something was troubling him. I knew him too well.

“What’s up, Dad?” I took a shot in the dark.

“Damn, does it show?” he asked.

“No, I just know you too well,” I replied.

“Dwayne, yore’ momma didn’t tell me nothing, so I don’t know what’s going on over to yore’ house. She wants you and Case to get your chores done, get back in the Bronco, and for us to get out of there as soon as possible. She’ll have some clean clothes ready for you to take with you,” Dad said.

“Yes, sir, Mr. Longhorn.”

“By the way, we’ve all been invited to the Winchester’s for dinner. I think Spence wants to talk with us some more.”

“Great,” Dwayne said.

“Fine by me,” I agreed. I loved Donna Winchester’s cooking.

* * * * * * *
We got to Dwayne’s place and Sadie Dunbar came out to greet us again. She seemed okay. She just told me and Dwayne to go get his chores done. She brought out a bag of Dwayne’s clothes and dad put them in the back of the Bronco. “I decided to leave for my sister’s as soon as Brad gets home this evening, Vince. I wasn’t gonna’ leave ‘til tomorrow afternoon, but she’s had a turn for the worse, and they need me. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you taking care of Dwayne this weekend. If something happens and I can’t get back right away would you mind keeping Dwayne at your place.”

“You know better’n ‘nat, Sadie. Of course, I’ll take care of Dwayne for you as long as it takes. He’s got a second home over there with Casey and me. You don’t never have to ask, Sadie. We’re glad to have him. He’s a damn good boy.”

“Thanks, Vince, I knew I could count on you. Can’t say that about a lot of folks these days. I don’t know what Brad’s gonna’ say when I tell him I sent Dwayne over to your place for the long weekend, but I’m gonna’ tell him tonight when he gets home. I’d just as soon Dwayne be over there with you and Casey. I don’t know why, but I just don’t feel comfortable leaving him with Brad for tonight or the weekend. I guess Dwayne told you he had a fit last night about some damn thing he thought the boys didn’t do right. Dwayne didn't argue with him. He apologized and ran right back out there to do it again. Brad followed him out to make sure he got it right. Dwayne wouldn’t tell me, but I think he and Brad had words. I’m afraid my boy’s pulling away from me, Vince. I can’t get him to talk to me no more. Did Dwayne say anything to you about it?”

“No, Sadie, Dwayne didn’t say a word to me. Maybe he told Casey. I don’t know, I ain’t had time to talk with the boys. They didn’t say much on the way here. They were just thrilled they were gonna’ get to spend the weekend with each other and their buddies. We’re stopping by the Winchester’s for dinner. They love Dwayne, too. He’s always welcome when we get an invite to their place for dinner.”

“They’re good people, Vince. Spencer and Donna’s been good to me and Dwayne.”

Dad told me later, he came within a hair’s breath of telling Sadie what was going on, but he just couldn’t. Sadie had so much on her shoulders right then, and he didn’t think it would be the right time to tell her. Dwayne would be safe with us for the weekend. Well – safe with dad – I couldn’t guarantee his safety with me. I was secretly planning on lovingly rapeing my bubba. We finished Dwayne’s chores, he checked everything twice and was sure everything was done perfectly to the Colonel’s expectations. Sadie told Dwayne goodbye. She hugged and kissed him. “You be a good boy, and mind Vince, ya’ hear? You be good to your brother, too,” she gently admonished her son. That surprised Dwayne and me. Sadie never referred to me as Dwayne’s brother before.

“I will, Mom. I love you,” Dwayne replied.

“I love you, too, Darlin.’ Now, go. Ya’ll git on out a’ here,” she said with a wave of her apron.

I could tell Mrs. Dunbar was worried. She didn’t try to hide her urgency in wanting us to leave.

* * * * * * *
We didn’t run into the Colonel when we left. Since the Winchester’s lived the opposite way on the ranch road we wouldn’t run into him there either. We had to pass back by Dwayne’s on the way home, but by that time the Colonel would be home. He wouldn’t see us anyway in the dark. We arrived at the Winchester’s and Spencer must have been expecting us because he came bounding down the front steps again to welcome us. He had a huge grin on his face and went to dad first. Nothing would do but a big bear hug and a buss on the cheek. Dad returned his enthusiasm. Dwayne was next and got the same treatment. It was my turn next, and I was really glad to see the old man again. Mr. Winchester became sort of security blanket for me, Dwayne, and dad. His genuineness was catching. We found our spirits lifted by his unsuppressed love for the three of us.

“Come in, Gentlemen! C’moan in,” he invited.

We walked into the big house and dad gave Spence his hat to put on the hall table. Dwayne and I weren’t wearing our hats. We just got out of school and didn’t have time to get them. Dwayne had his in the truck but since I wasn’t wearing mine he didn’t put his on.

Donna Winchester came from the kitchen and greeted us warmly with hugs and kisses. She remarked how well my dad was looking. He was looking pretty damn good lately. I think it had something to do with the evening we shared the previous night. I certainly felt lighter on my feet and more at peace with the world. Donna went back to her kitchen and Spencer ushered us into his office/study and closed the door. Dwayne and I took the couch again and dad sat in the same, large, comfortable, leather, wing back chair he sat in the last time. Spencer got a glass, some ice from a small fridge in his office and poured himself a couple of fingers of Scotch.

“What’s new, Gentlemen? You men have a long holiday weekend coming up. You looking forward to it?” he asked.

I looked at Dwayne and he nodded for me to take the question. “We’re looking forward to the break, Mr. Winchester, but we’re sort of uneasy about what’s going on at Dwayne’s place.”

“Vince told me Sadie gave her permission for you to spend the weekend with Vince and Casey,” he said to Dwayne.

“Yes, sir, Mr. Winchester.”

Spence looked at dad. Dad responded. “She moved up her departure to go to her Sister’s from tomorrow afternoon to this afternoon. She told me she was gonna’ tell the Colonel this evening she gave Dwayne permission to stay with us for the weekend, but I agreed to bring Casey and Dwayne over to do his chores every afternoon. She said something about Brad getting on Dwayne’s case last night and said he ranted and raved for a couple of hours. Dwayne didn’t say anything to me about it. Did he talk to you about it, Case?”

“I didn’t tell nobody, Mr. Longhorn. I’m just so embarrassed at what’s going on I don’t wanna’ cause trouble for nobody.”

“That’s exactly what he wants you to think, Dwayne. He’s brainwashing you, Son, to make your believe you’re a bad boy. He’s got you thinking you’re a bother to everyone, so you don’t tell anyone because you don’t wanna’ be troublesome. You’re not a bad boy, Dwayne. You’re a damn good boy, Son. We’ve got to do something about this pretty damn quick. Any suggestions?” Mr. Winchester asked. No one said anything. “Okay, let’s talk about it. I know we’re meeting a little earlier than planned, but maybe that’s a good thing. What we talked about the other night should still be pretty fresh in your minds. Do you know if the Colonel has the long weekend off, Dwayne?”

“I think he does, Mr. Winchester. He said something to me about having me to himself for four days. I didn’t tell him about mom giving me permission to stay with the Longhorns for the weekend. I thought I'd leave that up to my mom," Dwayne said.

“That's good thinking on your part, Son. If he knew in advance he might be able to convince her to leave you with him. What happens if you go back over to do your chores tomorrow and he orders you not to return with Vince and Casey. What if he insists you stay there with him for whatever lame-brain reason he might invent? Who will you obey, him or Mr. Longhorn?” Spencer asked.

“Mr. Longhorn, because my mom left me under his supervision,” Dwayne replied.

“Good, that’s good, Dwayne. Okay, what if he tells you, he’s your step-dad and you damn well better do what he tells you?" Spence asked.

“He’s not my dad and marriage to my mother don’t give him control over me if it’s her choice to leave me in someone else’s care.”

“Humm, have you been thinking a lot about this, Son?” Spencer asked and smiled at Dwayne.

“Only every waking minute since Mr. Longhorn got my mom’s permission yesterday for me to spend the weekend with them, but to be honest, my mom told me that. She told me to tell him that if he orders me to stay there with him.”

“That’s good, at least she realizes the Colonel has no legal say in what you do or who she leaves you with. Well, I thought I was gonna’ have to explain your position to you, but you seem to have a pretty good grip on who you should listen to if he tries to get bossy and control you.”

“Well, Dwayne ain’t gonna’ be by himself. I’ll be there with him and so will Casey. An adult will have a lot more leverage against the Colonel. I’m not the least bit afraid or intimidated by Brad Dunbar. He pulls his pants on one leg at a’ time, jes’ like the rest of us. However, Sadie didn’t just give her permission, she asked me personally, if I would accept Dwyane into my care during her absence. She expressed her concerns about the relationship between her husband and her son. She asked me this afternoon if she had to stay longer than she thought if I would take responsibility for Dwayne’s care until she returned. She was worried and didn’t wanna’ leave him with the Colonel. She couldn’t wait for us to get out of there so we wouldn’t run into him.”
 
“Wow, that’s pretty heavy, Vince. It also gives you stronger legal footing to throw at him if he gets adamant. If he should threaten violence, protect yourself, but don’t start nothing. Casey’s got a cell phone, have him call the sheriff immediately. You have legal grounds for keeping Dwayne and there’s not a goddamn thing he can do about it. Okay, I think that takes care of one of my concerns. Have you thought about what we talked about last time, Dwayne?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Winchester, a lot.”

“And did your brother take you by the hand and lead you through your final door?” Mr. Winchester asked somewhat rhetorically. He already knew the answer. Spence smiled knowingly at Dwayne.

Dwayne blushed and looked at me. “He sure did, Mr. Winchester, and it was wonderful, sir.”

“Then you were able to understand the difference between what the Colonel’s doing to you and what your brother shared with you?”

“All the difference in the world, Mr. Winchester. I love my brother and what we shared was because we wanted to. He didn’t have to if’n he didn’t want to. I was willing to be his buddy without it. Likewise, I had a choice in the matter. However, ever’ time I’m around the Colonel my ole prick acts like it’s got a brain of its own. I keep a hard-on most of the time around him. I try’n stay away from him as much as possible, but when he yells and screams about something I done wrong, I run down to the barn and try to do it right. He follows me down there and tells me what a no good little faggot I am. He grabs me and kisses me hard while he reaches down to feel my crotch. I don’t understand why he kisses me if he don’t love me? It don’t make no sense to me. When he finds me hard as a rock he pushes me away from him, like I was a piece of trash. I fall down, he laughs at me, calls me a filthy little cocksucker, and that’s after he kissed me.

“See, just look at you,” he tells me, “You know you want me, you little queer-ass mother-fucker. Why? ‘Cause I’m a man. A man who takes what he wants, and I’ll have your ass to take for four days this weekend. You will never be a man, Boy. The closest you’ll ever get to becoming a man is to be a slave to a man like me who’ll take pity on your faggot ass and let you suck his man-juice out of him so's you can feel like a real man for a little while. After a while, you’ll want more and more so you can feel like you’re a man like him, but you won’t ever be a man, you filthy come drinker, without his cock to suck. I’m really look’n forward to this weekend. I’ll have four days to keep you tied up in the barn. I may even bring home a treat for you. I got a big black recruit who has a cock on him that’ll fill that queer tank of yours for damn sure. I’ll bring him home and let him fuck you for an hour or more. Would ya’ like that, Faggot?” I wouldn’t answer him, but he kept yell’n at me ‘til I did. I told him, ‘yes, sir.’ Anything to get him to stop yelling at me. I’m still confused, Mr. Winchester. He’s right, I do want him, even if he’s a no good, rotten, son of a bitch. Why do I still want it with him, sir? I don’t want him to have that control over me no more, Mr. Winchester. One thing I realized this week, more than ever, I need yours, Mr. Longhorn’s, and Casey’s help; oh yes, and someone else’s help.”

“Someone else, Son?” Spence Winchester asked.

“Casey?” Dwayne turned to me asking if I would explain Sidney to Mr. Winchester.

“The night my brother and I spent our first evening together, we had a similar dream about our little buddy at school, Sidney Wainright. In our dreams he was helping us with something, but we couldn’t quite figure out what. He’s coming to our place tomorrow to spend the day with Dwayne and me. He knows about us anyway. You can’t hide much from that kid. He took one look at Dwayne and me yesterday and just knew. We’ve covered his back on a couple of altercations he’s gotten into at school and today he covered my back. He may be small, but take me and Dwayne’s word for it, he’s not to be messed with. We watched him cold-cock ole Skipper Davis, and he ain’t never laid a hand on Sidney. You know how big ole Skipper is. We just decided to tell Sidney everything. We's hope'n maybe he’ll have some idea how to help. He’s an awful smart kid, Mr. Winchester.”

“Yes, there’s no telling how intelligent that boy is. His dad’s brought him to me a number of times and his trainer as well,” Mr. Winchester said. Dwayne looked at me and rolled his eyes. I broke up laughing. “I see you men think the same as most folks about Sidney’s trainer. Y’ain’t alone, Men. Holy crap, what a man that cowboy is.” Mr. Winchester winked at my dad like they shared a common secret about Mr. Wiggins. “Anyway, I think it’s a wonderful idea. Do you men feel you can trust him?”

“There ain’t a soul, other than the three men in this room, I’d trust more’n him, Mr. Winchester,” I declared.

“Ya’ll plan on telling him tomorrow at your place?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You can trust, Sidney, Men. Ain’t a finer boy in these parts. He ain’t only intelligent, his dad and Sticker Wiggins is raise’n him right. He has a good strong heart and keen sense of right and wrong. You can’t go wrong befriending that young man. Now, Dwayne, remember we talked about addiction?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Son, it’s easy for any person, male or female, to get addicted to another person. They don’t even have to love them. I know that sounds weird, but it’s true. Physical addiction to another person is as difficult to break as any other addiction, maybe more. It’s easier for men to become physically addicted because that’s the way nature planned it so a man and a woman would stay together. Only thing is, it works for two males or two females the same way. What he’s doing is making you become physically addicted to him. There ain’t no love to it. When he kisses you, it’s because he wants to reinforce his control over you. Believe me, Son, don’t entertain the idea it’s to show you his affection. It’s far from that.

"The man don’t love you or he wouldn’t be treating you like he is. You don’t treat someone you love like that, Dwayne. I want you to keep one thing in the back of your mind. When you get all hot and bothered, your cock gets hard because of him and his crazy talk; remember, he’s been fuck’n with your brain as well as your body long enough to cause this addiction. It ain’t your fault, Dwayne. You say you wanna’ break free, so the only thing now is to figure out how you can go about it. You ain’t alone, Son, we’ll be with you every step of the way.

"First of all you have to decide what you want to accomplish. I don’t think telling your mom is going to do it. At this point, he probably has her just about as brainwashed as you. His approach to her is a little different, but essentially has the same result. He gets her to think the way he wants her to. He’s probably been bending her ear day and night with a constant barrage about how irresponsible and what a bad a boy you are. He might even be telling her you’re a pathological liar and you’d tell a lie when the truth would do more good, and other shit like that. He’ll tell her he can’t stand a liar or someone who perverts the truth. He’ll hammer home, over and over again how irresponsible you are, and he won’t stop until he convinces her.”

“Well,” my dad spoke up, “I can verify that. Sadie told me he moans and groans bitching to her about what a bad boy Dwayne is, he’s irresponsible, and Brad, out of the goodness of his heart, is just trying to shape his ass up. Sadie all too easily chalks it up to his military background. She thinks the Colonel is trying to run their home like a boot camp and Dwayne is another one of his recruits. I think it’s beginning to get to Sadie with all she has on her plate right now with her younger sister dying and all.”

“So, his next step is to close off your mother from you, so if you got really desperate and went to her, he could claim you’re a liar, you’d do anything or say anything to get rid of him because you refuse to let him make you into a good little soldier. You been fighting him every step of the way, and it’s time for her to make a decision. He’ll have all kinds of examples of things you’ve said or done to prove his point until Sadie will begin to wonder if you really are a good boy or not. At that point, she’ll probably give him the benefit of the doubt. She’ll give him free reign over you and probably tell you it’s for your own good; exactly what he will have told her to tell you. From there on, he's home free; he’s got you where he wants you.”

“Why, Mr. Winchester, why would he go to all this trouble? Surely he couldn’t hate me or my dad that much he’d want to do this to me. Doesn’t he love my mother? I’m her only kid. He knows how much I mean to her. If he loved her he wouldn’t be doing this to someone she loves as much as me. I know my mom, Mr. Winchester, she wouldn’t have married him if she didn’t think he really loved her.”

“Dwayne, he’s what we call in psychological terms a sociopath. He will do anything, say anything, be anything to anyone to get what he wants. A sociopath has no conscience who they hurt or destroy to accomplish their objective goal no matter what it might be. Over the weekend I want you and Casey to look-up the word ‘sociopath’ on the Internet and learn all you can about it. Get Sidney to help. Information is right up his alley.”  

Mr. Winchester wrote the word on a note pad and handed it to me. I took it from him, folded it, and put it into my shirt pocket.

“You’re right, Dwayne, I thought a lot about his actions and something’s not right. There’s something we’re all missing. Just wanting to get back at your dad or make you into his sex toy isn’t enough to explain his actions. Like you said the last time you were here, he could probably make you into his sex toy more easily by showing you some genuine affection. He could have you eating out of his hand with a minimal amount of investment on his part. I got to thinking about a movie we watched recently where there was a lot of international intrigue and one of the characters kept saying, ‘follow the money.’ Follow the money in your case, Dwayne. Vince, what do you think the Dunbar ranch is worth on today’s market?” Mr. Winchester asked.

“I’d say from half to three-quarters of a million. The way California land values are rising ever’ day it’s hard to keep track,” Dad replied.

“If something was to happen to your mom who would get the ranch, Dwayne?” Spence asked.

“I would, he wouldn’t. I think mom had an agreement drawn up before they got married. I think he signed it understanding if anything happened to her he wouldn’t get the ranch, but I would.”

“Are you sure about that, Dwayne?”

“Pretty sure, Mr. Winchester. I ain’t positive, but I know there was talk about it. I overheard them.”

“But, you’re not a hundred percent sure Sadie went through with it?”

“Naw, sir. Ain’t never talked to my mom about it. Didn’t never think about it. I figure it was her business as an adult, and it was something I didn’t need to know about.”

“Well, let’s assume she did, and if anything was to happen to her, you’d get the ranch. What if you were, somehow, removed from the picture? Say, you disappear and are never heard from again?” Mr. Winchester asked.

There was a silence in the room that was deafening. I could hear a ringing in my ears. My dad sucked in air like he hadn’t considered the possibility.

“Oh, my, God,” Dwayne uttered quietly, “Why didn’t I see it?”
 
“Because, Son, he’s got you worried about other things. He’s keeping you busy fighting for your very existence. That’s the way sociopaths operate, that’s the way they do things. They subvert and confuse. They get everything in place, then move in for the kill. Look what he’s doing? He just about got you convinced you’re worthless. He knows it’s only a matter of time before you break and give into his demands. Then he'll really start in to shape you like he wants you. He brainwashes you more and more until you’re ready to become any man’s slave, and he sells you. You disappear. You’re never heard from again. He keeps your mom around for a while until the smoke clears then something mysteriously happens to her. He’s her husband, you’re nowhere to be found, he gets the ranch. It’s a little more complicated than that, but you get the picture.”

“That rotten son of a bitch,” Dwayne said under his breath.

“Wait a minute. Is that anger I hear coming from you, Son?” Spencer Winchester stared at Dwayne and then smiled. He made his point in spades. Dwayne looked at dad and me and smiled sheepishly.

“Damn right it is, Mr. Winchester,” he replied with considerable conviction.

“Good boy, Dwayne! Remember what that cowboy sit’n in that chair told you the other night; be very angry, Dwayne. Your step-dad is a monster, Son,” Spence said firmly. There was another silence and somehow I knew Mr. Winchester was going to end this meeting on that note. He wanted Dwayne to go away thinking about what he told him.

“Okay, Gentlemen, that’s enough for tonight. I think I managed to get everyone’s adrenalin pumped to a level of action. So let’s meet again soon, and I want you men to consider actions and consequences. If we do this or do that, what will be the possible outcome. It’s not only you we have to think about, Dwayne. We have to consider your mom and what we want to see happen to your step-dad. Perhaps, next time, we’ll have another member of our rescue group?” he asked looking at Dwayne and me.

“We’ll certainly invite him, Mr. Winchester. I think Dwayne and I would like for Sidney to be included.”

“I agree. That’s fine. If we meet here, of course he’s welcome to join us for dinner as well. We’ll be glad to have him. Dwayne, I think Vince will agree with me, you’ve come a long way from the confused frustrated young man who sat here several days ago.”

“No doubt about it, Spence. I told him the other night I was proud of him for facing his demons and I still am. We’ll get through this together, Son,” my Dad agreed.

* * * * * * *
After we left Mr. Winchester’s study to go in for dinner, nothing more said about the subject. Dwayne was more open and happy at dinner than I’d seen him in a while. Even dad noticed. Of course, my old man don’t miss much. On the way home we passed by the Dunbar ranch. My old man knows how to make the best of a bad situation with a bit of humor. “On the count of three, Cowboys, a salute to Colonel Jar-head. One, two, three!” he ordered, and in unison, we shot him the bird.


End of Chapter 9 ~ Texas Longhorns
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01/22/2005
09/29/2016