Chapter 1
A Strange Encounter

I can still remember the first day I saw him at the park. What initially caught my attention was his mane of shaggy blond hair, his slender yet athletic build, and his adorable little boy butt. Later, when I got to see him up close, I was also drawn in by his stunning green eyes and adorable smile.

In addition to his amazing assets, over the course of the next few days I noticed something else about him as well, and it was that the clothes he was wearing were usually threadbare and in very poor condition. They were also either too small or too large for his slender frame, and I wasn't sure if this was due to the fact that they were his play clothes, or that his family just wasn't very well off. In any case, he was still adorable no matter what he was wearing, and I was convinced he would look just as good, probably even better, if he were totally naked.

I'd been coming to the park to eat my lunch ever since the weather finally broke, after what seemed to be a very long and cold winter. I liked getting out and enjoying the sunshine, as well as getting some fresh air, but I mostly did it so I could get away from the hectic pace of the business for an hour. I'd earned my M.B.A. by the time I was twenty-four, and my first job was as the assistant to the CFO (Chief Financial Offer) of a small manufacturing business located in an Industrial area on the outskirts of the city.

The guy I worked for was a great boss, and I learned a lot from him, but he left the company two years later to take a similar job at a much larger corporation. Although I doubted I'd get the job, I applied for it nonetheless, and I was amazed when I was named CFO when I was only twenty-six. I'm twenty-nine now, and one day I hope to land a similar job with a much larger company, but for now I'm happy in my current position.

The area surrounding the plant isn't exactly the nicest section of the city either and happens to be on the outskirts, which was the original commercial area in the early part of the twentieth century. Currently, in addition to our facility, there are several warehouses and several other businesses that utilize the buildings that have seen better days. They include an automotive repair shop, a body shop, and a couple of trucking companies. In addition, there are a few abandoned buildings, and some empty lots where old factory buildings had been torn down.

The rest of the area consists primarily of low-income housing and what remains of the old factory homes, where workers and their families once lived. Those houses are now in pretty sad shape, and even worse is the run-down trailer park that took over some of the land about thirty years ago. The trailer park is filled with those who weren't lucky enough to get into the low-income housing, which are merely converted factory buildings, or can't afford to live in the poor quality remaining factory homes either.

The park is just a small green area in an otherwise brick, mortar, and concrete jungle, and its origin was a place the factory workers and their families could enjoy. The largest factory had been privately owned by a very wealthy family, and they had been the ones to build the park. Once the factory shut down, they agreed to rent the park to the city for $1.00 per year, as long as it remained a park. If they were no longer willing to maintain it, and no longer wanted to keep it as a park, the land would revert back to one of the heirs to do with as they wished.

The city's parks and recreation department maintains it in remarkably good shape, and it's only a short walk from my place of business, so it's a perfect spot for me to get away for an hour every afternoon. Even though the grounds are well tended and it's a great place to hang out during the day, it isn't exactly the sort of area you want to be caught in after dark.

Shortly after the sun goes down each evening, an unsavory segment of the population gathers at the park to conduct their unseemly business. Some are drug dealers, others are prostitutes, and some are there to rob any unsuspecting passersby. The police do their best to keep close tabs on the area, but those involved in doing business there have lookouts posted far enough away that they are able to warn those conducting business using cell phones. This gives the criminals enough time to find hiding places for any incriminating evidence, or a chance to head in the other direction before the cops arrive to bust anyone. This frustrates the police to no end, so they attempted to run undercover operations there as well, but with little success. Most of the time, their undercover officers are spotted almost as soon as they arrived at the park and the 'entrepreneurs' either take the night off or move to a different location.

During the day, however, the park is generally quite safe, and I like coming here to sit on one of the benches as I enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and eat my lunch. Although I'd done this almost since the first day I was hired, I'd only been able to resume doing this for a few weeks this year, when school let out for summer vacation. I suddenly had a great deal more company, and I spent part of the time watching the kids playing on the playground equipment as I chowed down on my lunch. There were many youngsters running about as they enjoy the freedom that the summer recess offered them, and I'd been coyly observing a number of them as they played on the various apparatus.

There was one boy in particular who had caught my attention, so I began discretely observing him whenever he was there. I'd seen him around quite a few times already when he unexpectedly marched up to me one day and spoke.

"Hi. Whatcha doin'?"

I had no idea why he suddenly chose to come over and speak with me, so I was temporarily left speechless for a few seconds. I didn't think he had caught me observing him, or anything of that nature, because I did my best to avoid looking at any of the kids directly. I merely watched him using my peripheral vision, but I still saw enough to think he was absolutely gorgeous.

You see, I'm a boy-lover and I'm attracted to cute boys, and although he appeared to be younger than my general age preference, he was still worth my attention. I'd previously looked for others who might be in the age range I enjoyed, but I didn't see any of them around. He was the only one around that I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of, even if I judged him to be a couple of years younger than I normally preferred.

"It's customary for you to introduce yourself first, before you start asking questions," I pointed out to see how he would react. "I'm Brian, and you are?"

"Uhhh, Noah."

"You seem awfully young to be walking up to a stranger in the park and start talking to him."

"I'm not young. I'm eleven, and I'll be in sixth grade when school starts again," he stated proudly as he stood a bit taller and his little chest puffed out slightly.

I couldn't deny he was adorable, but I liked boys on the cusp of puberty, or even in the early stages of sexual development, and he still had a couple of years before that would happen. He definitely wasn't aware of my predilection, and he certainly didn't know anything about me, but he wasn't about to let that stand in his way.

"So whatcha doin'?"

"I'm just having lunch. I love coming here to eat, because then I can enjoy the wonderful day at the same time."

"Whatcha havin'?"

"I've got a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches on hard rolls, a small bag of chips, and a bottle of water. Have you eaten yet?"

"Nah, my mom's workin', so no one's home."

"So you're just on your own?" I was incredulous thinking this young child was totally unsupervised.

"Yeah, but I can go to the neighbor, if I need anything."

"So what do you do for lunch?"

"Nothin'. I just have breakfast when I get up, and then I have supper with my mom later."

"Would you like one of my sandwiches or the bag of chips?"

"You brought that stuff for you to eat, so I don't want to take it from you."

"It's ok. I'm not that hungry today, and I can probably do with a little less anyway."

"Ya sure?"

"Yes, I am," I said as I handed him a sandwich and the bag of chips."

"I can't take both of these," he objected while looking at me in utter amazement. "How bout half the sandwich and the chips?"

"Sure, if that's all you want."

"Yeah, that'll be good."

Since I didn't have a knife, I merely ripped the sandwich in half and gave him the slightly larger piece. "We can share my bottle of water too, if you want."

"Nah, I can use the water fountain," he replied as he started to chow down. "Thanks, this is good."

"You're welcome. Do you come here every day?"

"Pretty much, cuz it's summer and we're on 'cation from school."

"I see. Do you live around here too?"

"Yeah, in the trailer park. We moved there after my dad died in a car crash."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. When did it happen?" I asked, even though I thought he was giving me too much personal information already. It's a good thing I wasn't planning on doing him any harm.

"When I was eight."

"Where did you live before the trailer park?"

"We lived in a house, but after my dad died my mom couldn't make the payments, so the bank took the house and we moved here. I don't really like livin' in the trailer, though."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Does your mom own the trailer?"

"Nah, she rents it, and it's pretty crappy. My mom doesn't make very much money, so it was all she could 'ford."

"Where does you mom work?"

"She works at the 7-Eleven, and she cleans houses for other people too. She works a lot, but she doesn't make very much."

My heart was going out to this poor kid. First, his dad was killed, then they lost their house, and now his mom works a lot but doesn't really make enough for them to survive. However, I noticed my lunch hour was coming to an end and I barely had enough time to get back to the office.

"Well, Noah, it's been nice talking to you, but I've got to get back to work."

"Will ya be here tuh-morrow?"

"I come here every day when the weather is nice."

"K, maybe I'll see ya then."

"Ok, I'll look for you."

When I got back to my desk, I couldn't get that young boy out of my mind. I had been completely taken with his sad tale and cute looks, and I wondered if there was someway I might be able to help him. I knew of one thing I could do immediately. From now on I'd pack a second lunch for him so he wouldn't go hungry between breakfast and dinner, or supper as he liked to call it.

Maybe I should explain a little more about myself, so you'll have a better picture. As I said earlier, I'm twenty-nine and I stand a little over six feet [1.85 m] tall, have a solid swimmer's build, and I've been told I'm good-looking, although not movie star handsome. I have brown hair, brown eyes, and a smooth body. Besides the hair on my head, I have a little facial hair, pubes, some underarm hair, and a fine dusting of hair on my lower legs and arms. However, my chest, back, upper thighs, and upper arms are practically devoid of hair, and I've always considered that to be an asset.

I've had a decent life so far, and although my parents are still alive, they live in another part of the country so I don't get to see them as often as any of us would like. I was fortunate, however, that they'd been able to put away enough money to send me to college on their dime, and then I picked up the tab for my M.B.A. I'm still paying off the student loans I took out while working on my advance degree, but other than that I'm doing fairly well for myself.

Shortly after I got the promotion to CFO, along with the raise that came with the job, I purchased a home. I'd been putting money away ever since I first started working, because I didn't want to be paying rent for the rest of my life, and the house is only a couple of miles from work. It's in a nicer, although older section of the suburbs, but at least I'm not renting and I don't live too far away from my job. Since I didn't have a great deal to put down at the time, and I didn't want to have a big mortgage payment, I bought a duplex to start out. I figured that way I'd be getting rent from someone else to help pay for the mortgage.

I had aspirations of eventually moving up in the world, so I didn't plan on staying at this job or in this house forever. I was still trying to put more money away so I'd be able to combine it with what I got from the house when I sold it so I could buy a better house, but for now I had a decent place to live. The house was built in the early 70s, and both sides have a large living room, a dining area, a narrow kitchen, one bathroom, and a laundry room located between two bedrooms. Behind the house there's a fairly large, wooden storage shed and a decent size yard, so I'm not cramped in the least.

I turned the second bedroom into a workout area, and it contains an elliptical cross trainer, a stationary bike, and a rowing machine. Even though I have these devices, I prefer going on a five mile jog every night, weather permitting, and I've mapped out a course around the safer areas near where I live. I use the equipment on the weekends, in conjunction with jogging, and I also use it when the weather is bad, and that's how I stay in shape.

The other half of the house is currently occupied by a really nice, young family. Both the husband and wife are slightly younger than me, and they have a three-year-old son and a month-old daughter. When they'd told me she was pregnant this last time, it made me wonder how much longer they would continue renting the other half of the house, especially as their daughter gets older. I'm sure it's more than a little cramped over there now, so I can only imagine what it will be like as the kids continue to grow.

When I got out of work that evening, I drove home and changed into a pair of shorts, a sleeveless shirt, and athletic shoes so I could go out for a jog. When I finished my run and got back to the house, I took a shower and changed into something comfortable for the rest of the night, and then I began to putter around in the kitchen as I fixed something to eat. Once I'd filled my stomach, I poured myself a glass of wine and sat down to watch a couple of news shows on TV, so I'd know what was going on in the world.

Before I went to bed that evening, I fixed my lunch for the next day, and this time I made three sandwiches so I could give one to Noah. I had a variety pack with multiple small bags of potato chips, cheese curls, corn chips, and pretzels, so I set out two packages of those as well. I would pack the two bags, the sandwiches, and two bottles of water into my small cooler to take with me to work in the morning. This way I'd have something to offer Noah if he came over to speak with me again, and I certainly hoped he did, otherwise the sandwich would end up going to waste.

I fell asleep thinking about my little blond cutie and slept very well that evening. I'm not sure why I was so fascinated with him, since he wasn't in the age group I generally preferred, but I was taken by his good looks and sad story. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help out, besides just fixing him a lunch, but I'd have to get to know him a little better first. I certainly didn't want to rush into anything and then find myself in a situation where either he or his mother attempted to take advantage of me, so I would approach this situation carefully.

The second I awoke in the morning, my mind instantly went to thoughts of Noah. Damn, I was finding it hard to believe how infatuated I'd become with this kid after just one brief meeting. Somehow, I managed to get through the morning at work, although I found myself thinking about him from time to time, and I was more than ready to go to the park during my lunch hour. I grabbed my cooler, headed out the door, and walked the short distance to get there, hoping he'd be there and would come over to see me.

As soon as I arrived, I started looking around to see if I could spot him, but there were just too many kids in the area for me to pick him out of the crowd. I went over, sat on the same bench as the previous day, and waited to see if he would come over to speak with me again. I was slightly disappointed when he didn't show up right away, and since I couldn't wait forever, I pulled out a sandwich and took a bite. I'd only finished about half of it when I spotted him bounding through the collection of playground equipment as he headed in my direction.

"Have you been here long," he gasped, mildly winded.

"No, just a few minutes."

"I was up in that tower and just saw ya," he said as he pointed toward one of the pieces of playground apparatus that had been designed for the kids to climb on, go inside, and slide down.

"I'm glad you came over, Noah, because I made you a lunch today."

"Really? You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to. I didn't want to be rude and eat with you just watching me."

"I guess I see why you did it, so thanks," he said as I handed him the sandwich and bottle of water. I then held up the two small bags for him to make a choice. "Which one would you prefer?"

"Um, you choose."

"I like them both, so I want you to pick one."

"Ok, that one then," he said as he pointed at the cheese curls. "What am I s'posed to call ya?"

"I told you yesterday my name is Brian."

"But I can't call you that. You're a grown up."

"Well, I'm not that much older than you, and I certainly don't want you calling me Mr. Thorne, so please just call me Brian."

"Ya sure?"

"Of course."

"Ok, and thanks, Brian," he agreed as he called an adult by his given name for the first time.

"You're welcome. And what's your last name?"

"Updyke. My mom is Cheryl and my dad was Peter."

"And I thank you for that information as well. I know you told me yesterday that your dad was killed in a car crash, but do you know exactly how it happened? "

"Yeah, the cops told my mom that a guy drivin' a truck fell asleep and smashed into my dad's car."

"That's awful. I'm surprised your mom didn't sue him."

"She tried, but he didn't have no money and he didn't have no 'surance either."

"Damn, I mean darn, that's awful." He giggled at my slip of tongue, but then he turned serious again.

"You can say that other word, cuz you're a grown up. I just wish my mom could've got the guy to give us some money, cuz then maybe we'd still be livin' in our house."

"Yes, that's a shame, and I'm surprised the other guy wasn't killed too."

"He was in the hospital for a while, but he didn't die. All he lost was his crappy truck, and he was sent to jail for a while too, but we lost my dad and the house."

"Yes, that doesn't seem fair, does it? Noah, I hate to eat and run again, but I've got to get back to work."

"Yeah, I know. Will you be here tuh-morrow too?"

"As long as the weather is nice. I'll try to be here every day from Monday through Friday, except if it's a holiday."

"So you don't come here on Saturday or Sunday?"

"No. I only come here when I'm at work. Don't you spend the weekends with your mom?"

"Yeah, when she isn't workin' at her job. Sometimes she's cleanin' someone else's house on those days, and when she's not doin' that, she's washin' our clothes, cleanin' the trailer, or fixin' us somethin' to eat. That's why I don't get to spend much time with her."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, but we mostly eat supper together, and she spends some time with me before I go to bed at night, so I get to be with her then."

"Don't you have any friends who live near you that you can hang out with instead?"

"Nuht-uh. That's why I come to the park, so I can play with the other kids here. I don't spend time with anyone from the trailer park, cuz they're too rough and just like to fight. The older kids like to steal cigarettes to smoke too, and they drink beer when they can get some."

"Well, I certainly don't want you doing those things, and since your mom is so busy, I guess I could come here on the weekend if you wanted me too."

"Yeah, if you can do that."

"Sure, I'll come to the park both days, and then you can spend the day with me, if you want. How would you like that?"

"I'd like it a lot, cuz the other kids don't always come here on those days. They usually do stuff with their parents instead, so there's not many here to play with."

"So how early would you like me to show up?"

"I don't know. What time's good for you?"

"How about if I get here between 9:00 and 10:00. Would that be good enough?"

"Yeah, that would be ok."

"Terrific, so I'll see you then as well."

As I walked back to work, I suddenly wondered why I'd just agreed to give up my weekends for him. Sure, I felt sorry for the poor kid and thought he was trapped in an terrible situation, but what if he said something to his mom about this? Would she immediately suspect I was up to something with her son and come to confront me? Maybe she'd call the police instead and ask them to check me out. I could be placing myself in serious jeopardy here, but I just wanted to help this boy, so if spending a few hours with him on the weekend helped, then I would do that too. I just hoped my good intentions didn't boomerang back, smack me in the head, and create major problems for me, or worse.

Chapter 2
Getting to Know You.

I went to the park every afternoon for the rest of the week and took enough food so Noah and I could have lunch together. While we were eating, Noah told me about school, more about his life when his dad was alive, and I asked him questions about different things he'd mentioned that I found interesting. I soon discovered he didn't have access to any of the things I thought every kid his age enjoyed, which merely served to emphasize how bleak the situation was for him and his mom. That just made me even more determined to do whatever I could to help him.

I woke up early on Saturday morning and made sure I was ready in plenty of time to meet up with Noah. When I got to the park it was almost totally devoid of activity, and then I saw my blond-haired cutie waiting for me on the same bench where we'd been eating our lunch every noon hour. His face broke into a huge grin when he saw me, and then he waved.

"Have you been waiting here long?" I asked when I reached where he was sitting, since I wondered how early he'd arrived.

"Nah, not too long."

"I'm glad. So what do you want to do?"

"Would you push me on the swings?"

"Of course."

He jumped off the bench and I followed him over to the swing set. I probably spent twenty or thirty minutes pushing him higher and higher into the air, and he kept urging me to push him even higher. The kid showed no fear, although I was scared to death that he might let go or lose his grip, which would cause him to fall off the swing and get seriously injured in the process. Thankfully, that never happened, and then we started moving around the park so he could play on some of the other equipment as well.

I joined him on the teeter-totter, which some of you might call a see saw, and I spun him around on the manual merry-go-round. I also went hand-over-hand on the horizontal ladder after he'd crossed, but of course I had to bend my knees after I grabbed onto the bars in order to do it. I was tall enough to reach the bars without any effort and could merely have walked across and pretended to do the same thing he'd just done, but I knew he'd feel that was cheating. I also watched as he climbed on the various structures and then came flying down one of the slides so he could do it again. The best part was that he spent a couple of hours laughing and just being a kid.

"That was fun. Thanks for doin' this with me."

"You're welcome, but now it's just about time for lunch. What do you think about going over to Subway with me?"

"I don't got no money."

"I know, and I meant I was buying lunch for both of us, if you want to go with me."

"Ya sure?"

"Yes, it's not that expensive."

"But my mom says it costs more than makin' stuff at home."

"Yes, it costs a little more, because someone else is doing the work, but I can afford it. It's not that expensive."

"I guess, but we can get stuff at the grocery store and then make our own lunch if you want."

"No, I'd rather go to Subway."

He wasn't convinced about doing this, but he followed me out to the car and I drove over to Subway. Once there, I took a few minutes to explain the options to him, since he had never been there before, and once he decided what he wanted, I thought it sounded good to me as well. Therefore, I ordered a foot-long sub that we could split, along with a bag of chips, a cookie, and a drink for each of us. I carried the tray over to one of the tables, gave him his share, and we began to eat.

"Man, this is good. Thanks for bringin' me here."

"You're welcome, and I'm glad you're enjoying it."

He was all smiles as he was stuffing his face, but he couldn't quite finish his half of the sub. I didn't want him to get sick trying to force it down, so I let him know it was ok. "Don't worry if you can't finish it, because it's a lot for someone your age. Just eat as much as you want and then leave the rest."

"But my mom says we shouldn't waste food, so will you eat the rest of my samich?"

"Sure, if you don't want to take it with you."

"We don't got nothin' to keep it cold, so I want you to eat the rest of it."

"Ok, I think I can do that, since I've been known to eat one of these things all by myself before."

"Ok, then I won't feel bad about wastin' it."

After we finished our meal, I tossed the trash into the garbage bin and we headed out to the car. When we reached the park again, I looked over at him and asked a question. "So what do you want to do now?"

"Ummm, let's just sit on the bench for a while, cuz I'm too stuffed to play."

"Sure, we can do that," I agreed as we got out of the car and I followed him over to the same bench where we usually sat.

"Thanks for buyin' me lunch, but you don't have to spend money on me. I just like havin' you here so we can do stuff together."

"Hey, it wasn't a big deal taking you with me. After all, I was hungry and needed to eat as well, and I enjoy your company."

"I like bein' with you too, cuz I 'member when I used to do stuff like this with my dad."

"I also like being here with you, and I'm glad it brings back good memories of the time you spent with your dad."

"You'd 've liked him."

"I'm sure I would have, since I like you."

"Maybe sometime ya could meet my mom, if she's not workin'."

"Have you told her about me?"

"I just told her you were really nice and gave me some of your lunch."

"What did she say about that?"

"She said she hoped I wasn't pesterin' you for it."

"Did you tell her it was my idea?"

"I told her I didn't ask for nothin' and you just offered it to me."

"Was she ok with that?"

"Yeah, as long as I wasn't beggin' ya for it."

"Did you tell her I was coming to meet you here again today?"

"Nah, I just told her I was gonna spend the day at the park again."

"What do you do if it rains?"

"I know where my mom hides the extra key to the trailer, so I just spend the day there instead."

"Ok, that's good. I was worried you didn't have anywhere to go."

"I can always go back to the trailer whenever I want, but there isn't much to do there. We don't got cable, so I just play with some of my toys."

"What time will your mom be home today?"

"I think bout 5:00, cuz we eat supper at 6:00."

"Ok, then I'll stay here until you have to go home."

It had been a while since we'd eaten our lunch and my drink had worked its way through my system, so I decided that I had to use the men's room. I told Noah I'd be right back and headed over to the small building that contained the men's room on one side, and the ladies' room on the other.

"Hey, I gotta go too!" Noah shouted as he raced to catch up with me.

I'd never used this rest room before, because whenever I had to go I'd just wait until I got back to work, but that wasn't an option today. When I walked in, I noticed there was one cubicle with a commode, although it didn't have a door, and the urinal was basically just a long trough. I thought Noah might use the commode, but he walked up to the trough next to me instead, lowered his shorts and underwear, and pulled out his penis.

I was mildly surprised when I noticed it, because it was bigger than I'd expected. I had anticipated he would have a very small penis, but it was quite a bit larger than that. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying, because it wasn't adult size, but I thought it would be about an inch [2.5 cm] long, but it was actually between two and three [5 – 7.5 cm] inches in length. He was also circumcised, something else I wasn't expecting, because I felt that since they were poor it might have been an expense his parents would have chosen to forgo. However, now that I remembered they were doing much better financially when his father was alive, it explained this simple fact.

I also noticed that Noah kept glancing over and checking out my penis at the same time, but that was something nearly all boys did. It didn't mean anything, other than that he was curious, and then I heard him speak.

"Wow, your dick is way bigger than mine," he said as he turned slightly so I could get a better look at his penis too.

"Yours will grow as you get older."

"I hope it gets as big as yours."

We finished emptying our bladders, and I reminded him to wash his hands before leaving, and then we walked over to the bench again. A couple of other boys showed up in the meantime, and apparently they knew Noah, because they came over to speak with him. I could tell that they wanted him to play with them, but he was hesitant to do it because he didn't want to leave me alone, since I'd showed up to be with him. When I realized why he was being reluctant to go off with them, I tried to explain that it was ok.

"You can go play with them if you want."

"I don't want to leave, cuz you came here to be with me."

"What if I join you then? I'm Brian and Noah's my friend."

"Yeah, I guess we can do that. I'm Gus." He had brown hair, blue eyes, and was taller and more solidly built than Noah.

"And I'm Sam," the other boy stated. He had black hair, brown eyes, and was roughly the same height as Noah. He also had a slim build, but he wasn't quite as slender as my blond haired buddy.

"I'm glad to meet both of you. Are you boys all in the same grade?"

"Yeah, we're in the same grade, but we wasn't in the same class last year," Noah answered. "We don't know bout next year yet."

"I see, so what do you boys think of this idea? What if we pretend the playground equipment is an old wooden ship, and the different areas of the play set are the various parts of the ship. I'll stay on the ground and pretend it's the main deck, the area over there can be the helm where someone steers the ship, and the tower can be the lookout where someone can watch for pirates and other dangers. I'm afraid we might have to fight off pirates if they're foolish enough to attack."

"Yeah, let's do that," Noah agreed. "I'll go up in the tower and watch for pirates."

"And I'll steer the ship," Sam offered.

"And I'll be on the stairs so I can fire the cannons if the pirates attack," Gus chimed in.

"So I guess that means I'm the captain," I stated, with all three agreeing that was fine with them.

I led the boys in a fierce battle as we fought off an attack by some really nasty looking pirates, and then we found an island to explore. We climbed over the various apparatus and pretended they were trees and mountains on the island, and we navigated a ragging river when I spun them around on the merry-go-round. Then, I led them as we attacked a group of cannibals, and the boys rode the various animal figures fastened to huge springs during the attack. Doing all of these things not only helped to kill quite a bit of time, but the boys appeared to enjoy doing it, especially Noah.

"Man, that was a blast. I don't 'member havin' so much fun before."

"Yeah, that was great!" Gus and Sam chipped in.

"Well, it's getting close to 5:00, so you boys should probably start heading home," I stated as I looked at Noah.

"Yeah, I better do that. Will you be here tuh-morrow?"

"Yes, I told you I'd come both days, as long as the weather's nice."

"Good, cuz I liked doin' this stuff with you."

"We did too!" the other two agreed. "Can we do this with you again tomorrow?" Sam continued.

"Sure, so I'll see you all then."

During the ride to the house, I was straining my brain to think of what I could do with them tomorrow. Even though today had worked out fairly well, how long could we keep doing those things before they started getting bored? I wanted to figure out something else we could do as well, so Noah would enjoy it just as much as he had today.

When I got to the house, I changed into my jogging gear and went out for my run. The entire time I was thinking about what I might do with Noah and his friends tomorrow, and I'd tossed around a number of different ideas by the time I got back to the house. After I stripped out of my jogging clothes, I jumped in the shower and cleaned up quickly, and then I slipped on my underwear and another pair of shorts before going out to fix something to eat.

Throughout the entire time I was preparing and eating dinner, I was thinking about what I was going to do with Noah the following day. It was still on my mind as I was heading to bed, although I hadn't come up with anything definite. I knew I had to figure something out before I got to the park in the morning, because I didn't want this to be a total disaster, but what was I going to do?

I fell asleep still thinking about it, and when I awoke, I thought I might have come up with the answer. My idea was inspired by a collage of images I'd had overnight, which obviously had been inspired by 'The Hobbit', 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, and even 'The Game of Thrones'. I thought it was something Noah and his friends might enjoy, as long as there weren't too many other people at the park, because they might look at us and think we'd lost our minds.

When I pulled up and parked along the curb, I quickly spotted Noah sitting on our usual bench. He didn't spot me at first, but then he broke into a huge grin when he saw me walking in his direction. "Hi, Brian," he squealed as he jumped off the bench and came racing in my direction.

"Hi. Have you been here long?"

"Nah, I just wanted to get here b'fore ya, cuz didn't want you to think I wasn't comin'."

"Where are the two other boys that were here yesterday?"

"Don't know. Maybe they'll come later."

"Ok, then what would you like to do first?"

"Ummm, will ya push me on the swings again?"

"Sure. Let's go do that."

Once again, I spent the next twenty or thirty minutes pushing him higher and higher, much to his delight. This kid was a little daredevil and liked to tempt the limits as he laughed and shouted his approval the entire time. He was a pleasure to watch, and a thrill to be around.

When we finished doing that, we went over to the merry-go-round so I could spin him on it next, and that's when the other two boys came walking over to join us.

"Hi," they both said in greeting. "We was hopin' you'd be here again, cuz yesterday was fun," Gus continued.

"We enjoyed it too, and we're glad you came to join us again. Do you want me to stop the merry-go-round so you can hop on too?"

"Yeah, but are we gonna do like we did yesterday, fightin' the pirates and cannibals?" Sam wanted to know.

"We'll do something similar, but I've thought of a different adventure that I thought you might enjoy," I assured them as they were climbing on the merry-go-round.

After I'd spun them around a few times, I let the whirling dervish come to a stop. After they got off and regained their balance, all three boys looked up and waited for me to tell them what we were going to do next.

"I thought we'd go on a new adventure today, and we'll be walking around the park as we go on a quest. We've got to rescue a good wizard who's been captured by an evil wizard and locked up in a magical prison."

"How can we do that, cuz we're not wizards?" Noah wanted to know.

"We can free him if we find one of two devices that will unlock the door, either the magical key or the wizard's wand. Once the door is open, it will break the magic spell and the wizard will be set free. Along the way, however, we may have to fight off different foes, and we'll also have to watch for other dangers. There will be times when we run into things that are trying to stop us from completing our quest, but there might be other times when a threat will merely happen to be in our way."

"That sounds neat, and I bet it will be lots of fun," Noah squealed in excitement.

"Yeah, I can't wait to do this," Gus stated, with Sam nodding his head in agreement.

I then led them along the route to get to the magical prison cell, and it didn't take long before we encountered our first test. "Dang, it seems that we've wandered into a nest of enormous spiders, so we'll have to fight them off. Quick, grab your swords, because we'll have to either kill or wound them before they overcome us."

"Can't we go just around them?" Sam asked.

"No, they're in our way and going around them is not an option, so we'll have to fight our way through. If we don't defeat them, then they'll paralyze us with their venom and then spin webs around our bodies so they can snack on us later."

The boys didn't like the thought of that, and they proved to be very fierce warriors as we battled the spiders for the next fifteen or twenty minutes. After a heroic skirmish, we killed or wounded enough of the spiders that we were able to get through the area they controlled. Shortly after that confrontation ended, we quickly ran into another problem.

"Grab your weapons again, men. We've been surrounded by a pack of wolves and they appear to be very hungry. I've got a feeling they think we look like a delicious meal."

Once again, the boys battled bravely and we killed or wounded nearly all of the wolves so we were able to get away. We thought the worst was finally over, but then I spotted the next attack coming from the air. "Quick, grab your bows and notch an arrow. It's the evil wizard's dragon and it's heading our way to stop us from getting any closer."

We soon filled the air with arrows, and enough of them found their mark and injured the dragon badly enough that it broke off its attack. "Ok, it appears to be flying back to its lair to nurse its wounds," I advised them. "Good job, men, but keep your eyes open. I'm sure there will be other dangers before we're able to rescue the good wizard."

I could tell that all three boys were enjoying this and having a blast, and it made me feel good that I'd thought of doing this. It also made me wonder if they'd ever used their imaginations to do something like this before, because if not, I think they might be doing more of this in the future. As we approached the play set with the tower, I pointed to our destination. It was the same tower that Noah had been in when he spotted me the second time I came to the park, and the one he used as the lookout on the ship the day before.

"Up in that tower is where the good wizard is being held. As we get closer, start looking around for a magic key or the wizard's wand, because we'll need one or the other to free him. You have to remain on alert, though, because we'll probably encounter other dangers before we're able to release him."

"Ok, we'll be careful and look for that stuff," Noah replied, with the other two nodding in agreement.

As we got closer, I had to issue another warning. "Watch where you're walking so you don't fall into any traps that have been set to stop us. I can already see what appears to be a large hole that's been covered over with branches, leaves, and grass, and if you stumble into it you might die. Even if you aren't killed in the fall and there's nothing else in the pit that can kill you, we don't have any ropes to pull you out of there."

I then pointed out the area I was referring to, which was a large bare spot at the foot of one of the slides, and the boys followed me as I led them under the slide as we made our way past it. As soon as we were on the other side and away from that obstacle, I whispered another warning to them.

"Shhh, there's a giant standing guard at the foot of the staircase leading up to the tower. I was able to spot him, but he didn't notice me, so be prepared. We're probably going to have to fight him too, so either grab your sword or your bow and arrows and get ready to do battle."

I noticed that all three boys pretended to grab their bow and arrows, since they felt it would be safer to fight the giant from a distance and attempt to defeat him with their arrows. In case they only wounded the giant, I pulled my sword to finish him off and was ready to deliver the fatal blow. Once the giant had been taken care of, I gave them my final word of advice.

"You need to look around for the key or a magic wand. We'll need something to open the door, and once we get it unlocked the good wizard will be free to join us."

The boys spread out and began looking around for something they could use as one of those two items. That's when Noah picked up a twig that was lying on the ground. "I found the magic wand," he shouted as he held it up.

"Good, then you can go up to the tower and use it to free the good wizard."

Noah looked especially proud that he was going to be able to do this, and after he climbed up to the tower, he waved the wand, shouted a few magical words, and announced the door was open. Then he said he gave the wand to the good wizard, because he'd know how to use it to help us out.

Now that we'd finished our mission, the boys were busy offering each other congratulations, so I felt I needed to praise them as well. "I've never been with a braver group of warriors and I'm extremely proud to have journeyed with you on this mission."

"That was a blast," Sam said as soon as I finished speaking.

"Yeah, it was even better than last time," Noah chimed in.

"I hope you're gonna be here so we can do this again next weekend," Gus added.

"It's very possible, since Noah is my special friend." This seemed to elevate Noah's status with the other boys, and he moved closer so he could stand proudly next to me.

"Well, I think it's time for us to take off to grab some lunch, so maybe we'll see you around here again," I told the other boys as I guided Noah to my car. He was strutting like a peacock as he walked beside me.

"How about Chinese for lunch today? Do you like Chinese food?"

"Don't know. Never had it."

"Then it's time you gave it a try. There a pretty good place not far from here and they offer a terrific buffet. I'll help you pick out a few items that I think you'll enjoy."

"K, but we could just make somethin' instead."

"I know we could, but I'd rather do this. I think you'll enjoy it."

"K, I'll try it then."

When we got to the restaurant, I paid the fee for one adult and one child, and then I led him over to the buffet. I had him hold onto his plate while I filled it with different items from the various containers that I thought he'd enjoy. I gave him a couple of pieces of Sweet and Sour Chicken, along with a couple of pieces of Orange Chicken, a couple more pieces of Sesame Chicken, an egg roll, a scoop of lo mein noodles, and a fortune cookie.

"They got sketti here?" he asked when he saw the lo mein.

"Not exactly. The Chinese call it lo mein, but it's said the knowledge of how to make the lo mein noodles was something Marco Polo brought back to Italy with him after his trip to China. Once he showed them to others, an Italian cook decided to cover the cooked noodles with tomato sauce, and that's how we got spaghetti."

"K, I think I'm gonna like this then."

I filled my plate at the same time and led him to a table. After we set our plates down, we went back to get a drink, and then we sat down to eat. Of course, we used forks instead of chop sticks, and I got a kick out of how his eyes lit up and his face glowed as he tried each of the items I'd selected for him.

"Wow. This stuff is really good. I've never had any of it before, but I like it."

"That's why it's always good to try new things. It's the only way you can know if you might enjoy different things like this."

"Yeah. Thanks for bringin' me here."

"You're very welcome."

Once we finished, we got back in the car and I looked at him. "I'm sure you're too stuffed to play right away, so why don't we drive around for a bit."

"Yeah, my tummy's really full," he agreed.

"Do you think you're mom will be home?"

"Nah, she said she had to work at 7-Eleven and then she was gonna go clean a house before she came home."

"Would you mind if we drive over to the trailer park so you can show me where you live. We won't have to stop and go inside, but I just want to know where I can find you if you're not at the park."

"Yeah, I guess that would be ok."

I then drove to the trailer park and he directed me on how to get to his trailer. He was right, the trailer was in really bad shape, but so was everything else in the trailer park. We also got a few stares as we drove around, since my car was obviously nicer than what anyone living there would have been driving, so I got out of that place just as soon as I could. Once we'd finished up there, Noah looked at me and asked a question.

"Now that you know where I live, will you show me where you live?"

"Sure, I can do that."

I then drove to my house and showed him where it was. "I live on the right side of the house, because it has two separate units."

"Looks nice. Can we go inside?"

"Sure, I don't see why not," I said as I pulled into the driveway.

As soon as I turned off the engine, we got out, and I led him inside. "Yeah, this is a lot nicer than where I live."

"It's nothing fancy, but it's a decent place," I agreed.

"Our house was nice like this too," he stated as I took him to see my exercise room. "Dang, is all that stuff yours?"

"Yes, I use it when I workout on the weekend and when the weather is bad."

"Do you think maybe I can try it sometime?"

"Sure, just not now. I think we're both too full to be using any of those things at the moment."

"Yeah, you're right."

Since he didn't have cable in the trailer, Noah wanted to know if we could watch TV for a while, so I agreed. We did that until it started getting closer to 5:00, and then I told him it was time to go.

"We'd better head back now, because you'll have to go home and have supper with your mom."

"Yeah, I don't want her to be mad cuz I'm late."

"Do you want me to drop you off at your trailer, or at the end of the road leading into the trailer park?"

"You can drop me off at the road, and then I'll just walk the rest of the way."

"Ok, I'll do that then."

When we got closer, Noah looked over at me and spoke again. "I had lots of fun today, and I'm glad you took me to that Chinese place, cuz I really liked it."

"I'm glad you did, because I enjoyed spending the day with you as well."

"K, I'll see you tomorrow at the park," he added as he was getting out, and then he waved as I drove away.

Chapter 3
Let the Good Times Roll.

When I got back to the house on Sunday, I thought about what I'd done earlier in the day and realized I'd actually enjoyed my time with Noah. I also had an idea about what we could do the next weekend as well, although this time it didn't have anything to do with the park. I had something else up my sleeve instead.

I went to the park to have lunch with Noah every afternoon that week and we talked about the things we'd done the previous weekend, as well as other things he might like to do in the future. When Friday rolled around, I asked him to wear something nice when he came to meet me the next day, because we weren't going to stay at the park.

"Why? What are we gonna do?"

"It's a surprise. You'll just have to wait and see." He didn't pester me further about this, although I could tell he was dying to know what I'd planned.

As I took my jog that evening, I was looking ahead to spending both days of the weekend with my new best friend. Yes, I'm finally willing to admit that I'm hooked on the kid, but not in a sexual way. I just want to spend time with him and enjoy his company, because he gave me someone to care about and he'd opened my eyes to a part of my life that I'd forgotten.

I'd been so focused on my career and getting ahead that I'd nearly forgotten how important it was to spend time with others. I hate to admit it, but I'd nearly become a recluse. I went to work and threw myself into the job, and then I'd return home and spend my off-hours jogging, working out, or thinking about something dealing with work. For the first time in ages, I was looking forward to the weekend, now that I had something to do and someone to do it with.

After I got back from my jog, I cleaned up quickly, and daydreamed about how Noah was going to react tomorrow when I told him what we were going to do. I went to bed early that night, and even though I was excited, I fell asleep fairly quickly and slept extremely well.

I woke up earlier than normal the next morning, completely refreshed, and headed out to the kitchen to fix myself something to eat. After I finished my breakfast, I dressed in a pair of shorts, a polo shirt, and a pair of sandals, and then I drove over to the park. I pulled up along the curb at a spot between where he lived and the park and waited for him to walk by.

I tooted the horn when I saw him, which gave the poor kid quite a fright, but when he saw who was behind the wheel his body began to relax and he flashed me one of his special smiles. I signaled him over to the car, but I was a little disappointed by what he had on. Even though they were better than the other clothes I'd seen him in, they still weren't in very good condition.

"Why do you want me to get in the car, cuz the park's right there?"

"It's because we're going somewhere else and not staying at the park today."

"Where we goin'?"

"You'll see," I answered as I started the car and pulled away from the curb.

Noah was looking out the window and attempting to figure out where we were going by studying the landmarks, but I had a feeling he didn't get out very often. I noticed the startled look on his face when I pulled into the parking lot and he realized where we were.

"Why did you bring me to Walmart?"

"It's because I want to buy you a few things so you'll look really good when you go places with me."

"Don't I look good now?"

"Yes, you always look good, but I think being in new clothes will make you look even better."

"But if I take that stuff home with me, my mom is gonna want to know where it came from."

"Then I'll tell you what. We'll keep these things at my house, and I'll take you there to change whenever we're going somewhere else. I'll also take you back to my house afterward, so you can change back into your other clothes before I take you home."

"Yeah, that would work, but it seems silly to buy stuff that I'll only wear when I'm with you."

"I know, but I'm hoping that eventually we'll find a way to convince your mom to let you bring these things home with you."

"Maybe, but I don't want her to get mad at me."

"If she gets mad, it will be at me, not you."

I then urged him to get out of the car so we could go inside and do some shopping. I led him directly to the boys' department and let him pick out the items he liked, although I made numerous suggestions about what I thought would look good on him. I know I could have taken him to a better store to do this, but for the time being I thought this would be best. If his mother found out and complained about what I'd done, she'd probably be more vociferous if the clothes were more expensive. Besides, for now he'd only be wearing them when he was with me, and kids outgrow clothes quickly so it's better not to spend too much on them.

I knew he probably wouldn't have any idea about what size he wore, seeing nothing seemed to fit him particularly well, so I carried a tape measure in my pocket. After I measured his waist and looked at the size charts, I figured out what he would need. We then picked out two pairs of shorts, one pair of jeans, three shirts, and a package of underwear with various characters on them. I also chose a loose pair of underwear that he could try on without opening the package, just to make sure they fit. As soon as we had everything, I led him over to the dressing room so he could try on the various items.

I was somewhat surprised when I discovered he wasn't wearing anything underneath his shorts, so I had him try on the loose pair of underwear first. Those fit quite well, so I had him leave them on as he tried on the other garments. They all looked good on him, so I had him get back into the clothes he wore earlier and we took the items out and put them in the cart. I also grabbed a packet of socks, and then we went back to the shoe department.

Once there, I picked out a pair of sandals and had him try them on, and then I let him choose a pair of athletic shoes. Once we had everything, we took the cart to the checkout so I could pay for it. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw how much everything cost, but actually it wasn't very much, although it was a fortune to a kid. He didn't say anything, though, until we loaded everything in the car and hopped inside.

"Wow! You spent a lot of money on me."

"That's because I want you to have those things, and now I'll take you back to my place so you can clean up and change."

He didn't say anything as we drove to the house, and he helped me carry the packages inside. Once I'd set them on my bed, because I would find a place to keep them later, I asked him a question. "Do you want to take a bath or a shower?"

"I take showers at home."

"And I take it you can wash yourself?"

"Yeah, my mom doesn't wash me no more."

"Ok, but I'll check you over when you're done, just to make sure you do a good job. Do you want to adjust the water, or do you want me to do it for you."

"You can do it, cuz it might be different than our shower."

"Ok, I'll go do that first, and then you can come into the bathroom as soon as I'm done."

I went in and adjusted the water, diverted it to the showerhead, and closed the curtain. When I turned around, Noah was standing there completely naked.

"I thought you'd wait and get undressed in here after I had the shower ready."

"Why? You saw my dick at the park when we peed together, and today when I tried on the clothes, so it's no big deal."

"Ok, but I want you to call me when you're done so I can check you over. I've already set the bathmat down for you, and I'll put a towel out on the sink for you to use. You'll be able to reach it from the bathmat, but I still want to make sure you're totally clean."

"Just stay in here with me."

"You don't want me to leave?"

"Nah, I like havin' you here. I don't care if you see me with nuttin on."

"Ok, if you say so."

I pointed out where everything was, which included the body wash and shampoo, and then I handed him a washcloth so he could get started. He began to sing as he was washing up, and he actually had a decent voice, but I didn't recognize the songs he was singing. Then again, I don't get a chance to listen to much music, other than some classical music and songs from when I was growing up. When he finished, he asked me a question before he turned off the water.

"Do you want to check me now?"

"Yes, I just want to make sure you did a good job."

He pulled back the curtain at the opposite end from the showerhead, and I looked him over quickly. I took the washcloth and rewashed a couple of areas that he couldn't see, or where he hadn't done a very good job, such as the back of his neck, his back, and a couple of spots on his arms and legs. I then had him rinse off again before he turned off the water, and then I helped him step out of the tub. Once he was on the bathmat, I handed him the towel so he could use it to dry off.

"Can you do that for me?"

"I can, but don't you do it at home?"

"Yeah, I do, cuz I don't want my mom to see me with nuttin' on. I don't care if you do, cuz we're both boys and I've seen your dick too."

"Yes, you have, but please don't tell anyone else about that."

"Ok, I won't."

I took the towel and used it to wipe the water off his body, and I was amazed that he wanted me to dry his boy parts and cute little butt as well. As soon as I finished, I swatted his behind and spoke. "Go to my bedroom and pick out an outfit to wear."

"Hey! Why did you spank my hiney?"

"I didn't spank it, I just gave it a little pat."

"It stung."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Ya didn't, it just stung a little," he said as he raced out of the bathroom.

He put on the pair of underwear he'd tried on at the store, along with a pair of shorts and nice shirt. He then asked if he should wear the sandals or athletic shoes, and I told him either one would be fine. He looked at my feet first, to see what I was wearing, and then he chose to wear the sandals, because that's what I had on. Once he finished getting dressed, I grabbed my brush and started to run it through his hair.

"Ouch! That pulled a little and hurt."

"I'm sorry, but you've got quite a rat's nest here. Next time let me shampoo your hair for you."

"K. We can just shower together and then you can wash all of me."

His comment surprised me, but I didn't respond and merely continued to brush his hair. When I finished, I grabbed the bottle of mouthwash and rinsed out my mouth, and when he saw me do that, he asked if he could try it too. I didn't have a problem with it, so I explained that he should just swish the liquid around in his mouth without swallowing it, and then spit it out in the sink. Once he'd done that, he looked up at me and grinned.

"That tickled my mouth, but I liked doin' it."

"That's good, but now it's time to get in the car so we can go do what I've planned next."

"Where we goin'?"

"You'll see."

"You always say that," he responded, giving me a dirty look.

"Don't worry. We'll be there soon."

I then drove us to a miniature golf course that I knew was nearby, although I'd never been there before. I just knew where it was from passing it at various times as I drove to different places. When I pulled in and parked, he looked over at me, slightly panicked.

"I ain't never done this b'fore!"

"That's ok. I'll teach you everything you'll need to know."

He smiled weakly, and then began to relax. I led him up to the cashier and paid the required fee, and then I picked out two putters appropriate for our sizes, two golf balls, a pencil, and a scorecard. Once we had everything, I led him to the first hole.

"Watch what I do first, because you'll have to use the putter to hit the ball so it goes in the hole at the other end." I then lined up my putt and used the club to strike the ball. It came close to the cup, but didn't go in.

"Do you want me to help you?"

"Nah, you didn't get it in the hole, so I'll do it myself."

Wow! I guess he told me, so I watched as he set the ball down. I tried to explain how to hold the putter, but he was intent on doing it his way, so I backed off. Like most beginners, he hit the ball too hard, and not very straight, so it bounced off the side board first, and then the board behind the hole before it rolled about a third of the way back to where we started. I didn't realize such a little guy could put so much force behind his putt.

"You can help me now, cuz you did better than me," he offered as he casually rescinded his previous stance.

"Are you sure, because you can keep trying it alone."

"Nah, I want you to help me now."

This time I stood behind him, made sure he was holding the putter correctly, and then I put my hands over his. I also tried to explain how to line up the shot, and warned him not to hit it too hard, before I helped him putt. To his complete and utter joy, it rolled into the cup.

"We did it! You helped me get it in the hole."

"Yes, you did much better this time."

After I sank my putt, I led Noah over to the next hole. Once there, I asked if he wanted to go first this time. "Yeah, but I want you to help me again."

I did, and we came close to sinking the putt, but the ball just missed going in. I then lined up my putt and made a hole-in-one. "Hey, how come you didn't do that for me?"

"I tried, and we came close, but I can't do it every time. I guess helping you was good practice for my turn."

"Then you go first from now on," he snapped back.

He was still pouting as I helped him sink his next putt, and then we moved over to the next hole. Since he wanted me to go first this time, I placed the ball down and got ready to putt. Seeing I didn't want to make him mad by having another hole-in-one, I made sure my putt went slightly to the right. When I looked back at him, I wasn't sure if he wanted my help this time or not.

"Do you want me to do it with you again?"

"Yeah, you can help me."

This time I tried my best and we watched as the ball rolled down the green carpet. I thought it was going to stop short, but it had just enough on it to make it to the hole and drop in. "We did it! We got it in the hole!" he shouted jumping up and down.

"Yes, you did it," I agreed, as I went down to take my next putt.

After I tapped it in, we headed over to the next hole. Noah had me continue helping him through the remaining holes of the front nine, but then I encouraged him to try it on his own again.

"Why? So you can beat me?"

"No, so you can learn how to do it without my help, in case you get a chance to do this with someone else sometime, like maybe your class at school."

"Oh, ok."

This time he did a lot better, and on hole thirteen he managed a hole-in-one all by himself, although it was due to a lucky bounce. It didn't matter, though, because he did a little victory dance as soon as the ball fell into the cup. "I did it! I did it!" he squealed in delight.

"Yes, you did, and I knew you could."

He had a lot more confidence on the next few holes and actually did quite well, although he never had another hole-in-one. However, I could still tell he had a great time.

"Do ya think we could do this again sometime?"

"Sure, but there are other things we can do too. I'm glad you enjoyed this, but I'm eager to try doing some other things with you."

On the way back to my place, I asked Noah another question. "Noah, do you know how to swim?"

"Nuht uh. I ain't never done that before."

"Maybe I can teach you sometime then."

"Ok. I'll try, if you promise that nuttin bad will happen to me."

"Of course. I'll be there to keep you safe."

When we arrived at the house, I fixed cheeseburgers and French fries for lunch, since I'd picked up what I needed on Friday night, on the way home from work. "These are good. You're a good cook," Noah gushed as he was eating.

"They're not difficult to make, but I'm glad you like them. What do you want to do after we're done eating?"

"Can we watch a movie on TV?"

"Of course. We can see what's on and I'll let you choose what you want to see."

As luck would have it, one of the channels was showing the Harry Potter films, but the first one was just about over. We watched the last few minutes of that, and then we got ready to watch the second movie, 'The Chamber of Secrets'. I got drinks for each of us before the movie started again, so we wouldn't have to keep getting up.

I was shocked to learn that Noah had never seen any of the Harry Potter films before, but I guess that's what happens when you don't have cable and can't afford to go to the movies. He sat fascinated throughout the entire first part, and then he got super excited during the scene with spiders in the forest.

"That's like when we fought the spiders at the park. Is that where you got the idea from?"

"Yes, from this and The Hobbit. They both have scenes dealing with giant spiders."

"Neat."

When the movie ended it was getting close to the time for me to take him home, so I had him change back into the clothes he was wearing when I picked him up. "I'll wash these and put them away for another time."

"K. I liked wearin' them. They fit good."

"And you looked great in them."

After we got in the car, I drove him back and dropped him off at the end of the road leading into the trailer park, but I had something to tell him before he got out. "I'll see you at the park tomorrow, and I'll be parked in the same place, so look for my car."

"We're not going to stay at the park again?"

"No, I have something else in mind, so look for me."

"Ok," he said as he got out, and then he waved as I drove away.

I went home and got ready to jog next, and my mind was whirling as I thought about the day while making my way around the route I'd been using. It had been an amazing afternoon, and I probably enjoyed it more than Noah. The boy certainly wasn't shy when it came to being naked in front of me, although I didn't look at him in a sexual light. It had, however, proved how much he trusted me, so I wasn't about to do anything to betray his trust. Even when he got older I wouldn't do anything sexual with him unless it was something he wanted to do, but I hoped he would want me to guide him through that period of his life as well.

When I got back to the house, I cleaned up, and fixed something to eat, but I couldn't get Noah out of my mind. He was in my thoughts the entire time, and I was already looking forward to seeing him again tomorrow.

After I finished eating dinner, I turned on the TV and made myself comfortable on the sofa, but I don't recall what I watched. It seemed that I was totally oblivious to what was taking place on the screen, because I spent the entire time thinking about Noah. I was recalling all of the things we'd done, both today and the other times we'd been together, and I was also looking ahead to what we'd be doing tomorrow. After a couple of hours, I finally gave up and went to bed, figuring I'd probably dream about him too, and that would be more enjoyable than what I'd been doing. I fell asleep thinking ahead to the following day.

Chapter 4
Our First Problem.

While I was fixing breakfast Sunday morning, I glanced out the window and noticed the sky was overcast. I hadn't been paying attention to the weather report and wasn't expecting this, so I quickly turned on the TV to see what the forecast was for today. Before long, I discovered there was a sixty percent chance of scattered showers, but it didn't mean it was definitely going to rain. However, I quickly made a new plan, just to be safe. We weren't going to stay at the park anyway, but I had something else in mind that would take place at an outdoor location, so I hurriedly switched gears, just in case there was a shower.

I was giddy as I drove over to pick up Noah, because I was eager to see my little buddy again. He quickly spotted my car, so I didn't have to honk the horn this time, and he raced over and climbed into the passenger seat. "Are we goin' to your house again?"

"Yes. We'll go there first, so you can change into one of the new outfits I bought you."

"Do I have tuh shower too?"

"I don't think you got that dirty yesterday, so I guess you can skip that, if you want."

"Yeah, and I'll wear the same clothes as yesterday too."

"Why don't you wear one of the other outfits instead?"

"But I didn't get those clothes dirty."

"I know, but I'd like to see how you look in something else this time."

"K, I'll do that then."

As soon as we got to the bedroom, Noah began taking off what he was wearing, and I quickly discovered he was going commando again. I didn't know if he did this because he didn't have underwear at home, or if he just liked going without them, but I opened the package of underwear so he could put on a pair. I also set out the other pair of shorts and another shirt for him to wear, and once he was dressed we went outside and hopped in the car.

"Dang, it's startin' to rain," Noah whined when he saw the water droplets hitting the windshield.

"Yes, I knew it might, so I planned something we could do even in the rain."

I drove to the mall and parked near the cinema entrance, which caused Noah to look at me strangely, so I knew he was wondering what I had planned.

"What are we doin' here?" he finally asked.

"Since it looks like it's going to rain, I thought we would watch a movie today. Is that ok with you?"

"Aren't movies 'spensive?"

"Don't worry, cuz I can afford it. Let's just go see what's playing and you can decide which movie you'd prefer to see."

We hurriedly made our way inside and looked at the posters and the board listing what was playing, along with the times, but there didn't appear to be much to choose from that was suitable for kids. Eventually, Noah chose 'The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature', and I bought the tickets. I then led him to the concession stand and bought each of us a drink, along with a bucket of popcorn to share, before we made our way into the theater. After finding a good place to sit and getting comfortable, we began to eat the popcorn and sip our drinks as we waited for the previews to begin.

"I've only been to one movie b'fore this, but we didn't get popcorn or nuttin' to drink that time."

"I like doing it this way, so help yourself to the popcorn."

After watching the trailers, the movie came on and it turned out to be quite funny. It was an animated film and the main characters were animals, and we both laughed at their antics on the screen. The premise was that the animals wanted to save the park, because the mayor wanted to bulldoze it so he could build an amusement park to make money. I think that struck a chord pretty close to home, because Noah commented about it when the movie ended.

"I hope they never try to tear down our park, cuz I'd miss it if it wasn't there."

"Yes, I'd miss it too. Not only wouldn't I have a lovely spot to eat my lunch when the weather was nice, but we wouldn't have a great place to hang out either."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinkin'."

When we got back to the house I made lunch, and this time I decided to prepare spaghetti.

"Do you like salad, Noah?"

"You mean with lettuce and dressin'?"

"Yes, that kind of salad."

"Do you have Ranch dressin', cuz that's what I like best?"

"Yes, I do, because I like it too."

I made a small salad for each of us while the spaghetti was cooking and the sauce was heating up. While we were waiting for that to get done, I carried the salads, the bottle of dressing, a loaf of Italian bread, and the butter into the dining area and set everything on the table. When the food was ready, I fixed us both a plate of spaghetti and carried those to the table as well, before going back to get each of us a drink, and then we sat down to eat.

I noticed that Noah was a little heavy handed with the dressing when he put it on his salad, but he didn't waste any of it. He even used a slice of Italian bread to wipe up the excess dressing in the bowl after he finished eating the rest, since he apparently didn't want to waste any of it. He then dove into his plate of spaghetti, and I took a minute to teach him how to roll a couple of strands around his fork so it wouldn't be quite as messy. When he finished, he grabbed another slice of bread and mopped up the extra sauce on his plate as well, so it looked as if he took his mother's warning to heart about not wasting food. As he put the last scrap of bread covered in spaghetti sauce into his mouth, I asked a question.

"Are you full now?"

"Stuffed."

"I'm not surprised. You ate quite a bit."

"And lots of popcorn at the movie too."

"I almost forgot about that. So what do you want to do next."

"I just want to sit with you and watch TV until my tummy doesn't feel so full."

"We can definitely do that."

I controlled the remote, but I let him choose what he wanted to watch, and we ended up switching between the Disney and Nickelodeon channels over the next couple of hours. He sat so his body was pressed tightly against mine, so I lifted my arm and wrapped it around his shoulders to let him know it was all right and I enjoyed doing this as well. He then rested his head against my chest as he watched the screen, and we did that until it was nearly time for him to leave.

"You'd better go change into your other clothes so I can take you home."

"K, but I wish I could stay here with you."

"Don't you want to go home to see your mom?"

"Yeah, but I like bein' here with you too."

"And I like being with you as well, but it's time for me to take you back now, because I don't want your mother to get upset."

"Yeah, I know."

He went to my bedroom and changed into what he wore here, and then we got in the car so I could drive him home. I dropped him off at the end of the road leading into the trailer park again, and he waved at me as I drove away. I really hated to leave, so I drove away slowly and watched as he walked in the direction of his trailer. I'd see him at the park again tomorrow when we ate lunch together, as long as it didn't rain, but if it did I might just drive there anyway to see if he was waiting for me. If he was, I guess we could always eat lunch in the car for a change.

When I returned to the house, I changed into my jogging gear and went for a run. It didn't matter if it happened to rain, as long as it wasn't a thunderstorm, because I always worked up quite a sweat doing this anyway. When I finished, I showered, put on another pair of shorts, and headed out to the kitchen to start dinner. I knew it would take a while before it was ready, so I should be hungry by then.

The rest of the night was kind of a blur, because my mind was filled with thoughts of Noah and I couldn't concentrate on anything else. I enjoyed spending time with him and watching as he tried on all of the new clothes I'd bought him. He was very appreciative of everything I did on his behalf, and he even seemed concerned that I was spending too much money, so how could I not be impressed? Later, when I fell asleep, I was still thinking about him.

After getting to work the next day, I spent the morning completely focused on my job, and then I went to meet Noah at the park for lunch. It was still slightly overcast, but luckily it wasn't raining, so we'd still be able to eat our lunch together. I'd even tossed a towel in the car before I headed to work earlier, and I took it with me to dry off our favorite bench before we sat down. Other than that, it was just a normal lunch hour, and once again Noah thanked me for bringing enough for him.

About a half hour after I got back from lunch, I noticed it was raining and wondered if Noah had been able to get to his trailer before it started. It was merely a mild, summer storm, though, so it wasn't a big deal. Even if he did get a little wet, he wouldn't melt, and I was sure he liked playing in the rain, just like most kids.

I ate my lunch with Noah every day that week, and he never said if he'd got caught in the rain, and I forgot to ask. While we were eating on Friday, Noah had a question for me. "Are we gonna stay here at the park tuh-morrow, cuz the other boys want to know?"

"Would you like to do that again?"

"Yeah, and they do too."

"Ok, then we'll plan on staying at the park tomorrow and I'll try to think up another adventure for us to go on."

"Good. I'll tell them when I see 'em here later. They really like you too."

"And I like them, and I'm glad we're able to include your friends in our little adventures."

On the walk back to my office, I was already feeling pressure to come up with something spectacular we could do the following day. I didn't want to disappoint the boys, especially Noah, because it seemed as if our weekend adventures had moved him up a rung on the social ladder. The other boys were apparently coming to him to verify what we were going to do, which pleased me, and I didn't want anything to happen that would change this.

Although I had to focus on my job, I'd occasionally have a moment of inspiration and would take a second to jot down a note on a sheet of paper so I wouldn't forget it later. By the time I was ready to leave at the end of the day, I picked up the paper, which now had several ideas written on it, folded it up, and placed it in my pocket. I'd see which idea I could flesh out into something workable for the next day.

When I reached the house, I quickly changed into my jogging clothes. I wanted to have as much time as possible to work on an idea for tomorrow, but I didn't want to stop working out to do it, so I decided to get that out of the way first. However, I also continued thinking about what I could do with the boys as I made my way around my normal route, in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

After making my final dash back to the house, I went inside, stripped, and showered quickly before heading to the kitchen to fix dinner. I went with a very simple meal tonight and merely fixed myself a fish sandwich with a side of sliced carrots and a small salad. It was easy to put together, and it gave me a chance to catch my breath before I ate.

When I finished eating, I cleaned up the dirty dishes before I went to work out the details of the idea I'd formulated during my jog. I spent over an hour doing that, and then I made a quick run to the store to pick up a few items I needed to make this even better. I was thrilled that it was coming together so well, but it meant I'd have to get up even earlier than usual in the morning so I could beat the boys to the park. If I was going to pull this off, there were a few things I had to do before they showed up, especially if I wanted to make it fun for them.

I was so excited about doing this that I had trouble falling asleep, but I knew I had everything I would need for this new adventure. I left it all on the table so I'd be able to grab it on my way out the door in the morning. I just hoped the kids would be as excited doing this as I was when I prepared it for them.

When the alarm went off in the morning, I jumped out of bed and started getting ready. I'd set the alarm so I wouldn't oversleep, and I dressed quickly, went out to the kitchen, and merely fixed myself a bowl of cereal before I grabbed everything I needed and headed out to the car. I was going over what I still had to do in my head and hoped I'd get it all done before any of the boys showed up.

I actually finished ahead of time and had a chance to sit on the bench as I waited for them to arrive. Noah got there first, and a few minutes later when Gus and Sam joined us, and they immediately confronted me.

"Hey, you guys weren't here last week. How come?" Gus demanded looking perturbed.

"We had something else planned for Saturday, and then it rained on Sunday, so we did something else that day as well. I'm sorry if you were waiting here for us."

"Yeah, we were, but it's ok. That's why we asked Noah if you were gonna be here this week," Sam explained. "So what are we gonna do today?"

"I was trying to think of an adventure, but I couldn't come up with anything, so I have no idea what we're going to do," I replied, but then Gus saw something.

"Hey, what's this paper doing here? It says 'Secret' on it."

"I don't know. Maybe you should open it and see what it says."

"It's a note. It says: 'I'm a pirate who has sailed the seven seas and I've hidden a fabulous treasure. If you want to discover where the chest containing my booty lies, then you'll have to follow a series of clues to get there. Miss one, or get it wrong, and the treasure will remain hidden forever. Follow the clues correctly and you'll get your hands on my golden fortune.' Do you think we should do it?"

"What do you boys think?"

"Yeah, let's find the treasure!" Noah shouted, eager to began.

"Does the note say anything else, because it didn't tell us where to find the treasure or what any of the clues were. It just told us there were clues?" I replied, trying to get them started.

"Yeah, at the bottom it says: 'If you kiss me I won't turn into a prince, but I can lead you to the next clue.' What's that sposed to mean?" Gus asked as he looked at me confused.

"I don't know. Maybe we should think about it."

"In one of the fairy tales a princess kisses a frog and it turns into a handsome prince, so is that what it's talkin' bout?" Sam wondered.

"Maybe, so I guess we should start looking around for a frog with a note attached to it. Let's listen and see if we can hear one croak."

"How bout the frog I rode on when we battled the cannibals?" Noah asked. "You know, the one on the spring that rocks back and forth."

"Hey, that's a great idea, so maybe you should go check it out."

The three boys went racing off in that direction, and before long I saw Noah holding up another sheet of paper. "I found this stuck under the frog," he announced as he brought it back to me.

"Does it have anything written on it?"

"Yeah, it says: 'Don't get dizzy riddin' the waves, cuz ya got to cross the river to get to the treasure.' I don't know what that's sposed to mean, though, cuz there's no river here."

"Hey, the first time we did this we pretended the merry-go-round was a boat and we used it to cross a river," Sam pointed out. "Do you think there's a note there?"

"I'm not sure. Why don't you go look?"

All three boys raced over there next, and this time Sam was holding a piece of paper in the air. I guess the boys were letting the one who solved the riddle to get the next clue and bring it back to me.

"What does the note say?"

"It's says, 'When I drink too much rum, I usually just find a tree to water, but this place is too open, so I'll have to find someplace where I can do it in private.' I guess it means he hasta pee."

"It would seem that way."

"The bathroom!" they all screamed in unison as they took off for the men's room. Before long, Gus was holding a piece of paper in the air.

"Ok, what's written on this one?"

"Up in the crow's nest, where the bird lays it's eggs, you'll find the next clue to lead you to my treasure.' What the heck is that sposed to mean? There's no crows 'round here."

"I'm not sure, but there are other things people refer to as the crow's nest," I stated. "On a ship, it's the top most lookout point where the sailors can see other ships or land when they're still far away."

"Hey, I used the tower when I was lookin' out for pirates the first time we did this," Noah stated. "Do you think there's somethin' there?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should go look." Once again they raced off, and I was thrilled that no one else was at the park this morning, because they could have messed this up by removing the clues from where I'd hidden them. The boys seemed to be enjoying this, and I was glad it was working out so well.

"I got it!" Noah shouted as he held up the paper so I could see it while he was still up in the tower.

"Great! Bring it here so we can see what it says." He then came racing back.

"It says: 'The treasure is buried under some rocks at the edge of the jungle that's located at the center of the island.' Hey, there's no jungle here and this ain't no island!"

"Maybe not in the usual sense, but this is sort of an island we come to on the weekend so we can have fun and forget about things for a while," I countered.

"And there's a bunch of bushes over there, so maybe that could be the jungle the note is talkin' bout," Sam suggested.

"Yeah, let's go check it out," Noah agreed.

The boys went racing over to that area next and quickly began to look around. After a couple of minutes, Gus shouted out. "Hey, here's a pile of stones, so this might be the place, but I'm worried there might be snakes in there."

"Just check it out carefully, because there aren't any poisonous snakes around here," I offered.

Gus was still hesitant about doing it, so Noah started moving the stones instead. He'd only dislodged a few of them when his face lit up. "I found the treasure chest!" he shouted as he bent down, tossed a few more stones off to the side, and picked it up.

It was a small plastic chest that looked like something a pirate might use, and he came running up to show me what he'd found. "Is there anything inside?" I asked, since he hadn't looked.

He opened the lid, and inside were chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. "It appears that you boys have found the treasure. Good job, men!"

"Is that candy?" Sam asked, not quite sure.

"I believe they're chocolate doubloons," I suggested. "It's almost lunchtime, so why don't you boys split up the 'loot', but save it until after you've eaten.

They agreed and began to count them out, but they were setting a share aside for me too. "Hey, you boys did all the work, so you get all of the treasure. I don't deserve any of it."

"But you helped too," Noah stated as he looked up at me.

"Not really, but even if I did, I don't need any candy. You boys deserve it, so split them up and enjoy."

They didn't have a problem doing as I asked and split the treasure up between them. They each took their share and Gus and Sam started off for home, but not before thanking me for another great time. I had Noah follow me to the car carrying his share in the treasure chest so I could take him to my place for lunch.

"That was fun and I liked lookin' for the clues. Thanks for doin' that for us."

"Hey, I didn't do it. I'm not a pirate. Where would I get any treasure from?"

Noah looked over and gave me a sly grin. "You ain't foolin' me. I know you did this."

I didn't argue and continued driving to the house. When we got there, I boiled hot dogs and made some Kraft macaroni and cheese. I knew it was something Noah would enjoy and then he'd still have room left over for his well-earned treat. He was happy we were making our lunch this time, rather than going out, since he said he was worried that I'd been spending too much money. This seemed to appease him, and I was happy to have him all to myself.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked when we finished eating.

"I just want to spend time with you."

"Do you want to see if there's a movie on TV?"

"Yeah, let's do that."

Today, we found 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' on one of the channels, so we settled down on the sofa to watch it. Seeing Noah had never seen this film before, it was new and exciting for him, so he was thrilled and eager to do this. I just liked being able to have him cuddle against me as we watched the screen.

When the movie ended, Noah turned in his seat and looked at me. "That was neat, but I'd be scared to be around a big lion. And those kids were doin' stuff like we do at the park."

"Yes, but for them it was real, not pretend like we do."

"I know, but I like doin' it pretend, cuz we can't get hurt. So what are we gonna do tuh-morrow?"

"I don't know yet. Do you want to do something at the park again, or maybe try something else?"

"Gus and Sam want us to meet them at the park again. They like doin' this stuff with us."

"Ok, then I'll try to think of something else we can do, but it's time for you to go home now."

"Ok, and today was really fun."

I dropped Noah off at the end of the road leading into the trailer park again, and we waved at each other as I drove away. For being so worried about today, it went really well, so now I had to come up with another idea for tomorrow. Once I got back to the house, I grabbed the paper I'd written down all of the various ideas and tried to see if something else stuck out. Nothing did, so I changed to go out for my jog. I would think about what we might be able to do as I ran around the neighborhood, and hopefully I'd come up with something.

By the time I finished my nightly run, I thought I had a rough idea about what I was going to do the next day, so I showered and got ready for bed.

I didn't have to rush quite as much the next morning, so I fixed a little better breakfast, took my time enjoying it, and then I drove over to the park to meet the boys. Noah was waiting for me on the bench, and since the other boys weren't there yet, he asked if I'd push him on the swings until they arrived. I didn't have a problem with that and was pushing him higher and higher when I saw Gus, Sam, and a woman walking in our direction.

Seeing the other two boys weren't alone, and the woman had a mean expression on her face, I suddenly felt a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. I stopped pushing Noah, and as I watched them approach the knot continued growing larger and tighter. It felt as if it had just doubled in size when I saw Gus lift his arm and point in my direction, because the woman quickened her pace and veered directly toward me.

"What the hell are you doing hanging here and playing with these young boys? My son says you've been doing different things with them quite a few times already, and yesterday you gave them candy!"

"It's, uh, not as bad as it sounds," I stammered, knowing I was merely playing defense against a fierce momma bear. I also felt I was about to watch my world come crashing down around me.

Chapter 5
Fireworks.

"I swear, it's all completely innocent," I offered while looking into the eyes of a fire-breathing mother. "I've been coming to the park so I could spend time with Noah, since I know his mother works a lot and he's on his own much of the day."

"Yeah, he was a friend of my dad b'fore he was killed," Noah chimed in, coming to my aid. He had jumped off the swing after I stopped pushing him, and raced over to stand beside me once he noticed the others approaching.

"I'm only here to keep Noah company, but your son and his friend asked if they could join us too, since they saw Noah was having so much fun. Since Noah knew them, I agreed to let them spend time with us too, but I won't, if you don't want me to do that any longer." I wasn't sure which one was her son, but I soon found out.

"Yeah, we asked him, momma, and we have lots of fun with him and Noah," Gus told her.

"And what about the candy? Are you using that as a bribe so you can get them to do whatever perverse things you want?"

"No, it was part of yesterday's quest. I try to think up things the boys might enjoy, and yesterday it was a treasure hunt. The candy was the treasure they found in the chest I'd hidden, because if you hadn't noticed the chocolates were wrapped in gold foil so they looked like old coins."

"Yeah, we had to follow the different clues until we found the treasure," Gus added, hoping to convince his mother that what I'd been doing with them was ok. I assumed he didn't want to stop joining us on these adventures, but his mother didn't seem to be softening her stance.

"Well, I don't know you, so I don't want you hanging around my son," she spat out and then she turned toward Sam. "I don't think your mother will want you involved in this either, so both of you boys are to come back with me, and I want you to stay away from them from now on."

"No trouble. Noah and I will find other things to do," I said before turning toward Noah and whispering to him. "Let's go to my house before she does something else, like calling the police." I said this because I didn't feel she was completely satisfied with my answers, and I certainly didn't want to wait around to see what she was going to do next.

"Why was she so mad?" Noah asked after we got in the car.

"I think she feels I was trying to harm her son and she was just trying to protect him."

"But you didn't do nuttin to him."

"I know, but she was afraid I might."

"So what are we gonna do now?"

"I don't know, because we can't do what I had planned for the park."

In fact, she'd put a damper on the entire day. My mind was working overtime trying to think of what she might do next and who she'd tell about our little encounter. The police were one possibility, but seeing I didn't have a criminal record and hadn't actually done anything wrong, I didn't think they would hassle me. I'd just explain my actions to them, as I'd done to Gus' mother, and hopefully they would be more reasonable and understanding.

As I continued thinking about it, I knew I'd be miserable if I couldn't go to the park to eat my lunch for the next several weeks, since the kids would still be out of school. I didn't want to stop spending time with Noah either, so I was hoping this would eventually blow over and wouldn't turn into a major problem for me, but only time would tell.

I must have been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't heard what Noah was saying, because he suddenly shouted to get my attention. "Brian, did you hear what I just asked ya?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't. I was thinking about what we were going to do, now that we had to leave the park," I lied. "What did you say?"

"I wanted to know if this means we can't do stuff at the park any more?"

"I'm not sure. We definitely can't do things with Gus any longer, and possibly not with Sam either. It depends on how his mother reacts after Gus' mother tells her about me. Do they live in the trailer park too?"

"Nah. I think they live in the 'partments in the old fact'ry buildin'."

That's one of the places geared to low-income families. I was told the factory had been vacant for years and an investment group picked it up for next to nothing. They then turned it into apartments as quickly and cheaply as possible, so I assumed they've been making a bundle off of it ever since. From what I could tell, they didn't spend much on its upkeep or repairs, and there were hardly ever any vacancies, so that should equate to a positive cash flow. It seemed to be the last refuge for people down on their luck, and the final chance before becoming homeless, so I knew Gus and Sam's families weren't much better off than Noah and his mother. It's just that their mothers kept a closer eye on them.

"Can we still eat lunch at the park?" Noah followed, drawing my attention back to him.

"I certainly hope so. We'll just sit on our bench and eat without bothering anyone else."

"K."

We had reached the house by this point, so we got out and went inside. "Since I don't feel like going anywhere now, will you settle for watching something on TV with me?"

"Yeah, we can do that," Noah agreed. "I just wish Gus' mom didn't come to the park today, cuz she ruined everything."

"I know, but we'll try to make the best of it."

"Yeah, cuz I like just bein' with ya too."

There weren't any good movies on that I could find, so I turned to Disney and Nickelodeon to see what was on there. I gave Noah the remote and showed him the button that would let him switch back and forth between those two channels. He seemed satisfied, so I let him watch whatever program he chose, and I merely put my arm around his shoulders and held him tightly against my side, as I thought about the run-in at the park.

When a commercial came on, I took the opportunity to ask Noah a question. "Does your mom know either Gus or Sam's moms?"

"I don't think so. Why?"

"I was just wondering. Do you think Gus or Sam know where your mom works?"

"Maybe. I might have told 'em before."

I was afraid of that, but I didn't let on that it might be a problem, and then his show started again, so I let him watch it in peace. We chatted about a bunch of different things whenever a commercial came on, but mostly Noah just wanted to talk about the programs he was watching. He also asked about the other things we might do from now on, since it didn't look like we'd be spending very much time at the park, and I assured him that I'd think of something fun we could do together. He seemed fine with that and returned to watching his program when it came on again.

When it was getting close to lunchtime, I didn't feel like cooking or going out again, so I asked him a question. "How do you feel about pizza for lunch today?"

"Yeah, I like pizza."

"What do you like on it?"

"Pep-roni and cheese."

"Ok, pepperoni it is. Anything else?" He shrugged his shoulders. "How about mushrooms."

"Don't know. Never had 'em."

"What if I have them put on the pizza too, and if you don't like them, then you can take the mushrooms off and give them to me?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

"Ok, I'll be right back. I have to call and order it."

I dialed the local pizza shop to place the order and was told it would be delivered in about thirty minutes. I went back to the living room to continue watching TV with Noah, although I was merely sitting there and holding him close to me. He was fine with that, and he snuggled against my side until we heard a knock on the door. I got up to answer it, with Noah at my heels, so when I was handed the pizza, I asked Noah to hold it while I paid the delivery person. After settling up and giving the driver a tip, I took the pizza from Noah and carried it to the kitchen. I then got out two plates and asked Noah what he wanted to drink.

"I have milk, ice tea, orange juice, and water. What would you like?"

"Ummm, what are you havin'?"

"I'll probably just have water."

"Then I'll have water too."

"You can have anything you want."

"I know, but I want to have what you're havin'," he reiterated, so I got both of us a glass of water.

After I carried the drinks to the table, I put two slices of pizza on each plate and carried them to the table too. I wasn't sure if Noah could eat two slices, but I wanted him to know it was ok if he wanted that much, and we began to chow down.

I finished my first slice well ahead of him and started on my second. When Noah finished his first slice, he took a few of bites out of the next one, and then he set it down on the plate.

"I can't eat no more, but I don't want to waste the rest of it."

"Would you mind if I finished it for you, and that way I won't have to get up to get another slice?" I wasn't really planning on having another slice, but I didn't want him to feel that he'd forced me to do this.

"Yeah, cuz then it won't get wasted."

After we finished eating, I put the rest of the pizza in the fridge and the dishes in the dishwasher, and then we went back to the living room to watch TV. This time we discovered the movie 'Aladdin' on the Disney channel, and it was something else Noah hadn't seen. He said he heard the other kids talking about it at school before, so he was excited about finally seeing it.

"I like watchin' these movies with you," he squealed about halfway through it. "I never seed them b'fore, so now I know what the other kids was talkin' bout."

"Yes, and we'll see a lot more movies too."

It was still early when 'Aladdin' ended, so I looked around for something else to watch. I came across the movie 'Back to the Future', and even though it was a much older film, Noah said he'd never seen it before, so we watched it next.

He enjoyed that one as well, especially when Marty made his own skateboard to get away from the guys chasing him. Noah also roared with laughter when Biff's convertible crashed into the truck filled with manure, and all that crap ended up on top of everyone in the car.

"Ewww, I'm glad I wasn't in there with them," he stated before he started laughing again.

"Yes, me too."

When the movie ended, it was time for me to take Noah home, and during the ride I decided to inform him about something. "Did you know that Tuesday is the Fourth of July and there will be a fireworks display that night on the other side of town?" He shook his head. "Do you think your mom is going to take you to see them?"

"I don't think so, cuz she didn't say nuttin about it."

"Well, when you get home, mention it to her and see if she plans on taking you there. If not, ask her if she'd mind if I took you to see it. If that's ok with her, then I'll meet you at the park early, because I won't have to work that day. You can spend the day with me if you're mom has to work, and then I'll take you to see the fireworks later. When the fireworks are over, I'll drive you back and drop you off at your door, because I don't want you wandering around the trailer park after dark."

"K, but how will I let you know what she says?"

"Tomorrow's Monday, so I figured you'd just come to the park to have lunch with me, and you can tell me then."

"Oh, yeah. I didn't think about that."

"Don't worry. It's my job to think about those things, not yours."

"Good, I'll ask my mom when I get home, and I'll let you know what she says tuh-morrow."

After I dropped him off, I watched as he headed in the direction of his trailer, and he turned to wave at me several times before he finally disappeared from view. As I drove home, I wondered if his mother would take him to see the fireworks, or if she'd be willing to give me permission to do it. I hoped she wouldn't make him miss out on it just because she didn't know me.

During the drive, I saw a flash of lightning and heard a clap of thunder, so I decided there would be no jogging tonight. Instead, I changed into a pair of shorts and athletic shoes so I could work on the equipment instead.

I did a twenty minute set on each of the three machines and got a much more strenuous workout than if I'd jogged. It was a good thing to do every once in a while so I'd work on my other muscles too, but they got a good work out during the late fall and winter, since I cut back on my jogging during those months.

When I finished, I walked around the house for a brief time, going from room to room as I unwound. Once my body had calmed down a bit and my heart rate had slowed to normal, I went to take a shower. As soon as I finished up, I put on a clean pair of underwear, another pair of shorts, and headed to the kitchen, ready to fix myself something to eat.

I kept thinking about Noah for the rest of the night. I was hoping his mother would let him go with me, even though she didn't have any idea who I was. The more I thought about it, I hoped she didn't come to the same hasty conclusion as Gus' mother, because that would mean I wouldn't be able to spend any more time with Noah. I couldn't think of anything worse than that, for me or him.

I had some disturbing dreams that night, as my mind attempted to deal with what had happened earlier in the day. I visualized different scenarios playing out with Gus' mother, but I also saw similar things happening with Noah's mother as well. Although my dreams were unsettling, I was still fairly well rested when I woke up in the morning, so I got ready and headed to work.

I went over to the park at lunchtime wondering what Noah was going to tell me. Was his mother going to take him, would she let me take him, or would she make him miss out altogether? I wasn't sure what to expect, but Noah had a huge grin on his face when he saw me approaching.

"Hey, little buddy. You look like you're in a good mood."

"Yeah, my mom's gonna let me go with you to see the fireworks, cuz she says she has tuh work from noon till nine. She said she's gonna come with me to the park so she can meet ya first, so is that ok?"

"Sure it is. I expected she would want to meet me sooner or later."

Even though I tried to appear calm, I was worried what this might mean. Had Gus' mother gotten to her? Is that why the sudden interest? I'd been hanging around with Noah for weeks now, and she knew he was meeting me for lunch, so why the sudden urge to meet me? Was it merely about taking him to see the fireworks, or was it about something different?

I did my best to keep Noah from suspecting anything was amiss and we chatted about the fireworks and what he should expect. He quickly informed me that he'd never seen fireworks before, so I told him that in addition to the colorful display of lights in the sky, it would be accompanied by loud booms as well. They would not only assault our eardrums, but we'd also be able to feel the shockwaves hitting our bodies, especially our chests. He seemed excited about doing this, so we'd see how he handled it in person.

All too soon it was time for me to return to work, so I said goodbye to Noah and told him I'd see him the next day. "What time should I get here?"

"You said your mom wants to come talk to me first, so what time would be good for her?"

"She'll be up early, cuz she'll work around the trailer before she goes tuh work."

"So if I get here between 9:00 and 10:00, will she be ok with that?"

"Yeah, that should be good."

"Ok, I'll see you then."

For the rest of the day my mind was consumed with what might happen when I met Noah's mom. How would it go? What would she say, and how would she react? I was worried that it would go just as badly as it had with Gus' mother, but would she do that in front of her son? Gus' mother had done it in front of her son, so I guess anything was possible and I'd just have to wait and see.

I made it through the rest of the afternoon and evening, including my nightly jog, and then I got ready for bed. I didn't have the same troubling dreams that I'd experienced the night before, but it wasn't a very relaxing sleep either. I was still a little tired when I was getting ready to head to the park, but I did my best to look good and remain calm as I drove to meet Noah and his mother.

I had only been there for a few minutes when I saw them crossing the street and heading in my direction. I got up to greet them as they approached the bench where Noah and I usually ate lunch.

"Hi, I'm Cheryl Updyke, Noah's mom," she said as she extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you, and I'm Brian Thorne," I replied as I took her hand and shook it gently.

"I'm glad to finally meet you, because Noah's told me a lot about you. I really appreciate that you've been letting him come meet you for lunch and that you've made sure he has something to eat."

"It's my pleasure, and he's a great kid."

"He only says nice things about you as well. He's told me about how you spend time with him, and he says he has a lot of fun with you."

"I'm glad he enjoys it, because I enjoy his company too."

"I'm just wondering how you two met?" I knew this was coming, so I was prepared with a response.

"I work at Atlas Manufacturing in one of the offices, not the shop, and I like coming to the park to eat on nice days. It gets me away from work for a while and out into the sunshine and fresh air, and I was sitting here on the bench eating one afternoon when Noah came up and said hi."

"He didn't ask you for anything or beg you for part of your lunch, did he?"

"No, in fact I asked him if he'd like to share my lunch. I felt guilty eating in front of him, so I thought I'd share it instead."

"I'm glad he wasn't pestering you. But why do you like spending so much time with him, because Noah says you come to the park on the weekend as well."

"During our lunchtimes together, Noah told me about himself and that his father had been killed in a car accident. I felt you and he had already suffered more bad breaks than you deserved, so I was just trying to make sure he had some good memories too."

"Are you married?"

"No, I'm single. I've been too focused on my career to think about doing anything like that yet. However, after I started spending time with Noah, he's reminded me about how much I've missed having someone else for company, other than the people I work with."

"I was a little concerned at first and asked Noah a lot of questions about you, but he says you've never done anything wrong or illegal. He says he has fun with you and likes you a lot."

"And I like him too. He's like a little brother to me."

"I'm sure he appreciates having a man paying attention to him as well, because I know he has really missed his dad since the accident. I hope you don't think I'm a bad mother because I let him spend so much time alone, but since we've been on our own I've had to work a lot just to make ends meet. I work multiple jobs, but there still isn't enough money for the things we need, but I do the best I can."

"Yes, I understand how that goes."

"I wish I was doing better and made more, because I hate that Noah has to wear clothes other people have given him, or that I can only afford to buy things for him from the Thrift store. I know he'd rather have nicer clothes, and stuff that fit him better, but I put aside as much extra cash as I can scrape up."

"Look, I'm hoping you don't take this wrong, but would you mind if I bought him a few things from time to time?"

"Noah says that you've already done that. He said you took him to Subway and a Chinese restaurant at different times, and he's also told me that you've taken him to play miniature golf and to see a movie."

"Yes, and I hope that wasn't a problem."

"No, in fact I'm glad he got to do those things."

"Good, because I'd like to buy him a few other things as well, such as some clothes he can wear to school or when you take him places, as long as you don't think I'm being too presumptive."

"No, I'm sure Noah would like that, but how can you afford to do those things for him?"

"I'm not rich, but I do have a decent job. Like I said, I work in one of the offices at Atlas Manufacturing, but I'll only spend what I think I can afford." I intentionally played down my job for the time being and tried not to tell her too much.

"You seem to be a really nice guy, and I can tell that Noah adores you, so you have my permission to buy things for him from time to time. He also said you want to take him to see the fireworks tonight?"

"Yes, I thought we could spend the day at my house, so he can watch TV. He seems to like doing that too, since you don't have cable."

"Yes, that's something else we can't afford."

"I figured I could feed him lunch and dinner too, and then I'd take him to see the fireworks later. Afterward, I'll even drive him back to the trailer, so he doesn't have to walk any further than from the car to your front door."

"Ok, I don't have a problem with that, since I'll be working most of the day. I'll let my neighbor know too, because she kind of keeps an eye on him for me, and she feeds him dinner whenever I work late."

"Ok, that sounds good."

"Mom, can I just stay with Brian tonight?" Noah chimed in unexpectedly.

"First of all, shouldn't you be calling him Mr. Thorne?"

"No, I told him to call me Brian. Remember, I told you that I think of him like a little brother, and you don't go around calling your brother Mr. whatever."

"But he shouldn't be imposing on you like this either."

"It's no imposition, but I'll understand if you don't want him to spend the night."

"I know you haven't tried to do anything to him, because I've asked him, so I'll leave it up to you. I can see this is something he really wants to do, but I know you have to work tomorrow, so maybe you don't want the extra responsibility."

"No, it's not a problem, and I can drop him off on my way to work, if you'll be at the trailer when he gets back?"

"Yes, I'll be there, so do you want to keep him for the night?"

"Please, Brian," Noah pleaded.

"Ok, we can do that too."

Noah was jumping around and thanking both his mom and me, and I chatted with her for a little while longer while he was calming down. To say I was amazed at how this had played out would be a vast understatement, but she'd obviously been asking her son questions about me all along. His answers apparently passed the test, so I now had her permission to spend time with her son and even buy him a few things. I'd have to ask Noah about the types of questions she'd asked him later, just not today, because today was all about having a good time and celebrating the holiday.

When we got to the house, I had Noah shower and put on one of the outfits I'd bought him, and then we sat down to see what was on TV. Fittingly, the movie 'The Patriot' was on, so we watched that and I filled him in about some of the facts surrounding the American Revolution, and how the country had gained its independence.

When the movie ended, I decided to take him out for lunch and did something I thought I'd never do. I took him to Chuck E. Cheese. It wasn't for the food, but because of the other things he could do after we ate. The place was kid centered and I knew there'd be a lot for him to do, plus I was fairly certain it was something else he'd never done before.

Noah wanted pizza, so I got him a slice while I had the Italian sub, but I also ordered both of us a cookie and a drink too. I even let him take a couple of bites from my sub as well, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon with him playing the games, checking out the animated figures, and we even got to watch a little show. I could tell that Noah was enjoying himself, so I sucked it up for his sake and we stayed until he was ready to leave.

When we left there, it was already 5:00, so there was no sense in going home. Instead, I took him over to Walmart and bought him a swimsuit and a few more outfits, seeing his mother had given me permission to buy him things. This time I bought him shorts he could wear for play, rather than the nicer type I'd bought for dressing up. I also purchased tee-shirts, instead of polo shirts, a couple more packages of underwear and a couple packages of socks. I felt I could send all of these home with him now, except for the swimsuit, while I kept a few things at my house for when he was with me.

"Why did you buy me more clothes?" Noah asked when we were back in the car.

"Because now I can send some of them home with you. I'll keep the swimsuit, along with the shorts and two of the shirts I bought the last time. I'll also keep the first package of underwear and the sandals at my house, but I'll let you take everything else home with you this time."

"K, and I'll take good care of them."

"I know you will."

It was now time for dinner, so I took him to T.G.I. Fridays to eat. "We're gonna eat at another res'raunt?"

"Yes, it's easier on me to do it this way."

After looking at the menu, Noah wanted to order a cheeseburger, even though I tried to talk him into something else. I had the Flat Iron steak, and I ordered both of us a side salad with ranch dressing. I also gave him a couple pieces of my steak, hoping that I could talk him into something other than a burger the next time we ate here.

When we finished eating, it was already getting close to sundown, so I drove over to find a good place to watch the fireworks. We still had a little time to kill, so we talked about all sorts of things, and he asked if I thought Gus and Sam would be able to do stuff with us again. I told him not to count on it, although there was always the chance of a miracle happening.

When the first set of fireworks went off, Noah's eyes lit up and his hands went over his ears, while a broad smile covered his face. "Wow! This is neat," he squealed.

"I thought you'd like it."

We then watched the rest of the fireworks as they were set off, with different displays of colored lights brightening the sky above us. Some of the fireworks went off with loud booms, while others merely sounded like a bunch of firecrackers going off. Noah was fascinated by all of them, as he enjoyed his very first fireworks show.

When it ended, I drove him to the house. It was getting late, so I thought we'd better turn in right away. "Do you want to sleep with me, or on the sofa?"

"With you," he shouted in reply as he danced around.

"Ok, I have an extra toothbrush you can use, so let's brush our teeth and go to the toilet before we turn in. Will you be ok just sleeping in your underwear?"

"Yeah, cuz I don't got no jamas here."

We quickly went through our preparations and got into bed. Noah immediately sidled over and curled up against me, so I rolled onto my side and draped my arm over his body. "Goodnight, little buddy."

"Night, Brian, and thanks for the great day. I had lots of fun."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Chapter 6
A Number of Surprises.

The next morning we got up and Noah decided to put on one of his new outfits to wear home. He packed the rest of the things into a couple of plastic bags to take back with him, while I was fixing us something to eat. He was all smiles when he sat down at the table with me.

"Yesterday was fun, and thanks for lettin' me sleep with you last night. And thanks for buyin' me all this stuff too, and for lettin' me take it home with me."

"You're welcome. Will you need any help taking those things inside?"

"Nah, I can do it."

"Ok, and I'll see you at lunch so you can let me know if your mom was ok with everything."

"Yeah, I'll tell you what she says."

When I drove him home, I dropped him off at his door, he grabbed the bags, and headed toward the trailer. I knew he wanted to wave as I was getting ready to drive off, but his hands were full, so he merely smiled and nodded his head. Luckily, his mom must have heard my car stop out front, because I saw her open the door and let him inside before I drove away.

I was in a great mood when I got to the office, and since I'd spent the previous day with Noah, I was able to concentrate on work. I got a lot accomplished by lunchtime, and I was so excited about seeing him again that I walked quite a bit faster than usual as I made my way to the park. Not only did I want to spend time with him, but I was also curious to find out if his mother had said anything.

"So how did things go?" I asked as we began to eat.

"Mom asked if I had a good time, and I told her everything we did. She told me to thank you for the clothes too, but she said you didn't have to spend so much on me."

"Like I'd explained to her, I only spent what I thought I could afford."

"And I saw Gus this mornin'. He's really mad at his mom and says he hasn't talked to her since she came to the park and yelled at you."

"I didn't want to cause a problem between him and his mother."

"Gus says she caused the problem, cuz you were nice and nuttin' was goin' on. We was just havin' fun."

"I know, but it might make her even more leery of me, if she thinks I'm responsible for the problems she's having with her son."

"Gus said he told her this was all her fault, not yours."

"Maybe so, but she might not see it that way."

"He told me I was lucky my mom was lettin' me spend time with you, and he couldn't believe all the stuff we did yesterday."

"Did you tell him you stayed overnight and slept with me?"

"Nuht uh. I just told him about going out to eat, playin' at Chuck E. Cheese, and seein' the fireworks."

"Good, I'm glad you were smart enough not to tell him more, because his mom might have tried to use that against me too, if she knew you slept with me."

"I won't tell anyone else 'bout that."

When my lunch hour was nearly over, I said goodbye to Noah and walked back to work, quickly picking up where I'd left off. I was pleased that Noah had made some good decisions and not disclosed too much to Gus. I was also happy that his mother seemed to be fine with what I'd done with him on Tuesday and wasn't upset about the things I sent home with him. I merely hoped nothing would happen to change any of that from here on out.

Throughout the rest of that day, as well as the rest of the week, we fell into our normal routine. I ate lunch with Noah every day, and he would show up wearing one of the new outfits I'd bought him. By the end of the week I noticed he was wearing some of the outfits for a second time, but they obviously hadn't been washed after he first wore them, because they appeared slightly dirty. He still looked good, though, and I could also tell that he was proud to have the other kids finally seeing him wearing something nice, since they fit him a lot better than what he had been wearing.

On Friday, Noah asked what we were going to do on the weekend, and I merely told him I'd come up with something fun we could do. He seemed fine with that, because he trusted that I'd do something he would enjoy, so when I left I merely told him I'd see him in the morning. I actually had a couple of things I wanted to do with him, and I hoped they were things he would like.

I got to the park ahead of him on Saturday morning and waited for him to show up. I got nervous when I saw his mother walking with him when they entered the park, so I went over to meet them and see if anything was wrong.

"Hi, Cheryl. I wasn't expecting to see you today."

"I just wanted to tell you about something that happened the other day at work. I was cleaning the drink area when a woman came over and demanded to know why I let my son hang around with you. She was extremely loud and made it sound like you were a terrible guy."

"I'm pretty sure I know who that was. Noah has a couple of friends who used to join us on the weekend, because they liked taking part in the little adventures I'd prepared. I think the woman who confronted you must have been Gus' mother, because she also confronted me at the park one day and told me to stay away from her son. She didn't come right out and say it, but she hinted that she thought I was up to something improper."

"I know. I talked to Noah about this after it happened, because she mentioned that her son had been hanging out with Noah, another boy, and you. I told her I knew all about what was going on and that I was perfectly fine with it, because you were a really nice guy. I was a little surprised when she said something about you saying you'd been a friend of my husband, though."

"Actually, I didn't say that. Noah was the one who said it when he came to my defense as she was screaming at me."

"Yeah, Mom. I told her he was dad's friend, not Brian."

"It doesn't matter, because I told her off and said she was an idiot if she thought you'd harm the kids."

"So did she pick up on the fact that you were surprised when she mentioned that I'd said I was a friend of your husband?"

"Yes, she did, but I told her my reaction happened because it made me think about my husband again."

"Thanks, and I appreciate that you stood up for me."

"I only told her the truth, because Noah adores you, so you guys have fun today. I just wanted you to be aware of what she'd done."

"Thanks, and I'm glad you told me."

"Mom, can I stay with Brian tonight, so he don't have to bring me home later and then come back to get me tuh-morrow?"

"You should be asking him, not me, but don't go making a fuss if he says he has other things to do."

"Actually, I don't," I interjected, "so would it be alright with you if he stayed with me again?"

"If that's what he wants to do, because I'll be busy and won't be able to spend much time with him. I have a feeling he'd rather be with you anyway, because he seems to enjoy your company more than mine."

"I doubt that."

"Oh, I'm not upset, and I'm glad that you're willing to spend time with him. I'm just too busy to fill that role, and he needs a man to go on adventures with, not his mother." She smiled and winked after saying this.

"Then as long as you don't mind, I guess I've got a houseguest for the night."

"Yay!" Noah shouted as he started dancing around.

"That's what I was talking about," Cheryl joked as she pointed at her son. "You guys have fun, and I'll see you tomorrow, honey." She then gave Noah a hug and a kiss before she left.

"Thanks, Mom. I love ya too. Come on, Brian. Let's go."

He nearly dragged me out of the park because he was in such a hurry to see what we were going to do, and I willingly went along. We got in the car and I prepared to take off when Noah spoke again. "So what are we gonna do now?"

"The first thing will be that you'll have to take a shower and change into one of the other outfits I bought for you, and then we'll decide."

"Yeah, I didn't shower at home cuz I like your shower better. You got soap in a bottle, not just a bar of soap, and your shampoo smells better too."

"First of all, it's called body wash, not soap in a bottle, and I think you should start using the proper name for it."

"K, I like the body wash."

As I was selecting an outfit for him, Noah began to undress. He was wearing one of the outfits I'd bought him, and to my surprise he was actually wearing underwear this time too, so maybe he just didn't have any that fit him before. As soon as he was naked, he looked up at me and asked a question.

"Will you get undressed and shower with me, cuz I want you to wash me this time?"

"I suppose I could, but only if you promise you won't tell anyone that I showered with you. Some people might try to use it as proof that I'm up to no good."

"K, I won't say nuttin about it."

I took off my clothes so I could get in the shower with him, and he was strutting around as he waited, which indicated he was pleased with my decision to do this with him. Once I'd undressed, I led him into the bathroom and began to adjust the water. As soon as that had been taken care of, I put down the bathmat, got a couple of towels out of the linen cabinet, and helped Noah into the shower. I then got in behind him, but Noah just stood there looking at me.

"Come on, you're s'posed to wash me."

"Ok, stand under the spray and get wet first, and then I'll start with your hair."

As soon as he did as I asked, I squeeze some shampoo into my hand and began to work it into his golden tresses. I knew he washed it the last time he was here, and he probably did it at home too, but I wasn't sure how well he managed with such a full head of hair. I used my fingers to work the shampoo into every strand, as well as down to his scalp, and I thought I had it pretty clean by the time I told him to rinse. I then squirted some body wash onto the washcloth and began to clean his face, neck, back and legs, before I washed his chest.

"You can wash your own dick and butt," I said as I handed him the washcloth. I'd thought about teaching him the proper names for his body parts, but I felt that would cause others to realize we'd at least seen each other naked, so I went with the names he used.

"No! You can do that too."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep."

"Ok, just don't tell anyone I did this, not even your mom."

"I won't tell nobody."

Taking a deep breath, I reached out and ran the washcloth over his hairless pubis first, and then the inside of his thighs, before I came back up to wash his scrotum and penis next. After I finished doing that area, I had him turn toward the spray to rinse off and I washed his butt. I ran the washcloth between those two fleshy globes and over his little hole, and he giggled when I did that.

"I tickled when you washed where I poop."

"I know, but we have to make sure to keep that area clean too."

When I finished washing him, he looked up at me and spoke. "Can I wash you now?"

"I showered before I came to pick you up, so I don't need to get clean again."

"Ok, but don't do that from now on, so I can wash you too. Can I just wash your dick then?"

I looked at him and wasn't sure how to respond. I could sense his curiosity and desire to do this, but I was afraid I'd start to firm up the minute he touched me there. Even though I wasn't sure I should be doing this, I knew he felt it was only fair, since he'd let me wash him there already.

"Ok, here's the washcloth."

He broke into a huge grin and snatched the washcloth out of my hand. He then grabbed my penis with his left hand, while he held the washcloth in the right and ran it over the entire area. I was doing my best to think of something else, like a tax audit or a stock market crash, hoping that would kept me from getting an erection. It worked for the most part, because I'd only plumped up a little by the time he'd finished.

Now that we were both clean, I turned off the water, pulled back the shower curtain, and lifted Noah onto the bathmat. I then stepped out behind him and grabbed one of the towels so I could dry him off. Just as when I washed him, he had me dry ALL of him, and then he darted out of the bathroom before I could swat his butt.

"I knew you were gonna do that," he giggled, thinking he'd foiled my plan.

"I'll get you sooner or later, my pretty, and your little butt too," I cackled in my best Wicked Witch of the West voice.

"Nope, you won't!" he chirped back, and then he began to giggle as he watched me dry off.

Once I finished, we went back to the bedroom and he put on the outfit I'd picked out for him, while I got dressed again too. I was trying to decide what we should do next when Noah made a suggested.

"Can we watch cartoons for a while?"

"Sure, if that's what you want to do. We can do the other things I have planned later."

"K, but I want you to sit with me."

"I can do that too."

After checking out Disney, Nickelodeon, and Nick 2, Noah decided that he wanted to watch Nicktoons. I didn't care, because I'd be watching him, not the show, so I told him it was fine with me. We did that until his stomach growled, and we took a break to have lunch.

"How about grilled cheese sandwiches and baked beans for lunch?"

"K, but the beans will probly make me fart," he warned, and then he began laughing hysterically.

"Ok, as long as they don't smell too bad." That caused him to break out laughing again.

After we finished our lunch, I cleaned up the dishes and frying pan quickly, and then I told him we were going outside and get in the car. "Noah, what do you think about getting a haircut?"

"Yeah, it is gettin' pretty long and mom said I need one, but she said she can't take me until just b'fore school starts again."

"What if I take you instead, because I could use a trim too?"

"Ok."

I took him to the person I normally used, and she asked how I wanted her to style Noah's hair. "Make it a little shorter, but not too much, because he looks so cute with those long locks."

She smiled. "I agree." She then tipped him back in the chair to wash his hair before she started.

"Hey, what's she doin'?" Noah shouted in surprise when his body started to tip backward.

"She's just going to wash your hair," I informed him.

"But I washed it when I showered," he countered. I was grateful he'd said this in the first person.

"I know, but it's easier to cut your hair when it's wet, and she'll do the same thing to me too."

"Oh, ok then."

After she'd finished cutting our hair, I thanked and paid her, and then I spoke to Noah when we got back in the car. "There's something else I want to do before we go to have some fun."

"K. What are we gonna do?"

"You'll see."

"You always say that," he grumbled, but the smile never left his face.

Seeing I had noticed he was wearing dirty outfits at the end of the week, I decided to buy him three more play outfits today. That way he would have something different to wear each day of the week, including Saturday. I also bought him a couple of better outfits too, in case he ever needed to dress up when he wasn't with me, and I also bought him another pair of jeans, which caused him to complain.

"You don't need to keep buyin' me stuff."

"I know, and this will probably be the last time I do it for a while, but I want you to have enough different outfits so you won't have to wear the same thing twice during the week."

"But I used to do that all the time."

"I know, but now you won't have to. I want you to have these other things too, because there will be times you'll need them as well. Ok?"

"Yeah, I guess, and thanks for bein' so nice."

Once we'd paid for everything and loaded it into the trunk, I drove him over to our next destination. It was called the 'The Bounce Palace', and it had multiple devices the kids could use to bounce up and down and have fun. The first area was for the younger kids and had inflatable tent-like devices they could jump in, and this one was filled with colored, plastic balls the kids could also crawl around in. There were a couple of similar areas, minus the balls, called 'Bounce Houses', and they were designed for the smaller kids to jump up and down in. They even had slides attached to them as well, and since Noah was small for his age, he was also allowed to use this area.

After he took off his shoes, Noah went into the inflatable device filled with the colored balls first, and I watched as he played hide-and-seek with a group of younger children. I was extremely proud as I watched him, because he was very good with them and did his best to hide under the balls, crawl beneath them, and then he would pop up again and make the other kids laugh. I think the parents appreciated him doing this too, because their children were enjoying his antics.

After he left there, he tried out the 'Bounce Houses' next and jumped up and down with kids closer to his own age and size. Since he was having a blast doing this, seeing he'd apparently never had a chance to do any of these things when he was younger, I let him do it for as long as he wanted.

When he grew tired of doing that, I led him over to the next area, which was filled with Space Hopper balls. These are large, rubber balls with a face on one side and two horns sticking out of the top. To use them, the person sits on the ball and holds onto the horns as he or she bounces around. There were two sizes of balls, with one being slightly smaller than the other, and the area was monitored so the bigger kids didn't get too aggressive with the smaller children.

Since there were two different sizes of balls, Noah got on one of the smaller ones, and I got on one of the larger balls, and we bounced around and crashed into one another. Of course, I was careful so I didn't knock him over, because I didn't want him to get hurt, and I also used my legs to keep most of my weight off the ball. I would have been mortified if the ball had popped under my weight as I was hopping up and down on it.

When we tired of doing that, Noah was ready to go to the last area, which was where the trampolines were located. They were sectioned off into smaller areas for the different age groups, in order to keep the younger kids from getting hurt. The area for the smallest children had two attendants, while the other two areas only had one. The middle area was for the slightly older kids, ranging from fourth to eighth grade, and the last area was for the older teens and adults.

I made sure Noah started out in the middle area, and I was glad that there were only a few other kids in there. I suggested he watch what they were doing first, so he'd get the idea before I let him try it on his own. When I thought he was ready, I watched as he went in and began to jump up and down on the trampoline, and of course my little daredevil tried to see how high he could go. A little while later, I saw him drop down into a sitting position before bouncing back up to his feet, after he saw one of the other kids doing that. Later, he also tried landing on his knees first, before bouncing up to his feet again, and he was laughing the entire time.

When he came out of that area, he wanted to go on the trampoline with me too, so I talked to one of the employees and got permission to take Noah into the adult area with me. The attendant agreed, as long as I said I would watch out for him and make sure he didn't get hurt. Since the place wasn't very crowded, I didn't have a problem with that, so after I took off my shoes, we went in and began to jump up and down on the trampoline together. I held onto his waist and lifted him with me as I started to jump higher, taking Noah with me. Since he was such a little daredevil and loved doing this, he kept urging me to go higher and higher until I didn't have any strength left to continue.

"That was fun. Thanks for bringing me here," he gushed when we were getting ready to leave.

"You're welcome, and I enjoyed it too."

As we were leaving the place, I checked the time and realized it was nearly dinnertime. Since I didn't want to go home and have to fix something, I opted to take him out to eat again. "I'm going to take you to O'Charley's to eat, but I don't want you ordering another burger. I'll look at the menu first and then give you a few choices, because I want you to have something different this time."

"K. I can do that."

Once we went inside and were seated, I looked at the kids menu. "Which of these would you prefer: chicken tenders, grilled chicken breast, or steak tips?"

"How bout the chicken tenders?"

"Ok, that sounds good, and now for your side dish. Would you like mashed potatoes, applesauce, or carrot sticks with ranch dressing?"

"Um, how bout the carrots sticks with ranch dressin'?"

"I had a feeling you might say that. Now, what do you want to drink? Milk, chocolate milk, or pink lemonade?"

"Pink lemonade."

"Sounds good."

I decided to go with the buttermilk fried shrimp, with a salad, broccoli, and coffee. After I'd placed our order, we sat and chatted while we waited for our meals to be delivered. "Ummm, since you spent so much money today, do you think we could just stay home and watch a movie on TV tuh-morrow?"

"Sure, if that's what you want to do."

"Yeah, I want to do somethin' that doesn't cost nuttin'." I had a feeling he'd just said this because he was worried I might not do as much with him in the future, if it kept costing me so much money.

I didn't realize that the older couple sitting next to us had overheard what Noah had said as well.

"What a thoughtful young man you are," the woman said as she smiled at Noah. "I see there are still a few good young people in the world who aren't merely concerned with how much they can get their parents to spend on them."

"You should be very proud of your son," the man added.

"I am. He's a great kid and I'm extremely proud of him." I looked over and Noah was grinning broadly because of what they'd said.

Our food was delivered a short time later, and we began to eat. Noah was still beaming, and I had no doubt about what he was thinking as he kept glancing up at me.

When we finished our meal, I called our server over and asked for our check. "The couple you were talking to earlier paid your bill already. I thought they told you they were going to do that."

"They didn't, and we didn't really know them either. What about the tip?"

"They took care of that too."

"Damn, I wish I'd have known that sooner so we could have at least thanked them."

Since that lovely couple had paid our tab, we got up and left. As soon as we got in the car, Noah looked over at me and spoke. "I liked that they thought I was your son, but I didn't think they'd pay for our food too."

"I was extremely proud that they thought you were my son as well, and it seems that you made quite an impression on them, because it caused them to pay our check before they left."

"Yeah, they were nice."

"Yes, they were."

When we got back to the house, I talked Noah into taking another shower, since we'd worked up a sweat at 'The Bounce Palace'. Noah didn't have a problem with doing it, as long as we showered together and he got to wash me after I washed him. Somewhat reluctantly, I agreed.

After we were clean and dry, we brushed our teeth and put on clean underwear. I was glad I'd given him a toothbrush on Tuesday, since it looked as if he would be getting quite a bit of use out of it. Once we finished doing that, and after we'd also used the toilet, we went to my bedroom, got into bed, and I cuddled with Noah as we fell asleep.

Sunday turned out to be a lazy and laid back day. After we ate breakfast, I washed the clothes Noah had been wearing when I picked him up on Saturday, along with what he wore yesterday. I had him put on one of the new outfits I'd bought yesterday, because that way he could wear those things home when I dropped him off later. We even found a couple of movies to watch during the day, one before and one after I'd fed him lunch, and as it got closer to dinnertime, I told him what to do next.

"Take the clothes that I washed earlier, and put them in with the other things I bought you so you can take them home with you."

"But I wanna stay here with you tonight," he squawked in protest.

"I think your mom is expecting me to bring you home tonight."

"No she isn't. She spects me to stay tonight, if that's what I want to do."

"Are you sure? I think I remember her saying she'd see you tomorrow, which would mean today."

"Yeah, but I know she won't mind, cuz that way you won't have to make a special trip."

"Ok, but I wish there was some way I could check with her. Do you know your phone number?"

"We don't got one. We just go over to the lady next door and use her phone when we need to make a call. She takes messages for my mom too."

"Well, I hate to bother your neighbor, but I don't want your mom to worry either, so tell me her phone number."

"I don't know it, but we won't get in trouble."

"I hope not, or she might not let you stay with me again."

Since he seemed so positive about this, I went along with his idea, but now I had to figure out what we were going to have for dinner. "What do you think about having pizza tonight?"

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"Can I also have them put sausage on the pizza this time?"

"Yeah, I like that too."

I called in the order and was told it would be delivered in about forty minutes. While we were waiting, I fixed each of us a salad and put those items on the table, along with the salad dressing and our drinks. The pizza actually arrived a little sooner than I'd been told, so I paid the driver and gave him a tip, and then I put a couple of slices of pizza on each plate. I split Noah's second slice in half, so he wouldn't have to eat it all if he was full, and he laughed when he noticed what I'd done.

"I think I can eat most of this," he said, pointing at the full slice and one of the smaller pieces, "but will you take this one?" He was pointing at the other half of the second slice.

"Sure, I had a feeling you might do that."

After we ate, we watched a couple of shows on TV, and then we got ready for bed. I was shocked when Noah told me he wanted to shower again, probably just so we could do it together and wash each other again, but I was fine with that. Once we finished, I cuddled with him in bed, and before we fell asleep he bid me goodnight.

"Night, Dad. I really like being here and sleepin' with you."

"Sweet dreams, baby boy, and I love having you here with me as well."

"Hey, I ain't no baby!" he squawked.

"I know, but can't you be my baby boy?"

"K, but don't say that in front of nobody else."

When we woke up in the morning, I fixed something to eat before we got dressed, and then I drove him home. I made sure he took all of his things with him, and then I let him off at the trailer and waited until he was inside before I left. Cheryl saw him coming and opened the door, and then she waved at me. She also made a face and shook a finger at me when she saw Noah was carrying a couple more bags of goodies. I just laughed and drove off, pleased that she wasn't upset that Noah had spent both nights at my house.

Chapter 7
A Partial Reprieve.

When I met Noah for lunch on Monday afternoon, he was eager to tell me something. "My mom wasn't mad about me stayin' both nights, but she says you shouldn't keep buyin' me so much stuff."

"I'm glad she wasn't mad, and tell her I promise I won't buy anything else for a while."

"Yeah, I told her you said that when you bought the last stuff for me."

"That's good, and I hope it made her happy."

"Yeah, she said she was glad to hear that."

We also talked about what he might like to do over the weekend, and I quickly discovered he was open to just about anything, as long as we did it together. I was thrilled that he felt this way, so I would try to plan something he'd enjoy.

We had lunch at the park again on Tuesday and Wednesday as well, and on Wednesday Noah shared some other information with me. "I saw Sam this mornin' and he said Gus' mom told his mom bout when she went to talk to my mom at work. Sam said that after Gus' mom left, his mom said she's gonna let him start doin' stuff with us at the park again."

"That's interesting. I wonder what made her change her mind?"

"Sam said it was cuz my mom told Gus' mom that you were a nice guy and she trusted ya."

"But Sam's mom didn't hear that directly from your mom," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but Sam said his mom felt that if Gus' mom told her that, then it must be true, cuz she was sayin' mean things about you the rest of the time."

"Interesting logic."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. I was just talking to myself. I take it this means your mom didn't convince Gus' mom to let him join us again?"

"Yeah, Sam says Gus is really mad that Sam's mom is gonna let him do stuff with us, but he still can't."

"Yes, I'm sure he isn't happy about that."

This changed my plans for the weekend, though, because I wasn't originally going to stay at the park with Noah. However, since Sam was going to start doing things with us again, I didn't want to discourage him by not showing up or being unprepared. I'll have to think up a new adventure I can do with them now, so I'll just have to figure out what that is going to be.

Noah and I had lunch together the next two days as well, and on Friday he wanted to know if I was prepared for the weekend. "Do you know what we're gonna do tomorrow and the next day?"

"Yes, I think I've figured out something that you and Sam will enjoy."

"Good, cuz me and Sam want to go on a fun adventure with you."

"Then I hope you like what I have planned. Oh, and I just thought of something I've been meaning to ask you. When is your birthday?"

"It's in March," he answered simply, without offering any details.

"Ok, but what day?"

"Ummm, the fifteenth."

"Ah, the Ides of March."

"Huh?"

"It's just an old fashion way of saying the middle of March. When you get to high school you'll learn why the Ides of March is so well known and what happened on that day."

"I guess."

"The important thing is that now I know when your birthday is."

"It's a long time 'til my birthday, cuz Christmas comes first."

"Yes, it does. It will be five months until Christmas and eight months until your birthday."

"Yeah, a long time."

"Maybe it seems like a long time to you now, but you'll find out it goes by a lot quicker as you get older."

"How can it go by faster?"

"It will just seem that way, because the older you get the faster time seems to fly by. My mom and dad taught me that and I'm finding it to be true."

"That sounds weird, but ok. And can I go home with you and spend the night after we finish goin' on the adventure tuh-morrow?"

"That will be up to your mom."

"I know she won't care, so can I?"

"If she says she doesn't mind, then it's ok with me too."

"Both nights again?"

"Check with you mom first, but if she says it's ok, then it's fine with me."

"Yay, cuz I like staying with you."

"I'm glad, because I enjoy having you stay with me as well."

When the lunch hour ended, I walked back to the office and spent the rest of the workday mired in numbers. After driving home, I changed and went out for my jog, because I knew I wouldn't be able to do it the next couple of nights if Noah was with me. I didn't feel I could ask him to run that far, especially at the pace I jogged, because he'd have to sprint the entire time to keep up with me, due to his shorter legs.

After I finished my jog and got back to the house, I showered quickly and fixed myself something to eat, and then I sat down and started going over what I had planned for the following day. I wanted to make sure I didn't forget anything, because I wanted the boys to enjoy this adventure, even though it was quite different from the other things we'd done. Unfortunately, I had some doubts, and that's why I wanted to be certain I knew exactly what we'd be doing, so our little adventure didn't end up falling to pieces and turn into a total disaster.

When I woke up the next morning, I dressed in shorts and a polo shirt, fixed myself breakfast, and then I drove to the park to meet up with the boys. Noah and Sam were waiting for me when I arrived.

"Wow! You two must have gotten here early."

"Yeah, I was excited bout doing this again," Sam answered.

"And we're glad to have you back."

"Gus isn't happy that I'm gonna do this with you today, and he's really mad at his mom cuz she won't let him do it too."

"Yes, Noah told me, and I'm sorry he's missing out."

"He's still trying to get his mom to change her mind, 'specially after my mom said I could start doin' this again."

"I'm sure it must have upset him after he found out that you were going to be joining us."

"Yeah, but he wasn't mad at me or you guys, just his mom."

"I understand."

"So what are we gonna do today?" Noah asked, becoming a little impatient with our conversation.

"I'm glad you asked, because we should be getting started. For today's adventure, we're going to use a time machine that a friend of mine built. He asked me to test it out for him, because he doesn't know history very well and felt he might not recognize where he was. You see, he hasn't been able to figure out a way to pre-set a date on it so he can journey back to a specific time. This means there's no way to know where we've ended up when the time machine comes to a stop, because we'll only have a joystick to use to take us back in time or into the future."

"Sounds like fun, so where's the time machine?" Sam asked, playing along.

"Right over there," I said as I pointed and led them over to the park bench where Noah and I always ate lunch. "Just duck down when getting into it, because I don't want you bumping your head. Once you're inside, sit down and buckle in so we can get started."

Both boys bent over when getting into our pretend time machine and they quickly sat down on the bench. "Sam, would you please slide over, because you're in my seat. I have to sit in the middle so I can handle the controls."

"Oh, ok," he replied as he moved over to let me sit between him and Noah.

"Seeing I've never done this before, and since there's no other way to tell where we're going to end up in time, we'll have to be very careful when we're getting out after the time machine comes to a stop."

They both nodded that they understood, so I made believe I was starting up the time machine and then pretended to push the joystick forward to take us back in time. I did that for about thirty seconds before I told them we'd come to a stop, and then I shut down the time machine, opened the door, and stepped out first.

"Ok, you two can join me now. I'm not sure where we are, but it looks like we're in a large field, possibly on a farm. Follow me and we'll check it out."

I carefully made my way out to the middle of the park, with both boys at my heels. As I glanced to my left, I noticed something and shouted to them. "Quick! Get down!" I then dropped onto my belly on the ground, with both boys doing the same thing.

"What's wrong?" Noah asked.

"There's an army coming in this direction, and their carrying old style rifles."

"Are they our army?" Sam wanted to know as he stared at me, wide-eyed.

"I'm not sure, because they're dressed in old fashion blue uniforms. Stay low and follow me before they get this far."

We hurriedly crawled on our hands and knees in the other direction, heading toward the bushes where we'd found the treasure chest on a previous adventure. We were halfway there when I shouted at them again. "Get down."

"Why? What's the matter this time?" Noah asked after he'd hit the ground.

"There's another army over there, and I suspect they're either setting up an ambush or merely preparing to be attacked."

"What do they look like?" Sam followed.

"This new group is dressed mostly in gray uniforms, but some of them are just wearing raggedy work clothes. They also have rifles that look even older than what the other group is carrying."

"I'll bet we're in the middle of the Civil War then," Sam suggested.

"You know, I think you might be right. Since we're not dressed like either group, I'm afraid both sides may shoot at us, so we've got to get out of here. Stay low and follow me."

I got into a crouch and urged the boys to do the same, and then we kept as low as possible as we began a mad dash back to the time machine. When we got there, we all climbed inside and buckled in quickly. "We've got to get out of here right away, because I believe their bullets might be able to damage this contraption and then we'd be stuck here."

"We don't want that to happen," Noah gasped.

"No, we don't," I said as I pushed the joy stick forward.

"Do you think they would've really shot us, since we weren't wearin' uniforms and don't have no guns?" Sam asked.

"I'm not sure, but I didn't want to take the chance. It looked like this was going to be a pretty big battle and there would be a whole bunch of bullets flying around, so we could have been hit by accident. I was mostly worried they might damage the time machine, though, and I didn't want to be stuck here with them, one hundred and fifty years before we even left."

"Dang, then we'd never see our moms or our friends again," Noah stated, totally buying into this fantasy.

"That's true, because it would be a really long time before they are even born," I agreed.

I'd been holding the joystick forward during our conversation, which took quite a while, so when we finally landed, I opened the door and looked outside. "Oh, we definitely can't stay here," I announced.

"Why not?" Sam wanted to know.

"I took us too far back in time and it looks like we've landed on earth while it's still being formed. There are volcanoes erupting all around us, and there are lava flows everywhere. We're lucky we landed on a spot that had already cooled down, or the lava would have melted our time machine. Sit down and I'll take us forward in time now."

As soon as we were all seated again, I pulled the imaginary joystick toward me this time, taking us out of there. I paid attention and didn't do it for as long as before, and then we stopped again and I opened the door. "Ok, this looks better, but I have no idea where we are. There's a lot of tall grasses and some strange looking trees and bushes, so we'll have to investigate to figure out where we are."

The boys followed me as we walked out into the park, and I kept glancing around in all directions. "Do you see anything?" Sam wanted to know.

"Yes, I have a feeling I know exactly where we are, but this isn't good either."

"Why not?" Noah asked.

"Because I'm seeing a bunch of different dinosaurs. To our right there's a small group of stegosaurs, and in front of us is a large herd of Brachiosaurs eating leaves from the trees, and on our left is a lone triceratops."

"Will any of them try to eat us?" Noah asked concerned.

"No, they're all plant eaters, but that means the meat eaters are most likely around here too."

"What do we do?" Sam asked next.

"I think we'd better go get back in the time machine, but…"

"What's the matter?" Noah wondered when I stopped speaking.

"The ground is starting to shake. Don't you feel it?"

"Yeah, I do," Sam responded playing along. "Is it an earthquake?"

"No, but oh dear… It's a huge tyrannosaurus and it's between us and the time machine. We can't go that way now or it will see us, so we have to find someplace to hide. Follow me. Maybe we can find a cave in those mountains," I said as I pointed toward the play set with the tower, figuring that made a good looking mountain range. "Quick, in here," I added leading them into the open space beneath the tower. "This cave is too small for the tyrannosaurus to follow us inside, so we'll wait until it leaves. Whoa! Did you just hear that?"

"NO! What did you hear?" Noah gasped.

"Some animal just let out a loud cry. Maybe it did it to warn its young to hide, or it might be trying to scare off the tyrannosaurus."

"What are we s'posed to do?" Sam wanted to know.

"You two stay here and I'll go check out what's happening."

"Don't! You might get eaten," Noah screamed as I started to walk out from under the tower.

"I'll be careful," I replied as I pretended to climb up the mountainside so I could see what was going on.

After looking around briefly, I went back to the cave and let the boys know what was happening. "The tyrannosaurus killed the triceratops, so we'll be able race back to the time machine while it's busy eating. Follow me."

We darted out from under the tower and raced toward the bench. We quickly climbed into the time machine, sat down, buckled in, and then I prepared to take off by pulling the joystick toward me again, which took us forward in time. I did it for about twenty seconds and then brought the time machine to another stop. As I opened the door, I looked out, and spoke.

"It's definitely too cold outside for there to be any dinosaurs around. In fact, it's freezing out there and the ground is covered in snow."

"So is it winter?" Noah followed.

"I guess."

"Do you know where we are?" Sam asked next.

"Not yet, so we'll have to get out and look around to see if we can tell where and when we are now."

I led them toward the playground equipment as we looked around. "No, this isn't winter. We must have landed in the ice age."

"How can you tell?" Sam wondered.

"Because there's a woolly mammoth moving in our direction. Quick, come over here and squat down on this log," I commanded, as I led them over and had them straddle one end of the teeter totter. I went to the other end and leaned on it, lifting the boys into the air, before quickly dropping them back down again.

"Damn, that was close. The woolly mammoth must have stepped on the other end of the log you were sitting on, and that's why you were lifted into the air. We're really lucky that you didn't fall off and get hurt. Remain where you are, though, because now I see why the woolly mammoth was running this way."

"Why?" Sam wanted to know.

"It's being chased by a group of cave men, and they're throwing rocks and crude spears trying to kill it."

"Why are they doin' that?" Noah wanted to know.

"After seeing how they're dressed, they must use the mammoth's hide to make the garments they're wearing to stay warm. They appear to be clad in a piece of the hide from another mammoth, and they're wearing it like a robe. From what I can tell, they've cut off a large chunk of the hide and tore a hole in the center so they could put their head through it. They must have used pieces of the mammoth's muscles or ligaments to tie the hide around them and keep it from flopping open. I'll bet they also make blankets out of the hide too, and they probably eat the meat to keep from starving."

"Yuck," Noah responded. "That sounds awful."

"Maybe, but they have to do it if they don't want to die."

"But how can they kill somethin' that big?" Sam wondered. "A teacher told me that a woolly mammoth was bigger than an elephant."

"Yes, they were, but now I see what the cavemen are doing. They're chasing the woolly mammoth toward a cliff, and if it falls to the bottom, it will either be killed or injured badly enough that they can climb down, kill it, and cut it up."

"That's mean," Noah squawked.

"Maybe so, but they need to do it if they and their families are going to survive. Come on, let's get back to the time machine before we freeze to death."

"Yeah," both boys agreed, suddenly shivering and rubbing their arms with their hands.

Once we were back in our seats, I pulled the joystick toward me again, but this time I did it for about a minute, since I felt we had a long way to go to get back. When I opened the door and looked out, I turned back to the boys. "It looks like we've gone too far. It seems we're sometime in the future now."

"How can you tell?" Noah asked.

"Because I can see a few people and they're wearing clothes unlike anything I've ever seen before. Not only that, but there are all kinds of vehicles whipping around in the air too, so sit down and I'll try to take us back to our own time, but this isn't going to be easy."

"I hope you can do it, cuz I don't want to be stuck in a different time," Noah stated, looking worried.

"I'll do my best," I answered as we sat down and I pushed the joystick forward again. I only did it for about ten seconds this time, and then I pretended to shut it off and opened the door. "It looks good, but let's check it out to make sure."

We got out and walked around, as we checked out the area. "I don't know how I did it, but it looks like we got back to our own time and we're in the park again."

"Good!" Sam stated. "Give your friend back his time machine, cuz I don't want to ever do that again. It was too scary."

"Yeah, I like being in this time, not those other times," Noah agreed.

Either they'd totally bought into what I was doing, or they were very good actors, but I felt I should reassure them. "Yeah, I'll give it back and tell him to destroy it. It's not worth taking those kinds of chances again."

Both boys were nodding vigorously to show they agreed with my decision.

"That was scary, but I had fun too," Sam said after we took a couple of minutes to catch our breath. "Do you have something else that we can do tomorrow?"

"I have another idea, but it's getting hard to keep coming up with new things for you boys to do."

"Yeah, we know, but you're good at thinkin' up stuff, and it's been lots of fun," Sam replied.

"I'm glad you enjoy it, but I think it's time for lunch now, so we'd better get going," I suggested, since it was already slightly past noon.

"Yeah, my mom's prolly wonderin' where I am," Sam agreed. "Thanks for lettin' me do this with you again and I'll see ya in the mornin'."

"Ok, we'll see you then," I agreed, as Sam took off in the opposite direction.

"Mom said I can stay with you again, if it's ok with you," Noah added as soon as Sam was far enough away that he couldn't hear what was being said.

"No, I don't mind, so let's go hop in my car." As soon as we were buckled in, I asked Noah a question. "Do you want to split a sub with me again?"

"Yeah, that'll be good."

"Ok, then Subway it is."

We had a nice lunch, and I spent most of my time eating while Noah told me what he liked best about today's adventure. "Sometimes I thought we were really in those places and doing that stuff, so it was kinda scary."

"I didn't want it to be scary, just exciting and fun."

"Yeah, it was that too, so thanks."

When we arrived at the house, we just vegged out on the sofa and watched TV for a while. The second Hobbit movie happened to be on, so we decided to watch it, as Noah lay beside me with his head on my lap.

"Are you going to take a nap?"

"Nah, just watchin' TV like this."

He stayed that way until Smaug started chasing Bilbo, and then he sat up and leaned against me instead, wrapping both arms around my arm. That's the way he remained for the rest of the movie, as he watched Smaug go on the rampage.

"That dragon was like the one we fought and shot with our arrows."

"Yes, it was. Too bad the people in the movie weren't as brave as you boys were."

He laughed. "Our dragon wasn't real."

"Maybe not, but you were still very brave. What do you want to do next?"

"I don't know. What do you wanna do?"

"I'd normally go out for my jog about now, but since you're here, I think I'll exercise on the machines instead."

"Can I do it with ya?"

"Hmmm, that might be difficult, but I guess we could try."

"K. Thanks."

I decided to use the rowing machine first, so I had Noah sit on my lap with his legs dangling over the side, and he tried to help me row, but that didn't last very long. "I'm getting squished doing this," he griped.

"Yes, this isn't going to work out, because you're too small to be doing these things alone. What if we go out for a walk instead?"

"Yeah, let's do that."

"It won't be a slow walk, though, because I still want to get in my nightly exercise."

"Yeah, it's ok and I'll do it with you."

We then walked around part of my normal jogging route, and we did it at a fairly brisk pace, which meant Noah was basically jogging to keep up with me. He seemed to be handling it quite well, though, but if I had jogged, then he would have had to sprint the entire way.

When we got back to the house, I told him we should shower, and he didn't mind, as long as we did it together and washed each other. I didn't have a problem with doing that either, since I had a feeling it was what he wanted to do, and I washed him first. Once again, he wanted me to wash every part of him, and then he washed me. I had to squat down so he could reach my upper body, and he didn't miss a spot. After we rinsed off and dried, we got dressed in clean clothes and headed out to the kitchen to figure out what we were going to have for dinner.

I ended up fixing some boneless pork chops, French fries, and a salad for each of us. When we finished our meal, we relaxed and watched a couple of programs on TV, and then Noah followed me to my bedroom. After we went through our nightly ritual, we stripped down to our underwear, and got into bed. I have to admit this was starting to feel very normal as he cuddled against me and we fell asleep.

Chapter 8
More Adventures.

When we woke up on Sunday morning, we got dressed quickly, had breakfast, and then took off for the park. Noah had been teasing me to tell him what we were going to do, but I'd only reply, "You'll see."

"Quit sayin' that and just tell me," he whined, perturbed.

"If you don't want to hear me say that, then quit asking and just wait and see. Otherwise, I'll just do this with Sam."

"You mean you aren't gonna let me play too?" he asked with his mouth gapping open and his eyes bulging from their sockets.

"I'll only do that if you keep teasing me and don't want to wait to find out what we're going to do."

"That's mean!" he snapped, giving me a dirty look.

"It's your choice."

"Ok, I'll wait then."

"Good, because I have more fun when you do the adventures with me."

Slowly, his face broke into a grin. "I have more fun when I'm doin' them with you too."

After making the drive to the park, we found Sam there already, waiting for us. "Have you been here long?" I asked.

"Maybe ten minutes, cuz I can't wait to see what we're gonna do today."

"You're not the only one," I said as I glanced at Noah, and he quickly made another face at me.

"So can you tell us what we're gonna do now?" Noah asked again.

"Yes, now that we're all together and ready to begin, let's walk over to our spaceship," I said as I pointed at the bench.

"Spaceship?" both boys gasped in return.

"Yes, today we're going exploring to see if there's anyone else out there," I responded as I pointed toward the sky, while both boys began to hop around in anticipation.

"This should be wicked fun," Sam responded.

After blasting off, we checked out the moon first, and then we made a brief stop on Mars, but we didn't find any life forms at either location, so we set off to explore the rest of the solar system. Since nothing interesting turned up, we decided to explore some other parts of the galaxy instead, and I was glad we had a fast spaceship. We also found a worm hole that took us farther than we could have ever traveled otherwise, but that's when we encountered our first problem.

"Damn, we're under attack, and I didn't even see them coming," I shouted to let the boys know what was going on. "Noah, I want you to take over steering the spaceship, and you'll need to get us out of here. Sam, I want you to aim the laser cannons and start shooting at the attackers, while I load the photon torpedoes so I can fire them too."

The boys took charge of those duties and acted just as they'd spent years training for this moment. "Whew, that was close," I gasped, once the other ships had broken off their attack.

"It was fun. I liked flying the spaceship," Noah enthused.

"And I liked shootin' down the alien ships," Sam added.

"You did a great job and I'm going to put both of you in for a medal," I commended them.

Once we got out of that mess, I located a planet where we could stop and look around for supplies. Our initial scans hadn't shown any cities or signs of an industrial society, so I thought the planet was uninhabited. Unfortunately, we soon discovered that although there weren't any humanoid life forms, there were plenty of other creatures that we had to watch out for.

"Guys, arm yourselves with your laser pistols, because I can't believe what I just saw."

"Why? What was it?" Sam gasped.

"I'm not sure, because it wasn't like anything I've ever seen before. It sort of had a body like a horse, and it seemed to run as fast or faster than a racehorse, but it had a head that looked like it belonged on a crocodile. Oh, man, it just attacked another animal, and the animal it attacked sort of looks like a hippo with two heads, but it's purple. I saw the horse-like creature bite it quickly, but then it pulled away until the other animal collapsed. I guess the two huge teeth I saw sinking into the other animal were fangs, but they're as long as the teeth on a saber-tooth cat."

"Dang, that sounds scary," Sam gasped.

"Yes, it certainly was," I agreed.

"Is it eatin' the animal it attacked now?" Noah followed.

"No, it's dragging it away. It doesn't appear that it's prey is dead, only paralyzed, because I can see its eyes moving. I assume it's carrying the animal away to eat later, or possibly even to feed its young or its mate, kind of like a lioness might do."

"You mean there might be more than one of them?" Sam asked, with his eyes bulging open.

"Yes, so be ready to shoot if one of them comes after us, but at the same time continue looking around for any items we will need to continue our travels."

We moved around the park looking for supplies when I warned them about something else I'd spotted. "Be careful, because there are other creatures moving in this direction and they look like transparent jellyfish, but instead of swimming in water, they're swimming through the air. They also have long appendages that hang down, sort of like tentacles, and they seem to be using them to scoop smaller animals off the ground before flying off with them. Let's find a place to hide and we'll wait until they pass us by, or else we'll have to fight them off. Keep your laser pistols handy, just in case they spot us."

We hid behind a tree, but then I noticed something else was going on. "Fire your laser pistols into the tree, because it's trying to attack us too. It just attempted to grab me with its branches, so it obviously isn't any type of tree we're used too. Just grab the supplies we've collected so far and head back to the spaceship so we can take off. There's just too many things here that we don't know anything about, which makes this planet far too dangerous for us to stick around."

We soon found another planet to explore, and this one was covered in something that looked like sand, but the granules were as clear as diamonds. They also glowed and made a humming sound when we stepped on them, and we soon learned they glowed and hummed when any weight was being placed on them. Shortly after that, we discovered there were creatures living beneath the surface as well.

"I can't believe it!" I shouted when one of those creatures reared up behind me and began to attack.

I then explained to Sam and Noah that I was nearly devoured by an enormous, yellowish-green worm that was longer than I was tall and wider around than a very fat human. It had a large opening that covered nearly the entire end of its body, which I assumed was a mouth, and it was ringed with huge teeth, but it didn't appear to have any eyes. From what I could tell, it was merely reacting to the sound vibrations and pressure on the sand, or whatever it was that covered this planet, because it popped up where I'd been standing just before we started walking again.

I'd merely heard a noise behind me and spun around to see what had caused it, but luckily I had my laser pistol out and was ready to fire. I was fortunate enough to get off several shots first, which killed it before it could adjust, so this was another dangerous creature that I wanted to avoid, if at all possible.

"Head back to the ship as fast as you can run, men. I've killed that monstrous worm, but I'm sure there must be others around. These worlds have creatures unlike anything we've ever seen before, so it's time for us to head back to Earth."

The boys groaned in disappointment, but they knew we didn't stand a chance fighting off creatures such as these. Not only did they appear to be very dangerous, but there were also quite a few more of them, than there were of us. On the way back to find the wormhole again, we ran into the same starships we'd battled earlier and had to fight them again. This time I told Sam to do the flying while Noah manned the laser cannon and I fired off photon torpedoes. I think the boys were both relieved when we finally entered the wormhole and made it back to our own solar system.

"That was fun, but it was scary," Noah said, once we landed back in the park.

"Yeah, I don't know how you come up with this stuff, but I like it," Sam added, looking impressed.

"I just read a lot as a kid, and I watched a lot of movies and TV shows too, which I've combined with my vivid imagination. I'm just glad I've found a way to use those traits to entertain you boys, because they haven't been much use to me until now."

"Hey, it works great for us," Noah said with a grin.

"Yeah, and Gus is gonna hate it when he hears what we did today," Sam added. "He was upset about missin' yesterday, but he'll be furious about missin' today. He really likes this kind of stuff, cuz he's seen all the Star Wars and Star Trek movies, so knowin' he missed out on what we just did is gonna drive him crazy."

"I hope not. I didn't do this to upset him. It was just so you two would have a good time."

"Yeah, and we did," Sam quickly agreed, "but it's still gonna drive Gus nuts."

"Then don't tell him."

"But he's gonna ask me what we did the next time I see him. What am I gonna tell him then?"

"Just tell him what we did wasn't much fun this time."

"He'll know I'm lyin' and he'll keep askin' me until I tell him what we did."

"Can't you just avoid him?"

"No, he's my best friend. We usually do everything together, and that's why it bugs him that my mom is lettin' me do this, but his mom is still makin' him stay away."

"I don't know what to tell you then. It makes me feel bad that this is going to upset Gus."

"It's not you. It's his mom. He still won't speak to her any more than he has to, and that's really makin' her mad too. He said she started screamin' and told him to stop actin' like a baby, and he told her he would when she stopped treatin' him like one."

"Oh, dear. That probably didn't go over too well."

"Nope, not at all, but he made his point."

"I just hope it didn't make the situation worse for him."

"He doesn't think it can get any worse, but he doesn't care either."

"Well, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to come up with more new ideas for these adventures, so it might not matter. I'm not sure if I can think of any more things we can do here at the park."

"Can't we just do some of the same ones again?" Noah asked.

"I suppose we could, but would you boys be happy doing that?"

"Yeah," they both screamed. "It's better than not doin' nothin'," Sam added.

"Cuz what would we do if we don't do that?" Noah wanted to know.

"I have a few other ideas, but I can't do them here at the park. It's just too open and other people could accidentally mess up what I've planned. We were lucky that didn't happen on the treasure hunt, and I'm convinced the other people who've been here when we've been on one of our adventures may think we're a little crazy. I just don't want them inadvertently getting involved, because that would ruin it for all of us."

"So where would we do it then, if not here?" Noah wondered.

"It would have to be someplace where no one else might accidentally mess with the things I set up."

"Where could we do that?" Sam asked.

"It would have to be someplace private, like a house."

"We can do it at your house then," Noah suggested.

"We could, but I doubt that Sam's mother would let him go there with us."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot bout that," Noah stated, slightly dejected.

"I can ask my mom if I can do it," Sam stated, looking hopeful. "She might let me, if Noah is goin' too."

"I don't think you should do that just yet. If you ask now and she says 'no', then she might decide to stop you from hanging out with us at the park too."

"So you don't want me to ask her?"

"Not yet. I have a feeling it would end up causing her to react the exact opposite of what you're hoping for."

"You do?"

"Yes. If she and Gus' mother are worried about what I might do with you here at the park, then she'd think it would be ten times worse than she first thought if I suddenly wanted to take you to my house. It would be best if you don't say anything about this and I'll try to figure out something we can do here instead, but we may only be able to do it on either Saturday OR Sunday, but not both days."

"Man, this sucks," Sam groaned.

"I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises, because I had trouble coming up with what we did yesterday and today."

"So does Noah already go with you to your house?" Sam continued.

I was thinking about how I wanted to answer his question when Noah blurted out the answer for me. "Yeah, my mom let's me go with Brian sometimes. They talked about it, and she lets me go cuz she trusts him."

"Can't I tell my mom that?" Sam pressed, while looking at me and waiting for a response.

"I'd rather you didn't, at least not yet."

"But why?"

"Because I don't want people to start talking about Noah's mom and claiming she's a bad mother for letting him go with me."

"You think they'd do that?"

"I'm sure Gus' mom would, because she went to where Noah's mom works and pretty much did that to her already."

"She did? I knew she talked to Noah's mom, but I didn't know she did that. I won't say nothin' then, cuz my mom talks to Gus' mom all the time and I don't want my mom to tell her nothin'. They're good friends too, just like me and Gus."

"I know, and it's why I was surprised that your mom let you start doing this again, while Gus' mom still won't let him hang around with me."

"Yeah, that is kinda weird, cuz they usually do things the same way."

"Hey, it's getting close to lunchtime and my belly is starting to growl, so I think we'd better take off and get something to eat."

"So Noah is goin' with you now?"

"Yes, since his mother is working. She knows what we're doing and is ok with it."

"Dang, I wish my mom would let me do that too."

"Maybe eventually, but not today. Noah and I will see you again next weekend, but please don't start any problems with your mom."

"K, I won't."

As Noah and I were making our way to my car, Noah asked a question. "So what are we gonna do now?"

"I thought we'd have a light lunch, because I wanted to take you to the state park so I can start teaching you how to swim."

"Oh, yeah. That sounds good."

"So you're ok with just sandwiches then, because I have plenty of lunch meat?"

"Yeah, that'll be ok."

When we got to the house, we went inside and Noah followed me into the kitchen. "Do you like roast beef?"

"Don't know. I don't 'member ever havin' it. I like ham, chicken, and turkey, but I don't know 'bout road beef."

"It's roast beef, not road beef, and I'll make you a sandwich to try. If you don't like it, then I'll eat it and make you something else. Do you like mayonnaise?"

"Yeah, mom uses that when she makes tuna fish and egg salad."

"Ok, that's good to know. I like a slice of tomato on my sandwich too, so would you like me to put a slice on your sandwich as well?"

"Yeah, I like maters."

"I see. So what do you want to drink."

"Ummm, water."

"Ok, I'll have that too."

I quickly made our sandwiches and got us both a glass of water. After I carried everything to the table, we sat down and began eating. "Wow! This is really good."

"I'm glad you like it, because I do too."

After we finished our sandwiches, Noah wanted a little more, so I made him a half sandwich this time. I was planning on making this a light lunch, because we were going swimming, but since he was still hungry, I gave in. I also made another full sandwich for myself, since I figured we could take our time changing and then I'd drive slowly to the state park, so it would give us time to digest our lunch before we got there.

When we finished eating, I took my time cleaning up first, and then Noah and I went to my bedroom to change into our swimsuits. He was naked before I got either one out of the dresser, so I just tossed him his swimsuit, while I started to get undressed so I could put on my own.

"You'd better use the toilet before we leave the house," I suggested.

After he went in to pee, I did the same, and then I handed him two towels. "You can help by carrying those with you, and put your tee-shirt on again until we get there."

"Are you gonna do that too?"

"Yes, I am, so I won't get a sunburn on the drive or before we get in the water. I'm taking sunscreen as well, and we'll put that on when we get there."

"K."

We then put on our sandals next, went outside, and got in the car so we could take off for the state park. It was a nice day and a lovely drive, and I didn't have to take any main roads to get there. The state park was located in a fairly rural area, and most of the traffic was either heading there, or to one of the few houses in the area. When we arrived, I led Noah over to the beach and we laid our towels down on the sand.

"Take your shirt off, so I can put some sunscreen on you."

He did as I asked, and I began applying it to him first, and then I began to do the same thing to myself. "Would you do my back for me," I asked, "because that's one area I can't reach very well."

"Yeah, ok."

"Just do like I did to you."

Once he finished applying the sunscreen to my back, I set the bottle on my towel and placed my shirt over it. "Ok, let's go for a walk so I can show you around. That way you'll know where everything is."

"K, but I thought we was goin' swimmin'."

"We are, but we need to let the sunscreen soak in for about a half hour first, or it will rinse off when we get in the water."

"Oh, ok."

The swimming area was part of a manmade lake that had been constructed in this lovely, bucolic setting when FDR, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was President. I took Noah for a walk around the small lake first, pointed out some of the trails that led off from the main path and told him where they went. I also pointed out the location of the concession stand, the toilets, the first aid area, and the lifeguards' lounge, where they went when they weren't on duty. By the time we got back around to our towels again, more than half an hour had passed, so we took off our sandals and I led him into the water.

There were essentially two roped off areas for swimming: the 'kiddie area' that never got deeper than three feet, and the general area for everyone else. The ropes were there to mark off the area and keep the canoes and row boats out of these locations, since you could rent one of those items or bring your own so you could spend part of the day on the lake.

"Ok, we're going to do a few things to get started. I'm going to take your out to the deepest part of the kiddie area first, and then I want you to hold your breath and squat down, so your head is underwater. When you can't hold your breath any longer, I want you to stand up, take another breath, and then go underwater again, but I want you to keep your eyes open while you're doing this."

"But I'm scared I might fall and not be able to get up before I drown."

"I'll be right there beside you, and I'll even hold your hand while you're doing this, if it will make you feel better."

"Yeah, let's do that so I won't be scared."

I let him practice doing that a few times, and eventually he began to stay under the water for longer periods of time. When he first did it, he only stayed underwater for a few seconds before he popped up again, and I praised him and told him he'd done well, but I wanted to see how long he could hold his breath. As he started to trust me, along with his own ability, he did it longer and longer until I felt he was ready for the next phase.

"This time I want you to lay face down in the water, and I'll put my hands under your stomach to keep you from sinking. I want you to hold your breath and put your face in the water, but this time when you need to take a breath, roll your head to the side to do it, rather than standing up. You may have to lift your head up slightly when you do that to make sure it's completely out of the water, so keep your eyes open so you can make sure your head isn't still below the water line."

"K, I'll try doin' that."

We did it until he felt comfortable with the process, and then I asked him to kick his feet at the same time. I had to advise him that he didn't have to do it like he was mad at the water, just enough to help keep him moving forward. Once he had that down, I demonstrated how I wanted him to use his arms at the same time. I was squatting down and moving along beside him as he did this, so he'd actually feel as if he were swimming. A couple of times I even removed my hands from his stomach and he was actually swimming on his own, but I didn't point it out to him just yet. I merely continued to let him practice until he'd gained more confidence.

"You're doing great, champ. Are you ready to try this on your own now?"

"No, I'll drown."

"No, you won't. In fact, I've actually been taking my hands away every now and then, so you've already been swimming on your own without knowing it."

"Really? I was already swimmin'?"

"Yes, you were. We'll stay in this area, where the water isn't quite as deep, and I'll walk beside you, just in case you get into trouble. Are you ready to try this on your own?"

"Yeah, but how do I start?"

"When you're ready, just bend forward and lie down in the water, and then start using your arms and feet like you were earlier."

"That's it?'

"Yep, that's all you have to do."

"K, I'll try doin' that then."

He actually did quite well and only got into trouble when one of the bigger kids jumped in the shallow water and created a wave that went over Noah's head just as he was about to take a breath. Seeing his head was still underwater due to the wave, he panicked and started to sink. I reached out, grabbed his arm, and pulled him up as he coughed and sputtered while spitting out the water he'd swallowed.

"What happened?" he asked.

"It was just a case of bad timing, because someone created a wave that reached you just as you were trying to take a breath. You'll learn how to deal with those types of things over time and won't have any problems."

After that happened, we got out of the water for a while and I led him over to the concession stand for a treat. Before we left the house, I'd put some money in a Ziplock bag, sealed it, and stuck it in the pocket of my swimsuit, and now I used it to buy us both a snow cone. They were cold, refreshing, and the melting ice helped to rehydrate us. After we finished, we sat out for a couple more minutes before I led him into the water again so he could practice some more.

By the time we left the state park, Noah was doing fairly well, but he wasn't ready for the deeper area yet, and I didn't want him to try this on his own. I made sure he knew this as we were drying in the sun, so he wouldn't try anything without me just yet.

After we were mostly dry, we put on our sandals, picked up our towels and shook them out before heading back to the car. "We've got long beach towels, so I want you to drape one end over the headrest and make sure the rest covers the back of the seat and where you're going to sit, to protect the car seats."

"K, and thanks for doing this with me. It was fun and now I know how to swim."

"Yes, you've made a good start, but we have to do this quite a few more times before you'll be ready to do it on your own."

"K, I'll only do it when I'm with you."

Seeing I had his assurance, we went back to the house and changed, and then I fixed us something to eat. After we finished our dinner, Noah and I sat down to watch TV, since he assured me his mother knew he was going to stay with me again tonight. After we watched a couple of shows, we showered together, brushed our teeth, used the toilet, and headed to bed.

"I can't wait to tell my mom that you taught me how to swim already."

"Yes, I'm sure she'll be very surprised."

"Yeah, she will."

I then wished him sweet dreams, kissed him on the forehead, and then cuddled with him. We both fell asleep fairly quickly, and we slept very well for the rest of the night.

Chapter 9
New Concessions.

When Noah and I woke up Monday morning, we got dressed, and then I fixed something for breakfast and made our lunch, which I took in the small cooler. After we ate, I drove Noah back to the trailer and dropped him off. I waited until I was sure he was safely inside before I pulled away, and both Noah and his mother waved at me as I drove off.

I spent the first hour at work thinking about my weekend with Noah, as well as thinking ahead to the following weekend, and then I got down to business. I spent the rest of the morning working on the things I needed to get done, but when it was finally lunchtime, I walked to the park to meet up with my boy.

"My mom was really excited when I told her I was able to swim a little now, cuz she can't do that."

"I wish everyone could swim, because you never know when it will come in handy."

"Yeah, my mom kinda said that too, but she never got the chance to learn."

"That's too bad."

"Oh, and I saw Sam earlier, and he wanted to know what I did when I was with you. I just told him you were teachin' me to swim."

"Did you tell him you spent the entire weekend with me?"

"Nah, I just said you took me to the state park and was showing me how to swim. He said he wished you could teach him too."

"I'm not sure his mother would go for that."

"I'm glad my mom lets me do this stuff with you."

"Me too."

We talked about a few other things as we ate our sandwiches and drank our water, but all too soon it was time for me to return to work. The rest of the week went about the same, and then on Friday Noah began bugging me about what we were going to do the following day.

"Why do you keep asking when you already know what my answer is going to be?"

"Cuz I hope you'll forget and just tell me."

"No way! You'll just have to wait and see."

He playfully punched me in the arm to let me know he wasn't happy about this, and of course I made a big deal out of it and acted liked he'd really hurt me.

"Stop doin' that. I didn't hit you that hard."

"You just don't know your own strength. It felt like I'd just been punched by Superman."

He giggled. "I wish I could hit that hard, but I know you're just fakin'."

"Maybe a little, but you pack quite a wallop."

"I didn't even hit you as hard as I could."

"If you did, you'd probably have knocked me right off the bench."

He giggled again. "You're silly sometimes."

"Maybe, but I'm ugly all of the time."

"No you're not…" he began, but then he realized I was just teasing him. That's when he punched my arm again, but this time he hit it a little harder, so I intentionally fell off the bench.

"See, I told you that would happen."

"You shouldn't have done that, cuz now your clothes are all dirty."

"Oh, I can brush off what little dirt got on them." He smiled and then helped me clean off.

When our time was up, I said goodbye and told him I'd see him the following day, and then I walked back to work. I focused on my job for the rest of the day, but starting with the drive home I spent all of my time concentrating on what I was going to do with the boys the next day. I only had a rough idea, so I tried to work out the details during the drive, and I continued doing that while I was jogging, fixing dinner, and eating. I spent the rest of the night trying to make sure I wouldn't forget anything, because I wanted it to be perfect.

I slept fairly well and then hurried through my morning routine when I awoke, seeing I wanted to get to the park and get started with the boys. When I arrived, I was met with another surprise — Gus was there too.

"Can't I start doing this with you again?" he begged as I walked toward them.

"Not unless you get your mom to say it's ok."

"She won't know that I'm doin' it, cuz I won't tell her."

"But she could find out, and that would be bad for me."

"Nah, she only found out the other time because she saw the candy."

"But she warned me to stay away from you, so that's what I have to do."

"No, you don't, cuz I won't tell her. I promise."

"You may not tell her intentionally, but you may slip and accidentally say something that lets her know what you've been up to. Either that or someone else might say something so she'd figure it out, and I can't take that chance. If that happened, she would probably call the police and have them give me a warning too, and I don't need that kind of hassle."

"Even if she did, they wouldn't do nothin', cuz you aren't doin' nothin' wrong."

"She would tell them that she told me to stay away from you, so they'd give me a more severe warning, possibly even lock me up for a night to make a point. They could also arrange for an Order of Protection, which is a legal document that would order me to stay away from you."

"This isn't fair! Sam's told me what you've been doin' with them, and I want to do those things too."

"I know, but you'll need your mother's permission first, and I'd need to hear her tell me it's ok. Otherwise, if you're here when I show up then I'll have to leave, because I don't want any problems."

"My mom's a bitch and I hate her!" Gus screamed.

"Don't say things like that. She's only trying to protect you and keep you safe."

"That's not what she's doin'. She's just keepin' me from havin' fun, like Noah and Sam are."

"But if you say stuff like that to her, or about her, you'll only make the situation worse."

"It can't get any worse."

"I'm sorry, Gus, but I have to honor your mother's wishes and do what she told me."

He spun around and took off, and I had a feeling he was going home to confront his mom again. That wouldn't improve the situation for either of us, but at least she'd know that I was keeping my word and not hanging around her son. I felt really bad about Gus, but I didn't need the hassle, especially if she were to call the police about it.

Noah and Sam wanted to talk about what happened first, because they were hoping to convince me to let Gus join us again, even if it went against his mother's wishes. By the time I convinced them it wasn't a good idea, Sam had another question.

"Can I ask my mom if I can go with you and Noah so you can teach me how to swim too? I don't know how to do that, and she might let me go with you so I can learn."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask her, but don't argue if she says no. If she has any questions about it, she can always come here tomorrow and ask me in person."

"Yeah, I'll do that then," he agreed. I just prayed this wouldn't cause any more problems.

Since we'd used up quite a bit of the time already, today would be a short quest. "Ok, guys, this time we're going to be knights looking for the dragon's lair, the same dragon we wounded in one of our earlier adventures. It stole everyone's valuables when it attacked the other times, and we want to get those things back. I'm pretty sure the dragon probably hoarded everything in its lair, but since we don't have any idea where that is, we'll have to search for it."

During our adventure, we had to fight off some mountain giants, and

we only beat them when we caused a mud dam to collapse. The raging water swept the giants away, and because they didn't know how to swim and were too heavy to stay afloat, they all drowned. After that, we were challenged by a troll, when we tried to cross the bridge it was living under. This happened at night, and at first we merely tried to reason with it, but then it attacked and we had to fight it off. We did that for hours and the battle kept it distracted so it didn't notice when it was nearly time for the sun to start rising. At the last minute it realized what was about to happen, but we were able to prevent it from getting under the bridge in time and the sunlight turned it to stone. The boys thought that was even better than defeating the mountain giants, and we eagerly set off again.

When we finally found the dragon's lair, we weren't sure if it was sleeping or if it had died from the wounds we gave it when we fought it before, so we were very quiet. We loaded up several bags we'd brought with us with as many valuables as we could carry and then we took off. We made it out of there ok and never saw the dragon, and now we had enough treasure to allow us to live comfortably for the rest of our lives.

When our adventure ended, we promised to meet Sam again the following day, although I warned him I wasn't sure if I'd have another adventure to go on. If not, I promised to push them on the swings and do other things with them instead, so they'd still have a good time.

"Do you think Gus will be there tomorrow?" Noah asked as we were heading to the car.

"I hope not, unless he gets his mother to change her mind. If that's the case, then I'd still need to hear it from her."

"Do you think Sam's mother will let him go swimmin' with us?"

"There's a better chance of that happening than Gus joining us, but I have no way of knowing if she'll allow him to do it. If not, he'll have to be happy that she's letting him participate in our little adventures at the park."

"Yeah, I know, but will you be able to teach both of us at the same time if she lets him come?"

"Yes, that won't be a problem. I'd just take turns working with both of you, if he's permitted to come with us. I'd work with one of you while the other one watches from the beach, and then we'd switch."

"Would we change at your house?"

"That's a good question, and I'm not sure how we'd work that out. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he can go with us first, and then we'll worry about changing."

"Oh, ok."

I was having trouble thinking of what we were going to have for lunch as I drove to the house, but then I thought of something. "Noah, you like salad, right?"

"Yeah, if it's got Ranch dressin' on it."

"Then what if we stop at Zaxbys for one of their salads. We can get salads with strips of chicken in it too, and you can smoother it with Ranch dressing if you want."

"It'll be cheaper to make the salad at your house."

"It would, but I don't have what I need, and stopping to buy it and then cooking the chicken first will take too long, especially if you want to have time to do something else."

"Ok, let's do what you said then."

After we went inside, I ordered Noah a House salad and chocolate milk, while I had a Caesar salad and water. I ordered them to go, in case we couldn't finish, but we sat down at a table and ate there.

"Hey, this is really good," Noah said with his lips covered in Ranch dressing.

"I'm glad you like it, but do me a favor. Wipe your mouth off and try some of my salad too. I want to see if you like the Caesar dressing."

"K, I'll try it," he agreed, and I gave him a forkful. "Yeah, that's good too."

"Good, so now you'll have a choice and won't need to order the same thing every time."

I finished my salad, but Noah only ate a little more than half of his, so we took the rest home. I put it in the fridge for later, and then he looked at me. "Are we goin' swimmin' now?"

"I thought we'd do that tomorrow, in case Sam can go with us."

"Then what are we gonna do today?"

"Do you have anything in mind?"

"Ummm, we can find a movie to watch…"

"Sure."

As I was looking at the cable guide, I saw 'Ender's Game' was going to be on soon, so I turned to that. I had a feeling Noah would get a kick out of it, but he wanted me to tell him what it was about.

"Just watch it, because I'm pretty sure you'll find it interesting."

He started to pout because I wouldn't do what he wanted, but he quickly got interested in it once it started. When Ender and the other cadets were floating in preparation for their challenge, Noah got all excited.

"Wow! I wish I could do that. I bet it's really fun."

"I'm sure it is," I agreed, and then we watched the rest of the movie.

"Man, that was really awesome, but how did a bunch of kids beat all those other things?"

"It's because kids your age, or even slightly older, are a lot better at video games than those of us who are much older, and Bean used his skills to be victorious. He was also very smart and thought of things to do that no one else did."

"Yeah, he was really good."

I noticed it was time for dinner, so I had a little surprise for him. "I know you like cheeseburgers, so I bought the best ground beef and some hamburger buns, along with a container of potato salad for dinner. You can eat more of your salad too, if you want, cuz I'm also going to make a salad for myself."

"Did you buy cheese too?"

"No, I already had that in the fridge."

"K, sounds good then."

I fixed him one cheeseburger, and two for myself, along with a green salad, and we also took a little potato salad as well. He drowned his cheeseburger in ketchup, while I was a little more modest with how much I put on mine, and then we stuffed ourselves. Noah still had some of his salad left over when we finished.

"I can't eat no more."

"Ok, you did pretty good, so we'll put it in the fridge again. Maybe one of us can eat the rest of it tomorrow."

"K. What are we gonna do now?"

"Unfortunately, I forgot to go out for a walk before we ate, and now we're too full to do it, so we'll have to think of something else."

"Let's watch TV for a while, and then we'll go for a walk."

"It might be too late by then."

"Don't worry, I'll protect ya if you're scared of the dark," Noah teased, and then he broke into a fit of laughter.

"Very funny, young man, but I guess we can try doing that, if you want."

"Yeah, I do."

To my surprise, I found the movie 'The Sandlot' was coming on soon, so we settled down on the sofa to watch it. Noah got a kick out of that movie as well, especially the part about the big dog, because he had never seen this before. The movie lasted two and a half hours, so it was after 9:00 when it ended.

"Are we goin' for our walk now?"

"It's getting late, so do you still want to do that?"

"Yeah, I liked doin' it with you before."

Since that was what he wanted to do, I agreed. We were already dressed appropriately and still had our athletic shoes on from being at the park earlier, so we merely headed out the door and got started. Actually, it worked out better this way, because it was cooler than it would have been if we'd done this earlier, and we set out on the same route as before. I was surprised that Noah was able to keep up with me, since he'd eaten so much, but I guess his metabolism had already taken care of that problem.

When we got back to the house, we took off our dirty clothes and tossed them into the laundry room, and then we went to take our shower. As had become our custom, we washed each other, rinsed off, and dried. After that, we brushed our teeth, used the toilet, put on clean underwear, and crawled into bed. This time, Noah rolled over and cuddled with me, instead of the other way around, so I bid him sweet dreams, kissed him on top of the head, and we drifted off to sleep.

When we got up the next morning, we had breakfast first and then got dressed to go to the park. I'd forgotten all about Sam asking his mother about going swimming with us, but I quickly realized what was up when I saw her with him at the park.

"Hi, I'm Monica Emerson, Sam's mother."

"Nice to meet you, Monica, and I'm Brian Thorne."

"I guess I should have come over to meet you before this, but I heard that Noah's mom trusted you, and Sam seems to enjoy spending time with you, so I felt you must be alright."

"Sam's a good kid and we've enjoyed including him on our little adventures here at the park."

"Sam said you told him to ask if he could go swimming with you too?"

"Noah told Sam that I was teaching him how to swim, and Sam asked if I could teach him as well. I said I would be willing to do that, but he had to get your permission first."

"I'd like him to know how to swim, but there's nowhere around here for him to do that. The city pool is on the other side of town, and that's too far for him to go alone, because they only have classes early in the day."

"I know, and it's usually too crowded to really do any swimming later. I've been taking Noah to the state park, because there usually aren't too many in the kiddie area, so there's room for me to work with him."

"So you'd don't mind taking Sam with you too?"

"Not as long as you and your husband don't mind."

"It's only me. My husband and I divorced a couple of years ago and Sam and I haven't seen him since. I get a check from him now and then, but it's never enough."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Sam doesn't have a bathing suit, so you'll have to wait until I can get him one, and then you can take him, if you don't mind."

"I don't, and he'd probably be alright just wearing a pair of shorts, as long as they're clean."

"Then I'll have him bring another pair with him next time."

"Are you guys goin' swimmin' today?" Sam asked, slightly panicked.

"Yes, that's the plan," I confirmed.

"Then can he bring me home after we're done here, so I can go with them today?" Sam asked his mom.

"I suppose that would be ok, as long as Mr. Thorne doesn't mind."

"I don't, and it's just Brian. That's what I've told the boys to call me too."

"Ok, as long as you told him that. Thanks, Brian."

"We shouldn't be here too long today, so I'll bring him home before we leave to go swimming."

"What about lunch?"

"Don't worry about that. We'll stop to eat first, my treat. I always take Noah to my place or we go out to eat both Saturday and Sunday."

"That's really nice of you," she stated, while looking at me slightly differently.

"Are you rich?" Sam asked, and I knew that's what his mother was thinking too.

"Sam, it's not polite to ask questions like that."

"It's alright, and no, I'm not rich, but I have a good job. I work in the office at Atlas Manufacturing, and since I live alone, I can afford to do this once in a while. It doesn't really amount to very much, so it's not a big deal."

"No wonder the kids like you."

"Hey, I just like to help out. I don't want them growing up without some really good memories of their childhood."

"You're certainly making a difference when it comes to that. It's hard to do the extra things for Sam on what I make, and it's not easy being a single parent."

"I'm sure, and that's why I told Cheryl, Noah's mother, that I was happy to help out."

"Thanks for doing this, because I know the boys really enjoy it. I think Sam misses not having his dad around to do things with him, so this takes care of that problem, and it helps me out as well. I'm sure Noah's mom feels the same way."

"Well, thanks for trusting me with your son. I'll bring him over to get his things when we're done here, and then I'll bring him back when we finish swimming. Is there any time in particular you want him home?"

"No, whenever you're done is fine."

"If he's got flip-flops or sandals, have him bring those with the shorts. Noah and I both wear sandals when we go there to swim."

"Ok, I'll have them ready for when he gets back."

The boys and I headed toward our bench, while Monica returned home. "I'm so glad she's gonna let me do this," Sam announced with a huge grin.

"Yeah, but how come she said something about a bathing suit? We ain't gonna take a bath."

"It's just an old fashion name for a swimsuit. Before there was indoor plumbing, like I have at the house and you boys have in your apartments, people used to bathe outdoors. For modesty sake they would wear their bathing suit to the creek, river, pond, or lake when they were going to take a bath, because there were usually other people there doing the same thing. They would also use their bathing suits when they went swimming too, although some preferred to go skinnydipping instead."

"What's that?" Noah wanted to know.

"It's another way to say they went swimming naked," I explained.

"They went swimmin' with nothing on?" Sam gasped, totally shocked.

"Yes, it was a fairly common thing for boys and men to do back then. Since most people grew up in small homes with lots of children, it was fairly common that they would see each other naked anyway, especially when they were younger. Usually, the parents did it less and less in front of the children, but swimming naked with others of the same sex was acceptable."

"Can we try doin' that sometime?" Sam asked, surprising me. I thought Noah would have been the one to ask that question.

"I don't think you'd want to skinnydip at the state park, because there will be a lot of other people there. You can only do it if you have your own pool or a private swimming hole."

"Oh, ok," Sam stated, realizing his error. "So what are we gonna do today?"

"Can we do like in 'Ender's Game' and fight those other guys?"

"Sam might not know what we're talking about. Have you seen that movie, Sam?"

"Nah, we don't got a TV."

"In that case, we'll do something else."

It's a good thing I had another adventure planned, or this would have turned out to be a total disaster. "Today we're going to be spies for the American government," I began, "and our mission is to sneak into a really secure building in Russia. We're looking for proof that they've been hacking different governmental offices and private businesses, and we'll copy all of the computer files that we find onto a flash drive so we can bring it all back with us."

"But how are we gonna know what we need, cuz they don't write in American," Sam pointed out.

"Yes, they wouldn't keep that information in English, but I forgot to tell you that we can all read and write Russian," I explained.

"Ok, I get it now."

Over the next couple of hours, we snuck around the park as we pretended to make our way through the countryside to get to the remote, secret location. When we got there, we had to sneak around the building as we looked for their servers, which happened to be located on the upper floors of the building, which in our case was the tower that we'd used so many times before.

"Ok, guys, I'll stand guard down here while you sneak up to the offices and copy the files we need. Be careful that you don't trip any alarms, because we don't want to have to fight our way out of here, and we don't want anyone to know we've stolen the information, at least not yet."

"K, we'll be really careful," Noah agreed.

The boys then climbed into the tower and pretended to copy the necessary files, and then they brought the flash drive back to me. "Everything is on this," Sam said as he handed me a stone that was suppose to be the flash drive.

"Thanks. You'll probably get a Presidential Medal of Honor for this," I stated, causing both boys to smile.

"Neat," they whispered.

We now had to get out of Russia and back to the US without being caught. As we were going through security on the flight home, the authorities nearly discovered the flash drive. Earlier, I'd bought some souvenirs, a ceramic model of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, and pewter models of both the Winter Palace and Hermitage Museum, and I hid the flash drive in the final item. I was able to find a hollow space large enough to tape the flash drive inside, because I didn't think the security agent would be overly curious about my carry on bag with the souvenirs in it.

However, as we were being checked in, the agent looked inside my bag and made a face. "Souvenirs," I explained in Russian. He made me set my bag on the conveyer belt so it would go through the x-ray machine, and I prayed the x-rays wouldn't damage the files. Luckily, the examiner didn't spot anything, so I was able to pick the bag up again on the other side and we flew back to the States. Shortly after we landed, I turned the flash drive over to the N.S.A. (National Security Agency), and a few days later the three of us had to go to the White House for the medal presentations. Both boys were beaming and extremely proud of receiving this honor.

As soon as we were done, I led them to my car and drove over to the old factory building where Sam lived. I told him I'd wait until he got what he needed.

Chapter 10
And Then There Were Two.

After we stopped at the old factory building where Sam lived, he got out of the car, ran up to his apartment, grabbed his things from his mother, and then raced back to the car. "My mom told me to thank you again," he panted as he was buckling in.

"You're both welcome," I replied as we pulled away. I was eager to get out of there, because I didn't want to spend too much time in front of the building, just in case Gus' mother noticed that I was there and chose to make a scene. I then drove to the mall and pulled into the parking lot.

"What are we stoppin' here for?" Noah asked.

"I figured we could eat lunch at the food court. There's a Chinese and an Italian place there, so I felt you could find something you liked to eat at one or the other."

"K, that sounds good."

"Sam, after we eat, I'm going to take you to get a swimsuit, instead of using those shorts. I'm afraid they're way too baggy and might even slide off your hips after they get wet."

"K, but what will I tell my mom?"

"You can leave the swimsuit at my house for now so she won't know, because you'll only be using it when you're with us."

"But what if I get a chance to go swimmin' with someone else after you teach me?"

"Maybe later I'll be able to send it home with you, but just not yet."

"Ok, but my shorts will be dry when I get home, so won't my mom ask about that?"

"Good point, but we can wet those before you leave, seeing you won't be wearing them home."

He smiled. "Ok, and thanks. Do you have a swimsuit, Noah?"

"Yeah, Brian bought me one and it's at his house."

"So we're all gonna change there?"

"Yes, that's the plan I confirmed."

I could see Sam in the rearview mirror and noticed that he made an odd face while staring at Noah in the front seat, but I wasn't sure what it meant. I felt we could deal with it when we got to the house and I could discover what his reaction was about, but in the meantime I led the boys to the food court and asked what they wanted for lunch. They both wanted Italian, so I bought each one a slice of pepperoni pizza, along with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs for them to share, and I got each one a drink. After I carried their food to a table and got them started, I went over to the Chinese place to get something for myself.

When I returned, I sat down across from the boys and chuckled, because their mouths were covered in spaghetti sauce. I was glad I'd grabbed a bunch of napkins when I bought their meal, along with a few more from the Chinese place, because they would need to wipe the sauce off their faces before we left. Once we finished eating, I handed each of them a couple of napkins so they could do it themselves, and then I wiped off any spots they'd missed. Once that had been taken care of, we threw away the trash and headed out to the car so we could drive over to Walmart to buy a swimsuit for Sam.

Since he appeared to have the same build as Noah, I figured we'd start out with the same size I got him, and then have Sam try it on. When we began looking at his choices, he asked Noah which type of swimsuit he had, and then he picked one that was very similar, just in a different color. I took him over to the fitting room so he could try it on and told him to do it over his underwear for now. He then came out so I could see how it fit, and I decided it looked good on him, so after he took it off again, we headed to the checkout to make our purchase.

Now that they were fed and Sam had a swimsuit, I drove to my house next. "Do you own this?" Sam asked as we pulled in.

"Yes, I do."

"And it's really two houses, and he rents out the other side," Noah added.

I knew Sam was amazed by this fact, considering how he and his mother lived, as both boys followed me inside. I took the tags off his swimsuit first, and then he followed Noah and me into my bedroom when I went to get our swimsuits.

"Sam, I think it would be best if you changed in the bathroom. It's just down the hall." I said this because I wasn't sure what his reaction in the car had meant when he first learned what we were going to do.

"Noah, are you gonna change in here?"

"Yeah, we always change together."

Sam thought about this for a few seconds before he said anything else. "Then I'll change in here too."

"I don't have a problem with that, as long as you don't mind doing it, but I don't want you telling your mother about this. She may not understand, and she might even refuse to let you hangout with us any longer."

"If she asks, I'll just tell her I changed in your baf-room."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

We all began to undress, and once Noah got a glimpse of Sam's penis, he made a comment. "His dick looks funny."

I glanced over to see what he was referring to. "No, it doesn't. He's just not circumcised, like we are. All of our penises looked like his when we were born, but our parents had the extra skin removed."

"How'd they do that?" Noah followed.

"They had the doctor snip off the skin that extended beyond the knob, and then the doctor stitched the rest of the foreskin against the shaft."

"You mean like when I got a bad cut and the doctor put in stitches to close it up?" Noah continued.

"Yes, just like that. If you look closely, you can even see where that happened."

He looked down quickly. "Oh, yeah. I see now."

"Can I see?" Sam asked.

"Sure," he agreed as he turned toward Sam and thrust his hips forward. Once Sam had checked out Noah's penis, they turned toward me. "Can we see where they did it to you now?"

"Ok, but you can't tell anyone else about this."

"We won't," they both agreed.

Once they finished checking out my penis too, I made another comment. "Sam can probably pull his foreskin back so you can see his knob too, and then it would look pretty much like ours."

"Can you do that, Sam?" Noah asked, looking at his friend.

"I don't know. I've never tried. How do I do it?"

"Just grab a hold of your penis and pull the foreskin back, so it slides down the shaft. Don't force it, and only do it if it goes down easily, because I don't want it to cause any damage."

"Can you do it for me so I don't do anything wrong?"

"No, I definitely shouldn't be touching your penis."

"But I won't tell."

"Not intentionally, but you might slip and say something that will let your mom or others know what I did."

"No, I won't."

"I know you wouldn't do it on purpose, but I can't think take the chance. It's not difficult to do, but just do it carefully." I then used my finger to demonstrate what he should do next. "Just slide it down like this."

Sam followed my instructions, and I was surprised at how easily the skin slid back and allowed the head to pop out, seeing he'd said he'd never done it before. "Oh, yeah. I see now. Look, Noah. It looks just like your cock now."

"Oh, yeah. It does," Noah agreed.

"I've seen Gus' cock before too, and his looks like mine, but he doesn't have as much extra skin."

"You saw Gus' dick?"

"Yeah, we took baths together when we were little, when we stayed over with each other."

"You're right, some boys have more foreskin than others," I agreed. "It's also pretty common for boys to take baths together when they're still young, and you may end up showering with other boys at school, especially if you play sports. Just don't tell Gus, or anyone else, about what we did today, because I don't want Gus' mother to find out. If she knew, then she might cause even more trouble for me."

"I won't, but I bet Gus would like to do this too. I know I like doin' it, and I learned a bunch of stuff too. It's fun doing these things with you guys."

"I'm glad you don't have a problem with it, but unfortunately we have to keep most of what we did here a secret."

"Yeah, I know."

Now that I'd finished their Sex Ed lesson, we put on our swimsuits, a tee-shirt, and something on our feet. I then gave each boy a towel and grabbed one for myself. I was lucky that my parents had given me a four-pack of beach towels when I was in college, because they knew I liked to swim. They were identical, with stripes running from end-to-end, but each one's stripes were in a different color. The first one's stripes were blue, the next green, the third red, and the final one yellow. I let the boys pick the color they wanted, and then I grabbed one, picked up the bottle of sunscreen, and led them out to the car. Once they were buckled in, I drove to the state park.

When we arrived there, we laid out our towels in an open spot on the beach, took off our tee-shirts, and I applied sunscreen to both boys. They also helped put sunscreen on my back, and then I led them on the same walk I'd taken with Noah on our previous visit. This was to allow the sunscreen time to absorb into our skin, as well as to give our lunch a little more time to settle, and for Sam to see where everything was. When we got back, I felt we'd waited long enough, so I led them out into the shallow area to begin.

I had Noah show Sam what we did first when I first taught him, so he held his breath and squatted underwater. After Sam had also done it a few times, I had Noah show Sam how he did the same thing on his belly, while I used my hands to support him. After explaining to Sam about how he would need to roll his head when he was ready to take another breath, I had Sam practice the same thing, and he did quite well.

After I stopped doing that with Sam, I had Noah demonstrate how he used his arms and kicked his feet at the same time, and then I let Noah swim from one side of the shallow area to the other. I was with him when he started, with my hands under his belly, but then I stood up and held my hands in the air so Sam could see I was no longer helping Noah.

"Noah's really swimmin'?" he gasped, looking amazed.

"Yes, he is," I responded, just as Noah got to the other buoy.

"Wow! That was great, Noah," Sam gushed, totally impressed. "I hope I can learn to do that too."

I gave Sam his chance to try it next, and he caught on quite quickly. I didn't release him the first time, but after I had him turn around and go back in the other direction, I released him briefly as well. Sam didn't even notice that I'd done this and continued on, so it didn't seem to matter whether I had my hands under him or not. Although he didn't realize it at the time, I made sure to tell him when we stopped.

"I did the same thing to you that I'd done with Noah. I took my hands away and you did just as well without any help."

"Really. I was swimmin'?"

"Yes, you were, but don't get too cocky. You still have a lot more to learn. Both of you do," I emphasized, "so don't think you can just go out on your own without me or some other capable swimmer."

"K, we won't," they both agreed.

I continued to let them practice as I walked beside them and they began to gain more and more confidence. After doing this for a couple of hours, I told them it was time to stop for today, and I led them over to the concession stand and bought each of us a snow cone.

"Wow. That was fun and I like swimmin'," Sam gushed, bubbling over with joy.

"Me too!" Noah agreed. Both boys were sporting huge grins while at the same time attacking their snow cones.

"So do you do this on Saturday and Sunday?" Sam asked.

"No, we've only been doing this on Sunday. I think one day a week is enough, because it's quite a lengthy drive to get here."

"Yeah, ok," he agreed. "So can I come with you next week too?"

"Certainly, as long as your mom approves."

"Great. I can't wait."

When we got to the car, Noah showed Sam how he should place his towel to keep most of the water and sunscreen off the seats. Sam had no problem doing it, so we all hopped inside, buckled in, and I took off for the house.

"Man, I'm so glad my mom let me do this," Sam gushed during the drive. "I had a blast and learned how to swim too, and I learned a bunch of other stuff at your house about our cocks."

"I'm glad you had such a good time, but don't forget about keeping some of this a secret. You can't tell anyone else, not even Gus."

"Yeah, I know, and I won't," he agreed.

When we reached the house, both boys followed me to the bedroom and quickly began to strip off their swimsuits without a care in the world. Once we put on our other clothes again, I told the boys it was time for me to take them home. Sam reminded me to wet his other shorts first, which I did in the bathroom sink, and then I wrung out most of the water. He took the shorts with him as we got in the car and took off for his apartment.

Sam thanked me multiple times on the way back, as well as thanking me one final time before he got out of the car, and then he stood and waved at us as I drove off. Once I'd pulled away from his building, I looked over at Noah and spoke. "Since we're already back here, do you want me to take you back to your trailer?"

"No way! I wanna go home with you." I noticed he'd said 'go home with' me, not go to 'my house' or just 'go back with you'.

"Ok, I just thought I'd check."

"I like sleepin' with you and doin' other stuff with you too, so I don't wanna go home yet."

"That's fine with me, because I enjoy having you with me too."

When we got back to the house, I threw a meatloaf together quickly and tossed it in the oven. While it was baking, Noah and I went to the living room to see what was on TV. We caught the end of the original 'Ghostbusters' movie, and Noah got a big kick out of watching it. Before it ended, however, I had to go out and check on the meatloaf, and I also prepared a side of corn and a small salad for each of us.

Noah came out when the movie was over, and everything was ready for us to sit down and eat. "Thanks for doin' all this stuff for us today, Brian," he said before shoveling the first forkful of food into his mouth.

"You're very welcome. I enjoyed it too."

"Yeah, I liked seein' Sam's dick and learnin' all that stuff about it."

"I'm glad, but I hope you both keep that a secret."

"Yeah, we will. I can't wait till we do this next Sunday too."

"Yes, you did very well today and I was impressed. You're catching on very quickly."

"Cuz I like doin' it. I'm glad Sam's mom let him do it too, but I wish Gus' mom would let him join us."

"Yes, I feel sorry for him, but I can't go against his mother's wishes. If I did, then she could cause a lot of trouble for me."

"Yeah, I know."

When we finished our meal, we cleaned up quickly and headed into the living room to watch TV and snuggle together for a while. This was a special time for us, and I loved it as much as he did whenever we were alone. We thoroughly enjoyed each other's company while watching whatever was on the screen at the moment, and I loved wrapping my arm around him, as much as he enjoyed having me cuddle with him. When I noticed it was getting late, I told Noah it was time to shower, so he jumped off the sofa and took off for my bedroom to undress.

After we washed each other, dried off, brushed our teeth, and used the toilet, we put on clean underwear and crawled into bed. After I got settled in, Noah rolled over and snuggled against me, but then he lifted up and did something I wasn't expecting. He kissed me on the lips.

"Night, Brian. I love you," he said when he pulled away.

"I love you too, little buddy. Sweet dreams," I added before kissing him on the top of his head.

I heard him sigh as his arm draped over my belly and he rested his head on my chest. He seemed very content as I wrapped my arm around his back and held him close, and then we both drifted off to sleep.

When we awoke in the morning, we dressed quickly and then I fixed breakfast, along with packing our lunch for later. After we finished eating and had brushed our teeth, we went outside and got in the car. "Man, I can't believe how lucky I am that you're doin' all this stuff with me," Noah said as he was buckling in.

"Hey, I'm pretty lucky too," I agreed as we pulled out of the driveway.

"You are?"

"Yes, because I get to spend the weekend with you too."

After reaching his trailer, I watched as Noah got out of the car and started walking toward the door, and then Cheryl opened it and they both waved at me as I drove away. I must have driven to work on autopilot, because I didn't remember any of the trip. I was too busy thinking about the weekend and everything that had happened, since it certainly wasn't anything I would have anticipated even a few days ago.

When I said good morning to my assistant, she looked at me and smiled. "You've seemed to be in a really good mood the past few weeks. Have you found someone special?"

"Not in the romantic sense, but I've found a friend I've been doing things with and I've had a good time."

"I'm happy for you, and it's nice to see you smile and not be so serious."

"Oh, I'm still serious, especially about the job, but it's nice to get out and do other things on the weekend, rather than just worrying about what's going on here."

"Yes, I know. My kids keep me busy on the weekend, so it works about the same for me as well."

I took that as a harmless comment, rather than a suggestion that she knew it was a child, not an adult, that I'd been spending time with. I felt her comment was merely an impulsive response to let me know she understood, so I didn't spend any time worrying about what she'd said.

I worked hard all morning, although I kept one eye on the clock, since I didn't want to be late meeting Noah for lunch. When it was time to go be with him, I picked up my small cooler and headed out the door. I walked quickly to the park and saw Noah waiting for me on our bench long before I reached him. When I got close, Noah jumped up, eager to tell me about something.

"I saw Sam this mornin', and he said Gus knows that he went swimmin' with us."

"Really? Did he tell him?"

"Nah, Gus went to Sam's apartment Sunday afternoon when he thought Sam would be back from the park, and Sam's mom told him she'd let Sam go swimmin' with us."

"Oh, dear. Do you know how Gus reacted to that?"

"Yeah, Sam went down to see Gus when he got back and said Gus was really pissed."

"At Sam? At us?"

"Nah, at his mom. Gus told Sam that he screamed at his mom when he found out Sam went with us, and then he went to his bedroom and slammed the door. Sam said after that happened Gus' mom went to talk with his mom about what she'd done."

"Does that mean Sam won't be able to go with us again?"

"Nah, he said his mom didn't have a problem with him goin', cuz he said he had a great time and can swim now."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Yeah, he said his mom asked him where he changed, and he told her he used your bathroom. Sam also said she wanted to know if anything else happened, and he told her 'no', just that he had a good time and learned how to swim."

"Ok, I'm glad to hear that, so I hope she won't stop him from doing things with us now."

"Yeah, me too."

I was pretty quiet as we ate, although Noah continued talking. I didn't hear a lot of what he said, because I was thinking about what he'd already told me. Noah suddenly got upset when I didn't respond to one of his questions, so I merely apologized and told him I was thinking about something at work. I felt it would be better to tell him a little white-lie than admit the truth, because I didn't want him saying anything about this to anyone else.

When our time together ended, I walked back to work, still wondering if there were going to be any repercussions or blow-back from this. In fact, I worried about it all week, as I continued having lunch with Noah. He never said that Sam had said anything more about what had happened, and no one confronted us about any of it either.

The closer it came to the weekend, the more nervous I became. I had no idea what was going to happen when I got to the park, or even if Sam would show up. I guess I wouldn't know until I got there Saturday morning, so I just held my breath and hoped for the best.

Chapter 11
Another Surprise.

When I awoke Saturday morning I was a bundle of nerves, because I had no idea what to expect when I got to the park. Other than being positive that Noah would be there, would anyone else? Would Sam's mom change her mind and keep him from doing things with us from now on, or would she ignore whatever Gus' mother had said to her? It seemed that I was about to find out.

As I pulled up and parked along the curb, I saw Noah sitting on 'our' bench, but as I started in his direction I saw more people converging on the same spot. It was Sam, Gus, and their mothers, and a lump immediately formed in my throat, as my heart sank into my stomach. Were they here to confront me and create a scene, or did they just want to talk? I wasn't sure, but I suddenly thought that if they were here to cause a problem then they'd probably have the police here to back them up. Since that assumption made me feel slightly better, I calmed down a little and the lump in my throat became a little smaller so I was able to swallow, but I still approached the bench with a great deal of apprehension.

"Brian, I just came over to thank you for taking Sam with you last weekend," Monica began. "He's so excited about learning how to swim."

"Yes, he did very well for the first time, but he still has a lot more to learn."

"I'm sure he does, but he's thrilled about what he's accomplished so far. It's all he's talked about all week and he's been pestering me to let him go with you again this Sunday. I just wanted to make sure you were going to go to the state park again and that he's welcome to join you?"

"Yes, that's what Noah and I plan on doing, and Sam is more than welcome to join us." Sam pumped his fist in the air and began hopping around.

"I'm sure you remember me, although we've never been formally introduced. I'm Debbie Kocik, Gus' mother. I just came over with Monica to eat my words and apologize for what happened the last time I was here. I'm also going to go apologize to Noah's mother, and I want you to know that I'm giving Gus permission to join you for these weekend adventures you arrange for them."

"Thank you. I'm glad to hear that, and I'm also glad to formally meet you. I'm sure you know my name by now, but it's Brian Thorne."

"Yes, Monica told me, and Gus has been hounding me to let him join you and the others again, which means I've heard your name from him numerous times as well."

"Yeah, I'm glad I can do this with you guys again," Gus followed. "Will you teach me to swim too?"

"Uh, that will be up to your mom, because we do that at the state park."

"I'm willing to let him do that as well, if you'll agree to let him join you. I've talked to Monica about this, because she questioned Sam when he got back last week. She determined you'd done nothing wrong or inappropriate, so I'm willing to trust you with Gus as well."

"Ok, and that's good to know. Does he have a swimsuit?"

"No, but Monica said Sam just took another pair of shorts with him to wear when swimming."

"Yes, that will work too. Noah and I usually leave from here after our adventure, and then we stop somewhere for lunch along the way, before going to my house to change. That's what we did when Sam was with us, so are you sure you don't have a problem if Gus does that as well?"

"Yes, I'm sure, and I'm sincerely sorry about the things I said to you before. I'll even give Gus a few dollars so he can pay for lunch."

"That's not necessary, because it's my treat."

"That's very nice of you, but I don't mind chipping in."

"Use the money to do something for him instead. It doesn't cost very much for me to do this once a week, and it saves time because I don't have to wait for them to go home and eat first."

"That's very nice of you, so thank you."

"So we're all good now?"

"Yes, we're fine," Monica and Debbie agreed.

The boys were hopping around because they were excited about how this was working out, and then we watched as Monica and Debbie turned and walked back to their apartments.

"I'm so glad my mom's finally lettin' me do this," Gus crowed, barely able to contain his excitement.

"Yes, and I'm shocked at her total change of attitude toward me. I hope your dad feels the same way." That was a reflexive comment, but I soon became sorry I'd said it.

"My dad's dead," Gus replied, as his former excitement changed into sullenness. The smile on his face had also turned into a frown.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I didn't know."

"It's ok. It happened a few years ago."

"I'm still sorry to hear that he's no longer around."

"His dad was shot in a robbery just before me and my mom moved into our apartment," Sam clarified.

"Yeah, I was glad to have Sam to hang around with then, cuz I didn't have nobody else I was close to, 'cept my mom, and she was really sad too."

"It also explains why she's so protective of you, since there's just the two of you."

"Nah, I have a younger brother too. He's seven."

"I didn't know that either. So your dad was shot?"

"Yeah, one night he left our apartment to go to the corner store to get more beer, and while he was there some guy with a gun tried to rob the place. The clerk said that my dad had just paid for the beer and was tryin' to leave, but the guy said he wanted my dad's money and the beer too, but my Dad wouldn't give 'em to the guy, and that's why he shot my dad. While the guy was busy taking my dad's wallet and the beer, the clerk was able to drop the security gate around the counter and duck out of sight so he could call the cops."

"I hope they caught the guy."

"Yeah, they did, and now he's in prison. He'll be there 'til he dies."

"That's good. At least he won't be able to do it to someone else."

"Yeah, I know."

"Sam, I just found out Gus has a brother, so how about you? Do you have a brother or sister?"

"Nah, it's just me and mom."

"Ah, the same as Noah."

"Yep," Sam and Noah confirmed.

I thought it was time to change the topic and do something fun to pull Gus out of the funk he was in now. "Hey, are you boys ready for today's adventure?"

"Yeah, and I wish I was here last week when you did the space thing and fought aliens," Gus quickly replied.

"Then you might like this adventure too. Today our planet is being invaded by aliens from space, and we have to fight them off with whatever weapons we can get our hands on."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds like fun," Gus agreed.

"Won't they have laser guns, like they had last week?" Sam followed, looking concerned.

"Possibly, but we have to do what we can with whatever we have."

"Ok, I'm ready," Noah chimed in. "So what are we gonna do?"

"Here's the situation. The aliens landed their spaceship over there," I said, pointing toward an area on the other side of the park. "I'm going to give each of you shotguns loaded with slugs, because those are the largest types of bullets we have and will do the most damage to the aliens. I've also located a rocket launcher that I can fire from my shoulder, and I'm hoping to do enough damage to their spaceship so they can't fly off, and hopefully I'll even get it to explode so it will kill most of them."

"Ok, that sounds good, so how are we going to do this?" Sam asked.

"We're going to have to make a wide loop to get to the spaceship, so the aliens won't see us coming. We'll go around the building with the toilets first and use it for cover, and then we'll creep along the bushes and use them to keep us hidden too. We might also have to do some crawling, because we have to do whatever it takes to keep them from spotting us."

"Ok, we can do that," Noah agreed.

"Yeah," the other two concurred.

We spent the next two hours fighting off the aliens, but we weren't the ones who actually won the battle. We were able to hold them off and damage their spaceship so they couldn't fly off, but it was something else that killed them. A couple of small dogs had been roaming the park and the aliens enticed them into the spacecraft, presumably so they could kill and eat them later. It turned out that the dogs were loaded with fleas and ticks, and the germs transmitted through the bites from those insects caused the aliens to get sick and start dying off. We figured out what happened when we were checking some of the aliens to make sure they were dead, and that's when we noticed the fleas and ticks on their bodies, along with a large number of bite marks. Obviously, the aliens didn't see that coming, and it's what helped us win the day.

"That was fun, but I was surprised that the fleas and ticks beat them, not us," Gus observed.

"Yeah, I thought our guns and the rockets you were firin' was what would beat them, but it was somethin' they probably didn't even see comin'," Sam added, before laughing.

"Yeah, that was pretty good," Noah agreed, "and I liked that I wasn't able to figure out what was gonna happen."

"I'm glad you all enjoyed it."

Sam and Gus left the park a few minutes later and went home to eat. "See you tomorrow," they said as they were leaving.

"And I'm really glad I can go with you to learn how to swim," Gus added.

"Me too, and I'll see you all in the morning."

As Noah and I were making our way to the car, Noah said, "That was fun, and I'm glad Gus will be able to do stuff with us now."

"I am too, but I was totally shocked when his mother showed up and announced that she'd changed her mind."

"Yeah, I thought she was here to cause trouble."

"So did I. Did you know Gus had a brother?"

"I heard him say that before, but I never seed him. I think his name is Glen."

"That's more than I knew, and it came as a complete surprise."

After we got in the car, Noah said something else. "And now I'll get to see his dick too." And then he giggled.

"Yes, I suppose you will."

"Are you going to buy him a swimsuit too?"

"Yes, I think it's only fair, since I did that for you and Sam."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"Let's talk about lunch. What do you think about having tuna fish sandwiches today?"

"Yeah, I like tuna fish. Can we have tater tots too?"

"Yes, I suppose we can stop at the grocery store and pick up a bag, and I'll grab a couple of other things as well."

We pulled into the grocery store and I spent some time picking up a few things for lunch, dinner, and tomorrow's meals as well. After I paid for everything, we headed home, and then the next thing I did was to core and peel an apple. I'm sure you're probably confused by this, and so was Noah, but I told him he'd see why I did it later.

After I took the tray out of the toaster oven and pre-heated it. I then placed a sheet of aluminum foil over the tray and placed enough tater tots on it for the two of us. After putting them in the toaster oven and setting the timer, I cut the apple into quarters and gave one quarter to Noah, while I ate another. I then diced the rest of the apple into little cubes, opened a large can of tuna, drained it, and got ready to chop the meat up before adding the mayonnaise. I also dumped the bits of apple into the tuna too, because it added a touch of sweetness to the tuna salad.

I made both of us a sandwich just before the timer went off for the toaster oven, and then I added some of those to our plates before I got each of us a drink and grabbed the bottle of ketchup. As Noah and I began to eat, Noah looked up and grinned.

"This is really good. I like it with the apple in it."

"Yes, it's a little trick my mother taught me. If you use the regular chunk light tuna, the apple takes some of the fishy taste away, but I use the solid white tuna, so it just adds a little sweetness."

"Yeah, I like it."

"I'm glad, so eat up."

After we finished lunch, Noah wanted to know what we were going to do next. "Actually, I've got a little surprise for you. I've been thinking about something more active we could do in place of watching movies, and I think I've come up with the perfect solution. Follow me."

"But I like to watch movies with you too."

"I know, and we can do that after dinner, just not all day long. Now, it's time to play with this," I stated as I held up a remote controlled car about the size of a shoe box.

"What's that for?"

"It's a car we can drive around using this remote control, which is sort of like a device you might use on a video game. I've charged the battery already, so now we can take it outside and I'll show you how it works."

"K. Sounds like fun."

"And seeing I live at the end of a dead-end street and there isn't very much traffic, we can practice on the driveway and then drive in the street too. Hold this while I move my car out onto the street, so you can practice in the driveway first."

He took the RC car when I handed it to him. "Just be careful so you don't drop it. I don't want it to break before we have a chance to use it."

"K, I'll be careful."

As soon as I moved my car, I set the RC car on the cement driveway, took the control, and explained how it worked to Noah. I'd already practiced with it one night during the week so I knew how to operate it, and now I demonstrated how to use it for Noah.

"Neat. Can I try it now?"

"Of course, just take it easy and don't try to go too fast."

He drove it slowly down the driveway, backed it up, and then drove it to the end of the driveway again. This time I had him do a U-turn with the car and then he drove it back to us, only to make another U-turn so it was facing down the driveway again.

"You did very well, so are you ready to try it in the street?"

"Yeah. You mean I can do that too?"

"Certainly. Just remember that if you see or hear a car then you'll need to pull the RC car onto the grass so it doesn't get run over."

"Ok, I'll 'member to do that."

For the next couple of hours I watched as he drove the RC car up and down the street. Sometimes he went slow, while at other times he tried to see how fast it would go. He always made sure to slow it down before turning it around, because I'd warned him that it would flip over and wreck if he tried to do it too fast. He apparently didn't want that to happen, because then he wouldn't be able to play with it any longer. I was getting a kick out of seeing how he glowed, smiled, giggled, and squealed with joy while playing with our new toy, but eventually the batteries began to die, so I had to tell him it was time to quit. He looked really sad after hearing me say this, so I assured him this wouldn't be the only time we'd do this.

"Good, cuz that was fun and I can't wait to do it again."

"I'll make sure the batteries are charged before next weekend so you can play with it next Saturday too."

"Yeah, that will be good."

"Ok, let's go inside and we'll take a little breather before I start making dinner."

We then went into the living room to see what was on TV. When we checked out what was on the Disney channel, we saw the movie 'Cars' was on, so we sat back to watch that next. Noah laid down on the sofa and placed his head on my lap, but I knew he never came close to falling asleep, because every so often his body would shake with laughter. When the movie ended, I asked him a question.

"What if I make baked ziti and chicken parmesan for dinner?"

"I don't know what that is."

"Ziti is like a big macaroni that I bake with spaghetti sauce and cheese. Chicken parmesan is just a chicken patty that I cover in spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese, and then I bake it."

"Ok, I'll try it, cuz I like sketti sauce."

"I know, and I bought some Italian bread too, so you can soak up the left over sauce again, like you did when we had spaghetti the last time."

He broke into a huge grin. "Good, cuz I like doing that too."

I left him to watch TV alone, while I went out and began to get everything ready to put in the oven. I went back in to join him as I waited for the timer to go off, and then I told Noah it was time to eat.

"Good, cuz I'm hungry."

I put some ziti on the plate next to the chicken parmesan, and I gave him a steak knife to cut it. "I can cut it for you if you want?"

"Nah, I can do it myself."

"Ok, but just be careful, and remember it's kind of hot."

I watched as he cut off his first piece, blew on it, and put it in his mouth. "Hey, this is really good."

"I'm glad you like it."

He then took a forkful of ziti. "This is good too!"

"I was pretty sure you'd like both of them."

After he finished eating what was on his plate, he buttered a couple of slices of Italian bread, folded them over, and used them to mop up the remaining spaghetti sauce. He was so precious to watch as he cleaned off every bit of sauce on his place.

"That was really good. Thanks for makin' it."

"I'm glad you liked it."

"Yeah, I did. So what are we gonna do now?"

"We can watch TV again, or we can think of something else."

"Let's see if we can find another movie."

"Ok, that's fine with me."

I went to the cable guide and started scrolling through it. "Hey, let's try this!"

I then flipped to the history channel, because they had a show about ancient Egypt and King Tut's tomb. I was hoping Noah would find it interesting and learn something at the same time, and he didn't object or say anything when he first saw what it was. He laid back down and got comfortable with his head on my lap as he watched the screen.

When the program ended, Noah sat up and looked at me. "We learned about some of that stuff in school, but watchin' it was neat and I learned some new stuff too. There sure was a lot of gold in there with the mummy."

"Yes, there sure was, and I enjoyed watching it as well, so I'll look for other shows like this in the future."

"Yeah, that would be good. I'd like to see more stuff like that, cuz it's interestin'."

"I'm glad you think so. Do you want to watch another show or go to take our shower?"

"Ummm, what else is on?"

"I don't know. Let me check."

"K," he replied as I began scrolling through the cable guide again.

"There's an interesting looking show on the travel channel. Do you want to watch that?"

"Yeah, ok."

It was a show about the ancient temples in southeast Asia, and I think Noah was surprised and impressed with what he saw. "I never seed those places before, and they look really old."

"They are," I agreed, as we discussed what we just watched on TV and I explained about the countries where they were located.

When that show ended, we went to take our shower next, and we took turns washing each other. This was something else Noah really liked to do, and I knew he looked forward to doing it both days on the weekend. Once we were clean and had rinsed off, we dried our bodies, put on clean underwear, did our ablutions, and got into bed.

Before he cuddled against me, he got up on his hands and knees and bent down to give me a kiss on the lips. He did this much longer than the last time, which had been more or less a quick peck on the lips, but this time he seemed reluctant to pull away. When he did, he looked down, smiled, and spoke.

"I really love you, Brian, and thanks for doing all this stuff with me."

"You're welcome, little buddy, and I enjoy doing these things with you as well."

He then bent down and gave me another quick kiss before laying beside me, putting his head on my chest, and snuggling tightly against me. A few minutes later, I could tell by his gentle breathing that he'd fallen asleep, so I let myself drift off into oblivion as well.

Chapter 12
And Now There Are Three.

After waking up Sunday morning, we ate breakfast quickly before heading to the park. I was excited that Gus' mother had relented and changed her mind about letting him join us again, and when we got there, the other boys were excited too. The thing was, they weren't merely excited about today's adventure, but they were also thinking ahead about going to the state park to swim afterward, so I had to get them focused again.

"Men, today our mission is to capture the leader of a rebel group who is hiding out in the forest. It's not only important for us to take him alive so he can be questioned by the appropriate authorities, but we also want to retrieve any materials he has with him, such as maps, plans, or communications with others."

"So what do we hafta do?" Noah asked.

"First, we have to sneak by the town," and I indicated this meant the play set and playground equipment. "We need to make sure no one sees us, because we don't want any of his supporters sending a messenger to warn him that we're coming. We will wait and cross the fields after dark to prevent anyone from observing our movements."

"We're really gonna wait until tonight to do this?" Gus asked, looking concerned.

"No, of course not. We're just going to pretend that we waited until it got dark."

"Oh, ok," he responded, blushing slightly due to his error.

"When we reach the forest," which was actually the bushes on the other side of the park, "we'll locate his hiding place and move in to capture him. Once we have him in custody and have gathered up all the materials we can find, we'll take him back to headquarters to be questioned," I added while pointing at the men's room.

"Ok, that sounds like fun," Sam agreed.

I then led them around the town and reminded them to be very quiet, but I also told them to be on the lookout for anyone who might be around, because we didn't want to be observed. There were a few other children at the park today, so whenever one of them turned to look in our direction we would stop and lay on the ground to keep them from spotting us. As soon as they looked in the other direction again, we'd get up and move along quickly.

Once we'd bypassed the town, I had the boys join me as we rested and waited for it to get dark, which only took a couple of minutes. Just before we moved on, I warned them to be careful so they didn't twist or break an ankle by stepping in a hole. I also warned them about using any lights, including matches, since light travels very far in the dark.

"But we don't have any matches," Noah countered.

"Then I guess you just have to make sure you don't use your cell phones, flashlights, or anything else that lights up. It's good that I don't have to worry about any of you lighting a cigarette or a cigar," I clarified.

Noah looked at me strangely for a second and then burst out laughing. "Ok, I guess the idea of us smoking was just pretend too." I nodded in agreement.

When we finally got to the forest, or in our case the bushes, I had the boys take another short break as we waited for the sun to come up. No one questioned me this time, since they realized my comments were all about our pretend mission. When it was time to move out, I gave them a final word of advice.

"We're going to spread out to look for his hiding place. I'm sure he's not alone and there are others watching for anyone trying to capture or kill him, so keep your weapons handy. If you have to take out one of the sentries, see if you can get close enough to use your knife or hands to do it, because gunfire will alert everyone else in their camp. If you do have to shoot, make sure you kill your target, but try to capture their leader alive, because we won't get any information out of him if he's dead. By the way, be sure to use hand signals, because we don't want them to hear us coming either."

We then spread out to look for their camp. After a couple of minutes, I saw Gus waving his arms wildly about, so I signaled the other two to follow me over to him. When we got there, he pointed to some bushes that seemed to form a natural lean-to shelter.

"I think they might be in there," Gus whispered while pointing at that area.

"Good job!" I congratulated him. "Guys, surround the place and I'll go in and pull out the leader. Be ready to fight with anyone else."

They all nodded in agreement as we moved closer, and then I saw a couple of them battling with unseen foes. As they were taking care of the guards, I bent down, reached under the bushes, and pretended to pull out a struggling captive. As soon as he was securely under our control, I had the boys tie his arms behind his back and loop a rope around his body so we could lead him back to headquarters.

"Good job, but there may be others out here, so keep alert."

We then made our way toward the men's room, where we turned our prisoner over to our superiors to be questioned. "Great job, men. I'm sure we'll all get another medal for pulling this off and completing our mission. That means we'll be honored at a banquet that will be held in the very near future."

I'd said this because I figured that since I was going to be buying them lunch it could serve as the banquet honoring our achievement. "Are you guys up for pizza?"

"Yeah!" they all screamed back.

"Ok, then that's what we'll have for lunch."

I told them to follow me over to the car and I made sure they were all buckled in before I set out for our next destination. I drove to the old factory building first, so Sam and Gus could go to their apartments and grab the things they needed. When they returned, I set out for our next destination, Cici's Pizza, since it was located along the route that I took to get to my house. I chose this place because I knew they offered a buffet featuring different kinds of pizza, including dessert pizzas, so the boys could eat as much as they wanted. I concluded this would be the cheapest and easiest way to feed this group, so that's what we did.

After leading the boys inside and paying the required fee, I explained how this worked, seeing none of them had ever been here before. I told them that they could help themselves to any of the pizza on the heated buffet table, but I advised them to use the utensils to get what they wanted, not their hands. I told them they could use their hands when they ate, but not when getting their food, because they might touch food that someone else was going to be eating, and they seemed to understand.

Once they had filled their plates with what they wanted, I led them to a table and we set our plates down. I then told each of them to take a glass and follow me over to the area where they could fill them with whatever drink they preferred. Once we finished doing that, we went back to the table and took our seats.

"Men, this banquet is in your honor for completing another very dangerous mission," I stated before we began eating. They all looked up at me and grinned first, and then they began stuffing pizza into their mouths.

While we were eating, I decided to inform Gus about one more thing. "Gus, after we finish up here, I'll be taking you to Walmart to buy a swimsuit before we head over to the state park."

"But I brought another pair of shorts to swim in."

"I know, but that was just to make sure your mother let you come with us. I bought swimsuits for Noah and Sam too, so I'm going to do it for you as well."

"You guys already have swimsuits?" Gus asked next.

"Yeah, they're at Brian's house, cuz we change there," Noah replied, with Sam nodding in agreement.

Gus didn't comment about this and merely continued eating. When we finished, I drove to Walmart, because that's where I'd purchased the swimsuits for the other two, and we went inside. After showing Gus the various choices, Sam and Noah showed him the type of suits they had, and then Gus picked one out. I had him get a size larger than I'd bought for the other two, since he was more solidly built, and then I took him to the changing room to try it on and make sure it fit.

"Put it on over your underwear, and then just let me see how it looks on you," I told him as I led him to the dressing room.

He did as I asked, and when he came out I noticed it looked a little snug on him, so I told him to take it off and we'd exchange it for the same swimsuit in the next size. Once he was in his other clothes again, we swapped swimsuits and took the new one up to the register to check out. When we were in the car, Sam made a comment.

"I didn't know you were that much bigger than me."

"My mom says it's cuz of my big butt," Gus replied, which caused the other two to giggle.

When we got to the house, Noah and Sam headed directly for my bedroom, but I offered Gus another option, once I'd removed the tags from his swimsuit. "You can change in the bathroom."

"How about Noah and Sam?"

"We change in here with Brian," Noah shot back.

"Then I'll do that too," Gus replied.

"Gus, I don't want to give your mom any reason to change her mind again," I responded, slightly worried.

"Then I just won't tell her. If she asks, I'll just say I changed in your bathroom."

"That's what I did too," Sam chimed in.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I want to do the same thing the other guys are doin'," Gus insisted.

Since he seemed adamant, I gave in, and we all began to strip. I already knew Gus was uncircumcised, because Sam had mentioned that fact the previous week. As I glanced down, I noticed that Sam's assessment had also been correct, in that Gus' foreskin wasn't nearly as long as his. Gus' helmet was peeking out through the wrinkled skin at the tip and allowed me to see its deep pink color.

No one said anything about any of this, which actually surprised me. I guess the explanation of the previous week had answered Noah and Sam's questions, but I was amazed that Gus hadn't asked any questions. I could only assume he must have been around other naked men or boys before and already knew about the differences.

After we'd all put on our swimsuits and slipped into our sandals or flip-flops, I got out a towel for each of us, let them take the color they wanted, and then I grabbed the sunscreen and led them out to the car. As I set out for our destination, the boys filled Gus in about what it was like and what he'd be doing.

Once we arrived at our destination, I basically repeated the same process I'd used with the other boys, and after I covered each of them with sunscreen, they put some on my back as well. We then took a walk around the lake, to give the sunscreen time to absorb into our skin, and after we got in the kiddie area, I had them squat underwater while holding their breath.

Once Gus felt comfortable doing that, I had the other two show Gus what they'd learned to do so far, and then I worked with Gus while the other boys watched. Gus' body seemed to float slightly lower in the water as he did this, so when he turned his head to take another breath he had to lift his head up slightly, or else it would have been below the waterline. He quickly adapted and caught on to what he needed to do, so I merely took turns walking beside the boys as they swam from one side of the kiddie area to the other.

Gus appeared to be stronger than the other two and moved through the water a little faster than they had. He was doing quite well for his first time, so we continued for about an hour before we decided to take a break. After I bought each of us a snow cone, which we all enjoyed, we went back to the kiddie area and started doing it all over again. When we finished, we took a walk around the area as we air-dried, and then Sam showed Gus how to use his towel to keep my car seats clean and dry.

"Thanks for teachin' me how to swim," Gus stated during the ride back. "It was really fun."

"Yes, but like I told the other boys, don't get too cocky. There's a lot more to learn before you try doing this alone or attempt anything that is a little more dangerous, such as diving into the water."

"I know, but I'm glad my mom is finally lettin' me do these things with the rest of you. I wasn't talkin' to her or spending any time with her, so she'd know I was really mad, but it was Sam's mom that talked her into lettin' me do this."

"I'm glad she changed her mind."

"Yeah, she was just worried that you were like the guy who was bein' nice to me after my dad was killed. He'd offer to take me places, and then he would stick his hands in my pants and underwear so he could play with my cock. He had me do it to him too."

"Ah, now I understand why your mother was so suspicious."

"Yeah, but I tried to tell her you weren't like that."

"I'm glad she realizes it now."

We continued talking on the way back, and I learned more about what had happened to Gus. He said he didn't really mind what the guy was doing to him, because he thought it felt good, but he didn't like having to do it back. When he made a comment about it to his mom that he didn't like doing it in return, she went ballistic and called the police. From what Gus said, the guy is still in prison, but it might also explain why Gus didn't make any comments when he undressed with us. It seems his previous experience had taught him all that he needed to know.

When we reached the house and went inside, we carried our towels with us and the boys all followed me to the bedroom to change again. "I like that we're doin' this together," Gus said, breaking the silence. "I don't mind if you guys see me with nothin' on, and I kinda like seein' you guys too, 'specially Brian's big cock, but I know I can't tell my mom about it this time."

"I certainly hope you don't say anything to her about this, because I'm sure she'd stop letting you join us again. While we're talking about it, though, I think you boys are all old enough to start using the proper term and start calling it a penis."

"If we did that our friends would all think we were weird, cuz they all call it a cock or dick."

"When I was little I called it a pee-pee, cuz that's what my mom called it," Noah admitted. "After I started goin' to school, that's when I started calling it a dick, cuz that's what the other boys called it."

"And me and Gus used to call them our weenies, cuz that's what our moms called them. We only started calling it a cock a couple of years ago, cuz the older kids would make fun of us when we said weenie."

"I see, so if that works best for you, then I'll let the subject drop. I also know you boys like to look at my penis because it's so much bigger, but yours will get bigger too, and that will probably happen sometime over the next couple of years."

"And will we get hair down there too, like you?" Sam wanted to know.

"Yes, that will happen when you reach puberty. You'll start getting hair over your penis, on your upper lip, in your arm pits, and you'll get more on your arms and legs too."

"I got some hair down there already, just not very much," Gus stated.

"Really? Show us," Noah begged.

Gus turned and let us check out his pubis, and sure enough there were three of four dark hairs starting to come in. This surprised me, because his penis didn't even appear to be as developed as much as Noah's.

"I'd heard boys are reaching puberty earlier than they used to. When I was younger, most boys didn't start the process until they were twelve or thirteen."

"Yeah, they just started comin' in a couple of weeks ago, but how 'bout our chest?" Gus asked. "Will we get hair there too, cuz my dad had lots of hair on his chest?"

"Some boys might get hair on their chest, but that won't happen until they get older, and it won't happen to everyone. Some boys might also get hair on their shoulders and back, but that won't happen to very many."

"Gus, can you pull the extra skin back on your dick like Sam can?" Noah asked.

"You mean like this?" Gus responded as he pulled back his foreskin and exposed his knob.

"Yeah, like that," Noah giggled.

"How did you know how to do that, cuz I didn't until Brian 'splained it?" Sam followed.

"Cuz it was one of the things the guy did to me when he was playin' with my cock," Gus answered.

After we finished changing again, I put two of our swimsuits over the shower curtain rod and the other two over the side of the tub to dry, I then took Gus and Sam's extra pair of shorts, wet them, and then wrung out the excess water and gave them back. Once that had been taken care of, we went out and hopped in the car again. After dropping Gus and Sam off where they lived, I turned toward Noah and asked a question that I felt I already knew the answer to.

"Do you want to go back with your mom now, or go home with me?"

"With you, silly. You know I like to spend time with you."

"That's fine, but I just wanted to give you the choice. What would you say to having Sloppy Joes for dinner?"

"Is that like Manwiches?"

"Yes, it's the same thing."

"Yeah, I like them."

"Ok, then we'll have Manwiches and a salad tonight."

"Can we have tater tots too?"

"I suppose I can get some of those too, since I'll need to stop at the grocery store."

On the way to the house, I stopped to pick up what I needed, seeing I hadn't planned ahead for this meal. Once I had those items, I drove to the house and began to fix dinner. It didn't take very long to throw it all together, and then we ate.

"That was good. Thanks," Noah said after scarfing down his Manwich and other items.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, but what do you want to do now?"

"Can we go outside and drive the little car around again?"

"Yes, I set it up to charge earlier, so it should be ready to go again."

"Yay! I really like doin' that."

"That's the reason I bought it."

I took the RC car outside and let Noah drive it up and down the driveway first, before setting him loose in the street. As I watched him having so much fun, I was even more pleased that I'd bought this house on a dead-end street now. I'd originally chosen it because I thought it would be a quieter neighborhood and I wouldn't have to worry about cars buzzing through as a shortcut. However, it also turned out to be a good spot where we could do things like this on the street. I'd even noticed that one of the other houses had put up a portable basketball net beside the street and the kids used the pavement as their court, because it was easier to dribble on.

After letting Noah drive the RC car around for a couple of hours, I noticed it seemed to be slowing down, so I told him we'd put it back on the charger for next time. He didn't put up too much of a fuss, since he knew he'd be doing it again the following weekend, and then we went inside to watch TV.

After looking through the cable guide, I saw 'The Princess Bride' was on one of the channels, so I put it on. Since Noah hadn't seen many movies before, I knew he would enjoy this one, especially since it resembled an adventure I might have made up. Besides, it was funny and I enjoyed it too.

"Buttercup is pretty, and the giant is big and ugly," Noah observed during one of the commercials.

"Actually, the giant was a professional wrestler thirty years ago. His wrestling name was Andre the Giant, and he stood seven feet, four inches tall [2.24m] and weighed 520 pounds [240 kg]."

"Wow! I bet nobody beat him."

"Late in his career he was beaten by a guy named Hulk Hogan, and Hogan even body slammed Andre in the process."

"He was able to pick the giant up?" Noah asked in disbelief.

"Yes, but he claimed to have pulled some muscles while doing it."

"The giant must have been old by then, or nobody could have beat him. He was really big."

"Yes, he was, but in real life he was a very gentle man."

We stopped talking and watched the movie again when it came back on, and I could tell Noah was really enjoying it. He tensed up when Buttercup fell into the sand pit and Westley jumped in to save her, and then he held onto my arm when they fought off the giant rat in the Fire Swamp. He loved the sword fights too, which gave me an idea for next week's adventure with the boys.

When the movie ended, Noah had one final comment. "I'm glad Westley was able to convince the bad Prince that he was ok so the Prince wouldn't fight him, and I'm happy that he and Buttercup got together again."

"Yes, it really was true love. So what do you want to do now?"

"Let's just take a shower and go to bed."

"As you wish," I answered, using the same phrase that Westley always used when Buttercup asked him to do something. It was also the same thing the grandfather told his sick grandson when he was asked to come back so he could read the story to him again the next day. It caused Noah to look at me and grin.

"That's what Westley and the grandfather said."

"Did they? I guess I must have missed that."

"No, you didn't, but I like that you said it. They said that to show their love."

"Yes, I guess they did, and I love you too."

Noah and I then went to shower, because it was getting late and I had to work the next day. It had been another great weekend, and I was beginning to feel like a divorced dad who got to spend weekends with his kid. I was glad to be able to give the mothers a slight break, but even happier that I was teaching the boys to swim, seeing someday it might save their lives. Don't get me wrong, because I liked just spending time with them too, and I truly was beginning to feel as if Noah was my little brother. For the most part, I had trouble thinking of him as a son, since I was barely old enough to be his dad, so it was actually easier to think of him as my little bro.

While we were washing each other, Noah surprised me with another comment. "I liked when Gus changed with us too, but he didn't say nothin' about our dicks, just yours."

"That's true, so I guess he must have had those questions answered for him before."

"You mean when that guy touched his dick and made Gus touch his dick too?"

"Yes, I suppose that had something to do with it."

"But why would the guy want to do that with Gus?"

"I guess he must have liked doing those things, and it probably made him feel good too."

"You mean when they touched each other there?"

"Yes, that's what I meant."

"Could you show me what they were doin'?"

"I could, but I don't think I should. Those are the types of things that can get people in trouble."

"But we already touch each other there when we shower, and I promise not to tell. I just want to find out what Gus was doin'."

"Remember, that's what caused Gus' mom to react the way she did, and that guy is still in prison. I don't want to upset your mom by doing those things, and I don't want to end up in prison too."

"But I promise I won't tell. I just want to see what they were doin' and what it felt like, cuz Gus said it felt good."

Although he wasn't mature enough to be sexually interesting to me, I did enjoy seeing him naked and teaching him things, so I had to think about this for a minute before I answered. "Ok, I trust that you'll keep your word and won't tell anyone, so I'll do this for you. Let's put on our underwear to do it, so you'll get the idea of what it was like for Gus."

"K."

After we finished washing and had rinsed off, we dried ourselves and then put on clean underwear. We then got on the bed and propped our backs against the headboard. "I take it they did this in a car, so this is what it might have been like," I said as I reached over and slid my hand under his waistband.

I moved it lower until I was able to cup his entire package, and I rubbed his scrotum first. After doing that for a short time, I used my thumb and index finger to grasp his penis, which was starting to firm up, and I began to stroke it.

"Oh, yeah, that does feel good. I guess that's why Gus liked it."

"Probably, because doing this makes a guy feel good, especially when someone does it to him."

"Can I do it to you now?"

"Yes, but only because it's what the guy had Gus do next."

"K," he said as he reached over and slid his hand into my underwear. He attempted to rub my scrotum first, and then he wrapped his small had around my shaft, which was already plumping up.

"Your dick is gettin' hard."

"Yes, that's what happens when someone plays with it."

I let him do it for about a minute before I called a halt to what we were doing. "Ok, now you know what Gus and that guy did, but now it's time for us to go to sleep."

"K, and thanks for lettin' me do that. I won't tell nobody, but now I know what Gus was talkin' bout."

"Yes, you do, but just remember that you can't tell anyone about this or let Gus know that you did the same thing he did."

"K, I won't."

We had to get out of bed after that to brush our teeth and use the toilet, since we hadn't done it after we finished our shower. When those things had been taken care off, we got back into bed, and Noah hovered over me again after I turned off the lamp. He then bent down and kissed me on the lips before laying beside me and putting his head on my chest.

"I love you a lot, Brian, and thanks for doin' all this stuff with me. And thanks for bein' so nice to my friends too."

"You're welcome, little buddy. Now go to sleep and I'll see you in the morning."

I could feel him nod his head as it rested on my chest, and before long I could hear the gentle rhythm of his breathing, which let me know he'd fallen asleep. Content, I briefly thought about what we'd just done, and then I drifted off to sleep as well.

Chapter 13
A New Normal.

Noah and I hurried when getting ready the next morning, and then I fixed our breakfast and packed our lunch for later. After we ate and cleaned up quickly, we got in the car and headed into the city. I dropped Noah off at the trailer first, and Cheryl came out to speak with me when she saw the car pull up.

"I don't want to keep you long, since I know you're heading into work, but there's something I want to tell you. Debbie, that's the woman who caused the big scene at work a few weeks ago, came into the 7-Eleven again on Saturday. This time, she told me she was sorry for how she'd acted previously and said she hoped we might become friends. She had another woman with her named Monica, and they told me that they'd allowed their sons to go with you so you could teach them how to swim too."

"Yes, I had three boys with me yesterday, although the other two didn't spend the night. I'm glad this has all been cleared up now, and her son explained to me why she'd reacted the way she had. I'm also pleased that she apologized to you, and the situation is better now."

"Yes. Me too."

After saying goodbye, I headed into work. I was glad that Debbie had kept her word about apologizing to Cheryl, and who knows, the three women may become friends now. Debbie and Monica were already friends, and since all of their sons were friends too, this might work out quite well.

Unfortunately, the good feelings I was enjoying didn't last for very long, because when I got into work I discovered there was a problem that I had to deal with. For some unknown reason the accounting software wasn't booting up correctly this morning and we were getting multiple error codes, so I called the I.T. department and got them involved. Within the hour they had the system functioning again, and it turned out the problems we were experiencing were related to an update they'd done over the weekend. When I first informed the supervisor about the current problem, he immediately assumed it might be connected to the update, so they focused their attention upon that aspect first. It didn't take long before they found the lines of code that had created the problem and made the appropriate changes, and that's why we were up and running so quickly again.

I spent the rest of the morning taking care of various other matters and trying to make up for lost time that I nearly forgot about going to lunch at my usual time. In fact, I wouldn't have gotten to the park to see Noah that day if my assistant hadn't asked me if I was staying in for lunch.

"No, I just completely lost track of the time."

I quickly grabbed my cooler and headed out the door so I could meet up with my little buddy. However, as soon as I spotted him sitting on 'our' bench, I noticed he wasn't alone. Gus and Sam were with him.

"Hi, guys. I didn't expect to see all of you here today."

"Yeah, but we can't stay long, cuz we gotta go home for lunch," Gus replied. "Our mom's just wanted us to make sure we thanked you again for yesterday."

"Yeah, they said it was really nice of you to take us out for lunch and to teach us how to swim," Sam added.

"I'm just glad you enjoyed yourselves and that you're doing so well swimming already."

"Yeah, our moms said they're surprised about that too," Gus admitted.

"Like I said, this is only the beginning, and you have a lot more to learn."

"Yeah, we know," Sam agreed. "We won't do nothin' unless you're there with us."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that."

Those two then said goodbye and took off for the apartments to have lunch with their moms, so I turned toward Noah and let out a sigh of relief. "I was worried they were going to stay with us, cuz I didn't bring enough lunch for all of us."

"Nah, they just wanted to thank you. They told me their moms are really happy that you're teachin' them to swim, but Gus said his mom asked if you touched him, or any of us, where you shouldn't. He said she also wanted to know if you asked us to do anything like that to you."

"I guess I must have passed the test then."

"Yeah, and they're excited about going with us next Sunday too."

Noah and I spent the time talking about other things while we ate, including the movie, 'The Princess Bride'. I asked him what he thought about me building an adventure around that story, and he liked the idea, so I told him I'd try to work something out by Saturday.

When my lunch hour came to an end, I said goodbye to Noah and walked back to work, and my mind was already trying to figure out how I could keep my promise. I put it aside while I finished the rest of the work day, even staying a little later to make up for the time I'd lost earlier. However, I started thinking about it again on the drive home, while I was eating, and throughout the rest of the night.

The remainder of the week went pretty much the same, and then on Friday Noah asked a question. "Did you come up with somethin' we can do usin' 'The Princess Bride' tomorrow?"

"Yes, I think I have."

"Good. That should be fun then."

He didn't say anything else about it as we ate, and I assumed it was due to the fact that I usually told him to wait and see, but I could still tell he was excited about doing this. When it was time for me to head back to the office, he made one final comment before I left.

"Bye, Brian, and thanks. I won't tell Gus and Sam what we're gonna do, cuz they'll just have to wait and see."

That made me smile and confirmed my suspicion about why he hadn't asked any more questions about what I had planned for the following day. My assistant even wanted to know why I was still smiling when I got back to the office, so I merely responded, "It was just something someone said to me while I was out. I just found it humorous."

My assistant didn't pursue the topic further, and we both got busy. I worked hard throughout the rest of the afternoon, and I was thrilled when it was finally time to go home. I was definitely looking forward to the weekend and spending time with the boys again, and I couldn't believe how much my life has changed in just a few weeks. It had only been a couple of months since Noah first came over to speak with me the first time, but somehow he's managed to turn my life upside down since then, although mostly for the good.

Since I hadn't been able to go out for my nightly jog when Noah was with me, I'd planned out a longer route to use during the week. I had been using it all week and was eagerly looking forward to doing it again this evening. I had a lot of nervous energy built up thinking about the weekend, and this was a good way to work it out so I'd be able to sleep.

As soon as I woke up the next morning, my mind was consumed with several different thoughts. I wasn't merely thinking about today's little adventure, because I was also thinking ahead. I knew the boys' summer vacation would soon be coming to an end and they'd be returning to school in a week and a half, so I wondered how that was going to change things. I felt Noah would still want to spend time with me on the weekend, but what about the other two? Would they still want to continue our adventures, or would they have other things to do?

While I was eating, I decided it might be best if I found out a little more about each of them, so I was planning on using some of the time to ask questions. After glancing at the clock, I hurried through the rest of my breakfast and got ready to leave, and the three boys were waiting for me when I arrived at the park.

"Hi, guys. You all beat me here today."

"Yeah, we're excited about doing this," Gus replied. "I missed doin' it with you for a few weeks, so I wanted to make sure I was here on time today."

"Yeah, and since we walk together, Gus stopped to see if I was ready, so I came too, but Noah was already here when we got to the park."

"I'm always here early, cuz I can't wait to see what you're gonna do for the next adventure," Noah confirmed.

"Well, I'm glad you're all here already, because it will give us time to do a few other things before we start. School will be starting soon, so we'll probably only be able to do this for a couple more weeks."

"Can't we do it during school too?" Sam whined.

"We might, at least until it gets too cold, although we might do other things instead, as long as your moms don't mind, but you'll also have to concentrate on your studies. I'll only do these things with you as long as you're getting good grades, and if you are, then I'll continue spending time with you for as long as I can."

"Does that mean swimmin' too?" Gus followed.

"That might be a little tougher, because most pools close after Labor Day, including the state park. They do that because it will soon be getting colder and most of the lifeguards will have gone back to school."

"Oh," he responded, looking dejected.

"We'll still have three or four more weekends to swim, if you boys still want to do that?"

"Yeah, and the adventures too," Noah followed.

"I'll do it on one day with you, either Saturday or Sunday, but not both days. How about we do both on Saturday once school starts, and then you can spend Sunday doing your homework and studying?

"Ok, but we don't usually have very much homework."

"That may change, since you'll be moving up to the next grade, but even if you don't have a lot of homework, I want you to use the extra time studying. It's important to me that you boys are getting good grades. In fact, I'm going to need to see your report cards so I can determine if I'm going to continue doing these things with you."

"Really? Can't we just tell you how we did?" Sam asked, looking concerned.

"No, I'll need to see your report cards to verify how you did. I'll stop doing these things with you if you don't show me your report cards."

"Ok, we will. We promise, don't we guys?" Noah quickly answered.

"Yeah, we'll show ya, cuz we don't want to stop doin' this stuff with you," Gus added.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now, I want to know when you're birthdays are, since I already know when Noah's is."

"Mine's January twelfth," Gus answered first.

"So that makes you a couple of months older than Noah."

"And mine's April twenty-seventh," Sam added.

"So you're a month younger than Noah."

"When's your birthday?" Noah followed.

"Mine's September seventh, so that makes me a few years older than you guys."

"Yeah, just a few," Gus responded with a laugh.

"Ok, now on to today's adventure. Noah wanted me to base it on the movie 'The Princess Bride'. Have you two seen that movie before?"

"Yeah, it's one of my favorites," Sam answered.

"Mine too," Gus agreed. "It's pretty funny, especially when the one guy keeps sayin', 'Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die,' over and over again to the man with six fingers."

"Yes, that was pretty funny, and it will be easier to explain this to you, since you have all seen the movie. For this adventure, Prince Humperdinck has kidnapped Buttercup while she was living with Westley, because he's claiming she's still legally his wife. We're going to join Westley, Inigo, and Fezzik to get her back. Make sure you have your swords, along with a knife or two, because we'll probably have to fight the Prince's men, and possibly some other things before we get to her."

"Ok, we're ready," Sam responded as he puffed out his chest and pretended to put his sword in its scabbard, along with tucking a couple of knives into his belt.

"Me too," Gus agreed as he did the same.

"And I'm ready too," Noah said, as he pretend to wave his sword about in the air as if he was battling an invisible foe.

"Good, then follow me, men. We're positive that Humperdinck didn't take her to his castle, and we believe he's taking her through the Fire Swamp to a location on the other side. I hope you're ready to journey through that accursed place."

"Yeah, we are," they all confirmed.

I then led them around the building with the toilets and then we headed toward the bushes, because the Fire Swamp was on the other side. As we started through that area, I yelled out a warning, but too late. "Noah, watch out for the sand pit."

Noah caught on to what I was doing and pretended to fall into it, so I had to make a quick plan. "Sam and Gus, take the other end of this rope, and I'll tie this end around my waist so I can jump in to save Noah. I'll need you to help pull us out when I tug on the rope."

They nodded and pretended to do as I asked, while I made it look like I'd jumped in to save Noah. I wrapped my arm around his waist and made a couple of jerks with my arm, as if I was tugging on the rope, and Sam and Gus began pulling on it, dragging us out. I slowly pulled Noah with me as we crawled toward the other pair, and then I made sure Noah was breathing again before we all fell exhausted on the ground. After taking a couple of minutes to catch our breath, I was finally able to say something.

"Thanks, men. You did a great job and saved our lives," I stated after I'd recuperated.

"Yeah, thanks for savin' me," Noah added.

"Ok, let's move on, but be careful of the fire traps."

Every once in a while one of the boys would make a whooshing sound and then say he nearly got burned or just missed catching fire as we made our way through the swamp. And then, something else happened.

"It's the giant rats," I screamed. "There are several of them and they look really hungry."

We pulled out our swords and were battling them, and from time to time one of the boys would fall on the ground, to show he'd just been knocked down by one of the rats. Whenever that happened, one or more of us would jump to his aid and stab the rat until it was dead, and then I finally announced that the remaining rats had taken off.

"That was close, but we don't have time to rest. We have to move on. Keep up with me, boys, because we have to save Buttercup."

After we got to the other side of the bushes, I looked toward the play set and made my announcement. "That's probably where Prince Humperdinck is keeping her. Let's try to get there without being spotted."

The boys followed me as we crouched low to keep from being seen, and when we got a little closer, we made a plan. "Fezzik and Noah will come with me, and we'll investigate the main entrance. Fezzik is large enough to scare most of the soldiers off, and he'll carry Noah on his back while I walk behind him, so it looks like it's just him. He will wrap his robes around all of us to keep Noah and me hidden, and since his robes reach the ground, no one will be able to see our feet either. I want the rest of you to go look for another entrance to this place, and then I want you to sneak inside while his soldiers are focused on us."

"Ok, good plan," Gus replied, looking impressed.

I then put Noah on my shoulders to make it look as if he was riding on Fezzik's back as I was walking behind them. While we were doing that, the other boys made their way around the play set to the other side, as they followed Westley and Inigo. Before long, I saw them crawling around, under, and over the play set, while I set Noah on the ground so we could fight off the Prince's soldiers. While we were still engaged with them, I saw the other two running away from the play set, and they looked over at us and shouted. "We've got Buttercup."

Noah and I continued fighting as we backed away to join them, and when we finally met up again a minute later, and I spoke. "Great job, men. I'm sure Westley is very grateful."

"Yeah, he is, and he and Buttercup have already left for their home," Sam told me.

"And Fezzik and Inigo left together too," Noah added. "They said they had to find the treasure that the man with six fingers hid after he stole it from Inigo's father."

"Then I guess we've completed another successful mission," I said, as I looked at the three boys.

"Yeah, we did," Noah added.

"And that was a lot of fun," Sam chimed in.

"They're all fun, but this one was really great, cuz it was based on a movie we all like," Gus followed.

"I'm glad you boys enjoyed doing this."

"So what are we gonna do tomorrow?" Sam asked next.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to think of something, I just don't know what it's going to be."

"K, but I can't wait to see what it is," he responded.

"I guess that puts a little more pressure on me to come up with something good then."

"And we're goin' swimmin' too. Right?" Gus asked to make sure.

"Yes, as long as your moms are ok with that."

"They are," Sam quickly agreed. "They think you're a really nice guy for doin' this for us."

"I'm just glad I can teach you, because then we won't have to worry so much about any of you drowning."

"Yeah, that would be awful," Noah concurred.

Once Gus and Sam left to go home for lunch, Noah and I hopped into my car and took off for my place. "I picked up some egg salad at the grocery store on my way home last night, so how do egg salad sandwiches sound for lunch?" I'd bought the egg salad because it was easier than having to boil the eggs, chop them up, and make it myself.

"Yeah, that sounds good, cuz I like egg salad. Can we have some tater tots too?"

"Sure. There's some in the freezer from last time, so I'll toss them in the toaster oven and we can have them with the sandwiches."

We talked as I made the sandwiches and waited for the tater tots to bake. "Can we play with the car when we're done eatin'?" Noah asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes. I made sure to charge the batteries again, so we're all set."

"Good, cuz I like doin' that."

"I know you do, and that's what I was hoping would happen when I bought it. I wanted something else we'd enjoy doing together when you were here."

"Thanks, cuz I like playin' with that a lot."

When the tater tots were ready, I scooped some onto each plate and put them next to the sandwiches. I had Noah grab the ketchup while I got us both a drink, and then we sat down to eat.

"When we only do stuff at the park and go swimmin' on Saturday, does it mean I can only stay here on Saturday night, and not Sunday too?"

"We'll have to ask your mom about that, but if she'll let you stay over Sunday night as well, then I want you to bring your school books and homework with you so you can do it during the day."

"Ok. And will you help me if I get stuck?"

"Of course I will."

"Good, cuz my mom couldn't help me last year. When she wasn't workin', she'd say she didn't know nuttin bout the stuff I was workin' on."

"I can't promise that I'll know everything either, but I'm sure we can look it up online if I get stuck."

"K. That will prolly help me do better in school then."

"And that's important, because I want you to get good grades."

"I'll do the best I can."

"That's all I ask."

After we finished eating, we took our dishes into the kitchen, rinsed them off, and put them in the dishwasher, and then I grabbed the RC car and we headed outside. When I set it down on the driveway, I handed the controls to Noah and the car immediately went zipping down the pavement. After it turned around, it came racing back at us, and Noah stopped it just before it crashed into my foot.

"Did I scare ya?" he asked, grinning broadly.

"Yes, I was just about ready to jump over it, so I'm glad you stopped it when you did. Otherwise, I might have landed on it by mistake."

"I'm glad you didn't do that, cuz then I wouldn't be able to play with it no more."

"Yes, I'm glad that didn't happen either."

"Can I drive it in the street now?"

"As long as there isn't any traffic. If you hear or see a car coming, just pull it off the street and onto the grass."

"Yeah, I know."

I then watched as Noah raced the car up and down the street and listened to him squeal with joy as it went whizzing by us. Luckily, there was no other traffic on the street and none of my neighbors left to run an errand. Like I said, this is a pretty quiet neighborhood.

Noah offered me a chance to drive the car for a while too, before the batteries died out. When that happened, I explained what we were going to do next.

"I thought we could go for our walk now, if you still want to do that?"

"Yeah, let's go."

When planning out the longer jogging route, I made sure to keep the five mile route I'd used before, and then added a two mile segment going in the other direction. When using the first route, I would jog down my street and then turn right at the end, eventually winding my way around some of the adjoining neighborhoods. Instead of turning down my street when I got back to it, I would continue on in the other direction and wind my way through the neighborhoods on the other side of where I lived. This meant there were now two loops, and I took Noah and turned left at the end of the street this time, and we walked the two mile loop. I felt that would give us a decent workout without overtaxing Noah, although I felt it would still be slightly tough on him.

I was surprised to discover that Noah was able to keep up and didn't complain, and when we got back to the house, we went inside for the rest of the night. I told Noah he could watch TV while I went out and started fixing dinner, and then I joined him in the living room while the food was cooking. When the timer went off, we stopped to eat, and after we finished our meal, I looked at Noah and asked a question.

"What do you want to do now, champ?"

"Ummm, can we find a movie to watch?"

"Probably. Let's look at the cable guide and see what's on."

I happened to find 'Cars 2' playing on one of the channels we hardly ever watched, and since he'd already seen 'Cars', I asked if he wanted to watch this one too.

"Yeah, cuz I liked the other one."

"Ok, then 'Cars 2' it is."

He cuddled against me as we watched it for the next couple of hours, and when it ended I told him what we were going to do next. "Let's go take our shower and get ready for bed, because we've got a full day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Do you have somethin' for us to do at the park then?"

"Yes, I have an idea that we can try."

"K, I hope it's fun."

"Me too."

We then went to the bathroom, stripped down, and jumped in the shower. After we washed each other thoroughly and rinsed off, I turned off the water and we got out to dry off. We then brushed our teeth and used the toilet before heading to the bedroom. After putting on clean underwear, we hopped into bed.

"I'm glad I'll still be able to do this with you when school starts again, cuz I really like sleepin' with you."

"And I like sleeping with you too."

"Sometimes I have trouble fallin' asleep at home now, cuz I miss bein' here with you."

"Awww, I don't want you to have problems like that."

"I just asked Mom to give me another pillow, and now I hug it and pretend it's you."

"Awww, that's so sweet."

"It's cuz I love you as much as I love my mom," he added, as he hopped up on all fours, bent over my head, and gave me a kiss on the lips. It wasn't a quick kiss either, and I was very touched.

"And I love you just a much," I said after his lips left mine, and then I lifted my head and gave him another kiss before he laid down beside me again. After he put his head on my chest, he draped an arm over my belly and extended his upper leg over mine. I then snaked my arm under him and wrapped it around his back, as I gave him a squeeze and we settled in for the night.

"Sweet dreams, little buddy, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, and I love you, Brian."

"And I love you back."

Chapter 14
Another Busy Sunday.

When Noah and I woke up on Sunday morning, we got dressed and I made breakfast. As soon as we finished eating, we headed over to the park. After we got out of the car, we noticed that Gus and Sam were waiting for us on the bench, so we walked over to greet them, ready to get started.

"So what are we gonna do today?" Sam asked when we reached them.

"Today's adventure is based on a couple of different stories you might know, the Swiss Family Robinson and Robinson Crusoe."

"Yeah, I saw the movies about 'em," Sam concurred.

"Me too! So we're gonna be in a shipwreck and then end up on an island?" Gus immediately followed.

"Yes, that's what will happen," I concurred.

"It sounds like fun," Noah chimed in. "Are we gonna have to fight anyone?"

"Why don't we get started and see what happens," I suggested. "We will board the ship first, because we're leaving our homes in England and heading to Australia."

"Ok, so are we gonna use the area with the tower for the ship, or the merry-go-round?" Noah wanted to know.

"We'll be using the tower later, when we're on the island, and seeing we won't be on the ship for very long, we'll just use the merry-go-round."

"Ok, that works," Gus agreed.

We went over to the merry-go-round and the boys all hopped on. As soon as they were seated, I began to spin it, to show that the ship was moving. After doing it for a couple of minutes, I made an announcement.

"It looks like we're heading into a bad storm, men, so it may get a little bumpy." They all nodded their understanding. "The waves are really huge and they're starting to toss the ship around like a child's toy."

After I'd said that, I jerked the merry-go-round to a stop, and then I yanked it in the other direction before suddenly pushing it forward again. This caused the boys' bodies to lurch forward and then snap back again, and then they began to sway from side-to-side to show that the ship was rocking to and fro. I eventually stopped the merry-go-round completely, and rather abruptly, which caused the boys' bodies to lurch forward again.

"I think we just hit something," I advised them. "It's worse than I thought, because the captain just ordered everyone to abandon ship. It looks like our ride is going to sink, so you'd better jump in the water before the ship drags you down to Davy Jones' locker."

The boys all jumped off the merry-go-round and we gathered together on the grass, like we were struggling in the ocean. "Find something that floats and grab onto it, because you're going to need help to keep your heads above water. I have no idea how long we might be in the ocean before we're rescued, or possibly make it to land, but you will tire out quickly if you try to swim or tread water the entire time. It will be easier if you have something to hold on to, or better yet ride on, so find whatever you can."

"Are there any sharks around here?" Noah wondered while looking for something to grab onto.

"They don't want to be in the raging sea any more than we do, so I doubt we'll encounter any of them while the ocean's this rough," I explained. It seemed to make Noah feel better, but I'd intentionally avoided mentioning that the sharks might show up again, once the storm ended and the sea began to calm down.

The boys all pretended to grab onto something and we laid on the ground for a little while longer before I spoke again. "The storm seems to be letting up, so look around and see if you can spot another ship or land."

"What's that over there?" Gus asked, as he pointed toward the play set.

"Good job! It looks like an island. See if you can climb onto whatever you're using to stay afloat, and then use your hands to paddle in that direction. It's not going to be easy, but we'll need to get there as soon as we can. We might even be able to use these things we're holding onto once we're there, so it's good that we're utilizing them now and taking them with us."

The boys did as I asked, and we slowly made our way toward the play set. Once we were safely there, I made an observation. "You did well finding these things to hang onto. I see Noah got a hold of a trunk to keep his head above water, and Gus was able to grab a barrel, while Sam latched onto a stack of lumber that had been strapped together in the ship's carpentry shop. You boys did much better than I did, because I merely clung to part of the broken mast."

After hauling each of those items onto the shore, I gave the boys their next task. "We have to scout the island and see if it's inhabited, but I want you to also be on the lookout for whatever is available, like fruit trees, animals we can hunt, and if there's any fresh water. That way I'll be able to determine if we can survive here for very long. Spread out and look around, but don't confront any of the animals or humans you might encounter. We should be together when we do that, especially if there is anyone else on this island."

We then pretended to scout the island, and when we got together again I asked the boys what they'd found. "There's plenty of water, cuz there's a big water hole over there," Noah offered while pointing toward the drinking fountain.

"It looks like it's fed by a spring, so I'll check it out later," I replied. "If the water's not salty, it should give us enough drinking water for as long as we're here. So what did you two find?"

"There's some trees with fruit on them, but the fruit doesn't look ripe yet," Sam offered.

"And there's birds and small animals we can trap for food," Gus added.

"The fruit will ripen eventually, and I'm glad there are other sources of food too, but don't forget about all the fish in the ocean," I followed.

"How can we fish if we don't got no boat or nothin' to fish with?" Sam wondered.

"We'll do something easier. We'll dig a pit in the sand and place a v-shape wall of stones in front of it. When the high tide rolls in, it will carry some of the fish over the wall with it, and when the tide goes out again it will leave the fish behind."

"So what's the stone wall for?" Noah asked next.

"It's to keep the fish from escaping. The wall will make sure they don't all go back with the tide, and some will wind up in the pit, where they'll be easier to spear. We should be able to survive here for as long as we need to, and we'll be able to use the things we floated on as well. I investigated those items while you were scouting the island and discovered the trunk that Noah held onto had belonged to the ship's carpenter and it contains all of his personal gear. Besides some extra clothes, there's an ax, a saw, a couple of very sharp knives, and a fairly long length of rope. The barrel Gus was holding onto was full of dried meat, and we can use the wood that Sam was clinging to for the floor of the tree house that we'll start building shortly."

"Why a tree house?" Noah wondered.

"It's in case there are dangerous animals around that hunt at night, while we're sleeping. It will be safer for us that way."

"So the tree house will just have a floor?" Sam followed.

"No, we'll use the wood you were holding onto for the floor, since it will give us a flat surface to lay on, but we'll cut down some trees to make the frame. Once it's built, we'll use palm leaves to form the roof."

"Oh, ok. That sounds good," Gus agreed.

Over the next few minutes we made like we were building our shelter, and the tower became our tree house. I explained to the boys that we'd built it on one of the highest hills on the island so we'd be able to scan the entire area from there. As soon as the shelter had been completed, we constructed a few traps and defensive devices in case anything threatening popped up later. As we were doing all of this, the boys started to really get into this fantasy, so I decided to up the ante and pointed out our next challenge.

"I decided that it might be a wise precaution to scan the surrounding area, and it's a good thing I did, because I noticed several canoes coming ashore on the other side of the island. Although it's difficult to tell very much from this distance, they don't appear to be friendly. It looks as if a couple of the new arrivals are bound with ropes or vines, and while I was watching them I noticed there's another island in the distance. I suspect that's where they just came from, but I'm not sure what they're doing here, especially since they seem to have brought prisoners with them. If we're really quiet and very careful, we might be able to sneak close enough to see what they're up to."

We then walked as stealthily as we could into the park before getting on the ground and crawling to a spot a short distance away. We then pretended to watch our uninvited guests to see what they were up to. "Do you think they live on this side of the island?" Noah asked.

"No, we haven't seen any evidence of that. It appears they're just using this island to perform some sort of ritual, although I'm not sure what it is." I then explained to the boys that I'd said this because the two bound men with them were slightly different in appearance from the others. They also wore another style of loin cloths, not that any of them had very much on.

"What are they goin' to do with them?" Gus wanted to know.

"I have a feeling they're going to sacrifice the captives in some sort of ritual."

"You mean they're gonna kill them?" Sam gasped.

"Yes. It seems they believe in human sacrifice, so we definitely don't want them to see us."

As we watched, the natives lit a huge bonfire as the sun was setting, and then they did some sort of ritualistic dance. Once the dance ended, they killed their captives and drank their blood. Then, the remaining natives slept there until the following morning, when they set out for the other island again.

"Why did they do that here, and not on their island?" Sam wondered.

"Either they believed it might bring evil spirits to their island if they did the sacrifices there, or they might just think this is a safer place to perform the ritual. It's also possible that they considered this to be a sacred island, a place where their gods live, so they make sacrifices here so their gods will know what they've done. No matter why they did it here, I suspect they won't like the idea of us being on the island if they spot us."

"So they'll be doing this again sometime?" Gus followed.

"It's very possible, but as long as they stay on this side of the island and don't find out about us, then I don't think they'll be a problem. We just can't let them know we're here, which means we'll have to be careful not to leave any obvious signs that we're around."

"Won't they see the tree house?" Sam pressed.

"Not unless we make noise or leave something out that definitely looks out of place. Otherwise, I doubt they'll notice us up there."

"How about the trap for the fish?" Gus wanted to know.

"Let's just hope they don't come to this side of the island. If they do, we'll just have to pray that they either don't notice it, or they're in the area at high tide, so it's not so obvious."

"So we can't have any fires?" Noah followed, remembering my warning from an earlier adventure.

"We'll just have to dig a pit for the fire and keep it very small, so it won't create a lot of light or smoke."

"Oh, ok," he stated, looking relieved.

A little while later we encountered a more serious and immediate problem. I informed the boys that a ship flying the Jolly Roger had just dropped anchor off the side of the island we were on. The crew then loaded into smaller boats and rowed ashore, probably looking for a spot to bury the treasure chest they had with them. We were hoping they would do it quickly and then leave, but unfortunately they noticed the fish trap and our footprints in the sand while they were looking for a good spot to bury their booty.

Once they realized there might be others around, they began to roam the island looking for us. We stayed quiet and remained in the tree house, and I thought we might have dodged a bullet when one of the scouting parties discovered the bodies of the human sacrifices on the other side of the island. I was hoping the pirates would think there were only a few natives who showed up on the island from time to time, but they continued exploring the rest of the island to see what else they might discover. That's when they ran into some of the traps and other devices we'd made earlier.

First, a small group of pirates fell into the large pit we'd dug, and they were impaled on the bamboo stakes we'd sharpened to a point and stuck in the ground at the bottom. A little while later, more pirates were killed when they tried to climb the hill where our tree house was located and accidentally released the large pile of logs we'd stacked up there. The logs began to roll down the hill and crushed even more of the pirates, so they definitely knew someone else was here.

As they got closer to our tree house, they tripped the log pendulum we'd erected, and it swung toward them. Not all of them were able to get out of the way, and some ended up badly bruised, while others sustained broken bones. After that happened, other pirates tripped the bamboo whips we'd erected, which had multiple bamboo spikes at the end which pierced the bodies of those unlucky enough to be in the way. After losing so many of their crew, the rest abandoned their treasure and raced back to their boats before encountering any more traps. It seemed those remaining decided to save themselves instead, and we watched as they rowed back to their ship.

"Too bad we don't have anywhere to spend the treasure," Gus said with a grin.

"We'll hide it for now, and then we'll take it with us if we ever get rescued."

That happened a short time later when a British naval vessel came within sight of the island and we were able to get their attention by waving a piece of the white sail back and forth. Fortunately, it had still been attached to the section of mast that I'd clung to in the water after the ship sank, and we'd kept it in case we found a use for it later. Looking back, it seemed as if we'd each managed to find something that had been useful to us during our time there.

"So we got saved and took the treasure back with us?" Noah wanted to know.

"Yes, we did. Earlier, we'd split the treasure between the chest the pirates brought ashore and the carpenter's chest. We put some clothes over the treasure so the crew wouldn't discover what we had, and once we got back to England, there was enough treasure for all of us to share. As soon as we had our portion, we all lived very comfortable lives and often told tales to our friends and families about how we had survived the shipwreck. Unfortunately, we learned later that not everyone onboard the ship had been quite as lucky as we were, because some of them had drowned."

Now that our adventure was over, I had to answer one final question for the boys. "So are you gonna take me and Sam home now so we can get our stuff?" Gus asked.

"Yes, and then we'll stop to eat before heading to the state park."

That got the boys cheering as they raced over to my car, although they had to wait for me, since I chose to walk. "Why do we need to keep bringing our shorts with us if we don't wear them?" Gus asked before getting into the car.

"It's because your moms don't know that you don't wear them, and we don't want them to find that out either, so we have to keep doing this."

"Oh, yeah," he said as he and Sam got into the backseat.

After I drove over to their apartments and they'd grabbed what they needed, they came racing back to the car. As soon as they were buckled in, I asked what they wanted to do for lunch.

"Can we go to McDonald's or Wendy's today?" Sam wanted to know.

"I don't usually like to stop at those places, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt this one time."

After I made sure the boys were fed, I took them to the house so we could change into our swimsuits. The boys took their time once they were naked, because they were busy checking each other out again. They also did some grabbing and tickling, before I urged them to put on their swimsuits so we could get going.

Once they'd done that, I had each of the boys select a towel while I picked up the sunscreen, and then I herded them out to the car. Seeing the boys had been to the state park before, I merely applied the sunscreen to each of them, and then they did the same thing to me. While we waited for the sunscreen to absorb into our skin, we took a brief walk and chatted until we were finally ready to get in the water.

I worked with the boys one at a time, as I let them practice swimming from side to side across the back of the kiddie area. They were all doing quite well, especially considering the short time they'd been doing this, and I was pleased and proud of each of them.

After we'd done that for a couple of hours, we got out and had a snow cone as we let our bodies air dry, and then I drove them back to my house. After the boys had changed into their other clothes again, and Sam and Gus had wet their extra pair of shorts, I drove them home. They thanked me as they were getting out of the car and said they'd see me the following week. I told them I looked forward to it, but after next weekend we'd only be getting together on Saturday, because they'd be back in school.

"Will we still be able to do stuff with you after we can't go swimmin' no more?" Sam asked looking concerned.

"If your moms will allow it, we'll continue having our adventures as long as we can, and then we'll do other things afterward, instead of swimming."

"Like what will we do?" Gus wanted to know.

"I don't know, but I'll come up with different types of things we can do. Maybe we'll take a nature walk in the woods after the leaves start to turn, or I'll take you on a trip to a cider mill so you can see how cider is made. If your moms don't mind, maybe I can even do some other types of adventures at my house when the weather gets colder, and if there's snow I might even take you sledding. Just remember, you'll have to get good grades if you want to keep doing these things with me."

"We will, cuz those things sound like fun," Gus agreed.

"Yeah, I'd like to do that other stuff too," Noah chimed in.

"And we'll all get good grades, cuz we don't want to be left out of doing that stuff with you," Sam offered. "Right, guys?" The other two nodded in agreement.

"Ok, then I look forward to spending more time with you boys."

After we dropped Gus and Sam off and we were driving away, Noah looked at me and grinned. "I'm really glad you're gonna do all that stuff with us. Sam and Gus were worried that you aren't gonna spend anymore time with us once school started."

"I told you I'd think of something, but we'll only be able to do it on Saturday from that point on."

"Yeah, but they thought you were just sayin' that and weren't really gonna do it, but now that you told us the other things we can do, they're startin' to believe ya."

"I'm glad to hear that, although I'm a little disappointed that they didn't believe what I said before."

"It's cuz they don't know you as good as I do." He smiled at me and then leaned over and put his head against my right arm as I drove.

"You can help me think of other things we can do too, if there's anything special you might like to try."

"K. How bout Gus and Sam?"

"Yes, they can offer suggestions too, but it doesn't mean I'll do everything you boys tell me. I'll consider your ideas, but I'll be the one to determine if we'll do any of those things."

"K, as long as you do some of them."

I'm not sure if he realized he'd just given me a challenge and put a little more pressure on me, but I'd consider each of their suggestions very carefully. I wouldn't dismiss any of them out of hand, and I'd try to give them a reason they could understand if I decided against any of their proposals.

"So what are we gonna do when we get to your house?" Noah asked, bringing me out of my personal thoughts.

"The car is charged, if you want to play with it before dinner."

"Yeah, let's do that."

When we got to the house, I parked my car on the grass so the driveway would be open for Noah to drive the RC car. As soon as I took it out and got him started, I spent some more time just watching him play with it, grateful that I'd had the foresight to buy it for him to enjoy.

After doing this for nearly an hour, I decided it was time for me to move on to something else. "Noah, I'm going inside to fix dinner, and then I'll stick it in the fridge until it's time to put in the oven. After that, I'm going to change so I can take my walk."

"Do I need to change too, cuz I wanna go with ya?"

"No, you're good in the clothes you're wearing, but you might want to put on your athletic shoes, because the sandals aren't good for long walks. There's no need to hurry, though, because it will take some time for me to get everything ready for dinner."

"K. Can I play with the car until you're ready then?"

"Of course, just don't leave it in the street when you decide to change your footwear."

I left him and headed to my bedroom to change, and then I went out to the kitchen and began working on dinner. Once I'd prepared each of the various dishes, I placed them in the refrigerator while we went for our walk. When I went outside again, Noah was still playing with the car and hadn't changed his footwear.

"Noah, why aren't you ready?"

"Sorry, I meant to change my shoes, but then I forgot. When you went into the house to fix dinner, a dog started chasin' the car and I thought it was gonna pick it up in its mouth and carry it away. But it didn't do that, cuz the man called it back to his house and took it inside, but that's what made me forget about changin' my shoes."

"Ok, but I didn't know we had to be careful about dogs chasing the car."

"Yeah, I never seed that dog outside before, but I almost hit a cat once when it was crossin' the street. It jumped when the car got close to it, and then it ran away."

"When did that happen?"

"I think it was last Saturday or Sunday, but I can't 'member which one."

"Oh, ok. I was just curious, seeing you hadn't mentioned it before."

"Yeah, I forgot 'bout that too, cuz you weren't with me when it happened."

"Ok, go put on your athletic shoes and I'll put the car away for now. I'll also pull my car into the driveway."

"K. It won't take me long to do that."

As soon as I put the RC car in the house and moved my car off the lawn, Noah returned from changing his footwear and we set off on our walk. Maybe I should clarify that, because I walked while Noah jogged beside me over the two mile leg of my usual nightly route. When we finished and got back to the house, I decided on my next move.

"Let's take our shower now, since we're both all sweaty, and then you can put on the outfit you're going to wear home in the morning."

"K."

We stripped quickly and tossed the clothes we'd been wearing into the laundry room, and then we headed to the bathroom to take our shower. Of course we washed each other again, and Noah had recently started getting an erection nearly every time I washed his genitals. He didn't say anything when it happened and merely closed his eyes as a grin spread over his lips. I assumed this meant he was enjoying what I was doing, so I didn't make a big deal over it either, and once we were both clean, we got out, dried off, and put on a fresh set of clothes.

"Noah, you can watch TV while I put dinner in the oven, and once that's taken care of I'll come in to join you until it's time to eat."

It only took a few minutes to take the items out of the fridge and put them in the oven, and then I went in and cuddled with Noah until the timer went off. As soon as I heard it ding, I told him it was time to turn off the TV so we could eat. While he was doing that, I went to the kitchen, took everything out of the oven, and fixed our plates. When we sat down to eat, I looked at Noah and asked a question. "What would you like to do when we're done with supper?"

"Ummm, let's see what's on TV. I like doin' that with you."

"I enjoy being able to cuddle with you while we're doing that as well, so we'll just see what we can find on the cable guide then."

After scrolling through the listing, I discovered 'Shrek' was on, so I talked Noah into watching it. He seemed to enjoy the movie, if his belly laughs were any indication, and once it ended he had a lot to say.

"Shrek kinda reminded me of Fezzik from 'The Princess Bride', 'cept Fezzik wasn't green."

"True, but they were both loveable giants, that's for sure."

"Yeah, and donkey was really funny too."

"Yes, he was."

"And there was a bunch of other things in there that I 'membered from the fairy tales I heard when I was younger."

"Yes, I remember seeing the Gingerbread Man, the Magic Mirror, Pinnochio and Geppetto, the Three Little Pigs, and Peter Pan."

"And the Three Blind Mice."

"I don't remember three of them, but there were a couple of blind mice."

"And the baby bear from Goldilocks, and there was a dragon too."

"You're right. So I take it you liked the movie?"

"Yeah, it was funny."

"I'm glad you thought so, and now I'll keep an eye out for other Shrek movies."

"You mean there's more of them!"

"Yes, there are, and since you liked this one, I'll watch for when the other ones are on."

"K, that will be good."

Since we had already showered, we merely turned off the TV and I closed up the house as we headed back to the bedroom. We then stripped to our underwear and got into bed, and Noah bent over my head to give me a kiss before laying down and cuddling against me.

"Night, Brian, and thanks for another fun weekend."

"You're welcome, champ, and I'm glad you had fun."

I then held him against my body as he fell asleep, and I dozed off a couple of minutes after he did. We were still cuddled together when I woke up the following morning.

Chapter 15
The End of Summer.

I went to the park to meet the boys on Saturday, and this time I based our adventure on the legend of Robin Hood. I told the boys that we had joined Robin's Merry Men and lived in Sherwood Forest, and we'd just learned of a plot the Sheriff of Nottingham had devised to capture Robin. It was now up to us to alert Robin and then foil the Sheriff's attempt to imprison or kill our leader, and we spent the next couple of hours making sure that never happened. There was a lot of sword fighting and we shot a slew of arrows, and in the end we prevailed and kept Robin safe.

When Gus and Sam left to have lunch with their mothers, Noah and I hopped into the car and took off for my house. After having a quick, yet filling lunch, I talked Noah into watching some of the Little League regional playoff games that were on one of the sports channels.

"So these boys are just a little older than me?" he asked, once we'd watched a few innings.

"Yes, they are basically eleven and twelve-year-olds, but some may have recently turned thirteen too."

Although Noah wasn't particularly interested in baseball, he didn't mind watching this, since the boys were roughly the same age as him or slightly older. "Man, I didn't know kids my age could play so good," he gasped after we finished watching one of the games.

"Yes, they're exceptional athletes for their age, and that's why I thought you might enjoy watching these games."

"Yeah, they're fun to watch. So are there gonna be more games?"

"Yes, there's another game in a little while, and one later tonight."

"Can we watch 'em?"

"Sure, if you want. And next weekend there will be more games on TV as well."

"I want to see them too."

That took care of what we were going to do for the rest of the day, and I timed our walk and dinner so they didn't interfere with watching the games. We had to hurry through our shower so we'd finished in time to see the start of the last game, and I was amazed at how mesmerized Noah was as he watched the screen.

When the final game ended, we got ready for bed and Noah cuddled against me. "Thanks for showing me the baseball games with boys my age. I ain't never seed 'em before."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, but your comment should have been, 'I have never SEEN them before."

"So I'm not s'posed to say 'seed'?"

"Only if you're talking about the seeds from a plant, but not for seeing something."

"Ok, I'll try to remember that."

"It's time to get some rest now, so goodnight and sweet dreams," I added as I kissed the top of his head.

When we got up in the morning, we ate first and then we went to meet up with Sam and Gus for our last Sunday together.

"What are we gonna do today?" Gus asked when we arrived.

"Today's adventure is based on the legend of King Arthur, and we're going to battle Mordred's army. That's means there will be a lot more sword fights today, so I hope you're up for it."

"Yeah, it sounds like fun," Sam agreed.

We spent the next couple of hours charging and battling Mordred's warriors, and we also had to react to some surprise attacks from them as well. Although we managed to kill Mordred and most of his army, King Arthur was also fatally wounded during the final battle and died as well. We were all very sad as we placed his body in a boat and sent it off to the Isle of Avalon.

"That was fun, but I wish King Arthur didn't die," Noah said when we finished.

"Yeah, I had fun too, but I wish King Arthur had lived," Gus agreed.

"Unfortunately, that's the way the legend says it happened, so that's what we did," I countered to let them know it wasn't my choice.

"So are we goin' swimmin' now?" Sam followed, getting impatient.

"Yes, this is our last Sunday swim, because from now on we'll only meet on Saturday. There are only a couple more weeks before we'll no longer be able to swim at the state park, so let's make the most of this opportunity and enjoy it."

"Yeah, we're just sad that swimmin' is almost over," they all whined in response.

Just like we did every other week, we stopped for a quick bite to eat first, and then I took them to my house to change before heading to the state park to swim. I was both pleased and impressed with how well the boys were doing, and when we finished, we enjoyed a snow cone before heading back to the house to change.

"Isn't there some way we can still swim somewhere else after the state park closes?" Gus wanted to know as he was taking off his swimsuit.

"I'll have to check and see if there's an indoor pool we can use from time to time, because I want you boys to keep improving." They seemed to like that idea, so it might give me something else I can do with them when the weather gets colder.

Later, after I'd dropped Gus and Sam off at their apartments, Noah and I returned to the house. After going out for our nightly walk, we ate dinner and then found a movie to watch before turning in for the night.

"I wish summer wasn't over," Noah said as he cuddled against me.

"I know, but it's simply impossible to have summer all year long."

A few days later, the boys returned to school, and that signaled a change in our weekly schedule. From now on I'd only be getting together with Gus and Sam on Saturday, although Noah would still be spending the entire weekend with me. I warned Noah that we'd be spending part of Sunday working on his schoolwork, which caused him to groan, so I told him there would still be plenty of time left to enjoy each other's company.

Once Noah was no longer at the park during the lunch hour, I had a great deal of difficulty coping with his absence. I couldn't believe how much I missed spending that time with him, as I continued going to the park. I would sit on 'our' bench every afternoon and eat my lunch alone, just as I'd done before I met my little blond haired bundle of joy, but doing it no longer seemed quite the same. It wasn't nearly as satisfying, although I enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine, but there was definitely something missing. My assistant even mentioned that I didn't appear quite as happy and cheerful as before, and I merely responded that I was temporarily going through a rough time, but things should start improving shortly.

I got together with the boys for our weekly adventure on the following Saturday, and during that time I asked Sam and Gus to check with their moms about a couple of different things. First of all, I wanted to know if their mothers would allow me to take them to my house to play out some of our adventures, starting after Labor Day. I told the boys to explain that it would give me a chance to set things up in advance without having to worry about someone messing things up before we got started. I also asked if they'd see if their moms would allow me to take them on short trips after our adventures ended, and I said they could use the same ideas about what we might do that I'd told them previously.

We had a good time playing out our little adventure at the park before going to the state park to practice swimming, and after we finished I took Gus and Sam home. Noah and I then returned to the house and watched some more Little League games before taking our walk, showering, and eating dinner. Then, we watched another game before going to bed and cuddling together.

The following weekend was nearly identical to the last, and Noah and I watched more Little League games on TV, as the tournament began for real. I was amazed at how intently Noah watched the games and wondered if maybe I could talk him into signing up next year. If he was interested, I'd work with him so he'd be ready, but I'd leave the decision entirely up to him.

The following weekend was the last time we were able to go to the state park to swim this year. Before we did that, however, we played our little adventure, but this time I had a surprise for them. "Today, I want each of you to choose what superhero you want to be, because we've got to save the country from a collection of supervillains."

"I want to be Batman!" Noah quickly shouted.

"And I'll be Spiderman!" Sam added.

"I'll be Superman!" Gus followed.

"I guess that means I'll be the Incredible Hulk," I chimed in.

"So are you gonna turn green?" Gus teased before giggling.

"Only if one of the villains hits me below the belt," I shot back as I grabbed the family jewels.

At first the boys groaned, as they thought about how painful that would be, and then they started to giggle at the idea of me turning green.

Over the next couple of hours we battled a collection of their greatest foes. There was the Penguin, Riddler, and Joker from Batman's past, and the Jackal, Green Goblin, and Mysterio from Spidy's list of enemies. We also faced off against Superman's nemeses – Brainiac, Darkseid, and General Zod, as well as Tyrannus, Maestro, and the Leader from the Hulk's list of foes. As you can see, I did my research before setting this up, but it didn't mean we only battled the villains we were familiar with. We helped each other out as well, but it was still quite a struggle, and even though we battled them one group at a time, it was very tiring. Since there were so many groups, we had to fight four battles, which meant we were all exhausted when it was over. Fortunately, we were victorious in every encounter.

Once we'd finished this adventure, we got a chance to rest while we filled our bellies. We then went to my place to change, before making the trip to the state park for the final time this year. During the ride, the boys were busy telling me about how much fun they'd had doing this and how they were going to miss it. I assured them that I was going to miss it too, and I promised that I'd try to find a pool we could use, and then we spent a couple of hours in the water. They swam for part of the time, although they did some horsing around too, which included splashing and dunking one another. They also ganged up on me at one point, and they we're laughing hysterically when they knocked me off my feel and dunked me as well. However, there were still a bunch of long faces as we climbed out of the water for the final time.

After we went back to my place to change, I told the boys I'd keep their swimsuits at the house until we needed them again, and hopefully they wouldn't outgrow them before that happened. There was a chance they might, but hopefully Noah or Sam would grow into Gus' swimsuit, and then I'd just buy new ones for the others.

When I took Gus and Sam home, Noah announced that he wanted to spend Monday with me too, since he didn't have school and I didn't have to work. Seeing I hadn't cleared this with his mom beforehand, I drove over to the 7-Eleven to check with her, instead of just taking Noah's word that it would be all right. I told Noah to wait in the car while I did this, because I wanted to ask her about it without him there teasing.

When I asked Cheryl if we could speak, she took her break so we could do this without interference. I mentioned to her that Noah wanted to spend Monday with me too, but I didn't know how she would feel about it. When she said she expected it was what was going to happen, I told her that I felt badly that she wasn't getting to spend any time with her son. However, she assured me that I was more than making up for him missing time with her.

"It's ok, because I have to work, so I wouldn't have been able to spend very much time with him. Besides, he enjoys spending the weekends with you, and he's been a totally different kid since you started doing these things with him. It's been great to see him smile and be in such a good mood when he gets home. He's also told me that you're going to help him with his homework, and that will take me off the hook, because I couldn't do much to help him last year. I never learned about some of the things he was working on, so there was nothing I could offer when he got stuck."

"I'm happy to do what I can, because I've told all three boys they'll need to keep their grades up if they want to continue spending time with me during the school year. I even told them that I wanted each one to show me his report card, so I could see how they were doing, as well as getting a chance to read any comments from their teachers."

"That's good, and Noah told me about that too. I'm glad you're not letting them get away with anything and you're going to make them work hard. I know Debbie and Monica feel that way too."

"I didn't know you've continued talking to them."

"Yes, they invited me to have coffee with them on my days off from the 7-Eleven each week, before I go to clean the other houses. They were telling me about how their sons were enjoyin' spendin' time with you, and they're thrilled that you're teachin' the boys how to swim."

"I'm glad you're friendly with them now, and that each of you is ok with what I'm doing with the boys. I don't spend nearly as much time with the other two as I do with Noah, but it's nice to know it's no longer a problem."

"Debbie told me about what happened to Gus, so I can't blame her for being so skeptical and suspicious at first."

"Yes, I understand why she came at me like that the first time as well, once I heard what had happened. I just wished she'd checked into the situation a little further before she blew up at me like that."

Just as I was finishing my comment, I heard a car horn honk and assumed it was probably Noah. "Well, I'd better get going before Noah has everyone running outside to see what's going on."

"He can be very impatient, but don't worry about it. Stuff like that happens around here all the time."

"I'd still better get going, and thanks for letting him spend the entire long weekend with me."

"I wouldn't have been able to live with him if I said no," she replied before giggling. She also walked me to the door and waved at us before we drove away.

"What was you and my mom talkin' bout for so long?"

"She just told me that she and Sam and Gus' moms have been meeting for coffee, and they've told her that they're happy with the way things are working out."

"Oh, ok."

"And I've thought about something else I'm going to start doing with you. Besides helping you with your homework, I'm going to start correcting what you say. I know I've done it a few times before, but I'm going to do it more often from now on. To start with, I want you to start saying 'about', not just 'bout', and say 'remember', instead of 'member'. I also want you to start pronouncing the 'g' on the end of words, so I'll expect to hear you say 'talking', not 'talkin', and 'spending', not 'spendin', and so on."

"K, I'll try to member," he said, and I quickly looked over and glared at him. "Ummm, I mean remember, and I'll start doin'… doing that from now on."

"Good boy."

He spent the weekend working on those things, and I have to admit that he's doing better. If he doesn't catch himself, I merely make a face and he'll repeat what he's just said, only correctly the second time around.

After Labor Day weekend, I started setting our adventures up in the house or in the backyard. Most of the time they were mysteries, rather than adventures, and I'd start off by explaining the situation to the boys. I would also prepare a tagboard in advance with the names of all the characters involved, as well as some basic information about each of them. Once we went over that, I'd tell the boys what we were investigating and ask them to start looking for clues.

I seeded the clues around in various locations, depending on whether it was an indoor or outdoor mystery, and I'd try to make sure they weren't too obvious. We'd discuss what each clue meant once it had been discovered, and I'd let the boys make observations and ask questions about them. Sometimes it would be an object, such as a weapon, article of clothing, or a household item, and at other times it would be a piece of paper in the form of a note, letter, receipt, ticket stub, or something similar. I would then let them ask questions about the character they suspected and we'd discuss his or her alibi, if he or she had one. The mystery would only end when someone figured out who had been responsible and how he or she had done it. The boys seemed to have a good time doing this, so who knows? Maybe one or more of them will want to become a detective or private eye when he gets older.

Each weekend I also tried to do something special with them after we finished the mystery/adventure, and the weekend after Labor Day I took them to play miniature golf. Noah seemed grateful that I'd done this with him before and had taught him how to do it by himself, since Gus and Sam had done it before as well. I'm not sure when or where they had done it, or with whom, seeing they didn't go into detail about their previous experiences, but at least Noah didn't feel out of place doing this with the other two.

The weekend after that I took the boys to a 'go kart' track, although they don't call it that any longer. Most places simply refer to the vehicles as 'karts' and you go 'karting', although sometimes those places are referred to as a junior raceway or a junior racetrack. This particular place had three separate tracks: one for beginners, another for intermediates, and the last was labeled expert. You had to take a practice run by yourself first, before you were allowed to go on the expert track with any other racers, because those karts went much faster and the track had a lot of twists and turns.

I took a spin with each of the boys first, so I could explain what they had to do, and then I demonstrated it for them as well. Once I'd done that with each of the boys, I let them go by themselves. I merely watched as they went around the track the first time, and then I commented on how they'd done when they returned. After that, I went out on the beginner's course with them again, but this time in my own kart.

"Man, that was a blast!" Gus enthused as we were leaving the place.

"I'm glad you brought us here so we could do this," Noah added. "I liked it a lot."

"Me too," Sam chimed in. "I didn't know they'd let kids our age drive these things."

"Yes, they've allowed it for a long time, because I drove them when I was your age as well." The boys all smiled as we loaded into the car.

When I'd picked them up the weekend after we went karting, Noah mentioned something that would give us something else to do. "I asked my P.E. teacher if there were any pools around that we could use on the weekend, and he told me the pool at the high school is gonna be open from noon to four every Saturday from November to March." I decided not to correct him about using 'gonna' in front of the other two.

"I didn't realize that, and it will give us a place where you can keep practicing your swimming skills, so you don't get rusty before next summer. I'll also teach you a few other things, such as how to tread water."

"Yeah, I remember you using that word after the shipwreck, and before we ended up on the island," Gus mentioned. "I wondered what you were talkin' about, but I didn't ask."

"It's another way to keep from drowning without actually swimming. It's good to know, especially if you're stuck in a large body of water for a long period of time, such as in a lake or out on the ocean."

"Is it hard to do?"

"No, and you might even find it easier than swimming."

"But the pool at the high school's got a deep end, and I don't think I'm ready to go in that yet," Sam added, looking panicked.

"Yes, the pool has a deep end, but I'll let you boys practice swimming from side to side in the shallow end first. I think you'll also be able to handle swimming in the deeper end as well, but I'll have you do it one at a time and I'll be in the pool with you, in case you have any trouble. The deep end will also be ideal for learning how to tread water, but we won't start doing that right away."

"Ok. I guess it doesn't sound too bad, if you'll be in the water with us," Sam agreed.

The first weekend in October, after the leaves had begun to change color, I took the boys to the state park and we walked along a couple of the hiking trails so we could check out the different types of trees. Even though the boys knew the leaves changed color in the fall, they didn't realize that different types of trees turned different colors, and I explained why they did it before falling off the trees. It happened to be a nice fall day, so it turned into a very enjoyable stroll and I think the boys learned something as well.

During the second weekend in October I took the boys to a cider mill that was located about thirty miles away from where we lived. We checked out the orchards first, and listened to our guide explain about the different types of apples, as well as telling us which apples were best for eating, baking, and making cider. The boys got a kick out of watching the big cider press squeeze the juice out of the apples that had been placed in it, and I bought a bag of apples to take home. I also bought a gallon of cider, and then I stopped on the way back to purchase donuts. When we got to the house, we ate a donut or two while drinking a glass of cider, and I gave them each a couple of apples to take home with them to eat later.

Earlier that week I'd also bought a soccer ball that we could kick around in the backyard, along with a junior-size football that we could toss back and forth. We then went outside to play with those items for a while, and over the next few weeks I also worked with them on punting and place kicking the football, since I'd also bought a kicking tee they could use. Gus was probably the most coordinated and athletic out of the three, but they all seemed to have a good time doing those things with me as well.

In the middle of October the boys received their first report cards, so they brought them with them the following Saturday so I could see how they'd done. I was pleased there were no D's or F's on any of their report cards, and I challenged each boy to do better in one or two of the subjects he had the most trouble in before the next report card came out. Those areas differed for each boy, but they all said they'd try to get a better grade in those subjects next time.

The weekend before Halloween, I got permission from Sam and Gus' moms to bring them home a little later on Saturday so I could take them to a Haunted House. None of the three had ever been to a professionally prepared Haunted House before, and it actually turned out to be one of the better ones I'd ever been to. We had a few belly laughs at each other's expense, after we saw how they'd reacted to a particular display, but we also experienced a few serious frights.

"That was wicked," Gus stated as we were exiting the place.

"It was scary, but I liked it," Sam added.

"And I liked seeing how everybody got scared by the different things," Noah chipped in.

"You mean like when you jumped into my arms and Sam hid behind me?" I followed.

Both boys blushed and then giggled. "Yeah, like then," Noah agreed.

"And when Gus ran in the other direction when the guy started the chair saw," Sam added. It was a chainsaw without the chain, to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

"I almost crapped myself when that happened," Gus admitted, "but you guys reacted to it too."

"Yeah, there were times when each of us jumped and got a good scare. That's the idea behind places like this."

It seemed as if they'd all enjoyed going through it, so I was glad I'd brought them.

Chapter 16
A Major Accomplishment.

The first weekend in November we went to the high school to use the pool, and the boys seemed excited about getting back in the water again. They hadn't been swimming since Labor Day Weekend, and even though this would be slightly different than what they were used to, they were eager to go. The biggest differences would be that we'd be swimming in a pool this time, as opposed to the lake, and we'd also be taking our swimsuits with us and changing in the locker room. I felt we had to do it this way, rather than changing at my house and wearing our swimsuits under our clothes. It was getting too chilly to consider wearing our damp swimsuits home under whatever else we were wearing, so I convinced the boys it would be best if we changed there instead.

They were anxious and a little uncomfortable about getting undressed once they noticed there were other men and boys of all ages around. Fortunately, I located a spot at the back of the locker room that was more isolated and not as heavily traveled, and changing in that area made the boys feel a little better. Not only did it seem to be enough to take care of the problem for them, but I noticed they were also getting excited about the possibility of being able to see other boys naked. After we changed and locked our clothes in one of the lockers, I led them out to the pool. However, the boys took their time following me, because they were busy looking around and checking out the other boys as we made our way there.

After I finally got them to the pool, I let them practice swimming across the shallow end first, and we were glad that it was wide enough to do this. Once they had done that for a while, I told them to get out of the pool and walk down to the other end, while I swam down to meet them. At first, I just had them watch as I showed them how to tread water and do the dead man's float, a.k.a. the survival float. After I'd given them a demonstration, I had them join me, one at a time. I told them to hold their breath and jump into the pool, and I'd be there to help them if they had a problem getting to the surface again. They were slightly hesitant about doing this, but they trusted me enough to do as I'd requested.

As soon as each boy was in the pool, I had them practice what I'd just demonstrated, and each one did fairly well, although their level of success varied. Once they'd taken their turn, I helped them get out of the pool while the others took their turn, and then I gave each boy a second and third chance to do this again. Unfortunately, we had to quit when even more people started showing up and the pool became too crowded to do the same things without interference.

After we changed, I took the boys back to the house for a short time and gave them a drink and a snack, and then I drove them home. After I dropped Gus and Sam off at their apartments, Noah and I went back to the house and did what we'd usually do for the rest of the day. This meant he played with the RC car and we watched a movie together, before we went out for our evening walk. This had become a nightly ritual for us whenever he spent time with me, and he seemed to enjoy doing it just as much as I did. When we finished and returned to the house, we undressed and got ready to take our shower.

While I was washing Noah, seeing he still liked me to do this for him, I noticed something as I was cleaning his genitalia. "Noah, did you know that you have a few hairs coming in down here?"

"I do?"

"Yes, I almost didn't notice them because they're blond and hard to see, but they're definitely coming in. There are only a few hairs so far, but it means you're maturing."

"I didn't notice them before, and I've been rubbing my penis almost every night, just like you showed me."

"I'm glad you used the word penis this time, but when did I show you how to rub your penis?"

"You know, when you showed me what happened with Gus and that other guy. Remember, you used your fingers to rub it for me?"

"Oh, that's right. I guess I did. So you've been doing that a lot?"

"Yeah, it feels really good, but sometimes it makes me pee a little."

"Wow! You can do that already too?"

"Do what? Pee?"

"It's not pee, and I'll explain it to you in more detail after we get out of the shower."

"Will you rub my penis for me tonight, cuz you do it a lot better?"

"I suppose I could, because I'd like to see if you can really ejaculate."

"Huh? What's jaculate?"

"It's E-jaculate, and that's when a liquid comes out of your penis after you've been rubbing it for a while. That liquid isn't urine, or pee, but something called semen, and it contains sperm."

"So I didn't pee a little?"

"I don't think that's what happened, but I want to find out for sure, and that's why I'm willing to do this for you."

"K. I'm glad, cuz I've been wanting you to do it to me again, but I keep forgetting to ask you."

"I'm just amazed that you boys are reaching puberty at such an early age. You're not even eleven yet."

"Nope. My birthday is still a few months away."

"I know, and since I see you every weekend, I wasn't sure if your penis was actually developing and getting bigger, or if it was just my imagination. Doing this with you might help to answer that question for me."

As soon as we finished cleaning up and we'd dried off, we slipped into some clean clothes, and then I went to fix dinner while Noah watched TV. I joined him while our meal was cooking, and after we ate I helped him find a movie to watch, and we did that together until it was time to go to bed.

After we'd brushed our teeth and used the bathroom, we headed to the bedroom. Noah undressed quickly, because he was in a hurry for me to do this for him, and he hopped on the bed, sprawled out on his back, and spread his legs, ready for me to begin.

"Come on. Let's get started," he urged when I didn't immediately join him and do what he wanted.

After staring at his pubic area for a few seconds, I reached across and began to rub his genitalia first, stimulating the entire area. When he began to sprout wood, I took his penis between my thumb, index, and middle fingers and began to stroke it. He was oohing and ahhing almost immediately, which let me know he was obviously enjoying my ministrations. This was also confirmed when I noticed the peaceful expression on his face and watched his head loll from side to side on the pillow.

As I continued stroking his boyhood, he began making little mewing noises in his throat, and after a couple of minutes his body stiffened and he began to whimper. A few seconds later, four droplets of clear liquid trickled out of the tiny slit at the tip of his glans and landed on his abdomen. I was impressed, to say the least.

After he'd ejaculated, I gave Noah a couple of minutes to recover from his recent orgasm, which had seemed to drain him completely. As soon as he recuperated, he looked up at me and spoke. "Was it pee or that other stuff?"

"It was definitely semen, and although it's still immature, it means that you're on your way to becoming a man."

"Really? How come? And what is that stuff?"

"Noah, have you ever seen a girl naked before?"

He blushed before he answered. "Yeah, when I was little I walked into my mom's bedroom one day when she didn't have nothing on."

"Then you know that girls don't have a penis?"

"Yeah, my mom explained it to me."

"And do you know what they have instead?"

"Yes, there's another hole they pee through, and it's kinda like their butt hole."

"It's kind of, not kinda, and that opening is not just for peeing. It's also important when they have sex, and it's the opening that babies come out of when a woman gives birth. If you want to make a girl pregnant so she'll have a baby, you stick your penis into that hole and slide it back and forth, and it sort of feels like what I just did to your penis with my hand. If you squirt your semen when it's in that opening, it can combine with one of the girl's eggs and start a baby growing inside her womb."

"So that stuff can make me a daddy?"

"Yes, if you squirt it inside a girl and it makes her pregnant, so you can see why I just said you're on your way to becoming a man."

"Wow, I didn't know that. So will my penis get bigger too?"

"Yes, and you'll get more hair down there as well."

"Neat, but will you still like me then?"

"Of course I will. You're my baby boy no matter how old or hairy you get."

Noah smiled and then sat up so he could give me a hug. "Thanks, and I like being your baby boy. And I liked what you just did to me too."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, but let me grab a few tissues so I can wipe up the mess."

After I'd cleaned up the small puddle of semen on his pubis, he slipped on his underwear and cuddled with me in bed. Before he fell asleep, he rolled over and gave me a kiss. "I love you, Brian, and I hope you'll do this same thing with me every time I'm here, cuz it really feels good."

"We'll see, but just remember that you can't tell anyone about this. If you do, I could get into big trouble."

"Yeah, I know, so I won't tell nobody."

"Good, now let's get some sleep."

After we woke up the next morning, we ate quickly, and then I helped him with his homework. Once he'd finished his assignments, I spent a little more time working with him on the subjects I wanted him to improve in.

"I'm glad you've been helping me with this stuff, cuz… ummm… because that's why I'm doing better in school now."

"I'm glad to hear that, and I'm very proud of you. Not only have you improved your grades, but you're also speaking better. I noticed that you just pronounced both of the ending g's in your last comment, as well as saying 'because'."

Noah grinned. "Yeah, my mom said she noticed that too, and my teacher congratulated me for speaking so good."

"You're definitely getting better, and she congratulated for speaking well, not good, and you might want to start saying yes, not yeah."

"I'll try to remember."

"And I'll just continue giving you little reminders if you forget, but I'm very pleased with the progress you've made so far."

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the car and watching TV, and then we took our walk, showered, and I fixed dinner. As soon as we finished eating, Noah wanted to kick the soccer ball around in the backyard, which surprised me. We usually only did it when Sam and Gus were with us.

"I just think it's fun doing this with you," Noah explained.

"Good, because I think it's fun too."

The only problem was that we both worked up a sweat again, so we had to take another shower. I didn't want to stink at work, or have other kids complain that Noah smelled bad at school, so we washed each other for a second time. After we finished and dried off, we brushed our teeth, used the toilet, and headed to the bedroom. Noah didn't bother putting on his underwear this time, because he wanted me to masturbate him again.

"I like it when you do this to me, cuz… I mean because it feels better than when I do it."

"I can appreciate that, so I'll do it for you if you want."

"Yeah, I do. And will you do it to me every time I stay over with you?"

"I suppose I can, as long as you don't tell anyone about what we're doing."

"I won't, and can I do it to you too?"

"I suppose so, but it takes longer before the same thing happens to me, and I produce a lot more semen than you do."

"So you're gonna let me do it?" I merely made a face, so it took him a few seconds to figure out whether I was upset with the question or way he'd just said it. "Are you GOING TO let me do it then?"

"That's better, and I will, but you may get tired before I ejaculate."

"I still want to try."

I did it to him first, and the result was the same as the night before. Once he'd ejaculated and I cleaned him off, he started doing the same thing to me. He kept switching hands, because the muscles in his arms got tired quickly and began to ache, so I asked if he wanted me to take over. He was adamant that he wanted to do it by himself, so I let him continue, and eventually he brought me off.

From the look on his face, he was obviously amazed at how much semen I produced, and I could tell he was proud that he'd been able to make it happen. I wasn't sure if he'd want to do it to me again, since it made his arms sore, but I had a feeling that I'd find out the following weekend, seeing he'd asked me to do it to him every time he stayed over.

After I'd cleaned up the mess he'd created on my body, we cuddled together and fell asleep. As I was drifting off, I took a few moments to contemplate what had just happened. Not only had I discovered that Noah had entered puberty and was growing up, but I also realized it made him sexually appealing to me now. Not only that, but he wanted to return the favor and do the same thing to me. I was fine with this and anticipated we were heading into some very interesting times.

I got up early the next morning and fixed us both breakfast, and then I dropped Noah off at the trailer so he could catch his bus. He was already dressed for school and had his backpack and homework with him, so he spent a few minutes with his mom as he waited for the bus to arrive.

I spent the week performing my duties at work, but I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done with Noah the previous weekend. I was also looking forward to spending more time with him over the upcoming weekend, and I was totally intrigued by the prospect of masturbating him again. It just felt so incredibly right while I was doing it, especially when I saw how he was responding.

When Saturday finally rolled around, I met the boys at the park and drove them to my house so they could participate in the next scenario I'd set up for them. As soon as that mystery/adventure ended, we grabbed our swimsuits and towels, got in the car, and headed to the high school. The pool wasn't nearly as crowded this time, so maybe it was just the novelty of the pool being available the previous weekend that had caused so many students and their parents to show up.

When we started out, I had the boys take turns swimming from the shallow end to the deep end and then back again, as I swam beside them. After each one had done that twice, I had them tread water for a while, and they were all doing quite well. I was really proud of what they'd accomplished and expressed this to them as well, which caused the boys to thank me for teaching them how to do those things.

After we finished our time in the pool and had changed back into our street clothes, I drove Gus and Sam back to their apartments. Noah went back with me to the house, and I let him play with the RC car first, and then he came inside to watch TV and cuddle with me on the sofa. I liked doing this with him too, and after the movie ended we went out for our evening walk.

I'd recently increased the pace at which I walked, since I wanted to get a decent workout, and this made Noah jog a little faster next to me. I watched to see if it was causing him to have any problems, but he appeared to be doing fine, so I didn't slow down.

We'd worked up a sweat while doing this, so we took a shower, put on some clean clothes, and then I went out to fix dinner. After we ate, we watched another movie, and then Noah announced that he wanted me to masturbate him again before we went to sleep. I had no problem with this, so after we went through our nightly ritual, he raced to the bedroom, stripped off his clothes, and hopped on the bed, eager for me to get started.

By the time I'd undressed and laid down beside him, Noah was already hard, which indicated how excited he was about doing this again. I merely reached across and started to stroke his throbbing spike, and this caused Noah to coo and moan in delight. Seeing he'd been looking forward to doing this and was emotionally primed, it didn't take very before he began to pant, indicating he was about to ejaculate. A few seconds later those few precious droplets were spewing onto his groin, and once I stopped stoking his penis, I gave him time to enjoy his orgasm. As I waited, I observed the glow on his face and watched his chest rise and fall as his breathing slowly returned to normal.

As soon as he'd recuperated, Noah wanted to return the favor, so I relented. Once again, it took quite an effort on his part to get me off, but he stuck to it until my semen shot out of the tip and coated my abdomen. He seemed not only pleased, but extremely proud that he'd been able to do this for me again, and now that we had both ejaculated, we cleaned up and cuddled together in bed as we fell asleep.

After getting up and having breakfast together on Sunday morning, I had Noah get out his school books and start doing his homework. I helped him whenever he had a problem, but I also worked with him on the subjects he was having the most trouble with this year, hoping it would allow him do better. We did that until shortly after lunch, and then Noah wanted to go out to the backyard and kick the soccer ball around.

"I think maybe I'll try playing soccer next year."

"I hope you do. I'll even come to watch your practices and games, if they're after I get out of work or on the weekend."

He smiled. "I'd really like that."

We kicked the soccer ball around for a little over an hour before he was ready to quit. During that time, I worked with him on improving his kicking and dribbling skills, and he was doing a little better by the time we'd finished. After we went inside, Noah wanted to see if we could find a movie on TV, and then he cuddled against me as we watched the screen.

Once the movie ended, we went out for our walk and I used the same pace as the night before. I was impressed that Noah was doing so well with this, because it meant that he'd definitely have the stamina necessary if he decided to try out for the soccer team.

Seeing we'd worked up a sweat again, we showered quickly after we got back to the house, and then I went to the kitchen to fix dinner. After we ate, Noah wanted to watch TV again, but I couldn't find any good movies on, so we just watched some other shows instead. During one of the commercial breaks, he let me know that he wanted me to masturbate him again before we went to sleep, but I'd already suspected he would and didn't have a problem honoring his request. He also informed me that he wanted to do it to me again too, and I told him I didn't have a problem with that either.

Once the shows ended, we got ready for bed, and Noah made his desires known. "I wish you could do this for me every night, because it feels really good."

"Don't you do it to yourself when you're at home?"

"Yeah, I do, but it doesn't feel as good as when you do it to me."

"I'm glad I can help out and that you enjoy it, but there's no way we can do this more than when you stay here."

"I know, but I still wish we could do it every day."

Noah was a little more animated tonight than the other times we'd done this, and he started bucking his hips up and down as I was stroking his penis. He was also moaning louder too, and when he finally released his precious load, he ejaculated more than just a few droplets. It was still clear and immature, but this time two short strings of semen erupted from the tiny opening.

"Wow! You produced even more semen tonight."

"Really?" Noah asked rhetorically as he sat up and looked down at his abdomen. "It felt better this time, but I didn't know I did that too."

"Yes, and it surprised me as well."

After I cleaned him off, he took his turn and did the same thing to me. He didn't appear to be struggling as much as he had the first few times either, and I say that because he didn't switch hands as often as before. Once I'd ejaculated, he cleaned me off, and then when I sat up to put on my underwear, Noah threw his arms around my neck and gave me a lengthy kiss.

"Man, I really love you, and I love doing this stuff with you too."

"I love you too, baby boy, and I'm glad you enjoy it."

We put our underwear on and then he cuddled against me as we got ready to sleep. After I laid down and got comfortable, Noah put his head on my chest, draped an arm over my belly, and placed a leg over mine. Once he was situated, I wrapped an arm around his back and gave him a little squeeze, and then we drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 17
An Interesting November.

The next morning as I was dropping Noah off at the trailer, Cheryl came out to ask me a question. "I hope you had a nice weekend, and if you don't mind, I have something to ask you."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"A week from this Thursday is Thanksgiving, and Monica, Debbie, and I are going to chip in so we can all celebrate together. None of us have families that live nearby, and since the boys are all friends, we thought this would be a good idea. We wanted to invite you to join us, if you don't have any other plans."

"Thank you, and that's very nice of you to think of me, but I'm going to be going home to spend Thanksgiving with my parents. I was going to tell the boys next weekend that I wouldn't be around over the Thanksgiving holiday, because I'm leaving on Wednesday and not returning until Sunday. I know none of them will be happy about this, but I haven't seen my parents in a while and want to spend the holiday with them."

"Oh, I didn't know that, so you should go be with them. I'm sure we'll figure something out to do with the boys over the weekend too, so don't even think about any of that. Just go and have a great holiday with your parents."

"Thank you, and I hope this doesn't create a hardship for Monica, Debbie, or you, because I'll be doing the same thing at Christmas too."

"Oh, I'm sure the boys will survive without you bein' here either of those times, and I'll tell Debbie and Monica so they'll know as well. We realize the boys enjoy spendin' time with you, but they've got to learn that you've got a family too, so they can't monopolize all of your time."

"Sometimes I wish I lived closer to my parents, and it's the reason I like going home whenever I can, so I hope the boys can understand that."

"We'll make sure they do, so just have a safe and enjoyable trip."

The following weekend when I picked up the boys, I brought them back to the house and we played out our little mystery first. I did that because I wanted them to enjoy themselves before I broke the news to them about not being here the following weekend. Once they'd solved the mystery and figured out who'd done it, I told them about my plans for Thanksgiving.

"Look, I won't be picking you boys up next weekend, because I'm going to spend Thanksgiving with my parents. I'll be leaving on Wednesday and not returning until Sunday, so we'll be taking a week off."

"Do you have to go? We really like doin' this with you," Sam whined, with the other two nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I was thinking we could get together on Friday too," Noah added. I understood he meant spending the entire weekend with me, but he didn't want to say that in front of the other two.

"I know, but I want to go home and spend some time with my parents too."

"Yeah, we're all gonna have Thanksgiving dinner together at my apartment," Gus added.

"So we'll all be spending time with our families then, so enjoy the holiday and I'll see you the following weekend. Oh, and I'll be going home for Christmas as well, so that's another weekend we won't be getting together."

"This sucks!" Noah groused.

"It will only happen a few times during the year, and we'll spend the other weekends together, so it shouldn't be too bad. Look, I didn't go home for my birthday, which my parents wanted me to do, or it could have been worse."

"Ok, you can go then and we'll just spend time with each other," Sam offered.

"Yeah, you should get to see your parents too," Gus agreed.

"It's just that we'll miss doing stuff with you," Noah added. I knew the other boys would think he was talking about our mystery/adventures, but I was pretty sure he was referring to me masturbating him as well.

"I'll be back before you know it, so have a good Thanksgiving and don't eat too much turkey and get fat."

"We won't," they replied together.

After I took Sam and Gus home, on the ride back Noah clarified what he'd meant earlier. "Man, I'm going to miss you most, because I wanted to spend all of that time with you. I was hoping you would rub my penis each night too."

"I had a feeling that was what you'd meant earlier."

He giggled. "Yeah, I really enjoy that." I made a face. "I meant yes, I really enjoy that."

"I know, but we'll do it the next weekend, so just take care of yourself in the meantime, but don't get caught."

"Yeah, I don't want my mom to know I've been doing that."

"How do you clean up afterward?"

"I use a towel or my underpants to wipe it off."

"Then I'm sure she knows what you've been doing."

"Really? Ewww, that's gross, but it would be worse if she saw me doing it."

"Yes, no boy wants his mother to catch him masturbating."

We had a fairly normal weekend after that, and I masturbated him each night before we went to sleep. He also had me masturbate him in the morning too, saying it was only fair since I wouldn't be there to do it for him the following weekend. Since he'd made a logical argument, I did what he wanted, although we had to get up a little earlier on Monday morning so he wouldn't be late for school and I wouldn't be late for work.

I was busy all day on Monday, and on Tuesday too, both at work and at home. At work I was busy trying to tie up some loose ends before I left, and both nights I was busy packing for my trip. I was doing my best to make sure I didn't forget anything I would need, while also trying to make sure I covered all my bases closing up the house.

I'd taken Wednesday off as a vacation day so I could catch an early flight, and I planned the return trip for Saturday evening, just in case there were any problems with the flight. That way I should still be back in time for work on Monday, even if the flight was delayed or canceled due to mechanical problems, overbooking, or bad weather.

Fortunately, Wednesday was a lovely day, although a bit on the chilly side. I got to the airport in plenty of time for my flight, and it departed on schedule, as well as arriving at my destination on time. My dad was there to meet me and drove us back to the house.

"Mom didn't come with you?"

"No, she's a nervous wreck and busy trying to get everything ready for tomorrow. You must remember how she gets when preparing for a big holiday dinner."

"Yes, I do, but I thought that since it would just be the three of us she wouldn't make such a big deal out of it this year."

"Maybe, if it was just us, but she's invited her sister and brother-in-law too."

"So Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill will be joining us?"

"That's what she told me. Your mom feels bad that they never had any children and doesn't want them to be alone for the holiday, so she invited them to come have dinner with us."

"Well, it will be nice to see them again, and now I understand why Mom's freaking out. She always does that when Aunt Sue will be there too."

"Yes, I guess it's just a little sisterly rivalry, because she always wants everything to be perfect when Sue visits."

It was nice seeing my mom and dad again, and we spent the entire evening together. Well, not exactly, because mom was busy running around cleaning this, straightening that, and making sure each item for tomorrow's dinner was ready to be put in the oven. Dad and I had a nice conversation, and I got to spend some time with my mom too, but hopefully I'd get to spend more time with her once we'd finished eating Thanksgiving dinner.

Other than Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill, we didn't have any other relatives living close by, although we all had friends in the area. That was different, though, because they all had their own families to spend the holiday with, so we didn't expect to see them over the weekend.

After getting a good night's sleep on Wednesday, I found mom scurrying around the kitchen when I woke up the following morning. "I was just fixing breakfast for all of us, so go in and sit down at the dining room table with your father until I bring it in."

"Please tell me what I can do to help."

"Nonsense, you're a guest."

"I'm not a guest. I'm family, so tell me if there's something I can do for you."

"Just get yourself something to drink, because your father already has his coffee. There's juice and milk in the fridge, and there a pot of coffee on the counter, if you'd prefer that instead."

"So there's nothing else I can do to help?"

"Just go in the other room and get out of my way."

I tried to be thoughtful, but she wasn't having it, so I poured myself a cup of coffee and headed into the dining room to join my dad. A few minutes later, Mom appeared carrying a plate of food for each of us, and then she went back to get one for herself. I was surprised that she actually sat down so we could eat together, and we actually had a chance to talk a little more.

"So other than today, do you have anything special planned before I catch my flight home? Are you planning on going shopping tomorrow?"

"Lord, no. I'm too old to be fighting those crowds. I started my shopping two weeks ago, and I'll do the rest during the day, while most people are at work."

"How about you, Dad?"

"Your mother wants me to help decorate the house and put up the tree this weekend."

"Well, I can help with that."

"I'd appreciate it, because I'm a little shaky going up on the ladder to hang the Christmas lights without someone steadying the ladder for me."

"I'll do one better and hang the lights for you, and you can steady the ladder for me."

"Are you sure you know what to do?"

"I watched you do this every year when I was growing up, so I'm pretty sure I can handle the job, as long as you'll allow me to do it this time."

"Sure, and that will help a lot."

After we finished eating, I turned and spoke to Mom. "You're not going to stop me, because I'm going to clean off the table, rinse the dishes, and put them in the dishwasher for you, so don't try to argue with me about doing it."

"I suppose, but just try to stay out of my way," she replied with a grin and a wink.

Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill showed up shortly after noon, so we could visit before we ate. My mother even came out of the kitchen long enough to greet and speak with them briefly, but she put her foot down when Aunt Sue offered to give her a hand.

"I've got everything arranged and know what I'm doing, so you'd just get in the way. Sit, relax, and visit with Brian and John."

"Nancy, I know this is your house, but I'm your older sister and want to help."

"It's all taken care of, and it's just a matter of knowing when to put something in the oven or take it out. I've got it all figured out, so just relax until I call you out to eat."

"You're still as obstinate and pigheaded as when we were growing up."

"And you still want to be in charge, now leave me in peace before something starts to burn."

We all knew that they weren't really upset and that they loved each other dearly, but this was just the way they interacted. According to Dad and Uncle Bill, they'd been doing this ever since they'd first met them, so they told me to just ignore them and enjoy myself. We then went into the living room to chat.

Mom came in to join us from time to time, but for the most part everyone just grilled me about my life and how things were going. I hadn't seen Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill since before I was in grad school, so they wanted to know about that as well. There was also some awkward moments, such as when they asked me if I had a girlfriend and when I was going to settle down, but I merely answered that I was focused on my career at the moment.

Although I've never actually told my mom and dad that I was gay, I'm pretty sure they know, or at least suspect. They knew I never dated in high school or brought any girls home, so I felt they'd put two and two together and came to their own conclusion. They seemed to be fine with it, although I'm sure my mom would probably have preferred to have grandchildren, but they've never pressured me or made any derogatory comments.

We had a lovely dinner together, and Mom truly outdid herself. Everything was delicious, and even Aunt Sue complimented her on the meal, which caused my mom to blush before she thanked her. I offered to help clean up afterward, but I was summarily banned from the kitchen when Aunt Sue announced that she'd help with those duties. I thought my mom was going to argue with her about it, but she merely smiled and thanked her as the two of them started to carry the dirty dishes out of the dining room.

Since my offer of help had been rejected, I followed my dad and Uncle Bill into the living room, and they quickly turned on the TV so they could watch the football game. When the women came in to join us later, they saw what we were up to and didn't stick around. I'm not sure where they went or what they did, but I didn't see them again until the game ended and we returned to the dining room for dessert.

My mom had made a couple of different pies, one apple and the other pumpkin, and she had vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, if we wanted to add either of those to our slice as well. After we'd polished those items off, we chatted for another hour before Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill thanked my mom for the wonderful meal, said their goodbyes to each of us, and returned home.

We merely had a light snack later, since we'd eaten such a large meal earlier, and when we finished, I helped my parents bring the artificial Christmas tree and ornaments down from the attic. The outdoor decorations were stored in the garage, so I'd help Dad with that in the morning, but at least this was out of the way for the next day. Once that had been taken care of, we cleaned up and went to bed, ready to get a fresh start in the morning.

When I got up, I found my mom in the kitchen again, getting ready to make breakfast for the three of us.

"Mom, I want to take you and Dad out for breakfast tomorrow morning, so don't start getting things out before I get up."

"You don't have to do that. It's cheaper and easier to just fix something here."

"That may be, but I want to do this, so don't forget."

"It seems silly, but if that's what you want."

"I do. We'll go out for breakfast, and then we'll just have a light lunch at home later, before Dad drives me to the airport."

"You're leaving tomorrow. I thought you'd be staying until Sunday."

"I did it in case flights were cancelled due to bad weather or something else. I don't want to be late getting back to work."

"It just seems that you weren't here for very long."

"But I'll be coming home for Christmas too."

"I hope you're planning on staying longer next time."

"I've looked at the calendar and I'll fly here on Friday. That will give us the weekend too, and then Christmas is on Monday, and I'm taking vacation days on Tuesday and Wednesday. That means I'll plan on leaving Tuesday afternoon, which will give me a day to rest up when I get back, as well as to allow for bad weather again."

"Ok, I guess that will have to do."

After we finished our breakfast, I went out with Dad to get what we needed out of the garage. While we were doing that, I spotted something I thought I could use in the future.

"Dad, do you use the sleeping bags any longer?"

"No, we haven't used them since we took you camping the last time."

"Damn, that was probably ten years ago. Would you mind if I took them back with me? I might be able to use them."

"Might as well. They're not doing anything but collecting dust here."

There were four of them, one for each of us and another so I could invite a friend to join us each time we went. I set them on the garage floor where I could get them later, because I planned on shipping them back to the house.

Once that was taken care of, I did the hard part as I helped Dad put up the strands of Christmas lights along the eaves. While I was doing that, I could see Mom putting a single electric candle in each window along the front of the house, and later we'd put the tree up in front of the picture window in the living room. When I'd finished putting up the last of the outdoor lights, I helped Dad bring out the other decorations as well, which included a lighted Santa, a sleigh, and two reindeer which I set up on the roof.

When we finished and were pleased with the job we'd done, we put the ladder away, along with the boxes those items had been stored in, and then I asked Dad if I could borrow his car.

"I just need it to run to the UPS store so I can pack the sleeping bags up and send them to the house. Would that be ok?"

"Sure," he answered simply before tossing me the car key.

"Tell Mom I won't be gone for very long."

When I got to the UPS store, I bought two boxes large enough for two of the sleeping bags and some packing tape. Then I went outside and boxed everything up before carrying them inside. I wrote my address on each one and then paid to have them shipped to the house.

As soon as that had been taken care of, I drove back to the house, went inside, and helped Mom with the tree. They had switched to using an artificial tree after I went to college, because it was easier and made less of a mess. After Dad and I had put it together, I helped him hang the lights, and then Mom hung the ornaments. She preferred doing that herself, because she never thought Dad or I did it correctly, so we stood aside and let her have her way.

Later that evening, we turned everything on – the tree, the candles, the outside lights, and Santa and the reindeer on the roof, and then we stood in the street admiring our handiwork.

"Looks pretty good to me," Dad said in his droll manner of speaking.

"I see some changes I want to make to the tree, but you two did a pretty good job out here."

"Thanks, Mom. Do you need my help with anything?"

"No, it's just a few minor changes, and I can take care of that."

We then went inside, and while Mom fussed with the tree, Dad and I went into the living room to watch TV and chat. Before we went to bed later, I made one final announcement.

"Don't forget that I'm taking you out for breakfast in the morning, so don't start fixing anything," I warned my mother. "And Dad, you can help her remember, just in case she forgets."

"You know your mother pretty well, because she might forget on purpose," he remarked with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't let her forget."

I set the alarm on my cell phone before I got into bed, so I'd be sure to be up before my parents. It's not that I didn't trust my dad, but I knew my mom sometimes did what she wanted and then claimed she'd just forgotten. If I was up before her, I could make sure that didn't happen. Once the alarm was set, I got comfortable and fell asleep.

It turned out that it was a good thing I'd set my alarm, because Mom was already in the kitchen getting ready to start breakfast. "I told you I'm taking you out for breakfast today, so put that stuff back!"

"Oh, it's so expensive to eat out."

"I don't care, because I'm going to do this. Where's Dad?"

"I let him sleep in."

"Yeah, so he wouldn't stop you either. It's a good thing I know you as well as I do. Go wake him up and both of you get dressed, because we're going out to eat."

Mom looked mildly upset that I'd outsmarted her, but she did as I asked. She knew there was nothing she could do to avoid this now, so she got ready to go with me.

I took them to I.H.O.P. for breakfast, and we had a nice meal, but I also had a chance to talk to my mother without her constantly getting up and running into the kitchen. When we finished eating, I paid the bill and we left, and both my parents thanked me after we got in the car, ready to drive home.

I went to my room to pack my suitcase when I returned, because I didn't want to forget anything. After I finished, we asked each other what we wanted for Christmas, and then we had a light lunch before they drove me to the airport.

"It was nice to have you home for a few days," my mom said as they were dropping me off, "and I look forward to seeing you again for Christmas."

"And thanks for helping me put up the Christmas decorations," Dad added.

"You're both welcome, and I look forward to seeing you at Christmas as well. I just wish you'd given me a better idea of what I could get you."

"Don't worry about that," Mom responded. "Having you home is present enough."

Rather than argue with her, I merely responded that I love them before I went into the terminal and checked in for my flight. I was eager to get back and already looking forward to seeing Noah again, although I'd have to wait another week before that happened.

Chapter 18
A Hectic December.

After the plane landed Saturday evening, I decided to take it easy and not do very much. I stopped to eat after leaving the airport, and then I dumped my suitcase just inside the front door, choosing to unpack it the following day. I showered and went to bed early, figuring I'd get a good night's sleep first, before I did that.

After waking up, I fixed breakfast, unpacked my suitcase, and put a load of dirty clothes in the washing machine. That was the first of several loads, so by the end of the day all of my clothes were clean and I was ready to head to work in the morning.

I chatted briefly with my assistant when I first got to the office, and we inquired as to whether the other had enjoyed the long holiday weekend. After we finished chatting, I settled down to work until lunchtime, and then I got in the car and drove over to the 7-Eleven hoping that Cheryl would be there. She was, and after exchanging pleasantries and inquiring about Noah, I asked a few additional questions.

"What day are you having coffee with Monica and Debbie this week?"

"My day off is Thursday, and I'm meeting them at noon."

"Do you think they'd mind if I joined you this time? I have a few things I want to run by the three of you concerning the upcoming holiday."

"I don't think they'd mind at all. Since neither of them has a car, we always meet at one of their apartments, and this time we'll be at Monica's."

After she gave me some additional information, I thanked her and said I'd see them on Thursday. I just hoped the meeting would go well.

I was really busy at work the rest of the week, so the time flew by. In fact, I had to set the alarm on my cell phone so I wouldn't miss going to have coffee with the women on Thursday. I drove over to the old factory building, made my way to the apartment number Cheryl had given me, and knocked on the door. Monica opened it, greeted me, and invited me inside.

"Do you take anything in your coffee?" she asked once I was seated at the table with the others.

"No, black is fine. I just wanted to ask you three a few questions about the upcoming holidays. I was thinking about buying each of the boys something for Christmas, but I wanted to get your approval before I did it."

"It's not necessary for you to get them anything, but I suppose it would be ok," Monica answered, with the other two agreeing.

"Good, I didn't want to do anything without your permission. I'll give them their presents the weekend before Christmas, since I'll be leaving the following Friday to spend the holiday with my parents."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Cheryl offered.

"I have something else to run by you as well. Since New Year's Eve in on Sunday this year, I was thinking I would take the boys on Sunday, instead of Saturday that week. If you wouldn't mind, I'll entertain them and let them spend the night to free the three of you up so you can go out and have some fun for a change."

"Oh, I like that idea," Monica immediately replied.

"I do too," Debbie agreed.

I silently released the breath I was holding in after I had asked that question, because I'd been worried about what her reaction would be, considering what had happened to Gus previously. I noticed she had continued speaking, so I listened to what she had to say.

"I'll have to see if maybe Glen can stay with one of his friends that night, but I'm sure I can work out something so I'll be free."

"That's right. I keep forgetting that you have another son. If you wouldn't mind, he could join us as well, because we'll only be playing games and maybe watching a movie. We'll just camp out in the living room and they can sleep in sleeping bags on the floor, and then I'll bring them back the following afternoon."

"I doubt any of the boys have sleeping bags," Debbie responded, with Monica and Cheryl shaking their heads to indicate their sons didn't have that item either.

"That's ok, because I have the sleeping bags my parents and I used when I was younger. I found them when I was helping my dad dig out the Christmas decorations when I was home for Thanksgiving, and since he said he didn't have any use for them any longer, I shipped them here."

"Will you have enough of them, if you include Glen too?" Debbie followed.

"Yes, there are four sleeping bags. There was one for my mom, dad, and me, and another so I could invite a friend to go with us. That means each boy will have a sleeping bag, and I'll just sleep on the couch."

"Ok, that works for me," Debbie replied. "Glen has teased about going with Gus before, but since he's nearly four years younger I didn't think it would be appropriate. I've been letting him invite one of his friends over when the boys are with you, or he goes to visit one of them instead. It's worked out fairly well so far."

"You don't have to worry, because we won't be doing anything that he can't participate in. I just thought it would give the three of you a break and a chance to have some fun."

"We can't really afford to go out," Monica replied, "but I'm sure we can scrape together enough money to buy some wine and a few snacks, and we can always watch a movie. It will be a lot more enjoyable than what I usually do on New Year's Eve."

"Yes, I know I'm looking forward to doing this now," Cheryl agreed. "And I'm sure the boys will enjoy being together and spending time with you, rather than being stuck at home with us."

"Yes, and thank you for doing this," Monica chipped in.

"And for agreeing to include Glen," Debbie followed.

This went better than I'd anticipated, so after I finished my coffee, we said goodbye to each other and I returned to work. Now, I just had to come up with things the boys and I could do that evening.

I didn't see any of them until the Saturday, and they were waiting for me at the park with huge grins on their faces.

"Did you have a nice time with your parents?" Noah asked as soon as he got in the car.

"Yes, it was very nice. How about you guys?"

"Yeah, we all ate at Gus' apartment on Thanksgiving," Noah replied.

"And we stayed overnight with him too," Sam added.

"And then we spent Friday night at Sam's apartment and Saturday night at Noah's trailer. It was great!" Gus finished.

"And we let Glen come with us too," Noah stated.

"I'm glad you did that, and it sounds as if you boys really enjoyed yourselves."

"Yeah, we did, but it would have been even better if you were there too," Noah countered. "We all missed you."

"Yeah, we did," the other two chimed in.

"So what are we gonna do today?" Sam followed, becoming slightly impatient.

"I've got another mystery set up for you at the house, so let's go do that first, and then I've got something else planned that we can do afterward."

"Neat!" they responded in unison.

We spent the next couple of hours with the boys trying to solve the scenario I'd set up for today, and then I took them to the food court at the mall to eat.

"How come we're eating here today?" Noah wondered.

"It's because it puts us closer to what we're going to do next, after we finish our lunch."

The boys immediately began to tease me to tell them what I had planned, but I told them they'd find out in due time. They weren't happy about my refusal to answer their questions, but Noah warned them I wouldn't tell, so they quieted down and finished eating. As soon as everyone was done, I led them to the cinema complex.

"So we're going to watch a movie?" Gus asked.

"Yes. I thought you'd enjoy seeing 'The Justice League', since you all seemed to enjoy the adventure when you were superheroes."

"Yeah, we did, and this sounds like fun," Sam agreed.

Since we had just eaten, I merely bought each of us a drink after I'd purchased the tickets, and then we went inside the theater and found a good place to sit together. We had to wait a few minutes before the previews started, and once we'd seen each of the trailers and had commented on them, the movie finally came on the screen.

The boys were watching the movie intently, and the premise was that Batman and Wonder Woman were putting together a team of superheroes to save the planet. This group would eventually include Aquaman, Cyborg, and The Flash, and there was quite a bit of action. Besides enjoying the movie, I could tell the boys were also thinking back to when they'd battled supervillains as well, which helped them relate to what was happening on the screen.

"I'm glad you brought us to see this. It was really good," Noah stated when the movie ended.

"Yeah, it was. Is this where you got the idea for the adventure you had us do?" Gus wanted to know.

"Actually, I hadn't heard about this movie when we did that. I just saw the trailer on TV when I was watching football with my dad last week, and I thought you boys might like to see it."

"Yeah, it was great," Sam agreed.

After I took Gus and Sam home, Noah returned to the house with me. As soon as we were alone, he had something else he wanted to tell me. "Man, I'm glad you're back, because I really missed you rubbing my penis for me. I had to do it in the bathroom over Thanksgiving, because me, Gus, and Sam all stayed in the same room together."

"I wondered about that."

"Yeah, I really missed you doing it for me, so will you do it now, and then again before we go to sleep?"

"I suppose I could do that, if it's what you want?"

"Yeah, I do."

Noah then raced to my bedroom and began taking off his clothes. By the time I got there to join him, he was already naked, so he merely hopped on the bed, spread his legs, and waited for me to begin. He moaned in satisfaction as soon as I began to stroke his package.

"Man, I wish we could do this more often," he sighed as I was working on him.

"I'll help you out as often as I can."

"Thanks."

Since he was already mentally primed, it didn't take very long before he was spewing his watery load onto his abdomen. As soon as I finished cleaning him off, he was ready to return the favor, but I told him he could do it when I did it to him again later. I could tell he wanted to do it to me now, but he didn't argue about having to wait.

Even though it was a little chilly out, Noah wanted to go outside and kick the soccer ball around for a while, and after we did that he played with the RC car. He eventually put the car away so we could take our walk, and then we showered together when we got back. He opted to watch TV while I was fixing dinner, and I went in to join him for a while once it was in the oven. I continued to listen for the timer to go off, and when it did we went out to eat.

We watched TV after we finished our meal, and I masturbated him again before we went to sleep. I kept my word and let him masturbate me too, and once we'd both cleaned up the mess, we cuddled together as we fell asleep.

As soon as we woke up in the morning, Noah started teasing me to masturbate him again before we ate, so I did what he wanted. He also asked me to do it for him again after lunch, and then again when we went to bed, saying "It's only fair, because you weren't here to do this for me last weekend."

Of course I did what he wanted, so he was happy, and he even woke me up a little earlier than usual on Monday morning so I could masturbate him again before I took him home. He was all smiles as he got out of the car and said he'd see me again next Saturday.

I kept busy throughout the following week, both at work and after I was done for the day. That's because I went out to do my Christmas shopping every evening as I looked for presents for my parents, the boys, and a little something for their mothers. By the end of Friday night I had found most of the things I was looking for, but I still had a little more shopping to do, so it looked as if I'd be running around again next week as well.

After getting a decent night's sleep, I went to the park to meet the boys on Saturday morning. They immediately hopped in my car and we headed to the house, since I had another mystery set up for them to solve. Once they'd figured out who did it, I took them to the food court at the mall to have lunch again.

"Does this mean we're gonna see another movie?" Sam wondered.

"It does. Since you boys seem to enjoy solving the mysteries I set up for you each week, I'm going to take you to see a movie based on a mystery novel. It's called 'Murder on the Orient Express', and it's based on a novel by Agatha Christie. I think you'll enjoy it."

"K. Sounds good," Gus responded.

We did the same thing we'd done the week before, in that I bought us each a drink and we went into the theater and waited for the movie to begin. If you're not familiar with the novel, the movie is about an unpopular billionaire who is murdered on the train, and then thirteen passengers are suspected of committing the crime. Detective Hercule Poirot also happens to be on the train, and he ends up with the task of trying to figure out who actually committed the murder, since the thirteen suspects all seem to have a motive. Poirot needs to determine who killed the billionaire before there is another murder or the killer manages to get off the train, and we watched to see if he was going to be successful.

"That was pretty good," Sam stated when the movie ended.

"Yeah, it was like some of the problems we've had to solve each week," Gus added.

"But there weren't very many people on the train," Noah observed.

"That was so the murder could be solved by the end of the book, or in this case the movie. If more people had been involved, it would have taken longer to figure out who had done it. That's also why I limit how many characters are involved in the mysteries I set up for you boys."

"Ok, I see now," Noah stated.

Once I dropped the other two off at their apartments, Noah spent the rest of the weekend with me. It was nearly identical to the weekend before, in that he had me masturbate him twice on Saturday, three times on Sunday, and again on Monday morning. We basically did the other things we'd done the week before as well, and we both enjoyed our time together.

The work week turned out about the same too, since I was busy during the day with the affairs of the office, and then I would go Christmas shopping before heading home. I was exhausted by the time Friday night rolled around, but I'd found the last of the items I was looking for.

I was excited when I picked the boys up at the park on Saturday morning, because I had something special planned. I wouldn't be seeing them the following weekend, because I was going home for Christmas, so today we'd have our Christmas party together. Once we got to the house, I showed them the tagboard outlining our new mystery.

"Today we're going to help Santa solve a problem he had at the North Pole," I began, and the boys giggled. I knew they didn't still believe in Santa, but I figured they'd have fun solving this new mystery. "What happened is this. Someone snuck into his house and took the outfit Santa was going to wear when delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. The person eventually put it back, but whoever took it did it so he could shrink the suit before returning it, so Santa won't be able to wear it now.

"Mrs. Claus believes that after the person had Santa's best suit in his possession, he soaked it in water and then threw it into the industrial dryer on the highest heat. Although it didn't shrink down to elf size, Santa can no longer fit into it, but fortunately he has some older, backup outfits he can wear. They are older, slightly worn, and not nearly as nice as the one that was shrunk, but at least he'll still be able to go out and deliver presents on Christmas Eve.

"Now, here's what you'll have to do. There's a group of seven elves that Santa and the other elves suspect might have done this, seeing that group is always complaining and causing problems. I'm going to use the nicknames the other elves have given them, rather than their real names, so you'll have to figure out if Grouchy, Moody, Lazy, Surly, Dofus, Sneaky, or Twit did this."

"No wonder they're always causing trouble, if they've been given names like that," Gus joked.

"They were only given those names AFTER they started getting into trouble and causing problems. They have all been found. at various times, which stands for Absent Working On the Line, meaning the toy assembly line. They've also been declared M.I.A., or being Mean, Insufferable, and Arrogant, as well as D.O.A., Disruptive, Onery, and Argumentative. They've committed other crimes against the elf code as well, but those are their most serious offences."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Sam followed, getting impatient again.

"On this second tagboard I've listed each elf's assignments for the forty-eight hour period that covers the time after Mrs. Claus took the suit out of storage and when the dastardly deed was discovered. You boys will have to look at the schedule to figure out who might have been able to get away long enough to do this. You'll need to see if any of them were working alone for part of the time, as well as who is lacking a witness or witnesses that he worked his entire shift. If any elf doesn't have a good alibi, it means he might have been able to slip away long enough to shrink Santa's traveling suit and then put it back, so you have a lot to look at."

"So they might not have done their job and just goofed off?" Noah wanted to know.

"That's what you'll have to figure out, because the elves listed the times each elf had been seen working at his assigned job, as well as when he was scheduled to work. For the most part, they have at least one other elf who can vouch for them when they were seen working, so they all have strong alibis for the times listed. You'll have to figure out who didn't work his entire shift, or who was scheduled to work alone and might have had an opportunity to do this."

"K," they all agreed.

I gave each one a tablet and pen so he could make notes, and they did this separately to see who could solve this mystery. After nearly two hours of working on the case, Sam was the first to conclude that only Surly would have been able to get away long enough to do this, so I had him write a memo to Santa stating what he'd found and who the evidence suggested was involved. We'd let Santa determine a suitable punishment to fit the crime.

As soon as we finished, I told the boys to follow me, and I took them into the exercise room so I could point out that they each had a Christmas present from me on one of the machines. They just had to find their name on one of the packages. I watched as they scurried around looking for their name, and each unwrapped his gift.

Their presents were identical so I'd avoid having anyone feel slighted or thinking someone else got more. I gave each boy a new backpack, and I put an inexpensive laptop inside, along with a bag of candy. I put the packages of candy together as well, and each contained four candy canes, two Reese's Snowmen, and two Hershey's milk chocolate Santas.

"Wow! Are these real computers?" Gus asked, focusing on the one item.

"Yes, they are, and I bought them for you to use when doing your homework. I know you don't have the internet at home, but you can hook up to my Wi-Fi when you're here. I'll also teach you how to use them to write reports and do other assignments. When you're done working on those, you can bring your computer here with you on the weekend and I'll print everything out for you. If you need it before then, just give me a call and I'll stop by and copy the file onto a flash drive so I can print it at the office or when I return home."

"Thanks, this is really awesome," Gus stated.

"Yeah, thanks," Sam agreed.

"I'm going to use this a lot," Noah confirmed.

"Just don't take the computers to school, because I don't want them to get stolen. Leave them at home, but you can also bring it with you when you come here each week too. I'm hoping you'll be able to use them to do better on your schoolwork."

I then asked them where they wanted to go for lunch, and they all agreed on CiCi's, since they wanted pizza. I took them there and let them fill up, and when we returned to the house I spent some more time showing them how to use the laptops and how they could use them to write reports. I even showed them how to hook up to the Wi-Fi when they were here, and we continued doing this until it was time for me to take Sam and Gus home.

Before they left, I handed Gus another package to take with him. "What's this?" he wanted to know.

"It's a present for Glen."

"Did you buy him a computer too?" he gasped.

"No, I'm giving him a backpack and candy like I gave the rest of you, but instead of the computer I bought him the LeapReader book sets one through three from LeapFrog."

"Whoa! That's a lot."

"It will be enough to keep him busy, and they're supposed to be good for kids up to eight-years-old, but they cost a lot less than your computer. I was hoping he wouldn't think he was getting cheated, since it seemed like he was getting more."

"Oh, ok."

"I've also got a bag with three bottles of wine in it, and I'll give each of you a bottle to give to your mother. That's my Christmas present to them, and don't worry, they'll understand."

"K. I was just gonna ask how you knew to buy that for them," Gus stated.

"I think all women like wine, so I took a chance. And don't forget that I'll be gone next weekend, so you'll be on your own."

"Yeah, we know," Sam confirmed. "Maybe our moms will let us stay with each other again."

"Maybe, just be good and have fun. I'll pick you up two weeks from tomorrow."

"So we'll be with you on Sunday that week, instead of Saturday?" Noah asked, looking at me strangely.

"Yes, because you'll still be out of school, so it won't be a problem. I've already cleared it with your mothers too." I figured I'd explain it to Noah in more detail later.

Noah took his backpack with him when we loaded into the car, because the other two still didn't know he was spending the entire weekend with me. When I dropped Sam and Gus off, I handed each of them a bottle of wine.

"Remember, these are for your mothers, not for you to drink." They both giggled. "Your mom's will figure out what happened if they don't get these, because I'm going to let them know that I sent them each a bottle."

"K, we'll give it to them when we get to our apartments, and thanks," they both stated before closing the car door.

"You can give your mom her bottle of wine when I drop you off on Monday," I told Noah once we were alone.

"Ok, and thanks for buying all this stuff for me."

As soon as we got to the house, Noah wanted me to masturbate him again, and then he played with the computer for the next couple of hours, after I taught him more about it. He did that until it was time for our walk, and when we got back, we showered quickly and Noah went back to playing with his computer while I fixed dinner.

He wanted to cuddle with me and watch a movie after we ate, and we did that for the next couple of hours. Noah had me masturbate him again before we went to sleep, and then he cuddled with me until the next morning.

Noah asked me to masturbate him again shortly after we woke up on Sunday morning, and then I let him play with his computer and watch TV for the rest of the morning. He wanted me to masturbate him again before we ate lunch, and then after we ate we went out and kicked the soccer ball around for a while, before he decided to get the RC car out. He did that until we went for our walk, and after we showered, we ate and watched TV for the rest of the night. He asked me to masturbate him again when we got in bed, and then he did the same thing to me before clinging to me for the rest of the night.

Noah woke me up early again on Monday morning so I'd have time to masturbate him before I took him home. I was thinking that I done this to him so often the past couple of weekends that I was mildly surprised his penis hadn't fallen off from the wear and tear. However, I realized that young boys have tremendous stamina, as do their penises.

I made sure he took the bottle of wine with him when I dropped him off at the trailer on my way to work, and I reminded him that I would be gone the following weekend.

"Yeah, I know, and that's why I wanted to do all that other stuff this weekend," he whispered before getting out of the car. "But does that mean you won't be picking me up until the Sunday after Christmas too?"

"No, I'll pick you up at the trailer on Saturday, and then on Sunday I'll just drop you off at the end of your street and let you walk to the park to meet Gus and Sam. I'll drive around for a couple of minutes before I join you there, so the other two won't figure out that you've been staying with me."

"Oh, ok. That will work. I love you, Brian, and I'll see you when you get back."

"K, and I love you too, baby boy."

Chapter 19
We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

The company let us go home at noon on the Friday before Christmas, so once I'd closed up the office, I drove directly to the airport to catch my flight. Since I'd been advised in advance that the company was going to do this, I'd not only scheduled an earlier flight, but I also placed my suitcase in the trunk of my car before heading to work that morning. It meant I had everything I needed, so I drove directly to the airport and arrived in plenty of time to catch my 3:30 flight. Leaving work early had allowed me to beat most of the traffic heading in the same direction, and this definitely reduced any potential aggravation.

To my surprise, both my mom and dad were waiting for me when my plane landed. "I guess getting here earlier has its benefits. It's nice that you could pull yourself out of the kitchen long enough to come meet me this time."

"You can thank your father for that, because he's insisting that we stop at a restaurant to eat on the way home. I think he's just being foolish and spending ten times the amount it would have cost me to fix the same thing at the house."

"It's so we can each order what we want, and I think you'd be grateful for getting some time off from cooking," Dad said as he gave Mom the 'evil eye' for airing this in public. "Besides, I'm doing it for Brian's sake, so he can actually get to talk with you before Christmas."

"Yes," I quickly agreed. "I'm sure you'll be barricading yourself in the kitchen on Sunday to prepare everything for the next day, and then you'll be in the kitchen most of Monday too."

"Not this time, because it will just be the three of us for Christmas dinner. That means it won't take nearly as long to fix what we'll need," Mom replied.

"You mean you didn't invite Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill?" I gasped, totally shocked.

"Oh, I invited them, but they'd already accepted an invitation to go to Florida for Christmas. Bill has a cousin who lives there, and the cousin and his wife asked them to visit for a few days. Sue and Bill thought they'd take advantage of the offer and went there so they could enjoy the warmer weather for a brief time."

"Good for them, but it's even better for us, because at least now I'll be able to spend some time with both of you."

We then talked about three different restaurants and decided which one we'd stop at on the way back to the house. We had a lovely meal, intermixed with pleasant conversation, but it was painfully obvious that my mother was still unhappy about spending so much on a single meal. When the server brought the check, I attempted to eliminate the problem.

"Why don't you let me get that?"

"No, I'm taking care of it," Dad replied adamantly, as he glared at my mother.

"Let me pick up the tab, because I can certainly afford to do it."

"No, dear. It's our treat," Mom stated after hearing the unspoken message from her husband.

"At least let me split it with you?"

"No, I've got this covered, and we can afford it too, no matter what you may believe your mother meant by her comment earlier."

"Yes, we can afford it," Mom quickly added. "I just thought it was foolish to spend so much when we could enjoy a lovely meal more cheaply at home."

When I noticed my dad glaring at my mom again, I decided to switch gears. "Ok, you win and I'll let you pay, but I would have been happy to chip in."

"Maybe next time," Dad stated as he put the money on the check and waited for the server to take care of it for him.

"May I at least leave the tip?" I offered.

"No, I added it in when I put the money down, and I've already told the server to keep the change."

Since that was taken care of, we prepared to leave. When we were in the car, I could sense there was still a bit of tension, so I tried to distract them.

"So will the house be lit up when we get there?"

"Yes, we turned everything on before we left, since we knew it would be dark out by the time we got back," Dad answered.

"And you'll love seeing the old neighborhood, because most of the neighbors have decorated their houses too," Mom chimed in.

"I'm looking forward to seeing it. I almost feel like a kid again, knowing the place where I grew up will look so festive."

"During the past couple of years some of the older families you knew have sold their houses to younger people, so you might even see some kids outside while you're here."

"That would be nice. Nothing makes me feel like Christmas more than seeing kids out celebrating and having fun."

This brief conversation lowered the temperature in the front seat and they stopped being upset with each other. I was busily commenting as we made our way down the street and mentioning how lovely and festive the area looked. "And I think our house is one of the best."

"Thanks to your hard work," Dad quickly added.

"Yes, we couldn't have done it without you this year," Mom quickly added.

We spent the rest of the evening chatting and discussing past Christmases together. Mom even brought out a box of old photos that showed me enjoying Christmas throughout the years, and I could recall every toy in each snapshot. It really blew my mind that she had saved all of these photos and how many wonderful memories they brought back.

Before we went to sleep, Mom let us know that she would be fixing breakfast in the morning, and Dad and I just nodded before heading to bed. I slept in my old room again, which made me feel even more like a kid again and helped to rev up my anticipation about Christmas Day.

After having a relaxing breakfast with my parents the following morning, we spent some time chatting about different things we were going to do.

"I'm sure you and your father will be watching football games today, so I'll spend the time making Christmas cookies. I imagine it will be the same tomorrow as well, so it will give me time to make several different types of cookies. I'll put an assortment on disposable plates and cover them with Saran wrap, and then tomorrow night after dinner we can walk around the neighborhood and deliver them to the various houses."

"That sounds like fun, Mom. It will give me a chance to see some of the old neighbors too, as well as meeting the newer ones."

"And this way I can still make all the cookies, but your father and I won't be tempted to eat so many, since we'll be giving most of them away."

"Just make sure I get a plate with my favorites," I quickly added.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Mom assured me.

Throughout the day, the house smelled wonderful from the scent of the freshly baked cookies. Every once in a while during one of the commercial breaks I would get up and go out to the kitchen so I could grab a few to snack on. Then, I'd return to watch the game with my dad, and sometimes we would root for the same team, while at other times we would root against each other's team.

We took brief breaks for lunch and dinner, and later that evening we watched 'It's a Wonderful Life' with Mom. We'd all seen the movie many times before, but it was something else we could do together, just like we did when I was younger.

After getting a good night's sleep, we got up and had breakfast together, and after we finished, I went in to see what was on TV. I quickly discovered that one of the networks was showing 'Miracle on 34th Street', the 1947 version with Maureen O'Hara – not the newer one, so I talked Mom and Dad into joining me to watch it. Again, this brought back memories of doing the same thing with them when I was younger, but as soon as it ended, Mom rushed into the kitchen. She still had a few more cookies to make, but she was also getting everything ready for Christmas dinner the next day.

At that point, Dad and I watched more football games and joked about how Mom had said it wouldn't take her as long this time, since there wouldn't be as many of us for Christmas dinner. That's not how it worked out, though, because she seemed to spend just as much time preparing everything as if we were planning on having company.

Besides fixing the various items for Christmas dinner, Mom made something for tonight as well, and while she was busy cleaning up the kitchen afterward, I stacked the plates of cookies in a large box. The three of us then bundled up and I offered to carry the box as we made our way around the neighborhood delivering them. We started out making our way along our side of the street first, and then we crossed over to the other side of the street and stopped at the houses on that side next. We finished up by crossing to our side of the street again and stopping at those houses as we made our way back home.

There seemed to be someone at nearly every house, probably due to the fact that it was Christmas Eve, and everyone thanked us for our thoughtfulness and generosity. Most people invited us inside for a couple of minutes, although we told them we couldn't stay for very long, but it gave me a chance to say hello to the people I knew and meet the new families, including their children. It helped to make Christmas even more special this year after seeing their friendly smiles and noting how good it made them feel.

It was getting late by the time we got back to the house, so we merely got ready for bed and turned in. Mom teased that she didn't want me getting up early and waking them up, as I had when I was younger, so I assured her she didn't have to worry.

After getting up and having breakfast together, we went into the living room to exchange gifts. I had snuck down during the night to place my presents for them under the tree, and I was surprised that there were even more gifts under it than when I had seen it earlier.

Since my parents are very simple people with very simple tastes, and they hadn't been very cooperative in telling me what I could get them when I was home for Thanksgiving, I had done a little snooping. I noticed that they were still wearing the same winter coats that they'd had for the past several years, so I bought them each a new coat. I also bought Mom a new housecoat and slippers, and I purchased a new robe and slippers for Dad. I knew they often wore those around the house nearly all morning long on the weekend, so I wanted to make sure they not only were comfortable, but warm and looked nice too.

"Thank you, dear," Mom said after opening her gifts. "They're not only lovely, but they're very practical too." I knew this was important to my parents, since they tended to be quite frugal.

"Yes, Brian. I love the winter coat, and the robe and slippers will get plenty of use too," my dad added.

My last gift to them was something for the house. I'd taken the photo I had Uncle Bill take of Mom, Dad, and me when I was home for Thanksgiving and had it blown up and framed. They both grinned when they saw what it was.

"Oh, this will look wonderful on the fireplace mantle, where everyone can see it," Mom stated with a broad smile.

"Yes, that's a perfect spot," Dad agreed.

I then opened the presents they gave me. There were a couple of very nice dress shirts and ties in the first two packages, and then I discovered a new suit in the final package. "You shouldn't have spent so much on these things," I said, since I could tell the various items had come from one of the best men's stores in the area.

"We knew you'd be able to use them, and since you didn't come home for your birthday, you didn't get as much then, so this evens it out," Mom explained.

"But you sent me presents for my birthday too," I countered.

"We did, but we didn't feel comfortable sending too much that way, so this will make up for it," Dad offered.

"Now go try your suit on and see how it fits."

I went to my room, put it on, and admired how I looked in the full length mirror on the back of the bedroom door. I then went to let my parents see it on me.

"How does it fit?" Mom wanted to know. "Did we get the right size?"

"Yes, it fits very nicely. I may take it to my tailor for a few minor alterations, but otherwise it fits fine."

"And do you like the style and color? We can always take you there to exchange it tomorrow, if you'd prefer something else." Dad followed.

"No, this is perfect. I love everything about it – the color, fabric, and style. This is a definite keeper." Mom and Dad both smiled at my extremely positive response. "Thank you very much for buying these things for me, because now I'll definitely be considered an even sharper dresser than I was before."

As soon as we were done opening our presents, Mom hustled out to the kitchen and began working on Christmas dinner. We wouldn't sit down to eat until 3:00, and since she had fixed a very large breakfast and stuffed us earlier, we'd last until then. Dad and I went to the living room to watch the parade on TV, and Mom would come in and join us from time to time, but never for very long. It was nice that she decided to appear every now and then, though.

Eventually, we sat down to a wonderful and very filling Christmas dinner that consisted of a small ham covered in pineapple rings, candied yams, a green bean casserole, and a green salad. We washed it down with a few glasses of Lambrusco, which surprised me, seeing Mom and Dad weren't big drinkers, but it was nice.

A few hours after we finished eating, Mom called us out to have leftovers and dessert. After having a small plate of the things we had earlier, we were given a choice between an eggnog cheesecake, a sweet potato pie, and a mocha bundt cake, all of which she had prepared. The last item consisted of moist chocolate cake that had been covered in a glaze she made using coffee liqueur, and I opted to have a small piece of each. It was all very good, and once again I was stuffed.

It had been a wonderful holiday, and we all grew quite tired as the day wore on. We finally said goodnight to each other and headed to bed, ready to sleep and enjoy some pleasant dreams.

When I woke up in the morning, I sat down and had breakfast with my parents, and then we spent some time chatting about a variety of topics, which included when I'd be coming home again.

"I'm not sure, but possibly for Easter. It will depend on how things are going at work and how long I'll be able to get away, since it's not a long weekend."

After lunch, they drove me to the airport, and I said goodbye to both of them before I went through security. "Thanks for making this a great holiday for me. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I look forward to spending more time with you. Maybe we can go somewhere on vacation together this summer."

"We haven't gone camping in quite a while," Dad pointed out, "but you took the sleeping bags with you on your last visit."

"If that's what we decide to do, then I'll bring them back with me. I'll be in touch to see if we can work something out."

I kissed my mom and gave her a hug, and I started to shake my Dad's hand, but decided to pull him into a hug too. I hadn't done that since I was quite young, and I think it touched him deeply, if the moisture in his eyes was any indication.

I turned to wave at them as I cleared the security checkpoint, and then they turned and left the terminal. After I watched them depart, I made my way to the boarding area, where I waited until we were allowed to get on the plane.

My flight was delayed, due to a major storm that was rolling into the area, which was accompanied by some very strong winds. The windshear effect had nearly caused one plane to crash while landing and another to nearly fail lifting off before it hit the end of the runway, so the airport delayed all flights until the situation improved.

We didn't even board our flight until nearly two hours later, after the worst of the storm had passed over the area. I think that made everyone on the flight more nervous than usual as the pilot revved the engines, and then I heard them collectively exhale once we were safely in the air. After that, it was a fairly smooth flight to our destination, although we did hit some pockets of turbulence along the way.

As soon as the plane touched down and we'd disembarked, I went to collect my luggage before heading out to locate my car in the parking garage. After I threw my bags into the trunk and headed to a restaurant to grab a bite to eat. Since I got in later than planned, and it had been so long since I'd last eaten, I felt this would be easier than trying to fix something at home.

I couldn't help but to think about Noah the entire time I was chowing down. I'd only thought about him occasionally while I was away, such as when I was reminiscing about Christmas as a kid and when we passed out the cookies to the houses that had children. I also thought about him when I got into bed each night, because I wished he was there for me to cuddle with, but the rest of the time I was too busy interacting with my parents to do anything else. I thought about him briefly during the flight, once we were in the air and the situation no longer appeared that we were in any danger, but now that I was back he was almost all I could think about.

After my tummy was sated and the rumblings had ceased, I drove the rest of the way home. I merely carried my luggage inside, but I left my bags just inside the door, opting to unpack them the next day. I had a couple glasses of wine before I got ready for bed, primarily because I felt it would help me sleep better, and then I took a shower and crawled between the sheets. The wine obviously worked, seeing I dozed off quite quickly and slept soundly the entire night.

I had taken my last vacation day of the year for the following day, so I used it to unpack, do laundry, and rest up before returning to work. I was only mildly surprised when my phone rang and I heard who was on the other end of the line.

"Hi, Brian. Are you home now?" Noah asked, bringing a smile to my face.

"Yes, I got back late last night. Where are you calling me from?"

"I'm at the neighbor's house and using her phone. I really missed you," he added in a much softer voice.

"I missed you too, baby boy."

"Will you pick me up on Friday when you get out of work?"

"Don't you want to spend that time with your mom?"

"She said it was ok, because we spent all of last weekend and all day Christmas together. I just want to be with you now, so will you pick me up then?"

"I'll stop in to see your mom at work, and as long as she doesn't have a problem with it, then I'll see you Friday night."

"Yay! You know what I want to do, right?"

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea."

"Yeah, it will almost be two weeks by the time I see you again."

"Oh, no! Has it turned black and ready to fall off from lack of attention?"

"No, silly," he said with a giggle. "I've been doing it, but it's not the same."

"Maybe we should end this call before your neighbor figures out what you're talking about."

"Nah, she's in the other room, so we're ok."

"Alright, but I have things to do, so I'll see you on Friday, if your mom says it's ok?"

"Ok. Bye, Brian. I love you."

"I love you too, baby boy."

After we hung up, I imagined what he was going to be like this weekend. I was certain that he was going to have me masturbate him multiple times on Friday and Saturday, but we wouldn't be able to do anything on Sunday or Monday, because the other three boys would be here too. I hope he remembers about that and doesn't say or do anything inappropriate while they're here, because hearing about that would definitely send Debbie on the warpath again.

I spent the rest of the day thinking about what I was going to do with the boys while they were here. Since Glen was going to be with them I couldn't do a mystery, because it would probably be too difficult for him. I guess I could do one of our adventures, but I'd have to think of something he'd enjoy as well.

I spent the afternoon scanning the internet for ideas and finally came up with something I thought they'd enjoy, so now I just had to figure out how I was going to fill the rest of the time.

Chapter 20
An Unusual New Year.

On Thursday, I drove over to the 7-Eleven to see if Cheryl was working. She was, so I waited until she finished waiting on a couple of customers before I spoke to her.

"Do you have a second?"

"If you don't mind me stopping to ring out a customer every now and then. I hope you had a nice Christmas."

"I did, and I hope you did too."

"Yeah, we all had Christmas dinner at Monica's apartment this time, and the boys enjoyed themselves, but I know they still missed you."

"Yes, I got a call from one of them yesterday."

"From Noah. He told me. He wants you to pick him up Friday night."

"I know, but I don't want to cut into your time with him."

"He'd be miserable if he stayed with me on Friday night, since he wants to be with you, so you can pick him up if you want."

"Ok, I'll do that, as long as it isn't a problem for you."

"No, that's fine, and thanks for the wine you gave me, Debbie, and Monica for Christmas. We're going to enjoy it on New Year's Eve."

"That's what I was hoping when I bought it."

"We all appreciate it."

"So when do you want me to bring Noah back? In the morning or afternoon on New Year's Day?"

"Actually, I have to work that day, so you don't have to drop him off until Tuesday, on your way to work. Is that ok with you?"

"Of course, and I'm sure Noah will like the idea too, but he enjoys spending time with you as well. It's just that when he's at my house, he likes playing with the remote controlled car, kicking the soccer ball around in the backyard, and going out for our evening walk."

"Yes, he's told me all about doing those things, but he mostly likes just being with you. I can tell that he and the other boys adore you, because they kept talking about you the whole time you were gone."

I didn't respond, because another customer came up to the counter and I had to wait to speak with her again. As soon as the customer left, I made my comment. "I hope it didn't upset or bother you, Monica, or Debbie that the boys kept talking about me."

"Not in the least. We're all thrilled with what you've been doing with them. You've taught the boys how to swim, and they enjoy spending time with you. Their grades are also improving, and you've been very generous to all of us."

"I just want to be a positive influence in their lives and make sure they have some good memories of this part of their lives when they get older."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that."

I had to wait for her to help someone else, and then two more got in line behind that person. "I'd better get back to work, so I'll see you on Friday on my way home."

"Ok, and I'll tell Noah to be ready."

I left there thinking ahead to Friday night and about picking up Noah after work. He was right. It had been nearly two weeks since we'd last been together, and I couldn't wait to see him again.

I was busy finishing up the end-of-the-year duties at work, and there was a great deal to do, and that would continue for the next month. It was good, though, because it made the time go by faster, and then it was Friday afternoon and nearly time for me leave to pick up Noah. I could barely wait to see my boy again.

As soon as I was able, I said goodbye to my assistant as we left the office, with me locking the doors behind us. Then I rushed over to Noah's trailer. He was sitting on the front stoop with his backpack strapped onto his shoulders as he waited for me to arrive. He broke into a huge grin when he saw me pull up.

"Man, I've been waiting a long time to do this again," he stated as he got in the front seat.

I happened to look up and saw Cheryl was waving at me out of the door of the trailer, so I waved back. As we were pulling away, Noah spoke. "You've got to rub my penis for me as soon as we get to your house."

"Wow. You certainly aren't wasting any time."

"I really need you to do it for me, and then you've got to do it again before we go to sleep."

"Yes, master. I will do as you command."

"Come on. I know you like doing it to me too, and you also like it when I do it to you."

"Yes, you're right. I enjoy both of those things."

This time, however, I only masturbated him. He was already boned up even before he took off his clothes, and he was so emotionally and physically primed for this that it didn't take very long for him to shoot his first load onto his belly. That seemed to take the edge off of him for a while, so he got dressed again and went out to play with the RC car while I got dinner ready. I didn't put it in the oven, though, because we went out for our walk first, and then we came back to the house and showered.

After we'd washed up and put on clean clothes, I put the food in the oven, and then I joined Noah in the living room to watch TV until the timer went off. When that happened, we went out and ate quickly, and then Noah wanted to see if there was a movie coming on that we could watch. I found the 1972 movie 'The Poseidon Adventure' on one of the channels, so we settled in to watch that next.

Once the ship capsized and our brave band of adventurers were making the climb to the 'bottom' of the boat, Noah gasped when they had to swim underwater and hold their breath. "I'm glad you taught me to swim, because I never would have been able to do anything like that before."

"That's why I wanted you boys to learn how to swim. You never know when it might come in handy."

Noah was sad at the end of the movie when he realized that only a few people on that large ship had survived. "I guess it doesn't help if you can swim if you can't get your head above water," he stated when we saw them being rescued.

"Yes, and too many people forgot the ship had rolled over, so down was up, and up was down, so many of them headed in the wrong direction."

"Yeah, that was kind of confusing."

As soon as the movie ended, Noah began teasing me that it was time to masturbate him again, so we hurried through our nightly rituals and hopped into bed. He was eager for me to do this, so I obliged him and stroked him until he ejaculated. Once I'd cleaned him off, he did the same thing to me, and once I wiped up that mess as well, we cuddled together and fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes Saturday morning, I noticed that Noah was sitting up in bed next to me, staring at my face. "It's about time. I've been awake for quite a while and waiting for you to wake up."

"I didn't know there was a need to hurry."

"Yeah, you need to rub my penis for me again."

"Oh. I'm surprised you didn't wake me up."

"Nah, I wanted you to get your sleep, so I just waited for you to wake up."

Since he had already gotten naked while he was waiting for me to open my eyes, I merely reached over and started doing what he wanted. He began moaning almost immediately, and then he started thrusting his hips to match the movement of my hand. A short time later he began to grunt, and then his body stiffened as the watery strings of semen shot out of his penis. As soon as he finished ejaculating, he collapsed on the mattress for a few seconds, except for the heaving of his chest.

After he returned from his post-orgasmic haze, he looked at me and smiled. "I needed that, and it felt great. Thanks for doing it for me."

"You're welcome, and after I clean up the mess we'll get dressed and I'll fix breakfast."

I grabbed a couple of tissues and wiped the semen off his groin, and then we both got dressed. I then went out to the kitchen and got busy fixing us something to eat, and Noah joined me a few seconds later.

After we ate and cleaned up the kitchen, Noah wanted to go outside and kick the soccer ball around, but I was hesitant. "It's still quite chilly outside, so maybe we should wait until after lunch to do that. It will give the sun a chance to warm things up a bit, so we won't freeze our butts off."

"Ok, let's watch cartoons then."

It wasn't exactly what I wanted to do, but I agreed to sit on the sofa and cuddle with him as he watched the Saturday morning shows. He seemed to be enjoying them, because he was doing a lot of giggling in between trying to explain what was going on to me, since there was a bit of a back story. I really wasn't interested, but I listened just the same and nodded or grunted from time to time, which seemed to be all the input he needed. After I sat there with him for nearly two hours, I decided to excuse myself, since I was totally bored.

"You can continue watching your shows, but I'm going to get ready for what we're going to do tomorrow, once the other boys get here."

"Ok, and what are we going to do?"

"You'll find out tomorrow, when I explain it to all of you."

"Can't you just give me a hint?"

"Ok, since Glen is going to be here too, I've decided we'll be cowboys this time."

"Ok, that sounds like fun," he agreed, although I was surprised that he didn't demand more information.

I spent some of the time on the computer, just so it would look like I was doing what I'd told him, but basically I'd already taken care of all of this beforehand. I just needed a good excuse so he wouldn't feel bad because I wasn't watching the shows with him.

We did that until noon, and after I fixed a quick lunch, Noah had me masturbate him again before we went outside to kick the soccer ball around. Noah was gradually getting better with dribbling, and he was getting a lot more force into his kicks too, so I was pleased with his progress. I wanted him to be ready if he decided to go out for the school team, since I felt many of the other boys would have played on other teams before. I'd start working with him on the rules after this weekend, so he'd know as much as the other boys knew about the game.

After he got tired of doing that, he wanted to go inside and see if there was a movie we could watch, so I scanned the cable guide quickly. I saw that 'Bridge to Terabithia' was coming on, and although it was a sad movie, two of the characters, Leslie and Jesse, enjoyed their own fantasy adventures, so I thought Noah would like seeing it.

"Wow, they kind of do the same things we do," he stated after the kids had established their magical realm in the woods.

"Yes, they used their imaginations and created their own adventures, just like we do."

"Did they really see those things?"

"Probably just in their minds as they used their imagination, just like you boys do."

When the movie ended, Noah and I went out for our walk, and after we got back to the house, we took our shower together, and then I fixed dinner while he found something to watch on TV.

After we finished eating, Noah wanted to go outside and play with the RC car, but I had to remind him that it was getting dark a lot earlier now, so he'd have to wait for another time. He wasn't happy, but when he looked out the window and saw what I was talking about he relented.

To my surprise, he now wanted to talk about the movie we'd watched earlier, so I explained it was based on a book. He asked if I thought it would be in the library at school, and I told him it probably should be, although in some places parents tried to keep it out of the school for various reasons. He had me write the title on a piece of paper so he'd remember how to spell it, and then he put it in his backpack so he could look for the book when he returned to school.

After we finished our discussion, we watched TV briefly, and then Noah wanted me to masturbate him again before we went to sleep. We went through our nightly ritual first, and then I masturbated him quickly, before he did the same thing to me. After that, we held on to one another as we drifted off to sleep.

After having a quick breakfast the next morning, I dropped Noah off at the end of the street leading into the trailer park, and I made sure he brought his backpack with him before we left the house. I told him he could walk to the park and meet up with the other boys while I drove around for a couple more minutes before I went to meet them. He nodded his understanding and got out of the front seat, and I pulled a quick U-turn and headed in the opposite direction.

When I came back a few minutes later and pulled up along the curb outside the park, I could see all of the boys waiting for me, and each one had his backpack strapped on his back. To my surprise, Debbie was there too, so I wasn't sure if there was a problem.

"Hi, Debbie. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Since you haven't met Glen before, I wanted to come along and introduce you. Glen, this is Brian, and he's the guy who has been doing all of the wonderful things with your brother."

"So you were the one who taught my brother how to swim?" Glen immediately shot back.

"Yes, and maybe next year I can teach you too, if your mom will allow you to join us."

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea, because I think he should know how to swim too."

"What time do you want me to bring the boys back tomorrow?"

"Whenever you and they are ready. Anytime before dark will be fine, because they don't have school the next day."

"Ok, then we'll see you sometime in the afternoon. Come on, boys. I've got an adventure ready for you at the house."

They all raced over to my car, with Noah getting in the front seat, and the rest of the boys in back. Gus and Sam made Glen sit in the middle, but he was fine with that, since he was happy about getting to go with us this time.

"Brian, I want to thank you for buyin' that stuff for me at Christmas," Glen stated as we were driving away from the park. "I already read some of the books, and I love the backpack, and the candy was good too."

"You're welcome, Glen, and I'm glad your mom is letting you join us this time."

"Yeah, me too."

When we got to the house, I took the boys inside and showed Glen around, since he was the only one who hadn't been here before. "This is nice," he said. "Do you own it?"

"Yeah, he does," Noah answered for me, "and there's another place just like this on the other side."

"And he owns that too?"

"Yep, he owns both sides."

Before we got ready to go outside for our adventure, I asked them all a question. "Have any of you seen the movies 'Tombstone' or 'Wyatt Earp'? I know they've been on TV before."

Sam and Gus announced that they'd seen one or the other, but Glen and Noah hadn't seen either. "That's ok, but today we're going to be lawmen in the old west, and there are some really tough cowboys who have been causing a lot of trouble. I think we're going to end up having a shootout with them, so be prepared."

"Do you have toy guns for us to use?" Glen asked.

"No, we just use our 'maginations," Gus responded for me.

"Oh, ok."

"I'm going to tell each of you who you're going to be, so try to remember your names, because I'll be calling you by those names during our adventure. Gus, you're going to be Virgil Earp, Sam, you're Morgan Earp, and Noah, you're Wyatt Earp. Glen, you'll be Doc Holiday, and I'll just be another member of your group."

"So are the Earps all brothers?" Sam asked.

"Yes, they are."

"And I'm a doctor?" Glen wanted to know.

"Actually, Doc Holiday was a dentist."

"And how come you don't have a name?" Noah wondered.

"In real life, there were only the three Earps and Doc Holiday going up against the cowboys, although there were five of them. There was Billy Claiborne, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury."

"So what are we 'sposed to call you?" Gus followed.

"Just call me Roy. We're going to start out in the saloon, meaning the breakfast counter in the kitchen, because the cowboys always go to the saloon when they're in town. I'll give you each a drink while we're waiting for them to show up."

"You're gonna give us beer?" Glen asked, looking shocked.

"Yes, root beer," I replied, which caused the boys to break into laughter.

"Ok, that's good," Glen agreed.

I then got out the mugs I'd picked up at the dollar store while doing my Christmas shopping, since I knew we would need them for the sleep over. I poured root beer into each one and placed them in front of the boys, and I poured another for myself.

"They will probably be showing up any time now," I stated as we began to down our drinks.

A few seconds later I bumped into the counter, making it look like I'd been pushed. "Watch it, Clanton. Men have died for doing less than that," I shouted, to let the boys know what was going on. "The rest of you had better watch your step too, if you plan on leaving this town alive."

"Yeah, we don't like you pushin' Roy around," Gus chimed in, causing the other three to turn and look at him.

"And there's five of you and five of us, and we ain't afraid of a fight," Noah quickly added.

"We can do it with our hands or with our guns," Sam followed.

"And we're all good shots," Glen chipped in, not wanting to be left out.

"I guess you know where you stand, so cool down and have a drink to wash the dust out of your mouths," I stated next. "I'd prefer if I didn't have to ask you to step out in the street to settle this."

We all continued sipping our drinks for a while, and then I made another announcement. "They just left, so I guess they were afraid to challenge us."

"But I thought we was gonna have a gunfight," Sam stated, looking disappointed.

"Oh, I'm sure they haven't left town, so let's wait and see what happens."

I waited until each of the boys had finished his drink before I spoke again. "What's that you say, boy? You're telling me Ike Clanton is challenging us? And you say they're waiting at the O.K. Corral? Ok, men, it looks like there's gonna be a gunfight after all. Put on your coats and follow me."

After we dressed to go outside, I arranged them for the gunfight. "Wyatt, you get in the middle, and Virgil and Morgan you stand on his left side. Me and Doc will be on his right, and just focus on the man directly across from you."

We walked into the backyard and then I spoke again. "I should have guessed they'd try something sneaky. Virgil, I want you to take Billy Claibourne, cuz it looks like he's trying to blend in with the stable. Morgan, you take Billy Clanton, and Wyatt, you have Ike. Doc, I want you to take Frank McLaury and I'll take Tom, but watch them closely, because they're standing away from the others. I hope you're ready, because I think they're about to draw."

Just as I said that, we all pulled our six shooters out of our holsters and began firing. After a minute, I told them to stop. "Billy Clanton and both the McLaurys are dead, but Ike Clanton and Billy Claibourne gave up and ran away. It looks like Morgan, Virgil, and Doc all got hit during the shootout, so I'll bandage their wounds quickly and stop the bleeding before we head back to the saloon. They can decide if they want the doctor to treat them later."

I pretended to bandage Virgil's leg, Morgan's right arm, and Doc's shoulder, and then we went back into the house. "I think you've all earned another beer, if you want one."

They all smiled and agreed they did. "Do you do this every week?" Glen asked as I was pouring their drinks.

"We do something different every time, and most of them last longer, but I guess Brian stopped us early this time cuz it was pretty cold out there."

"Yes, I didn't want any of you to catch a cold and get sick, because your moms wouldn't be happy about that."

After they finished their drinks, I decided it was time to eat, so I asked a question. "Do any of you mind having pizza for lunch?"

"No!" they all shouted back.

"Are you all ok with both sausage and pepperoni?"

"Yeah!" they quickly agreed.

"Ok, I'll call and order two large pizzas, and then I'll get the other things out while we're waiting for them to be delivered."

I had picked up large containers of potato and macaroni salads earlier in the week, so I set those on the table and I poured each boy a glass of milk to go with it. As soon as the pizzas arrived, I let each boy take a slice, and after he put it on his plate, I told him to take whatever salad he wanted to go with it. I also told them they could go back for seconds if they were still hungry.

Once we finished eating, I had some quiet activities planned for the boys, since I didn't want anyone losing his lunch. After we carried the dirty dishes into the kitchen, rinsed them off, and I'd stacked them in the dishwasher, I wiped off the table for what we were going to do next. I told the boys to sit down at the table again, and I pulled out a deck of playing cards.

"Have you boys played many card games?" They all indicated that they hadn't, so I explained. "I'm going to teach you some then, and I'll let you boys play against each other. I'll just be the dealer."

Over the next couple of hours I taught them how to play Go Fish!, War, and Rummy, and I let them play each game two or three times. When they finished doing that, I explained what they could do next. "I thought you might like to watch the movie 'The Lion King' next, while I go out and start fixing dinner. Is that ok with you?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," they all agreed, so I slipped the DVD into the machine and started it for them before I went out to fix our dinner. I had it planned so it would be ready shortly after the movie ended, but I didn't realize one thing until it was too late. I was fixing spaghetti and meatballs, and that was more sauce after having pizza for lunch, but I knew it would be something they would all enjoy. I also fixed a green salad for each of them, put several different bottles of dressing on the table, and sliced the first of two loaves of Italian bread before I called them out to eat.

"Yay! I like sketti," Glen said when he saw what we were having.

"We all do," Gus added, as they took a seat and I dished out the spaghetti on their plates and made sure each one got a couple of meatballs. I also gave each boy a small bowl of salad and let them chose which dressing they wanted to put on it.

"You can also take a slice or two of Italian bread if you want," I urged.

The boys helped themselves and quickly downed everything on their plates. I told them they could have more, but they should save a little room, because I had a chocolate cake for dessert. I think Gus and Sam were going to take a lot more, but when they heard about the cake, they changed their minds and only took a small second helping. I told them they could warm up the leftovers later, if they got hungry again, and they seemed to be fine with that.

"Man, that was really good," Glen said when he finished eating.

"I'm glad you liked it."

"What are we going to do now?"

"Since you boys will want to stay up late to celebrate the New Year, I thought you might want to take a nap now, so you won't fall asleep before midnight."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea," Gus agreed.

"I'm glad you're not putting up a fuss."

"So where are we gonna sleep?" Sam wanted to know.

"I've got four sleeping bags you're going to use later, so I'll just give them to you now, and you can spread them out on the floor. I've got throw pillows you can use too."

Once they'd arranged the sleeping bags where they wanted them, they all passed out within fifteen or twenty minutes. I laid on the couch but didn't fall asleep, because I wanted to be handy when they woke up.

Gus woke up first and then came over to sit with me on the couch. We were chatting about a bunch of different things when the others began to wake up too, and Glen was the last to join us.

"What are we going to do now?" Noah wanted to know.

As soon as they all shook the cobwebs out of their brains and wiped the sleep from their eyes, we went out to the table to play 'Clue'. "Glen, this is kind of like the mysteries we have to figure out when we come here with Brian," Noah told him.

After we'd played the game a couple of times, I had the boys carry three of the chairs we'd been sitting on at the table into the living room. "What are we doing this for?" Noah wondered.

"I thought you boys might like to play musical chairs. Have you ever done it before?"

To my surprise, none of them had, so I explained briefly how it was played. I then grabbed my laptop, pulled up 'YouTube' and selected the music we would use. I faced away from the boys, so I wouldn't unintentionally show favoritism when I paused the music, and we got started. After one of them was out, we removed one of the chairs, and when the second person was out, we were down to one chair. Once we had a 'winner', the boys wanted to do it again, so we ended up doing it a couple more times.

When that game ended, I told the boys it was time for them to clean up and get ready for the night. "Did you boys bring pajamas with you?"

"Yeah, we did," they all agreed.

"That's good. So would you prefer to take a bath or shower?"

"I take showers," Noah quickly stated, with Gus and Sam agreeing that they did too.

"Mommy gives me a bath," Glen stated.

"Can you take a bath by yourself?" I responded, slightly concerned.

"No, mommy always washes me."

"Maybe Gus can help you then."

"No, I'm takin' a shower, so you can help him," Gus shot back.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, considering how your mom reacted the first time we met."

"She trusts ya now, so it will be ok," Gus assured me.

"Yeah, and I don't care if you wash me," Glen added.

I wasn't convinced, but what could I do? I had the other three take their showers first, and when they finished and were in their PJs, I led Glen into the bathroom and filled the tub. He took off his clothes, and while he was getting in the tub I grabbed his underwear and checked the size tag. I figured it would be good to know if I were to buy him a swimsuit this summer, and then I merely stared at him for a few seconds as I considered what I was going to do next.

Just like his brother, he was uncircumcised too, and although he had slightly more foreskin than Gus, he didn't have nearly as much as Sam. About that time he looked up and spoke.

"Aren't ya gonna wash me?"

"Oh, I am. I was just letting you soak for a minute first."

I then grabbed the washcloth, added some body wash, and began cleaning his head and neck first. I washed his chest and back after that, and then I cleaned his legs and feet. Once I finished doing that, I handed him washcloth.

"You'd better do the other areas."

"Nah, you can do them. Mommy always washes me there too."

I was hesitant, but after I had him stand up, I washed his genitals and butt quickly, and then I rinsed him off and had him get out of the tub. After I'd dried him, he put on his pajamas, and then he went out with me to join the other boys in the living room.

"I've got the movie 'E.T.' for you to watch next, and I'll start it before I go to take my shower."

"Can we have a drink first, cuz I'm thirsty?" Noah asked before I left.

"Sure, come out to the kitchen with me and I'll give you whatever you want."

Some wanted milk, others root beer, and I let them take their drinks back to the living room while they watched the movie. "Just be careful not to spill anything," I urged.

The boys seemed fine with that idea, so I went and showered quickly. Since I didn't have any pajamas, I slipped into some sweats instead, and then I went out to watch the rest of the movie with them. When it ended, I asked if they wanted another piece of chocolate cake, and of course they did, so I gave them each a slice and a glass of milk, while I had some cake as well.

I looked at the clock before I finished, and noticed it was 11:40, so I turned the TV to the channel that would show the ball dropping in Times Square, and then I handed each of them a cheap, plastic horn.

"What are these for?" Sam asked.

"We'll countdown to the New Year with the people on television, and then you can blow your horns to bring in the New Year."

It seems that they had never done this before, but they liked the idea. When the time came, we counted down from ten to one, and then they blew their horns and we wished each other a Happy New Year. About the same time, I heard some booms outside.

"What's that?" Gus wondered.

"I think one of my neighbors is setting off some fireworks. It's not legal in this state, but it seems he doesn't care."

"Can we go out and see it?" Glen wanted to know.

"Sure. Just slip something on your feet, put on your coats, and follow me out to the backyard."

We all did that quickly and made our way outside. We got there in time to see the last four rockets sail into the air and explode. It seemed that someone living on the street behind my house, the street I used when I turned left when I jogged alone, must have wanted to celebrate in his own way. The boys enjoyed watching the limited show, and then we rushed inside, since we were all starting to get cold.

Once we were inside and had taken off our coats and shoes again, I told the boys it was time for them to use the toilet and brush their teeth before getting into the sleeping bags. Gus and Sam had brought their toothbrushes in a sandwich bag, and none of the others noticed that Noah already had his toothbrush there already, but Glen hadn't brought one. I gave him one of the new ones I had in reserve, and after they'd all brushed their teeth and emptied their bladders, they went into the living room and crawled into their sleeping bags.

I grabbed a blanket and pillow off my bed and carried them into the living room with me, and after making sure the boys were ok, I said goodnight, turned off the lights, and made myself comfortable on the couch. It had been an unusual end to the old year and an exciting start to the new one.

Chapter 21
The Holiday Comes to an End.

I woke up over an hour before the boys. They didn't get up until it was nearly 10:00, and in the meantime I went out to the kitchen to whip up a large batch of pancake batter. I figured that would be a filling breakfast on a chilly winter morning, as well as something the boys would enjoy, so I was ready for them by the time they got up.

Once they were all awake and had used the toilet, I began making pancakes, as well as frying some bacon and sausage links to go with them. I had Noah get out the orange juice and start pouring each of us a glass, as I started putting pancakes on plates and asking the boys if they wanted bacon, sausage, or both.

I let them butter their own pancakes and add the syrup, although I had to help Glen, and then we sat down to eat together. "Last night was really fun," Gus stated with a mouthful of food. "I ain't never done nothin' like that before."

"Yeah, that was way better than what we usually do at home," Sam agreed.

"I always fell asleep before it was the New Year," Glen added, which caused the others to agree.

"Yeah, we did too," the other three confessed.

"Man, we did a lot yesterday," Sam continued. "We did one of our 'ventures first, played a bunch of different games, watched two movies, celebrated the New Year and even saw some fireworks."

"And we had pizza for lunch and sketti for supper," Glen added.

"Yes, I thought it was best to make sure you had lots to do so you didn't get bored," I agreed.

"I had a blast!" Gus stated, giving me a huge grin.

"It was the bestest New Year ever," Noah chimed in.

"I'm glad you boys enjoyed yourselves."

"What are we going to do now?" Noah followed, and then waited for me to answer.

"After you finish your breakfast, I figured we could watch some of the parades on TV next. We can do that until lunchtime, and then I'll take you boys home after you finish eating."

"Can't we stay longer and play more games?" Gus whined. "Mom said we didn't have to be home until before it got dark."

"We might be able to play a few games before I take you back."

"Good, let's do that!" they all agreed.

"And what's for lunch?" Glen followed. He was still eating breakfast and wasn't overweight by any means, but it seemed as if food was always on his mind.

"I planned on hot dogs and macaroni and cheese for lunch. Is that ok with you?"

"Yeah, I like that stuff."

I sat with the boys as we watched the parade and talked about the various floats and other things we saw, and when it ended I switched channels so we could watch the next one. When that parade ended I had the boys take off their pajamas and get dressed while I was fixing lunch. It was just about done when they came out to join me in the kitchen, so I had them sit down while I filled a plate for each of them. Then, we all ate together.

I had to make seconds for the boys and myself after we'd finished what was on our plates. Once we were all full, we rinsed off the dishes and I stacked them in the dishwasher before I asked the boys what they wanted to do next.

"Can we play Clue again?" Sam wanted to know.

"Sure, we can do that," I agreed.

"Can we play Go Fish too?" Glen followed.

"I suppose we can do that as well."

"Can we go outside and kick the soccer ball around after we do those things?" Noah chimed in.

"Sure, but let's play the games indoors first, so your food has time to settle in your tummies before you start running around," I suggested.

We played one game of Clue and two games of Go Fish, and then we got ready to go outside. I had anticipated we might do this, since Noah liked to kick the soccer ball around when he was with me, so I had the backyard set up already. On either side of the yard I had made goals we could aim at. They were merely two wooden pallets, with one laying on the ground and the other sticking up in the air, with supports holding them together and keeping the one pallet upright. I felt it was a good way to get Noah to learn how to kick at a goal.

"Ok, you can see the two goals, so this is what we'll do. Noah and I will go against the three of you. There won't be any goalies, and if you hit the goal with your kick then you score. Any questions?"

It was so simple that there were none, so we did that for the next hour before we decided to call it quits. When we went inside, I gave each boy a drink and let them catch their breath, and then I had them get their backpacks and make sure they'd put everything in them, including their pajamas, toothbrushes, and whatever else they'd brought. I gave Glen a sandwich bag for his toothbrush, so it wouldn't get dirty on the way home.

Once they had everything, I had the boys load into the car and I drove them home. I decided to walk them up to their apartments this time so I could say hello to their mothers and see if they'd had a good time the night before. I accompanied Gus and Glen to their apartment first, and Gus noticed the door was locked, so he knocked.

"Well, look who's here," Debbie teased when she saw us. "Come on in. Monica's here too, so you can drop them all off at once. Did you boys have a good time?"

"The best!" they chorused back, and then they told her about all of the different things we'd done.

"Wow! You sure kept them busy," she said with a grin. "I'm surprised you're still standing."

"Oh, it wasn't that bad. Did you girls have a good time too?"

"Oh, yeah. Cheryl was here with us and we polished off all three bottles of wine. We had a fun time and want to thank you for helping to make it happen."

"I'm glad I could help out."

"We might even agree to make this a regular routine," Monica chimed in from the background. Her comment got the boys cheering.

"Yeah, we'd like that," they all agreed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to create a problem," she apologized.

"No problem, and maybe we can work something out from time to time. I know it's nice to be able to have some time to yourself every now and then, and I don't mind helping you make it happen."

"Thanks. We appreciate that."

"Mommy, can I start going with them from now on?" Glen asked, and Debbie quickly looked up at me. I immediately knew what she was thinking.

"It's ok with me, because the boys all got along really well. He may have trouble with some of the mysteries, but I'm sure the other boys can help him through them."

"That would be nice, cuz it would give me one day a week to myself," she mused.

We talked for a little while longer, and then I excused myself so I could take Noah home. He gave me a strange look when I said that, so I hoped no one else had picked up on it. After we said goodbye to everyone, we headed out to the car, and as soon as we were inside, he spoke.

"You didn't really mean you were taking me home, did you?"

"No, it was just my way of letting them know I had to leave."

"Good. You had me worried, because I really need you to rub my penis again when we get back to the house. I almost took a bath Sunday night so you could do it when you washed me, but then I realized the other guys would know I could wash myself, so I didn't do it. I just did it to myself while I was taking my shower, but it wasn't as good as when you do it for me."

"I'm glad you didn't do anything to let the other boys know what we've been doing, so I'll do what you want when we get to the house."

That earned me a huge smile and a very enthusiastic thank you. He was actually bouncing in his seat in anticipation as I drove the final leg to get there. He had his seatbelt off and the car door open before I'd even turned off the engine, and he was standing at the door to the house before I got out of the car.

"Come on. Hurry up," he pleaded as I made my way to join him.

"Patience, grasshopper. Another minute or two won't make that much of a difference."

"Maybe not for you, but I can hardly wait."

I was hoping that if anyone was close enough to overhear our conversation that they would think he merely needed to use the toilet, so I quickly unlocked the door and led him inside. He sprinted to my bedroom and was completely undressed by the time I got there. I laughed as he turned and raced, bare-ass, and jumped on the bed. He rolled over onto his back and spread his legs as I moved beside him, his penis already starting to firm up. He sighed the second my hand came into contact with his genitals.

"Man, I really need this," he stated in a breathy whisper as I started stroking his penis.

I started out the way I normally did, using my thumb and two fingers, but then I realized his penis had grown enough that I could wrap my hand around it now. Since I felt he would enjoy that even more, I got off the bed and hurried to the bathroom to fetch something.

"Hey! Why are you stoppin' and where are you goin'?" he demanded, as he slipped back into dropping the final 'g' from a couple of words.

"I'm just going to get something and I'll be right back. Trust me, I think you're going to like this."

"Ok, but hurry."

I grabbed the baby oil from the medicine cabinet and squirted some into the palm of my right hand. When I returned to the bedroom, I sat down beside him again, but this time I wrapped my fist around his turgid member and began to stroke it.

"Whoa! That feels way better," he gasped after I'd done it for a few seconds.

"See, I told you it was worth the wait."

"Yeah, I want you to do it like this from now on."

I didn't have a problem with his request and slid my hand up and down on his shaft. The skin of my palm was causing a lot more friction than just my thumb and two fingers, especially on the bulbous head. Before long, Noah's hips were bouncing up and down on the mattress as I continued stroking his boyhood, and before long the watery strings of semen were erupting from the tiny opening.

As soon as the last of his semen had oozed from the opening, his butt hit the mattress again and he became still, except for the rising and falling of his slender chest. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he'd just run a race. Well, maybe he had – a race to cum.

After taking a minute to enjoy his release, he suddenly sat up, threw his arms around my neck, and gave me a big squeeze. "Thank you. That was even better than the other times you did it for me. I want you to do it like that from now on."

"Your wish is my command. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Yeah, I did, and I want you to do it the same way before I go to sleep later. You can do it like that when we wake up too."

"I think I can handle that. Just don't forget I'll be dropping you off at the trailer, because I have to work."

"Yeah, I know, but I still have tomorrow off."

"Yes, you lucky dog, so these three times will have to hold you over until next weekend."

"I'll do it to myself when I'm home, but do you think you could pick me up on Friday again?"

"Look, I don't want to keep cutting into the time you spend with your mother. She was nice enough to let you do it this weekend, but we shouldn't push it. I don't want to upset her and make her think that we're trying to push her out completely."

"Yeah, ok. I guess I can wait until Saturday then, but if you picked me up on Friday then we could do it when we got to your house, before we went to sleep, and before we went to pick up Gus and Sam."

"Yes, we could, but I think your mom wants to spend some time with you too."

"I know, so I'll do what you want."

Now that he had gotten his rocks off, he was ready to do something else. "Can I play with the car now? I couldn't do that when the other guys were here too."

"You could have, but you would have to let the other guys have a turn too. Right?"

"Yeah, I guess, but they might have wrecked it."

"Why would they do worse than you have?"

"Well, maybe just Glen, because he's a lot younger."

"Ok, you might be right about that, but we'll never know unless we give him a chance to try."

"Yeah, so maybe next time they stay overnight with us again."

Since we didn't have any plans to do anything like that in the near future, I guess it was his way of giving in without actually giving in, since he didn't feel it was ever going to happen. I didn't say anything, though, and merely got the RC car and carried it outside for him to play with. After I got him started, I watched for a while, and then I went inside to start getting things ready for dinner. I went outside again after I'd put it in the refrigerator and stayed with him until he was ready to stop. Once that happened, we took the car inside again, and I asked a question.

"Are you ready to go on our walk now?"

"Yeah, let's do that."

We made our way around the same route we always followed when we did this, with me walking at a brisk pace and Noah jogging beside me to keep up. When we got back to the house we got ready to take our shower next, but I put our dinner in the oven first, because that would take longer than it would for us to clean up.

Noah and I washed each other again, but I had to remind him that we had to hurry so our dinner didn't burn. After we got out, dried off, and got dressed, I went out to check on our meal while Noah was putting the car away. I'd just had him set in on the floor while we went for our walk, so while he was doing that, I took dinner out of the oven and dished it out.

When Noah came in to join me, I had our plates on the table, so he sat down and began to dig in to the various items on his plate. After doing that for a few seconds, he stopped, looked up, and spoke.

"Thanks for doing all that stuff with us this weekend. It was a lot of fun and we all had a really good time."

"It wasn't much, but I'm glad each of you enjoyed it."

"Yeah, it was a lot more fun than what we've done at home for the New Year, so I hope you'll let us do it again next year too."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be able to work something out." He smiled at my response and then shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth.

After we finished eating, we went into the living room and I looked through the cable guide to see what was on. Other than the college football games, I found the original 'Toy Story' was on, so I sat down on the sofa with Noah and we watched it together.

Since I'm older and hadn't been inclined to watch these types of movies before I started hanging around with Noah, they were mostly new to me too. Oh, I'd heard about them, because my co-workers would talk about seeing them with their children, and I'd seen the trailers on TV or heard them being talked about somewhere else, but I'd never actually seen them. To my surprise, I was enjoying watching these movies with Noah as well, but maybe I was enjoying his reactions to the movies more.

When it ended, Noah looked up at me and spoke. "Will you rub my penis for me again now?"

"Yes, I guess we can go to bed and do that. Just give me a minute to check the doors and turn off the lights, and then I'll be in to join you."

He seemed to be ok with that and raced off to the bedroom while I closed up the house for the night. I stopped in the bathroom to grab the baby oil again, and I found him spread-eagle on the bed waiting for me when I got there. I took a minute to get undressed first, before I joined him on the bed, and then I squirted a little baby oil into my palm and reached over to grasp his penis. He cooed when the flesh of my hand and the flesh on his shaft came into contact.

"Man, I love when you do this to me, but it's even better now, since you started using your hand, not just your fingers."

"And all this time I thought you hated doing this," I teased, causing his eyes to pop open.

"Oh, you're just teasing me, aren't you?" he sneered.

"Maybe a little," I agreed, and then he closed his eyes again and concentrated on the feelings coursing through his groin.

It took a little longer to get him off this time, although it looked as if he was enjoying it more, and when he spewed he grunted first, and then he started to purr as he relished the orgasmic bliss. I let him take his time and enjoy those feelings for as long as he wanted, although I still wiped the semen off his body.

As soon as he recuperated, he hopped up on his knees, wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a lengthy kiss. "Thanks for doing this with me, because it feels wonderful, and now I want to do it to you."

"I guess I can live with that," I teased as I tousled his hair and kissed him on the forehead before laying down.

Noah returned the favor and did an excellent job on me too. The stamina in his arms had improved greatly, and they didn't tire nearly as easily or quickly now, and sometimes he would wrap both of his small hands around my member as he jerked me off. Once I had emptied my balls and spewed my semen, we wiped up the mess and cuddled together in bed as we fell asleep.

Noah woke up before me again, since he was so eager about having me masturbate him again before I took him home. I did that for him first, and then we went out to the kitchen to have breakfast, and then we returned to the bedroom to get dressed so we could leave. After Noah grabbed his backpack and we loaded into the car, he turned to me and spoke.

"Thanks for letting me stay the whole weekend. I had a really good time, especially all the times you rubbed my penis for me."

"I hope you enjoyed more than just when I did that for you," I replied, trying to act hurt and shocked.

"Yeah, I did, but that was the best part."

I then drove him home and dropped him off at his trailer. Cheryl came to the door and waved before I took off, and then she and Noah went inside. Now, I was ready to return to work and the many tasks that the New Year held in store for me there.

Chapter 22
We Now Have One More.

I was really busy at work as my assistant and I tied up the end-of-the-year activities and then prepared to switch over to the new calendar year. I was exhausted by the time I returned home every night, so I didn't have time to prepare a mystery for the boys to solve as it neared the time for me to pick them up on the weekend. Instead of having nothing for them to do, I figured we could go on an impromptu adventure and I hurriedly planned it out in my mind while I was on my evening jog.

I had it roughly worked out by the time I got back to the house, and I worked on it a little more as I showered and got ready for bed. I thought I was pretty well set by the time I left to pick up the boys on Saturday morning, and this time there were four of them waiting for me, since Glen was now going to be part of the group. However, I had to stop them from getting into the car.

"Hold on a minute. We're going to do this adventure here at the park first, because we'll need more room than just my backyard."

"Ok, what are we gonna do then?" Noah quickly asked.

"This time we're going to be caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, so we'll have to avoid being caught and bitten by any of those creatures."

"Is this like the Walking Dead?" Gus asked very excited.

"Yes, it is, but I didn't think you boys would know about that show. You mean your mom lets you watch it?"

"Nah, I just heard the older kids talking about it on the bus and at school. I wish I could watch it, but I know my mom won't let me. This sounds like it's gonna be fun."

"Yeah, it does," the others agreed.

"Oh, no! They've spotted us and they're heading this way. Quick! Follow me," I said as I led them away from the car and into the park. We headed over to the building where the toilets were.

"Are we gonna go inside?" Sam asked.

"No, they'd trap us in there. I just wanted to use the building for cover, so they wouldn't see where we were going next."

From there I led the boys to the bushes at the rear of the park and had them crouch down behind the shrubbery. "I think we've lost them for now," I said in a whisper, "but we have to be really quiet."

I was just about to make some noise that I could claim had attracted the zombies again when one of the boys sneezed. "Damn, that certainly was bad timing. A couple of the zombies heard you sneeze and they're heading this way. Stay down and use the bushes to keep them from spotting you."

I then crawled along the ground behind the bushes until I got to the other end, with the boys mimicking my example and following my lead. I then made it look as if I was peeking around to see the other side of the bushes and then I spoke to the boys again.

"Follow me, but try not to make any noise." I said this just loud enough for them to hear.

I got up into a crouch, with the boys doing the same, and then we made a dash across the open area. I led them toward the playground equipment before we stopped. "Hide behind the merry-go-round for now, and maybe the zombies will get distracted by something else."

We stayed there for about a minute before we heard someone yelling out on the street behind us. A guy in a car was screaming at another guy walking on the sidewalk.

"Those idiots just drew the zombies in this direction again, so we'll have to find somewhere else to hide."

I led the boys to the play set and had them climb up to the tower, while I stayed on the platform lower down. "Be very quiet until they move on," I whispered, and the boys nodded that they understood.

A couple of minutes later, a car horn honked somewhere beyond the far end of the park. "Ok, that helped, because now they're moving toward the sound of the horn. As soon as they get far enough away we'll make a dash for the car. Maybe we'll be lucky and be able to drive off before they see us."

A few seconds later I told the boys to follow me and we climbed down from the play set and made our way over to the car. As soon as they were all inside, I drove off, telling the boys to make sure their windows were up so the zombies couldn't reach inside.

"Man, that was close," Noah said as we were driving away.

"Yes, it was, but there may be more zombies in other areas as well. I'm told this problem is happening all over the world."

As soon as I pulled the car into the driveway, I told the boys what we were going to do next. "There are some zombies coming down the street and heading this way after they saw us pass by. Follow me into the house and we'll hide inside until they're gone."

I unlocked the door as quickly as I could, but then I made it look as if I was lowering my shoulder and busting down the door. Once it was open, the boys followed me inside. "Did you just broke your own door?" Glen asked, looking at me oddly.

"No, I unlocked it. I just made it appear that way for the adventure."

"Oh, ok," he said as he gave a sigh of relief.

I then instructed the boys to follow me from room to room until we reached a spot where we couldn't be spotted. "This is so the zombies won't see us if they look through the windows. I'm hoping they'll get distracted by something else or think we went out another door so they'll move along."

After staying quiet and remaining still for a short time, I spoke again. "Ok, it's appears to be all clear now and the zombies have moved off. It looks like we'll be safe if we stay here for a while."

"That was fun," Glen squealed. "I'm glad I get to do this with you now."

"Yes, I'm glad too."

"What are we gonna do now?" Gus followed.

I was actually thinking about taking the boys swimming next, but I realized I couldn't do that yet, since Glen was with us. Therefore, I changed gears and came up with another idea.

"How would you boys like to go to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch? We can eat there, and they have lots of other things you can do afterward."

"Oh, yeah. That's a fun place," Noah quickly agreed.

"How do you know?" Sam followed, and then he waited for Noah to answer.

Seeing Noah looked as if he'd just stepped in a pile of poop, I answered for him. "I took him there once, and he had a really good time."

"Yeah, I did," Noah confirmed as he smiled at me. I took that as a silent thank you for bailing him out.

"Ok, let's do that then," Gus agreed, with the others adding their consent as well.

After our last trip there, I'd learned that I could download coupons from online sites and use them to save a little money. I quickly grabbed my laptop and did a Google search, and once I found what I was looking for, I printed out the appropriate coupons. Now that I had what I needed, I walked to the door and reached for the doorknob.

"Wait! Are you sure the zombies are gone?" Glen asked as I was about to open the door.

"Yes, it's safe to do this now," I confirmed, as I silently chuckled that he had taken this more seriously than I'd first imagined.

Once we'd loaded into the car, I drove over to the local Chuck E. Cheese and we went inside. I ordered two large pepperoni pizzas and a drink for each of us, and then I handed the cashier the appropriate coupons before paying. We then sat down to eat, and Noah began telling the boys about the various things here.

Fortuitously, a show started while we were eating, so the boys watched it as they ate the pizza and downed their drinks. As soon as they were done, I let them check out the animated figures next, and then I handed each of them twenty-five tokens. I told them to decide how they wanted to use them and then set them free, but I stayed close to Glen because he would need the most help.

After they had used up all the tokens I'd given them, I told them it was time for me to take them home. They didn't want to leave, but since there was nothing left for them to do they followed me out to the car. Each boy thanked me for taking them there during the ride back, and then they were busy talking with each other about the various things they'd enjoyed the most.

"Thanks, that was fun," Gus said as he got out of the car.

"Yeah, I've never been to Chuck E. Cheese before and I had a good time," Sam agreed.

"I did too, and thanks for letting me go too," Glen added.

"You're all welcome and I'll see you next Saturday. Oh, and Glen, I want to see your next report card too. Gus can explain it to you, if you still want to keep doing these things with us."

My statement elicited a shocked expression on his face before he answered. "Yeah, I want to keep doin' this with you, so I'll show you my report card too."

I wasn't sure if his initial reaction had meant that he hadn't heard about me telling the boys they had to keep their grades up, or maybe he was embarrassed about his grades. It was also possible that he was just surprised that he might not be able to come with us again if he didn't show it to me, but I imagine I'll find out why he reacted that way in due time.

I hadn't even traveled a block down the street yet when Noah spoke up. "You've got to rub my penis for me when we get to your house."

"You certainly aren't wasting any time, are you?"

"I need it bad, cuz you haven't done it to me since last Monday."

"No, it was actually Tuesday morning this time."

"Ok, but I wish you could do it for me every day, not just on the weekend."

"You know that's not possible."

"Yeah, so it's why we've got to do it as much as we can when I'm with you, so it will last me until the next time I'm here."

"I think that since I do it for you twice on Saturday, three times on Sunday, and again on Monday morning it should be enough to tide you over through the week."

"Yeah, but I still wish we could do it the other days too."

I had to rush to keep up with Noah once we got to the house, seeing he started to take off his clothes almost as soon as he got out of the car. It's a good thing he's wearing more garments now that it's winter, otherwise my neighbors might have seen a bare butt before I'd unlocked the door.

I'd barely gotten my coat off and hung it up before he was yelling and asking what was taking so long, because he was already naked and laying on the bed waiting for me to begin. I grabbed the baby oil before joining him and was squirting a little into my palm as I approached the bed. He sighed as I reached over, stroked his scrotum briefly, and then grasped his erect member.

Noah was moaning while I masturbated him, and it almost sounded as if he was purring like a kitten to let me know he approved of what I was doing. Once again I wrapped my hand around his shaft, rather than just using my thumb and two fingers, and he seemed to be enjoying this even more than usual. He had a look of contentment on his face as I was doing it, and his head was slowly rolling from side to side on the pillow. Eventually, I brought him over the edge and his body stiffened as his miniature fire hose released the precious fluids his body had just produced.

After he'd ejaculated and I'd drained his penis of the last few drops, he remained very still for a few seconds, as he swooned in his post-orgasmic bliss. While I waited for him to return to the land of the living again, I grabbed a couple of tissues and cleaned up his abdomen, and a few seconds later he opened his eyes.

"Man, that was the best one yet. I actually saw stars – well flashing lights when the stuff came out of my penis. It's always been good, but that's never happened before."

"I'm not sure why this time was any different than the other times, since I didn't really do anything different, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

As soon as he got dressed again, we went outside so Noah could play with the RC car for a while, and then we went out for our walk and showered before we had dinner. After we ate, we went into the living room to watch a movie, and then I masturbated him again before we went to sleep.

Noah had me masturbate him again as soon as we woke up the next morning, and then we had breakfast. Since Noah didn't have much homework this weekend, seeing he'd only been in school three days after getting back from the holiday, I let him watch TV. He wanted to go outside, but I felt it was too cold out yet and told him he should wait until it warmed up a bit. He didn't argue with me and went to watch cartoons instead, while I did other things. Gus' birthday was on Friday, so I wanted to do something special for him, and I spent the time trying to think of what we could do.

Noah wanted me to masturbate him again before lunch, and then we went out to kick the soccer ball around after we finished eating. He was doing better now, especially when I considered what he was like when we first started doing this. In fact, I was impressed when I saw him dribble around the other boys when we played a pick-up game when they stayed over on New Year's Eve. I was definitely willing to encourage and support him if he still wanted to go out for the school team in the fall.

Once we came inside again, I watched TV with him for a short time before we went out for a walk, showered, and ate. When we went in to see what was on TV, I found the movie 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest', so we settled in to watch that next.

"That reminded me of some of the adventures we did with you," Noah stated when the movie ended.

"Yes, we've had a couple that included pirates, and who knows, we may do something like that again."

He seemed to like the idea and was more than satisfied as we were getting ready for bed. Of course I had to masturbate him again before we went to sleep, and then he did the same thing to me. After we'd both cleaned up, we cuddled together as we fell asleep.

Noah had me masturbate him one final time before we ate breakfast and then I took him home. "Thanks for another fun weekend," he said as he was getting out of the car. "I love you, Brian, and I'll see you next Saturday."

"Ok, baby boy, and I love you too."

I spent the week at work, and once I got home each night I would spend the time thinking about what I could do this weekend with the boys, since I wanted to do something special for Gus' birthday. I came up with sort of a treasure hunt, since I felt Glen would enjoy that too, so now I just had to think of a way to pull it off.

I stopped to pick up a few things on my way home on Friday night, and then I spent the rest of the night hiding clues in preparation for doing this. By the time I was ready to turn in for the evening, I felt everything was set, so all I had to do was to get up a little earlier than usual so I'd beat the boys to the park.

When I woke up the next morning, I got dressed, fixed myself a little something to eat, and grabbed my coat and a few other items before heading out the door. Even though it was quite chilly out, I sat on our usual bench and waited for the boys to show up. Noah got there first, followed a minute later by the other three.

"How come you're waiting here, and not in the car?" Noah wondered as the other three were approaching.

"I was sitting in the car when I noticed there was a note attached to the bench, so I came over to see if it was important."

"What does it say?" they all chorused back.

"Here. You read it." I handed the note to Gus.

"It says, 'I've hidden a special surprise for you, but you'll have to follow the clues if you want to find it. I hope you don't go around in circles trying to figure it out'. Does anyone know what that means?"

"I think so," Sam answered. "The only thing that goes around in circles here is the merry-go-round." As soon as he said that, the boys went charging over to that location.

"I found another clue," Sam said holding it up. "This one says, ' Life is full of ups and downs, so I hope that doesn't stop you from finding the surprise'."

"The teeter totter," Noah squealed as he raced off in that direction. Before long he was holding up another clue.

"This one says, ' You've gotten this far, so I hope figuring this out won't drive you crazy, because you've got a long way to go'."

"Does that mean we hafta get in your car?" Glen asked, looking puzzled.

"I don't know, maybe we should go check to see if there's a note there."

We all jogged over to my car and the boys started looking around. "Hey, there's something under the windshield wiper on this side," Gus stated. "I'll let Glen get it, since he figured it out,"

Glen suddenly stood a little straighter as he walked over and pulled the note out from under the wiper blade. "Read it," the other boys urged.

"This one says, ' I hope you have the key and know how to use the car, because you've got miles to go before you solve this riddle'. Does that mean you have to drive us to your house?"

"I think that's exactly what it means."

We all hopped into the car and I drove them to the house. As soon as I pulled in the driveway, Glen asked another question. "Where do we look now?"

"I don't know, so just get out and see if you can find another note."

They all started walking around when Noah yelled out. "There a note on the door."

"Read it," the others urged as soon as he'd removed it.

"This one says, 'Everyone should have a goal, so what's yours?' I'm not sure what that means."

"What's the key word this time?" I responded.

"Probably goal," Gus answered.

"So what do you think it means?"

"How about the soccer goals that we used when we stayed here on New Year's Eve?" he suggested next.

"It's possible, so go look." They all sprinted to the closest goal.

"There's nothing here," Gus whined.

"How about the other goal?" Sam wondered, and the boys went racing there next.

"Yeah, here it is," Sam said holding it up. "It says, 'Just 100 years ago a little building behind the house would've been an outhouse, or an outdoor toilet. Is there one of those here?' Ewww, they really had those?"

"Yes, there hasn't always been indoor plumbing and toilets that you could flush," I answered.

"So what's it mean? You don't have one of those," Sam responded.

"But he's got a shed," Noah pointed out. "That's a little building too."

Noah then turned and bolted in that direction, with the other boys following. To my surprise and utter delight, he handed the note to Glen.

"You want me to read this?" Glen asked, and Noah nodded in response. "K, it says, 'If you're a heat seeking missile you'll know where to head next, just don't get burned'. So I guess we gotta go inside."

"Where's your furnace," Sam asked, so I showed him where it was, but there was nothing there. "Man, I thought I'd find the next clue here."

"Maybe it meant the stove," Gus suggested, so the boys all hustled out to the kitchen. Sure enough, the next clue was fastened to the handle on the over door. "This one's just a song. It says, 'Row, row, row your boat and it may get you closer to what you're looking for'. Do you have a boat, Brian?"

"I'm afraid not."

"But he's got a rowing machine in the equipment room," Noah offered as he took off in that direction. The others followed him, and before long he was reading the next note. "This one says, 'There's no boogeyman under the bed, but have you checked out any of his other hiding places?' Where else can we look?"

"Maybe the closet?" Sam said, not sounding convinced. He looked around and located the closet in the room, but he looked at me before he opened it.

"Go ahead, it's ok."

It was a bi-fold door and he pulled it open. "Hey, there's a cake on a tray in here. It says, 'Happy Birthday, Gus'. I guess this must be the surprise."

"Yes, it is, and Happy Birthday, Gus. We'll have the cake a little later, after we've eaten first."

"That was fun," Glen squealed. "And it was nice that you bought Gus a birthday cake. Mom made one for him that we had last night after supper."

"Then he'll get to celebrate twice, but he only turns twelve once." I said as I gave Gus a hug. "And since it's your birthday, you get to choose where we go eat lunch."

"Can we go to CiCi's? I like that place."

"We can, but don't you boys ever want something besides pizza?"

"Sometimes, but we really like pizza."

I was afraid he was going to pick something like this, but I told him it was his choice, so we put on our coats, hopped in the car, and I drove them there. It's a good thing it's a buffet, because the boys moved through the various selections like a swarm of locust, and I felt bad for anyone who came after we got there. Fortunately, the staff was busy replacing the items after we went back to the table to eat, so none of the other customers went hungry.

Each of the boys made multiple trips to get more, and once they were finally full, we went out and loaded into the car again. "I have something else for you to do next, but maybe we should wait a while before we go there."

"Why? What are we gonna do?" Gus wanted to know.

"Someplace you can have fun, but since you boys stuffed yourselves back there, I don't want you barfing all over the place." They were all giggling over my comment.

"I think we're ok, cuz sometimes we have P.E. after lunch at school," Gus eventually replied.

"And at my school we go out on the playground and run around after lunch," Glen added.

"Ok, but if any of you lose your lunch, then I'm leaving you there," I teased.

"No he won't. He's just joking," Noah quickly explained.

"I think you all know that I'd never leave any of you behind."

"So where are we going?" Sam pressed.

"Hang on and you'll soon find out."

I then drove over to 'The Bounce Palace'. "I've never been here before, so what kind of place is this?" Gus asked.

"You'll like it," Noah quickly chimed in. "Brian brought me here before, and it's fun."

After we went inside, the boys looked at the inflatable bounce houses and the little kids in the first area, and then Gus and Sam glanced over at me with confused expressions on their faces.

"This is only one of the areas here. Noah, why don't you take Gus and Sam to the Space Hoppers while I stay here with Glen. I think he'll enjoy this more, and I want you boys to stay there until I come get you."

"Ok, we can do that," they all agreed.

I took Glen into the first area and explained everything to him, and he opted to jump in the one filled with the balls first. I let him do that for a while as he played with the younger kids, and I was impressed that he was so good with them. He didn't try to show off, seeing he was older and bigger, and he was very careful around the other kids so he didn't hurt them. When he tired of doing that, he went into one of the other 'Bounce Houses' and jumped around with the kids in there next.

"That was fun," he said when he came out to join me again. "I've never done nothin' like that before, but I liked it. Thanks for bringin' me and lettin' me do this."

"You're welcome, but let's go meet up with the other boys now."

When we got there, the other three seemed to be having a good time bouncing around and crashing into one another, so we went in to join them. I had Glen grab one of the smaller Space Hoppers, and I took the largest one I could find and we began bouncing around with the others. After doing that for a while, I suggested we move on to the next area.

"Yeah, ok, but I liked doing that," Gus informed me.

"I'm glad, and I think you'll like the next area even more."

When we got to the trampolines, Sam and Gus were too old and too large to use the first area, so I told them to go to the next area with Noah, while I got Glen started in the first area. "Just let Noah show you some things first, and then you can do what he does."

Once they went inside, I led Glen over to the area for the smaller kids, and since they had two attendants, I let them explain how it worked to Glen. There were a few other children in there already, so he watched what they were doing and then he started mimicking their actions. He wasn't a daredevil like Noah, but he still seemed to be having a good time.

When he eventually got tired and came out to join me, I led him over to the other area next. We spent some time watching the other three bounce up and down, and then I asked Glen a question. "Do you want to go in and join them for a while?"

"Can I?"

"Yes, you're old enough to use this area too, and I think you were doing well enough to join the other boys."

"Ok. Thanks."

I was impressed that the others helped Glen when he was first getting started, and they taught him a few tricks that Noah had showed them before we arrived. I let them continue on for another half hour or more, and then I yelled to get their attention. "I think it's time to head back to the house."

There was some grumbling because they wanted to stay longer, but I reminded them about the cake waiting for us. "If you want to have a piece before I take you home, then we'd better get going."

That was enough to convince them, so they all put their shoes and coats on again and we left there. "That was fun!" Gus said as we were driving away. "Thanks for taking us there for my birthday."

"You're welcome, and I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"We did," the others chimed in.

When we got back to the house, I lit the candles on Gus' cake and we sang 'Happy Birthday' to him. After he blew out the candles, I let him cut the cake. "I've got chocolate and vanilla ice cream too, so just let me know what you want."

After I put a slice of cake on a plate for each boy, I ask them which ice cream they wanted and added that too. We all enjoyed this little treat, and I'd already planned on doing something similar for each of the other boys on their birthdays as well.

When Glen went to use the toilet, I whispered something to Gus. "You can tell your mom that I gave you a swimsuit for your birthday, but you decided to leave it here for now, since you'll only use it when you're with me. That way you can take it home sometimes too."

"Yeah, that works out great!"

When we finished, I took the boys home, and I let Gus take the rest of the cake with him. Noah told Gus to sit in the front seat this time, so no one would knock the cake off his lap. I would have to thank Noah for doing that later.

"Thanks for everything, cuz I had a really nice time," Gus said as he got out of the car.

"I'm glad, and just make sure you don't drop the cake on the way to your apartment."

"Don't worry. We'll make sure that doesn't happen," Sam quickly added, and I knew it meant he was hoping to have more cake too.

As I was driving back to the house with Noah, he looked at me and spoke. "Thanks for doing that for Gus, and for taking the rest of us too. I liked how you figured out how he could tell his mom about his swimsuit so he doesn't have to bring his shorts with him any more. Will you do that with Sam too?"

"Of course, and I'll probably end up buying one for Glen as well, and I'll just tell him it's an early birthday present."

"Yes, that's good. Now you just have to rub my penis for me when we get back."

The boy certainly has a one-track mind.

Chapter 23
Including Glen.

When I picked the boys up the following weekend, they all had their report cards for me to look at. This was the first time I'd seen Glen's report card and his grades were acceptable, but I was convinced he could do better.

"This is ok, but I know you're smarter than what your report card indicates, so I want to see some improvement by the next marking period. Maybe Gus can help you, or I can work with you after we do our adventure or mystery each week."

I think seeing his report card had answered my question about his initial reaction when I warned him I'd be doing this.

"Ok, I'll try to do better," he agreed.

"I know you will and I'm counting on it," I assured him as I gave him a hug.

"The rest of you all did better this time, and I'm proud of each of you. Thanks for buckling down and working harder. I'm very pleased and proud of each of you."

I gave the other three boys a hug, and they were all beaming. Glen still looked a little down, so I felt I should clarify the situation for him. "Don't worry, I'm not upset with you. I told these guys the same thing I just told you when I saw their report cards for the first time, and now you see they're all doing better, and I know you will do that as well."

He suddenly cracked a little smile. "Ok. I promise I'll do better next time."

"Don't be afraid to let me know if you need some help, because I'm willing to do that for you too."

"Ok, I'll tell ya if I need anything."

Once that was out of the way, we focused on the mystery I'd set up for today. It was a little easier than the ones I'd arranged previously for the other boys, but it was just so Glen could see how it worked. He'd participated in an adventure the first time he'd joined us, the zombie apocalypse adventure, and then he was there for the treasure hunt that I'd arranged for his brother's birthday, and now he was getting a chance to work on a mystery with us as well. This meant he had now done everything the others had when we were together, except for going swimming.

After I took the other boys home, Noah returned to spend the rest of the weekend with me. We pretty much did the same things as every other weekend, meaning watching TV together, Noah playing with the RC car, and me helping him with his schoolwork, but Noah also made sure that I masturbated him multiple times each day, along with one final time before I took him home on Monday morning. He was becoming a real horn dog.

Before I picked the boys up the following weekend, we had an intense snowstorm that started Thursday afternoon and didn't let up until just before lunch the following day. It had been severe enough to get the kids sent home early on Thursday, and classes were canceled on Friday as well, so I decided to do something special with them the next day. Before I went home Friday afternoon, I stopped at several stores until I found what I was looking for, and then I went home and planned how I was going to do this with the boys the following day.

When I met up with them at the park the next morning, the boys immediately began telling me about having the previous day off from school and that they'd had snowball fights at the park. They also said that they'd built a couple of snowmen and a snow fort at the park too, so they were hoping I'd do something there today, so we could utilize those items. However, I quickly explained that I had something else planned, so they hopped in the car and we took off.

I was pleased to see they were all dressed appropriately for the weather conditions, since they obviously felt we'd be doing something outside today, but they had no idea what. When they eventually noticed that I wasn't heading to the house, they all began asking where we were going.

"I have something special planned for today, so I hope you'll enjoy it."

"Why? What are we gonna do?" they basically all chorused back.

"You'll see shortly," I answered, hearing several groans in response.

"You always say that," Sam complained.

"Yeah, he does," Noah confirmed, but I didn't respond. Instead, I drove until I reached our destination.

"What are we doing at the state park?" Gus asked when he realized where we were.

"I have something special planned, so get out and I'll get the things we need out of the trunk."

They did as I asked, and I went back and opened the trunk so I could take out the two plastic sleds I'd put in there. I wanted to get more than two sleds, but these were all I could find this late in the winter.

"Is there a place we can ride on those?" Glen asked, since he'd never been here with us before.

"Yes. The other three know there's a good size hill here, because we passed it on the hikes we've taken before."

I then led them down the snow-covered trails to that location, and then we climbed the hill so they could sled down it. Since there were only two sleds, I felt they could pair up to do this and I'd just watch, but the boys didn't like that idea. They insisted that I go down the hill with them, so we had to figure out a way to make this happen. I suggested that we take turns with one person staying behind each time, but they came up with another idea.

"One of us can ride down with you, and then the rest of us will get on the other sled together," Sam stated.

"I'm not sure you'll all fit on the sled at the same time."

"We'll figure something out," Gus responded.

The boys agreed to let Noah go with me first, but I told them that we wouldn't do that until I was sure they could all go down together. That's when Gus laid face-down on the sled, with Sam laying on his back, and then Glen climbed on top of Sam. It didn't look very comfortable, but no one complained and Gus used his arms to get them started down the hill. When they reached the bottom, Noah and I went next.

We did that multiple times, but when Gus rode with me, the other three were able to sit on the sled together, with the two smaller boys sitting between the legs of the boy behind them. We continued sledding until we started to get too chilled, and then I made sure everyone brushed the snow off before we got in the car.

When we reached the house, I made lunch for all of us, which was their choice of chicken noodle or tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, and hot chocolate to drink. That not only filled them up, but it warmed them up as well. Once we finished eating, we rinsed everything off and placed it in the dishwasher, and then a short time after we were done with that, I took the other three boys home.

Noah returned with me, and we basically did the same things we'd done the previous weekend. That included me masturbating him several times before I took him home Monday morning, but we also spent plenty of quality time together.

The following workweek passed by quickly, and I was just about ready to go pick up the boys up again, when my tenant knocked on the door.

"Brian, I hope I'm not bothering you," he said after we'd exchanged greetings and I'd invited him inside. It was the first weekend in February, so I felt I knew what he was here for, but I listened just the same. "I wanted to catch you and give you the rent check before you left to pick up the boys, and I have something else to tell you."

It was apparent that he and his wife had seen me with the boys on at least one of the previous weekends. I hadn't been trying to keep it a secret, since we often did things in the backyard and Noah drove the RC car out on the street, so I didn't react. However, I was curious about the reason he had come over to speak with me.

"I wanted to let you know that my wife and I have agreed to start looking around for a three bedroom apartment. We love it here, but now that the kids are getting older it's becoming a hassle, especially with them sharing a bedroom. It will only get worse as they grow older, seeing they aren't the same gender, so we're going to start looking around to see what's available. I want to assure you that we don't have another place yet, but I wanted to make sure that we gave you plenty of notice, since you've been so good to us. I'll let you know when we have an exact date that we'll be moving, just as soon as we know ourselves."

"Thank you for telling me, and I want you to know that I'll miss you as well. You've been very good tenants, so if you need a letter of recommendation or anything else, just let me know."

Once that had been agreed to, we said goodbye and I took off to pick up the boys. They were all waiting for me at the park, as usual, and as soon as they spotted the car, they raced over and hopped inside. Glen wasn't with the other boys, so I wondered if there was a problem.

"Gus, where's your brother?"

"He was sick on Friday and stayed home from school, so Mom told him he couldn't go with us this weekend. She wanted him to stay home and get better, but she said it was also cuz she didn't want him giving the rest of you whatever he had."

"So you didn't get sick?"

"Nah, only Glen. Me and Mom were ok, and I think she felt he was fakin' it, cuz he didn't seem sick when I got home from school. That's why she wouldn't let him come today, even though Glen said he was feelin' better."

"That's very interesting."

During the ride to the house I tuned out what the boys were talking about, because my mind was elsewhere. I was thinking about what my tenant had told me earlier and wondered when he and his family would be moving out. My curiosity was also due to the fact that his announcement had given me an idea – I was considering inviting Cheryl and Noah to move in there.

I thought it might be a good idea, but I wanted to consider all of the extenuating factors first. I knew if I did this it would not only give me a chance to spend more time with Noah, but it might also present an array of problems and potential dangers. With Cheryl living right next door, there was a strong possibility that she might become aware of what Noah and I had been doing and then report me to the police. It was something I had to take into consideration before I made a final decision about doing this.

Even though I wanted to think about it some more, I had to focus on spending time with the boys instead. As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I asked a question. "Since Glen isn't with us today, I think this might be a good time to take you boys swimming again. What do you think about that idea?"

"Yeah, let's go swimming!" they all screamed.

We got out of the car and went into the house quickly, so we could get the things we needed to do this. I grabbed our swimsuits out of my dresser, while Noah and the other two retrieved towels from the linen closet. Noah grabbed one for me too, and then I placed everything into my gym bag.

"We've been waitin' to do this again, but we knew you would say 'no' cuz you hadn't taught Glen how to swim yet," Gus added.

"You're right. I wanted to wait until the state park opened again so I could teach him there, because the high school pool has been too crowded to do it when we've been there. However, this would be a good time for the rest of us to go, so let's get going, and we'll eat lunch after we finish up there."

"So there won't be any adventure or mystery today?" Noah wanted to know.

"Maybe we can do something when we get back, if there's enough time. But for now, let's head over to the high school."

The boys were eager to do this, so before long I was pulling into the high school parking lot. We hurried to the locker room to change first, and that's when I noticed a slight problem. "Gus, you've obviously grown a bit since we last did this, because your trunks almost look as if they're painted on you now."

"Yeah, they're really tight and kinda squeezing my nuts."

"If it's too uncomfortable we can wait and do this another time."

"No, I can stand it for today, cuz I want to do this."

"Ok, if you say so."

His swimsuit certainly didn't leave anything to the imagination, but it obviously wasn't presenting enough of a problem to keep him from doing this. When we got to the pool, there were only a few other people in the water, which confused me, so I went over to ask the gym teacher who was serving as lifeguard. He gave me a brief, but sufficient answer.

"There were a lot of people here the first few weeks, but hardly anyone has shown up since the new year began."

After I thanked him for that information, I suddenly had an idea. I was thinking that I might be able to bring Glen here and teach him how to swim now, seeing the pool wasn't so crowded, but then I realized the drawback to my scheme. He would need a swimsuit first, and Gus obviously needed a new one too, but it would be a couple more months before I'd be able to buy them at one of the local stores. After thinking about this a little more, I decided to order the swimsuits online and have them delivered to the house, and then I'd be able to start teaching Glen how to swim too.

I didn't mention this to the boys, however, and merely put them through their paces in the pool. After having them tread water and practice the 'dead man's' float for several minutes, I asked them to swim from the shallow end of the pool to the deep end, and then back again, so I could see how they were making out. I have to admit that I was quite impressed with how well they were all doing, and they were proud of themselves as well. At this point, I allowed them to do whatever they wanted, while I merely kept an eye on them.

After allowing the boys to swim for as long as they wanted, we returned to the locker room, stripped off our swimsuits, and took a quick shower to wash off the chlorine. I was amazed at how willingly the boys did this, and that no one made a big deal about being naked in front of each other and a couple of other boys who showed up before we finished. It also gave me a chance to see how much Gus and Sam had developed, and I was also able to compare them to Noah's increased maturity. There was no doubt that all three were in the throes of puberty and maturing nicely, and I was more than a little impressed by their current state of development.

When we finished showering and were all dressed again, I had the boys place their swimsuits in their towels before they rolled them up, and then I put everything in my gym bag so we could leave. I took the boys out to eat before we returned to the house, and then I asked them a question.

"I prepared a mystery for today, so do you want to do that now or would you prefer doing something else?"

"Let's do the mystery!" they all chorused back, so that's what we did.

It was another simple one, since I'd expected Glen would be with us again, but they didn't seem to mind. Once they solved it and we'd finished up for the day, I took Gus and Sam back their apartment building and dropped them off, saying that I'd see them again the following weekend. Noah and I then drove back to the house, even though the other pair thought I was dropping him off at his trailer.

As soon as we got back, Noah wanted me to masturbate him first, and then I let him take the RC car outside to play while I got online and ordered the swimsuits for Gus and Glen. Hopefully they'd arrive before Saturday so I could take them swimming, but if not I'd just have to find something else to do with them until the weekend after that.

Once I finished placing the order, I went outside to see what Noah was up to. He was still driving the car up and down the street, but he stopped shortly after he spotted me.

"Do you want to drive it for a while?"

"No, you can do that. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I was going to stop anyway, because I wanted to see what movies were on TV."

"Ok, we can do that too."

After we put the RC car away, I checked the cable guide and saw that the 2007 Transformers movie was on, so I asked Noah if he wanted to watch it. "Yeah, I think I heard the other kids talking about this movie before, so I want to see what it's about."

"I'm not surprised, because most kids seem to love it. In fact, there have been several Transformers movies made over the years, with the final one coming out last year."

"So there's more?"

"Yes, there are. If you enjoy this movie, then maybe I'll buy the Transformers collection so you can watch the rest of them as well."

We spent the next couple of hours watching the movie, and he seemed to enjoy it. He never asked if I was going to buy the rest of the series either, but it was something I was still planning to do. I probably wouldn't do it immediately, but I would definitely add this to my 'to do' list.

The rest of the weekend fell into the same routine as all of our prior weekends together. Noah had me masturbating him several more times over the next couple of days, and I spent half of Sunday helping him with his studies. He seemed to be even more determined to do better on his next report card, because he asked me to quiz him on the things he had been working on in school. I was happy to do it for him, and I was proud that he was doing this under his own volition.

When I dropped him off at the trailer on Monday morning, he thanked me, told me he loved me again, and said he'd see me next weekend. I told him I was looking forward to being with him again, and then I headed in to work.

It turned out to be a busy week at the office, although not overly eventful, and I was grateful when it finally came to an end. When I arrived home from work on Friday evening, I found a package outside my door. It was the swimsuits I'd ordered for Gus and Glen, so now I'd be able to take them swimming tomorrow. I just wondered how Glen was going to react when I informed him that I was ready to start teaching him how to swim.

I was excited for the rest of the night and couldn't wait to see how Glen reacted when I gave him his swimsuit. I planned it all out in my mind before I went to pick them up the next morning, because I wanted it to go smoothly.

As I was driving to the park, I wondered if Glen would be with the other boys today. I hoped last week was merely a fluke and he'd learned his lesson about pretending to be sick so he didn't have to go to school. I felt his mother's choice of punishment had probably been sufficient to convince him not to repeat his transgression, and I was glad to see he was waiting with the other three.

"What are we gonna do today?" Glen asked as he slid into the backseat between Gus and Sam.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better today," I said, hoping to see his reaction.

"Yeah, I'm better now. So what are we going to do?"

"Why don't you wait until we get to the house and then I'll explain it to everybody."

"He always says that," Noah chimed in, "and he won't tell you more, even if you tease him."

Noah's warning must have worked, because Glen didn't continue asking what we were going to do. As soon as we reached the house, I led the boys inside, grabbed the box sitting on the counter, and handed it to Glen.

"Here, these are for you and your brother. I told Gus I was going to buy him a swimsuit for his birthday, and I bought one for you too. Consider it a late birthday present."

"Why are you giving us these now? It's cold outside."

"It's so I can take you to the high school so we can use the pool there. I'm going to teach you how to swim."

"We're gonna do that now?" Glen asked amazed.

"Yes."

"But what about Noah and Sam? You didn't buy them a swimsuit."

"Yes, I did, and they're in my bedroom, so we'll have to go get them.

"So are we gonna change here?" Glen asked, looking slightly concerned.

"No, because it's too cold out to be doing that, especially on the way back, so we'll take what we need with us and change in the locker room at the school."

"Will there be other boys there too?"

"There might be, but we change in an area that's pretty isolated, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Ok."

I was somewhat surprised that he didn't argue about changing in front of the other boys, so maybe he'd already done that when they stayed together over the holidays. Of course, I had already seen him naked, when I gave him a bath on New Year's Eve, so we quickly got everything we needed, placed it in my gym bag, and headed out.

Once we got to the high school, the boys followed me to the locker room and we made our way to the section at the back. We quickly stripped out of our street clothes, put on our swimsuits, and were ready to head out to the pool. I was pleased to see there were only a couple of others there, and they were in the deep end.

"Ok, here's what we're going to do. After I describe to Glen what I want him to do, I want you three to do it first, so he can see how it's done."

"Like you had us do when we showed Gus and Sam how to swim," Noah stated when he realized what I meant.

"Exactly."

I then led the boys to the deeper part of the shallow end so Glen could practice squatting down and holding his breath underwater. He was a little scared about doing this at first, so he grabbed onto the leg of my swimsuit and held onto it as he was doing this. As soon as he gained a little more confidence, he let go of my swimsuit and repeated the process on his own.

Once he'd done that for a while, I took turns using each boy to demonstrate how I placed my hands under his midsection when I first taught him how to swim. Then I had each one kick his feet, and eventually use his arms to pull himself forward, so Glen would see how that worked too. Before I let Glen try those things, though, I had the other three boys swim to the deep end and then back again.

"Wow! They can really swim!" Glen squealed. "Will I be able to do that too?"

"In time, but not right away. You have a lot to learn before you'll be able to do that too."

I put Glen through his paces and told the other boys they could swim on their own while I worked with him. Since there weren't very many others in the pool at the time, I knew the lifeguard would be able to jump in if they encountered any problems. I certainly didn't want to hold them back while I was working with Glen, because he still had a lot to accomplish. Unfortunately, he also had a basic fear of the water as well, and I knew it would take a considerable amount of time for him to overcome that problem. Over the next couple of hours I worked solely with Glen, and when I felt we had done enough for his first outing, I informed the boys it was time to leave.

"How did I do?" Glen asked as we were getting out of the pool.

"You did fairly well, but I could tell you weren't comfortable being in the pool."

"Yeah, I was a little scared, cuz my mom always told us not to go in the water cuz we might drown. I guess I'm still kinda worried about that happening."

"Yeah, my mom had me a little scared about bein' in the water too," Gus admitted after overhearing my conversation with his brother. "I got over that when you started teachin' me how to swim, and Glen will get over it too."

"I'm sure he will," I agreed as we entered the locker room.

Once we'd stripped out of our swimsuits, we grabbed our towels and headed toward the shower.

"Hey! Where are ya goin'?" Glen asked. "You ain't got nothin' on."

"We're going to shower so we can rinse the chlorine off our bodies," I informed him.

"What's that?"

"It's a chemical they put in the water to kill bacteria, but it also leaves a slight odor and dries out the skin, so we always rinse it off before we get dressed."

To my surprise, Glen merely grabbed his towel and followed us, without using the towel to cover himself. There was a younger teenager in the shower when we first entered, but he left shortly after we showed up. That hadn't seemed to bother Glen either, so he was apparently becoming comfortable with being naked in front of us and others.

As soon as we finished rinsing off and dried our bodies, we got dressed and I led the boys out to the car. I decided we should eat before we headed to the house, so I asked the boys where they wanted to go. "Can we go to that place where we had the salads before?" Noah quickly asked.

"Do you mean Zaxbys?"

"Yeah, that's the place."

"I suppose we could, if it's ok with the other boys."

After I explained that Zaxbys had different types of chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, wings, and salads with chicken strips, the others agreed they would be willing to eat there too. Noah and I ordered the same salads we had the last time we were there, while Sam and Gus ordered sandwiches, and Glen had the chicken finger plate. None of us were able to finish everything, so we took the rest back to the house with us.

"We have time to do a quick adventure before I take you home if you want," I announced as we pulled into the driveway.

"Yeah, let's do that!" they all agreed.

"So what are we doin' this time?" Gus asked.

"I thought today you boys could be dragon riders. You can fly around the backyard as you patrol the kingdom and attack any enemies you see."

"But we don't have dragons to ride," Sam objected.

"Yes, you do. You have me."

I then squatted down and had Noah hop on my back, and then we went around the yard to patrol our kingdom. Whenever he pointed out an enemy patrol he'd spotted, I would swoop down and blast them with my fiery breath. When I finished doing this with Noah, I did the same with each of the other boys as well. To my amazement, Gus let the other boys ride on his back too, so there was only one boy who wasn't involved in our adventure at any time. When it was Gus' turn to ride on my back, Sam volunteered to take one of the others on his back, so it worked out fairly well. When we finished for the day, I thanked Gus and Sam for doing this.

After we went inside again, the boys decided to polish off the food we'd brought back with us, so I gave them each a drink as we sat down at the table. When we finished, I took Sam, Gus, and Glen home, and they let me know they were pleased with what we'd done.

Of course, Noah went back to the house with me and asked if I'd masturbate him as soon as we got inside. I did what he wanted, and then he chose to watch TV next, so I followed him to the living room so I could do it with him.

We only had a snack after we returned from our walk and showered, since we'd eaten twice earlier, and then we watched TV until it was time to turn in. Noah insisted that we masturbate each other before we went to sleep, and since I'd anticipated his request, I happily gave in. After we cleaned up, we cuddled together and fell asleep, content that we had our human teddy bears again.

Noah had me masturbate him several more times on Sunday, in between helping him with his schoolwork, and then he had me do it one final time on Monday morning, before I dropped him off at the trailer on my way to work. Another hectic weekend had come to an end.

Chapter 24
Happy Birthday, Noah!

The final two weekends in February and the first weekend in March went basically the same as the last one we'd spent together. I took the boys to the high school pool and let the older three swim on their own while I worked with Glen. He was slowly getting better, but I had to constantly encourage him to erase the fear his mother had instilled in him about drowning. I felt this problem would decrease over time as his ability increased, so I wasn't too worried about it.

After we finished up at the pool, we would stop to eat before going back to the house, and then I'd either have the boys solve a mystery or take part in a new adventure before I took them home. Once Noah and I returned after dropping the other boys off, he would immediately ask me to masturbate him, and I would end up doing it several times before I took him home on Monday morning. Our routine changed slightly, however, when I picked the boys up the second weekend in March.

I knew Noah's birthday was coming up and wanted to do something special to celebrate his special day. I also realized that I had to do as much for him as I'd done for Gus' birthday, at least while the other boys were with us, but I wanted to do even more after I'd taken the other three home. I just had to determine what I was going to do in both instances, but I would let Noah make some of the choices after I'd picked them up.

Since Noah's actual birthday was on a Thursday this year, I decided to celebrate it the weekend before. I felt he wouldn't be expecting me to do anything until the weekend after, so I thought this would totally surprise him. When I picked the boys up on that Saturday, I acted just like I had on every other Saturday and drove them to my house. As soon as I pulled into the driveway, Noah noticed something, since he was sitting in the front seat.

"Hey, what's the soccer goal doing in front of your door?" he asked, since the wooden pallets we used for that purpose weren't where they belonged.

"I don't know. Someone must have moved it after I left to pick you boys up. Will you help me move it back to where it belongs?"

They all agreed, so we got on either side on the pallets, lifted them and carried the goal back where it was supposed to be. "Did you leave the soccer ball out here?" Sam asked as he pointed at the ball once we'd set the goal down.

"No! As far as I knew it was still in the closet in the exercise room. I can't imagine how it got out here."

As the boys were looking around, Glen spoke up. "Hey, there's a window open in your house," he stated as he pointed in that direction.

"That's the window in the exercise room," I gasped.

"I bet somebody broke in there to get the ball," Gus announced.

"I don't know why they'd do that, but I hope they didn't take any of my exercise equipment. One of you grab the soccer ball and we'll put it back in the closet when I check to see if anything is missing."

Glen went over and picked up the ball, as I headed toward the door to let the boys inside. As soon as I closed it behind us, I headed to the equipment room to see if anything was missing. "Everything seems to be ok here, so I can't understand why someone would break in just to get the soccer ball. Glen, would you please put it back in the closet for me?"

"Yeah," he replied as he pulled one side of the bi-fold door back. After he put the ball where it belonged, we walked back to the other room.

"Hey, is this your sandwich and glass of milk?" Noah wondered as he pointed to the partially eaten sandwich and quarter glass of milk on the counter.

"No, that's not what I had for breakfast."

"How about last night?" Gus pressed.

"No, I wouldn't have left something like that out overnight."

"Then whoever broke in must have come in here to eat," Sam suggested.

"Maybe, but I hope he didn't take anything else. I have some special things in the fridge right now."

"I'll check," Noah offered as he went over and opened the door. After looking inside for a few seconds, he turned toward me and spoke.

"You did all of this, didn't you?" he stated with a half-smile, half-frown on his face.

"Why would you say that?"

"Cuz you wanted me to find my birthday cake in here, but it's not my birthday yet."

"No, it's Thursday, but I wanted to surprise you, and it wouldn't be much of a surprise after your birthday."

The other boys were all giggling, because they realized this had been the mystery that I'd set up for today. I wasn't sure if Noah would be the one to find the cake, or if one of the other boys would do it, but it didn't really matter. I only wanted him to be surprised when it was discovered.

"You're sneaky," Noah complained half-heartedly.

"Guilty as charged, and Happy Birthday! Do you feel a year older, now that you're twelve?"

"Nah, I feel the same."

"Ok, I was hoping you didn't feel too old, because I've got a special activity planned for today. Afterward you can choose where we go for lunch."

"So we're not going swimming today?"

"No, because I wanted to do something different for your birthday. And after we eat, we'll come back here for cake and ice cream before I take you guys home."

"Thanks, but where are we going?" Noah wondered.

"You'll find out in just a few minutes."

After getting back into the car, I drove over to the indoor kart track. "So this is what we're going to do?" Noah asked as I pulled into the lot and parked.

"Yes. Don't you want to do this?"

"Yeah, I do, but I couldn't believe you were taking us all here again."

"Yeah, this place is awesome," Gus concurred.

"You mean you've been here before?" Glen asked, looking confused.

"Yeah, Brian brought us here one time after we couldn't swim at the state park any more," Sam answered.

"And because it has an indoor track, we can do it today as well," I clarified.

Seeing the place had just opened for the day, there weren't very many people there, which worked out perfectly. Since the three older boys had all done this before, I let each one drive his own kart, but Glen was a different story. He was too short and too young to go by himself, so I took him with me. I let him sit on my lap so he could do some of the driving, but I operated the gas and brake pedals because he couldn't reach them. Once we were all set, we took our first spin around the track.

Shortly after we started, I told Glen he could steer the cart, but I kept one hand ready to grab the steering wheel if it appeared he was having trouble or doing something wrong. I only had to step in a couple of times, so for the most part I let him do the driving while we went around the track.

I had paid for us to do this more than once, so we continued going around the track until the employees finally signaled that our time was up. After we got out of the karts, the boys were smiling and fist-bumping with each other.

"That was fun," Glen announced during the celebration. "I can't wait until I'm big enough to go by myself like everyone else."

"Yeah, this was wicked awesome," his brother confirmed.

"Yeah, and thanks for bringing us here for my birthday," Noah chimed in.

"Yeah, thanks," the others all agreed.

"So where do you want to go for lunch?" I asked after we were all in the car.

"How about the Chinese place? We haven't done that for a while."

"It's fine with me, if the other three don't mind." As I looked in the backseat, I saw some confused expressions. "Do you boys like Chinese food?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know if I ever had it before," Sam answered.

"Us either," Gus and Glen confirmed.

"Don't worry, cuz I never had it before Brian took me there, but he found plenty of stuff I liked. He'll tell you what to take, and you can put some on your plate."

"So this is like CiCi's, where you help yourself?" Gus followed.

"Yes, it's a buffet, just like CiCi's," I confirmed.

"Ok, let's go there then," Gus offered, with the other two quickly agreeing.

After we got to the restaurant and I'd paid the required fee, I led them over to the buffet and helped them get a few things I thought they'd enjoy. That included a sampling of Sweet and Sour Chicken, Orange Chicken, and Sesame Chicken, an egg roll, a scoop of lo mein noodles, and a fortune cookie. Then, I led them over to a table so we could sit down and eat. A woman came over and asked what we wanted to drink, so we gave her our orders and she quickly brought the drinks to the table.

"How come there's no sauce on the sketti?" Glen asked.

"Because it's lo mein, not spaghetti. The Chinese actually made the noodles first, not the Italians. However, when Marco Polo brought them back to Italy after going on his trip to China, someone else decided to add the tomato sauce and created the spaghetti you like."

He seemed satisfied with the answer and the boys all began eating. "Noah was right. This is good," Gus stated with his mouth half-full.

"Yeah, I like it too," Sam added.

"Me too," Glen confirmed. "Even the stuff that isn't sketti."

I was glad that no one complained, because I didn't want to stop at another place to get them something else. They even went back to get a little more of the things they liked, and once we finished eating we returned to the house.

"Do you boys want your cake and ice cream now, or do you want to wait a while first?"

"How long before you have to take us home?" Sam wondered.

"I guess you can probably stay here a couple more hours before I have to do that."

"Then let's wait."

"Ok, so what do you want to do now?"

"Let's watch cartoons," Noah shouted, and the other boys quickly concurred with his suggestion.

I let them do that for the next hour, and during that time I took Noah's cake out of the refrigerator and placed the candles on it. I also got out everything we'd need to serve the cake and ice cream, and then I went in to join the boys for a while. They were all sitting on the sofa or laying on the floor, so I sat in the chair and watched them, rather than what was currently on the screen. I got a kick out of watching them laugh at the antics of the cartoon characters, and found it much more enjoyable than actually watching the show.

After doing this with them for a while, I made an announcement. "Ok, it's time to have the cake and ice cream now, so Noah please use the remote to turn off the TV."

He did as I asked, and I led the boys into the kitchen. I had the cake setting on the counter and quickly lit the candles. After leading the boys in singing Happy Birthday to Noah, I told him to make a wish and then blow out the candles. I also handed him the knife and let him cut the cake. After he put a slice on each small plate, I asked the boys which flavor of ice cream they wanted. Once everyone had what he wanted, I told them to dig in, and it took no time at all for them to clean off their plates. I think a couple of the boys even licked the plates when they were empty, because they didn't want to leave anything behind.

After we rinsed off the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher, I had the boys get ready to leave. I then drove Sam, Gus, and Glen back to their apartment building and said goodbye.

"Thanks, that was a blast," Sam stated as he was getting out of the car. "Happy Birthday, Noah."

"Yeah, thanks for doing that with us too," Gus and Glen agreed. "And Happy Birthday, Noah."

Noah had been sitting in the front seat with the left over cake on his lap, and once we were alone he turned toward me and spoke. "Why did you make me bring this?"

"Because I'd done the same thing with Gus, and I didn't want the other three asking questions about why I didn't give you the leftover cake."

"Oh, yeah. They don't know I go back with you."

"Now you're catching on." He merely looked at me and made a face.

Just as I expected, as soon as we got back to the house Noah announced that he wanted me to masturbate him again. I let him get undress and watched him climb onto the bed, and then I made another announcement. "Since it's your birthday weekend, I've got something else in mind for today."

"But I want you to rub my penis for me," he complained, not understanding.

"I think you'll enjoy this even more," I offered as reassuringly as I knew how. "Just trust me, and if you don't like it, then I'll do what you want afterward."

That seemed to placate him and overcame his objection, so I got on the bed beside him. I think his concern that I wasn't going to do what he wanted had kept him from getting an erection, so in an effort to correct that situation, I reached over and began to massage his scrotum and penis. Once it was standing tall and proud, I bent over, opened my mouth, and swallowed the entire shaft. Noah had closed his eyes while I'd been massaging his genitals, but suddenly both of his eyes shot open as he looked down to confirm what he was feeling.

"You've got my penis in your mouth!" he gasped, totally amazed. "Please don't bite it."

I lifted my head long enough to reassure him. "Don't worry, I would never do that."

"Doesn't it taste like pee?"

"It would only taste like that if you didn't shake it off after you last used the bathroom, or if you just peed your pants," I said lifting up again. "Didn't you suck your thumb when you were younger."

"Yeah, but that was different."

"Not really, and it tastes about the same."

After saying this, I resumed my effort of bobbing up and down on his miniature spike. It was probably about 3.5 inches erect now [9 cm], so there was definitely enough to work with. I continued to raise and lower my head over it, while using my lips and tongue for additional stimulation. After a couple of minutes of this effort, his body stiffened, he released a muffled grunt, as his watery ejaculate shot into my mouth. I continued working on him even after I'd drained the last of his cum, and then I finally let his penis fall from between my lips. I concentrated on looking at his face while I waited for him to recover.

"Man, that was incredible," Noah gasped a few seconds later. He also hopped onto his knees so he could give me a hug. "I thought it was great when you rubbed it, but that was even better!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, and Happy Birthday."

"Thanks, but did you swallow that stuff too?"

"I did."

"And you didn't mind?"

"No, not at all. Haven't you ever tasted it before?"

"Nah, I didn't think I should."

"Well, the next time you do get off at home, give it a try and see what you think."

"Why? What's it taste like."

"Everyone's semen tastes different, but I'd say yours is sweet – kind of like a mild honey."

"Really?"

"Would I lie to you?"

"Nope."

"Then give it a try."

"Ok, I'll do that the next time I rub my penis, but I want you to do it to me this way from now on."

"I will, if that's what you want, but we could always switch back and forth too."

"Yeah, but I'd rather have you do it like this from now on."

After Noah got dressed again, we went out for our walk. It was a little on the chilly side, which only encouraged us too move faster, and when we got back to the house we took our shower. Once we'd dried off and we were getting dressed again, I told Noah to put on a nice outfit, because I was going to take him out for dinner.

"You aren't gonna fix something here, like you usually do?" he asked, looking at me confused.

"No, it's your birthday, so I want to take you someplace nice."

"But you did that earlier, for lunch."

"But that was for all of you boys. This will be just the two of us."

Once he got over the shock, we got dressed and I took him to a steakhouse. I knew this would be a special treat for him, and since he'd never done anything like this before, I told him to let me order. I ordered us both a filet mignon, baked potato, and side salad.

"Hey, this is really good, and it's easy to chew too. Thanks."

"You're welcome, and I'm glad you enjoy it."

He tore through the first half of the steak, but slowed down after that. He ended up taking the other half home with him, and I told him I'd warm it up for him to have at lunch the next day. We didn't get dessert, because we had a lot of leftover cake and ice cream at home, so I merely paid the bill and we left.

"Thanks, that was really nice. I liked it being just the two of us."

When we returned to the house, he went to the living room, while I made a detour and took a few seconds to grab something out of my dresser. Once we were sitting on the sofa, I handed him the package I'd just retrieved.

"What's this?"

"Open it and find out. It's your birthday present from me."

Without hesitation, he ripped the wrapping paper off of the package and stared at it. "Is this the movie we watched before?"

"That movie is included in there too, but it's the complete set of all of the Transformers movies."

"Really? Can we watch the next one now?"

"Sure, I don't have a problem with doing that. You can also leave the DVDs here if you want, or you can take them home with you," I said as I was loading the disk into the DVD player. "They're yours, and you can do whatever you want with them."

"I'll leave them here, because we don't have nothing to play them on at home."

"That's fine, but you can always change your mind later, if your mom gets a DVD player." Unfortunately, the inexpensive laptop I'd bought the boys didn't have a DVD drive either, so this would do for now.

After we finished watching the movie, it was time to go to bed. After we went through our nightly ministrations, we headed to the bedroom and Noah made an announcement.

"I want you to do it with your mouth again before I go to sleep," Noah stated as he was getting undressed. "What am I s'pose to call it?"

"Technically it's oral sex, but you might hear the other kids talking about blow jobs or sucking cock."

"So what do you want me to call it?"

"You can either say you want me to do it orally or you want to be sucked off. Either one will be ok."

By the time I finished answering him, he was naked and sprawled out on the bed. This time I crawled between his legs, and as soon as I was in position I flicked my tongue out and used it to stimulate his scrotum, similar to what I'd done previously with my hand. I eventually took his entire ball sack into my mouth and continued to run my tongue around the wrinkled flesh before I released it again and moved up to his penis, which was now fully erect.

After licking my way up the shaft and swirling my tongue around the bulbous head, I was ready to do what he wanted. Noah was cooing and purring from my ministrations, which indicated he was enjoying the attention, as I placed my head over his dickhead and took his penis into my mouth. When I began nodding up and down on it, I made sure my lips were caressing the outer surface, while my tongue did its own delicate dance at the same time.

At this point, Noah's hips began bouncing up and down on the mattress as he attempted to control the pace at which I was bringing him off. He continued to do this for a couple of minutes before he rammed his penis into my mouth and froze in place, as his semen exploded onto my tongue. After a handful of spurts he started bucking his hips up and down again, but only briefly before his backside collapsed on the bed and he remained totally motionless, except for his heaving chest.

I watched him lying there for the next couple of minutes and noticed the peaceful, satisfied expression on his face. Other than his slightly messed up hair, he looked like a little angel as he recovered from his orgasm.

When he'd recuperated, he looked over at me and smiled. "Thank you. That was really great, but now I've got to do something for you. Do you want me to use my mouth too?"

"I don't know if you're ready to do that yet. I don't want you to feel as if you have to do something because I did it, so why don't you just do it the way you normally do."

He agreed to my suggestion and used both hands to masturbate me, and after I'd ejaculated and cleaned up the mess, we cuddled together and fell asleep. I'm not sure why neither of us put anything on when we finished, because we didn't discuss it, but we slept naked this time, even though it was still winter. I guess our body heat trapped under the covers was enough to keep us warm.

When we woke up Sunday morning, Noah wanted me to suck him off again before we ate breakfast, and then he watched cartoons for a while as I was doing some chores. When those tasks were done, we worked on some of his school work until noon, and then I heated up his leftover steak, made a few French fries for both of us, and fixed myself a sandwich. We had more cake and ice cream after we finished the main course, and then Noah wanted me to suck him off again after that.

As soon as he'd enjoyed another release, he wanted to watch the next Transformers movie, so I sat down and did it with him. When that ended, he went outside to play with the RC car until we went for our walk. After we returned, we showered and changed, and then Noah went to see what was on TV, while I went out to fix something for dinner.

After we ate, Noah wanted to watch another Transformers movie before we went to bed, so we sat down on the sofa so he could lean against me. Eventually, he shifted his position and rested his head on my leg, all without taking his eyes off the screen.

When the movie ended, we headed to the bedroom and went through our nightly ritual. Noah masturbated me after I'd sucked him off again. I had a feeling he'd toyed with the idea of trying to suck me off, because his head seemed to draw closer to my penis this time, but then he just did what he usually did with me on the weekend. Once we'd both enjoyed an orgasm, I kissed him and wished him Happy Birthday again as we cuddled together and fell asleep.

Noah wanted me to suck him off again when we woke up, and then we had breakfast quickly before we got dressed and hopped into the car.

"Thanks for the great birthday weekend and both birthday presents you gave me," he said when I pulled up in front of the trailer.

"Both presents? I only gave you the DVDs."

"And using your mouth instead of your hand. That was a special present too."

I could only smile and nod my head as he got out of the car and walked up the steps to his trailer. His mother was waiting for him at the door, and she waved at me as I was pulling away.

Chapter 25
Out With the Old.

When I got home after work on Monday, my neighbor came over to speak with me. "I just wanted to let you know that my wife and I found a three bedroom apartment that we like, and it will be available on April first. I hope that won't be a problem."

"No, you've given me more than sufficient notice, but I'll be sorry to see you go. You've been very good tenants."

"And we hate to leave too, because you've been great to us as well. You've been there every time we needed something, and we enjoy watching you with the boys. We were even hoping you might include our son when he got a little older, because the boys seem to be having a really good time when they're with you."

"I appreciate that, and I would have enjoyed working with your son as well, although these boys will be considerably older when your son gets to be their age."

"I realize that, but you might come up with a whole new group of boys by then, because you seem to enjoy spending time with them too."

"Yes, I'll admit they make me feel young again and I like being with them."

"You'll make a great dad someday."

"Maybe, but it won't be happening right away." Hell, I didn't even have a boyfriend at the moment, but I had thought about adopting if I ever got married. Now that gay marriage is legal in all fifty states, it's no longer such a far fetched idea to consider adopting. "Let me know if you need anything, because I'll be happy to lend a hand."

"Thanks, but I think we've got it covered. We'll make sure we leave the place in good shape too."

"Let me know when you're ready for me to come over and check it out, because I'll probably be able to give you back your security deposit before you leave for good."

"Thanks. I'll do that."

My conversation with the tenant got me thinking about what I was going to do with the apartment once they were gone. I'd love to have Noah and his mom move in, but would that be a good idea? Would I just be setting myself up for a confrontation with Cheryl over what I've been doing with Noah, or possibly something even worse, like going to jail? Although my heart was urging me to offer the place to Cheryl and Noah, my brain was screaming it was a bad idea.

I spent the rest of the workweek considering this dilemma whenever I wasn't focused on anything else. I realized that if Noah lived next door there'd be a chance our activities could be discovered. We'd been careful so far, and we could take extra precautions if they lived on the other side, but would it be enough? If they were going to move in, I'd have to explain the situation to Noah and emphasize the fact that he couldn't do or say anything that might get me in trouble. If that happened, there would be a good chance we'd never see each other again. Since I couldn't stop thinking about doing this, I guess it meant I really wanted it to happen – even more than I was concerned about any negative repercussions.

I hadn't made up my mind by the time I left to pick up the boys that weekend, so I put it out of mind for the time being and focused on the adventure/mystery I had planned for today. I would do my best to make sure the boys enjoyed their time with me, but I was also tempted to mention the idea to Noah after I took the other boys home.

As usual, the boys were waiting for me at the park, and they were talking excitedly as they got in the car. "Hi, guys. What's up?" I asked, seeing they were so preoccupied with their conversation.

"The cops found a dead body in the trailer park this morning," Noah explained. "It wasn't near where I live. It was on the other side of the trailer park, but I saw the police cars and ambulance go by. One of the guys over where it happened looked out his window and saw the body, so he called the cops. One of the older boys that lives near me went over to see what he could find out, and then he told the rest of us what he heard."

"That's awful. Did the person live in the trailer park, and do they know how the person died?"

"Yeah, they said he lived near there, and he was stabbed," Gus answered this time.

"I hope that doesn't happen often in the trailer park."

"It's happened a couple of times since we've lived there," Noah explained. "One guy was shot and the other one was hit by a car, but they said it wasn't an accident."

"You mean someone ran him down intentionally? Damn, it sounds like the trailer park is a dangerous place."

"Sometimes it is," Noah agreed.

We continued talking about this until we reached the house, and the discussion was helping me make up my mind. No matter how dangerous it might be for me to have Noah living next door, it was far too dangerous to leave him where he was. I'd have to talk to Cheryl about this as soon as the tenants moved out, but for now I had to explain the adventure/mystery to the boys.

"This time you're going to look for the remains of a lost settlement. A group of pioneers headed out to this area to make a new life for themselves, but they were never seen or heard from again. No one was even sure where they ended up, so I want you to look around for clues and see if you can find out anything about what happened to them."

I'd already seeded one section of the back yard for this purpose, and I borrowed a few items that I knew were tucked away in storage where I work in order to pull it off. When our company first moved into the old factory building, the crew getting it ready for our use found a number of items that had been left behind by the previous occupants. Although these articles weren't nearly as old as the time period we were supposedly investigating, I knew hey were definitely old enough that the boys wouldn't notice the difference. Now that I'd finished explaining everything, the boys took off in different directions looking for clues.

"Hey, I found an old bottle," Glen stated as he held it up for us to see.

"It looks like an old fashion bottle that would have been used to hold medicine," I explained. It was something I assumed had been found in the old infirmary at the factory, where the previous owners treated all of the on-the-job injuries.

"Look what I found!" Sam shouted as he held up another object.

"That's an old fashion saw that they could have used to build their houses."

Over the next few minutes, the boys found an old fashion metal iron, a rusty horseshoe, and the head off an old pickaxe, but we still didn't know what had happened to the people.

"Hey, I found something too, but I don't want to touch it," Gus shouted next. He was standing about five feet away from us and pointing at something on the ground.

The rest of us walked over to see what he'd discovered, although I already knew. It was a ceramic skull I'd picked up for Halloween a couple of years before, and I'd partially buried it for today. "It looks like that's why they were never heard from again. They must have died or been killed," I stated as I examined the skull.

"And this might be what was used to kill him," Noah stated as he pointed at something else.

When I went to investigate, it was the toy tomahawk I'd left there, and then the other boys pointed out some toy arrows I'd left laying around as well. After removing the rubber tips, I sharpened them to a point before dabbing some red paint on each one, to make them appear as if they'd been used to murder someone. None of them looked old, but that didn't seem to matter to the boys.

"Yes, I suppose you're right. It appears the settlers must have been trying to move onto land already claimed by someone else and this was how the disagreement ended."

Now that we'd finished our little adventure/mystery, I took the boys out for lunch, and then I dropped the other three off at their building. When Noah and I returned to the house, I pulled him aside to discuss what had happened earlier.

"Is the trailer park getting to be a dangerous place?"

"Sometimes. It's kind of the reason I don't play with the other kids, because they just like to fight, so I go to the park instead. Sometimes they hurt other people, but they don't kill 'em."

"I see. Has your mom ever talked about moving out of there?"

"Yeah, but she says she can't afford to do that. She thought about moving into the building where Sam and Gus live, but she says that's not much better, so we just stayed where we are."

"Maybe I can do something to help out, but I'll have to talk it over with your mom first."

"Yeah, that would be good, but will you suck my penis now?"

I was surprised at how casually he brushed aside my offer and moved on to something else. "Nothing like changing topics at the drop of a hat. You sure have a one-track mind."

"I thought we were done talking about the other stuff, and I really want you to do it to me now. You always make me feel really good when you do it."

"I know, and I can do that, if you want."

Noah practically raced to my bedroom and was naked by the time I joined him. I never understood why he always got completely undressed, because he would only have had to lower his pants and underwear for me to do this. However, since he was already naked I decided to take advantage of that fact today and try something new. As soon as I got on the bed beside him, I lowered my head over his chest, flicked out my tongue, and attacked his nipple first.

"Hey! Why are you doing that to my titty? I want you to suck my penis."

"This is just something else that can make you feel good too, so I wanted to see how you liked it. I'll still suck your penis after I do this, but I want to work my way down there this time."

"K, but don't take too long, cuz I really need to shoot that stuff."

"Don't worry. I'll get there fairly soon."

I then toyed with each of his nipples and got the tiny nubs to firm up, probably for the very first time. He was cooing and sighing as I was doing this. "Are you glad I tried this with you?"

"Yeah, if feels good too, but I still want you to suck my penis."

"In a minute or two," I agreed, and then I kissed and licked my way down his abdomen.

He began to squirm and giggle when I stuck my tongue into his navel and began to swirl it around, but I only did that for a short time before I got up and moved between his legs. After using my hands to spread his legs farther apart, I started working on his little scrotum next.

I licked the surface and used my tongue to massage the entire area first, and then I took his sac into my mouth and used my tongue to gently move its contents from side-to-side. After doing that for a short time, I let his scrotum fall from between my lips and ran my tongue up and down the length of his shaft, which was proudly jutting out from his groin. When I finally worked my way up to the bulbous head, I opened my mouth, lowered it over his erection, sealed my lips against the shaft, and slowly began to bob up and down on it. This elicited moans of satisfaction in response, as Noah's head lolled from side-to-side on the pillow.

I only ended up working on him for a little over a minute before his hips began to bounce up and down on the mattress and he took over setting the pace of what I was doing. A minute after that, his body stiffened and I heard him grunt as the volleys of his watery seed shot into my mouth. I nodded up and down on his penis a few more times after that happened, and then I let his penis slide from between my lips, and watched it come to rest on his belly.

After I got off the bed, I stood up and watched Noah's chest rise and fall as his breathing slowly returned to normal, and eventually his eyes opened as a big smile formed on his lips. "Thanks, that was great. I even liked what you did to my titties too, but it's just that I'd never had it done to me before."

"I know, and I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Now that he'd gotten his rocks off, Noah wanted to watch the next Transformers movie, so I did it with him. He leaned against me as we did this, and I got a kick out of how his body shook when he giggled, trembled slightly when he got scared, and how he clung to my arm when he was totally frightened. When the movie ended, we decided to go out for our walk.

Noah was building his stamina from jogging next to me as I walked, and when we returned to the house we showered quickly before he went outside to play with the RC car while I fixed dinner. After we ate, Noah had me suck him off again, and then we played cards until he decided he wanted to see what was on TV.

When it was time to go to bed, we went through our nightly ritual first, and then Noah asked me to suck him off again. After he'd busted a nut, we cuddled together and fell asleep, content to hold each other as we slept.

Sunday was a fairly typical day for us, in that Noah asked me to suck him off as soon as we woke up, and then I helped him with his schoolwork after we finished breakfast. He didn't have a lot of homework, so I quizzed him about the topics he'd been studying in class, and then I let him watch cartoons for a while. He did that until it was time for lunch, and after we finished, Noah asked me to suck him off again.

Seeing he got totally naked again, I repeated everything I'd done to him the previous afternoon, starting with his nipples and working my way down from there. He seemed to enjoy it just as much as last time, and shortly after he'd ejaculated, we went out to watch a movie on TV. It was the 2011 Green Hornet movie starring Seth Rogen and Jay Chou, and he seemed to enjoy that too.

When the movie ended, we went out for our walk and showered when we got back, and then Noah took the RC car outside again while I fixed dinner. Almost as soon as we finished eating, Noah asked me to suck him off again, and then we watched TV until it was time to go through our nightly ministrations. Once we were in bed, Noah wanted me to suck him off one more time, and then we cuddled together and fell asleep.

When we woke up Monday morning, Noah had me suck him off for the final time before we went out to have breakfast. After we ate, we got dressed and I made sure he had everything he needed before I took him home. I waved at Cheryl when she opened the door to let Noah in, and then I headed into work.

Since my tenant had said that the new apartment would be ready for them in April, I expected they would probably be moving this coming weekend. I wasn't sure if they'd do it on Saturday, Sunday, or possibly both days, but they would most likely be gone by the time I took Noah home on Monday morning. I didn't know when the tenant might ask me to check the apartment so I could give him back his security deposit, but it wasn't a big deal. I'd do it whenever he was ready.

Throughout the week I continued to think about how I was going to handle the situation with the apartment. Depending on when the tenants were totally out, I was hoping to bring Cheryl over to see it and find out if she was interested in moving in. I could only offer her the opportunity, but I couldn't make the decision for her. She would have to do that after determining what would be best for her and Noah. This was on my mind throughout the week, as I continued to wonder how she was going to react and what she'd decide to do.

When I left to pick the boys up the following Saturday, I didn't see the tenant's car in the driveway, which was unusual. They didn't usually go out this early on the weekend, so I concluded they must be getting ready to move. Maybe they'd taken the kids to a relative or a sitter so they would both be free to move their belongings, but that was just a guess on my part. I quickly put the thought out of my mind, got in the car, and drove over to meet the boys.

They were waiting for me as usual and quickly hopped in the car. When we got back to the house, there was a rental truck in the other driveway, along with several cars. "Hey! What's goin' on?" Gus asked when he saw all of the vehicles.

"My tenants are moving out, and it looks as if they have plenty of help."

"Why are they moving?" Glen wanted to know.

"The apartment only has two bedrooms, and now that they have a son and a daughter they've decided they need a larger place."

"So what are you gonna do with the apartment now?" Sam followed.

"I'll have it cleaned and painted, because they've lived there for a few years, and then I'll have to find someone else to rent it."

I could see the boys furtively glancing at one another, as well as looking at Noah. He turned to look at them as well, so I wondered if they all had the same idea about possibly moving in there. No one said anything, though, possibly because I made it sound as if it would be a while before it would be available, but I could almost see the wheels turning in their heads. No matter how much the other three might be interested in doing this, I knew Debbie and Monica wouldn't be able to move in next door. Neither of them had a car, and there's no public transportation this far out, so they would have trouble getting around. I still felt their sons were hoping it might happen, though, but I was fairly certain it never would.

Although I filled them in about today's mystery and they went through the motions of solving it, I could tell they were all distracted and their minds weren't focused on what they were doing. I think each of them was imagining what it would be like to live on the other side of my house, since I'd told them before that it was basically a mirror image of my side. I didn't have to ask to discover that they all thought my place was a lot nicer than where they lived.

Once we were done with the mystery, I took the boys out for lunch, and then I took the other three home. After they thanked me and said goodbye, they raced inside, so I thought it meant they were in a hurry to confront their mothers about possibly moving. Noah and I went back to the house, and during the trip he said something to me.

"I know you said you were gonna talk to my mom about living next door to you, but I think the other guys are hoping they can move in there instead."

"Did you tell them that I was going to talk to your mother about moving in?"

"Nah. I won't do that unless she thinks we can afford to move. Are you ready to suck my penis now?"

"I think you're train just jumped the tracks again, judging by that sudden shift in topics."

"Huh?"

"I was talking about you possibly moving in next door, and you suddenly jumped to asking me to suck your penis."

"Oh, but I've been thinking about having you do it ever since you picked us up at the park."

"I'm sure you have, so let's go take care of that before you explode."

"I'm gonna explode?"

"Seeing how eager you are about having me do it, I was afraid your semen would explode out of your penis before I did anything to it."

"No, silly. That never happens."

"Maybe not yet, but you might find it happening some day."

"Really?"

"Yes. If something gets you really excited you might shoot in your underwear without even touching your penis. Or you could have a really sexy dream one night and have it happen while you're sleeping. That's called a nocturnal emission or a wet dream."

"Ewww, I hope that never happens to me."

"It might, so be prepared."

"Ok, but suck me now so that won't happen later."

Like I said, the boy definitely had a one track mind, so I did what he wanted. Not only then, but I did it after dinner and before we went to bed too.

When I woke up on Sunday, I didn't even have a chance to say good morning to Noah before he ask me to suck him off, but I was ready for him to ask. As soon as he popped the question, I kept my mouth shut, teeth clamped together, and responded.

"I don't think I can do that today," I said without opening my mouth. "There's something wrong. I think I've got lockjaw."

"You mean you can't suck my penis today?"

"I don't see how, if I can't open my mouth," I replied, keeping my jaws locked tightly together.

"Then just rub it for me," he replied, only thinking about himself and seemingly unconcerned about me.

"I don't think I can. I think I'll have to take you home and then go to the hospital. You'll have to wait until I'm better. Maybe next weekend," I mumbled.

Suddenly, the light flicked on in Noah's head. "You mean I got to go until next Saturday before you can do anything for me again?"

"I'm afraid so." He looked totally crushed and hurriedly tried to think of what he was going to do. "Get dressed and grab your things so we can leave."

I've never seen a more miserable kid in my life, because he sat there as if he was shell shocked for a few seconds before I gave him a slight nudge. "Come on, get moving so we can leave."

As he slowly crawled out of bed, he was moving like a zombie as he went over to get his clothes so he could put them on. I felt as if I'd played this prank long enough.

"April Fool!" I screamed, this time opening my mouth and smiling broadly. It took a few seconds before it clicked in.

"You mean you were just joking?"

"Yes! Today's April first and I wanted to do this to see how you'd react, and I'm a little upset."

"You mean you're mad a me?"

"Well, you only appeared to be worried about yourself and didn't seem to care that something was wrong with me."

"I cared about that too, but I was just wondering how I was gonna shoot that stuff if you couldn't help me. I like you doing that for me, and I didn't know what I was going to do."

"Probably the same thing you do when you're at home during the week, and I want to thank you for your concern."

"I'm sorry, but you were being mean to me by doing that. I like playing April Fool's jokes, but I don't like it when they're played on me, and this one was really mean."

"Not mean, but maybe it was a little cruel. I'll make it up to you by doing what you want now."

He didn't hesitate and got back into bed, and after I sucked him off, we went out to have breakfast together. When we finished, I worked with him on his schoolwork, and then he had me suck him off again after lunch. We watched TV until we went out for our walk, and when we returned we got a little surprise. The tenant must have been watching for us, because he came outside to speak with me just as we were approaching the house.

"Hi, Brian. The apartment is empty now, if you want to check it out."

"Sure, that sounds good, if you don't mind that we might stink a bit. We worked up a sweat on our walk just now."

"That won't be a problem."

As soon as I went inside, I noticed that he and his wife had done a wonderful job cleaning the place, and since I didn't see any damage, I was willing to return their security deposit. "Give me a second and I'll run next door to get my checkbook. I hope you don't mind if I write you a check for the security deposit."

"No, that will be fine, and I'll stay here until you get back. Oh, and I'll call and have the utilities shut off tomorrow."

"Just tell the different companies to switch the utilities back to my name. They should have a note on the account that says I give them permission to do that whenever a tenant moves out. That way there will be power when I have the place painted, or when I show it to a prospective tenant."

"Ok, I'll do that then."

After returning to my place, I quickly wrote a check and took it over to give to him. He thanked me, handed me the keys, and then we said goodbye. I think we were both a little sad that we wouldn't be living next door to one another any longer.

When I got back to my side of the house, Noah and I took a shower together, and then he wanted me to suck him off again before I went out to fix dinner. He also had me do it for him again before we went to sleep as well, and on Monday morning he had me do it to him one final time before I took him home. Of course, I enjoyed each of those sessions as much as he did.

When I drove him home that morning, I got out to speak with Cheryl after Noah went inside the trailer. "Cheryl, what day do you have off this week?"

"Wednesday. Why?"

"Would you mind if I picked you up at noon? There's something I want to take you to see."

"I suppose, but what's this about?"

"I'll explain everything when I pick you up on Wednesday, but right now I have to get to work."

"Ok, I'll see you then."

I was glad she agreed to do this without having a more detailed explanation, because I wasn't ready to tell her everything yet. I felt it would be best if I showed her the apartment first, before I revealed my motive.

Chapter 26
An Offer She Can't Refuse.

After getting Cheryl to agree to go with me on her day off, I began to mentally plan how I was going to present the idea to her. There were certain things I was willing to do to make the offer more attractive, but I knew I had to do it carefully so I didn't offend or insult her in the process. I thought I had all of the details worked out before I drove over to pick her up during my lunch hour on Wednesday.

She had obviously been watching for me, because the door opened and she came outside just as soon as I pulled up. She got into the front passenger seat, where her son usually sat, and she turned to face me after she closed the car door. "Ok, what's this all about?"

"I decided it was time that I took you to my place and showed you where I live. It didn't dawn on me before, but I think you should know where your son is spending his weekends, in case an emergency comes up and you need to come get him."

"I thought about that before too, but things were always so hectic that I forgot to ask you about it. Besides, Noah has told me about some of the places you pass when taking him there, so I had a fairly good idea about where you lived."

"And now you'll see it for yourself."

When we got to the house, I showed her my side first. "This helps me to visualize some of the things Noah has said about being here. He's told me about the exercise room, the remote controlled car, and all the time he spends watching movies with you on TV, as well as the many things you and the boys do in your backyard."

"Yes, I'm sure you've heard a lot of stories, so maybe this will help you make more sense of them from now on. I also want to take you over to see the other side."

"Noah said something about your tenants moving out."

"Yes, they just finished moving on Sunday."

I led her outside and we walked around to the other apartment. She gasped as I led her inside. "Wow! It's just as nice as your side, and it looks about the same too, but without the furniture."

"Yes, it's a mirror image of my place, so go ahead and look around."

I gave her about twenty minutes to check out everything, and then she came back to speak with me about it. "It's a really lovely place you have here and whoever moves in should consider themselves very fortunate."

"I'm glad you feel that way. So how would you like to move in?"

"Me? Oh, I could never afford something this nice."

"Yes, you could, because I want you to move in here – rent free."

"Wait! How can you possibly do that? You must be paying off a mortgage on this place."

"Let me give you a brief history about how I came to own this property. When I first saw it, it was a total disaster. It had been sitting empty for some time and had been broken into repeatedly. Some of the break-ins were by people who wanted to steal the copper piping and other items, but other break-ins were done by kids looking for a place to party. Between the two groups, they trashed this place. I bought it very cheap as a fixer upper and spent several weekends making the place habitable again. I didn't do it all by myself, because I had a little help from a few of my acquaintances at work."

"And you did a lovely job too."

"Thank you, but what I'm saying is that I picked up this place really cheap and only took out a 15-year mortgage. Since I and a few others did all the work, the cost was minimal, and in fact the previous tenant basically paid the mortgage for me. I put in my own share at the same time, thus making double payments, so the mortgage is nearly paid off now, so letting you live here rent-free isn't a big deal. That way, you can use the money you would have spent on rent to do more for yourself and Noah."

"I appreciate the offer, but I couldn't move in here without paying you something. Let me at least pay you the same amount I pay for the trailer, because you've done more than enough for us already."

"No, I want you to use that money to improve your situation. You and Noah deserve that."

"If I accept, then you'll have to come over and have dinner with us every night. You'll have to let me do at least that much so I won't feel like a freeloader."

"Ok, I'll have dinner with you during the week, but then I'll cook on the weekend."

"No, I've missed fixing Sunday dinners for us, because those used to be our special meal of the week."

"I'm sorry if I messed that up for you."

"Not really, and I adjusted once I realized how much Noah enjoyed spending the time with you. I did what was best for him."

"I see, and now I want you to do that again by accepting my offer."

"Only if you'll let me fix dinner every night and we all eat together at our place."

"Ok, that won't be a problem, seeing we can get back and forth without going outside."

I then unlocked the door that led to the shared foyer located between the two sides, and then I took her over to my place again. I'd unlocked the door on my side earlier so I could do this, because I wanted her to see this option too, although I wasn't sure at the time about how this was going to work out.

"Once Noah finds out about this, he'll probably end up spending all of his time over here with you."

"No, I won't allow that. I'm going to tell him that he has to spend most of his time with you, at least whenever you're home."

"Except on the weekends. Right?"

"Well, he has gotten used to spending that time with me."

"I can't believe I'm actually considering this."

"I really want you to do this, because I'm worried about the two of you living in the trailer park, especially after I heard about the dead body."

"The police determined it was a drug deal gone bad, but you're right, this would be much safer for us."

"I'm going to have the place painted and the carpets steam cleaned first, but then you can move in any time after that."

"I don't mean to sound inconsiderate, but could we wait until school is over first? I don't want Noah to change schools this late in the year. Besides, I'll have to give my current landlord a month's notice before I move out."

"Yes, you're right about that, so when does school end?"

"The end of May."

"Then let's plan on moving you in here the weekend after school ends."

"I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to do that, because Noah and I won't be able to move everything by ourselves."

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of the move too, and you'll merely have to pack your things. I'll ask the same guys that I used when I fixed this place up to help move you. I'll even take care of renting the truck."

"No, I'll do that. I can't have you to do everything."

"You just worry about packing up and getting everything ready so it will be an easy move."

"Ok, and I'll give notice to the people I clean house for the next time I'm there and tell them I'll be giving up doing that for a while too. I'll need the time to get ready to move."

"You know, I have another idea as well, but only after you've moved in and are settled. I know working at the factory is hard work, but it pays a lot better than your other jobs, so if you're interested, I think I could get you a job working in the factory if you are interested."

"I'm definitely not opposed to hard work, and making more money would definitely help out. If you did that for me, I could give up my housecleaning jobs for good, because I really don't enjoy doing it. The people I work for seem to look down on me and make me feel like a servant."

"I'm sure that's not a good feeling, so I can see why you'd want to give it up."

"And I'll ask my boss at 7-Eleven to switch me over from full time to just working days on the weekend. With those two paychecks and no rent, I'll be able to do a lot more for Noah, like I've wanted to do since my husband was killed."

"I'm glad I can help to make that happen then."

"And I can't thank you enough for offering to do this for us, and I hope you won't get tired of having us around."

"I don't think that will ever happen, and I look forward to doing whatever I can for you."

"Will you still be picking up the other boys on the weekend?"

"Of course. I don't see any reason to stop doing that, and I'll just have Noah ride back and forth with me when I do it. I hope the other boys don't get jealous that I'm doing this for Noah and not for them."

"They might, but their mothers will explain to them that they couldn't possibly move here. First of all, they don't have cars, and besides Monica and Debbie think you have a crush on me, so they'll think that's the reason you're doing so much for us."

"Interesting. I didn't realize that." It's was good to know, though, because it meant they hadn't figured out that I'm gay. "I've got to get back to the office, so let's lock up."

I drove Cheryl back to the trailer and we said goodbye. "Thanks for everything, and I can't wait to tell Noah."

"Ok, but just ask him not to mention it to anyone else until you're ready to move in."

"I'll do that, and I won't say anything to Monica or Debbie either, but I'll give my notice to the landlord and the people I clean house for. I think two months should be good enough."

"Yes, it's much more than you need to do. I'll talk to you again this weekend."

I could tell Cheryl was thrilled about this, and I could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she began making plans. I was excited as well, because if someone else was going to be living on the other side, then it might as well be someone I cared about and wanted to help.

Even before I took Cheryl out to see the apartment, I'd arranged for a couple of guys from work to paint the place for me. Even though I told them there was no hurry, they agreed to start that evening, and then continue on Thursday and Friday nights. They said they'd do the taping and put the splatter sheets down tonight, apply the first coat the next evening, and the final coat and clean up on Friday. They said they'd be able to do all of that on Friday night, because they wouldn't have to worry about getting up to go to work the next morning.

Since they already knew where I lived and had been there before, I merely gave them a spare key to the apartment and said I would have all of the supplies there beforehand. I had picked up the paint and other items on Monday and Tuesday on my way home from work, and then I stored everything in the living room for them.

Once the painters got started, I went over to see how they were doing each night, and I took over a beer for each one and had them take a short break so we could talk. They had also painted both sides after we'd originally fixed up the place and before I first moved in, and they were doing another great job on it this time as well. The walls would have plenty of time to dry before Cheryl and Noah moved in, and I was pleased at how this was working out.

As I was getting ready for bed on Friday night, I suddenly realized I hadn't worked out an adventure or mystery for the next day. Mildly panicked, I attempted to come up with something we could do, and I finally decided that we'd just play soccer in the backyard this time, because I couldn't arrange something on such short notice.

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I got dressed, fixed myself something to eat, and headed out to pick up the boys. As soon as I arrived at the park, they hopped in and I decided to break the bad news to them right away.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I was really busy this past week and forgot to plan an adventure or mystery for you to do today."

"Then what are we gonna do?" Sam quickly followed.

"If you want, we can play soccer out in the backyard instead, or we can stay at the park so you can play here instead."

"Nah, soccer's good," Gus responded almost as soon as I'd finished speaking.

"Yeah, let's do that," the others concurred.

Seeing they were all in agreement, I drove to the house and went inside to get the soccer ball. This time the boys wanted me to team up with Glen, instead of Noah, and we played a game. Needless to say, they beat us badly this time, because Noah had improved a lot every time we did this. When we finished the game, we took a little break and went inside to get a drink before we started a new game.

This time Sam and I were teammates and we did a little better, but we still got beat. However, it took us to lunchtime, so after we got another drink and washed up quickly, I took them out to eat.

"That was pretty fun," Glen said once we were in the car.

"Yeah, even if it wasn't like what we usually do, I still enjoyed that too," Gus agreed.

"I'm glad you boys didn't mind, and I promise to have an adventure or mystery prepared for next weekend."

After the boys had chowed down, I took the other three home, and then Noah and I returned to my place. During the ride back, Noah was basically bouncing in his seat. "So me and mom are going to move in the other side of your house?"

"Yes, you are, but not until after school is out."

"Why can't we move in now?

"Because your mom has a lot to do in order to get ready, and she doesn't want you to change schools before the year ends. School is just about over, so it will only take a few extra weeks before you move here."

"Ok, I understand, but I wish we could move in sooner. Can you show me the apartment again?"

"Sure. Follow me."

I went over and unlocked the door that led to the shared foyer, and then I opened the door that led to the other side. "You mean I'll be able to come through here to see you?"

"Yes, but I don't want you doing it all the time. Your mom is insisting that I have dinner with you every night, so I'll come over this way, and you can use it on the weekend, but I want you to spend the rest of the time with your mom."

"So I can't come to see you every day?"

"You'll see me when we eat together, but other than that, I want you to spend the rest of your time with your mom."

"Ok, I guess." Noah then began looking around. "This place is just like your side. Which bedroom will be mine?"

"That will be up to your mom, but I suspect you'll have the smaller bedroom."

"Is that the one you use as your exercise room?"

"Yes, and my exercise room will be just on the other side of that wall, so I'll try not to use those machines when I think you're sleeping."

"Can I go out and walk with you every night too?"

"I only walk on the weekend when you're with me, because I jog on the other days."

"Can I go with you when you do that?"

"You already have to jog when I walk, so you'd have to run pretty fast when I'm jogging, and I do that over a much longer route."

"Can I at least try it once?"

"We'll see, but it won't be easy."

"I know, but I still want to try."

I let Noah look around the apartment a little while longer, and he spotted the differences between this side and mine. I'd put in slightly nicer appliances in my kitchen, as well as a washer and dryer in the laundry room. There was a hookup on this side, but the washer and dryer had belonged to the tenants, so there wasn't anything there now. This caused me to think about something, so I asked Noah a question.

"Does you mother have a washer and dryer?"

"Yeah, we had them at the house and she took them with us when we moved into the trailer."

"Good, because there's a place for you to hook them up."

"Hey, how come it smells funny over here?"

"It's because I just had the walls painted and you smell the odor from the fresh paint. The apartment will air out and the odor will dissipate before you move in."

"K, let's go back to your side so you can suck my penis."

"I was wondering how long it would take before you brought that up."

Noah suddenly seemed to be in a hurry to leave, so I followed him over to my bedroom and watched him get undressed. I noticed he was already hard when he removed his underwear.

"Do you want me to do everything again, or just suck you off?"

"Just suck me off this time, cuz I really need it."

"I guess so, because your penis looks like it's already loaded," I teased, causing him to glance down.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about doing this since you picked us up this morning, and I think I'm excited about moving here too, cuz now we can do this more often."

"We can't do it more than we do now, or else your mom might catch on to what we're up to. In fact, we'll have to be a lot more careful about doing this on the weekend once you move next door so she won't suspect anything. If she does, then I could wind up in big trouble and she might even have me arrested. If not, she might just move out and keep us from being together again."

"Dang, I don't want that to happen, cuz we're just going to move in here."

"I don't want it to happen either, so we'll just have to be very careful."

We spent the rest of the weekend talking about a bunch of different things, including what we could and couldn't do once they moved next door. Of course we had to squeeze our discussions in between the many times Noah wanted me to suck him off, which included a couple more times on Saturday, several times on Sunday, and Monday morning as well.

When I took Noah home, he was in a really good mood. When he said goodbye, he added something else. "I'm going to help mom do all the packing and cleaning so we'll be ready to move. I can't wait until I'm living right next door to you."

"I can't wait either," I agreed, and then he got out, shut the car door, waved, and rushed up the steps to the trailer.

Cheryl was waiting for him at the door and let him in, and then they both waved at me as I drove off. It looked as if I'd made one little boy very happy, and I just hoped it wouldn't end up being at my expense.

Chapter 27
Sam's Big Day.

The next couple of weekends in April went pretty much the same as those that preceded them. I picked up the boys at the park and we'd either do a mystery or an adventure, and then we'd go out to eat before I took them home again. Afterward, Noah would return with me to the house and we'd do many of the same things we'd done every other weekend. Of course, this would include me sucking him off multiple times, and I wondered if he was this horny at twelve, what was he going to be like when he got to be a teenager?

During that time I was also trying to plan something for the fourth weekend in April, because it would be Sam's birthday weekend. Rather than doing either of the activities I'd done with Gus and Noah, including using the same tactic that led them to discover their birthday cakes, I wanted to come up with something different this time. The problem was, I had no idea what that would be. I was spending a great deal of time and effort trying to figure it out, and when I finally came up with an idea, I hoped Sam would enjoy it.

I think he was expecting something special to happen when I picked them up that weekend, because he kept watching me during the ride to the house. I could see him staring whenever I looked in the rearview mirror, and I noticed he had a smug, half-grin plastered across his face. I felt this was an indication that he was expecting me to do something special for his birthday, although I did my best not to give anything away. I didn't even wish him Happy Birthday when he got in the car, because I wanted him to think I'd forgotten it so I could catch him off guard. When we got to the house, I merely announced what we were going to do today, while we were all still standing beside the car.

"I've got a set of instructions for you boys, and I want to see if you can follow them well enough to discover where they lead."

"Does this mean we're gonna have to walk so many paces, like we were following a pirates treasure map?" Sam asked.

"Not exactly, because the paces each of you take are slightly different in length, since you don't all stride the same distance when you walk. Therefore, I'm giving you something to help you do this."

I went to the trunk, opened it, and pulled out an object. "This is called a trundle wheel, surveyor's wheel, or a measuring wheel. It will make a click each time it travels a foot, so you'll just have to count the clicks to know how far you've gone. I'll start you off at a particular spot, and then you'll have to follow the directions to find out where it's going to take you."

"Who gets to use the wheel?" Glen quickly asked.

"I broke the list into sections, so you boys can take turns."

"So who goes first?" Noah wanted to know.

"That will be decided by a random drawing. Just a second and I'll get what we need."

I went back to the trunk and retrieved a box about six inches (15 cm) square. Inside were three folded slips of paper, with a fourth slip laying beside the box. I picked that slip up first, and when I picked up the box I trapped that piece of paper between my fingers and the interior of the box. Then, I took it over to the boys.

"I'm going to let each of you pull out one of the pieces of paper I've placed inside this box. Each one has a number on it, from one to four, and that will determine the order you will go in."

I held the box above their heads so they couldn't see inside, and then I let Glen, Noah, and Gus pull out their slips first. As soon as they had their slip of paper, I let the remaining piece slide out from under my fingers and let Sam take his turn.

"Ok, now I want you to see what number you chose." The boys each yelled out their number, and then Sam made a comment.

"I'm goin' last, but I don't know if that's good or bad."

"It means you'll be the one to who gets to see where this takes us, provided you boys do this correctly."

"Oh, yeah. So I guess that's good."

I then handed each boy a sheet of paper containing the instructions, but I gave the trundle wheel to Gus first, since he drew number one. The boys all read the first instruction and then Gus took off. The directions had them go so many feet forward, make a turn and go a certain number of feet in that direction. They continued doing this as they carved a zigzag route around the backyard. They each got to follow five instructions, and Sam's fourth instruction took him next to the door leading into my side of the house.

"It says I'm sposed to turn right and go seven feet, but that will take me inside."

"Then I guess it's what you'll have to do. I've already unlocked the door, so go ahead."

He opened the door, went the correct distance inside, and then he read the final step. "Hey, it's says to turn left and go five feet, but I can't do that."

"Why not? What's stopping you?"

"There's a counter in front of me."

"Can you go over it?"

"Not unless I move what's on it."

"So what's on it?"

That's when he began to giggle. "It's a birthday cake for me. How did you know I'd be the one to go last and find it?"

"It's a secret that I'll never reveal. Happy Birthday, Sam!" The others all wished him a Happy Birthday as well, and then I made another comment. "We'll have the cake when we get back, but I have something else planned for now."

I had the boys get back in the car so I could drive them over to play miniature golf. We hadn't done that in quite a while, and it was a lovely day so I thought it would be good to do something outdoors. I was only going to watch and let the four boys make their way around the course, but they objected to that idea. Eventually, Sam offered a solution.

"The other three can go first, and then I'll go with you."

Since no one had a problem with this, it's what we did. After we started out, Sam turned to me and spoke. "I knew you were gonna do something for my birthday, but thanks, this is really nice. I liked how you got me to find the cake too. I was wonderin' how you were gonna do it, but I didn't think it would be like that."

"It's getting hard to find new ways to do things to surprise you boys."

"Yeah, but I didn't think the measurin' would lead me to the cake, cuz we did most of it outside. I figured you'd just ask me to get somethin' when we got inside, so I wasn't 'specting to find anything when I was just measurin' the different stuff."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it and that I was able to surprise you."

All of the boys seemed to have fun playing miniature golf again, and when we finished I let Sam choose where we were going to eat lunch. He wanted Italian, but not pizza, so I took them to the food court at the mall and let each boy get what he wanted. Since Sam wanted Italian, each of the boys ordered some type of pasta, either baked ziti or spaghetti and meatballs, while I had a stromboli and Caesar salad.

When we finished, I took the boys back to the house for cake and ice cream. I put the candles on the cake, lit them, and then we sang Happy Birthday to Sam before he made a wish and blew out the candles. Then, I let him cut the cake and put a slice on each plate before I added whichever ice cream each boy chose.

Since I gave Gus a swimsuit for his birthday, the other boys knew the swimsuit I'd already given them was an advance birthday present, so he didn't expect anything today. When everyone finished his cake and ice cream, I told Sam he could take the rest of the cake with him, and then I drove Sam, Gus, and Glen home.

After we dropped those three off, Noah made a comment on the ride back. "What we did today was fun, and I liked how you used it to have Sam find the cake."

"He seemed to like it too, but I don't know how many new ideas I can come up with to do things like that."

"We all know you're gonna do something for us on our birthday, so you don't really have to do stuff like that."

"You mean you boys don't enjoy doing those things?"

"Yeah, we do, but you don't have to spend so much time trying to figure out how to surprise us. We're just happy that you like us enough to do stuff for us."

"That's good to know, but I'll still keep trying to find a fun way to do it."

"So are you going to suck my penis when we get inside?"

"I wondered how long it would take before you asked."

"That's cuz you know how much I like having you do it for me."

"Yes, I sort of got that impression, so you can get ready when we reach the house."

As soon as the car stopped, Noah raced to the door and pranced about impatiently as he waited for me to unlock it. Upon seeing the door open a crack, he rushed past me, sprinted to the bedroom, and was laying naked on the bed by the time I got there. I positioned myself beside him and immediately began working on his nipples first, and he started sighing the second I started to do this. After I finished playing on those tiny nubs, I worked my way down his chest and only stopped to dart my tongue in and out of his navel. This caused him to giggle and squirm a bit, since it seemed to tickle, and then I got up and moved between his legs.

As soon as I was in position and staring at his goodies, I flicked out my tongue and started running it over the surface of his scrotum. I gently moved his testicles around within the fleshy sac, before taking the entire pouch into my mouth. I used my tongue to stimulate it and move his testicles around some more, and when I finally let them fall from between my lips, I got up and walked back to my side of the bed.

"Hey, where ya going?" Noah demanded, looking upset.

"I just wanted to try something a little different today, so just be patient."

He watched as I grabbed both pillows and placed them about two feet from the headboard, one on top of the other. Once they were in place, I laid down and placed my head on the top pillow.

"Ok, I want you to straddle my chest and place your knees in my armpits this time, because I'm going to let you thrust your penis in and out of my mouth."

Noah looked skeptical, but he did as I asked. When he was in position, I opened my mouth and let him insert his penis, and then I placed a hand on either hip and encouraged him to thrust his pelvis back and forth. As soon as he realized what he was expected to do, I removed my hands and let him continue on his own. A minute later, Noah was thrusting in and out of my mouth like the Energizer bunny, eagerly seeking his relief. A minute after that, he slammed his penis into my mouth, froze momentarily, and then the first strands of his immature ejaculate spurted into my throat. After releasing a couple of bursts, he began to buck again, and he continued doing that until he was completely drained. Then, he collapsed on top of my head, his penis still nestled in my mouth.

I didn't rush him and let him recuperate at his own pace, although I had to do a little shifting so I could breathe. A couple of minutes after his penis went limp, he rolled off me, pulling his penis from between my lips, and laid on the mattress beside me.

"I wasn't sure what we were going to do, but that was fun. Was that like fucking?"

"Yes, you were basically fucking my face."

"I'm glad you had me do that, cuz it felt just as good as doing it the other way."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

After Noah got dressed again, we went out and watched the next Transformers movie, and after dinner he had me suck him off again, doing it the same way we'd done it earlier. We did it the other way before we went to sleep, and then the rest of the weekend Noah had me alternate between the two methods when he wanted to get his rocks off.

As I was taking him home on Monday morning, Noah made a comment. "It will only be a couple more weeks before we'll be moving next door to you and I can't wait."

"Actually, I think it will be four weeks, and I've got to remember to warn the other boys that I won't be picking them up that weekend."

"Why not?"

"Because I'll be helping you move."

"Can't they help too?"

"I have bigger guys who are going to help, because I'm sure some of the items will be too heavy for you boys to carry. I'm also afraid the other boys won't be much help, once they find out you're moving into my apartment. I think they're going to be jealous and upset that I'm letting you and your mom move in instead of them."

"Yeah, you're probably right, cuz they've all told me they wish they could live there, but I'm glad you're letting us do it. I've helped Mom pack up some of our stuff already, the things we don't need right now, and we'll keep packing up more until it's all done."

"That's good, because I want this to go smoothly. Once we've moved everything, then you and your mom will have the rest of the weekend to unpack. You'll be moving on Memorial Day weekend, but I don't know if your mom has to work on Monday or not."

"That may be her day off that week, but I'm not sure."

"I suspect she's already asked for Saturday off, since she usually works that day, and I know she won't be cleaning houses on Sunday, so she can do this too. She may have asked for Monday off as well, but we'll have to ask her to be sure."

"I'll ask when I get home and let you know. When can we go swimming at the state park again?"

"I believe it opens the same weekend that you're moving, so we can start going there again the following weekend."

"Can't we go that weekend too?"

"I think you'll be too busy moving and unpacking to do that."

"Oh, yeah, but then I'll see you a lot more."

"You'll see me when I eat with you and your mom, but remember that when she's home I want you to spend time with her."

"Yeah, I know."

By that point I was pulling up in front of his trailer, so we said goodbye. Cheryl was waiting for him at the door, so we waved at each other before I drove off.

Like Noah, I was also getting excited about having him living next door, and hoped the move, as well as the time they were there, would all go smoothly. I was slightly concerned about how the other boys were going to react when they found out he was living on the other side of the house, but it would be a few weeks before that happened. I wouldn't tell them I wasn't going to pick them up that weekend until the weekend before, and I didn't plan on telling them about Noah living next door until the weekend after they moved. I just hoped it wouldn't create any problems. I also hoped Cheryl wouldn't get suspicious about what Noah and I were up to.

When I picked the boys up the following weekend and took them back to the house, we immediately set out on our next adventure, which lasted for a couple of hours. As soon as we finished, the other boys asked when we'd be able to go to the state park to swim again, and I told them we'd start doing that the first weekend in June. They didn't question my response and merely seemed happy that we'd be doing that again soon, and then I had them get in the car so we could go out for lunch.

The boys talked about the adventure while we ate, and after they finished I took the other three home. They thanked me as they got out of the car and said they'd see me again the following Saturday, and then Noah and I drove back to the house.

"Can I go look at my new bedroom again?" he asked on the ride back. "Mom said I'd be in the room next to your equipment room, so I want to see it again."

"I don't have a problem with that, so we can do it first if you want."

"Yeah, and then you can suck me off afterward."

"Wow! I didn't see that coming."

"Quit teasing me. You know I like having you do it."

"Yes, I sort of got that impression."

He merely made a face as I was pulling into the driveway, and as soon as we got inside, Noah headed toward the door connecting the two sides. I'd left the door on the apartment unlocked, so we went across after I'd unlocked my side.

"This room is bigger than my room in the trailer," Noah said after walking around it one more time. "Will I be able to put pictures and posters up on the wall?"

"Yes, and I can help you with that, if you want. I'll even put up some wall shelves, if you have trophies or other things you want to put on them."

"I don't got no trophies, but I have some other stuff we could put on the shelves."

"Then you can decide where you want them, and then next weekend I'll take you to the store to buy what we need. I'll put them up before you move in the following weekend."

"Ok, that sounds good."

Noah also checked out the closet before we returned to the other side, and then he made a mad dash for my bedroom. He was naked by the time I got there.

"So how do you want to do it this time?"

"Like we did last week, with you laying on your back."

I didn't have a problem with that either, so I got into position so Noah could straddle my chest, with his knees in my armpits. He was semi-hard as I opened my mouth, and he continued firming up immediately after he'd inserted his penis into my mouth. Then, he began thrusting in and out, eagerly seeking his relief.

It only took a couple of minutes before he was spewing his load down my throat, and then he collapsed on top of me again. Since I was expecting it to happen, I caught him this time and eased him down beside me, and then I let him take as much time as he needed to recuperate. When he did, he looked over at me and grinned.

"Thanks. I really needed that."

"I'm glad I could help."

Now that his needs had been taken care of, we went out and watched the final Transformers movie, and then he played with the RC car until it was time for our walk. When we got back we showered together, and then he went to watch cartoons while I was fixing dinner.

After we ate, we agreed on watching another movie on TV, and during one of the commercials, Noah made an announcement. "Before we go to sleep, I want to try sucking your penis too."

"Are you sure you want to do that? I'm a lot bigger than you are."

"I know, but I want to try."

"Ok, but don't be afraid to stop if it proves too difficult."

"K."

As soon as the movie ended, Noah grabbed my hand and attempted to drag me toward the bedroom, but I made him wait while I turned off the television. I also took time to turn off the lights and make sure the house was locked up, and once those things had been taken care of, I followed him to the bedroom and we got undressed.

This time we did it with Noah lying on his back, as I bent over him and sucked his penis into my mouth. I made sure I took care of his needs first, since I knew it wouldn't take him very long to bust a nut. After he ejaculated, I gave him time to enjoy his orgasm, and then he was eager to get started on me.

"Don't forget, you can stop at any time and just use your hand if it becomes too much for you."

"Yeah, I know."

Since I always took all of his penis into my mouth, he tried to do the same with me, but that was a huge mistake. He immediately began to gag and his eyes began to water as I pushed his head off my organ. "Don't take more than you can handle. If that means only taking the head of my penis in your mouth, then do that. Otherwise, just use your hand to get me off."

Noah refused to give up and went back to using his mouth, but this time he didn't try to take as much. He continued doing that for a couple of minutes, but then he stopped. His jaw must have started to ache, judging from how he was opening and closing his mouth after he'd pulled off, and I assumed this happened because he had to open it so wide to adjust for my girth.

"Just use your hand to finish me off."

Noah looked up and nodded weakly, and then he did as I suggested. While he was doing that, however, he made a comment. "Next time I'll do it longer."

"If you want, but just remember you don't have to do it that way."

"I know, but I want to."

Once he got me off too, I cleaned up, and then we went to the bathroom to brush our teeth and use the toilet. We hadn't done that earlier, because Noah was in a hurry to try this, so now we took our time and then returned to the bed to sleep.

When we woke up on Sunday morning, Noah had me suck him off again before we went out to eat breakfast, and then I helped him with an end of the year project he was working on for school. We hadn't finished it by noon when we took a short break to eat, so we continued working on it after our meal.

Once we finished, Noah wanted to take the RC car outside for a while, and then we watched a movie on TV when he came back inside. I think over the past year I had caught him up on a lot of the movies he had missed out on by not having a cable hookup in the trailer or the money to go to the cinema, and he seemed to enjoy most of the movies we'd watched together.

When it ended, we went out for our walk and showered when we returned, and after I sucked him off again, he went out to watch cartoons while I fixed dinner. After we ate, we watched a couple of shows on TV before heading to bed, and once again Noah attempted to suck me off. He did a little better this time, but he still had to stop and use his hand before I ejaculated.

"I did better this time, but I'm gonna keep doing it until I get you to shoot in my mouth too."

"You don't have to do that, but if you do, just be careful. I produce a lot more semen than you do, and I don't want you to choke on it. You can always pull off if you need to."

"Yeah, I know, but I want to see what it's like."

After we had both gotten our rocks off, we cuddled together and fell asleep, and then Noah had me suck him off again in the morning, before I took him home.

Chapter 28
Transitions.

When I picked up the boys the following Saturday, I had them solve the mystery I'd set up for them first, and then I ordered pizza for lunch. I opted to eat at home today so I could explain something to them, and I knew it might lead to a lengthy and heated discussion. For that reason, I didn't want to do it in public and tried to ensure the setting was as relaxing as possible. Once the boys had a slice of pizza and whatever other items they chose to put on their plates, they started to chow down and I took the opportunity to begin speaking.

"I'm going to apologize now, because I won't be picking you up next weekend."

"Why not?" Gus shot back.

"I have something else planned and I'll need both days to do it."

"Why? Whatcha doin'?" Sam followed.

"That's private, but I wanted to let you know so you wouldn't spend the morning waiting for me at the park."

"But we'll be out of school by then, so can you pick us up on Monday instead?" Glen continued. "Isn't that a holiday?"

"Yes, it is, but I'll need that time to do other things so I'll be ready to go back to work the next day."

"That sucks," the trio moaned in unison.

"I know, but I'll make it up to you the following week, because we'll be going to the state park to swim."

That seemed to perk them up a little, and I was glad they obviously hadn't noticed that Noah wasn't questioning my decision as they were. I was grateful for this small oversight, because I was sure it would have created a whole new set of questions. Noah obviously knew the reason why I wouldn't be picking up the other three, but he also knew better than to make any comments that might exacerbate the situation. I was actually a little surprised that the other three didn't complain more forcefully, but they merely continued eating instead. When they finished, I took them home and said I'd see them again in two weeks.

On the ride back, I began asking Noah some questions. "Are you and your mom all packed up?"

"Pretty much."

"So you're ready for me to show up with the truck and the other guys next Saturday?"

"I am, and I can't wait."

"How about your mom?"

"She says she still has lots of things to do, but I can tell she's excited about getting out of the trailer."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Before we went back to the house, I swung by Home Depot and picked up some shelving units to hang on the wall in Noah's new bedroom. We talked about how much shelf space he thought he would need, and then I picked out the units I felt would work best. After paying for those items, we headed back to the house and Noah pointed out where he wanted each one. It seemed he had everything planned out in his mind and was able to tell me where everything should go, so I merely anchored the shelves where he wanted them. He was beaming when I finished.

"They look great, and I know what I'm gonna put on them."

"I'm glad you're happy."

I was surprised he hadn't insisted that I suck him off before we started doing this, but once I finished he let me know it was time to do that now. I followed him to the bedroom and helped him get his rocks off, and then we headed out to the other room.

"So what do you want to do now?" I asked, giving him the choice.

"Mom says I'll be going to a new school next year, so can you show me where it is? I want to see what it's like."

"Sure, we can do that."

I drove him over to the middle school so he could see where it was located and what it looked like. "It looks newer than my other school, and it has a lot more land around it too."

"Yes, it's a pretty big campus, and it has its own athletic fields. Are you still thinking about playing soccer in the fall?"

"Yeah, I just hope I'm good enough."

"We can continue working on it over the summer, and I'll even bring you and the other boys here so you can get used to shooting at a real goal, instead of a wooden pallet."

"Yeah, that would be good. The school isn't too far from where you live, so will you be able to come watch me sometimes?"

"I'll do my best to make some of your games, as long as you're still playing after I get out of work or on the weekend."

"I hope you can, cuz I want you to see me play."

When we got back to the house, we decided to take our walk next, and Noah quickly informed me about how he wanted to do it. "I want you to jog this time, so I can see if I can keep up with you."

"That's fine with me, and you have grown a bit since we started doing this, which means your legs are longer. I'm hoping that will be enough so it won't be as bad for you as I thought."

After we got ready to go out, I set off on my usual jogging course. I figured if Noah got tired on the first part he could walk back to the house when we crossed over the street I live on, and then he could wait for me until I finished my run. To my surprise, he wasn't having any difficulty keeping up with me on the first leg, but I still decided to ask how he was doing.

"Do you want to keep going, or do you want to stop and walk back to the house?"

"Keep going. I'm doing ok."

Since he wanted to keep going, I bypassed my street and headed over the route we normally took when we went out for our walk. It was shorter than the first leg and went by much quicker, and Noah was still holding his own as we turned onto my street and headed down the home stretch.

"I'm tired, but that wasn't too bad," Noah stated and we began to walk and wind down.

"I'm impressed that you did so well. You're in great shape, which should be a huge advantage for playing soccer."

"Thanks, and that's why I want to do this with you every night from now on."

After we went in and showered, Noah asked me to suck him off again, and then I let him play with the RC car while I prepared dinner. He came inside before it was ready, so I sat down to watch TV with him until it finished cooking.

When the timer went off, we turned off the television and went to eat. While we were doing that, Noah asked a few more questions. "When I go to the new school, what am I sposed to tell the other kids about who you are?"

"You probably should talk to your mother about this instead of me, because I don't want to step on her toes. You can always tell them I'm your neighbor or the landlord, but anything more than that you'll need your mother's permission first."

"So I can't tell them you're my step-dad or uncle?"

"I would only be your step-dad if I married your mother, and that's not about to happen. As far as calling me Uncle Brian, you'll have to see if it's ok with your mother before you do anything like that."

"Ok, I'll ask her and see what she says, but I want the other kids to know that we're really close."

"I do too, and I'll go along with whatever you and your mother decide."

After we finished eating, we watched TV for a while first, and then Noah wanted me to suck him off again. Once he ejaculated, he wanted to try sucking me again, and he did a much better job this time, but he still had to use his hand to finish me off. After that, we went to the bathroom to perform our nightly ministrations before getting back in bed and cuddling with each other for the rest of the night.

Sunday was pretty normal, except for the fact that Noah didn't have any schoolwork since there were only a couple days left to the school year. Other than sucking him off several times and watching a movie together, we went out to jog again. This time he pushed me to pick up the pace, which came as a total shock. Not only was he able to keep up with me without getting tired, he was pushing me to my limits as well.

While we were taking our shower, he even asked me about when he did that. "I hope you didn't mind that I wanted to go a little faster at the end. I know that sometimes I'm going to have to run faster when I play soccer than we do when we jog, so I wanted to try that too."

"Yes, that's true, and if you want, we can jog for a while, then sprint for a bit before we go back to jogging again. We can keep switching back and forth at different points along the way, if you think it will be better practice for you."

"Yeah, I think that will be more like playing in a game."

Since it was what he wanted, I agreed to do it like that from now on. However, I wasn't sure if we would feel like jogging the following weekend, since I was fairly certain we'd be too tired after the move, but we could do it every other time after that.

After we finished our shower, Noah had me suck him off again before we ate. He also had me suck him off again before we went to sleep, and after he had his orgasm he was actually able to bring me off using his mouth as well. Unfortunately, he choked on the first spurt of semen, since it was more than he was expecting, and this caused him to pull away. The second and third spurts ended up hitting him in the face before he finished me off with his hand. The fact that he was still able to do this surprised me, because I didn't think he'd be able to see well enough to locate my penis and finish up. My semen was dripping down his face and he had closed his eyes to protect them, but somehow he still managed to complete the job. As soon as I recovered, I hopped out of bed, raced to the bathroom, and wet a washcloth so I could clean off his face.

"I did better, but I messed up when you shot into my mouth."

"You were just surprised, but I'm glad that nothing worse happened."

"It kind of felt like when I was a little kid and I picked up the hose in the yard and it squirted me in the face."

"Yes, but that was just water and didn't make nearly the same mess." That caused Noah to giggle.

"Yeah, and thanks for cleaning off my face."

Eventually, we cuddled together and fell asleep for the final time before he'd be moving in next door.

In the morning, Noah had me suck him off again before we ate breakfast, and then I drove him back to the trailer. When we got there, I turned off the ignition and got out with Noah. Cheryl met us at the door and greeted me.

"Hi, Brian. You don't usually get out when you bring Noah back, so is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to check if you needed any help to get ready for Saturday?"

"We're actually in pretty good shape, and I can handle what's left by myself, but thanks for the offer."

"Just let me know if you change your mind. Otherwise, I'll pick up the truck at 8:00, and then I'll head over to the factory to meet up with the guys who've offered to help. They'll follow me here, and then we'll start loading your things onto the truck."

"It sounds great, and I'm looking forward to doing this. I know Noah is anxious about living next door to you, and I'm happy to be getting out of the trailer park."

"I'm glad I could make that happen, so I'll see you on Saturday."

I then went to work, and over the next few days I checked in with each of my friends who'd agreed to help with the move, to make sure they hadn't forgotten.

"How long do you think it will take?" one of them asked.

"I'm not sure, but it shouldn't take more than two trips with the truck. I'll have plenty of cold beer in my fridge, and I'll provide lunch too."

"Sounds good, and it will still give us two days to be with our families, since it's a long weekend."

I got up early on Saturday morning, ate quickly, and rushed out to pick up the truck I'd reserved. As soon as I signed the paperwork, I drove over to the factory to meet up with my crew, and one of the guys rode with me while the other two followed in a car. We pulled up and parked in front of the trailer.

Cheryl was waiting at the door and stepped out to greet us. "I really want to thank all of you for doing this for me. I don't know how I'd have been able to make the move on my own."

After I introduced everyone, we went inside and began to carry out the largest and heaviest pieces first, which included the washer and dryer, living room and dining room furniture. I was somewhat surprised when I noticed these things, because it wasn't what I'd expected. There were some lovely and expensive pieces in the various rooms, and I found out the reason for this when one of the other guys made a comment.

"You've got some nice things here."

"Yes, my husband and I picked all of these things out for the house a few years before he was killed. I was forced to give up the house because I couldn't afford the mortgage payments, but the furniture was paid for and I wasn't about to lose those things too."

After seeing what she had, I felt the furniture would look even better in the apartment, because even the shabby and rundown condition of the trailer hadn't been able to hide the quality of the furnishings.

We loaded as much as we could onto the truck, and then we drove over to the apartment to unload it. Before we did that, however, I went inside the house and brought out four bottles of beer to quench the thirst of my helpers and myself. "Cheryl, would you like one too?"

"No, I'm not a beer drinker. I'm more into wine."

"I don't have any of that, but Noah could go inside and get each of you a bottle of water."

"Yes, that would hit the spot right now."

Noah took off and retrieved the two items from the fridge, one for his mom and one for him, and then we took a few minutes to relax and enjoy our drinks before we began to unload the truck. I had Cheryl wait inside to direct where she wanted each item, and as soon as we had those unloaded, we drove back to the trailer to get everything else.

This time we loaded up both Cheryl and Noah's bedroom furniture, along with the myriad of boxes she had packed up and stacked around the various rooms. That took care of nearly everything else, except for some of Cheryl's clothes and jewelry, which she said she would move later in her car.

Once we drove back to the apartment, I gave the guys another beer, while Noah and Cheryl had another bottle of water. I also made a quick phone call, and then we started unloading the contents of that truckload as well. Just as we were carrying a few of the items inside, I saw a vehicle pull into my driveway, so I went over to greet the driver. He was delivering the pizzas I'd ordered, because I'd promised to feed everyone when we were done. After taking the boxes inside, I pulled out the paper plates and some other items I'd purchased the night before and set them on the table. Then, I called everyone over to my side to eat.

"There are three pizzas, each with different toppings, so help yourself. There are also containers of macaroni and potato salad, along with bags of potato chips and Cheetos. Take as much as you want, because there's plenty to go around. You can also have beer, water, or ice tea to drink, because I made a gallon of tea last night."

We spent the next hour eating, talking, and regaining our strength, but Cheryl also spent the time thanking everyone for helping her move. When we finished, we went out to carry the rest of the items into the apartment, and then the other three rode back in the car, while Cheryl and Noah got busy unpacking and getting the place in order. While they were doing that, I told them I was going to return the truck and pick up my car, which I'd left at the rental location, since I knew this wouldn't take all day.

After making sure the gas tank on the truck was full, I returned it and paid the required fee. I then got in my car and headed back to the house. I immediately went over to see if there was anything more I could do to help.

"No, you've done enough already," Cheryl replied, before Noah spoke up.

"You can help me with my room, cuz you said you'd help put up my posters."

"Indeed I did, but I'll need to go get something from my side first." I went next door and grabbed a small package I'd purchased earlier, before I returned to help Noah.

"What did you hafta get?"

"I bought some push pins to hang your posters. They only leave tiny holes in the poster and the walls, and they won't pull the paint off when you remove them later."

"Oh, ok, and thanks."

I then helped Noah hang his posters first, and then we put his bed together, although he'd have to find the box with the bedding so he could make it afterward. He located the box with some of his other possessions in it first and had me help arrange the various objects on the shelves we'd put up the weekend before.

"Yeah, that looks really good," he chirped after appraising my effort.

When we finished, I went to help Cheryl with some of the boxes she was unpacking. I carried them over and placed them either on the counter or another area that was more convenient, so she could unpack them. As it got closer to six o'clock, she made a comment.

"I have to run back to the trailer and get something out of the fridge so I can fix us dinner, because I left all of the food there."

"No, we've all worked hard enough already, so I'm taking us out to eat instead."

"I can't allow you to keep paying for everything."

"Don't worry about it, and I insist."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am."

"Ok, but I'll need to clean up and change first. Noah, why don't you go over and shower with Brian while I shower here. I'm sure he has some clothes on his side that you can wear, and it will save time so we won't have to wait so long before we eat."

Her comment stunned me momentarily, because she made it sound as if she knew Noah and I had been taking showers together the entire time. Since she didn't elaborate on her comment and merely turned to get what she needed, Noah and I went over to my side of the house.

"Did you tell your mom that we've been showering together?"

"No, but I guess she figures we must have seen each other naked before, so showering together wouldn't be a big deal. Come on, let's just get ready."

I did as Noah suggested, and we showered quickly, dressed, and then went over to the other side to see if Cheryl was ready. She was just finishing up when we got there, and she looked at us and smiled.

"Yes, that's much better."

After discussing briefly what we wanted to eat, we loaded into the car and I drove over to one of the local restaurants. During the meal, we talked about many things, and Cheryl kept commenting about how much she loved the apartment, but she never said anything more about Noah and me showering together. When we finished, I paid the bill and we went back to the house, and then I did whatever I could to help Noah and Cheryl unpack more boxes and get situated.

When bedtime finally rolled around, Noah asked a question. "I usually stay with Brian on the weekend, so can I sleep with him tonight?"

I was shocked that he'd suggested this and countered with a question of my own. "Don't you want to sleep in your new bedroom?"

"Nah, I can do that later, cuz I want to sleep with you tonight and tomorrow."

I didn't know how to respond, but Cheryl did it for me. "It's ok with me, as long as Brian doesn't mind."

"No, I don't mind, but don't you want him to stay here with you?"

"No, I'll probably go right to sleep, because I'm exhausted. I know he likes staying with you, so I don't have a problem with it, as long as you don't."

"No, I don't, so come on Noah and let's get ready to turn in, because I'm totally beat too."

As soon as we'd gone through our nightly ritual, I discovered Noah's real reason for wanting to do this. "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to suck my penis today. We've already missed doing it earlier."

"That never even dawned on me, so now I understand why you were so anxious to sleep with me."

"Yeah, and after you do it to me, I want to do it to you too."

Now that I knew what he wanted, I only had to discover HOW he wanted to do it. "I want you to lay on the bed so I can kneel over your chest."

I knew exactly what he had in mind, so I got into position and let him straddle my chest. He then guided his penis into my mouth and started thrusting back and forth until he spewed his load down my throat. It didn't take very long for that to happen, and then it didn't take much longer before he had my penis in his mouth too. He worked on me until I unloaded into his throat as well, and he was better prepared for it to happen this time. Fortunately, he didn't end up covered in my semen, as had happened the last time he'd done this.

He seemed pleased that he'd done much better this time, and so was I, and then we cuddled together until we fell asleep. As I was drifting off, I realized that I hadn't locked the interior door leading to my side, so I hoped Cheryl didn't come over in the morning to wake us up.

Chapter 29
Settling In.

Noah and I slept later than usual the next morning, probably due to the fact that we were so tired from moving their things the day before. Neither of us were used to doing so much physical labor, but now Noah was rearing to go.

"Will you suck my penis?"

"Not yet. You'll have to wait a bit."

"How come?"

"Before I fell asleep last night, I realized I hadn't locked the door connecting the two sides of the house, which means your mom could come over here at any time, and I certainly don't want her to catch us."

"Can't we just shut and lock the bedroom door?"

"That would probably work, but if your mom comes over she'll wonder what we're doing behind a locked door."

"Ok, let's get up and go see what she's doing then."

When we went next door, we didn't find Cheryl and eventually noticed that her car was gone. "She must've gone back to the trailer for something, so now you can suck my penis."

"Ok, but we'll have to make it quick."

I locked the door leading to my side and followed Noah back to the bedroom. He undressed quickly and laid on the bed, which told me exactly how he wanted to do this. I got on the bed beside him, leaned over, and took his penis into my mouth. Then, I began nodding up and down, working quickly to bring him off.

I thanked God that it didn't take very long for him to get off, because just after he fired his load down my throat, I heard a car outside, as well as a car door slamming shut. I suspected it was his mother, so I urged him to get dressed quickly while I used some mouthwash so Cheryl wouldn't smell anything on my breath. Noah had already unlocked the door and gone over the apartment by the time I was ready, so I went over to join them.

"I just went back to the trailer to get some food out of the fridge so I could make breakfast," Cheryl announced after I arrived. "How does French toast and scrambled eggs sound?"

"Great!" Noah squealed.

"It sounds good to me as well. Can I help or supply something?"

"No, and this won't take long. I started a pot of coffee before I left, so just help yourself to a cup, and Noah you can get whatever you want to drink. Then, sit down at the table until I bring your plates in. The butter, syrup, and silverware are already on the table, and I'll put the food on the plates before I bring them to you."

Noah and I did as we were told, and a few minutes later Cheryl came in carrying three plates of food, with two in one hand and one in the other. "Don't look so surprised," she said when she saw me gawking at her. "I worked as a waitress for a while after high school, so this is nothing."

After she set the plates on the table, she went back to get her coffee, and then she joined us at the table to eat. "This is good, thanks Mom."

"You're welcome, honey."

"Yes, thank you," I agreed. "This is certainly a nice way to start the day."

"I'm glad you approve. After we finish eating I'm going back to the trailer for a while, because I want to pick up the few things that are still there. I also want to clean the place and get that taken care of too, because I suspect the landlord will want to inspect it after I drop off the keys"

"Can we help?" I offered.

"No, there's not a lot to do. You can help Noah make his bed, unpack his things, and get his room organized if you want, but other than that we're in pretty good shape. I still have a few boxes to unpack and some items to put away, but you guys did most of the work for me yesterday."

"If you say so, but I'm willing to do more."

"Just stay here and help Noah."

I did as she asked, and Noah and I quickly discovered that she'd already stacked the bedding on his mattress, so we just had to make the bed. "I usually hafta to do this by myself, but I'm glad you're helping me this time."

"It's not a problem, but it's always good to know how to do things like this for yourself. If you go to college or join the army when you're older, then you'll have to know how to make your own bed."

"That's what Mom says too."

Once we finished doing that, Noah had me help him unpack the boxes that we'd stacked in his room and put those things away. After we'd put the appropriate items in the dresser, we hung his other clothes in the closet and finished before Cheryl returned. Noah made her come to see what we'd done, and she praised him for his effort.

"Good job! Your room looks great and I hope you keep it looking this way from now on."

"I will, cuz I really like it better here. I have more room than at the trailer, and I like living next door to Brian."

"Yes, this is much better and I can't thank you enough for doing this for us," she concluded as she turned toward me.

"It's important to find good tenants, and I think you'll be perfect over here."

Cheryl then told Noah he could go outside and play, or he could spend the time with me, so he asked if he could play with the RC car.

"Sure, you know where it is and it should be charged and ready to go."

"Will you come with me?"

"Eventually, but I want to talk to your mom first."

"K, I'll see you outdoors."

As soon as Noah took off, I turned toward Cheryl and spoke. "Just let me know when you want me to set up something for you at the factory. I already brought an application home for you to fill out, and then when you're ready, I'll take it to HR and set up an interview time for you."

"It won't be this week, but as soon as I find out my schedule for the following week I'll let you know what day would be good. I've already warned my boss that I'm thinking about switching to just working on the weekend."

"And how did your boss react to that?"

"He wasn't happy, but he said he doesn't want to lose me completely, so he'll do whatever I feel is best."

"I'm glad to hear that, and it works for me if you want to keep working there too."

"I do, because then I'll have more money to spend on Noah, so I can buy nicer things for him. Besides, he likes spending the weekends with you."

"And I enjoy his company as well, but I don't want to get in the way."

"Oh, you aren't."

"I want you to know that if you start working at the factory your hours will be different from mine. I work eight to five, but you'll be working from seven to 3:30."

"That's fine, as long as you wouldn't mind making sure Noah eats breakfast and gets on the bus in the morning, and then I should be home by the time he gets back."

"I wouldn't mind doing that at all, and it should work out great. Did he tell you that he's thinking about playing soccer in the fall?"

"Yes, he did, and that won't be a problem either. I just don't know what I'm going to do with him over the summer while I'm working, though."

"Didn't he spend most of the day at the park?"

"Yes, but he was able to go to our trailer if the weather was bad, and our neighbor was willing to feed him when he was hungry."

"Couldn't he still go there in bad weather."

"Probably, but I'll have to check with her first."

"If not, he could probably spend time with Gus or Sam at one of their apartments instead. I'll drop him off at the park on my way to work, since I go in later than you. I'll also meet him for lunch, seeing I get an hour to eat, but you only get a half hour working on the line."

"I'm used to only a half-hour lunch, because that's what we get at 7-Eleven, so it's not a big deal. And if you meet Noah for lunch, then that will take care of my last problem."

"Good. I'm glad we were able to get that settled."

Once I finished talking to Cheryl, I went outside to join Noah and he wanted to show me what he'd been up to. "Watch this!" he announced, his eyes gleaming.

He started the car racing down the street, but then he suddenly got it to spin around so it was facing in the opposite direction without rolling over. "Hey, that was pretty good."

"It took me a while to figure out how to do it, but now I know how."

"That was pretty clever of you."

I watched him for several more minutes, and then Noah asked a question. "Can we go inside and see what movies are playing on TV?"

"Sure, we can do that if you want."

As I was scrolling through the cable guide, Noah spotted something else. "Hey, there's a soccer game on TV, so can we watch that instead?"

"Absolutely."

"Good, cuz I want to learn as much as I can so I'll do good if I make the team."

"I have a feeling you will, so let's watch the match."

We both managed to pick up a great deal of information from just listening to the announcers, but I also mentioned something I'd learned about the game too. "If you haven't noticed, the players aim at one of the four corners of the goal, because those are the hardest for the goalie to get to, but he can stop most of the shots in the center."

"Yeah, you're right, and I didn't think of that before. We never used a goalie when we was playing, so I always just aimed at the middle."

"Unfortunately, those shots usually don't score when you have a goalie."

"But isn't it harder to get the ball in the corners?"

"It is, and it takes a great deal of practice to be able to do that, but I'm sure you can do it as well, if you're willing to work hard. I happened to see a wall at the high school one time when I was there, and they have a goal painted on it. They also have arcs drawn in each corner showing where you should aim, and when you practice on the wall you won't have to chase the ball as far. There aren't any nets on the goals right now, so you'd have to chase the ball afterward, but it will bounce off the wall and back onto the field after it hits the target."

"Can we go there sometime so I can practice?"

"Certainly, we can do it tomorrow if you want, as well as every Sunday during the summer."

"Thanks, cuz I want to get good at kicking it in the corners."

As soon as the match ended, Noah wanted me to suck him off again, which I was happy to do. As soon as he'd busted a nut, we went over to see what his mother was up too.

Cheryl was just finishing up and had the place looking great, so we complimented her on it. While we were chatting, she also insisted on fixing dinner and even refused my offer to help. I wasn't about to argue with her, so I told her Noah and I would go out to jog instead. This time we would jog for a while and then sprint for about fifty yards (45.7 m) before slowing down to a jog again, and we kept repeating this process until we got back to our street. That's when we stopped and walked back to the house as we cooled down, and then we went inside to shower.

After we'd cleaned up, Noah insisted that I suck him off again before we went to see if dinner was ready. I helped him get off as quickly as I could, since I didn't want Cheryl to become suspicious about what was taking us so long, and then we went over to check in with her. She asked if we had a good run, and then she told us dinner would be ready in about fifteen minutes. I was glad that we'd gotten back in time and hadn't made her wait.

Cheryl soon brought in a roast, along with a couple of side dishes and a salad for each of us. It was delicious, so Noah and I complimented her, and she responded that she was glad we enjoyed it.

After we finished, we helped Cheryl clear the table and rinse off the dishes, and then I invited her to come over to my side to watch TV. "I haven't done that in ages, and it sound like fun. Is there something special that you're planning on watching?"

"No, we'll just scroll through the cable guide and determine what looks good."

After we'd agreed on a show, Noah sat between his mother and I as we watched the screen. I caught Cheryl watching Noah as much as what was on TV, and I think she noticed that I was doing the same thing. She winked at me once when we did it simultaneously, which let me know she didn't have a problem with any of this.

When it was time to go to bed, Noah reiterated that he was going to sleep with me again, so Cheryl prepared to go over to her side alone. Before she left, however, she made a comment. "I know you have tomorrow off, but I have to work at 7-Eleven, so I hope you don't mind if Noah stays here with you."

"No, of course not. Since Noah was already aware that I have the day off, I suspected he was going to ask to spend the day with me anyway, even if you were still living at the trailer park."

"Yes, you're probably right about that, but thank you anyway."

Once his mom had returned to her side of the house, Noah had me suck him off before we turned in. Shortly after he'd ejaculated, he wanted to do the same to me. He got me off using his mouth again, which seemed to please him immensely, and he was improving each time he did this. Now that we'd each enjoyed an orgasm, he cuddled with me and we looked as content as a litter of puppies as we fell asleep.

Shortly after we awoke the next morning, Noah had me suck him off again, and then I headed out to the living room so I could peek out the window. I noticed that Cheryl's car was gone, which meant she'd already left for work, so I headed out to the kitchen and started fixing breakfast for Noah and me.

When we finished eating, Noah asked if I was going to take him to the high school to practice. "Yes, I told you I would, but we'll have to do it quickly. I wasn't lying when I told the other boys that I had things to do today in order to get ready for the workweek, and that was the reason I couldn't take them to the state park to swim. You know I do certain things on the weekend besides spending time with you, but since I helped you and your mom move and get settled the past couple of days, I didn't get a chance to do those things yet. I usually do most of it while you're playing with the car or watching TV, but I didn't get to do it this time, so I've got to do those things today instead."

"Ok, as long as I get to practice shooting at the corners of the goal."

"Yes, and then you can watch a movie after we get back. I'll try to spend some of the time with you while you're doing that too, but I have to get those other things done first."

I then took Noah to the high school so he could practice kicking at the goal painted on the wall. I would pass the ball to him and he'd kick it at the goal, but most of his shots were still hitting the center of the opening.

"This is really hard."

"Yes, it is, but you'll get better at it the more you practice. Just don't get discouraged and give up."

"Ok, I won't."

After that, I had him practice dribbling and making moves to get past me, and then I worked with him on his passes. He'd gotten much better at doing those things since we first started. His ball handling skills had improved by leaps and bounds, and his kicks were also getting stronger. He was also learning how to control where the ball went after he made contact, but it didn't mean he now had pinpoint accuracy. His passes were usually within a reasonable margin of error, though, and ended up close to where he intended.

We did that for the next couple of hours, which was longer than I'd originally planned on, and after we got back to the house Noah had me suck him off again after we ate lunch. Once he'd ejaculated, he watched a movie next, while I worked on the things I needed to do. When the movie ended, he went outside to play with the RC car, and I went out to join him after I finished my chores.

Cheryl came home while we were doing that and came over to speak with us. "I see you boys are busy playing with your toy, so I won't stay long. I just wanted to let you know that I'll start fixing dinner shortly, so if you want to go out for your jog, you'll have enough time to do it before the food is on the table."

"Thanks, Mom. Come on, Brian, let's go do that now."

Seeing we were already dressed appropriately from when we were playing soccer, we merely took the car inside and put it away before we started out on the first leg of our run. Once again, we alternated between jogging and sprinting, just as we'd done on our previous outing, and Noah wore me out. He made me sprint even faster just to keep up with him, so I was gasping for air when we reached our street and slowed down to a walk. Noah wasn't about to let that go unnoticed and decided to tease me about it.

"And you didn't want me to jog with you cuz you didn't think I could keep up, but it looks like it was the other way around." He was grinning and giggling after he said this.

"Yes, you've proved you're in better shape than I am, but that won't last for long. If we keep doing this, then I'll continue getting in better shape and you won't be able to make fun of me any more."

"But when I start playing soccer, I'll get in even better shape, so I'll still have to take it easy on you, old man."

"Old man? I'll give you old man," I shot back as I lunged to grab him.

Unfortunately, he was quicker too and managed to get away, and then he raced to the door before stopping to wait for me. "Come on. We've got to shower before we eat, and I'm starving."

"I am too, so I'll let you go this time," I gasped, using whatever air still remained in my lungs.

After we showered, we dressed in clean clothes and went over to the other side of the house. Cheryl greeted us when we got there. "Dinner's almost ready, so how was your jog."

"Brian can't keep up with me any more," Noah boasted as he looked at me and giggled.

"It's true. He's in better shape than I am, but I'm slowly improving."

"Yeah, but I'm getting better too," Noah challenged.

"Whatever," Cheryl interrupted, "but I'm sure you both worked up a good appetite doing that, so sit down at the table and relax. I'll bring the food in shortly."

It was a simple meal, but it was filling and very tasty, and we all enjoyed it. After we helped Cheryl clear the table, Noah asked a question. "Can we all go over to Brian's side and watch TV together again?"

I didn't say anything and merely looked at Cheryl so I could gauge her reaction, and she spoke up right away. "Brian may have other things to do."

"No, I got everything done earlier in the day, so I'm game, if you want to join us."

"Yes, I liked doing it with you last night. Not only did I enjoy what was on TV, but it also gave me a chance to spend a little more time with Noah. Are you sure you don't mind us barging in on you?"

"Not at all. I have a feeling Noah wants to sit between us again, and I'm sure we can find something we'll all agree on watching."

That's what we did for the next couple of hours, and then Cheryl decided it was time to turn in. "Come on, Noah. It's time to return to our side now."

"But Mom, I'm on vacation so I don't need to go to bed this early."

"But Brian has to go to work in the morning, and I think we've imposed on him long enough. Besides, he'll be dropping you off at the park on his way to work, and then I'll pick you up before I head home later. That way you won't be stuck at home all day by yourself."

"Brian, are you going to come meet me for lunch too, like you did last summer?"

"Yes, that's what I was planning on doing."

"Good, and I'll get to play with the other kids too."

Noah seemed slightly better after hearing this, although I knew he would have preferred to stay on my side and sleep with me again. However, he was smart enough to realize that he could only do it on the weekend, so he slunk across the room as he followed his mom over to their side of the duplex. He stopped and turned to wave at me before closing the door behind him, and once they were gone I did a few things before performing my nightly ritual and turning in.

I wasn't sure how long I'd been asleep when the mattress moved and I felt someone beside me. Startled, I turned on the lamp to see who or what was there. "Noah, what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep so I came over to be with you, cuz I always sleep good when I'm here."

"That may be, but I suspect this is going to cause a problem with your mother."

"Nah, she won't know. I closed the door to my bedroom, and I also put some things under the blanket so it would look like I was sleeping if she peeked in."

"I'm not sure that will be good enough to fool her."

"Don't worry, she won't know, cuz I'll go back to my room before she wakes up."

"And what if she catches you when you return?"

"I'll be really careful and listen to see if she's up before I go inside. I'm sure I can get to my room without her catching me."

"I hope so, but I need my sleep, so let's stop talking."

I quickly reset the alarm to go off earlier than normal, hoping it would ensure that he got back to his room before his mother got up. Once that was taken care of, I cuddled with him for the rest of the night. I have to admit that I sleep better with him there as well, and when the alarm went off a few hours later, Noah got up with me as well.

As soon as we were both awake, Noah begged me to suck him off before he went back to his room, and I began to argue with him about doing this. Eventually, I decided it would take less time to just give in, because it never took very long for him to get off, and reluctantly did what he wanted. Shortly after he'd enjoyed his orgasm, I urged him to return to his bedroom.

"Go get dressed, and then you can come back here to have breakfast with me before I drop you off at the park."

I watched as he headed out of the bedroom, and then I went to the bathroom to get ready for work. I just hoped he was able to get back to his bedroom unnoticed, but I knew he'd advise me about that while we were eating.

Chapter 30
Tense Moments.

When Noah returned to have breakfast with me, I decided to ask him how he'd made out. "Did your mom catch you when you returned to your bedroom?"

"Nah, she was in the shower and didn't see me."

"So she didn't say anything to you when she was done?"

"Nope. I just gave her a kiss and said I'd see her later before I came over here to have breakfast with you."

I felt he'd dodged a bullet and made out well, so I finished preparing our meal. After we ate, I dropped him off at the park and said I would see him again for lunch.

I spent the morning engrossed in my duties, and at noon I walked over to the park to meet up with Noah. It was almost as if we'd never stopped doing this during the school year. We sat on the same park bench and shared what I'd packed in the cooler. We each had a sandwich, a small bag of chips, and a bottle of water. While we were eating, Noah filled me in about what he'd done with Gus, Sam, Glen, and the other kids before I arrived.

"Did they ask you what you were going to do for lunch?"

"Yeah, and I just told them I always eat with the neighbor."

I could only smile at his response. The others would have thought he was referring to the neighbor who used to feed him at the trailer park, but now I was the neighbor he was referring to. He also informed me that the others were coming back after they ate and they were going to do one of the adventures I'd done with them previously. I told him to have fun, and then I returned to my office.

When I got home later, Cheryl's car was already there, so I assumed she'd remembered to pick Noah up on her way home. That fact was verified a few minutes later, when Noah came bursting into my living room.

"Are we going to jog now?"

"And hello to you too. Just give me a couple of minutes to change first, and then we'll head out."

"K, I'll wait for you here."

"Does your mom know you came over to go jogging with me?"

"Yeah, I told her before I left."

"Ok, and it shouldn't take me long to get ready."

I hung up my suit and changed into my jogging clothes, and then I went out to get Noah. "Come on. I don't want to hold up dinner, since your mom is probably getting it ready right now."

"Yeah, she is."

We went out for our run, and I think Noah was getting a kick out of trying to see if I could keep up with him. I did a little better this time, either that or he wasn't pushing quite as hard this time, but I didn't think that was the case. We went in to clean up when we got back, and Noah asked me to suck him off while we were in the shower.

"Why do you want to do it this way?"

"Cuz you said you were worried that Mom might catch us if we did it in your bedroom, but she'd never come in here, cuz she knows we're both naked."

He had a point, so I squatted down and took his penis into my mouth. That immediately started him thrusting back and forth as he drove his penis in and out of my mouth. A couple of minutes later he began feeding me the sweet ambrosia of his immature seed.

As soon as he recovered, we finished up, changed, and headed next door. Cheryl was still in the kitchen when we got there. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so get a drink and sit down at the table."

I went out and poured myself a cup of coffee, while Noah got a glass of Kool-Aid. "Can I set the table or do something else?"

"I stacked the dishes on the table already, so you can put them in their proper places, if you want. I'll bring the food in when it's ready."

After arranging the various items on the table, Noah and I sat down and began sipping our drinks. A few minutes later, Cheryl carried a platter and a couple of bowls to the table and set them down, and then we each filled our plates and began eating. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but Cheryl seemed to be glancing between her son and me the entire time, although I didn't know why. I let it pass and didn't say anything, because she might just be watching to see how we interacted.

As soon as we finished our meal, Noah and I helped Cheryl clear the table and rinse off the dishes, and then Noah wanted us all to watch TV together again. Cheryl agreed, and we did that for the next couple of hours, and then she and Noah went to their side of the house to turn in. After they left, I grabbed my laptop to finish working on something for the office, and I was just putting it away when I heard a light knock on the door that connected the two sides. I knew Noah didn't usually knock, so I instinctively said, "Come in."

The door opened and Cheryl entered. "I hope I'm not disturbing you, but there's something I want to talk to you about."

"You're not disturbing me at all, so what's up?"

"Did Noah come over here and sleep with you last night?"

I wasn't sure if she noticed the surprise look on my face, but my eyes were probably bulging out of their sockets and my mouth went dry as I thought about how I was going to respond. Was that why she kept glancing between us at dinner?

"Yes, he came over sometime during the night. It woke me up when he crawled into bed beside me, and I asked what he was doing. He said he was having trouble falling asleep, so he came over to sleep with me. Is that a problem?"

"So you didn't know he was going to do it?"

"No, it was a surprise to me as well. I only let him stay because I didn't want to spend a long time arguing with him about it. I didn't realize you were aware that he did it, though."

"I got up to use the toilet during the night and went in to check on him. When I opened the door, he appeared to be in bed, but when I bent down to kiss his forehead, I discovered he wasn't there."

"I was wondering if that might happen. I'll send him back from now on, if he tries to do it again."

"No, that's not necessary, as long as you don't mind him coming over here."

"I don't, as long as he doesn't keep me awake."

"I think he has a crush on you."

I almost fell over when she said this. "I know he likes spending time with me, but I'm not sure I'd go that far."

"Brian, even though Noah is still young, I'm pretty sure he's gay. He's never been fond of girls and hasn't ever wanted anything to do with them, but I didn't worry, because that's fairly typical of most boys until they are older. However, I haven't noticed any changes regarding that issue, but I have seen how he acts around you. I have a feeling you're gay too, and I believe he's hoping you might do something with him, if he hasn't talked you into it already."

I was stunned by her comment. "What are you getting at?" I wasn't prepared for this and didn't know how to respond, so I decided to question her instead.

"I just get the impression that he'd like for you to teach him about sex."

"What?"

"I think he might want to try some things with you. Look, I figured out that you were gay a long time ago, and it doesn't bother me if you do something like that with him. You can do things I could never do for him, and it would help Noah out as he goes through puberty."

"Wait! What makes you think I'm gay and that Noah wants me to do something like that for him?"

"Oh, I've noticed a few things. First of all, you certainly haven't shown any interest in me, Debbie, or Monica, so that was my first clue. You've also never talked about having a girlfriend or anyone special, so it seemed to make sense. I also think it's part of the reason the boys like spending time with you, since you obviously prefer male companionship. I don't think the other boys are gay, but they still like being with you too."

"Cheryl, are you saying that you want me to stop hanging out with Noah and the other boys?" I held my breath, afraid of what her answer was going to be.

"Absolutely not! You're the best thing that has happened to Noah since his dad died, and Debbie and Monica feel the same way about how you've helped their sons."

I finally exhaled. "I'm glad to hear that, but do you really think I'm doing sexual things with the boys?"

"No, not with the others, but possibly with Noah. I assume he's entering puberty and is becoming sexually mature, because I used to find articles of his clothing and towels that were stuck together with a crusty residue. I figured it meant he was masturbating and using those things to clean up afterward, but I haven't seen anything like that in quite a while. I thought maybe it meant that he'd talked you into helping him out and no longer felt the need to masturbate quite as often."

"Look, he talked to me about that and explained what he was doing. He was also worried you would find out what he was up to, so I suggested he should start doing it in the shower or when he was on the toilet so he wouldn't leave any evidence behind for you to find."

"I see, and I'm grateful you did that for him, but I don't want you to take this wrong. I'm not upset if you are doing more than that with him, as long as it's his idea. I think it's what he wants to happen, and it's also the reason I think he has a crush on you."

"I don't know about that. I think he was just looking for a guy who could explain a few things for him."

"Especially a gay guy."

"Damn, have Monica and Debbie figured out that I'm gay too, because I'm not going to deny it."

"No. In fact, they believe you have a crush on me. They feel it's why you started hanging out with Noah in the first place, so you could get close to me. They also think it's why you offered to let us live here."

"So they know about that too?"

"Yes, I told them I was moving and they wanted to know where. I think hearing that I was moving here convinced them that they were right about your feelings for me."

"Well, I'm glad they haven't figured out that I'm gay, primarily because of the way Debbie reacted toward me at the park when I first started hanging out with the boys. I'm afraid she might go off the deep end again if she knew I was gay."

"Even if she knew, I don't think she would ever do that now. I don't think she feels that way about you any longer. The boys all adore you, and we're all happy with the changes we've noticed since you started spending time with them."

"I enjoy doing that too, and I want you to know that I'd never do anything to harm them."

"We all know that, and it's why I wasn't concerned if you were doing things with Noah. I know he'll be inclined to experiment, and I'd prefer not having him get misinformation from his school friends or the kids at the park. I'd feel much better knowing he was learning these things from someone who knows what he's doing.

"Look, he obviously approached you at the park, and I think he did it because he was attracted to you. Fortunately, you are a nice guy and wouldn't harm him, but it could have ended differently if he'd approached the wrong person. I don't want to worry that he might come into contact with someone else who might take advantage of him, or God forbid, hurt him. I'd rather know he's doing this safely with someone I know and trust."

"I appreciate that, but have you ever talked to Noah about any of this?"

"No, I was hoping you might do that for me. I think he'd be too embarrassed and uncomfortable talking to me about things like this, and I prefer not to push or upset him."

"I'll admit that you totally floored me, and I'll talk to him about this if you want."

"Yes, I'd appreciate it. And once he knows that I've figured it out, I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to move over here with you and sleep with you every night."

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea. He might slip and say something about doing it, and I don't want to deal with the uproar it might create."

"You're probably right, as long as you know that I won't be upset if he sneaks over here every once in a while."

"Thanks, but I'll try to keep it to a minimum."

After she left, I collapsed on the sofa. I was totally drained by the experience, as I mentally rehashed our entire conversation. Damn, she's not only figured out that Noah had snuck over here to sleep with me, but she's also concluded we're both gay. Even worse, she also suspects that I've been doing sexual things with Noah. I know some mothers have certain instincts about their children and are able to figure things out long before they're told, but this caught me totally flatfooted. I was absolutely flabbergasted by the things she'd said, and now I had to figure out how I was going to handle this, as well as where things might go from here.

I wasn't able to fall asleep for quite a while after our conversation, because my mind kept replaying everything Cheryl had said. I was still thinking about it when Noah suddenly showed up in my bedroom again.

"You're still awake?" he asked while looking at me confused.

"Yes, your mother came over to speak with me after you went to your bedroom."

"Really? What did she want?"

"She knows you came over to sleep with me last night."

"How? Did you tell her?"

"No, she went to your room to check on you and discovered you weren't in bed."

"Was she mad?"

"A little, and she wanted to know if I knew you were going to do it."

"Did you tell her I did it on my own?"

"I did."

"I'm sorry if I got you in trouble."

"Not in trouble, but she talked to me about a few other things as well."

"Like what?"

"She knows you've reached puberty, because she said she used to find the things that you'd used to wipe up the semen after you masturbated."

"She knows I do that too?"

"Well, she knows you used to do it, but she said she hasn't seen anything like that in quite a while."

"Uh oh. Does that mean she knows what we're doing?"

"I think she suspects, but I just told her that I suggested you masturbate when you're on the toilet or in the shower from now on, so she wouldn't find the evidence."

"Good, but it's kind of embarrassing that she knows I do it, or that she thinks we might be doing stuff too."

"I believe she realizes that all guys masturbate, so it didn't come as a complete surprise to her. She was just amazed that you were so young when you started ejaculating."

"It's still kind of gross that she knows, but was she mad that we might be doing stuff too?"

"Not mad, but I quickly changed subjects. Ok, let's get to sleep now, because I have to work in a few hours and need my rest."

"Do you want me to go back to my bedroom?"

"No. Your mom already knows that you did it once already, so I'll let you stay tonight, but you can't keep doing this."

"K. I'll spend the rest of the week in my bedroom, but I'll still stay with you on the weekend."

"Ok, I can live with that."

Once that was settled, I cuddled with Noah and we fell asleep. I was mildly surprised that he didn't ask me to suck him off first, but I guess our discussion must have given him some other things to think about. I assumed our conversation might have also cooled his sexual fires and worked like salt peter to eliminate his erection as well.

We eventually fell asleep, and I still had my arm draped over his side when the alarm went off in the morning. It woke Noah up as well.

"I guess I'd better go back to my room."

"Yes, you'll need to get ready for spending the day at the park."

"K. I'll be back to eat with you, but I want to say goodbye to my mom first."

Noah left, and I wondered if Cheryl saw him return. It's possible that she might have even confronted him about where he'd been, but I put it out of my mind. After I got ready for work, I packed our lunches in the cooler, and fixed something for us to eat. After we'd chowed down, I dropped him off at the park and headed to my office.

I was still a little tired when I sat down at my desk and began to focus on my job, but I wasn't about to take the day off. I hadn't slept very well last night, but I was determined to get through today, one way or another.

When I met up with Noah later at the park, he had a lot to tell me. "Mom was up when I went back to our side, but she just said good morning when I walked in. She asked if I went over to sleep with you again, and I told her I did, but then I said you told me I could only do it on the weekend from now on. She just smiled and messed up my hair, and then she left for work."

That cleared up some of the questions I'd been considering, and after that we merely ate our lunch together and talked about other things until I had to return to the office.

When I arrived home later, Cheryl and Noah were already there, and Noah came rushing over to my side as soon as he knew I was home. "Hurry up and get changed so we can go for our run."

"Don't you ever say 'hello' first?"

"Nah, cuz I saw you earlier, so hurry up and get ready."

"Aye, aye, sir," I snapped back as I saluted.

"Quit fooling around and just get ready." He obviously wasn't amused.

After I changed and we'd finally started out on our run, I discovered why Noah had been in such a big hurry to do this. "Me and Mom talked when we got home, and she said she was pretty sure I was gay."

"Does that bother you?"

"Nah, but she asked if I had a crush on you?"

"She did? What did you tell her?"

"I said I loved you and hoped I could be with you forever."

"And how did she react to that?"

"She just smiled and said that's what she thought. Does it mean we can start doing things without worrying about her catching us?"

"I don't think we should change the way we've been doing things, but I don't think she'd get mad if she ever caught us. I'd just rather not have that happen."

"Yeah, me either, cuz I don't want her to see my penis."

"But she already saw it when you were a baby."

"Yeah, but it's a lot bigger now and I don't want her to see it again."

We continued our run and then headed back to my place to shower and change. As we were washing up, I made a comment. "I'm going to have to keep more of your clothes on this side, if you keep changing over here."

"I'll bring some more stuff with me when I come over here tomorrow, but will you suck my penis before we finish up?"

"Yes. I had a feeling you were going to ask me to do that."

I did what he wanted, and after he had his orgasm we got out of the shower, dried off, and dressed before heading over to the other side to eat. Cheryl had already set the table and was carrying the food out when we arrived.

"Sit down and we'll get started," she ordered. "I've already poured your coffee and Noah has a glass of milk."

"This is nice with all of us eating together," Noah mumbled as he was chewing his food.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," his mother chastised. "You can say what you want after you've finished chewing and have swallowed."

Noah merely nodded in response.

"He's right. It is nice that we're doing this together, but I can cook sometimes too."

"No, you do enough for us already, and I don't mind fixing our meals. I had to do it for Noah and me already, and it really isn't any more work to include enough for you too."

"I appreciate that, but I feel like I'm imposing on you."

"You've got to be kidding! Compared to all you do for us, including letting us live here, spending so much time with Noah, and buying him things, fixing dinner is nothing."

"If you say so, but I'm willing to help out if you ever need me to do it."

"I know, and I appreciate the offer."

"Are you going to watch TV with us again?" Noah asked, changing the subject.

"Not tonight, dear. I have other things I need to take care of. I can do it tomorrow night, though, because I have the next day off."

"Ok, but do you mind if I go over with Brian?"

"No, that will be fine."

After I turned on the TV, Noah asked me to suck him off while we waited for the show to start. I figured we had a few minutes to do it, so I went to the bedroom with him and did what he asked.

"See, I knew we could do this more often now that I'm living here."

"I guess you were right, but it doesn't mean we'll be able to do it whenever you want."

"I know, but doing it more often is good."

Once he'd ejaculated, we went back to the living room to watch TV. After the last show ended and I was ready to go to bed, I sent Noah back to his side. He gave me a kiss and told me he loved me before he left, and I wondered if this was something new he was going to do from now on. If it was, I certainly could get used to it.

Chapter 31
A New Routine.

When I went to pick up the boys on Saturday, Noah rode in with me, and the others were surprised that he hadn't walked over to the park and joined them to wait for me, as he usually did. "Hey, how come you're already in the car?" Sam challenged.

"Brian came by and offered to give me a ride," Noah answered, stretching the truth a bit.

Although Sam looked a bit confused, he accepted Noah's response and didn't pursue it further, and neither did the other boys. They merely carried on as they normally would as I drove to the house, and everything seemed fine.

I'd only prepared a simple adventure for today, and we spent nearly an hour doing it, and then I led the boys to my bedroom to change. As soon as we got there, I took all of our swimsuits out of the dresser and handed them out. The boys quickly undressed and put them on before they went to get a towel out of the linen closet. Noah brought one back for me as well, since I was busy retrieving a new bottle of sunscreen I planned to take with us.

After the boys put on flip-flops or sandals that they kept at my place, we went outside and I drove them to the state park. They were all enthusiastic about doing this again, but Glen was the most excited because he'd never been to the state park with us before. After I applied the sunscreen to everyone's body, we walked around and showed Glen the area while the sunscreen absorbed into our skin.

Once we got back to the lake, I told the other three boys they could have fun on their own while I worked with Glen, and this prompted them to ask if they could go over to the deeper area. I responded that I didn't want them to go there without me, and asked them to stay in the shallow section with us until Glen had gained a little more confidence. They argued with me briefly, so I told them they could either stay in this area with us or wait on the beach until we were done, so they finally gave in. Once that had been settled, I worked with Glen while the others frolicked in the water.

I basically did the same things with him that we'd done when we were at the high school pool so he could get used to the differences here. Instead of a solid cement foundation beneath our feet as we waded into the water, there was only the soft, squishy sand and mud. The water also didn't have chlorine in it as the pool did, although that fact didn't seem to register with him.

I worked with Glen for almost an hour, and then I took the boys over to let them swim in the deeper area for a while. I kept Glen close to me, while also keeping an eye on the other boys to make sure they didn't have any problems. After letting them play in the deep end for another hour, we dried off and walked around for a little longer before calling it a day. The boys showed Glen how to place his towel over the car seat to protect it, and then we returned to the house.

As I was pulling into the driveway, Gus looked at Noah and spoke. "Hey, isn't that your mom's car over there?"

He was indicating the driveway on the other side of the house, and Noah looked at me because he wasn't sure how he should respond. I took him off the hook and answered for him. "Yes, that's Noah's mom's car."

"What's she doin' here? Did she come to get Noah?" Glen followed.

"No, they moved into the apartment and are living there now."

"Oh, man, you're so lucky," Sam stated while looking at Noah. "I was hopin' we could move in there, but Mom said it wasn't possible cuz she doesn't have a car and there'd be no way to get around."

"Yeah, my mom told us that too," Gus confirmed, while indicating he was speaking for Glen as well.

"I was lucky that my mom already had a car and Brian offered to let us live here."

"Now I know why you rode in with him this morning," Sam added with a sly grin.

"Yeah, Brian didn't want me to tell you about it until we were here, but you figured it out before he said anything."

"Yes, I was going to inform you about it before I took you out to eat, but you beat me to it," I confirmed.

Seeing they had now been apprised of the situation, we headed to my bedroom to change, and then I took the boys out for a late lunch before I drove the other three home. "Are you still goin' to be at the park during the week?" Sam asked Noah before getting out of the car.

"Yes, Brian will drop me off on his way to work, and then he'll walk over to the park so we can have lunch together later. Mom will pick me up and take me home after she gets out of work, so nothing's going to change."

"Ok, we'll see you on Monday then," Sam confirmed with the other two nodding in agreement, and then they all said goodbye.

Once they'd exited the car and entered the building, I took off and Noah waited until we'd gone about a block before he spoke. "I'm glad they're not mad that I'm living here."

"I think they might be a little jealous, but I agree they're not mad."

"At least now they know, so we don't have to hide it from them any more."

"Yes, that's true. And if they happen to notice that some of your clothes are on my side, we'll just tell them that you're keeping a few things there, just like they're keeping their swimsuits at my place, because it's easier that way."

"Yeah, they should be ok with that."

Once we got back to the house, Noah went over to say 'hi' to his mom, and she returned with him so she could tell me that she'd seen her schedule for the upcoming week. "I have next Friday off, so if it's possible you can set up the interview for then."

"Ok, I'll see what HR can arrange. Just fill out the application I gave you and I'll take it with me when I go to work on Monday."

Noah spent the rest of the afternoon with me, and when we came back from our run we cleaned up and we went over to have dinner with Cheryl. After we finished eating, Cheryl agreed to watch a movie with us, so except for the fact that we each had our own side of the house, it seemed as if we were an actual family. As I glanced at Noah from time to time, it appeared that he liked the way this was working out as well.

When the movie ended, Cheryl returned to her side, and since it was the weekend, Noah stayed so he could sleep with me. After I sucked him off and he did the same to me, we cuddled together and fell asleep.

Shortly after waking up the next morning, we went over to have breakfast with Cheryl, and then I took Noah to the high school so he could practice his soccer skills. We worked on the same things as when I took him there on Memorial Day, and this included having him practice hitting the corners of the goal when he took shots at the wall.

When we finished, we returned to the house and had lunch with his mom, and then I did some of the other things that I normally took care of on the weekend while he was playing with the RC car. After an hour, he came inside and watched cartoons while I finished up, and then we went out for our run. After an exhausting workout, we showered and went over to have dinner with Cheryl, and then she joined us to watch a couple of shows on TV afterward.

Noah spent Sunday night with me as well, and of course I had to suck him off before we went to sleep. He returned the favor and did the same thing to me, and I have to admit that he was getting much better at doing this. As soon as we'd both enjoyed our release, we cuddled together and fell asleep.

When I left for work on Monday morning, I took both Noah and the application that Cheryl had filled out. About mid-morning, I walked down to HR and spoke with the supervisor about her. "She's a single mother who lost her husband in a car crash a few years ago. She's a hard worker, and she and her son are living in the apartment on the other side of my house. I was hoping you'd be able to find a job for her, and she's available for an interview on Friday, if that's convenient for you."

"Let me check my schedule quickly," she replied, and then she did something on the computer before turning back to me. "Do you think she'd be able to come in at 1:00?"

"I'm sure that will be fine, but I'll talk to her about it tonight and let you know tomorrow if there's a problem."

Since that had been taken care of, I returned to my department and focused on my job until it was time to go meet Noah for lunch. I didn't say anything to him about what I'd done for his mom and thought I'd let Cheryl mention it to him if she wanted. We merely ate lunch and he filled me in about what he and the other kids had been up to that morning. When I noticed my lunch hour was coming to an end, I told him I'd see him at home later and returned to work.

As soon as I got to the house that evening, I went over to talk to Cheryl. I told her what the HR supervisor had said, and she told me 1:00 on Friday would be fine. I wished her good luck, and then Noah pulled me away so I could change my clothes. He seemed to be in a hurry to go out on our run.

As soon as we started down the street, he turned to me and spoke. "What was you talking about with my mom?"

"You'll have to ask her."

He didn't seem happy with my answer and wasn't very talkative as we jogged around the neighborhood. When we got back, we took our shower and put on clean clothes before heading next door to eat.

During dinner, Noah asked his mom a bunch of questions about what he'd heard us talking about earlier. "Mom, are you going to work with Brian now?"

"Brian has arranged for me to have an interview, and if I get the job I'll be working at the factory. It will be the same company that Brian works for, but we won't exactly be working together."

"So will you ride in together?"

"No, I'll be starting earlier and getting done before he does, so that won't be possible."

"So does this mean you won't be working at 7-Eleven any more?"

"If I get this job, I'll work at the factory during the week, and then at 7-Eleven on the weekend."

"So you'll still be working all the time?"

"Yes, but I won't be cleaning houses any longer. I'll also be making more money, so I'll be able to buy you nicer things."

"Neat, cuz I want to look good when I go to the new school."

That seemed to end the discussion, and the rest of the night and the next few days seemed to fly by. We all continued our normal routines during the day, and we did the same types of things at home every evening. Then on Friday I asked Cheryl how the interview had gone while she was fixing dinner.

"It went great."

"So you got the job?" Noah chimed in.

"Yes, but I won't be starting until two weeks from Monday, because I asked if they'd allow me to give a two week notice to my current employer. I was told they expected I might have to do that after looking at my application, and they didn't have a problem with my request."

"Great! I'm glad it worked out," I confirmed. "So when will you tell your boss at 7-Eleven?"

"I already did. I stopped by on my way home after the interview and gave him my notice. He agreed to let me work the day shift on the weekends, and although I already did that every Saturday, I'll now be working there both days. I'll go in at 7:00 and be done by 3:00, so I'll be home every night."

"It's almost the same hours you'll be working at the factory."

"Yes, it is, but I only get paid for seven and a half hours at 7-Eleven, though. Now I'll be getting paid for eight hours at the factory, and those extra half-hours will add up too, on top of the fact that I'll be getting paid more."

"I'm glad this is working out for you, but I hope you can at least cut back to one day at 7-Eleven after a while. You're going to wear yourself out working all the time."

"I was basically doing the same thing before, because I was cleaning houses on my days off, so this won't be much different, except I'll be earning a lot more."

After we ended our conversation, I went over to my side to change, and then Noah and I went out for our run. After we got back, we showered and headed over to eat with his mom, and during the meal Noah asked her another question. "Since I'll be going with Brian in the morning to pick up the other guys, can I start sleeping with him on Friday night too?"

"I think you'd better ask Brian that question."

"Can I, Brian?"

"It's ok with me, as long as your mother doesn't mind."

"It's fine with me. Actually, I'm surprised he never asked to do it while we were still living at the trailer park."

"Dang! I didn't think about it then," Noah groaned. He looked upset that it hadn't dawned on him to ask me to pick him up on my way home from work on Friday night, because he could have been staying with me an additional night each week.

"Cheer up. We'll be able to do this from now on, but it doesn't do any good to cry over spilled milk," I chimed in.

"I'm not crying, and I didn't spill any milk," Noah shot back, looking at me oddly.

"It's just an expression that means it doesn't do any good to be upset about something that's already happened and can't be changed. I was just letting you know that it won't do any good for you to continue thinking about the fact that you could have been spending Friday nights with me before now."

"Oh, ok. I see what you mean."

Once that was settled, we agreed to play cards instead of watching TV. Noah was excited about teaching his mom how to play the card games I'd taught him and the other boys on New Year's Eve, although I think she might have already known how to play them. She listened as Noah told her about each game, though, and then we'd play a couple of hands before moving on to the next game. We continued doing this until it was time to turn in, and after Cheryl returned to her side, Noah made an observation.

"This will be way better with me staying here tonight, cuz now I'll be able to sleep with you three nights every week, instead of just two."

"Yes, I'm sure we'll both enjoy it, but just remember that you'll have to spend the other nights sleeping in your own bed."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't see why, cuz Mom already knows about us."

"It's because I don't want anyone else to find out that you're doing this. Besides, if anyone asks where you sleep you can truthfully say that you have your own bedroom and sleep there, without telling them you don't do it every night. Most people wouldn't understand about you sleeping with me, and it could create big problems if they found out, especially for me."

"But I won't tell nobody."

"Maybe not intentionally, but you might slip and say something you shouldn't, and that would be all it would take."

"I promise I won't do that."

"I know you wouldn't do it on purpose, but we all make mistakes at times. Besides, your mom likes to check on you during the night, and she can't do that when you're with me."

"Ok, I'll sleep in my own room on the other nights then."

We sucked each other off before going to sleep, and then we cuddled together until morning.

After I fixed breakfast for both of us, we got ready to pick up the other boys at the park. Of course no one said anything about Noah being with me this time, seeing they knew he was living next door. They merely got in the car and I drove back to the house.

I hadn't had much time to plan anything for today, seeing Noah spent every evening with me before he returned to his bedroom to sleep. However, I found enough time to come up with a modest adventure we could play out before we changed into our swimsuits, and then I took them to the state park again.

Glen was doing much better, so after spending a half hour working with him in the shallow water, I decided to take all of the boys over to the other section again. I let the three older boys swim on their own and merely kept on eye on them, but I made sure Glen was always within arm's reach, in case he was having a problem. He seemed to be doing fairly well and having fun, so I let him go over and interact with the other boys until it was time to leave.

When we returned to the house, we changed out of our swimsuits and I took them out for lunch. After we finished our meal, I took the other three back to their apartment building, and then Noah and I returned to the house. I let Noah entertain himself while I did a few chores, and shortly after Cheryl got home, Noah and I went out for our nightly run.

"Are we going to practice soccer tomorrow?" he asked shortly after we started out.

"Yes, I promised I'd do that with you every Sunday."

"I'm glad, cuz I'm getting better and think I'm almost good enough to play on the school team."

"I think you're good enough already, because you aren't afraid to work for what you want."

"I don't work!"

"In a way you do. Doing all of this may seem like fun, but it's also work. You're getting into great shape and building your endurance by running with me every night, and then you work hard practicing your ball handling, passing, and shooting skills when we go to the high school. I doubt any of the other boys who'll be trying out for the team have been doing nearly as much as you are to get ready."

"Yeah, but they're probably doing other stuff. I bet a bunch of them are playing baseball."

"Yes, they might be doing that, but they aren't doing nearly as much running as you are with me. I still think you'll be in better shape than nearly everyone else, if not all of them."

"Really? So you think I'll do good then?"

"If you do as well as when you're with me, then you'll do fantastic."

"And my mom says she'll come to watch me play if I make the team."

"And I'll get there as often as I can too, but she gets out of work a lot earlier than I do."

"Yeah, I know, but I still want you to come whenever you can."

"I will. I promise."

When we got back to the house, we cleaned up and changed, and then we went over to have dinner with Cheryl. During the meal, Noah told her what we'd talked about during our run and that I promised to be at his practices and games as often as I could. She merely smiled at both of us as we continued eating.

When Noah left to use the toilet, Cheryl admitted something to me. "He not only has a crush on you, but he also looks up to you as a father-figure. I'm glad, seeing his dad isn't around to do these things with him any longer."

"I'm happy to do whatever I can, but I certainly don't want to replace his dad."

"I know, and you're not. It's just important for Noah to know that you are going to be there to do these things for him. It means a lot to him, and to me too."

"I'm glad you both feel that way, and I'll do my best."

When Noah returned, Cheryl brought out some board games she'd brought with her when they moved and asked if we wanted to play one of those instead. "Since we didn't have cable at the trailer, I bought these at the Thrift Store. Noah and I used to play them at night, so I thought it might be fun if we could all do it here once in a while."

"Sure, it sounds like fun," I agreed.

She had Sorry, Trouble, Pay Day, Connect 4, Battleship, and Yahtzee, and after discussing it, we decided to play Yahtzee first. I was a little rusty on the rules, seeing it had been a lot longer since I'd last played, but it was fun. Afterward we switched to Sorry and had a good time doing that as well, and then Noah and I went to my side of the house to turn in.

"That was fun and I hope we can do it more often," Noah said as we were getting undressed.

"Yes, I enjoyed it as well. In fact, I might even pick up some other games so we'll have even more choices."

"Really? Like what?"

"I was thinking I could get Life."

"How about Ticket to Ride and Who Tooted? I played those games before and they're fun too."

"I'm not familiar with those, but I'll check them out."

"Thanks, cuz I think you'll like them."

Once again, Noah and I took turns sucking each other off, and then we cuddled together before falling asleep. As usual, I still had my arm wrapped over Noah's side when I woke up the next morning.

Cheryl was home, since she'd given up the house cleaning jobs and hadn't started working at 7-Eleven on Sunday yet. She let us know that she had everything ready to make breakfast, so we went next door and filled our bellies. After we finished eating, Noah went over to my side to watch cartoons, but I stuck around to chat with Cheryl.

"So what are you going to do today?"

"I'll probably just work around here, because there's still a few things I need to unpack and take care of."

"Do you think you'd have time to go to the high school with us when I take Noah to practice his soccer skills? I know he'd like you to see what we've been doing."

"How long do you plan on being there?"

"We usually stay an hour or two, but we can shorten it, if you're willing to join us. I know you being there will mean more to Noah than staying a little longer."

"No, that won't be necessary. I think I can spare an hour or two for my son."

"Great! I'm sure he'll be happy to hear it."

After I felt our meals had time to settle, I went over to see if Noah was ready to go. "Yeah, let's do that now."

"I'll let your mom know we're ready, because she's going to join us."

"Really? I'm glad she's coming with us this time."

"And if you're lucky we might even convince her to participate."

After retrieving the soccer ball, Noah went with me to let his mom know we were ready to leave. "I'm glad you're going to the high school with us. This will be really awesome."

"Wow. I didn't know this would mean so much to you."

"Yeah, I think it's great!"

When we got to the high school, Noah and I went through the skills we typically worked on, and once Cheryl saw what we were up to, we included her in the process. Noah would pass the ball to one of us, and then we would pass it back to him so he could take a shot at the wall. Cheryl even played defense against Noah so he could practice dribbling around her, and even though she didn't exactly know what she was doing, it was still good practice for her son.

When we finished doing those things, we went back to the house and had lunch together, and then Cheryl and I did more of our chores while Noah spent time watching TV. Later, Noah and I went out for our run while his mother fixed dinner. After we showered, we joined her for dinner.

After we finished the meal, we cleared off the table and helped her load the dishwasher, and then we all sat down to play a game of Pay Day. When the game ended, we went over to watch TV for a while, and then we called it a night. Once Cheryl returned to her apartment, Noah and I got ready for bed. We sucked each other off before we cuddled together and prepared to sleep, and it didn't take long for me to doze off. It had been a very enjoyable weekend.

Chapter 32
Mixed Emotions.

The following week went basically the same as the last, and Cheryl, Noah, and I would play a game after we finished dinner. That changed slightly on Friday, because after we ate Cheryl said she wasn't in the mood to play a game. This came as a bit of a surprise to Noah and me, seeing it had become part of our nightly routine, but it was her choice. I didn't think she was too tired, since she'd only been working at 7-Eleven and had given up her house cleaning jobs, so I concluded she merely had something else she wanted to do instead. She suggested that Noah and I could still do it without her, so he grabbed the Battleship game and followed me over to my side of the house.

After playing it a couple of times, we decided to see what was on TV instead. We found a movie we agreed to watch, and when it ended we decided to turn in. It didn't mean we went right to sleep, though, because Noah and I sucked each other off before turning in.

When Noah and I woke up the next morning, I went out to the kitchen to fix breakfast, since Cheryl had already left for her shift at work. As soon as we finished eating, we hopped in the car and headed out to pick up the other boys. They were waiting for us at the park and eagerly got in the car, and then I drove them back to my place to participate in the mystery I'd come up with for today. Once they'd solved it, we changed into our swimsuits and took off for the state park.

I let the boys swim in the regular area again, and we'd been in the water for about a half hour when our attention was drawn to a minor commotion out on the lake. An older couple in a rowboat were acting panicked and talking loudly, and then the man extended one of the oars out farther in the water. That's when I noticed a small head struggling to stay afloat, and then it suddenly disappeared under the surface.

When that happened, I quickly turned toward the boys and spoke. "I want you four to head back to shore and wait for me there."

I saw a couple of mouths begin to open so they could argue with me, but I cut them off before they had a chance to speak. "Just do it!"

I said it forcefully enough that they merely turned and started making their way out of the water. Once I was sure they were going to do as I'd requested, I swam under the buoy and made my way out to the boat. It wasn't long before I reached the location where I thought I'd seen the head disappear, and the older couple was shouting at me as I approached. They were talking fast and at the same time, which made it very difficult to understand what they were trying to say, so I decided to avoid wasting time with them. Instead, I dove beneath the surface and attempted to find the person I'd observed go under.

It was difficult to see very much as I'd slipped beneath the surface, so I began reaching around with my arms so I might find the person that way. I continued doing it until I was forced to surface and inhale another lungful of air, and then I dove down again and began the process anew.

This time I happened to brush against something, so I grabbed a hold of whatever it was. It felt like an arm, so I dragged it to the surface with me. When my head popped out into the open, I hoisted up what I had grasped in my hand so it was above the surface too, and that's when I realized the arm belonged to a young girl. It was obvious that she wasn't breathing, so I knew she needed CPR, but how would I do it. I was just about to try giving her mouth-to-mouth right there when I felt someone touch my shoulder. When I turned to see who it was, I discovered that one of the lifeguards had swum out to assist me.

"Let me take over," he said, as he took the girl into a rescue hold and began swimming back to shore. I veered off slightly and headed to where I saw the boys waiting for me, as the lifeguard carried the girl onto the beach and began CPR. When I was approaching the boys, I noticed one of the female lifeguards had gone over to assist him.

"You saved that girl. You're a hero!" Sam gasped.

"I'm not a hero. I merely did what needed to be done. I just hope the little girl is going to be ok."

"She must not have known how to swim," Gus observed, "and that's why you had to save her. I'm glad you're teaching us how to swim so that won't ever happen to one of us."

"I hope not either, but you'll still have to be careful. Just because you know how to swim doesn't mean you can't drown, so don't do anything foolish."

"Ok, we won't."

"Can we go over and see if she's ok?" Noah followed, looking concerned.

"No, they don't need a bunch of people standing around gawking at what they're doing. If you haven't noticed, the other lifeguards are trying to get everyone else to move away from that area."

I had just finished saying this when we heard the blare of a siren in the distance. It gradually grew louder as it drew closer to the park, and we watched as it drove in and pulled up as close as it could to where the lifeguards were working on the girl. The EMTs jumped out of the vehicle and carried their gear with them as they went to help, and before long they'd taken over working on the girl. A few minutes later we heard a cheer go up from those closer to the scene, which appeared to indicate the girl was breathing again. We watched as the EMTs placed her on a gurney and loaded her into the ambulance, with the older woman accompanying them and they drove off.

I was talking to the boys and answering their questions when someone tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned around to see who it was, I discovered the older man who had been in the rowboat was standing behind me.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my granddaughter before I left to go to the hospital."

"I'm glad I was able to help and that she seems to be ok."

"The EMTs said the doctors would have to check her over to make sure there isn't any long-term damage, but she was breathing again and seemed to know my wife and me, as well as what was going on."

"How did she fall into the water?" Noah blurted out.

"It was an accident. My wife and I had agreed to share the rowing duties and we were just switching places when we either rocked the boat and she fell out, or one of us accidentally bumped into her and knocked her overboard. I thought I could reach the oar out far enough for her to grab a hold of, but she disappeared underwater before I got it to her."

"I'm glad Uncle Brian was able to save her," Noah followed.

"Yeah, he was a hero," Glen chimed in.

"He certainly was, and I'll be forever grateful to him for saving her life."

"I already told the boys I'm not a hero. I'm just a guy who did what needed to be done."

"If I'm not mistaken, I think that's the definition of a hero," the old man replied as he reached out to shake my hand.

He wanted my name and phone number so he could let me know how his granddaughter was making out. He asked me to wait while he went over to ask one of the lifeguards if they could get him a piece of paper and something to write with. When one of them retrieved those items for him, he returned and asked me jot down my name and phone number. As soon as I gave the paper back to him, he said he'd be in touch, and then he took off for the parking lot. We watched as he got into his car and headed to the hospital to catch up with his wife.

Shortly after he left, I noticed that he'd left rowboat were they'd come ashore. He obviously felt it was more important to check on his granddaughter rather than waste time returning it, but I knew it should be returned to the rental area. I was worried that some kids might try to use it to go out on the lake and was concerned that it might lead to another 'accident', so I asked the boys to help me carry it back and turn it in. The rental location was on the other side of the swimming area, and after thinking it over I felt it would be easier to carry it, rather than trying to row there.

As soon as they agreed to help, I put Noah, Gus, and Sam on the opposite side, while Glen helped me. Together, we lifted the boat up and started to carry it back to the rental area, but we had to stop a little over halfway there and take a brief rest. We did it because the boys were complaining that their arms were getting sore, and when they were ready to continue, I had them switch sides with Glen and me. That way they could use their other arm to carry most of the weight, even though they were using both arms as before.

When we turned the rowboat in, the guy at the counter attempted to give me back the security deposit. "No, it's not mine. It belongs to the guy who followed the ambulance to the hospital. Don't you have his information so you can return the money to him?"

"We checked his ID, but I only wrote down his name, since it was a local license."

"Don't you have a way of getting the deposit back to him?"

"I could turn it in to lost and found, along with his name, and hope he comes back to collect it, but the money will probably disappear before he shows up."

"Ok, give it to me then. He's going to call to let me know how his granddaughter is doing, so I'll get his information so I can give it back to him."

"Thanks. That will probably work out better for all of us."

I didn't like doing this, but I felt it was the best way to make sure the money got back to its rightful owner. Now that things were starting to calm down and returning to normal again, I asked the boys if they wanted to swim a little longer or if they were ready to leave.

"Swim!" they all shouted, so I put the rental money in the plastic bag that I used to carry my money, and then we waded back into the water.

We spent the next hour splashing about and having a good time, and every now and then the boys would make a comment about what I'd done. They kept insisting that I was a hero, although I tried to get them to stop saying this, and they also thanked me multiple times for teaching them how to swim.

When we finally decided it was time to leave, we headed back to my house to change, and then I took them out to eat. After we finished our meal, I took the other three back to their apartments, and they said they were going to tell their moms that I'd saved a little girl today. I tried to talk them out of making a big deal out of it, but I could tell they were still going to do it, so I merely said goodbye and watched them disappear into the building.

"You should be proud of what you did," Noah said as we were leaving.

"Oh, I am, but I just don't think you boys should be making such a big deal about it. The lifeguard was heading out to do the same thing I did, so he would have saved her if I hadn't gotten there first."

"Yeah, but you did get there first, and he might not have been able to find her like you did."

"We were just a little closer to where it happened and noticed what was going on before anyone else did. The lifeguards were busy watching the swimmers and weren't really paying attention to anyone out in a boat, so I saw what was happening before they did and got there first. Even so, he was really the one who saved her, because he gave her CPR and got her breathing again. I just pulled her out of the water."

"But she wouldn't be alive if you hadn't done that, so why don't you think you're a hero?"

"Probably because I don't think what I did was a big deal. I didn't dodge bullets to save a wounded buddy, and I didn't run into a burning building to save a stranger. I just swam out and located a little girl who couldn't swim."

"I still think you're a hero," he shot back, not giving in.

When we reached the house, Noah took the soccer ball out to the backyard while I started my weekend chores. He came inside before his mother got home, and then we both went over to say hello when she arrived.

"Did you have a good day?" she asked.

"Yeah, and Brian saved a little girl from drowning?"

Cheryl's expression indicated she was not only shocked, but also impressed. "Why doesn't that surprise me? And it also lets me know you're in good hands when you're with him. So what happened?"

I spent the next couple of minutes explaining the earlier events, along with trying to downplay the embellishments Noah kept trying to add to the story.

"Mom, don't you think Brian's a hero too?"

"I do, but obviously Brian doesn't, so I think we should honor his feelings and leave it up to him."

"That sucks, but I'll do it if that's what he wants."

"I do, so let's get ready to go on our run."

A couple of minutes later we started out, and I think we ran faster than usual this time. I attributed this to the fact that we were still slightly pumped up over what had happened earlier in the day, and when we returned to the house we jumped in the shower, changed into clean clothes, and went over to eat with his mom. In order to keep Noah from talking about what had happened earlier, I started another conversation.

"So how was your day at work?"

"The same as usual. Nothing exciting ever happens there."

"That's a good thing, though, because it means you weren't robbed, someone didn't run into one of the gas pumps, and no one drove off with a hose still attached to their gas tank."

"Yes, I guess that's one way to look at it."

"We're almost done eating, so what would you two like to do next?"

"Let's play Trouble this time," Noah suggested.

Cheryl and I agreed, and we did that a couple of times before we decided to see what was on TV. We found a movie to watch and did that until it was time to turn in, and before Cheryl left I told her I was going to fix breakfast for all of us in the morning. She protested briefly, but finally gave in, and then she returned to her side.

After Noah and I went through our nightly ministrations, we sucked each other off. I was just about to cuddle with him so we could go to sleep, but he wanted to talk. "Why won't you admit that you're a hero?"

"Because I don't feel like one?"

"Why not?"

"Look, I can't explain it to you, so you'll just have to accept it's what I want," I answered, and then I draped my arm across his body as we drifted off to sleep.

Shortly after we woke up the next morning, I got everything ready to fix breakfast for all of us. Then, I sent Noah next door to see if his mom was up yet. I told him not to wake her if she was still asleep, and I would fix his breakfast first, if he was hungry. He said he'd let me know after he checked on his mom.

Cheryl returned with him a few moments later, and she was already dressed, so it appeared she'd been up for a while. Seeing I wasn't sure how long that had been, I apologized for making her wait.

"Nonsense. It's no different than when I make breakfast, because you two sleep later than I do.

I didn't realize she had been waiting for us every weekend before we ate together, but I'd talk to her about it later. For now, I merely gave her the choice between having scrambled eggs or an omelet. She and I both chose to have an omelet, while Noah opted for the scrambled eggs. I told him he could make toast for himself if he wanted, and I also prepared sausage links to go with it.

When we finished eating, Cheryl and I both started working on our usual chores, while Noah took the RC car outside. After he got tired of doing that, he came inside again and asked if I was ready to take him to the high school.

"Let me see if your mother wants to join us again," I said before heading next door to see what she wanted to do. "Would you like to go with us?"

"Sure, I'd love to do that again."

We all hopped in my car and I drove to the high school. Cheryl was eager to do the same things she'd done when she came with us the last time, so Noah would pass the ball to one of us and we would pass it back so he could take a shot at the wall. Cheryl also played defense on him so he could practice his ball handling and dribbling skills, and when we finished I drove over to subway so we could all get a six-inch sub for lunch.

"You know we have food at home," Cheryl teased as we were getting out of the car.

"I know, but this way you can relax and there won't be as much to clean up afterward."

When we got to the house we sat down together to eat, and we also chatted about what we'd just done at the high school. After we finished and tossed the wrappers away, we rinsed out our glasses and cups before Noah followed me over to my side. He wanted me to suck him off quickly before I started doing my chores again, so I relented. After he enjoyed his orgasm, he went to the living room to watch cartoons.

I had just started working again when my phone rang. "Hi, it's Stuart Bellinger and I just called to let you know how my granddaughter is doing. The doctor said she's going to be fine and it doesn't appear as if there will be any long-term effects due to what happened."

"That's good to hear, because I was concerned seeing she'd been underwater for a few minutes."

"Yes, and the doctor said it was a good thing the water wasn't as warm as it will get later in the summer, because the cooler water temperature probably prevented her from suffering severe brain damage."

"That's great news and I'm glad to hear it. By the way, I returned the row boat you were using and they gave me your deposit. They said they didn't have a way of getting it to you, and since I returned the boat and told them that I'd be speaking with you later, they gave me the money to give to you. How would you like me to do that?"

"Why don't you just keep the money and buy the boys who were with you a treat."

"No, it's your money, not ours."

"But I want you to spend it on them. Consider it my way of saying thank you for saving my granddaughter."

I didn't want to argue with him over this, since it wasn't that much money, so I merely assured him I'd use it as he directed.

After we ended the call, Noah wanted to know who I was talking to.

"It was the man from the rowboat. He wanted to tell me the doctor said his granddaughter was going to be fine."

"Then you are a hero, cuz you saved her life."

"Why is it so important for you to think I'm a hero?"

"Cuz me and the other boys all know you are, and not just cuz of yesterday. You've been kind of saving us too, 'specially me. We wouldn't be doing as good in school, and I wouldn't be thinking about playing on the soccer team, and none of us would know how to swim if it wasn't for you. We all think you're a hero, and we just want you to know that too."

I was slightly choked up listening to his response, so it took a moment before I could croak out a reply. "If it's that important to you, then I'll agree that I'm a hero, but not a superhero. And I want you to agree that you won't spread this around, and you won't tell anyone else about what happened either."

"Why not?" Noah looked upset that I'd said this.

"Let's just keep it between us. I'm just not comfortable being thought of as a hero."

I could tell Noah wasn't happy, but since he knew I was going to let him think of me as a hero it seemed to placate him. After several minutes of awkward silence, I suggested it was time that we went for our run. He raced over to tell his mother what we were going to do, and then we headed down the driveway and out onto the street.

We didn't do much talking as we jogged this time. We usually carried on a conversation as we made our way around the route, but only when we were jogging, not sprinting. However, tonight we ran in almost total silence. I wasn't exactly sure why, unless he was all talked out, but I felt I'd find out eventually. While we were cleaning up, I finally got my answer.

"I'm glad you agreed that you're a hero, but I don't understand why you won't let me tell anyone else. I'm proud of you and want to tell everyone else."

"The reason is personal and I'd rather not discuss it."

"Is it something I did?"

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with you. It's just something that happened when I was as young as you, and because of it I'll never think of myself as a hero."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"No, and I'd rather you dropped this and let it go."

Once we finished washing up, we changed and went over to have dinner with Cheryl. She seemed to be in a particularly good mood, so I decided to ask her about it.

"You seem to be happier than usual tonight. Is there any particular reason?"

"Yes, I guess there is. I was doing some cleaning earlier and realized how much better things are for us now. The apartment is much nicer than living in the trailer, and it's easier to keep looking good too, and I'm much happier living here. I also had a good time at the school with my son and realized that I'm getting to spend more time with him now, than before."

"I'm glad you think this is working out for you."

After we finished eating, we decided to play Sorry, and then we all agreed to go over to my side to see what was on TV. I went first, thinking they would follow, but when I got to my side they weren't behind me. I figured they'd probably just gone to take care of something first, so I turned on the TV and began scrolling through the cable guide to see what was on. I had done that for a couple of minutes before they showed up, and Cheryl merely said that she'd decided to go to the toilet first, and Noah said he'd just waited for his mom.

Even though I didn't say anything, I thought it was a bit odd, seeing Noah was always so eager to spend time with me. However, we sat down on the sofa and discussed what was on until we agreed on what we were going to watch. Noah sat between us and took turns leaning against his mom and me, and then he would start the process all over again. Like I said before, other than switching back and forth from one side of the house to the other, it was almost as if we were actually a family.

When the show we were watching ended, Cheryl said goodnight and returned to her side. As soon as she'd left, Noah grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the bedroom so we could suck each other off. He was definitely a little horn-dog, but probably not any worse than most boys in that age group. I wasn't about to complain, though, because I was getting off more often than I had in ages, other than by my own hand.

The following week went pretty much the same, as Cheryl finished her last few days working full-time at 7-Eleven. I decided to ask her about this before dinner on Friday evening, while Noah was out in the backyard playing with the soccer ball.

"So how does it feel, now that you won't be working at the 7-Eleven during the week?"

"I'm a little sad in a way, seeing I've been doing it for so long. I started there shortly after my husband died, but I'm looking forward to working at the factory now and making more money. It's not like I won't be working at the 7-Eleven any longer, since I'll be there on the weekend, but it won't be the same."

"I just hope you don't regret the change."

"I doubt that very much, seeing Noah and I will be better off. How could I possibly regret anything, if I have more money and a nicer place to live?"

"I only hope you'll continue to feel that way."

"I'm sure I will, but now it's my turn to ask you a question. Noah told me that you said you were hesitant about thinking of yourself as a hero, but he doesn't understand why. He told me you said it was because of something that happened when you were younger, so do you want to tell me about it?"

"Not really. It's just that one of my best friends got hurt really bad because of me."

"Really? What happened?"

"I don't want to think about that day again, and I certainly wasn't about to admit what I'd done to Noah."

"You mean it was that bad? Did you do it intentionally?"

"No, I didn't, but it was my idea that caused him to get hurt really bad."

"Well, if it was just an accident, then you shouldn't feel guilty."

"Maybe you'd feel different if you knew what happened." I hesitated for a couple of minutes as I thought about how much I was willing to tell her. "Ok, this is what happened. We were both twelve at the time and we were out riding our bikes. There was a really big hill that was fairly close to where we lived, and I talked him into riding over there so we can race down it. We weren't supposed to go that far away without permission, so he didn't want to do it, but I dared him. I knew he'd go with me if I said he was scared and dared him, and that's when it happened.

"We were about halfway down the hill when he lost control of his bike, veered off the road, and was thrown off. He landed on a bunch of jagged rocks and said he couldn't move, so I tried to help him get up. That only made things worse, because he'd broken his back. He's been in a wheelchair ever since."

"I'll bet he doesn't blame you."

"That's what he said too. He claimed it was his fault for letting the bike get away from him, but that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't dared him to go. I wasn't able to look him or his parents in the eye after that, even though I would go over to visit him nearly every day for the next few years. I guess I did it because I felt so guilty, but our friendship was never the same afterward. We kind of lost touch when I went away to college, so I don't really know what happened to him after that. His parents moved away from the area and I never found out where they went, so I couldn't ask them about him either. I still feel really bad about what happened, and it's the reason that I'll never think of myself as a hero. Heroes don't end up hurting their friends like that."

"I disagree, but I can see why you didn't want to tell Noah. I won't say anything to him either, but knowing this will make it easier for me to deal with him if he brings it up again. I'll merely explain that sometimes there are things in our past that we'd rather not talk about and he should respect your feelings about this."

"Thank you, but I have to admit that telling you this actually helped me too. I've never been able to talk to anyone about what happened, except for my parents, and it felt good to get it off my chest."

After we finished talking, I went over to my side to change. I was surprised that Noah hadn't heard me arrive home and come in to go on our run yet, so after I changed I went out to get him.

"Wow! Is it that late already?"

"Yep. Time flies when you're having fun."

"Yeah, I was practicing soccer."

Now that he was ready, we took off on our run. As soon as we got back, we showered quickly and then went over to eat with Cheryl. Afterward we played cards for a while, and then we watched a little TV before turning in.

The rest of the weekend went pretty much like the last one. I picked the boys up on Saturday and they solved a mystery I'd arranged first, and then I took them swimming. Fortunately, I didn't have to save anyone this time.

Cheryl was unusually hyper on Sunday, and I assumed it was because she was nervous about starting her new job at the factory the next day. She didn't even calm down after we took Noah to the high school to practice his soccer skills, but I knew this wasn't a bad thing. She was just experiencing a little uncertainty about making this change. I knew she was excited about it too, because she'd admitted that things were going to be better for them, and I hoped her feeling that way would never change.

Chapter 33
Changes In Our Lives.

After Cheryl had completed her first day working at the factory, I went over to see how she'd made out the second I got home. "So how did it go?"

"Since I was just training, it wasn't too bad and I'll do fine. I also met a couple of people I immediately hit it off with, so that was a plus too. Since there's no cafeteria and the break room only has a variety of vending machines, I'm going to start packing a lunch to take with me. I have a small cooler I can use, and I was assigned a locker that I'll be able to keep it in, along with my purse, so this will work out just fine."

"I have a couple of extra ice packs you can use to keep your lunch cold, if you want to borrow them. They're the same type I put in my cooler when I fix lunch for Noah and me, and they work great."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

When I went to get them for her, Noah followed me over to my side. "Are you going to change now, so we can go out on our run?"

"Just let me take these over to your mother first, and then I'll get ready."

I grabbed the extra ice packs out of the freezer and took them next door to give to Cheryl. When I returned to my bedroom to change, Noah was lying on my bed, totally naked. "I thought you could suck my penis first."

"So I see, but I thought you were in a hurry to get out on our run."

"I am, but I want you to do this too."

After I did what he wanted, I changed while he was putting his clothes on again, and then we took off. About half way around the course it started to rain. It was a warm day, and what was happening wasn't exactly a downpour, so we continued on.

"Are we still going to shower when we get back?"

"Of course. This is just wetting us down, but not getting us clean. We'll ring out the clothes we're wearing and leave them in the bathroom to dry after we finish our shower. I'll throw them in the hamper when they're no longer damp, because I don't want mold or mildew to form on them."

Once we'd cleaned up, we got dressed and headed next door to have dinner. It certainly made it a lot easier for me now, seeing I didn't have to fix something to eat after I finished jogging, and I enjoyed their company as well.

After we were done with our meal, we cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen, and then Cheryl and I agreed to take turns playing Connect 4 with Noah. I've come to find out that he's very competitive and doesn't like to lose, but Cheryl and I agreed not to baby him and let him win every time. We felt it would be best if he learned how to handle an occasional defeat, but overall he won more games than he lost.

When we finished playing, Noah and I went to my side to watch TV for a while, and after he left I did a few things before getting ready for bed. Unfortunately, it was never quite the same when he didn't stay and sleep with me, because I missed cuddling with him, but I couldn't let him do it every night.

The next afternoon when I met up with Noah for lunch, he had something to tell me. "Mom was already in her room and asleep when I went back last night. I hope she's alright, cuz she usually stays up until after I go to my room."

"I'm sure she's fine, but she might be more tired than usual for a few days, possibly even a couple of weeks. Her new job is quite a bit harder than what she's been doing, but she'll get used to it and this won't last forever. Just give her time to adjust."

"Ok, I'll do that, and I hope you're right."

That night when I got home after work, Noah came over and I assumed he was there to see if I was ready to go out for our run. "Just give me a couple of minutes to change," I stated before he'd said anything.

"K, but that's not why I'm here. Mom went in to take a nap after we got home and I'm worried about her."

"I told you she'd probably find working at the factory a lot harder, so it doesn't surprise me that she took a nap when she got home. If it will make you feel better, I'll ask her how she's doing while we're having dinner. Do you still want to jog with me?"

"Yeah. Mom got up before I came over here and started fixing something for us to eat, so we better do this now."

I changed quickly and we headed out. Noah kept mentioning how worried he was about his mom as we made our way around the course, and eventually we ended up at my place and headed to the shower. When we finished washing up, we went next door to eat. Cheryl actually looked pretty good and seemed to be in a decent mood, so I was a little confused.

"How was your day?" I asked to get things started.

"It was good, but tiring. I was worn out when I got home, so I took a power nap."

"You look great now, so I never would have guessed."

"Thanks, and I hope you boys are hungry, because I made a lot."

"I am. How about you, Noah?"

"Yeah, me too, but are you sure you're ok, Mom?"

"Yes, honey, I'm fine. I was just a little tired earlier."

Nothing more was said about that while we were eating, or after we finished our meal either, but while we were helping Cheryl clean up the kitchen, Noah asked a question. "Do you feel ok and want to play a game with us tonight?"

"Yes, I can do that with you, as long as it doesn't take too long."

After talking it over, we decided to take turns playing battleship against Noah, and this seemed to make him happy. I suspected he was thinking that his mom couldn't be doing too badly if she agreed to do this with us tonight, and I had a feeling it was the reason that Cheryl had agreed to do it in the first place.

Cheryl and Noah played against each other first, and then she went to do other things while Noah and I played. After we finished our game, we all agreed to call it a night and I went back to my side, but Noah stayed with his mom and didn't come over to watch TV with me. That worked out well, though, because I had some things I wanted to take care of before I turned in. It included spending some time thinking about the adventure or mystery I was going to do with the boys on Saturday, since I only had a vague idea of something we could do. By the time I stopped and began my nightly ritual, I was mentally drained and ready to sleep as I crawled into bed.

When I met up with Noah for lunch on Wednesday, he once again had something he wanted to tell me before we started chowing down. "Mom went to bed after you left to go back to your side."

"It doesn't surprise me, and I told you she might be tired from her job for a while. Even though she said it wasn't too bad because she was only in training this week, I'm sure it's harder than what she's used to."

"Is she going to be like this every night from now on?"

"Maybe for a while, at least until she gets used to it, but then she'll be just like she was before."

"Ok. I hope you're right about that."

As we ate our lunch we talked about other things, and then it was time for me to go back to work. I told Noah I'd see him later, and then I walked back to my office.

As soon as I got home that evening, Noah urged me to hurry up and change so we could go out on our run. Shortly after we left the house, he informed me about something else. "Mom took another nap when we got home earlier."

"Like I said, give her some time to get used to how hard her new job is."

"Yeah, I will, but I hope it doesn't take too long."

When we finished our run, we showered and went over to have dinner with Cheryl. She appeared to be doing just fine and we had a nice conversation during dinner, but Noah was watching her like a hawk. I assumed he was looking for any sign that something was wrong, but I don't think he found anything. To my surprise, however, he didn't bother to ask if we wanted to play a game after we finished helping her clean up the mess. Instead, he merely followed me over to my side to watch TV. We did that for a couple of hours, and then he returned to his side to sleep.

When I met up with Noah for lunch the next afternoon, he had something he wanted to tell me. "Mom went to bed early again last night, but she looked really good this morning. I guess you're probably right and she just has to get used to her new job."

"I'm glad you realize that now. She still may want to take a nap when she gets home, but it's nothing to worry about. Just let her do it and don't make a big deal about it."

"Ok, I won't."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Oh, and I'm going to walk over to Gus' apartment after we're done eating, cuz it 'sposed to rain later. Will you tell my mom that's where I'm going to be?"

"Yes, I'll call down and have her supervisor give her the message."

I made sure to do it the first thing after I got back to the office, so I didn't forget. I also made Cheryl's supervisor promise to give her the message immediately, so he wouldn't forget either.

When my work day came to an end, I thought about driving over to Gus' apartment to make sure Cheryl had picked him up, but I thought that might look strange. I also thought about driving by the park, but what good would that do if he wasn't going to be there in the first place? I ended up just driving home, as I normally would.

Shortly after I got there, Noah come over ready to go out for our run, so I changed quickly, realizing my concerns had been unfounded. Along the way, we began to chat. "So did you have a fun time at Gus' apartment?"

"Yeah, and I'm glad I went there, cuz it rained really hard before my mom picked me up. Oh, and thanks for letting her know where I was."

"You're welcome, and I'm glad it all worked out."

When we completed our run, we showered quickly and then went over to eat with Cheryl. "It's almost done, so grab something to drink and sit down at the table."

We did what she'd indicated, but I also asked a question. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, everything is taken care of, but thanks for offering."

We chatted while we ate, and afterward we chose to play Trouble. It was a game we could all play together, and we had a fun time doing it. It also made me remember that I'd told Noah I was going to pick up a few more games we could play, so I'd have to remember to do it this weekend. I briefly considered going to buy them after work the next night, but that would mess up our going out for a run before we ate. I couldn't do it on my lunch hour either, since I went to the park to have lunch with Noah, and I spent nearly every evening with him too. Therefore, I planned on doing it after I dropped the other boys off on Saturday, so Noah could go with me and help pick out the games.

After we finished playing the game, Noah stayed behind to spend some more time with his mother, so I spent the time concentrating on what I was going to do with the boys this weekend. When I finished working on that, I performed my nightly ministrations and headed to bed.

Noah seemed to be in a fairly good mood when I met up with him for lunch on Friday, and I was interested in what he might have to say. Once I'd given him his share of the food and we began to eat, he started talking to me at the same time.

"I hope you're not mad cuz I didn't go over to watch TV with you last night."

"No, not at all."

"Good, cuz I wanted to spend some more time with my mom. I wanted to talk to her and thank her for working so hard just so she can buy better things for me now."

"That was very considerate of you, and I'm sure she appreciated it."

"Yeah, that's what she said too."

He seemed to be happier today and less concerned about his mom's health, so I guess he'd noticed enough improvement to ease his concerns. After we finished eating, I said goodbye and told him I'd see him at home later.

When I got to the house after work, I went over to speak with Cheryl before I changed to go out with Noah. I knew she hadn't received a paycheck today, since the work week runs from Monday through Sunday and she'd get paid for this week next Friday. I thought I'd talk to her about this in private before we ate.

"Do you need any money to tide you over until you get your first paycheck?"

"No, because I stopped and picked up my paycheck from 7-Eleven on the way home. They did the same thing and paid us the following week for the week before, so I have enough to get by."

"Ok, but let me know if you run short."

"Thanks, but I should be fine."

After that, Noah and I got ready for our run while Cheryl worked on dinner. Once we were ready, we started out and Noah immediately made a comment. "Thanks for helping Mom get her new job. She told me this year we wouldn't be going to the Thrift Store or Dollar Store to get my things before school started."

"I only did what I could to help, and I'm glad it's working out the way you want."

"It wasn't too bad at my old school, cuz there were a bunch of other kids like me who got their clothes and stuff from those places, but I knew some of the other kids made fun of us cuz of that. It's why I was worried that I'd get picked on at my new school if I was wearing stuff like that or getting my school supplies from the Dollar Store."

"I can see how it might have been a problem, but I'd guess there will be kids who have to do the same thing at this school as well."

"Yeah, maybe, but I'm glad I won't be one of them."

"As long as you aren't one of the kids picking on them about it either."

"Oh, I won't do that, and I'll even stick up for them if anyone else says stuff about that."

"I'm glad to hear it. You can speak up and defend them, but just don't go getting into any fights over it."

"K, I'll try not to."

We finished our run and returned to the house, and after we cleaned up we went over to have dinner with Cheryl. She was in a pretty good mood, but when we finished she didn't want to play a game with us this time.

"I have something else to do before I go to bed, so not tonight, but maybe tomorrow. I forgot to wash my uniform for 7-Eleven, so I need to do that and a few other things instead."

Once she'd informed us about this, Noah and I agreed to go over and watch TV instead. We both said goodnight to Cheryl, and Noah also gave her a kiss and a hug before we went next door. He was thrilled that he was going to be able to sleep with me again, seeing it was Friday night.

"Man, I wish I'd thought about doing this sooner."

"I know, but like I said earlier, there's no use in thinking about it now. Just enjoy it while it lasts."

"And I hope it lasts forever."

Once we settled down on the sofa, we scanned the cable guide to find a movie to watch. To our delight, Happy Feet was on. It's about an emperor penguin named Mumbles, and he had a terrible problem. He needed to be able to sing in order to attract a mate, but Mumbles had an awful singing voice, so he decided to use his talent for tap dancing to attract a female instead. Noah loved the movie and giggled repeatedly as he enjoyed the action on the screen, and I was glad he finally had a chance to see it.

When the movie ended, Noah and I went through our nightly routine and headed to bed. He wanted us to suck each other off before we went to sleep, so that's what we did. He was really getting into it and flopped around on the mattress as I was doing it to him. He was also thrusting up into my mouth as he sought his relief, and since we hadn't done this for a few days, I guess he needed it more than either of us realized.

When he eventually exploded and shot his load down my throat, he finally began to settle down. However, as soon as he recuperated he was just as animated about doing the same thing to me. His head was bouncing up and down on my knob like a woodpecker attacking a tree, and his enthusiasm and improving technique soon had me unloading into his mouth as well. Now that we'd both enjoying some relief, we cuddled together and fell asleep.

When we got up in the morning, I had Noah help me get a few things ready before we picked up the other boys. I'd opted to do a mystery today and it required that I set out some props first, but helping me do this wouldn't give Noah any advantage, since I'd be bringing the boys' attention to these things as well.

The four of them seemed to have a good time solving the mystery, which was a little more difficult since Glen was getting used to doing these with us. When they finished, we all went to my bedroom to change into our swimsuits.

As soon as we got to the state park, I led the boys directly to the normal swimming area, bypassing the kiddie area completely. They all thought this was a big deal and thanked me for doing it, and I kept an eye on each of them while they were in the water. Glen stayed close to me for the first hour, but then he ventured farther and farther away as he gained more confidence. Eventually, he was interacting with the other boys and frolicking with them, and he seemed to be doing just fine.

When I told them it was time to leave, they all teased to stay a little longer, so I gave in and we stayed in the water for another half hour before getting out. Once we'd all dried off, we headed back to the house to change, and then I took them out for lunch.

After we finished eating, I drove the other boys home, and then Noah and I stopped to pick up a few more games.

"Look around and see what looks good to you," I suggested once we got to the toy department.

"I want to get those games I told you about, cuz they're fun."

He looked around until he found both of them, and then he handed the boxes to me. I also picked out the game of Life that I'd mentioned to him previously, and then we took everything up to the checkout.

"Are you sure you want to buy all these games?" Noah asked, looking concerned that he'd forced me into spending more than I'd intended.

"Yes, and I'm sure we'll have fun playing them. They might come in handy if it rains on a Saturday when the others are with us and we aren't able to go swimming."

"Yeah, and I'm sure Sam, Gus, and Glen will like playing these too."

When we got back to the house, I stored the games in the closet, and then Noah asked me to watch a movie with him. "Wouldn't you rather go outside and play with the remote controlled car or do something else?"

"Nah, we've already gone swimming, and we'll go to the high school to practice soccer tomorrow, so I'd rather do this now."

"Ok, if you're sure."

I let him choose the movie he wanted to see, and then he leaned against me as we watched it. I think he opted to do this so he could snuggle with me too, but I wasn't sure why this suddenly seemed so important to him.

During one of the commercials about halfway through the movie, Noah turned to me and spoke. "Thanks for buying all of those games for us to play, 'specially cuz you bought the ones I wanted. You keep doing stuff like that for me and it makes me feel really special, and I love you a lot."

"I love you too, champ, and I'm glad it makes you feel special."

After I said this, he wrapped both of his arms around my arm that he'd been leaning against, and then he placed his head on my shoulder as we watched the rest of the movie. I guess that was my answer for why he chose to do this. It was his way of showing gratitude by being close to me.

When the movie ended, we went over to see his mother, because she'd returned home from work during that time. "I was wondering where you were," Cheryl said when she saw Noah.

"We were watching a movie and I didn't want to leave until it was over."

"It must have been a good one then."

"It was. It was one of the Star Wars movies."

"Are you boys going out for your run now?"

"Only if it won't interfere with dinner," I answered. "We came over to see if we had time to do that."

"You do, so go ahead and dinner will be ready when you get back."

Since we were already dressed for our run, Noah and I took off. I was amazed at how quickly we got done, because the sprints we had inserted into our routine had cut down the amount of time it took to do this. After we'd showered and dressed, we went over to eat dinner with his mother.

She had the table set and was placing the food on it when we walked in, since she'd seen us return and knew how long it would take before we came over. We all sat down in our usual places, and Cheryl spoke to me as we got started. "I got a check from both jobs yesterday, so now I know what I'll be taking home each week. I can't thank you enough for doing this for me."

"I'm happy I could help, as long as you don't wear yourself out working seven days a week."

"I've basically been doing it since my husband died, and I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. I love the apartment, I'm happy with both jobs, and I also have made a couple of new friends. My son is doing well too, and I have more money to spend on him, so life couldn't be much better."

"I'm also very pleased that you and Noah will be covered by the company's health insurance policy from now on. Did you have health insurance at 7-Eleven?"

"I had a chance to enroll there, but it was too expensive so I didn't take it. The policy you have at the factory is much better and doesn't cost nearly as much, so I signed up for it and now we're finally covered. I was worried before about what I'd do if Noah got sick or injured, but I no longer have that concern."

After dinner we agreed to play a game, and Noah chose one of the new games I'd just purchased – Who Tooted. I only had a vague idea about the game when we picked it up, and Noah explained the basics to his mom. This game would definitely be better with more players, so I'd have to use it when the other boys were with us, but here's what we had to do.

Each of us selected a controller that resembled a whoopee cushion, and we had to keep it out of site from the others. When it lit up the person holding it had to push the button on it, and then the board would 'toot', which is a polite way of saying it made a farting sound. Hopefully the person who did it would maintain his composure and not let the others know who was responsible, because the rest of us had to guess who farted. You would get to move a space if you guessed correctly, and if you were the 'tooter' you'd get to move one space for each incorrect guess.

Noah giggled every time the noise sounded, which worked just as well for him as keeping a poker face. The game didn't take very long to play, so we played it twice, much to Noah's delight. After we finished the second game, Cheryl said she was heading to bed, so we put the game away. After we were alone, Noah gave me a hug and thanked me again for buying it.

We went to watch TV for a while after that, and then Noah showed his gratitude even more after we finished getting ready for bed. Once I'd sucked him off, he did the same thing to me and I had one of the most powerful orgasms I've had in a very long time. I'm not sure if this was the result of his improving ability or if other factors came into play, such as intense emotional feelings. It's possible his outbursts of gratitude earlier affected me more than I realized at the time.

Now that we were both sexually sated, we cuddled together and fell asleep, totally content in each others arms. Mine was draped over his side, and he was clinging to that arm with one of his.

When we awoke on Sunday morning, I made breakfast for the two of us, since Cheryl was working. After that, I let Noah watch cartoons while I did some of my chores. We did that until we stopped to have lunch, and I used the time to talk with him about something I was considering for the following week. Afterward, Noah took the RC car outside for a while, as I finished up my weekend duties. As soon as I was done, I went outside to tell him I was ready to go to the high school, so he raced inside to put the car away and grab the soccer ball before he returned to join me.

We went through our normal drills again, and I also worked with Noah on heading the ball, but not for very long. I preferred to only have him do this in games, because I'd heard the brain bounces against the inside of the skull whenever a player heads the ball. I wanted to keep that to a minimum while his body was still developing, so after we'd worked on his soccer skills for a couple of hours, we called it a day and headed back to the house.

That night after Noah and I jogged and had dinner with Cheryl, we agreed to play another game. This time Noah chose Clue. "This is kinda like what we do with Brian when he has a mystery for us to solve," he told his mom. "He tells us some of what's going on before we start, but then we have to look around for clues so we can figure out the rest of it."

"That sounds really interesting, so I can see why you boys like doing it with him."

After the game, Cheryl went back to her side, but Noah stayed with me. We watched a couple of programs on TV before we got ready for bed, and then we swapped blow jobs prior to turning in.

Chapter 34
A Special Celebration.

The first couple of days of the new week went without incident, and Cheryl seemed to be adjusting quite well to working at the factory. This seemed to have a positive effect on Noah as well, because he didn't seem as worried about her. The three of us continued to do all of the same types of things we normally did after dinner, which included playing games and watching TV. On Tuesday night while we were eating dinner, Cheryl made an observation.

"You know, this is going to be the first time I've had the Fourth of July off in years, and it will be a paid holiday too."

"Yes, you'll get paid and will be able to spend the day with us. Noah has already told me he wants to do something similar to what we did on the Fourth last year, but this year you can do it with us. In fact, we have everything planned out and I've already picked up the things we're going to need to take with us."

"So what are we going to do?"

"We're going to leave for the park after lunch and spend the rest of the day there. We'll pack a cooler so we can have a picnic dinner, and then we'll stay and watch the firework display. We'll head home after that ends, so you and I should still be able to get a decent night's sleep before going to work the next day."

"Oh, that sounds lovely. It's something else I haven't done in a very long time, because I was always working and didn't have the time."

"Yeah, last year you were working some nights too," Noah chimed in.

"Yes, I was working a split-shift at the time and volunteered for some extra hours after one of the other employees quit. After the boss hired someone else to fill that position, he let me work the day shift as a reward for bailing him out."

"You're still working the day shift, but now it's at the factory," I offered.

"And since I'll be getting paid holidays from now on, I'll get to do these things with Noah and you."

"Yes, you will, and we're looking forward to it."

"Mom, is it ok if I sleep with Brian tonight, since he doesn't have to work tomorrow?"

"Did you check to make sure it's ok with Brian?"

"Yes, he did, and I told him it was ok with me, but he had to get your permission first."

"As long as it's ok with Brian, I don't have a problem with it either."

"Yay! Thanks, Mom."

"Ok, now that's been settled, which game would you two like to play tonight?" I followed.

"Can we play Ticket to Ride?"

"I don't have a problem with that."

"And neither do I," Cheryl added.

I got out the game and Noah helped to set it up. It turned out to be a fairly simple game to learn, and each player had to form his own strategy about how he was going to proceed. Everyone's dealt four train cards, which signify various types of train cars, and they are also given three destination tickets. Each player has to decide which two destination cards he wants to keep and then he places the third one at the bottom of the stack.

The idea of the game is to form your own routes to your destination, and the longer the route, the more points you earn. It also boils down to balancing greed, your desire to add more cards to your hand, and the fear of losing your route or a part of it to one of the other players. Although there are several versions of this game, and they cross other countries, this game used North America, so it served as a geography lesson too.

It was more fun than I had first imagined, and I began to see why Noah liked playing this game and had urged me to purchase it. Cheryl seemed to enjoy playing it as well, but mostly because she was getting a kick out of watching her son. I think she was impressed with how well he was competing with us and holding his own, even though we were much older and knowledgeable. However, in this case he had more experience, at least when it came to the game, and he ended up winning, so he was happy as we headed to bed.

Before we fell asleep, Noah insisted that we suck each other off, and I was happy to agree with his suggestion. This time he opted to straddle my chest so he could fuck my face, and shortly after he'd busted a nut, he began sucking on my penis like a newborn calf on its mother's udder. Once he'd brought me to release and swallowed my load, we cuddled together and made the brief journey to the land of nod.

When we woke up in the morning, we went over and had breakfast with Cheryl, and then we let Noah choose what he wanted to do next. He opted to have us play the game of Life, and we spent nearly two hours doing that. I had forgotten how involved that game could be, and when we finished, Noah went to see what was on TV. While he was doing that, Cheryl began fixing our lunch and I packed the large cooler with multiple things to take with us when we left for the park.

After we finished eating, Noah helped me carry the cooler outside and load it into the trunk of the car, and then he raced over to his side of the house. I went to my side and retrieved the soccer ball to take with us, and when Noah returned, Cheryl was with him. She was carrying a neatly folded blanket, while Noah held onto a Frisbee, and we all got into the car so we could head over to the park. It was a different one than where Noah and I met for lunch.

We left the cooler and the blanket in the car and merely took the Frisbee and soccer ball with us when we got there. We agreed to toss the Frisbee around for a while first, before Noah decided it was time to switch. Nearly as soon as we started kicking the soccer ball around, other kids came over and asked if they could join us. Before long we had enough to play a game, so we headed over to the pee wee soccer field to choose up teams.

It was only half the length of a regulation soccer field, and slightly more than half as wide, and the goals were smaller too, but it would serve our purposes. It had been lined and the nets had been added so the recreation department could use it for their summer soccer clinic for the kids, and it would also be used in the fall when the pee wee soccer league held their games. In the meantime it was perfect for what we intended to do. Cheryl agreed to play too, so I made sure she and Noah were on the same team, while I played against them.

We actually had a good time doing this, although Cheryl became slightly winded in the process, but Noah and I were in fairly good shape because of our nightly runs. The other kids who'd joined us seemed to have a good time too, although none of their parents participated. In the end Noah's team won, and I felt it was due to the fact that Noah was one of the best players on either team.

"Wow, you were better out there than I would have guessed," Cheryl told him once the game ended.

"That's cuz I don't think any of the other kids have played on a soccer team before."

"Maybe not, but your ability definitely stood out," I assured him. "All the hard work you've done is obviously paying off, and you did well against the one kid on my team who was pretty good too. You got by him a couple of times, so I think you'll do fine when you make the team."

"Yeah, but he was younger than me."

"Even so, he appeared to know what he was doing, so it should prove to you that you can hold your own out there."

We were still talking about this when the kid I'd just mentioned came up to speak with us, and he was accompanied by an athletically built man. "Hey, my dad wanted me to bring him over so I could introduce him to you."

"Hi, I'm Jeff Rich."

I shook hands with the man, told him my name and introduced him to Cheryl and Noah. He focused on Noah and spoke. "I haven't seen you around before, so I take it you don't go to Hilltop Middle School?"

"I haven't been, but I think that's where I'll be going when school starts again, cuz we just moved."

"Yes, he'll be attending Hilltop this year, although his mother hasn't enrolled him yet," I interjected.

"You don't know how pleased I am to hear that. I'm the P.E. teacher there, and I also coach the modified soccer team. I certainly hope you are planning on playing this year."

"I was going to try out and hoped I'd make the team."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. From what I saw today, you might even be one of my starters. I lose a lot of the better athletes to the football program, but you'll definitely fit in well. Do you know what position you want to play?"

"Not really, cuz I've never played before."

"You can't be this good and never played before." He looked at Noah to see if he was merely joking.

"I haven't. I just know what Uncle Brian has taught me. He's been working with me a lot, and I run with him every night."

"Then you've had a good coach, because I was impressed with your skills. My son practices with my team and serves as one of the ball boys, so he's better than most kids, but you blew by him a couple of times."

"That's probably because I'm older."

"No, it's because you were better. Jason's no slouch on the soccer pitch and can usually hold his own even with kids older than him, but you blew right by him."

"So you really think I'm good enough to play on the team?"

"I have no doubt about it, and I'm looking forward to working with you this year."

After we finished our conversation, the coach and his son left, and Noah was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "Mom, did you hear what that guy said? He said I'm good enough to play on the team."

"I heard, honey. And I'm proud of you."

"And you better get used to calling him coach from now on," I added.

"So I just call him coach when I see him at school?"

"I suppose you could call him either Coach Rich or Mr. Rich. You might ask him which he'd prefer when you see him at school."

"Ok, I will, but I can't believe that he said I was good enough to be on the team."

"You'd better get used to it, because it looks like the coach has already made up his mind about that."

"I know, but I still can't believe it. I was worried I wasn't going to get picked."

"You don't have to worry about that any longer. Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

We'd been at the park for quite a few hours by now and had spent quite a bit of time playing soccer, as well as tossing the Frisbee around, so we decided to get a drink and rest for a bit. I walked over to the car and took three bottles of water out of the cooler, and then I brought them back to share with the others. I was surprised that Noah hadn't followed me when I did this, but he was too busy talking to his mother about what the coach had said to him.

After handing a bottle to Noah and Cheryl, I spread out the blanket, because I'd brought that back with me as well. We then sat down on it and got comfortable. "So what do you want to do now?" I asked.

"Let's just sit here and talk for a while, because I'm beat," Cheryl quickly answered.

"Can I go see if any of the other kids want to play?"

"Sure, honey, but don't go far. We'll be here when you're ready to come back."

After Noah ran off to find someone to play with, I turned to Cheryl and spoke. "Did you hear what Noah called me in front of Coach Rich?"

"You mean when he referred to you as Uncle Brian?"

"Yes. How do you feel about him doing that?"

"He asked me before if I'd mind if he did it, and I told him 'no', as long as it was all right with you."

"He suggested it was how he wanted to explain who I was to the other kids when he started at the new school, but I didn't know you had discussed it with him."

"We did, and I hope you told him you were ok if he did that too."

"Yes, I'm fine with it, as long as you are. I know he didn't feel comfortable referring to me as the neighbor or the landlord."

"He also wanted to tell people you were his step-dad. That's how close he feels to you."

"I know, but I told him that wouldn't be wise, because it would create questions since we aren't married."

"I know, and I told him the same thing, but I thought it was sweet that he wanted to do that."

"Yes, it touched me too, but I'm glad he settled on Uncle Brian."

"Me too."

Noah didn't return for over an hour, and when he did it was for a definite reason. "I'm starving. When are we going to eat?"

"We can eat now, if you want," his mom answered.

"Yeah, let's do that."

"Then I'll have to go get the cooler. Do you want to go with me and help carry it back here?"

"Yeah, come on and let's go get it."

Cheryl stayed on the blanket while Noah and I went to get the cooler. After carrying it back, we started getting out the food so we could eat. I had the disposable plates, napkins, and silverware on top, so we each took what we needed before we started passing out the food. I'd made a sub sandwich for each of us, and we had different types of salads too. We each took what we wanted and began to eat.

"How long before the fireworks start?" Noah asked after devouring half of the things on his plate.

"It will be a couple more hours before it gets dark enough, so you'll probably want to think about what we can do until then."

"What did we do last year?"

"We went out to eat lunch and dinner, and we spent quite a bit of time at Chuck E. Cheese. We also spent some time shopping."

"Oh, yeah. That's right. You bought me a bunch more clothes."

"Guilty as charged."

"Well, I'd like to take a walk around the park," Cheryl responded, since Noah hadn't suggested anything. "It's a lovely day and I think I should walk off some of the food I've just devoured."

"I don't have a problem with that. How about you, Noah?"

"Nah, we can do that if you guys want."

The park was fairly large, and we began a circuitous route around it, moving clockwise along the perimeter. On the way we ran into some people that Cheryl knew and was friendly with, so we stopped to chat with them. We also ran into a few people I knew from the factory, so we stopped a few more times to chat before making our way around the park. Noah didn't seem to mind, though, because most of them had children too, some of whom had played soccer with us earlier, so he chatted with them while we chatted with their parents. By the time we made it back to our blanket the sun was beginning to set, so we sat down and waited for the fireworks to begin.

"I've really enjoyed today," Cheryl said as we waited for the sky to grow darker. "It was nice, and I'm glad we decided to do this."

"Me too!" Noah chimed in. "We played soccer and I met the coach, and now we're going to see fireworks."

"Yes, it's been a very full and extremely satisfying day," I agreed.

We continued to talk until the first rocket blasted into the air. It exploded with a loud boom that spread the multicolored flashes of light across the blackened sky. As the first display was beginning to fade, I looked over at Noah to see his reaction. Just as he had last year, his eyes were wide open and a huge grin covered his face, but this time his hands weren't over his ears.

"That was neat!" he squealed. "I even felt it in my chest when it exploded."

"I did too," Cheryl agreed, but they were interrupted when the next set of rockets burst in the air.

Some of them exploded with loud booms, just like the first one, while others sounded more like a series of firecrackers going off. There was also a wide variety of different light effects, with some exploding out in all directions, while others opened up like an umbrella, and still others had the lights skittering about like a bunch of colored fireflies. It was a spectacular show and we all enjoyed it, but like all good things, it soon came to an end. Shortly after the finale, which was comprised of several rockets going off nearly simultaneously, we packed up and carried everything back to the car.

"I wouldn't mind doing this again next year," Cheryl said once we were in the car. "Now, I'm jealous that you guys got to do it last year without me."

"Yeah, it was great then too," Noah agreed, "but you was working."

"I know, but I'm glad Brian took you to see it."

"Me too. It was the first time I'd seen fireworks for real and not just on TV, and it was waaaay better."

"Yes, it definitely was and I'm glad I got to do it with you this time. When we get home I'm going to have to shower before I go to bed, because I got quite a workout playing soccer and doing those other things with you guys earlier."

"Can I shower with Brian and sleep with him tonight?" Noah quickly followed.

Cheryl looked over at me, silently asking for my input. "It's ok with me, as long as you don't mind."

"No, I'm going to bed right after I shower, because I have to work tomorrow."

"Me too, but you get up earlier, so he can stay with me. I'll drop him off at the park as usual, so don't forget to pick him up after your shift."

"Oh, I won't, and thanks. I'm not sure what we'd do without you."

As soon as I pulled into the driveway, Noah ran over to give his mom a hug and a kiss as soon as he got out of the car. She entered my side of the house with us before making her way across to her side using the interior doors. We all felt it was safer that she do it this way, rather than having her walk around outside, alone in the dark.

Once she was safely in her apartment, Noah and I went to shower before turning in. While we were cleaning up, he asked a question. "Can we suck each other before going to sleep?"

"It's late and I'm tired, but I'll suck you off if you want. I'll pass on you doing it to me, though."

"How come? I like to do that too."

"I know, but I don't need to get off as often as you do, and I'd rather sleep instead."

"Ok, as long as you suck my penis for me."

I assured him I would and made sure he envisioned another fireworks display before falling asleep, but this time in his head as he enjoyed his orgasm. After that we cuddled together and fell asleep, because we were totally exhausted after a long and enjoyable day.

Chapter 35
New School, New Friend.

Now that the Fourth of July was behind us, we fell into a pretty regular routine. During the week, Cheryl and I both worked at the factory and Noah spent the day at the park. I would meet him for lunch, and he would go to Gus or Sam's apartment whenever the weather was bad, so Cheryl always knew where to find him if he wasn't at the park. She would pick Noah up after her shift ended and take him home. When I arrived home later, we'd have dinner together, and then we'd either play a game with Noah or watch TV before turning in. Noah slept in his room from Monday to Thursday, and he was good about staying there.

On the weekend Cheryl worked at the 7-Eleven, while I spent time with Noah. We entertained the boys on Saturday as they took part in the adventure or mystery I had planned for them, but eventually I began to run out of ideas so we started playing board games instead. Either way, I took them swimming after we finished, and then we'd go out to eat before I took the other boys home. Noah and I would return to the house and he'd usually have me suck him off before I started working on my chores, and as soon as his mother came home we would go out on our run. After we showered and changed, we'd eat dinner with Cheryl and spend the rest of the night playing games or watching TV together.

On Sunday, I'd take Noah to the high school to practice his soccer skills, and he was getting a little better each time we did this. In between doing those things with him, I would do my chores, but I'd also try to spend as much additional time with him as I could. Of course this included me sucking him off multiple times, while he also did the same thing to me whenever we slept together.

Although Coach Rich had told Noah that he would make the soccer team, Noah didn't take it for granted and spent a great deal of time practicing his skills. Besides going to the high school with me on Sunday, he would often be out in the backyard practicing his dribbling skills alone, along with some other ball skills. One day I watched as he used his feet, head, thighs, and chest to keep the ball in the air for prolonged periods of time, and I was very impressed with both his ability and agility. I'm not sure if that particular skill would ever be used in a match, but he enjoyed doing it, and it was good for his coordination and dexterity.

I thought about enrolling him in the summer soccer program, but it was being held at the park where we watched the fireworks, and that was in the opposite direction from where his mother and I worked. It would be impractical for one of us to drive him there and drop him off in the morning, because he'd end up being totally alone all day long. I wouldn't have time to go there to meet him for lunch, because the drive alone would take up most of my lunch break, especially in lunch hour traffic. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of any other way to get him involved, so doing this would have to wait until another time.

Our busy schedule made the rest of July fly by and we were soon entering August. There were only a couple weeks left until school started again, so Cheryl had to take a half-day off from work so she could enroll Noah at the middle school. While she was doing that, she also asked if the modified soccer team would be starting before school began, and she learned that wouldn't happen until the first day of classes. However, physicals were going to be held a few days prior, so she jotted down the date and time to make sure Noah didn't miss out.

It also presented Cheryl with a dilemma. Being a new employee at the factory, she couldn't afford to take another half-day off to take Noah to the school for his physical, so I told her I'd do it instead. When that day came, I made sure I had everything taken care of at the office before I left at noon, and I also made sure my assistant knew about anything that might come up while I was gone. I picked Noah up at the park and drove him to the middle school, and I walked inside with him to make sure he got to where he needed to go.

Coach Rich was waiting outside the locker room where the physicals were being given, and he was checking off the names of the boys who showed up. He broke into a grin and greeted us warmly when we approached. "I'm glad to see you made it. I'm really counting on you being on the team this year and doing well."

"Don't I have to tryout?"

"Yes, everyone will be trying out, even the eighth graders who played last year, but you don't have to worry about making the team. I already saw you play at the park against my son, so I know you're good enough to be on the team."

Before Noah went in for his physical, Jason, the coach's son, came out of the coach's office and spotted him. "Oh, good. You're here. I was hoping you wouldn't forget."

"No way. I want to play on the team this year."

"Come on and I'll show you where to go. I'll also tell you all the stuff you'll need to know while you're waiting to see the doctor." Jason then led Noah into the locker room, while I stayed to chat with the coach.

"I just want you to remember that Noah has never played on a team before, so he might make a few mistakes. We've watched several matches on TV and I've tried to explain what I thought he should know, but I don't have that much experience either. I've only played in P.E. class and on an intramural team in college, so there was only so much I could do."

"From what I've seen, you've done an exemplary job for someone who's never played on a team yourself. He's shown that he has really good skills, and I look forward to helping him polish them as the season progresses. I think Jason has taken a liking to him too, so I'm sure he'll help Noah out as well."

"I'm glad to hear that, because Jason seems like a great kid too."

"I might be a little bias, but he really is, and he's a great help to me during the season. He fills in if we're a player short for a scrimmage, he serves as my equipment manager, and he also acts as a ball boy during games."

"He must really love the sport to do all of that."

"He does, and he's talked a lot about Noah since he played against him at the park. I think he wants to help make Noah one of the stars on the team."

"I think Noah will be happy to just make the team and get some playing time. I'm not sure if he has the confidence to become a team leader yet."

"We'll work on that too."

I talked with the coach for a little while longer, and then he went into the locker room to see how things were going. About twenty minutes after he went in, Noah came out ready to go.

"Are you all done?"

"Yep. It wasn't bad and didn't take very long. I just had to wait for my turn, cuz there were several boys ahead of me. While I was waiting, Jason told me a bunch of stuff, like I should wear a jock, but I don't know what that is. I didn't tell him I didn't know and just said I'd do what he said."

"I guess that means I should take you to get one before we head home."

"Jason also told me the boys take showers after practices and games, so I should bring a towel with my practice clothes. He says he takes a shower with them too, so I'll get to see him and all the other boys naked."

"I'm sure you'll enjoy that."

"Yep, I will."

After we left the school, I took him over to the sporting goods store and bought him a few things. I wanted him to have two of everything so he didn't have to wear the same thing every day, so I helped him pick out two jock straps, and a pair of soccer cleats first. After that I had him select a couple pair of athletic shorts, a couple of practice jerseys, a hooded sweatshirt for when it got cooler, and a gym bag – all in the school colors. I'd asked the coach about that while we were chatting, as well as if they had a school mascot. He told me they were the Hilltop Bulldogs, just like the high school, and their colors were red and white, but they also wore black sometimes too.

"Wow, thanks for buying me all this stuff."

"You're welcome. I want you to look good when you tryout and when you're at practice, because I think looking the part will help you do even better."

"Thanks, and I'll do the best I can."

"That's all I ask. I just want you to be happy and have fun."

We got to the house before Cheryl did, and Noah showed her everything I'd bought him when she got home. Well, everything except for the jocks. I think he was a little uneasy about her seeing those, because he even asked me if I'd wash his soccer things on the weekend. I told him he could put a new set of gear and a clean towel in his gym bag every day after he got home from practice and we'd leave the other set out to air dry. I even put a rack up in the exercise room for that purpose, and then I'd wash everything on Sunday, so they'd be clean for the following week.

Noah seemed to be walking on air over the final few days before school started, and I couldn't remember ever seeing a kid so eager for summer vacation to come to an end. When we picked up the other boys on Saturday, I had to tell them this would be the last time we'd be doing this, unless they wanted to switch to Sunday. When they asked why, I explained that it was because Noah would be having soccer practice or a match every Saturday for the next couple of months, so they finally agreed to make the change. I also warned them that the state park would be closing soon as well, so we wouldn't be able to go swimming after Labor Day. They remembered that from last year, so they didn't take it too badly.

Cheryl and I took Noah shopping on Sunday, and together we bought him the things he would need for school. He even modeled his clothes for us when we got home, and he seemed really proud to be starting the school year with new things. I also explained that I'd help him with his studies again, just as I'd done in the past, and he thanked me and promised to get good grades.

The night before the first day of classes, Noah was bouncing off the walls as he was selecting the outfit he was going to wear, as well as packing his gym bag for the first day of soccer tryouts. His mother said she'd pick him up after practice, but I told her it would be easier for me to swing by and do that instead, so she didn't have to stop in the middle of fixing dinner. I figured I'd get there just about the time that he finished taking a shower and changing, so she agreed and thanked me for doing this for them.

I got up early the next morning so I could see Noah off on his first day. Cheryl fixed his breakfast, but she had to leave before the bus came, so I stood around and chatted with him until the bus showed up. He waved at me as he slid into a seat, meaning he'd obviously picked a seat on the side of the bus where he could see me. Once the bus drove off, I went back inside and finished getting ready for work.

I couldn't help but think about him throughout the day, especially during my lunch hour, and I wondered how he was doing. Was he making new friends? Did he like his teachers? Was he able to get around without getting lost? I was sure I'd find out when I picked him up later, and I just hoped he had a good day.

Noah was waiting out in front of the school with a couple of other boys when I drove up. It appeared that they were all waiting for a ride, so I checked with Noah when he got in the car. "Do either of those boys need me to give them a ride somewhere?"

"Nah, they're just waiting to be picked up too."

"Have you been waiting long?" I asked as I began to drive off.

"Nope, just a few minutes, and I was talking to the other guys, so it wasn't too bad."

"Are they trying out for soccer too?"

"Yep, and the bigger one played last year."

"So how did the tryout go?"

"It was good. We just did a lot of drills, and some of the stuff was kinda like the things I do with you."

"So how do you think you did?"

"I did good, and afterward I took a shower with everybody else. I got to see the other boys' penises, and some were a lot bigger than mine. Jason has a small penis like I did when I was in fifth grade, but he's neat and I like him a lot. He took the locker next to mine so we could change together, and then he showered next to me too, so we got to see each other naked for a long time."

"Interesting. I'm glad neither of you were hesitant about doing that with the other boys, especially those older and more developed than you."

"Nah, it was fun. Jason says he's been helping his dad since he was in second grade, and he's been taking showers with the other boys the whole time. He told me he likes seeing the other boys naked too."

"I'm glad to see you two are becoming friends."

"And he was also helping me at practice. He would tell me when I should do something different, and he would even do it for me, so I could see what he meant."

"Wow! That was very nice of him, so we'll have to do something nice for him too."

"Yeah. Maybe I could invite him over sometime."

"You'll have to check with your mom about that."

I pulled in the driveway at that point and we went inside. Noah left his gym bag on my side, but he took his school things over to his side when he went to say 'hi' to his mom. He returned a few minutes later to ask me a question. "Are we going to run now?"

"I think you've done enough running for one day, so why don't you start your homework instead. I don't want you staying up too late so you can do it later."

"I only have to do some reading. The teachers didn't give us much homework cuz it was only the first day."

"I know, but get it out of the way now. You'll be doing enough running during soccer season, so I'll go out alone on school days. You can run with me on the weekend if you want, but go get started on your homework."

"K, but I'm going to miss doing that with you."

I tagged along behind Noah when he went back to his side so I could ask Cheryl if I had time to jog. "Yes, go ahead. Is Noah going with you?"

"Not during the week. Just on the weekend. I think he should spend this time working on his homework instead."

"Ok, good point."

I went out and ran alone, something I hadn't done since they moved next door. I really missed Noah, because there was no one to chat with or to push me to go faster. I merely jogged the entire route and only inserted the sprints when I was with Noah, if he still wanted to do that as well.

When I got back to the house, I showered quickly and changed, and then I went over to join them for dinner. During the meal Noah told us about his classes, teachers, and the kids he'd met so far.

"Did you see Jason around school before tryouts started?" I asked.

"No. I didn't see him until I got to the locker room."

He then filled his mom in about the soccer tryout. He didn't tell her as much as he'd told me and omitted the part about the naked boys, but he explained that Jason was helping him and he liked Jason a lot. Cheryl asked Noah a few questions about what he'd said, and Noah responded positively to everything she wanted to know.

We also choose to forego playing a game after we finished eating, because we wanted Noah to spend the time finishing his homework. Cheryl and I both felt it was important for him to get it done so he could go to bed early, since he had such a long day with classes and soccer. I told Noah he could come over to see me if he had any problems or questions about his homework, and then I went next door by myself.

I was lost without him being around, and didn't really know what to do. I sat down to watch TV for a while, but then I couldn't remember what any of the shows were about. I was like a man who had lost part of himself, because Noah wasn't there asking me questions about what we were watching or making comments about what was going on. When I felt he must have gone to bed, I got up and went through my nightly ritual before turning in.

The next couple of days were about the same. I'd watch him get on the bus in the morning, and then I'd drive to the middle school to pick him up after I got out of work. On the ride home Noah would tell me about some of the boys who were also trying out, and those he thought were the best. He also talked a lot about Jason, and I could tell they were growing closer every day. Jason may have been younger, but it didn't seem to bother Noah, and they had definitely bonded since they met at the park on the Fourth of July.

On Wednesday, Noah asked a question while we were eating. "Can I ask Jason to stay over on Friday night? He says we'll have practice on Saturday, so he can stay here and then ride with us to practice."

"Do you think you'll both fit in your bed?" Cheryl asked, as she looked at Noah quizzically.

"Nah, we'll sleep with Uncle Brian." Cheryl looked over at me when he said this.

"Noah, I'm not sure that would be a good idea. I told you before that not everyone would understand about you sleeping with me, and that includes Jason too."

"Jason won't care. He told me that over the summer his mom went to spend time with his grandma cuz she was sick, and he slept with his dad while she was gone."

"That may be, but I'm not sure we should do that when he's here."

"But he likes you too, and he knows you're my uncle, so he won't mind."

"If you have him stay over, I think you should sleep in your own room."

"Can I have him wait with me tomorrow, so he can talk to you about it when you pick me up? His dad stays until all the boys are gone."

"I don't see how that will make a difference."

"Please, just do it for me."

"Look, I'll talk to him if you want, but it doesn't mean I'm going to do this."

"Just see what he has to say. I told him to ask his parents if he could stay over on Friday, and he said they'll probably let him, but they'll want me to stay at their house sometime too."

"I don't think your mother or I have a problem with him staying here or you staying there. The only problem I have is about the two of you sleeping with me, because I think that could cause problems."

"But you have a big bed so we'll all fit."

"I suppose I could sleep on the couch and let you boys use my bed."

"No, I still want to sleep with you too."

"Then you might have to make a choice and decide if you'd rather have Jason stay over or sleep with me."

"I want to do both."

"Well, that might not be possible."

"I'll just make sure he comes with me tomorrow after practice so he can talk to you."

I only agreed to do this to end the discussion, but I didn't see how it would change my mind. I know guys involved in sports do things that other guys might not be as likely to become involved with, such as group showers, hugging after a good play or a win, and patting each other on the ass, but I wasn't sure it would extend to sharing a bed. I didn't mind the idea of sleeping on the couch so they could use my bed, but I wasn't sure if Noah would be satisfied with that solution. I'd have to see what happened the next evening when Noah brought Jason along to talk to me about staying over, because he might be against the idea too.

My mind was busy running over many possible scenarios of what might happen once I went back to my side of the house. I didn't even turn on the TV this time and merely sat down to think of any options that might make Noah happy without putting me in jeopardy. I was glad he had a friend that he wanted to bring to the house, but I didn't want it to end up ruining everything we currently had.

I didn't sleep very well that night either, because my mind continued exploring the situation as I slept. My subconscious thought up many different possibilities, some of them interesting, such as two naked boys running around my apartment, while others were pretty bland. There were also those where Coach Rich confronted me about me sharing a bed with his son, and another where I was arrested and sent to jail. None of those visions had helped me settle my dilemma by the time I woke up on Thursday morning, so I merely rolled out of bed and started getting ready for work.

After watching Noah get on the bus, I headed in to the office. I tried to put my concerns in the back of my mind, but that wasn't easy. Noah's request kept popping into my brain throughout the day, especially during the lunch hour. I was a nervous wreck as I drove to the middle school to pick him up.

When I pulled up in front of the school, Noah came tearing out to the car with Jason right behind him. He opened the door and both of them stuck their heads inside.

"My mom and dad said I can sleep over tomorrow night," Jason announced with a huge grin.

"That's good. Noah likes you a lot and is excited about you doing this."

"Me too, cuz I also like him. Uh, Noah said you're gonna sleep on the couch so we can use your bed. You don't have to do that and we can all sleep together."

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea."

"Why? I don't mind doing it, and I sometimes do that with my dad, so he and my mom won't care either."

"I don't know about that, but it's nice to know you're going to be joining us."

"I'll bring my soccer stuff with me, cuz we have practice at 10:00 the next day."

"Ok, that sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Noah was excited as he slid into the passenger seat and closed the door. "See, I told you he wouldn't mind."

"Maybe not, but I'm still not sure it's such a good idea."

"I hope you change your mind about doing it," he said as I put the car in gear and drove off.

Chapter 36
Our Visitor.

After another less than refreshing night's sleep, due to my concerns about Jason staying over, I saw Noah off on the bus. I then got ready for work and drove in to the office, but my mind was already running several hours ahead as I thought about picking up Noah and Jason later. I hoped this worked out and there were no problems.

I made it through what seemed to be a less than productive day, because I couldn't keep my mind on my job. I couldn't stop thinking about tonight and wondering how this was going to turn out. When the work day finally came to an end, I drove to the middle school to pick up the boys. They were waiting out in front of the school for me, and Coach Rich was with them.

"I just wanted to thank you for letting Jason stay over. We'll set something up for Noah to stay with us sometime too."

"It's not a problem, and since these two seem to get along so well, I'm convinced they'll enjoy spending some time with you and your wife as well."

"I hope so. I was kind of surprised with how well they were hitting it off, seeing Noah is a couple of years older, but they obviously like each other. I'm glad Jason picked such a nice boy, as well as a great soccer player to be friends with."

"Yes, I'm glad they get along so well too. And don't worry, because we'll take good care of Jason while he's with us."

"I don't doubt that at all."

The boys both hopped into the backseat, making me appear and feel like a chauffeur. I didn't mind, though, because they were both happy and just wanted to be together. They were busy chatting with each other and only spoke to me occasionally as I drove to the house and pulled in the driveway.

The boys grabbed their gym bags and followed me inside. I was going to fill Jason in about the living situation, but Noah beat me to it. "This is Uncle Brian's side, and me and my mom live on the other side of the house. We'll eat over there later, but I want to run with Uncle Brian first. I only get to do it with him on the weekend."

"It would be kind of rude to leave Jason behind while you do that."

"No, I want to do it too," Jason informed me. "Noah told me that you do this, and I want to do it with you too."

"It's quite a long way, so maybe you'll want to rethink that."

"I can do it, cuz I run a lot with my dad."

After thinking about this briefly, I finally responded. "Ok, I guess you can always come back to the house if you get too tired, because we loop on both sides of here and pass by this street a little over halfway through. I've got to change first, and then we can go."

"We'll put our practice gear back on and go with you," Jason announced as they followed me to the bedroom carrying their gym bags.

As I was getting my jogging clothes out of the dresser, both boys were hurriedly taking off their clothes. I was somewhat shocked to see both of them totally naked and digging in their gym bags to pull out their kit.

Just like Noah had told me, Jason was a typical fifth grader with a pre-pubescent circumcised penis. He didn't seem to be bothered about being naked in front of me, so I guess spending all of those years in the locker room with his father's teams had eliminated most of his inhibitions. Before long, the three of us were ready to head out, but there was something else to be taken care of first.

"Noah, you'd better run over and let you mom know we're heading out on our run."

"Ok. I'll meet you outdoors."

Jason and I then went outside and I stretched briefly while we waited for Noah to join us. When that happened, we started out on our run, and I let the boys set the pace. I merely followed behind them, since Noah knew the route as well as I did. I was amazed that Jason was able to keep up the pace with his much shorter legs, but I guess he kept in shape by running with his dad.

As we came back around to our street again, I asked Jason if he wanted to stop and go back to the house, or if he wanted to keep going. "I'm ok, so let's keep going," he urged.

Since he was fine with this, we went on the other half of our circuit. When we got back to the house, we went inside and Noah quickly made an announcement. "We want to shower with you."

"I'm sorry, but that won't be possible. It will be too crowded, but you two can shower together, if you want."

They talked it over and agreed, so they stripped out of the clothes they wore to jog in. Once they were naked, Noah took Jason over to the exercise room and showed him how to hang those items on the rack to dry overnight.

"Hey, this room is neat," Jason said when he saw the excise equipment. "My dad's got a room like this too, but he's got more stuff."

"Yes, I'm sure he does. I only use these things when I need a little extra work, or when the weather isn't conducive to jogging."

They were still parading around naked as Noah led him to the bathroom, and waited while Noah adjusted the water before they got in together. "This is the second time we did this today," Noah announced with a giggle.

"Yep, we've got to keep clean," Jason agreed.

While they were in the shower, I heard Jason ask Noah a question. "Can I touch your dicky?"

"Sure, if I can touch yours. Have you ever done this before?"

"Yeah, with a couple of boys my age, but I wanted to do it with someone older. I just couldn't ask the other boys after practice, cuz I didn't want anyone else to see what we were doin', and I didn't want them to pick on me and start callin' me names either."

"Yeah, I know, but we can do it here."

They left the water running for me when they were ready to get out, and they both had erections as they stepped out on the bath mat. I could see Jason checking me out as I passed them and headed in to clean up as well. "You're about the same as my dad, but he's got more muscles."

"Yes, I'm sure he works out more than I do," I replied. I thought his statement about his dad and I being the same probably had to do with our penis size.

Once I'd finished washing up and we were all dressed again, we went over to have dinner with Cheryl. Jason had met her at the park on the Fourth, so we didn't have to introduce them, and she welcomed him into her home.

"Sit down at the table and I'll bring the food out. I was just keeping it warm until you got back."

Seeing she wasn't sure what Jason might like, Cheryl fixed spaghetti and meatballs, along with a green salad and garlic bread. She'd also stopped and picked up a chocolate cake for dessert.

"This is really good," Jason said about halfway through the meal. "Thanks for letting me stay here tonight."

"You're welcome, honey, and I'm glad you like your dinner."

Jason giggled. "My mom calls me honey too."

After we were done eating, we played Who Tooted? with the boys, and then we let Noah and Jason challenge each other playing Battleship and Connect Four. They were still going at it when I went next door to watch TV, after I'd helped Cheryl rinse off the dinnerware and load the dishwasher. I told her she was welcome to join us, but she said she was going to go to bed as soon as the boys went over to be with me.

I found Cars 2 was on as I was scrolling through the cable guide, so I put it on, figuring the boys would enjoy watching it. They showed up a few minutes later and joined me on the couch, with Jason sitting between me and Noah. That shocked me at first, because I felt Noah would sit next to me and Jason would sit on the other side of him, but Noah explained later that it was Jason's idea to do it this way.

When the movie ended, we decided to turn in, because the boys had practice in the morning and I didn't want them to be tired. I quickly learned that Jason had packed his toothbrush in a plastic bag and put it in with his soccer gear, so we all brushed our teeth and used the toilet before heading to the bedroom.

"I'll tuck you two in and then I'll sleep on the sofa in the living room."

"No, we can all sleep together," Jason insisted. "I'll sleep in the middle, between you and Noah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am. We've all seen each other naked, so why should sleeping together be such a big deal?"

"Don't you think your parents will think it a little strange that you both slept with me?"

"Maybe, but I doubt it. Besides, I won't tell them, and I sleep with my dad when my mom's not home."

"Ok, if you say so."

We all stripped down to our underwear, and suddenly I had a disturbing thought. I hoped Noah didn't decide to ask me to suck his penis tonight, not with Jason staying over.

I think he was going to do that, but I shook my head to let him know he shouldn't bring it up. He shrugged his shoulders and merely got in bed next to Jason. I was a little uncomfortable with this situation, because I normally cuddled with Noah, but I was more than a little hesitant to do that with Jason. I merely lay on my back and tried to get comfortable after saying goodnight to the boys.

"Don't you kiss Noah goodnight before you go to sleep?" Jason wanted to know.

"I usually kiss him on the forehead, but I wasn't sure how you'd react to me doing that to him."

"You can do it to him if you want, and to me too, cuz that's what my mom and dad do."

I sat up and leaned over to kiss Noah on the forehead, and then I did the same thing to Jason. I also said goodnight again and wished both boys pleasant dreams. I was just getting comfortable again when Jason spoke.

"My dad always puts his arm over my chest when I sleep with him. Will you do that too?"

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"But it will help me sleep better. That's why I like to sleep with him and not alone when my mom isn't home."

"Does that happen often?"

"Just when Grandma or Aunt Betsy aren't feeling well, because they always want her to stay with them. And sometimes she goes away for work too."

"What does she do?"

"She's a phys-cal therapist and helps people who've been sick or hurt."

"I see, and now I understand why your grandma and aunt want her help when they aren't feeling well."

"So are you going to do that for me?"

"You mean hold you while you sleep?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"And I'll do it too," Noah chimed in. "That way I can be touching Uncle Brian at the same time."

As soon as I draped my arm across Jason's chest, he grasped onto it and held tight, and then Noah placed his arm next to mine. A few minutes later I could hear the steady, gentle hum of their breathing and knew they were asleep.

Sometime during the night I awoke, because something didn't feel right. I only opened my eyes enough to peer out unnoticed through the tiny slits, and that's when I realized Jason had rolled onto his side and was facing me. He was also using one of his hands to feel me up through my underwear, but I decided not to react to what he was doing. After hearing him with Noah in the shower earlier, I felt he was just being curious, so I pretended to be asleep. As far as he was concerned, he'd done this without me noticing.

A minute later, he used his other hand to pull out my waistband and then he reached his hand in and felt my penis for real. He squeezed it a couple of times and ran his fingers through my pubic patch, but he only did it for a minute before pulling his hand out again. Then, he gently returned my waistband and let it rest against my body before he fell asleep again. I think I now understood why he wanted to sleep in the middle, but it also made me wonder if he'd ever done this to his dad as well.

When we woke up the next morning, I acted as if nothing unusual had happened, because I didn't want to freak Jason out or make a big deal about a young boy's natural curiosity. Instead, I went out to fix the boys breakfast before taking them to the middle school.

"Where's your mom and why is your Uncle Brian fixing breakfast for us?" Jason asked as they were putting on their soccer gear.

"She's working, so Uncle Brian feeds me when she's not home."

"Oh, ok."

As soon as they finished getting dressed and had eaten, I had Jason pack his other clothes in his gym bag, and then I drove them to the school.

When we got there, I walked down to the practice field with them, because I was going to stay and watch the practice. Coach Rich came over to speak with us when he saw us approach. "Did you have fun, son?"

"Yeah, it was a blast," Jason agreed.

"Thanks for doing this for him."

"No problem," I answered. "He's a good kid and we enjoyed having him stay over."

The boys then set their gym bags down behind the bench before heading onto the field to warm up. I sat on the bank to observe, while Coach Rich shouted instructions to various boys. Once they'd all warmed up and were ready to begin, Coach Rich ran them through a series of drills, and then he split them up for a scrimmage. After he handed out the red, sleeveless jerseys to one side so they could tell who was on which team, they lined up and got started.

Coach Rich had Noah playing center midfielder on one team, which surprised me, because it's a demanding position. The center midfielder plays both defense and offense, so he needs to have good passing, dribbling, and shooting skills, as well as instincts on how to keep his team on offense. I didn't expect the coach to put a first year player in that position, but I was obviously wrong.

To my surprise, Noah did very well, and I could hear Jason shouting advice and encouragement to him the entire time. Jason was acting as if he was Noah's personal coach, and I was getting a kick out of how much he was investing in Noah's success. They truly were good friends, and I hoped they would end up spending a lot more time with each other.

When the scrimmage ended, Coach Rich called everyone in and made an announcement. "That was a good scrimmage, and this is the end of tryouts. I'll let you know on Monday who made the team, so go hit the shower and head home."

Jason stayed behind to pick up the red jerseys and put them in the cardboard box, and he also placed the balls in the canvas duffle bag. When he finished doing that, he and Noah grabbed their gym bags and raced toward the building. I helped Coach Rich carry the bag containing the soccer balls, while he grabbed his clipboard and the box containing the red jerseys.

"Jason helped pick up, but he was in a hurry to shower with Noah, so I told him to go ahead. Thank you for helping, and thanks for being so good to Jason. I could tell he really enjoyed himself last night."

I walked with the coach back to his office, and after I gave him the bag of balls, I noticed something. There was a large window above his desk and it gave anyone on this side a good view of the locker room. I was able to observe the naked boys as they were heading into the group shower and noticed that there was a wide variety of builds and physical development. Some of the boys were obviously well into puberty, while others either hadn't started yet or were just in the early stages. Coach Rich saw me checking them out and spoke.

"Yes, there's a big difference in physical development with this age group. I've been teaching at the middle school for several years, and I'm still amazed by the huge differences in them."

"Yes, I thought Noah was quite well developed for his age, but not when compared to some of these other boys."

"He may not be as physically mature, but he can outplay most of them. I've been impressed with what he's shown me so far."

"Yes, and I was surprised to see where you had him playing."

"He's got good skills, and I think he can kick a goal from farther out than the boys I had on the forward line. I think he'll be a huge asset on corner kicks too."

"I hope you're right and I look forward to seeing how he does."

I happened to see Noah and Jason coming out of the shower about that time, so I told Coach Rich goodbye and said I was heading out to the car to wait for Noah. He thanked me again for helping out and for letting Jason stay with us the previous night, and then he said he'd let Noah know when he could stay with them.

When Noah met up with me several minutes later, he got in the car all excited. "So how did I do?"

"I thought you looked great out there, and Coach Rich did too."

"Really?"

"Yes, I helped him bring the equipment in and spent some time talking to him."

"So were you in his office?"

"For some of the time."

"Did you see all of the naked boys?"

"Yes, including you and Jason. I'm surprised you didn't see me."

"The light was off on that side, so it just looked like a mirror. It's so the coach can make sure nothing bad is going on, but we can't see if he's in there watching unless the light is on."

"Ah, I see."

"Last night Jason let me touch his penis and I let him touch mine while we were in the shower."

"I know. I heard you boys talking before you did it."

"Oh, I didn't know you were still in there when he asked me."

"I was in the hallway, but I could still hear you."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Did you know that Jason touched my penis while I was sleeping?"

"No, but how do you know he did it if you were sleeping?"

"Because it woke me up, but I didn't let him know I was awake and aware of what he was doing. He felt my penis through my underwear first, and then he reached inside."

"I hope you're not mad. He just hasn't been able to do anything like that before and wanted to see what it was like. I'm hoping we can do more of it the next time he stays over."

"Maybe the two of you can, but I don't think I should be getting involved."

"Why not? Jason won't say nothing, and I think he wants to do it with someone older too, like he did last night."

"That may be, but I could get in big trouble if anyone else finds out. I'm taking a chance doing those things with you, but I do it because I know I can trust you. I'm also pretty sure your mother would be cool about it too, if she discovered what we were up to. I just don't know Jason that well, and I'm not sure how his parents would react if they found out about those things. I think his father might be ok with it, since he didn't over-react to me watching you boys as you headed into the shower, but I'm not sure how Jason's mom would react. I feel it would be better if I chose to be safe, rather than sorry."

"I still think Jason would like to do stuff with you. He was the one who said he wanted to sit next to you while we were watching the movie, and then he wanted to sleep next to you too."

"I think that was just so he could feel me up later."

"Maybe, but he didn't tell me about doing it. If he didn't tell me he did it, then he won't tell nobody else either"

"Maybe not, but it doesn't change what happened. I just think we'll need to be more careful in the future."

"I trust Jason, and I think you can too. I've got a feeling he's just like me."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"I think he likes guys too, but he'd rather have someone older."

"Well, you're older than he is."

"Yeah, and I think we might do some more stuff with each other, but I think he'd like to do it with someone older too, like you. When we were in the shower at school, I could tell he was looking at the older boys the most, but I think he wished they were even older."

"He might be gay, but he's kind of young to be sure. He might just be curious about these things and will end up preferring girls."

"Maybe, but I don't think so. I knew I liked guys when I was his age, and I think he knows it too."

"That could be, but I still think we'd better be careful. I don't want something to happen that winds up turning out bad for both of us."

"Why? What could happen?"

"I could end up in jail or prison, and you could be taken away from your mom, if the authorities believe she knew about what we were doing."

"Really? They'd do that?"

"Yes, and it's why I want us to be careful."

"Ok, but I think you're wrong about Jason. I don't think he'd do anything to get us into trouble."

"He might not, but his parents might, if they found out about what was going on."

"Ok. I'll do what you say then."

Chapter 37
Much To Do.

On Sunday morning, Noah rode with me when I went to pick up the other three boys. As soon as they got in the car, Noah wanted to tell them about making the soccer team, but Gus, Sam, and Glen didn't seem very interested in what he had to say. Gus and Sam might have been a little jealous, because they'd expressed an interest in participating in sports as well, but they didn't have a ride home after practices or games. The school didn't have bus runs for those playing sports, their mothers didn't have a car, and they were also told they couldn't walk home afterward because it was too far. That meant there was no way they could tryout for a school team.

When we got to the house I let the boys play Who Tooted? against one another, since there were only four controllers. They played it a couple of times, and then we went to the state park to swim. As we made our way there I made a comment that next Sunday would be the last time we could do this, because the swimming area would be closing at the end of the following day."

"Yeah, we know, and it sucks," Gus responded.

"I hope the high school opens the pool like last year," Sam added in an attempt to find a light at the end of the tunnel.

"I agree, but we'll just have to wait and see," I replied.

Shortly after we got in the water, the lifeguard who'd given the little girl CPR came over to speak with me. "I know you gave the old guy your contact info, so did he let you know how his granddaughter is doing?"

"Yes, he called and told me she's doing well and there shouldn't be any long term effects from the incident."

"Oh, that's great news, and I'm glad you noticed what had happened. I only became aware of what was going on when one of the other people pointed out what you were doing, so I swam out to see if I could help."

"It's a good thing you did, because you knew exactly what to do. It also allowed me to go back with the boys I was watching, because I wanted to make sure that nothing happened to them either."

"I might have given her mouth-to-mouth, but if you hadn't seen her go under and pulled her to the surface again, I wouldn't have known where to dive. This is a pretty big lake, and by the time I got the information it might have been too late to save her. She's alive now because of what you did."

"And what you did as well. I'm just glad it worked out and she'll be fine."

After we finished our conversation, I went back to be with the boys, and they had obviously heard what he'd said to me. "See, even the lifeguard thinks you're a hero."

"He didn't say that."

"Maybe he didn't say the word hero, but he said she's alive because of what you did," Gus pointed out.

"And we all think you're a hero, even if you don't. Our moms think you're a hero too," Sam added.

"And they're happy that you've taught us how to swim too," Glen chimed in.

"I am too, so let's do that now," I suggested in an effort to end the discussion.

We stayed there for a couple of hours, and then we went back to the house to change. Once we were all dressed again, I took them to the Chinese buffet for lunch, and then I dropped the other three off at their apartment building. I told them I'd see them the following Sunday, and they thanked me for everything and said they'd had a great time before disappearing into the building. Once they were out of sight, Noah and I headed back to the house.

When we got there, Noah wanted to know if I was going to take him to the high school to practice soccer. "Don't you think you've practiced enough this week?"

"No, I want to get really good, so I need to practice a lot."

"I know, but you can overdo a good thing and eventually get tired of it."

"Nah, I'm not going to do that, so will you take me?"

"Sure, but only for an hour, because I have things I need to do as well."

He ran inside and put on a pair of athletic shorts I'd bought him and one of the jerseys before slipping on his soccer cleats. He then grabbed the soccer ball and headed out to the car. I was glad that I hadn't started the laundry yet, or I would have made him wear something else.

When we got to the high school, Noah wanted me to mark him, which is a soccer term for playing defense. He would try to get by me and take a shot at the wall, and the little bugger was a lot quicker, so he was able to blow by me several times. Sometimes he would make a feint and I'd freeze, and then he would turn on the afterburners and leave me in the dust. At other times I'd try not to go for the feint and kept moving backward, and then he'd stop. As soon as I started moving closer to him again, he'd breeze by me before I could change directions again. I was very pleased he was able to do this, but I was also slightly embarrassed that I was being beaten so badly by a young boy.

Once I grew too tired to continue doing this with him, I made him start using his left foot to make passes or take shots. This was a lot more difficult for him and he soon became frustrated.

"This is hard. Let's just do it like we normally do."

"Ok, but I thought you wanted to become the best player on your team."

"I do."

"Then you'll need to start learning how to use your left foot too. I know it won't be easy, but good players can do either."

"Ok, I'll keep trying then."

He continued working on this, but it was a much slower process than anything else we'd done. He didn't improve very much before we left, but he never gave up. He tried his hardest, and I was impressed with his effort.

We finally got in the car and headed home, but as we made our way there Noah made a comment. "Man, you're getting old and slow, cuz I could get by you really easy when you were marking me."

"Maybe, or it could be that you're just getting too good for me. I can't believe that you were worried about making the team, and now you only have to get better at using your left foot."

"Yeah, I know. At least I'm going to be on the team, so now I'll just have to work on that so I can be one of the best players."

"If you work on it as hard as you've worked on the other things, I'm sure you'll do it and will be one of the best players on the pitch."

When we got back to the house, I had him give me his gear, and then I got the other set out of the exercise room. I threw his things in the washing machine, along with the jogging clothes I'd worn earlier in the week. I did some other things while they were running through the cycle, and as soon as it ended I moved them over to the dryer and put some of my other clothes in the washer.

I was quite busy cleaning the house, doing laundry, and taking care of a few other tasks, so I didn't hear Cheryl when she came home. Noah ran over to greet her, and then he came back to speak with me.

"Mom says she's going to start fixing dinner, so we should go out for our run now."

I opened the door on the dryer so the clothes wouldn't shrink while we were gone, and then we set off on our run. Noah didn't want to keep sprinting in between, since he said he was doing ok when he was playing soccer, so we merely jogged the entire route, even though it was a fairly upbeat jog. When we finished, we showered and changed quickly, and then we went over to have dinner with his mom.

"So what did you boys do today?" Cheryl asked when she sat down with us. Noah then gave her a recap of everything we did. "Wow, it sounds like you had a very busy day."

"Yeah, we did."

"Noah, is all of your homework done?" I asked, butting in. "You spent Friday night with Jason, had soccer tryouts on Saturday, and spent most of today with me and the other boys."

"I did most of it."

"Then after we finish eating I want you to go do the rest. We can talk about doing something else later, but only after your homework is done."

"K."

While he was doing that, I went next door and finished doing the laundry. I put away the first two loads after I started a third, and I took care of the last one before Noah finished his homework and came over to spend time with me.

"I'm done, so will you watch TV with me now?"

"Sure, until it's time for you to go to bed."

"Can I sleep with you?"

"Only if your mom says it's all right."

"K. I'll go ask her."

He flew out of my place and went over to the other side, and a minute later he returned. "It's ok with her, as long as you don't mind."

"Ok, and we'll turn in early because you wore me out this weekend."

He giggled and agreed, and then we watched a couple of shows before turning in. He wanted me to suck him off first, but I wouldn't let him return the favor because I really wanted to get some rest. After we went through our nightly preparations, we got in bed and I wrapped my arm around him.

"Jason really liked it when you did this with him on Friday, and I like when you do it with me too."

"I enjoy it as well, but Jason shocked me with some of the things he did."

"That's cuz he likes you almost as much as I do."

"Ok, let's stop talking and get some sleep."

A couple of minutes later I could hear the gentle and steady rhythm of his breathing, which let me know he'd dozed off. I gave him a gentle squeeze and then I quickly joined him in sweet slumber.

When I picked Noah up at the middle school Monday evening, he was excited. "Jason asked me to stay at his house on Friday, and he said they'll take me to practice on Saturday, just like we did with him."

"You can mention it to your mother when we get to the house, but I don't think she'll have a problem with you doing that."

"Good."

"Just be careful if you do anything with Jason and make sure you aren't too loud so his parents will hear you. That includes talking about certain things, as well as what you do when you're alone."

"K. I'll tell Jason too. We also found out who made the team today, and I felt bad for the boys who didn't get picked."

"I know, but the coach has to select the best players, so the others will just have to work harder if they want to be good enough to play next year."

"But some of them are eighth graders, so they can't play on the team next year."

"They'll be able to try out for one of the teams at the high school, but they'll have to get a lot better first."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."

When we got home, Noah told his mother the same things, and then we made sure he started on his homework before I went out to jog. When I got back I showered and changed before going over to join them for dinner.

"Did you finish your homework?" I asked Noah while we were eating.

"Not all of it. I still have a little more to do."

"Then finish it up before you come next door to watch TV, that is if you get it done before bedtime."

He only got to watch one half-hour show with me before it was time to turn in, so he was grumbling about it as he headed over to his bedroom. Shortly after he left, I decided to call it a night as well.

The rest of the week went about the same, except that Noah was getting more and more excited as it got closer to Friday. He was really looking forward to spending more time with Jason, and I wondered what they might attempt when they were alone. I didn't know if he'd be sleeping with Jason or possibly in a guest room, and I wasn't sure if he'd even thought about it either. However, before he got on the bus Friday morning, he reminded me that I didn't have to pick him up after I got out of work.

The house seemed really quiet when I arrived home that evening, even though I still had dinner with Cheryl. We speculated about what the boys might be up to and what the coach and his wife might have planned. We also hoped they didn't get caught doing anything that might get them banned from hanging out with each other again, since we knew how close they were.

Since Cheryl had to work the following morning, I decided to leave early and watch the team's practice. Noah spotted me almost immediately and waved, and once Jason saw him doing that he turned around and waved at me too. I waved back, and then I sat on the bank and got comfortable.

After running through a series of drills and practicing throw-ins and corner kicks, they finished up with another scrimmage. Jason got to play this time as well, so I assumed one of the players must have been missing. I felt the coach would have kept enough players so they could scrimmage without using his son.

I was impressed as I watched Noah, and he made some of the boys on the other side look as bad as he'd made me look the previous Sunday. I don't know where he learned some of those moves, because they weren't anything I taught him. It was much easier to understand why the coach was so effusive in his praise as I sat and watched Noah, rather than when I was playing against him.

When the practice ended, Coach Rich called the boys together so he could speak with them, and then he handed each one a sheet of paper before they left. Jason stuck around and helped his dad collect all of the jerseys and put them in the box, and he placed the balls in the canvas duffle bag. After setting those down next to his dad, he took off with Noah as they headed toward the school, so I made my way down to say hello to the coach and see if I could help.

"Oh, hi, Brian. Did you see Noah in the scrimmage?"

"Yes, I've been here nearly the entire time, so I got to watch him play."

"He was amazing out there. Oh, and he was really good last night too. He and Jason were connected at the hip the entire time."

"Yes, they were when Jason stayed at our place the week before. Can I give you a hand again?"

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

"No problem, since I've got to wait for Noah anyway."

"Yes, he and Jason like showering together. Jason has showered with my teams since he was in second grade, but I never noticed him pick one boy out to hang out and shower with before. At least not like he does with Noah."

"I noticed that too. Brothers from different mothers."

"Yeah, something like that, except I never messed around after I got married." Coach Rich released a nervous laugh after saying that.

"I wasn't trying to imply anything, except that they seem more like brothers than friends."

"I agree," he confirmed as we reached his office.

I stuck around and chatted with him, but I also glanced out the window and watched the naked boys parading back and forth in the locker room. When I saw Noah leave the shower, I thanked Coach Rich for inviting him the night before and said Noah should be coming out soon, so I'd better go. We said goodbye and I waited outside of the locker room until Noah emerged.

He only said hi until we got to the car, and then he asked a question. "Did you watch the boys when they were naked again?"

"Oh, I might have seen a few of them when I helped the coach."

"Doesn't Coach Rich know what you're doing?"

"No. I told him I was just watching for you to head back to change, and then I said goodbye when I saw you leaving the shower."

"That's pretty sneaky."

"So did you have a good time last night?"

"Yeah, I did. We watched a movie with his parents first, and then we slept together. Jason's got a bed the same size as mine, so we laid on our sides and held on to each other. After we thought his parents were asleep, he wanted to touch my penis again, so I asked him if he ever rubbed his. He said he did it a few times, so I asked him if he wanted to do it to each other. He said he did, but he just rubbed his hand over mine, but he didn't know how to do it like I do with you. When I showed him, he started breathing hard and then his body shook when he got the tingling feeling in his belly."

"So you gave him his first orgasm."

"Yeah, I guess, but he didn't shoot anything. He was just surprised when it happened, cuz he'd never felt anything like that before. He did it to me like that too, and he was shocked when that stuff squirted out of my penis."

"I'm sure he was impressed, but how did you clean up?"

"Jason went to the bathroom and brought back some toilet paper so I could wipe it off my belly. I threw it away a little while later, when I went to the bathroom."

"Is the coach's bedroom near Jason's?"

"Yeah, but the door was closed, and Jason said they have their own bathroom, so they wouldn't come into the one we used."

"That's good, because I wouldn't want you to get caught."

"We didn't, and Jason said he wants to do it again the next time he stays over. Can I ask him to stay over on Friday?"

"It's ok with me, but you'd better clear it with your mom."

"K, I'll ask her when she gets home from work."

After I fixed our lunch, Noah wanted me to suck him off before he took the RC car outside to play. I did what he wanted, and I was grateful he was willing to play on his own so I could do my chores. When he came inside later to put the car away, I agreed to sit with him and watch a movie.

When Cheryl came home, Noah asked if Jason could stay over on Friday, and she said that would be fine. Once he had her consent, he wanted us to go out on our run, so I changed quickly and we took off.

"I missed doing this with you last night," he said as we started down the street.

"I'm surprised you still want to do it, seeing you do so much running at soccer practice."

"I just like spending this time with you alone, or with you and Jason when he goes with us."

"Oh, I just thought of something. What did the coach give you boys after practice today?"

"He gave us the game schedule."

"I want to see it when we get back, and then I'll use a magnet to put it on your mom's fridge. Do you remember when your first game is?"

"Yeah, it's on Wednesday, but it's away."

"Do you know which school you're playing?"

"No, I forget."

"Ok, we'll check it out when we get back."

Noah grabbed the schedule and showed it to me before we took our shower. I saw the school the game would be at on Wednesday and realized I'd never be able to get there in time after I got out of work, and I wasn't sure if Cheryl would want to drive that far on her own. That's when I noticed they had a home game the following Saturday, so I would go to that one, but Cheryl would be working.

I explained the situation to him while we were showering, and then we dressed and went next door to eat. Cheryl wanted to know what took us so long this time, so I told her I was looking at the schedule to see when Noah had a match.

"I'll be working on Saturday, so I guess I'll have to go to the game on Wednesday."

"Do you know how to get to that school?"

"No, but I'll figure it out."

"I'll print a map and the directions for you, but that's quite a drive."

"I probably won't see all of the game then, but I'll see some of it."

"That's ok, as long as you come," Noah agreed.

"And then I'll watch his game on Saturday."

"That works out fairly well, since at least one of us will be there for him each time," Cheryl agreed.

"Yes, and I hope there are times when we can both be there for him."

Chapter 38
Let the Games Begin.

Noah rode with me on Sunday, when I went to pick up the other boys. When we returned to the house, I told them that since this was the last time we'd be able to go to the state park to swim this year, we were just going to put on our swimsuits and spend as much time there as possible. They didn't have a problem with this, so we changed and set out to enjoy the day in the water.

Even though we arrived at the state park earlier than usual, the place was already fairly crowded. The boys didn't mind, though, and dove into the swimming area to practice their skills. I was impressed that they all seemed to be doing fairly well and was proud of the progress they'd made, especially Glen. He had started much later than the other three, but he was still holding his own and didn't let the others take advantage of him when they were horsing around.

We stayed until the boys started to whine about being hungry, and then we got out, dried off, and headed back to the house. After we changed out of our swimsuits, I took them to Pizza Hut and ordered pizza, wings, and drinks, and then we stuffed ourselves. We needed it, though, seeing we'd worked off a lot of calories at the state park, and when we finished I dropped off the other three at their apartment building. Once they'd disappeared inside, Noah and I headed back to the house.

During the ride home, Noah announced that he wanted to go to the high school to practice soccer again. I was amazed that he wanted to do this, seeing he'd just finished swimming, but he was insistent so we changed into our workout clothes and headed over to the athletic field. Since he was doing this to improve his skills, I made him spend the entire time using his left foot, both passing and taking shots at the wall. He was doing better the longer he worked on this, and he was actually getting his footwork down so he was able to kick the ball in stride with his left foot. There wasn't quite as much force behind the contact, like there was when he used his right foot, but he was showing improvement.

When I finally decided that we'd been practicing long enough, we headed back to the house so I could finish my chores. While I was busy doing that, I asked Noah to work on his homework. After he finished, I let him watch a couple of shows on TV, since we both felt he'd spent enough time outdoors exercising for one day. He stopped when his mom returned home from work and went over to chat with her briefly before he came back to see if I was ready to go out for our run.

"You mean you still want to do that?"

"Yes, I like doing it with you."

"But you've done a lot of running around this weekend, and so have I."

"Can't we still go?"

"How about if we just walk around the last part of our normal route instead, like we did before you started jogging with me?"

"Yeah, ok. Let's do that then."

Shortly after we started out, Noah filled me in on a few things. "Mom said I could have Jason stay over on Friday, and we want to sleep with you again."

"But you have a game the next day."

"Yeah, I know, but that won't make a difference. You can drive us to school after we eat so I can get ready with the rest of the team."

"Then I expect you boys to go to bed early and not stay up late fooling around."

"Yeah, we will, cuz we'll have time to do the other stuff earlier."

As soon as we finished our brisk walk around the neighborhood, we showered and dressed before going over to have dinner with Cheryl. When we finished our meal, we all went over to my side of the house to watch TV for a while, since Noah had finished his homework. He stayed behind to sleep with me after his mom went back to her side, and after we'd prepared for bed he had me suck him off before we cuddled together and fell asleep.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened on Monday or Tuesday, but no one was home when I returned from work on Wednesday. Noah had an away game and Cheryl went to watch him play, so I decided to fix dinner and have it ready by the time they got home. It was nearly 7:00 before I heard Cheryl's car pull into the driveway, and I went over to greet them.

"Whew, I'm bushed. That drive took a lot out of me," Cheryl gasped as she came through the door.

"As soon as you're ready, come over to my side because I've got dinner ready."

"Really? That's fantastic, because I didn't know what we were going to have. Noah's been complaining that he's hungry ever since he got in the car, and I didn't really feel like fixing a big meal."

"You don't have to because it's all ready. All you have to do is come next door and join me. The table's set and I've been keeping the food warm until you got here."

"Thanks, I really appreciate this."

"Uncle Brian, I want to tell you about the game, but I'll do it later, cuz I want to eat first," Noah added as he pushed past us and headed over to my side.

"You two go ahead and I'll be right over. I just want to freshen up and use the toilet first," Cheryl stated as I turned to follow Noah.

I let Noah fill his plate and begin eating before Cheryl joined us, but I waited so we could eat together. Once Noah was partially sated, he started telling me about the soccer match.

"We won, but only by a goal. The final score was 1-0."

"And how did you do?"

"I did ok. I made a pass to one of the forwards and he kicked it into the net for the only goal."

"That's great! You had an assist."

"And he played really well," Cheryl interjected. "He stole the ball from the other team a few times, and he made some really good passes to the other players as well. I could tell that Coach Rich was pleased with how well he was doing."

"Yeah, the coach said I did a good job today, and Jason told me that too."

"Then you should feel really good about yourself. I can't wait until I'm able to watch you play on Saturday."

"Yeah, and Jason's excited about staying over again. He sat with me on the ride back and we talked about it."

"So you didn't ride with your mom?"

"No, the coach said all of us had to ride on the bus, so mom followed us back to the school."

Once we finished our meal, Cheryl helped me clean up while Noah went next door to get started on his homework. He hadn't had time to do any of it yet, so I figured this might be a late night for him. I didn't see him again until the next morning at breakfast, when he assured me that he'd been able to complete all of his homework without any problems.

Thursday was a fairly normal day too, and then on Friday I picked up Jason and Noah after their practice. "My dad told me to say hi for him, because he was busy getting stuff ready for tomorrow's game."

"I understand, and I can't wait to watch the team play."

"They should do really good, just like they did on Wednesday. Noah played great and had an assist on the only goal."

"I know. He and his mother told me."

"Yeah, he was awesome."

Noah checked in with his mom when we got to the house and asked if we had time to jog first, before we ate. She said we did, but I didn't know if he should be running again after he'd just finished practice, so I offered an alternative.

"How about we just walk the last half instead?"

"No, Jason and I want to run."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to be too tired for your game tomorrow."

"Yeah, he's right," Jason offered. "Let's just walk this time, cuz you shouldn't be doing more running before playing a morning game."

"Ok, let's do that then," Noah groaned.

The boys wanted to put on the clothes they wore at practice, so they stripped down and changed in my living room. "Wow. You two are braver than I thought," I teased once they were naked.

"Why? We've done this in front of you before, so why do you think it makes us brave?" Jason wondered.

"What I was referring to is that Noah's mom could have walked in while you were naked." They now understood what I was getting at and shocked expressions quickly replaced their questioning stares.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," Noah gulped. "I guess we'd better do this in the bedroom."

"Yeah, I never thought about your mom coming over here," Jason agreed as he grabbed his things and began moving in that direction.

"Hang on. Seeing you've already started to change, just stay here and finish getting dressed and I'll stand by the door and make sure she doesn't come in."

Relaxing slightly, the boys finished putting on their practice uniforms, and then we went out for a walk. The pace Noah set was somewhere between a brisk walk and a jog, but it was enough to get my heart rate up and allow me to burn some calories. When we returned to the house, the boys were a little more cautious this time.

"Lock the door before we take our shower," Noah suggested.

"And I'll shower with Noah again," Jason followed.

"Ok, but no messing around in there. Noah's mom most likely has dinner ready, and I don't want to make her wait."

After the boys stripped out of their kit, they headed to the shower and I overheard Jason ask Noah a question. "Does your uncle know what we've been doing, cuz he told us not to mess around?"

"Probably, but he doesn't care. He's neat like that."

As soon as they finished, I took my shower, and once we were all dressed again, we went next door to eat. Cheryl had obviously talked to Jason the last time he'd stayed over about the types of food he liked, because he was very complimentary about each item after he shoveled it into his mouth.

When we finished eating, Cheryl agreed to go with us to see what was on TV. It was a tight squeeze with all of us sitting on the sofa, but we made it work. I sat on one side, with Cheryl on the other, and Jason sat next to me, while Noah sat next to his mom. We found a movie the boys were willing to watch, and during one of the commercials I offered to get everyone a drink. Jason volunteered to help me carry them back, so I let him take Noah and his drink, while I carried what Cheryl and I wanted. After everyone had their drink, we settled in and watched the rest of the movie.

When it ended, Cheryl bid us all goodnight and returned to her side, and then I locked the door and the boys and I got ready to turn in. I overheard Jason asking another question as they walked ahead of me to the bathroom to brush our teeth. "Do you think we'll be able to rub each other's dickies tonight?"

"Yeah, but we probably should have Uncle Brian do it to us, cuz he does it a lot better."

"You mean he's done it to you before?"

"Yeah, he was the one who showed me how to do it, just like I showed you."

Even though I'd overheard their conversation, I pretended that I hadn't, because I didn't want to get involved in what they were planning. After we finished brushing our teeth, I let them use the toilet first, and then I sent them to get into bed. I stayed behind and took my time, figuring they might do what they wanted before I went in to join them. However, it didn't work out the way I'd planned.

When I finally entered the bedroom, both boys were laying naked on the mattress with the covers turned down to the foot of the bed. They were both looking hopeful, although I tried to ignore them as I got ready to slide into bed and go to sleep.

"Noah said I should ask you to rub my dicky this time. We did it at my house when he stayed over and I want to do it again, but he says you do it better."

"He did, did he? In the first place, he shouldn't have told you I did that with him," I responded while glaring at Noah. "And second, I shouldn't be doing those types of things with you. You can do it with each other if you want, seeing you're both close to the same age, but I'm an adult. I could get in big trouble for doing something like that with either of you."

"But we won't tell, will we, Jason?"

"No. I won't say nothin'."

"But someone could still find out about it," I insisted.

"Not if we don't tell them," Jason challenged, as his face silently pleaded with me to do it. "Noah says you do it really good and I want to see why he thinks that."

"Please, Uncle Brian. Just do it for us."

"Jason's father would probably kill me if he learned I did anything like that with his son."

"Nah, he wouldn't," Jason countered. "He talks to me about stuff like this, and he lets me ask him questions about it too."

"Yes, but that's different than actually doing it to you. Besides, he's your father and that's his job, but I don't think he'd want me doing it."

"He's let me run around naked in the locker room since I was in second grade, and he likes you a lot, so I don't think he'd mind. But that doesn't matter, cuz I'm not gonna tell him. And Noah won't tell either, so won't you please do it for me?"

This discussion continued for several more minutes before I added something else. "It's time to stop discussing this, because Noah needs to get some rest before the game. You'll both have to quiet down and go to sleep."

"We will, if you do this for us," Jason countered. "Please?"

"And I'll sleep better after you do it to me too," Noah added.

I knew this discussion could continue for a long time, since neither boy appeared to be willing to go to sleep until I did what he wanted. "Ok, but you'd better not tell anyone or talk about this except when you're here. No talking about it when you're playing outside or when you're at school either. You also can't talk about it at Jason's house or anywhere else, because if you do there's a good chance someone might overhear you. If that happens, then I'll end up in jail or prison, and Noah and his Mom will have to find someplace else to live."

"Ok, we won't do nothin' like that then," Jason agreed.

After saying this, he waited for me to get started, but I was still a little hesitant about doing it. Since he was in a hurry, Jason was thrusting his hips at me and shaking his penis to let me know what he wanted. Eventually, I gave in, reached over, and began to rub his scrotum and penis to help him get an erection. As soon as he was firm, I grasped his penis between my thumb and index finger and began to stroke it. After a few seconds, Jason's mouth dropped open and he started to pant, and then his eyes glazed over before they rolled back in their sockets and eventually closed. He was totally lost in the feelings coursing through his young frame, when suddenly his entire body began to shudder and his eyes popped open as he enjoyed his dry orgasm.

I continued stroking his penis for a little while longer, at least until he showed signs that his orgasm had subsided. When that happened, I released the piece of flesh that made him male and waited to see how he was going to respond. I didn't have to wait very long before it happened.

"Noah was right. That was waaay better. It was good when he did it, but it felt a lot stronger this time. When Noah did it I just felt a tingling in my belly, but when you did it I felt my whole body tingle. Thanks for doin' it for me."

"You're welcome, but just remember that you promised not to talk about it, except when you're here."

"I won't, but now I want to watch you do it to Noah."

I had the boys switch places, and then I did the same thing to Noah. I had barely started when Jason made a comment. "You're using your whole hand to do it to him, but you only used your thumb and finger when you did it to me. How come?"

"It's because Noah's penis is bigger than yours. When your penis gets bigger, then you might want to use your entire hand and not just a couple of fingers."

"Oh, ok. I see now."

Jason watched intently as I masturbated Noah, and he gasped in awe when Noah ejaculated. "Wow! He shot that stuff a lot farther this time and there's more of it."

"That's cuz you stopped when it started to happen at your house," Noah chimed in.

"Yeah, cuz I thought you were peeing."

"It's actually quite different than pee. This stuff is called semen or cum, and it contains your sperm," I informed him.

"Oh, I see now. My dad says sperm is what makes girls have babies," Jason stated as he looked up at my face.

"Yes, that's right."

"And when will I start doin' that?"

"Once you reach puberty."

"Uncle Brian means when you start getting hair above your penis and it starts getting bigger."

"When will that happen?"

"It varies for every boy," I answered, "but it could happen anytime between now and when you turn twelve or thirteen. For some boys it takes a little longer and doesn't happen until they're fourteen or fifteen, so that might happen to you as well. You'll just have to wait and see, but you're body will let you know when it's ready."

"I hope it doesn't take very long before I can do that too."

At this point I reached over on the nightstand and pulled some tissues out of the box I kept there, and then I used them to wipe the semen off of Noah's belly and chest. "Hey, I should put tissues in my room too; cuz then I wouldn't have to run over to the bathroom to get toilet paper."

"I used to use a towel or my underwear to wipe it up, but Mom figured out what I was doing because she noticed it on those things."

"Yes, when you use any type of cloth to wipe up your semen it can still be noticeable later. It makes the fabric stick together when it dries, and it also gets crusty. In your case, Jason, that might be a dead giveaway to what you boys are up to. If your parents were to notice something like that, your dad would realize it isn't from you. He sees you naked in the locker room and is most likely aware that you aren't ready to ejaculate yet, so he would be able to determine that the semen would have come from Noah."

"Yeah, you're right, so we'll just use tissues or toilet paper."

"Ok, now that I've done this for you and I've cleaned the semen off of Noah, it's time for all of us to get some sleep."

They didn't argue with me and pulled their underwear up while I was setting the alarm. They also switched places again, because Jason wanted to sleep next to me, and then I reached down and pulled the covers up so I could tuck us all in. Jason wanted me to cuddle with him again, like I did the last time he stayed over, and Noah placed his arm over Jason too, so it was also touching mine. Then, the three of us fell asleep.

Sometime during the night I felt Jason exploring my genital region again, so I pretended to be asleep, just like the last time. However, I also made a mental note that I would eventually have to speak with him about what he was doing. He only did it for a couple of minutes, though, and then he rolled back onto his side and drifted off again.

When the alarm went off, I got up to made the boys' breakfast before we took off for the school. As soon as we got there, the boys headed to the locker room so Noah could be with his teammates and Jason could help his dad with the bag of balls and flags for the four corners of the pitch. As soon as they left, I retrieved the lawn chair I'd placed in the trunk and found a good spot at the top of the bank to watch the game. Noah's team came out a few minutes later and began to warm up, but the other team's bus didn't arrive for another twenty minutes. Seeing they'd arrived late, the officials asked them to warm up quickly and get ready to start the match.

Once the action got underway, both teams began slowly as they attempted to find the other's weaknesses. Nothing much happened until just before the first half ended, when the stopper on the home team intercepted a pass and kicked the ball to Noah. He turned and dribbled down the pitch, faking out a couple of potential defenders along the way, and then he made a nice pass to one of the forwards. That boy trapped the ball and dribbled to his right briefly, before taking a shot on goal. The keeper was able to react in time to deflect the ball away, but it rolled over the end line and out of play. This gave Noah's team a corner kick.

As the left wing prepared to take the kick, the other forwards and midfielders lined up and waited for it. The kick was a little too close to the keeper so he was able to slap the ball away from the goal, but he hit it directly at Noah. Noah didn't hesitate and kicked the ball on the short hop, sending it into the upper left hand corner of the goal for a score.

The forwards and midfielders on Noah's team went wild and swarmed him, but he pulled away long enough to look up, locate me, and grin. Jason and the Coach were both shouting jubilantly as well, and the score remained that way when the first half ended.

When the game started again, there was only one other score, and it happened about midway through the second half. It started when Noah stole the ball and made a pass to the right wing. He, in turn, made a crossing pass to the center forward, also referred to as the striker, but the ball sailed a little higher than the wing wanted. However, the striker was able to get his head on the ball and redirected it toward the goal. It didn't have a lot of steam behind it, but he'd managed to deflect it away from the keeper so only one of the fullbacks had a chance to make a save. To his chagrin, however, he wasn't able to get to the ball in time. When he attempted to kick the ball away, it merely glanced off his foot and skittered into the net instead. This put our team ahead by a score of 2-0, and that was the way the match ended.

After forming a line and shaking hands with the other team, Coach Rich called the boys together for a brief talk before he released them. As soon as he finished speaking, Noah came over to chat with me before heading to the shower.

"When I scored, I wasn't really trying to kick the ball in the corner of the goal. It just went there cuz I kicked it on a bounce."

"It was still very impressive, and congratulations on another win."

"Thanks, and I'll come back after I shower, unless you're going to the coach's office again."

"No, I think I'll just wait here."

Since Jason was helping his dad with everything, I merely went down to say hi and congratulate Coach Rich. "Good game, coach."

"Thanks, and Noah had another great game. I take it that he and Jason behaved last night?"

"Yes, they were very good and we enjoyed having Jason join us."

"I think this is going to become a weekly ritual, because Jason has already asked if he can invite Noah over this Friday too."

"That's fine with us, and it should also give you and your wife a night alone every other week."

"Yes, and we took full advantage of it both times."

"I'm glad to hear that."

We then said goodbye, and I went to put the lawn chair back in the trunk before waiting for Noah to join me. He was all smiles as he approached the car.

"Jason asked me to stay over on Friday again."

"Yes, the coach mentioned it to me. I'm glad the two of you are getting along so well."

"Yeah, I probably wouldn't be doing this good at soccer without you and him helping me."

"Yes, he's definitely been a big help too."

We then got in the car and returned to the house, ready to have lunch.

Chapter 39
Tense Moments.

It was raining when I went to pick up the other boys on Sunday, so when we got back to the house we merely headed inside and spent the time playing games. While we were doing that, I asked the other boys what they'd been up to since I'd last seen them, and then I listened as they described the various things they'd done.

When it was time for Noah to explain what he'd been involved in, he was eager to tell them about his soccer team and how he'd been playing. Unfortunately, it didn't take very long before it became painfully obvious that the other boys weren't interested in what he had to say. The way they were acting not only kept Noah from telling them more, but I could see the glimmer of fire igniting in his gaze that indicated how much this was bothering him. He was furious that his friends didn't seem interested in what he had to say, because this was important to him. He had listened when they told us about what they'd been doing, but they weren't nearly as polite when it was his turn.

When I noticed Noah's reaction to how the others were behaving, I realized this situation could explode into a major problem, possibly even becoming physical. In an effort to prevent that from happening, I quickly formulated a way to intervene and distract him. I suggested that it was time to go out to eat, and on the way to our destination I announced that I wouldn't be able to pick up the other three the following Sunday. They immediately wanted to know why, so I explained that something had come up and I wouldn't be around on the weekend. Although they seemed slightly disappointed, they said they understood and would see us the weekend after that instead. Later, after I dropped them off at their apartment building, Noah looked over at me and spoke.

"Are you really going somewhere next weekend?"

"No, I just told them that because I felt you boys needed some time apart. I could tell you were upset because they didn't seem very interested in how you were doing at soccer, so I felt you needed a break to give you a chance to cool off a bit. I thought an extra week apart might allow you time to do that."

"Yeah, you're right. I was pissed at them. I listened when they told us about what they'd been doing, but they didn't want to hear about what I had to say."

"I understand, but to be fair, I was the one who asked what they'd been up to. It might have been easier for you to listen to what they had to say, because you know the places and other people they were talking about, but it was different for them. They might even be a little jealous about how much you're getting to do, now that you're living here."

"I know, and it's why I didn't tell them about Jason or that we take turns staying over with each other every Friday. But I thought they would at least listen to me tell them about how I'm doing at soccer."

"I understand, but since they don't play it's not quite as interesting as it is for you."

"Then maybe we shouldn't pick them up and bring them here any more."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yeah, if they aren't interested in what I'm doing then we'll just leave them with each other and the people they ARE interested in."

"That would be kind of cold and a bit extreme. Wouldn't you miss spending time with them?"

"Nah, I'll just spend more time with Jason and do stuff with him."

"You can still do that as well, but do you really want to stop hanging around with Sam, Gus, and Glen? They've been your friends for a quite a while now, and I'd hate to see that end."

"But we don't live close to each other now and only get together when you pick them up and bring them here. Maybe it would be better if I just made new friends."

"You can always do that without ending your friendship with them. Maybe it would help if I offered to pick them up and bring them to your next Saturday soccer match. That way they can watch you play, and maybe if they see how well you're doing they'll become more interested in what you have to say the next time."

"Maybe, but they probably won't want to come."

"You should at least give them a chance to decide for themselves. Let me check the schedule and see when your next Saturday match is, and then I'll ask if they want me to pick them up so they can watch you play. Ok?"

"You can try, but I don't think it will do any good."

"Just let me give them the choice, and if they say 'yes' then I'll pick them up and bring them to your match. If not, then maybe you're right and it's time to cut back on doing things with them."

"Ok, you can ask them then, but I bet they won't want to come. If not, me and you can do stuff with Jason instead."

"Let's not cut them out of the picture until I hear what they have to say. We'll just wait and see what they're willing to do and how interested they seem."

"Ok, but I still don't think they'll want to do it."

After looking at the schedule, I discovered Noah's team had a home match this Saturday, but the week after they would be playing away. Actually, this worked out well, because we wouldn't be seeing the others again until the day after the away game. That's when I'd ask them then if they wanted me to pick them up so they could watch Noah play the following Saturday. He had another home match then, so once the other boys gave me their answer it would indicate whether this friendship had a chance to survive.

Noah left me alone while I was working this out, and when I finished he asked if I'd take him to the high school so he could practice some more. He explained that he wanted to practice using his left foot, and even though he was getting better with it, he felt he needed to work on it when he wasn't practicing with the team. I could tell this was important to him so I agreed, and we spent the next couple of hours working on strengthening and improving his off leg.

By the time we finished, it was obvious that Noah was getting better at using his left foot. His passes were not only getting stronger, but they were more accurate as well. And his shots on goal with that leg were basically hitting the target too, although most of them wound up going dead center of the goal. Most of the opposing keepers would be able to stop these shots, so now he'd have to work on placement. Even though he wasn't doing as well as he did with his right foot, I figured he was approximately half as good with his left foot as he was with his right.

Nothing much happened again until Wednesday when Noah's team had its next home match. Cheryl and I were both planning on going, but I wouldn't be able to get there until after the match had started. Cheryl said she would save me a spot on the hill, so I put a lawn chair in her trunk for her to use, since I already had one in mine.

When work ended on Wednesday, I raced to the school, grabbed my lawn chair out of the trunk, and set it down next to hers. She then filled me in on what I'd missed. "This team isn't as good as the other teams they've played and Noah's team is already ahead 2-0."

"How's he playing?"

"He's doing really well. He had another assist, and then later Coach Rich chose him to take a penalty kick after the other team was called for a foul in the penalty box."

"Is that how they scored the second goal?"

"Yes. Noah totally faked out the goalie. He made it look as if he was going to kick the ball to the goalie's left and the boy totally bought it. As Noah approached the ball, the goalie was leaning to his left and getting ready to dive in that direction, but Noah kicked the ball to the other side instead. The goalie couldn't react quickly enough to correct his error, and the ball flew behind him and into the net for the score."

"I can picture that, because he's done the same thing to me a couple of times when we were practicing at the high school."

"Well, it looked incredible and Coach Rich took his hat off and bowed to Noah after he scored. It was really cute."

"I'm sure the coach was very impressed by what he did."

There were only a couple of minutes left until the half, and during the intermission we watched as the players grabbed a quick drink before gathering around the coach. Coach Rich talked to them briefly, and then the team got up and started loosening up again, but the coach grabbed Noah's arm and held him back. After speaking with Noah for a few seconds, the coach gave him a hug before he walked away. Noah blushed and then looked up at us, and as soon as we made eye contact he flashed me a little grin. I took this to mean that the coach had just congratulated him personally about his penalty kick, and then Noah scurried off to rejoin his teammates.

Our team scored again almost immediately after they got the ball in the second half. One of the other midfielders was able to intercept an errant pass and kicked the ball to Noah. He dribbled it a short distance and then sent a pass to the right wing. That boy dribbled the ball along the sideline for several yards before launching a crossing pass that sailed over the striker's head. Fortunately, the left wing was paying attention and bolted in to corral the lose ball, thus keeping the pressure on the defense.

The boy dribbled the ball a few steps and then fired a shot on goal. One of the fullbacks was able to deflect the shot with his leg and caused it to ricochet in the other direction. The striker immediately raced over and got control of the loose ball and took another shot on goal. Unfortunately, the ball hit another player in the back, but the striker followed his shot and got to the ball before anyone else could get to it. Without hesitating, he kicked the ball again, and this time it sailed just inside right goalpost for the score.

I felt badly for the left wing, because I'd assumed he was the one who was going to score, but he made up for it a little while later when he netted the fourth, and final, goal. It wasn't pretty, but he managed to jump in front of a clearing kick made by the sweeper and was able to deflect the ball with his knee. There must have been a leprechaun sitting on his shoulder at the time, because the ball skipped past the keeper and wound up in the net.

The celebration after the game continued long after the boys shook hands with the other team, and once the players took off for the locker room, Coach Rich came over to speak with Cheryl and me. "Noah played another great game, and that was one hell of a penalty kick he scored on. He totally fooled the other team's keeper and had him going the wrong way. You don't see that very often at this level. Did you teach him that?"

"No, it was something he came up with on his own. He's used it against me a couple of times when I was practicing with him at the high school, but that's about all I had to do with it."

"I chose him to take the kick because he's been doing so well and I believed he had the best chance of scoring. He did even better than I expected, though, so it looks like he'll be taking most of the penalty kicks from now on."

The coach then took off to check on his players, and Cheryl asked if I would give Noah a ride so she could head home and start dinner. I said I didn't have a problem with that, so she got in her car and drove off, while I waited patiently for Noah to join me.

"Where's Mom?" he wondered when he finally emerged from the school.

"She went home to fix dinner. There was no sense in both of us sticking around, seeing each of us drove here from work."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. We have practice tomorrow and Friday, and then we have a game on Saturday. Oh, and Jason said he's excited about staying over Friday night."

"I'm glad you two enjoy spending time with each other."

"And he likes spending time with you too, especially after last time."

"I hope he doesn't expect that to happen every time he stays with us from now on."

"Yeah, he does."

"Wait! How can you know that if neither of you talk about this unless you're at my place?"

"He just told me he really likes you and enjoys staying over, but then he winked so I'd know what he meant. He just couldn't say it out loud, cuz he promised he wouldn't talk about it 'cept when we're with you."

"We'll talk about this later, because we have to get home now. Your mother left so she could start fixing dinner and have it ready by the time we got there, and I don't want to make her wait."

Once we got to the house, Noah followed me inside and then started over to the other side. Before he disappeared, I told him I'd be over shortly, but I wanted to freshen up first, and he said he'd let his mom know.

While we were eating, Cheryl told Noah that he'd played great and she really enjoyed watching him. They also discussed the fact that Jason was going to be staying with us again on Friday, and Cheryl asked Noah which of two different meals he'd prefer. She said she knew Jason would like either one, so she was letting Noah make the choice. Once he told her his decision, he looked over at me and spoke.

"Can I watch TV with you after we're done eatin'?"

"Don't you have homework?"

"Just a little and it shouldn't take very long to finish."

"Ok, if you get it done quickly then you can come over and watch TV until it's time to go to bed."

As soon as we finished our meal, Noah raced off to do his homework. When he finished, he came over to watch TV, but I was busy doing something for work on my laptop. He wanted me to sit with him, so I carried the laptop over to the sofa and sat next to him, and then continued working as he watched a couple of shows. When I told him it was time to turn in, he kissed me goodnight and walked over to his bedroom to go to sleep. I worked for a little longer before I logged off and got ready for bed as well.

Thursday was fairly uneventful, both at work and at home. Then on Friday, Jason and Noah were waiting for me when I pulled up in front of the school. "You two look to be in exceptionally good moods," I greeted them as they climbed in the back seat.

"Yeah, cuz we like spendin' the night with each other," Jason replied. "And we like bein' with you too, especially after we get in bed."

"I hope you don't expect to do those things every time you stay with us."

"Why not? I like it and want you to keep doin' it to me. And don't worry, I didn't tell anybody about it."

"Wouldn't you rather just do it with Noah?"

"Nah, we do it when he stays at my house, but I'd rather have you do it to me when I stay with you guys."

"I see," was all I stated, since I didn't want to keep the discussion going. He seemed fairly certain about what he wanted, and if the truth be told I enjoyed it too, so it looked as if he was going to get his wish later.

When we got to the house, Cheryl had dinner ready, so we went next door to eat. Cheryl chatted with the boys as they chowed down, and when we finished our meal we asked what they wanted to do next. "You have a match in the morning, but what would you like to do before you go to bed?"

"Let's play Life first, and then we'll see what's on TV before we have to go to sleep," Noah suggested.

"Is that ok with you, Jason?"

"Yeah, I'm ok with doin' that too."

Cheryl joined us and we played the game of Life for about an hour, and then the boys went to see what was on TV. Cheryl then went back to her side so she could get ready for work in the morning, and after she left the boys teased me to join them. They had me sit between them on the sofa, and then they both leaned against one of my shoulders. When they did that, I lifted my arms and wrapped one around each boy as we focused on the screen.

"Well, since we didn't go out to walk or jog, we don't need to shower." I stated when the last show ended. "I assumed you did that after practice."

"Yeah, we did," Jason confirmed, "so it will leave us more time to do the other stuff."

Jason and Noah then raced to the bathroom so they could brush their teeth and empty their bladders, and then they headed to the bedroom while I was going through my nightly ritual. When I finished and entered the bedroom, they were both lying naked on the mattress with the covers pulled down below their feet. Each one had a huge smile on his face as I moved toward them.

"We're ready for you to do it to us now," Jason stated when I was standing next to the bed. "And this time we want to do it to you after you do it to us."

"Are you sure? It takes me a lot longer before I ejaculate."

"It's ok, cuz we want to try that too," Jason responded.

"But your arm may get tired before that happens."

"Nah, we'll take turns and change places if that happens," Jason replied without hesitation. I had a feeling they'd discussed this beforehand.

"Ok, then who am I doing first?"

"Me!" Jason squealed. "Then I'll start doin' it to you when you finish with Noah."

It seemed that he had this all planned out, so I laid down beside him, reached out and ran my hand over his genitals until he sprouted wood. When that happened, I grabbed his penis with my thumb and first two fingers and slowly slid them up and down on his rigid shaft. As I continued to do this, he closed his eyes and focused on the sensations coursing through his young athletic frame. Eventually he started to pant, and then his body tensed and shivered slightly when he experienced his dry orgasm. We gave him a few moments to recover, and then the boys switched places so I could do the same thing to Noah.

No matter how many times I've done this to him, Noah is always eager and reacts the same way he did the first time I masturbated him. He was already hard and totally relaxed after he'd changed places with Jason, so I merely wrapped my hand around his turgid pole and began to slide it up and down. Noah began to moan almost as soon as I started, and then his body stiffened and he began to grunt as his penis expelled several thin strands of his immature ejaculate.

Jason was enthralled by the noises Noah was currently making, which made me suspect that Noah didn't make these same sounds when they did this at Jason's house. I assumed Noah intentionally remained quiet when Jason did this to him and stifled any noises that might draw attention or expose what they were up to. I believed, however, that Jason was beginning to realize that he didn't have to be as restrained when they were doing this with me.

Anyway, once I helped Noah clean up the mess on his body, the two boys wanted to do the same thing to me. I was reluctant at first, but Jason was insistent, so I finally gave in and removed my boxer briefs. Jason immediately reached over and wrapped his hand around my flaccid member and did his best to help me firm up. While he was doing that, Noah was running his hand over my scrotum to speed the process along. A short time later I was fully erect, and Jason began to masturbate me, the same as he'd done to Noah when they were at his house.

Jason was doing his best to get me off, and when his arm started to tire, Noah placed his hand below Jason's so he could help out. The effect of this dual stimulation definitely worked, and it also allowed Jason to stop briefly whenever he needed to give his arm a break. After several minutes of this action, I realized I was approaching my orgasm.

"Ok, I'm going to shoot soon," I warned, and then a few seconds later the first of my semen catapulted from my shaft.

Jason audibly gasped when it happened, and his eyes bulged from their sockets as his mouth dropped open. "Whoa, you shot a lot more than Noah, and it went a lot farther too," he gushed as the last few drops oozed out of the tip.

"Yes, but I think that's basically because I'm older and more mature."

"I can't wait 'til I can do that too."

The boys then grabbed some tissues and helped me clean up the mess, and then we all put our underwear on before I pulled up the covers and we prepared to sleep. Jason was in the middle again, with both of us cuddling against him, but this time he didn't fondle my genitals while I slept. It appeared as if he was satisfied that he'd been able to hold my penis when he helped me get off.

Chapter 40
Highs and Lows.

While we were eating breakfast, Jason thanked me several times for masturbating him the previous night and for letting him do it to me. "I'm glad you did it with us, cuz I've been wantin' to do it to you too."

"I think I got that impression from the other times you've stayed over."

Jason immediately began to blush when he realized that I knew what he'd been up to when he stayed over. "I thought you was asleep."

"What are you guys talking about? What did he do?" Noah demanded as he glanced between us.

"During the night Jason would reach over and explore my penis with his hand once he thought I'd dozed off."

"You really did that?" Noah gasped.

"Yeah, I wanted to see what it was like to hold a dicky that was really big."

"But he only did it for a couple of minutes before he stopped," I added in Jason's defense.

As soon as we finished eating, I had the boys grab their gear so I could drive them to the high school for the soccer match. After they got out of the car and sped off to the locker room, I grabbed my laptop and began working on the project for the office. I knew it would be a while before the team came out and began warming up, and even longer before the match got underway, so I figured I'd remain in the car and use my time wisely. Actually, I got quite a bit done before I stopped, and then I removed the lawn chair from the trunk and carried it over to the hill so I could watch the teams compete.

The visitors won the toss and kicked off first, and I watched as they moved methodically down the pitch. They continually passed the ball from sideline to sideline and tested the defense in each area to find a weakness, which meant there wasn't a great deal of excitement for the first few minutes. That all changed when the left wing passed the ball back to one of his midfielders, and then that boy made a quick pass to the striker as he cut toward the goal. The striker was able to control the pass in stride and quickly fired off a shot. He managed to catch the keeper moving across the goal mouth in his direction and aimed his kick at the area the keeper had just vacated. The keeper attempted to change direction so he could block it, but the ball sailed just out of his reach and into the net for a score. The visitors had taken the early lead.

I could tell Noah's team was disappointed, but they quickly raced to their positions so they could kickoff next, as they prepared for their chance to score. They didn't have nearly as much success as the other team, and over the next several minutes the ball repeatedly changed hands from one team to the other. Neither side was able to score again before the intermission, so the home team remained a goal behind at the break.

Once the team gathered around him, Coach Rich spent his time offering suggestions about what they could do to score, and the team did a lot better as the second half got underway. After a couple of failed attempts to even the score, one of the other midfielders on our team made a pass to the left wing. That boy dribbled the ball several yards along the sideline before lofting a crossing pass toward the top of the goal box.

As soon as he saw that happen, the striker sprinted to the location where the ball was heading and reached it just before one of the defenders got there. The striker was able to get his head on the ball, but unfortunately his header was deflected by a defender and bounced to the opposite side of the penalty box. Our team's right wing darted to the ball before anyone else and launched his own shot at the goal. His kick was blocked by the sweeper, but to that boy's chagrin he'd instinctively stuck out his arm to stop the kick. The referee immediately blew his whistle and called a handball, and since it happened in the penalty box, Noah's team was awarded a penalty kick.

Coach Rich signaled Noah to take the kick, so Noah took the ball from the referee and placed it on the penalty mark. I waited to see if he was going to use the same tactic to score that he'd used before, and he started off as if that was what he intended to do. However, this time he did a little stutter-step as he approached the ball, causing the keeper to dive in the direction he thought the ball was going. When that happened, Noah lofted the ball slightly behind the diving boy and just under the crossbar for the score. The match was now tied with several minutes left to play.

Regrettably, it was the other team that scored next and Noah's team ended up losing 2-1. I could read the disappointment on Noah's face when the game ended, but just as anyone who's ever played a sport soon learns – you can't win them all.

"Man, I can't believe we just lost," Noah whined before heading off to shower.

"It happens to the best of teams, so learn from what happened and try to do better the next time."

"They were a good team and there's no shame in losing to them," Coach Rich interjected as he came over to speak with us. "You played well and did your part, and now we have to prepare for our next match."

After Noah took off with Jason, Coach Rich and I continued our conversation. "I noticed Noah tried something different when he took the penalty kick today."

"Yes, he felt he couldn't continue doing the same thing every time, so he's been working on different ways to score from the penalty mark."

"He looked good doing it, and I'm glad the rule was changed this year so that little stutter-step was legal. To be honest, I'm impressed by the way Noah plans ahead for things like this. He's got a great work ethic for such a young player."

"Yes, he makes me take him to the high school every Sunday to work on his off leg, as well as to improve other areas of his game. You'd think he would want a day off after practicing and playing all week."

"Possibly, but that's the trademark of a really good player."

Coach Rich then excused himself so he could go check on his team and make sure there weren't any problems. Once he did that, I grabbed my lawn chair, placed it in the trunk, and then waited for Noah to join me.

He was still a little bummed out as we drove home, and he remained that way for the rest of the day so I left him alone and let him work his feelings out on his own. We ate lunch together, but the conversation was minimal, and then he took the RC car outside for a while. When he got tired of doing that, he came inside and watched TV alone for a brief time before asking me to watch a movie with him. Once again, there was minimal conversation and he merely leaned against my side as he focused on the screen. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders hoping it would make him feel a little better, and it must have worked because he seemed to be in a more upbeat mood when the movie ended.

When his mom arrived home from work, he told her about the game, but he didn't sound quite as depressed as he had earlier. He was more talkative too and seemed to be getting over the loss. When it was finally time to go to bed, he was back to being his old self.

"I want you to suck me off tonight. It will make me feel better and help me sleep."

"Your wish is my command, young master."

As I was busy bobbing up and down on his stiffy, Noah made another comment. "You should do this to Jason when he stays over next time."

"I think I've already done more with him than I should, so I don't want you suggesting it to him."

"Ok, I won't."

Shortly after he shot his watery seed into my mouth, we cuddled together and prepared to sleep. As I started to doze off, I hoped he would keep the promise he'd just made.

After a good night's sleep, we had breakfast together before starting our normal Sunday routine. Things got a little weird when it dawned on us that we didn't have to pick up the other boys today, since I'd told them I wasn't going to be around. In fact, this was going to be the first Sunday in a long time that they weren't with us, and it made things seem a little strange from that point on.

Noah giggled nervously when I pointed this out to him, and then we spent the next several minutes discussing what we were going to do instead. Eventually, he decided that he wanted to watch the Sunday shows that he'd been missing out on whenever the others were with us. I agreed that would be fine, and I'd be able to do my chores while he was watching his programs.

Once his shows ended, Noah complained that he was hungry and wanted to eat, so I hurriedly prepared something for lunch. When he finished chowing down, he announced that he wanted to go to the high school to practice next, but I pointed out that he should wait a while before we did that. After thinking about it briefly, he agreed to play with the RC car until I determined it was ok to go.

When I finally told him I was ready to do what he wanted, he put the RC car away and grabbed the soccer ball. We then spent the next couple of hours on the practice field as he worked on improving the use of his off leg. Just before we were ready to call it quits, he asked me to play goalie for a few minutes so he could practice taking shots with his left foot. I didn't have a problem doing that for him, and I was stunned when he launched a bullet past me a couple of minutes later.

"Wow, that was the best one yet," he shouted with glee as I stood there with my mouth hanging open.

"Yes, it certainly was. I definitely wasn't about to step in front of it either, because I was afraid I'd end up having to go to the hospital if the ball hit me."

Noah giggled. "Awww, my shot wasn't that hard."

"From my perspective it looked like a rocket coming at me." He giggled again.

We worked on his left foot for a little while longer before heading back to the house. His mother wasn't home when we got there, so Noah suggested that we should go for our run. I couldn't believe that he wanted to do this after running around the athletic field for the last couple of hours, but he said he was fine. If we did it now, it would also allow us plenty of time to shower and change before it was time to eat with his mom. Seeing we were already dressed appropriately, we merely took off and started jogging down the street.

Cheryl passed us shortly after we'd turned onto the main drag and tooted and waved as she drove by. We waved back and kept going, since we'd just begun our run. When we finished and returned to the house, we showered quickly, changed, and headed next door to see if she needed help. She didn't, so we chatted with her while she finished preparing our meal.

"What day do you have a game this week?" she asked Noah.

"I think it's on Tuesday or Wednesday."

"Is it a home or away?"

"I'm not sure, so let me go get the schedule."

Noah raced off to his bedroom to retrieve it, and when he came back he made an announcement. "The match is on Tuesday and we're playing there. It's against my old school."

I wasn't previously aware of this and thought it was a shame that I hadn't noticed it before. I could have invited the other boys to join us for that match, instead of when he played a week from Saturday. I even mentioned this to Noah.

"Ummm, I think it would've made me really nervous if I knew they were gonna be there. It's gonna be strange enough playing at my old school, cuz I'll prob'ly know some of the boys on the other team."

"Ok, then I won't drive over to tell them about this match."

Cheryl and I both planned on being there to watch Noah on Tuesday, and although Cheryl would get there first, I should be able to see most of the action, since the school is so close to where I work. He seemed more nervous than usual, as well as a little preoccupied for the rest of the night and the following day, so I hoped this wouldn't carryover into the match.

As soon as I wrapped things up at the office on Tuesday, I rushed out of the building and drove over to the school. I quickly grabbed the lawn chair out of the trunk, and then I raced to see if the match had started yet. When I got there and glanced down at the pitch, I saw the teams were still warming up, so I'd arrived in time. I then looked around to locate Cheryl, and when I spotted her I was surprised to see there were a couple of others chatting with her.

"I didn't expect to see you guys here," I offered as I placed my chair next to hers.

"Yeah, we didn't either," Gus replied. "When we heard the morning announcements on Monday, the principal mentioned everything that was going on this week, and that's when we learned our soccer team was gonna play Noah's team. We told our moms that we were gonna stay after school to watch Noah play, and we said you'd give us a ride home afterward."

"Sure, I don't have a problem doing that, but I didn't think you were even interested in soccer."

"We don't usually like to watch it, but we like playin' it sometimes," Sam chimed in. "But we thought we'd come and see Noah play, seein' he keeps tellin' us about how good he's doin'."

"I think it's very nice of you to do this, and I'm sure Noah will appreciate seeing you're here as well."

I then glanced down at the pitch and noticed the referee was calling for the teams to get ready for the kickoff. Noah had been busy chatting with a couple of the players on the other team at the time, so he had to stop and get into position. Obviously, he'd been chatting with boys he knew from when he went to school here, and I suspect those boys were mildly surprised to see him on the other team. The home team won the coin toss, so they got the ball first as the match got underway.

Noah looked slightly nervous when the game got underway, but that didn't last for very long. Once he began chasing after the ball and playing defense, I could tell he was in full game mode. In fact, I was intrigued as he raced over from the opposite side of the field to check the boy who'd just had the ball passed to him. Noah's sudden appearance caused the kid to panic and pass the ball before he was ready, and that caused the kick to veer off target. One of Noah's teammates was able to pick off the errant pass, and then he kicked the ball over to Noah. After controlling the ball, Noah made a mad dash toward the other team's goal and showed off some fairly nifty footwork as he dribbled around one defender and then avoided another.

Shortly after he got past the second boy, Noah made a pass to his left wing, and that boy hurriedly dribbled down the sideline. After advancing the ball a dozen yards or more, he launched a crossing pass toward the striker. One of the other team's fullbacks dashed in between and managed to head the ball away, and when Noah saw this he didn't hesitate and darted toward the loose ball. He got to it first and quickly passed the ball to the opposite side of the field. The right wing then dribbled it a few yards before kicking the ball back to Noah as he broke toward the goal. Noah controlled the ball with his chest and then dribbled past the fullback who'd moved up to check him. As soon as he was by that boy, Noah took a shot on goal with his left foot.

The keeper had momentarily been obscured by the sweeper and failed to see the ball coming off Noah's foot. When he finally spotted it, he attempted to knock it away, but his hand merely grazed the ball before it went into the net for a score.

Noah's teammates immediately mobbed him, and I noticed Jason and the coach were going crazy along the sideline. Cheryl had also leaped out of her seat and was cheering loudly, and I jumped up to cheer and clap enthusiastically as well, as my way of letting Noah know I thought he'd done a fantastic job.

"Wow, Noah is really good," Gus shouted.

"Yeah, he's way better than I thought he'd be," Sam added.

"Yes, he's been working really hard at improving his skills and is doing very well," I agreed.

When Noah looked up to find us, he was grinning from ear-to-ear, but that suddenly changed to a look of shock. I think he was stunned to see Gus and Sam standing next to us, also cheering loudly. After Noah recovered from his initial shock, he went back to his position on the pitch and got ready for the other team to put the ball in play. He continued doing very well and even scored again in the second half, and his team ended up winning 3-1. As soon as the match ended, he raced over to talk to us.

"Great game," Gus screamed as Noah approached.

"Yeah, you played really good," Sam added.

"Thanks. I can't believe you guys are here."

"We heard the announcement about the game at school and knew you'd be playing, so we came to see how you did," Sam replied.

"Yeah, we talked our mom's into lettin' us do this, cuz we told them Brian would give us a ride home afterward," Gus continued.

"I'm very proud of you. You played fantastic," Cheryl added. "I'm also glad your friends had a chance to see you play too."

"Yeah, and I'm glad I had a good game while they were here, but I've gotta get goin'. I have to ride back on the bus with the team."

"Ok, I'll see you at home, honey. Brian, would you mind picking him up from the school so I can go home and start dinner?"

"Of course not. I'll drop these two off first, and then I'll swing by to get him. We'll see you back at the house."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."

Cheryl gave Noah a hug before he went to rejoin his team, and then she grabbed her lawn chair and headed over to her car. I did the same, while Gus and Sam followed me over to my car so I could take them home. Once we were all buckled in, they began chatting with me again.

"Thanks for giving us a ride," Gus began. "I'm glad we came to the game today, cuz Noah played great."

"Yeah, it was exciting watching him, even though our team lost," Sam added.

"It's unfortunate that only one team can win, because they both played fairly well, but I know you made Noah feel really good by being here."

"We're glad we came too," Gus responded.

"Yeah, Noah is way better than we thought," Sam added.

After I dropped them off at their apartment building, I drove to the middle school and picked up Noah. He was glowing as he walked over to get in the car.

"Did you know they were going to be there?"

"No, it surprised me too," I confirmed. "They also picked a good time to show up, because you were on fire."

"Yeah, I played really good today. I thought I'd be nervous playing against a bunch of guys I knew, and I was at first, but that didn't last very long. As soon as the game started, I just focused on what I was s'posed to do."

"I think playing against boys you knew helped to bring your game to the next level. Hell, you even kicked a goal with your left foot."

"I had to, cuz the ball was on my left side, but I thought the goalie was going to catch it."

"He tried, but you got it by him. Congratulations. You played super today."

"That's what Jason and the coach said too."

When we reached the house, we ate dinner with his mother, and then Noah went to do his homework before going to bed. It had been a big day for him and he was exhausted, but no matter how tired he was, I was convinced he would enjoy some very pleasant dreams tonight.

Chapter 41
More Surprises.

I went to Noah's away match on Saturday, but Cheryl had to work. He played well again, although not quite at the same caliber as he had on Tuesday. The game ended in a 1-1 tie, so the teams had to play two five-minute overtime periods as well. The score was still tied when they finished the second OT period, so they went to penalty kicks to break the deadlock.

Each team was allowed to select five players to take those kicks, and the home team won the coin toss and chose to go first. We all held our breath and watched as their first player prepared to take his kick. As he approached the ball it was fairly obvious to everyone that he was going to kick it to the keeper's left, so the keeper dove in that direction. However, the boy lofted the ball higher than the keeper expected, sending it out of his reach. I watched in total dismay as the ball sailed over the keeper's horizontal frame and into the upper part of the net for the score.

Our team's striker went next and attempted to sneak the ball just inside the right upright (post), but he tried to cut it way too close. The ball hit the goal post and bounced back onto the pitch, failing to score. The other team was now ahead 2-1 at the end of the first two penalty kicks.

Our goalkeeper blocked the second opponent's penalty kick and kept the other team from increasing their lead. Our right wing came up next and squeaked a kick past the other team's diving keeper to even the score.

When the third player on the other team came up for his turn, he struck the ball squarely, but right at our keeper, so he was able to catch the ball and prevent another score. Our right midfielder came up next, and as he was planting his left foot on the turf it skidded, and this caused him to strike the ball poorly. We all watched in horror as the ball sailed over the crossbar and out of play, leaving the score tied 2-2.

The fourth player on the other team sent a bullet into the upper left hand corner of the net for a score, and then the left wing on our team stepped up to take his turn. He unleashed a grass burner that was just out of reach by the diving goalkeeper, tying the score yet again.

I think everyone there could see how nervous our goalkeeper was as he took his place in the goalmouth one final time and prepared for the other team's player to take his turn. It appeared as if the keeper was thinking that if he was able to stop the kick it would give Noah a chance to win the game.

We all watched nervously as the boy approached the ball and struck it with his foot. As the ball rose into the air, the keeper stretched out and deflected it with his hand. He wasn't able to block the shot completely and merely caused the ball to rise into the air. I thought it was going to go over the crossbar and out of play, but the ball struck the crossbar instead and bounced toward the ground. The spin on the ball, which had been created by the kick hitting the crossbar, carried it into the net for the score. This put the other team ahead by a goal again and left our team one final chance to tie the match, or else they'd lose.

I can't remember if I was even breathing as I watched Noah head out to take the final attempt, and I was amazed by how calm he appeared as he made his way onto the pitch. He calmly took the ball from the referee and placed it on the penalty mark in preparation to take his turn. He seemed oblivious to the tremendous amount of pressure that was being placed upon his shoulders and looked to be as cool as a cucumber, unlike everyone else there.

I wasn't surprised to see Noah attempt the same kick he'd used against me before, and what I'd been told he'd done on the first penalty kick he had taken for the team. He gave every indication that he was going to kick the ball to the left of the keeper, and as the boy leaned in that direction and prepared to react, Noah kicked the ball to his right instead. The poor keeper looked flummoxed and totally embarrassed about being fooled so badly, because up until then he had a chance to win the match for his team. Instead, the ball traveled untouched into the netting and the contest ended in a draw.

After the two teams lined up to shake hands, I walked down to congratulate Noah and tell him that I'd meet him at the school. As soon as I finished relaying my message, the coach came over to speak with me.

"I wish all of the boys were as good at taking penalty kicks as Noah. He makes it look effortless and has scored on every opportunity he's been given. It's a good thing too, or we would have lost today. This was another good team, and I was pleased that our boys played so well against them, including the keeper. I can't fault him for any of those goals, and even though we were still down a goal when Noah took his turn, I wasn't worried about losing. I was fairly certain he was going to score, and my only regret was that it was to secure a draw, and not a win."

"Yes, but I'm glad you didn't lose."

"I am too, but a tie is like kissing your sister. It's not nearly as good."

We both chuckled at that thought before the coach left to herd the boys onto the bus and I headed over to my car. I decided to follow the bus back this time, figuring Noah could simply hop off the bus and come directly over to the car so we could return home.

To my surprise, Noah didn't look depressed as he approached the vehicle later. He simply opened the door, slid into his seat, and then spoke. "So what did you think of the game?"

"You played very well, and you did a great job on the penalty kick."

"Yeah, and I went back to doing the one I was the most comfortable with. This team hadn't seen me do it before, and I knew I had to score or we'd lose."

"Yes, and you did a great job so that didn't happen."

Since he hadn't showered yet, he stripped down almost as soon as he got in the door, and then he headed to the bathroom. While he was cleaning up, I made lunch so it would be ready when he was done. After he dried off and got dressed, he came out of the bedroom and broke into a smile.

"It smells good and I'm glad you did this, cuz I'm starved."

After we finished eating and placed the dishes in the dishwasher, Noah went in to watch TV for a while. While he was doing that, I worked on what I was going to do with the boys the following day. I decided to prepare something special this time, rather than just playing board games with them, as a reward for Gus and Sam showing up at Noah's last match. Seeing them at the game had convinced Noah that they were still his friends and actually interested in what he was doing. I just hoped they'd show a little more interest when he was telling them about how he was doing from now on.

When Cheryl returned home from work, Noah filled her in about the match and she listened intently to what he had to say. When he finished, she commiserated with him about not winning, while at the same time complimenting him for tying the score with his kick. Once their conversation ended, she went to change before starting dinner, and Noah and I went out for our run.

"Hey, can I call Jason and ask him if he wants to go to the high school to practice with us tomorrow?" he begged almost as soon as we'd started out.

"Do you even know his phone number?"

"Yeah, he wrote it down for me the first time he stayed over, along with his address. So can I call him and ask?"

"I don't see why not, but don't try to pressure him if he says he can't do it. His family might have plans, or they might just like to spend Sunday together as a family."

"Yeah, ok, but I still want to see if he wants to do this."

When we got back to the house, we showered and changed, and then Noah used my phone to call Jason while I went over to see if Cheryl needed a hand. I merely ended up chatting with her instead, at least until Noah came racing over to let me know what he'd found out.

"Jason asked his mom and dad and they said he could go with us to the high school tomorrow."

"I hope you asked Brian about doing that first," Cheryl chided.

"Yes, he did, and I told him it was ok."

After we finished our meal, Cheryl agreed to play Sorry with us, and after that they followed me over to my side to watch TV for a while. We soon discovered that the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was on, so we squeezed together on the sofa to watch it. Noah hadn't seen it before and sat mesmerized between his mom and me on the sofa. He would grab a hold of one of us when something scary happened, and he would jump when something unexpected occurred. He would also laugh hysterically when something humorous took place, and he would scream at the characters when he thought they should be doing something. After observing all of his reactions, I was glad that we'd done this with him.

When the movie ended, Cheryl said goodnight to both of us, gave Noah a hug and a kiss, and then she went over to her side to get ready for bed. As soon as she took off, Noah and I decided to go to bed as well and headed to the bathroom to prepare.

"Will you suck my penis for me tonight?" Noah asked as he was peeing.

"If that's what you want."

"Yeah, I really like it when you do that."

After we got in bed, I decided to do more than just blow him. I bent over and worked on his tiny nipples first, attacking his left one my tongue before sucking on it, while at the same time tweaking the other one with my index finger and thumb. After reversing the process and doing the same thing to the other nipple, I kissed my way down his chest and over his belly before attacking his navel with my tongue. Noah squirmed and giggled while I was doing this, and then I got up and moved between his legs.

Noah spread them apart and gave me plenty of room, and then I used my lips and oral muscle to attack the skin on his scrotum, as I stimulated the area as much as possible. After doing that for a brief time, I moved up and began to run my tongue up, down, and around his shaft, which was standing tall and proud as it extended from his groin. I don't know what made me suddenly think of this comparison, but I thought it looked like a miniature Washington Monument towering above the Capital Mall. I guess I've been watching too much political news lately.

Eventually, I placed my head over his rigid boyhood, opened my mouth, and lowered it until I had his entire penis in my mouth. After humming on it briefly, I began to nod up and down while using my lips and tongue to elicit the desired effect. Noah immediately began bucking his hips to match the raising and lowering of my head, while also placing his hands on my scalp to guide my actions. It only took a couple of minutes before he slammed his pubis against my lips and pressed down on the back of my skull to make sure I stayed there while he fired his immature seed down my throat. After the last of the watery strands had slid down my gullet, his grip slowly relaxed and his butt dropped downward until it was once again resting on the mattress.

After I released his penis, I waited as he enjoyed the lasting effects of his orgasmic explosion, and as soon as he returned to the present, he thanked me and let me know he wanted to return the favor.

"Why don't you just masturbate me instead?"

"No, I want to use my mouth too. I'll do it for as long as I can, and I know I'll only be able to get the end of your penis in my mouth, but I'll jerk you off with my hand at the same time."

"Ok, if that's what you want to do."

He then proceeded to do those things to me, and he did a very commendable job of it too. He was a real trooper and never let up until I released my load, and then we cuddled together as we fell asleep.

As we were having breakfast the next morning, I could tell Noah was excited, but I wasn't sure if it was about seeing Sam, Gus, and Glen again, or because Jason would be going with us later. Maybe it was a combination of both, because he was bouncing around in his seat as we drove to the apartment building to pick up the first three.

The other boys were staring out the door as we pulled up, but they seemed a little subdued as they walked out to the car. They usually raced outside to join us, as well as smiling broadly, but this time was different. As they came out to get in the car they reminded me of children of divorce who were dutifully going with the non-custodial parent, even though they would have preferred doing something else.

Maybe I was being unfair to them, but that was the impression I got from watching them. It wasn't what I was expecting, especially after seeing how enthusiastic they were at Noah's soccer match, and I tried not to prejudge their intentions.

"What are we gonna do today?" Gus asked as he closed the rear door behind him.

"You'll see when we get to the house."

"Are we just gonna play those games again," Sam followed, and this increased my initial impression about them.

"No, I have something else planned."

"Oh, ok," they all muttered in response.

Although they didn't sound enthusiastic about doing this, although I had no idea why, I hoped they'd loosen up a bit when they saw what I had planned. I'd come up with a mystery for them to solve and had planted clues all around my side of the house and out in the yard, so I hoped it was worth the effort. First, I explained the premise for what they had to solve, and when I finished setting the scene for them, the boys went running outside looking for the first clue. When they found it, we discussed what it meant and what they should do next, and then they raced off looking for the next clue.

During the week I'd placed these clues in various places, with some of them being objects, while others were in the form of a note, a recording, or some other type of clue that would indicate what they should do next. It took them about an hour and a half before they finally solved it, and I waited to see how they were going to react to what they'd just done.

"That was fun," Glen said as we sat down around the table to talk about what we were going to do next.

"Yeah, it was," Gus and Sam agreed.

"Are we going to eat now?" Noah followed.

"Yes, but we're eating here today. I've prepared everything in advance, so all I have to do is heat the baked ziti in the oven. I also picked up two loaves of Italian bread to go with it, and I'll make a small salad for anyone who wants one."

"K, that sounds good, and today was fun, but we want to ask you something after you put that stuff in the oven," Sam stated while looking very serious.

"Sure, I'll be right back." I was curious as to what this was all about, but I didn't ask any questions yet, because I figured I'd find out what they wanted shortly.

I'd preheated the oven while the boys were looking for the last couple of clues, so I merely grabbed the large casserole dish I had placed the ziti in and put it in the oven. After setting the timer, I went back to chat with the boys.

"Ok, so what's up?" I said to get things started.

"Uh, we was wonderin' if you'd mind if we didn't come here on Sunday for a while," Sam began.

"We want to still come with you when we can go swimmin' or do stuff like that, but there's somethin' else we want to do too," Gus added.

"So you don't like coming here any more?" Noah asked looking bewildered.

"We do, but there's somethin' else we want to do too, and it's something we can only do on Sunday. We're just afraid that we'll miss out on it if we don't do it now," Sam explained.

"Why? What's more important than coming here?" Noah demanded, and I could hear the hurt in his voice. "I thought you liked doin' these things with us."

"We do," Glen confirmed, and then he looked over at his brother.

"Glen's right, we like doin' this too, but when we couldn't come here last week cuz Brian wasn't gonna be here, we found somethin' else that was more fun," Gus stated.

"Like what?" Noah wanted to know.

"Well, we got to get to know the new family that moved into the buildin'," Sam offered. "We'd seen them around before, but we didn't get to spend any time with them until last Sunday."

"I didn't realize an apartment had opened up," I commented, slightly confused. "From what I've been told, once people move into the building they seldom move out."

"Yeah, most people have been there for a long time, like us, but one of the women livin' there just got married, so she and her kids moved in with that guy," Gus explained.

"And the new kids were at the park when we went there last Sunday, so we went over to say hi," Sam explained.

"And now you like them better and want to spend time with them instead of us?" Noah wondered, sounding even more hurt than before.

"Kinda. They're twin girls who are the same age as us, and they have a little brother who's a year older than Glen," Gus responded.

"So why do you want to be with them instead of us?" Noah shot back.

"Uh, it's cuz we did stuff that was really fun," Gus answered.

"Like what?" Noah pressed.

Gus and Sam glanced over at me and didn't respond, so I knew it was something they didn't want to say in my presence. Taking the hint, I decided to make this easy for them.

"Look, I've got to go check on lunch, but you guys can keep on chatting. How many of you want a salad too?"

Once I knew how many I had to prepare, I went out to slice the bread, prepare the salads, and check on the ziti. I thought the boys would whisper as the discussion continued, but they only lowered their voices slightly, so I was still able to overhear what they were saying.

"So what was so fun?" Noah asked as soon as I began working in the kitchen.

"After we got to know them at the park, they invited us to go back to their apartment with them," Sam replied.

"There was no one else there, so we told Glen to take Max, that's their little brother, to our apartment to play," Gus continued. "Once they were gone, the girls started askin' us about a bunch a stuff but some of it was kinda private and we didn't want to answer. That's when Melody asked if we wanted to play Truth or Dare."

"Melody is one of the twins, and Melanie is the other," Sam clarified. "We finally agreed to do that, and I picked a dare first, cuz I didn't want to answer their questions. I was shocked when she dared me to show them my dick."

"Did you do it?" Noah gasped in shock.

"Yeah, I kind of had to, so when Melanie picked a dare, I dared her to show us her pussy," Sam reasoned.

"You wanted her to show you a cat?" Noah countered, looking confused.

"No, I wanted to see the part of her body where her dick would be if she was a boy," Sam answered. "I learned that name for it from somethin' President Trump said."

"Oh, my mom said it's a 'gina," Noah mumbled.

"Yeah, whatever," Sam said rolling his eyes.

"And you thought answering their questions would have been worse than showing them your penis?" Noah followed.

"We thought so at first, but we ended up showin' them our dicks instead of just talkin' about things like that," Gus added. "We let them play with them too, and after they showed us their pussies they let us play with their titties for a while. We wanted to do more, but we had to stop cuz their mom was gonna be home soon."

"Yeah, I wanted to play with their pussies too," Sam groaned, "but they said we could do that next time."

"So that's why you don't want to come here?" Noah pressed.

"Yeah, wouldn't you?" Sam countered.

"I don't know, but can't you do that on Saturday instead?" Noah was obviously trying to find a way they could do both.

"No, their grandma stays with them on Saturday, so we aren't able to do it then" Gus answered.

"But she's not there on Sunday?" Noah wanted to know.

"No, she spends most of Sunday in church," Gus replied. "She tried makin' them go with her before, but I guess they did stuff that embarrassed her while they were there so she doesn't want to take them any more. When that happened, they talked their mom into lettin' them stay by themselves and promised to watch Max. Their mom only agreed to let them do it after the woman across the hall said she'd help out if they had any problems."

The boys continued to chat, but I moved out of hearing range when the timer went off and I moved over to take the ziti out of the oven. While I was doing that, I called over to the boys and asked them to help carry some things to the table, which included their salads and drinks, while I scooped the ziti onto their plates. We then sat down to eat and I watched as they eagerly filled their bellies.

Once we finished our meal, I had the boys rinse off their dishes and place them in the dishwasher while I put the leftovers away. There wasn't much, but there was no sense in wasting any of it, and then I had them all get in the car so I could take them home.

"So you don't mind if we don't come next week?" Sam asked once we were on the road.

"No, not at all. This has always been your choice, so you'll just have to let us know when you want to start coming again."

"K, we will," Sam agreed, so it seemed as if their problem was solved.

After I dropped them off at the apartment building and was driving home, Noah asked a question. "Did you hear what they was telling me?"

"Yes, I heard most of it."

"Can you believe they did that stuff with those girls?" He looked shocked and disgusted by what they'd told him.

"Noah, is it really any different than what you do with me or Jason? It's just that they seem to prefer doing those things with girls, while you like to do them with guys."

Noah seemed to think about this for a few seconds before he responded. "I guess, but I would never do that stuff with a girl."

"Maybe not, but most boys would rather do the things Gus and Sam are doing, rather than the things you do."

"Maybe, but I like doing that stuff with you and Jason."

"Yes, and speaking of Jason, why don't you give him a call and tell him we're on our way to pick him up."

I handed him my phone, but he balked. "I don't have his phone number with me, and we don't have the soccer ball either."

"Hmmm, that wasn't very good planning. Ok, we'll go home first and you can call him from there. I'll grab the soccer ball while you make sure he's ready for us to come get him, and later tonight I'll program Jason's number into my phone."

"K."

Once those things were taken care of, we went over to pick up Jason. His dad came out with him when we pulled into the driveway and they walked over to the car. "Thanks for doing this for him. I think it will be good for both of the boys. I'm sure Noah will help Jason improve, just like Jason has helped him."

"You're right, and I'm glad you're letting him join us. This is very important to Noah, and Jason can probably challenge him better than I'm able to do."

The coach merely chuckled, and then we said goodbye before I backed the car into the street. After I drove to the high school, I let the boys workout against one another as we get underway.

"Will you play goalie for us?" Jason asked after they'd been at it for about twenty minutes.

"Sure, I can do that!"

"Good, we'll play one-on-one against each other and see if we can get off a shot," he explained.

"And then we'll take penalty kicks after that," Noah added.

"Yeah, cuz I want Noah to teach me how he does that," Jason chimed in.

We did those things for another half hour, and then they came up with something else they wanted to try next. "We're gonna take turns making crossing passes and corner kicks to each other so we can see if we can head or kick the ball into the goal as soon as it gets to us," Noah clarified.

"Yeah, we want to see if we can do it without the ball hitting the ground first," Jason added.

They did that and made their kicks from both sides of the field, while taking turns being the passer and the one receiving the ball. When they finally tired of doing that, I suggested it was time to call it quits for the day.

"Can we go to your house and shower?" Jason asked as we were heading to the car.

"Seeing you didn't bring a change of clothes it wouldn't make much sense," I answered.

"Oh, yeah. Can I do this with you next Sunday too?"

"I don't have a problem with it, as long as your parents say it's ok."

"Good, then I'll bring my other clothes with me next time. Maybe we can do some other stuff after we shower too."

I knew exactly what he meant without asking him to clarify, and that comment brought a big smile and positive reaction from Noah as well. "Yeah, let's do that."

After I drove Jason home and dropped him off, Noah and I headed back to the house. Cheryl was there when we arrived, seeing we were running a little later than usual today, and she'd already started dinner. Noah agreed to skip our run tonight, seeing he'd done more running around at the high school this time, so we just showered and changed before going over to eat with his mom.

The rest of the evening passed quietly, because we merely relaxed as we watched TV together. It had been another long and tiring week.

Chapter 42
A Time of Many Changes.

As we made our way through the month of October, Noah played in his final soccer matches and the season came to an end. The team did very well and compiled a record of twelve wins, one loss, and one tie, but more importantly Noah had grown and improved as a player.

Just as the season was winding down, Jason presented Noah with an idea for a potentially new challenge. "You should go out for the basketball team now."

"Nah, I've never played basketball before and I'm probably too small to be any good at it."

"My dad says size helps, but it's not the most important thing. You're fast, really quick, and you're already in great shape, and my dad says you pick up things really easy so you'll be able to learn whatever you need to know."

"Maybe, but why do you want me to do this?"

"Cuz my dad is gonna coach the team and I'm gonna help out like I did with soccer. If you're on the team then we can spend more time together and continue staying over with each other on Friday night."

"I didn't know your dad coached basketball too."

"He doesn't usually, but the guy who was s'posed to coach the team can't do it this year. Last week he found out his wife has cancer and she's got to have an operation, and my dad says she's gonna need a bunch of treatments afterward. That stuff will probably make her lose weight, get weaker, and cause her hair to fall out, so the other coach decided he should spend his time helping her, rather than coaching the team. When my dad found out about it, he offered to take over for him this year."

"Wow, I didn't know that."

"So will you tryout for the team?"

"I'll think about it, and I'll talk it over with Uncle Brian too, cuz I want to see what he thinks about it first. I kinda like the idea of us hanging out together on that team too, but I wanna see if Uncle Brian thinks I'll be good enough to play."

"I'm sure he will, and then in the spring you can go out for the baseball team, cuz my dad coaches that too."

"Dang, your dad coaches a lot of different sports."

"Yeah, he started doin' it cuz he knew I liked sports and thought it would help if I hung around his teams. He even lets me practice and play against the older boys sometimes, so that helps too. He says he's puttin' the money he gets paid for coaching in a savings account for me, so I'll have that money to use for college."

"Wow, that's really neat. Uncle Brian does a bunch of stuff like that for me too, like spendin' lots of his time with me and buying me stuff, so it's kinda like what your dad does for you."

"Yeah, my dad says he's noticed that too. He really likes your uncle, and I know he'd like to have you playin' on his other teams too. He says you're a really special athlete cuz you're willin' to work hard to get better. He also says you pick stuff up really fast, so I know you'll do well at any sport you play."

"Ok, I'll talk to Uncle Brian about it and see what he thinks, and then I'll let you know."

Noah waited until after dinner that evening before he mentioned this to me. He came over with his mom to watch TV after we finished eating, but he waited until she went back to the other side of the house before he brought it up.

"Jason said his dad is going to coach the basketball team this year and thinks I should try out for it."

"Is it something you want to do?"

"I'm not sure. I've never really played basketball before, but Jason is going to help his dad again, like he did with soccer, so if I make the team we'll be able to spend more time together."

"I'm not sure if that's a good enough reason for you to tryout. If you're going to do this, it should be because you want to learn how to play the sport, like you did with soccer."

"I'm willing to try, and if I'm good enough I wouldn't mind playing on the basketball team too. Soccer was fun, and I really like hanging out with Jason, and this would give me a chance to see more guys naked in the shower."

"I'll admit those aren't the typical reasons for playing a sport, but if you want to do it, then I'll help out as much as I can. I'm even willing to buy a portable basketball hoop and a decent basketball so you can practice, and we can set it up in the driveway. That way you can practice as much as you want, although it may be a little chilly since you'll be doing it outside. I don't know of any place where you could practice indoors, except at school, but that won't be an option for us, especially on the weekend. I'll have to look around for another place that we can use."

"Ok, but I don't mind playing outside. Do you know much about basketball?"

"I think I know as much about basketball as I did about soccer. I played a little when I was your age, so I can help you out with the basics, and then Coach Rich can take over from there and teach you the other things you'll need to know."

"Ok, then I'll tell Jason I'll do it. Maybe he'll be able to come over so we can practice basketball on Sunday from now on."

"That's not a bad idea, and you'll have a little more time to do that, since we haven't heard anything more from Sam, Gus, and Glen."

"Yeah, I guess Gus and Sam must be having fun with the girls. Glen told me he likes playing with Max too, cuz they're almost the same age and they like a lot of the same things. Glen said he liked doing stuff with us too, but cuz we're older and bigger than him it wasn't always as much fun."

"Yes, I'm sure he prefers hanging around with someone closer to his own age and size. I also suspect Gus and Sam are having as much fun doing those things with the girls, as you are doing similar sorts of things with Jason."

"Yeah, but it's more fun doing it with Jason than with a girl."

"Maybe for you, but I think Gus and Sam see things differently."

Now that Noah had made up his mind and was going to do this, I started making plans for what I could do to help out and make this work for him. The first thing I did was to call a contractor I knew and ask if he could come over so I could explain a job I had in mind. We made an appointment for two evenings later after work, and that's when I told him what I had in mind.

"I want you to widen the driveway and keep it cement like it is now. I want it to be wide enough so I can park two cars side-by-side, and I also want you to put a cement pad approximately one yard square about here."

"What's that for?"

"So I can place a portable basketball hoop on it."

"So are you doing this so you can play basketball or park cars? And are you planning on getting married or possibly thinking about taking in a roommate?"

"No, I basically want to use it for basketball, but it will also come in handy when I have company or if I ever decide to do either of the other things you just mentioned."

"Ok, I'll make sure everything is fairly level and really smooth. I'll also patch up any defects I find in your current driveway as well."

"Thanks, and I appreciate your help."

We then talked about how much this was going to cost, and once we agreed on an amount and a schedule for the work to begin, we shook hands. That would serve as our contract until he printed one up and had me sign it, but I'd dealt with him before and liked his work, so I didn't have any reservations. I trusted that he would do what we'd just agreed on and not try to screw me in the process, and I knew this would be good for Noah too.

A couple of days later it was Noah's turn to stay at Jason's house, so I drove him over and dropped him off, since soccer had ended for the year. I could see Noah was anxious about telling Jason that he was going to try out for the basketball team, but he still wanted to talk about it with the coach first to make sure he was doing the right thing.

I guess their conversation must have gone well, because when they dropped Noah off at the house on Saturday he was eager to tell me that he was definitely going to try out for the team. I never had a doubt that he would do it after I'd talked to him about it, but the decision was now official.

During the following week, the contractor finished taking care of all of the things we'd talked about. While I was waiting for the cement to cure, I purchased a decent basketball and a portable basketball hoop. I had to park the car on the lawn until the cement had completely hardened, because the contractor had patched several sizable areas on the old side as well. It also meant that we had to wait until the following weekend before I was able to start working with Noah.

On our first outing I watched him dribble and offered a few pointers, and then I did the same thing as he was shooting hoops. We started out with lay-ups and then proceeded to free throws, but after that I felt we'd done enough for one day. On Sunday we went over the same things, and then I began working with him on his jump shot. After watching his first couple attempts, I corrected his footwork, and then I emphasized his arm and hand positioning, as well as the follow through. I also encouraged him to always follow his shot so he'd be in position for the rebound if he missed.

It was basically too dark for me to work with Noah when I got home from work during the week, so Noah would practice on his own after getting home from school. We'd do more on the weekend, but I could tell Noah was already getting a little antsy about being ready for the tryouts. I tried to assure him that he was going to do fine, as well as attempting to assuage his fears, but it didn't calm him down nearly as much as I hoped.

It was Jason's turn to stay with us again on Friday, and during dinner, he filled Cheryl and me in about why his dad was coaching basketball this year. He also told us his dad would be coaching the baseball team in the spring and wanted us to know that he thought Noah should tryout for that team as well. After that he raved about what a great athlete Noah was and how he enjoyed spending time with him.

"You're a pretty good athlete yourself," I countered. "I just wish the two of you were the same age so you could've played on the teams together, but I'm glad it's working out fairly well just the same."

"Yeah, I wish we were the same age too, but this is almost as good. Noah gets to play on the different teams, and I get to help my dad and be there all the time so me and Noah can spend time with each other."

That night after the boys showered and we got in bed, Jason shocked me with his next announcement. "Will you suck my dicky tonight instead of rubbing it?"

"How do you know about that? Did Noah tell you about it?"

Both boys looked like deer that had been caught in the headlights of a car. "Well, kinda. He did it to me when he was at my house last week and I really liked it."

I looked over at Noah and his face went red from embarrassment. "You just said I couldn't tell him about it, not that I couldn't do it to him."

"That's just a technicality, because you knew what I meant."

"Sorry if I made a mistake, but I can't take it back now."

"So will you do it for me, Uncle Brian?" Jason asked, suddenly using the familial term as if he'd just adopted me. I'm not sure if he thought doing that would convince me to do what he wanted, but I just stared at him and remained silent. "Come on. Noah did it to me, but now I want you to do it too, cuz you'll prob'ly do it better, like you did when you rubbed my dicky."

I thought about it briefly before making up my mind. Seeing Noah had already let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, and had sucked Jason's penis the week before, there didn't seem to be a great deal of harm in me doing it for him as well. After all, I doubted that I'd get in any more trouble if I sucked him off, as compared to what the authorities would do to me if it was discovered that I'd masturbated him previously.

"Ok, but remember this is just like everything else we've done. You can't tell anyone else about this and can only talk about it when you're here."

"Yeah, I know," he agreed as he began bouncing up and down on the mattress in anticipation. "Thank you and I love you, Uncle Brian."

"And I love you too, sport. Hell, I love both of you little weasels," I added as I glanced between Noah and him. They merely giggled in response.

I found it difficult to do what Jason wanted, since his penis was still quite small, so I ended up having to adjust my technique. I ran my tongue over his scrotum and miniature pole first, but when I tried to bob up and down on his shaft I found it to be nearly impossible. I did it as best I could, but I wound up adding a great deal of suction at the same time, like I was trying to suck a thick milkshake through a straw. It proved to be fairly effective and obviously allowed Jason to enjoy a fairly substantial dry orgasm. I was able to tell this by the little noises he was making, as well as the way his body shuddered when it happened, along with what he said to me afterward.

"Whoa, that was way better than when Noah did it to me," he gasped after recovering from his trip to the stars.

"That's probably because I've had a lot more practice at doing it than Noah's had."

"Yeah, and I want to keep doing it this way from now on."

I didn't respond verbally to his comment and merely had the boys change places so I could do the same thing to Noah. Jason watched closely as I nodded up and down on Noah's shaft, but he didn't say anything until Noah ejaculated into my mouth.

"So you swallowed that stuff?"

"Yes, there's nothing wrong with doing it, and it doesn't taste bad either."

"And his dicky looked all shiny when you were doin' it to him."

"That's probably because some of my saliva was covering his penis and reflecting the light."

Now that both boys had their turn, they informed me that they wanted to return the favor. Jason wasn't ready to try sucking me off yet, so he used his hand to masturbate me while Noah sucked on the spongy head. Working together they brought me off to a powerful orgasm, and then we were ready to turn in for the night.

After we finished eating breakfast together the next morning, I took both boys outside to work on various basketball skills. Soccer season was officially over, and basketball tryouts hadn't started yet, so we had some time to do this. I worked with them on dribbling, lay-ups, foul shooting, and jump shots, and then I let the two boys play one-on-one against each other. Jason was only a little shorter than Noah, but there was a lot less difference between their height than between Noah and me. I refereed and explained when they did something wrong, as well as when they could have done something better, and before we knew it was 12:30.

"I guess we probably should be getting you home before your parents call the police and report that I've kidnapped you."

Jason giggled. "They wouldn't do that, cuz they know we're prob'ly practicing soccer or basketball."

"Ok, but I want you two to go wash up so I can take you out for lunch before I take Jason home."

The boys raced into the house and did as I requested, and then I asked where they wanted to eat. Jason didn't immediately offer a suggestion, so Noah did it instead.

"Jason, I know you like chicken, so how about we go to Zaxbys? You can have a chicken sandwich, chicken fingers, or chicken in a salad. That's what I'm gonna have and I think Uncle Brian will have that too, just with a different salad dressing."

"Ok, that sounds good to me, so let's go there," Jason agreed.

Jason opted for the chicken finger plate, Noah had the house salad with ranch dressing, and I ordered the chicken Caesar salad. After we finished our meal, I dropped Jason off at his house and Noah and I returned home.

"Thanks for doing all that stuff with Jason and me. I could tell he really liked it when you sucked his penis, and I liked when you did it to me too. We also had fun working on basketball this morning and I'm feeling better about trying out for the team."

"I'm glad that you both enjoyed those things, but I'm not very happy that you did it with Jason when you stayed with him last week. It's not that I mind you doing it with him, but I know you basically did it because you were convinced that he'd ask me to do it to him when he was here."

"I didn't want to make you mad by telling him about it, but I was sure he'd like it and wouldn't tell anybody, so I just decided to do it with him when I was there."

"One of these days you're going to do something like that and get me into trouble, and then we'll all be sorry."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'll probably end up locked in a cell, and you and your mother will have to find someplace else to live. You might even wind up being taken away from her as well."

"I don't want any of those things to happen!" he replied looking scared.

"In that case, then you'd better not do those types of things when I tell you it's not a good idea."

"Ok, I promise."

Now that we'd entered November, Noah focused on the basketball tryouts, while I had something else on my mind. One evening after Noah went off to do his homework, I sat down with Cheryl so we could discuss something that I'd been considering.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do for Thanksgiving this year?"

"I've thought about it briefly, but I haven't been hanging out with Monica and Debbie since I started working at the factory, so I doubt we'll be having Thanksgiving together like we did last year. I also felt that you would be spending the holiday with your parents again, like you did last year, so I guess Noah and I will just have our Thanksgiving dinner here."

"Would you consider joining me when I visit my parents and have Thanksgiving there?"

"Oh, I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding. You're being invited."

"But I don't know your parents and what would they think if Noah and I just showed up with you?"

"They've always told me that I'm welcome to bring a friend along, so I doubt they'd mind."

"But wouldn't they assume I'm your girlfriend if I went with you?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "No, I sincerely doubt that. Although I've never confirmed it for them, they figured out I was gay when I was a teen, so I don't think it would ever cross their minds that I had a girlfriend. Besides, I'll call and explain the situation to them first, but I didn't want to do that unless you were willing to go with me."

"Even though I'll have those days off at the factory, I'll probably still have to work at 7-Eleven on the weekend."

"So they won't let you take Thanksgiving weekend off?"

"I can try, but I'm not sure my boss will be able to find someone to cover for me."

"If you can't take the time off, then you can fly back on Friday and Noah can stay with me, since you'll be working. If you can get the time off, then we'll all fly back on Saturday instead."

"So you aren't planning to stay until Sunday?"

"No, I always fly back on Saturday in case there's bad weather and flights get cancelled. It's to ensure that I'm back in time for work on Monday."

"How much would it cost for Noah and me to fly down there with you?"

"Nothing. I'm willing to pay for your tickets."

"I couldn't let you do that, especially after everything else you've done for us."

"You're not asking – I'm offering, so don't worry about it."

"Well, if your parents don't mind having a couple of strangers joining them, I know it will be better than spending the time here alone. Besides, I think Noah would rather be with you than me."

"I believe he would rather be with both of us, not just one or the other. Besides, my mom loves entertaining company."

"Ok, if your parents are agreeable then we'll go with you."

Since Cheryl had agreed to do this, I went next door and called my parents. After I exchanged pleasantries with my mother, I got down to business.

"Mom, I'm actually calling to talk to you about Thanksgiving."

"I hope you're still planning on being here," she responded, possibly thinking I was calling to cancel. "Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill are coming to eat with us too."

"Yes, I'm still coming, but I wanted to know if you'd mind if I bring a couple of friends with me."

"Of course not. We'll just put an extra leaf in the table so there will be plenty of room for everyone, and there's always more than enough food to go around. May I ask a little something about your friends?"

"Sure, they're actually my tenants and live on the other side of the house. It's a mother and son, and their husband/father was killed several years ago in a car crash. They don't have any other family in the area, and I hate to leave them here alone on the holiday, so I wanted to bring them with me."

"Oh, that's so sweet of you. I take it you're close with them?"

"In a way. After they moved in, Cheryl insisted that I have my meals with them. It was her way of thanking me for letting them live here, but mostly I'm close to her son. He looks at me as sort of a surrogate father, since he was so young when his dad died."

"Oh, that's nice too. How old is the boy?"

"He's twelve."

"I can't wait to meet both of them."

"Great! We'll be flying in on Wednesday night, so make sure Dad is at the airport to meet us. I know you'll probably be busy fixing things for the next day, so you can meet them when we get to the house."

"Yes, I'll definitely be busy on Wednesday, but I'll make sure your father is there to pick you up. We'll see you soon, so goodbye, dear."

Now that everything was set, I just had to reserve our plane tickets.

Chapter 43
An Extended Family Thanksgiving.

Noah tried out for the basketball team and made the cut, so he was thrilled and strutted around the house in triumph. The team wasn't scheduled to play a game until the first week of December, and then they'd play a total of four games before taking two weeks off for Christmas break. They'd play the rest of their schedule throughout January and the first half of February, and then there would be about a month before baseball tryouts got underway.

To Cheryl's surprise, her boss at 7-Eleven was able to get someone else to cover for her so she could have Thanksgiving weekend off, so I confirmed our roundtrips tickets for Wednesday and Saturday. We packed everything we would need into our suitcases and loaded them into my car on Tuesday night, and then I cut my work day short and left when Cheryl was done with her shift. We had to drive home so we could pick up Noah, since he had classes that day, and then I drove to the airport so we could catch our flight.

Seeing this was going to be Noah's first experience of being on a plane, he was more excited than just about the holiday and having time off from school. Even though the airport was crowded and the security lines were long, we made it through the process fairly quickly and boarded our flight. Cheryl and I let Noah have the window seat so he could look out at the scenery below.

"I've only flown a couple of times before," Cheryl admitted as she buckled in, "so I can appreciate what Noah's going through." Since she was also concerned that Noah might experience some problems both during and after takeoff, she let me sit next to him because she felt I'd have a better chance of calming him down.

"I'm sure he'll enjoy this, especially if the cloud cover is light and he can see things out the window. I know it will be dark before we get there, but he'll still be able to see the lights as we pass overhead. He'll also be able to see a lot more on the flight back, since we'll be flying home earlier in the day."

Noah was a little tense during the takeoff, but he settled down once the plane was in the air. He was constantly nudging me so he could explain what he was seeing, and that continued until the plane finally touched down at our destination. He was still chattering about the things he'd seen as we exited the craft, and then I led them over to the baggage area so we could retrieve our luggage. I was happy to see my father's smiling face as we carried our suitcases out of the secured area and into the public section of the terminal.

"Dad, thanks for being here to pick us up," I said as I gave him a quick hug. Dad was old fashion and tried to pull away from my embrace, thinking this an unmanly thing to do in a public place, and once I released him I introduced the other two. "Dad, this is Cheryl, and her son, Noah. Cheryl and Noah, this is my dad, John Thorne."

Dad then shook hands with each of them and offered his words of welcome before leading us out to the car. "If you're wondering why my mother isn't here, she's probably busy fixing something for us to eat, as well as getting ready for tomorrow," I explained to Cheryl and Noah as we made our way through the parking lot.

"Yes, Brian's correct. His mother has been scurrying around the kitchen for the past several hours, but you don't have to worry about her. She's in her element and loves doing these things. There isn't much for her to do normally, seeing there's just the two of us, so she's as happy as a pig in mud when we have someone visit."

Cheryl smiled at his explanation, but Noah looked confused, so I thought I'd better clarify my father's statement for him. "What my dad means is that my mom loves to be able to fix large meals and pamper those visiting, which includes me."

Noah seemed to understand that better and seemed satisfied with my explanation as we reached the car. After placing our luggage in the trunk, Cheryl and Noah slid into the backseat and allowed me to sit in front, next to Dad. We talked about a bunch of different things during the ride home, mostly about family and various people from the old neighborhood, and I would fill in Cheryl and Noah about the things they might not understand.

When we reached the house, Dad helped us get our luggage out of the trunk, and then he carried Cheryl's suitcase for her, while Noah and I grabbed our own. Mom was waiting just inside the door as we walked in, and after I introduced her to Cheryl and Noah, she gave each one a big hug and welcomed them to our home.

"Brian, show them where the bathroom is, in case they want to freshen up a bit, and then I want you all to come to the dining room. I've prepared a nice roast, because I knew you wouldn't have time to eat before you left."

After the three of us had washed up and used the toilet, I led them to the dining room to eat. During the meal Mom gave both of them the third-degree and asked many personal questions about their lives, as well as about how we met. Luckily, Cheryl wasn't offended by her good-natured prying, and Noah was happy to tell her how we met and everything I'd done for him since then.

"I guess we did raise him right then," Mom joked after Noah finished telling her everything.

"You did a terrific job," Cheryl agreed. "He's a great guy and has been a godsend for the two of us."

Once we finished the meal, Cheryl offered to help clean up, but Mom was never one to let company help out – not even her sister. This made Cheryl feel badly at first, so I explained the situation to her once we were in the living room.

"Don't be offended," Dad chimed in. "It's just that the kitchen is her baby and she's very particular about things like that. I learned to stay out of there as soon as we returned from our honeymoon." He chuckled after saying this, and I think it made Cheryl feel a little better.

When Mom came in to join us later, Cheryl offered to help her fix breakfast in the morning, as well as get ready for the Thanksgiving meal, but Mom politely turned her down. "I appreciate your offer, and I'm impressed that you want to help, but I've got everything planned out and most of it has been taken care of already. I just want you and your son to make yourselves at home and enjoy the holiday."

When it came time to turn in for the night, I pointed out a slight rearrangement in the sleeping arrangements to my parents. "Noah feels that he's too old to sleep with his mom, and my room only has a twin bed, so I'm going to let Cheryl use my room and I'll sleep in the guest room with Noah."

After the shock expressions on their faces disappeared, they agreed that would be fine and I led the other two upstairs to show them which bedroom they'd be using. When I directed Cheryl to my old bedroom, she made a comment. "Will being in this room give me some insight into the younger Brian?"

"Maybe a little, but most of my personal belongings are no longer there. I took some of them with me when I moved out, and the rest I packed into boxes and stored in the attic, in case Mom and Dad needed the room for company."

"That's too bad. I was hoping to learn what you were like growing up."

When Cheryl went into the bedroom and closed the door, I led Noah to the guest room. He turned to ask me a question as soon as I shut the door behind us.

"Are we gonna be able to do stuff, like we do when I sleep with you at home?"

"I don't see why not. My parents' bedroom is downstairs, and your mom is on the other side of two doors with a hallway in between, so we can do whatever you want, as long as you are quiet when we do it."

"Yeah, I can do that."

"So what do you want to do?"

"I want you to suck my penis."

Even though it had been a long day and we were both tired, I gave him the full experience. I started at his nipples, sucking and tweaking each of them first, and then I worked my way down his body until I reached his groin. After repositioning myself between his legs, I started on his scrotum and then moved up to his shaft, as I used my lips and tongue to stimulate the area completely. Once I lowered my mouth over his penis, I began to bob up and down on it, just like he wanted.

Noah instinctively began thrusting his hips to mirror my movements, and he also placed both hands in my hair so he could guide my effort. I was amazed that it took him longer to get off this time, and he was working up a sweat being so involved in the action. After several minutes of slamming his penis into my throat, he pressed his pubis against my lips and the first strand of his semen rocketed down my throat. Shortly after the last of his seed had been released, his body collapsed on the mattress and he lay motionless, although his chest was still heaving from the exertion of working his way to orgasm.

Shortly after he'd recuperated, he was insistent on returning the favor and I allowed him to do so. Just like before, he used both his hand and mouth to get me off, and once I'd enjoyed my orgasm too, we cuddled together on the bed and fell asleep.

When we woke up the next morning, we slipped on some clothes and got ready to go downstairs for breakfast. The door to my old bedroom was open when we passed by, and Cheryl was sitting on the bed. She stood up as soon as she spotted us.

"I've been waiting so we could all go down together," she announced.

"You didn't have to do that," I countered. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, only ten or fifteen minutes. I just know your mother has her way of doing things and thought it would be best if I went down with you."

"Yes, that was probably a good decision on your part."

We then made our way downstairs and found Mom working in the kitchen. "Good morning," she greeted us. "I hope you all slept well."

We assured her that we had, and then she made her next comment. "Brian, help them get something to drink and then go sit down at the table with your father. Everything's ready for me to fix breakfast and I'll bring things in shortly."

"Are you sure I can't help?" Cheryl asked meekly.

"No, just go in and sit down with my husband and I'll bring everything in soon."

As we walked into the dining room, Dad greeted us. "Good morning to all of you. Did you have a good night's rest?"

"Yes, it was wonderful," Cheryl replied.

"Please don't take offense that my wife wants to do everything by herself. It's just her way, and it's something she enjoys."

"Oh, I didn't take offense, but I hate to see her doing all of the work."

"Trust me. It's not work to her."

Before long, Mom carried in a large bowl filled with scrambled eggs and a platter piled high with sausage links and strips of bacon. Then, she returned to the kitchen and came back with a plate stacked with slices of toast that she'd already buttered.

"Help yourself. I can always make more if needed."

We then passed the food around and took what we wanted, and then mom pointed out something to Cheryl and Noah. "If you haven't noticed, there are jars of grape, strawberry, and raspberry jam on the table, if you want to add any of those to your toast."

Cheryl and Noah nodded in understanding, and then we all began to eat. "I didn't fix an overly heavy breakfast this morning, because we'll be having the turkey at 1:00."

"Do you know what time Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill will be arriving?"

"They said they'll be here around noon."

Cheryl looked at me strangely, so I clarified what we were talking about and explained that Mom's sister and brother-in-law would be joining us. "Don't worry; they're both very nice, although Aunt Sue may ask you a lot of questions."

"Yes, she can be a real busybody sometimes," Dad added, drawing a scowl from his wife.

After we finished eating, Cheryl and I helped clear the table and put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher over Mom's objections. "There just isn't enough room for all of us to be in the kitchen," she stated, looking slightly perturbed.

"Don't worry. We'll stay out of your way and this won't take long."

After we finished, Cheryl, Noah, and I went to shower and get ready for company, and then we joined Dad in the living room to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We had a good time seeing all the humungous balloons and elaborately decorated floats, and we did that until Aunt Sue and Uncle Bill arrived. After making the various introductions, Aunt Sue asked her first question.

"Is she Brian's girlfriend?" I heard her whisper to Mom.

"No, they're just friends, and Cheryl and her son live on the other side of Brian's duplex," Mom answered in a whisper, but I was certain Cheryl and Noah had heard the exchange as well. I was able to tell this because Cheryl looked up at me and smirked, since it was a question she'd thought my parents might ask.

Cheryl was very good about answering all of the questions my aunt asked during the ensuing grilling. Aunt Sue wanted to know all about Cheryl and Noah, their past life, and how they met me. It seemed she didn't believe Mom's answer that we were just friends, and it seemed as though she thought she could uncover the truth her own way. After failing, she moved on to other topics, but at least it had kept her from arguing with Mom about helping out in the kitchen.

I think we were all relieved when Mom called us out to the table to eat, because it ended the awkward discussions that had been taking place. Once again, Mom had outdone herself and everything was delicious, and everyone complimented her, as well as thanking her for her effort. Cheryl and I offered to help clear the table, but Aunt Sue spoke up before Mom had a chance to respond.

"You two go relax. I'm her sister and the only one that she'll let into her kitchen to help out," she stated. This earned her a disapproving and sour look from my mom, although Aunt Sue didn't happen to notice Mom's expression. However, Mom didn't argue with Aunt Sue and allowed her to help out, so the rest of us went into the living room to relax and chat.

"John, aren't you going to turn on the football game?" Uncle Bill asked my dad.

"I wasn't sure if Cheryl would be interested in football and didn't want to leave her out."

"Oh, don't worry about me," Cheryl responded. "My husband used to watch the football games too, and I've gotten used to watching sports since Noah decided to go out for the soccer and basketball teams this year."

That perked up Uncle Bill's interest and he began asking Noah questions about how he did, while my dad turned on the game. When Mom and Aunt Sue came in to join us later, they saw what we were doing and asked Cheryl if she'd like to join them in the dining room to chat and enjoy another cup of coffee. She accepted and went with them, and as they left I hoped Cheryl didn't feel that she'd been thrown into a pool of piranhas later.

She didn't look any worse for wear when Mom called us out to have dessert when the game ended. I wasn't sure if Mom and Aunt Sue had taken it easy on her or if Cheryl was tougher than she looked, but the three of them appeared as if they'd had a pleasant time. Now, the rest of us merely had to decide if we wanted apple or pumpkin pie, as well as if we wanted a scoop of vanilla ice cream placed on top of it.

Once we finished our desserts, Dad, Uncle Bill, Noah, and I went back to the living room so we could watch the next football game, while the ladies stayed to clean up after us. Uncle Bill and Aunt Sue left at halftime of the second game, because Uncle Bill wanted to get home before it got dark. He'd been having trouble driving at night and felt it would be best to avoid that situation.

Once they were gone, Dad, Noah, and I watched the rest of the football game, while Mom and Cheryl spent time with each other. I'm not sure what they found to talk about during that time, but they were both smiling when we went out to have a snack later, seeing we'd already stuffed ourselves earlier.

After we finished eating again, we sat down to talk about what we were going to do the next day. "We usually decorate for Christmas on the Friday after Thanksgiving," Mom stated, "but I'm not sure that will be much fun for you."

"Oh, I'd love to help," Cheryl quickly offered, earning a smile from Mom.

"In that case, after Dad and I put the tree together you and Cheryl can decorate it and the rest of the house. Noah can help me and Dad put up the outdoor decorations, unless he wants to stay inside and watch his shows on TV."

"No, I want to help you," Noah nearly screamed.

"Ok, that works for me," Cheryl quickly agreed.

"Yes, that sounds as if it will work out fine," Mom confirmed. "I just hate to have you do all this work and then return home and have to do it there as well."

"We'll probably only put up a few window decorations this year, since I thought we could all spend Christmas here with you," I responded.

"Oh, I don't want to impose on them," Cheryl quickly interjected.

"No, we'd love to have you then as well," Mom countered, easing Cheryl's concern. "I think it's a wonderful idea, as long as you and Noah don't have other plans."

"No, we don't, and we'd be happy to join you then as well," Cheryl relented. "I just didn't want to take advantage of the situation."

"You aren't and we've enjoyed your company," Dad confirmed.

We spent some more time chatting before we turned in, and once again Noah had me suck him off before he returned the favor. After we'd both enjoyed a release, we cuddled together and fell asleep.

In the morning, Noah and I went down to join Mom and Dad for breakfast, because Cheryl was already with them by the time we got there. Mom fixed pancakes for breakfast this time, along with more sausage links and bacon, and that definitely filled us up. As soon as the meal was over, Noah helped me and Dad get the things we needed out of the garage. Dad and I quickly assembled the artificial tree and strung the lights, and then we left the women to dig through the boxes of decorations to put on the tree. While they were doing that, the three of us got ready to decorate outside.

First, we untangled the strings of outdoor lights, and then Dad and Noah steadied the ladder while I hung them from the eaves. I saw Mom and Cheryl working on the tree as I climb the ladder in front of the picture window in the living room, and Cheryl gave me a coy wave when she noticed me. Once the lights were hung, I let Noah go up on the garage roof with me to arrange Santa, the sleigh, and the reindeer next. Once that had been taken care of, the three of us stored the ladder and empty boxes back in the garage.

When we went inside, the women were still putting the candles in the various windows, along with various other decorations throughout the house. It was past noon by the time we'd all finished, and since we had such a large breakfast, we opted to merely have soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. While we were eating I made an announcement.

"Don't fix anything for dinner, because I'm taking us out to eat tonight. I've already called and made reservations, so don't argue with me."

"But what will I do with the food I put in the refrigerator for tonight?" Mom objected.

"You and Dad can have that over the weekend," I suggested. "We'll need Dad to take us to the airport shortly after we have breakfast in the morning, and I definitely want to do this."

"I hate it when you spring things like this on me, but ok," she relented.

"You'd hate it even if I gave you a week's advance notice," I teased, "but I still love you."

After lunch, we inspected everything we'd done, both inside and outside the house, and made minor corrections to make everything appear perfect. After that, we sat down to watch a movie together, and then we got ready to go out to eat.

We turned all of the Christmas lights on before we left, both inside and outside, because we wanted to see what everything looked like lit up when we got back. Once that was taken care of, Dad drove us to my favorite place to eat – a popular, locally owned family restaurant. They offered a wide variety of items, all of which were delicious, so I knew everyone would find something they'd enjoy.

After placing our orders, we chatted while we waited for our meals to be delivered. Once they arrived, we spent most of the time sitting quietly and stuffing our faces. When everyone was done with the main course, I asked who wanted dessert.

"We've still got pies at home, so let's have our dessert there," Mom suggested, and after the others agreed, I relented.

When we returned to the house, we decided to watch a movie before having dessert. We'd just finished a big meal and didn't really have room for dessert yet, so this would work out better. After the movie ended, Dad, Noah, and I went out to the dining room while Mom and Cheryl brought the pies and ice cream to the table. I took this to mean that Mom liked Cheryl a lot and was willing to accept her help.

After we finished our pie, we chatted for a while about the following day.

"Our flight is at noon, but we'll need to get to the airport before then to get through the security checkpoint," I began.

"I'll be ready to take you as soon as you've had breakfast, if that's ok," Dad replied.

"I'm sure we'll have a little more time than that after we eat," I countered.

"Ok, just let me know when you're ready to leave," he agreed.

"What do you think about having waffles and Canadian bacon for breakfast?" Mom chimed in.

"It sounds fine to me. How about you two?" I asked Cheryl and Noah. They both confirmed it was fine with them as well, so everything was set for our departure.

When we eventually turned in for the night, Noah wanted to do the same thing we'd done the previous two nights, and although I was willing, I told him we were going to pack our suitcases first. We only left out what we planned to wear the following day, and then I humored him yet again. Once we'd both ejaculated, I cuddled with him as we made another journey into the Land of Nod.

When we got up the next morning, we went down and had breakfast with Mom and Dad first. Afterward, we chatted briefly about our plans for Christmas, and then we loaded into Dad's car and prepared to leave. Mom and Dad walked with us into the terminal and went as far as the security checkpoint, and then we said our goodbyes.

"We'll see you again in a month," I said before kissing Mom and giving her a hug, and then I gave Dad a hug too. He didn't react as he had when we'd arrived, and I wasn't sure if he was getting used to me doing this or that Mom's presence took the stigma away, since onlookers would be able to tell he was married.

Noah and Cheryl hugged them both as well, and then we said goodbye. We waved at them one final time after we'd cleared security, and then the three of us made our way back to the boarding area to wait until we were allowed to get on the plane. Once again, we let Noah have the window seat, and I felt this would be even more thrilling for him than our previous flight. It was a beautiful day, with only a light cloud cover, so I felt he'd be able to see a lot more as we flew home.

I was right and Noah pointed out multiple things to me along the way. He was mesmerized looking down at the ground as we flew above it, and he even pointed out that he could see the plane's shadow gliding over everything.

"That was really fun and I'm glad you asked us to go with you," Noah said when the plane eventually landed. "I can't wait to do this again at Christmas too."

"I'm sure, but there are a lot of other things to do before then," I pointed out, and then we retrieved our luggage and headed out to the parking lot to find my car. It had been a wonderful holiday, and we still had one more day to rest up so we'd be ready to go back to school and work.

Chapter 44
Getting Ready for Christmas.

We returned to work and school on Monday, and Noah's team practiced the entire week. He had his first basketball game on Friday of the following week, and I met Cheryl at the school, since it was a home game. She'd waited for me just inside the gym, and then we located a good spot to sit in the bleachers so we could watch the action. Noah wasn't a starter, but he got some playing time in each half, and I was impressed with how well he did. His team was victorious, so I went down to congratulate Noah and Coach Rich after the game, while Cheryl left to go home so she could start fixing dinner.

"I'm gonna shower, so I'll talk to you about the game on the ride home," Noah told me before racing off to the locker room.

"Good game, Coach. Have you ever coached basketball before this year?"

"Yes, but it was quite a few years ago, before I was married and Jason was born."

"Well, I wouldn't have guessed it by the way the team played. You've done a good job with them so far."

"Thanks."

As soon as Noah finished his shower and we got in the car, he looked over at me and spoke. "So how do you think I did?"

"I thought you played very well, considering this was your very first game ever."

"Thanks, but I didn't play that much."

"Maybe not today, but if you keep practicing hard then I think you'll end up getting more and more playing time."

He seemed satisfied with my response, and we rode the rest of the way in silence. When we got to the house, we went over to see how his mother was doing and she told us dinner was almost ready. "You can set the table while I finish up," she offered.

While we were eating, Cheryl told Noah that she thought he'd played well too, and then we both began questioning him about what he wanted for Christmas. He gave us several ideas, and we were satisfied with his response, and then Cheryl and I talked about it in more detail while Noah was doing his homework. During that time we agreed on who would get him the specific items he'd mentioned, and knowing the things he wanted took a great deal of pressure off of our Christmas planning.

Noah had three more basketball games before the Christmas break, and he got about the same amount of playing time in the next game. However, it seemed that he was getting more time on the court in the final two games, so it appeared that Coach Rich was getting more confident in Noah's ability and progress. The team went into the holiday with a 3-1 record, which wasn't bad.

One evening during that time Gus called, and as soon as I recognized his voice I wondered if he and the other two were ready to start joining us again, or if this was about something else. It didn't take long before I discovered which it was.

"I checked to see if the school was gonna open the pool again this year," he eventually stated, "but I was told there was no money, cuz of budget cuts."

"Yes, I also called the school and discovered that as well."

"So are you gonna celebrate New Year's Eve like we did last year?"

"Actually, I haven't made up my mind yet. I'll have to talk it over with Noah and his mom first, and then I'll let you know."

"Ok, and we're hopin' you're gonna do it again."

As soon as I got off the phone, I sat down with Cheryl and Noah so we could discuss this. After I told them what Gus had said, I looked at them to get their reactions.

"I'd rather have Jason this time," Noah stated. "They haven't wanted to come here for a long time, and now they only want to come cuz they know it will be fun."

"That might be, but I think it might be more fun for you if more people showed up. It would allow us to do different things this time, but it's entirely up to you. Shall we invite them all, or just Jason?"

Noah thought about this for a couple of minutes before he answered. "Ok, let's invite all of them. I've missed those other guys, but I was just mad that they stopped comin' here."

"I know, but they explained why they were stopping for a while, but they said they'd probably want to join us again later."

"Ok, let's do that then."

I now turned to Cheryl and spoke. "What about you? I don't want to leave you all alone, but I'm not sure that you'd enjoy being part of the boys' club."

"When you call Gus back to let him know you're going to do this, I'll talk to his mother when you're done. I think it would be nice to spend some time with Debbie and Monica again and we can have another girls' night."

"And I'll supply the wine," I offered, as my way of thanking her for taking me off the hook.

Now, all I had to do was to make plans for that night so it wouldn't turn into a major bust. I had to do this on my own, because I wanted it to be a surprise for Noah as well, so besides getting ready for Christmas I had something else on my plate.

When I picked Noah up after his next to last basketball practice before the break, he informed me that the coach told the team that they were off the entire time they were on vacation. He said he would have an open gym on the Thursday and Friday after Christmas for anyone who wanted to come shoot hoops or possibly play in pick-up games. Noah told Jason that he wasn't sure if he would be able to come to those, but he made sure Jason knew he was invited to our New Year's Eve celebration. The coach and his wife were happy to agree to let Jason join us, because it meant they could go out and celebrate alone.

Cheryl, Noah, and I had some details to discuss about Christmas, since the holiday fell on Tuesday this year. Upper management at the factory had announced that we were going to work on Saturday, December 22, and then they would give us Wednesday off instead. No one complained, because it meant we'd have four days off for Christmas this year, from Sunday through Wednesday.

Cheryl and I also agreed that we'd exchange gifts after dinner on that Saturday, so we wouldn't have to lug everything with us when we went to visit my parents. We'd also pack in advance so we'd be ready to leave for the airport early on Sunday to catch our flight. I was planning on taking vacation days on the Thursday and Friday after Christmas as well, so I could spend more time with my folks. The problem was that Cheryl hadn't worked at the factory for a full year yet, so she didn't have any vacation days. Therefore, she would fly back on Wednesday and drive my car home, but Noah wanted to stay with me. Cheryl said it was all right with her and agreed to pick us up at the airport on Saturday, so everything was set.

As the holiday approached, we were all running around trying to finish our Christmas shopping and getting ready for the trip. Luckily, we completed it all in time, so on the Saturday before Christmas, after Cheryl and I got home from work, we sat down to exchange gifts.

"I wanna give you my presents first," Noah announced, and his face glowed with excitement.

After we agreed, he handed each of us a package, which we opened immediately. He'd given me a new jogging outfit, which consisted of a pair of shorts, a tank top, and a pair of sweats for the cooler weather, and I knew his mother had helped him select these items.

"Thank you. They will come in handy and get plenty of use."

I then looked over as Cheryl opened her gift. I'd helped Noah pick out a lovely pair of earrings and a necklace that she could wear when she dressed up, because they were too fancy for work.

"Thank you, honey. They are lovely," she told him, and while she was giving him a hug she mouthed the following message to me. 'You let him spend too much on this.'

I merely smiled and shrugged my shoulders, and then it was time to pass out our gifts. Cheryl gave Noah his presents first, and they included an AKASO K88 Quadcopter Axis Gyro Drone, because she knew how much he loved playing with my RC car. She also gave him a Hamper Hoops by Wham-O, so Noah could score each time he took care of his dirty clothes, and she also give him a flashing LED baseball cap that he could wear when we went jogging. Finally, she gave him a tabletop air hockey game that he could play with me or his friends.

"Thanks, Mom. These are all great and you never gave me this much before."

"I'm only able to do it because Uncle Brian helped me get a better paying job, and it's to make up for the Christmases I wasn't able to do as much for you."

"It was alright, cuz I understood, but thank you for doing this now." He then gave his mother a huge hug and a kiss.

"This is for you," she said as she handed me a present.

I opened it and found a flashing LED baseball cap, just like the one she'd given Noah, and there was also a gift certificate to a local sporting goods store. "That's so you can pick out a new pair of running shoes," she explained. "I'm sure you've worn out the old ones jogging with Noah so often."

"Thank you. These are great gifts," I agreed. "I'll be sure to use them both wisely."

Since she had passed out everything she had, it was my turn to give them gifts. I handed Noah his presents, one at a time. One of the things he'd mentioned was that he wanted a baseball glove, because Jason had convinced him to tryout for the baseball team as well, so I bought him the best one I could find for someone his age. I also bought him a pair of baseball cleats, the kind with rubber soles, and there was also a gift certificate I'd placed on top of those items.

"What's this for?" he asked as he picked it up and examined it.

"It's so you can pick out a bat too. That's something I couldn't do without you with me, so we'll do it one weekend before baseball season starts."

"Ok. Thanks."

"Hold up, because you're not done yet," I announced, which kept him from getting up. "There's one more present for you to open."

"But you've already given me enough stuff."

"Maybe, but this one's from Santa Claus. I ran into him while I was shopping and he asked me to make sure you got it, because he knew you weren't going to be home for Christmas."

"Awww, there's no Santa Claus."

"Then maybe I should give this back to him," I teased as I pulled the present away.

"Nah, that's ok. I know there really is a Santa Claus," he added, so I pushed the package back in his direction. He grabbed it and held onto it tightly before he added, "But Santa Claus is you!"

He giggled as he opened the last package and found a Franklin Sports MLB Electronic Pitching Machine. "That's so you can practice hitting whenever you want. It will pitch six AERO-STRIKE white plastic balls, one every ten seconds, so you'll have time to get ready for each one. We'll pick up a wifffle ball bat for you to use with it when we go to pick out your other bat."

Noah jumped up and came over to give me hug and kiss, and I saw Cheryl smiling broadly as I glanced over his shoulder. "This is the best Christmas ever," Noah squealed before going back to check out everything he just got.

While he was doing that, I handed Cheryl her presents. There were two boxes, one larger than the other, and she looked at me oddly. "I think someone overdid things this year," she muttered as she opened the first. It was a Brookstone Massaging Bed Rest.

"You work way too hard, so I thought this might help when you came home after a rough day."

"Thank you. I'm sure I'll get plenty of use out of it."

When she opened the second box, she found a Shiatsu Foot Massager with Heat. "You also spend most of your time on your feet, so I thought this would help out with your tired and aching puppies."

"These are very thoughtful gifts and I know I'm going to love both of them."

"Oh, you're not done yet. I have one more gift, but this one is for you, Debbie, and Monica to share."

"Then I already know what it is."

I then handed her the final gift, which was a California White Wine Trio, since I'd discovered that most women prefer white wines. In the set were bottles of two different Chardonnays, along with a Chenin Blanc.

"As promised, I thought the three of you would enjoy these when you get together on New Year's Eve."

"Thank you. I'm sure Debbie, Monica, and I will thoroughly enjoy them. It's a good thing I'm going to be spending the night there, because that's a lot of wine for just the three of us."

"Then invite a couple of friends to join you," I joked, which caused her to wave me off with her hand.

Now that we'd opened all of our gifts, we decided to double check and make sure we'd packed everything we needed for our trip to visit my parents the following day. I'd told Cheryl that my aunt and uncle wouldn't be there this time, since they were spending the holiday in Florida again, so we just had to pack our presents for my mom and dad. Once that had been taken care of, we turned in so we'd be well rested for the long day ahead.

After we woke up the next morning, I took them out for breakfast before we headed to the airport, because I didn't want to leave dirty dishes or scraps of food behind while we were gone. After we put our suitcases in the trunk, I drove over to Denny's for a bite to eat. After we'd placed our orders, Noah talked excitedly about the plane trip and only quieted down while he was shoveling food into his mouth. Once we were full, we loaded back into the car and I drove to the airport, and after we took our luggage out of the trunk I gave Cheryl my car key.

"It's so I don't forget to give this to you before you return home. Put it in your purse so you'll have it after you fly back, since you'll be returning before we do."

She nodded her understanding, placed the key in a pocket of her purse, and then we carried our suitcases into the terminal and checked in. After our luggage was taken to be put on the flight, we cleared the security checkpoint and waited in the boarding area for our flight to start loading. Noah was fidgety and kept asking when we'd be getting onboard, and I kept assuring him it wouldn't be too much longer. I think he was relieved when our flight was announced and we finally made our way onto the plane.

We let Noah have the window seat again, and I sat next to him. Just like before, he pointed out everything he could discern as we flew to our destination, but he would also ask me to explain things when he couldn't tell what they were. Shortly after the plane touched down, we disembarked and I led them to the baggage area to retrieve our luggage. We then carried our suitcases out to the public section of the terminal and looked for my parents. It wasn't long before I spotted my dad.

"I take it that Mom didn't come again." I stated.

"No, she fixing lunch for us, so she said she'd see you when you get to the house."

Dad hurriedly reached out and shook my hand so he could prevent me from hugging him in public again, but he couldn't stop Cheryl and Noah from doing it. I guess he must not have felt that was as bad, because he didn't make a big deal about it when it happened.

After making our way to his car, Dad drove to the house and Mom greeted us shortly after we entered. "It's nice to see each of you again," she stated cheerfully. "I hope you're hungry, because lunch is almost ready. You still have time to freshen up first, and then you can head into the dining room and get comfortable. I'll bring the food in shortly."

We left our suitcases next to the staircase. We would take them up to the bedroom later, after we ate. The three of us washed up quickly and used the toilet, and then we went to the dining room to join my parents. Mom had everything waiting for us when we returned. She'd fixed each of us a Chicken Cordon Bleu that she'd purchased from Schwan's, along with French fries and a small salad. It was delicious and we all enjoyed it, and once we finished Cheryl and I helped Mom clear the table before we all went into the living room to chat.

"Do you have plans for tomorrow?" I asked my mother. I was fairly certain I already knew the answer to that question and had basically asked it for Cheryl and Noah's benefit.

"I'm in the process of making several different batches of Christmas cookies, and I'll probably be doing that throughout the rest of the day and part of tomorrow."

"Why are you making so many cookies?" Cheryl wondered aloud.

"It's because we're going to walk around the neighborhood and pass the cookies out on Christmas Eve."

"Oh, that's a marvelous idea," Cheryl quipped.

"I've got a better one. Why don't we sing Christmas carols at each house before we give them the cookies," I offered.

"What do you think of that idea, John?" my mother asked my father.

"I guess if you don't poison them with your cookies, then we might as well make them deaf with our singing."

"Oh, don't be so grumpy," she spat back, and then she turned toward me. "We'd love to do that with you."

"How about you two?" I asked Cheryl and Noah next.

"I think it will be fun," Noah answered.

"Me too," Cheryl agreed. "And if your mother doesn't mind, I'd love to help her make the cookies as well."

"Actually, that would help a lot, since I have so much to do. Thank you for offering." Once again, I was mildly shocked by her response.

After we finished lunch, Cheryl went out to the kitchen to help my mom, and I took Noah out for a walk so I could show him around the neighborhood. Along the way I pointed out the homes where my friends used to live, the places where we played, and I told him about the things we'd done. He also asked me questions about the various boys I'd hung out with and if I'd ever done the same things with them that I did with him. I pointed out that I had with a couple of them, but not all, and then he wanted to know exactly what we'd done. I only told him enough to satisfy his curiosity, and eventually we made our way back to the house.

When we returned, we carried our suitcases upstairs so we could shower and change before going downstairs to have dinner. I wasn't sure if Cheryl had helped my mom prepare the meal too, although she helped to serve it, so it seemed as if she'd made a great deal of headway in a short period of time. Mom didn't generally let anyone help her in the kitchen, including her sister, so Cheryl had just broken a barrier that no one else had ever penetrated before. I think my dad was also taken aback by his wife's sudden about face.

The women also cleaned up the kitchen after the meal, and then they continued making cookies. They only stopped when it was time to sleep, and then I carried Cheryl's suitcase upstairs for her, since she hadn't done it earlier. We then retired to the same rooms we'd used the last time we were here.

Once we'd undressed and climbed into bed, Noah asked me to suck his penis again, so I dutifully did what he requested. Of course, he wanted to return the favor and attacked my penis next, and then we cuddled with one another as we fell asleep.

When Noah and I went downstairs the next morning, Cheryl was already in the kitchen helping Mom with breakfast. They'd prepared cheese blintzes topped with strawberries they'd thawed out, and since we aren't Jewish, Mom also put a couple of sausage links and bacon strips on each plate as well. Noah washed it down with a large glass of orange juice, while the rest of us had a small OJ, along with a cup of coffee.

The breakfast was very filling, so while the ladies were cleaning up the kitchen and working on more cookies, Noah went into the living room to see what was on TV. Since he was occupied, I helped Dad repair a couple of problems around the house that he couldn't do by himself. When we finished, we joined Noah in the living room and watched Jim Carrey's version of A Christmas Carol.

After the movie ended, we went out to see what the women were up to. They had finished making the last of the cookies, so we chatted about something else. Since we were still quite full from breakfast, we agreed to just have a late lunch/early dinner today, and that way we could get an early start going around the neighborhood.

When the time came to do that, we dressed warmly in layers, since we knew we'd be outside for a considerable amount of time. Dad and I carried the bags with the paper plates filled with cookies covered in Saran Wrap as we headed out the door. After we had Noah ring the doorbell at the various houses, we would start singing a Christmas carol as they opened the door. Once we finished the song, Noah would hand them a plate of cookies next.

Since we knew most of these people, they usually invited us in for a few minutes, and we'd go inside long enough to say hello and introduce them to Cheryl and Noah. Each time we would have to apologize for not being able to stay longer and explained that we had many houses to stop at and numerous cookies to deliver. They would thank us for stopping by and we'd wish each other a Merry Christmas before we moved on to the next house.

We covered every home on both sides of the street, as long as someone was there, but we still ended up with a couple plates of cookies when we returned to the house. This was in addition to what Mom had set aside for our use, so there were plenty of cookies for us to nibble on. I went out and poured each of us a glass of milk, and then we sat down to eat a couple of cookies before we went to bed.

"That was a great deal of fun and I really enjoyed doing it," Cheryl stated in between bites.

"Me too," Noah agreed.

"It's the closest thing to an old fashion Christmas that you'll ever experience," my dad announced, and I knew we all felt warm and fuzzy inside from taking part.

Chapter 45
A Very Special Holiday Season.

When we woke up on Christmas morning, Noah and I headed downstairs after realizing we were the last ones to get out of bed. Since Noah, Cheryl, and I had exchanged gifts with each other before we came here; Noah wasn't quite as antsy as he would have been otherwise. We merely wished everyone a Merry Christmas as soon as we saw them.

"And Merry Christmas to you too," my mom and Cheryl replied, since they were in the kitchen together.

Dad was sipping on his coffee at the time, so he wished us a Merry Christmas after he swallowed.

"You can grab a drink and sit down at the table as soon as you tell us what you want for breakfast," Mom stated next. "We're making omelets this morning, and you can have a Greek omelet with black olives, chopped spinach, and Feta cheese, or a spinach and bacon omelet. I can also make you a Western omelet with ham, shredded cheese, chopped onions, and bell peppers, or you can come up with your own omelet."

"Can I just have a cheese and bacon omelet?" Noah asked.

"Certainly, coming right up," Mom agreed. "How about you, honey?"

"I'll have a Greek omelet," I answered.

"John, do you want a Western omelet like usual, or are you feeling adventurous today?"

"The Western omelet will be fine," he mumbled.

"Ok, you boys go sit down and Cheryl and I will whip up your omelets, along with what we want," Mom agreed.

I was amazed to see them working side-by-side at the stove, with one using the burner on the right and the other using the burner on the left. Mom must have really taken a liking to Cheryl, because she'd never done anything like this before. I learned later that Cheryl made Noah's and her omelets, while Mom made Dad's, mine, and hers. There was also a bowl of home fries for anyone who wanted some, and then we all sat down to eat together.

After the meal, Noah and I insisted that the ladies let us do the clean up, since they'd done the rest of the work, and then we all gathered in the living room to exchange presents. Noah wanted to give them our gifts first, so he handed one package to my dad and another to my mom. Dad told Mom to open hers first, so she did.

"Well, what is it?" Dad asked, since Mom was staring at the box with her mouth hanging open.

"They got each of us a MobileHelp medical alert system," she stated, still not believing what she saw.

"They're from Noah, Cheryl, and me, because we're splitting the cost. It's mobile, like its name implies, and it has GPS, so you can use it anywhere. If you need help, the customer service rep will know exactly where you are so they can send help. I got Dad the type he can wear on his wrist, while I got Mom the kind she can wear around her neck. Even though I know you're together most of the time, there are times when you're apart and this will come in handy if something happens during that time. It will also mean that I won't have to be as worried about you from now on, since I know you'll be able to get help in an emergency."

"Thank you. It's a very thoughtful gift," Dad agreed.

"Yes, thank you very much, all of you," Mom added.

"What's this?" Dad asked after he opened the other present.

"It's the manual for the walk-in tub that I purchased for the downstairs bathroom. I know it hasn't been easy for either of you to get in and out of the tub in recent years, so this will take care of that problem. The business card stapled to the manual is from the person I dealt with at American Standard, and all you have to do is call him to have it delivered and installed."

"Oh, I've seen those on TV and they look wonderful," Mom gasped.

"Yes and this one has a whirlpool, a heated seat, a quick drain, and a handheld shower attachment," I informed them.

"Damn, this must have cost you a small fortune," Dad followed.

"It's worth it to know that you're both safe and are able to take care of yourselves."

"Thank you very much, but now it makes our gifts to you seem paltry in comparison," Dad groused.

"I'm sure they're just fine and we'll love them," I countered.

"I agree," Cheryl added. "Besides, it was worth it, since you've accepted Noah and me as part of your family."

"Yeah, can I call you Grandma and Grandpa from now on?" Noah asked. I thought my mom and dad were actually going to melt after he said this, since they've always wanted a grandchild.

"Oh, that would be lovely, dear," Mom agreed.

"Yes, we'd like that very much," Dad confirmed.

Noah had just weaseled his way into their hearts, the same way he'd done to me.

Now, it was their turn to hand us presents. Cheryl and Noah encouraged me to open mine first, and in one box I found another suit, and in the other an expensive dress shirt and lovely tie.

"Thank you very much. I'll wear these to work, just like I do with the suit, shirt, and tie you gave me last year."

"Yes, last year we gave you a blue suit, so this year we picked one in gray. The store still had your measurements from last year, so the suit has already been altered and is ready for you to wear."

"Thank you. I love these."

Cheryl opened her gifts next and discovered a lovely sweater, a fancy blouse, and nice pair of slacks she could wear whenever she went out. They also bought her a pair of jeans for work, since they knew she worked at the factory.

"Thank you very much. The sweater, blouse, and slacks look perfect, and I'll wear them when I go out on New Year's Eve. The jeans will be good for work, so they'll definitely get plenty of wear."

"I hope you don't mind that I snuck into your room and checked out your sizes when you were here at Thanksgiving. I did it so I could pick out the right sizes for your gifts," Mom added.

"No, I don't mind at all and thank you very much."

I think we were all surprised that Noah had been willing to wait so long before he opened his present, but when he did; his mouth fell open in surprise. "What did you get?" Cheryl pressed, since she couldn't see the box.

"It's an Xbox One," he gasped. "I've seen them on TV, and some of the kids at school have them, but I never thought I would have one."

"We were told that it's very popular with boys your age," Dad offered.

"Indeed it is," I agreed as I looked at the details. It was an Xbox One S 500 GB Halo Collection.

"Man, I'm sure my friends will want to play this when they come over to visit," Noah gushed, thoroughly overwhelmed by the gift.

"I know you said you thought your gifts wouldn't be enough," I began, "but we're all really pleased with what you gave us. You did a terrific job and we thank you very much."

Cheryl and Noah then echoed my sentiments, as Noah raced over to give each of my parents a kiss and a hug. "Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa. I love this and I'll tell my friends you gave it to me."

That alone was probably the best gift my parents received for Christmas. They finally had a grandson, even if it wasn't totally legit.

The rest of the day was wonderful, and everyone was in a super good mood. No matter what anyone might do later, nothing could have lessened how fantastic we all felt. Now that we'd opened our gifts, we watched the Disney parade on TV, followed by the movie A Christmas Story, and then we enjoyed another big meal. Mom had also made a cheesecake for dessert, so we each had a small slice of that later, along with some more Christmas cookies and a small glass of eggnog.

We were all exhausted and just starting to come down from an adrenalin high when it was time to go to bed. We made our way to the bedrooms after going through our nightly preparations and prepared for sleep. Noah was so tired that he didn't want to do anything tonight, but he did manage to tell me what a great Christmas it had been before he dozed off.

Mom made waffles for breakfast the next morning, and then Noah rode with me when I borrowed Dad's car to take Cheryl to the airport. Noah kissed her goodbye and gave her a hug, and then I gave her a hug as well. I also told her that we'd see her on Saturday after she got out of work, and I made sure she still had the key to my car before she went through security. Once she disappeared from sight, Noah and I prepared to head back to my parents' house.

As I was heading out of the parking lot, I chose to take a circuitous route on the ride home so I could show Noah my old elementary school, as well as the Junior and Senior Highs I'd attended. I also drove past the old ball fields where I'd played sports, along with some of the places I'd hung out with my friends. My parents were slightly on edge when we walked through the door later.

"What took you so long?" Dad demanded. "We were afraid you got in an accident."

"No, I was just showing Noah around and pointing out some places from my past. He always asks questions about what I was like when growing up and what sorts of things I did, so I figured I'd show him, as well as tell him about those places."

"Don't be mad, Grandma and Grandpa. It's my fault. I wanted him to do it." Suddenly the tension in the room melted away.

"We aren't mad, dear. We were just worried," Mom responded, and then she gave Noah a hug. Damn, I wished I'd had him around when I was growing up, because then I might not have gotten into so much trouble with them. It was never very serious trouble, but if he'd been there I bet they wouldn't have been mad at all.

Over the next couple of days I showed Noah more places from my past, and I also introduced him to some of the people I knew when we ran across them while we were out. The rest of the time Noah chose to hang out with my mom and dad, and they pampered him more than they'd ever done to me. Noah was eating it up and loving every minute, since he'd never had a chance to hang out with his biological grandparents. His dad's mother had died when he was young, and his dad's father was in a nursing home in another part of the country. Cheryl told me her mother had been suffering from Alzheimer's for years and didn't even recognize them now. She also admitted that she never really knew her father, because he'd walked out on her mother shortly after she was born. Therefore, this was all new and thrilling for Noah, just like it was for my mom and dad.

I think we were all really sad when it was time for us to leave, and Mom and Dad made Noah promise that he would speak with them whenever I called home. He said he would, and they promised to visit us this year for my birthday. They also inquired about Noah and Cheryl's birthdays, so I knew they'd be sending them both birthday gifts as well. I hoped they weren't going to spend too much money doing these things, because I didn't want them to run out of money. Even though I knew they weren't destitute, they didn't have a lot put aside for their golden years, so I hoped it would last for as long as they needed.

Instead of looking out the window on the flight back, Noah spent his time telling me how much he liked his new grandparents and the things he got for Christmas. He also said he was looking forward to New Year's Eve and spending time with me and his friends. I had a bunch more ideas about things they could do, as I considered the various items Noah had been given as presents. This should be a really fun time.

Cheryl was waiting for us at the airport when the plane landed, and she was eager to welcome us home. Before we'd left my parents' house, I had to go out and purchase a small duffel bag to put my clothes in so I could carry them on the plane and use my suitcase to carry Noah's Xbox home. Now, we lugged everything into the house, and Noah started bugging me to connect the Xbox up to my TV almost as soon as we got through the door.

"We don't got a TV, so can you hook it up over here?" he whined.

"Yes. Just give me a couple of minutes to catch my breath first, but what kind of talk is 'we don't got'? The correct statement is 'we don't HAVE a TV'."

"I know, but I'm just too excited to think about what I was saying."

I smiled and nodded slightly in understanding, but he barely let me have the two minutes I'd requested before he started teasing again. When I was finally ready to get started, he had to wait a little longer while I read the instructions for setting it up. He wasn't happy about this either, but he understood it was necessary.

As soon as the Xbox was hooked up and operational, he wanted me to show him how to use it, but I was as clueless as he was. After doing a little research and reading up on the finer points, Noah and I muddled through the first game together. When we finished, he asked me to play again, and since none of the games lasted for very long; we ended up starting over several more times. Slowly, we began to get the hang of it.

We only stopped to have dinner with his mother, and she rolled her eyes at us when she found out what we'd been up to. "Boys and their games," she scoffed as we went back to play again.

We stopped for the final time when it was time to go to bed, and then I told Noah that he'd have to play it by himself tomorrow, because I had a lot of things to do in order to get ready for work on Monday. We would only work one day before having the next day off for New Year's Day, but I'd be entertaining the boys that evening after a long day at work.

I finished my usual chores as quickly as I could on Sunday, and then I spent the rest of my time planning for the following night and getting everything set up. Noah wasn't happy that I couldn't spend any time with him, but after I explained I'd either be able to spend time with him now or make sure everything went well on New Year's Eve, he finally relented.

I attempted to keep what I was doing a secret from Noah, so I asked him to stay on his side of the house after dinner so I could arrange things without him seeing what I was doing. I even locked the inside door so he couldn't sneak over the following day, since Cheryl had agreed to let him stay home by himself. I left later than she did for work, and she got home earlier than me so he wouldn't be alone for very long, but I'd also agreed to drive home to be with him for lunch. Although I didn't do it often, I took an extended lunch hour to make this happen, so he was only alone for a couple of hours both before and after lunch.

After work I drove over to pick up Gus, Glen, and Sam first, because Coach Rich had agreed to drop Jason off at the house. As soon as he arrived, we introduced everyone and Noah explained how he knew each of them. Once that had been taken care of, we were ready to eat.

I'd already called to have pizzas delivered to the house for dinner, and I'd purchased potato chips and cheese puffs to go with it, as well as offering to make a small salad for anyone who wanted one. I was pleased to see that each of the boys did, since I'd been emphasizing the need for them to eat plenty of vegetables if they wanted to grow big and strong.

I'd decided on pizza so Cheryl wouldn't have to fix something before she went to spend the night with Debbie and Monica, and she came over to eat with us before she left.

"You're gonna be with our moms tonight, aren't yuh?" Glen commented before she left.

"Yes. You boys are going to celebrate here with Brian, and I'm going to bring in the New Year with your moms."

"You look really nice," Noah told her before giving her a kiss and a hug goodbye. She was wearing the sweater, blouse, and slacks my parents had given her, along with the necklace and earrings she got from Noah, and I had to agree that she looked terrific.

"Don't forget the wine," I reminded her.

"Oh, it's already in the car," she stated, and then she said goodbye and took off.

Almost as soon as we finished eating, the boys wanted to know what we were going to do next. I told them we were going to play some games and they were going to compete against each other, and then I asked if any of them had ever played with an Xbox before.

"I haven't, but do you got one of those?" Gus wanted to know.

"Yes. My parents gave Noah one for Christmas, so I want you boys to go into the living room and practice for a while so you'll be able to compete against one another later."

Jason was the only one other than Noah who had ever played before, so those two played first and Jason gave tips to the other three about what they needed to do. He also gave Noah some pointers, so he'd improve as well, and then I got the various games underway.

"I've set up four different stations and you'll each play against one another. The winner will score one point, and we'll play two games at a time, with you boys rotating and playing each other. We'll start with Battleship and Connect Four, and then we'll move on to Air Hockey and the Xbox."

"Wow, you've got Air Hockey too?" Sam asked amazed.

"Yeah, my mom gave me that for Christmas."

"Dang, you made out really well," Gus observed, sounding a little jealous.

The boys seemed to have a great deal of fun playing each game, and the one sitting out was having just as much fun watching the others compete against one another. After they'd competed at all four stations, I had one final contest for them. As I was placing the four kitchen chairs back to back in the shape of a cross, Sam spoke up.

"Oh, I know what we're gonna do now. We're gonna play Musical Chairs."

"You're correct, so get ready and try not to be too rough. Oh, and you'll be disqualified if you try to pull the chair to you, rather than just sitting on it where it is."

I added that warning because of something that had happened the previous year, and then I got my laptop so I could play a music video on YouTube. I chose Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries for this purpose, and because it's only five minutes long I had to start it over multiple times before we had a winner. We removed a chair each time I stopped the music and eliminated a boy, until there was only one chair left. The boys did their best to knock each other out of the chair they were trying to sit in, but no one attempted to grab a chair.

When we finished, the boys wanted to play it again, and since I was happy to do that for them, I set the chairs up one more time. When we finished, I looked at my score sheet so I could announce the winner. I was shocked when I saw it was Jason. He was the second youngest and second smallest, but it helped that he'd won all of the competitions on the Xbox, along with the second round of Musical Chairs. He'd scored more points than anyone else, but there wasn't any prize, so he just got bragging rights for the rest of the night.

Now that the competitions were over, I told the boys it was time to clean up and put on their pajamas so they'd be ready to go to sleep after we rang in the New Year. I had them lay out the sleeping bags on the floor first, which included the four sleeping bags I had for Gus, Glen, Sam, and Noah to use, and the one Jason had brought with him. Gus and Sam wanted to shower together, so I let them go first, and then Jason and Noah wanted to go together next.

"Will you give me a bath again?" Glen asked.

"Aren't you getting a little old for that?"

"Nah, cuz I liked when you did it the last time."

"Ok, I'll tell you what. Why don't you shower with me and I'll wash you then."

Glen was happy to do that instead, so after all of the boys finished and were in their PJs, I had them put on their footwear too, as well as placing their coats and hats where they could get them easily. Someone in the neighborhood had set off fireworks last year, and I expected he might do the same this year, so I wanted the boys to have everything ready so they could race outside in time to see most of it.

Once those things had been taken care of, we had chips, cheese puffs, and the Christmas cookies my mom had sent home with me, and I poured each of them whatever they wanted to drink. As I was eating my share, I turned on the TV so we could count down as we watched the ball drop in Times Square. I then handed each boy a noise maker and two party poppers so they could set them off at midnight and make as much noise as they wanted, seeing we were the only ones in the house.

After counting down with the announcer on TV, streamers went flying through the air as the boys set off the poppers, and then they started blowing on the horns and making noise with the clickers and other items. As soon as I heard the first rocket explode outside, I urged the boys to put on their coats and hats, and then we ran outside to watch the fireworks explode. We got out there more quickly this year, so we were able to see more of the rockets explode, and I heard a collective groan when the boys realized the show had come to an end.

After going back in the house, the boys offered their comments on tonight. "This was even better than last year," Sam stated with a huge grin.

"Yeah, the games were really fun," Glen offered next.

"And I liked the fireworks," Jason chipped in.

"Everything was really great, including the stuff we ate and drank," Sam added.

"Thanks for doing this for us, Uncle Brian," Noah told me next.

"Yeah, thanks, Uncle Brian," the other four chimed back in unison.

"We all had a really great time," Noah concluded with the other four nodding their heads vigorously in agreement.

"Ok, it's time for you to turn in now," I urged. "Take turns using the bathroom first, and then slide into your sleeping bag."

"Where are you gonna sleep, Uncle Brian?" Jason followed. "There are only five sleeping bags."

"I'm going to sleep on the sofa. I brought out my pillow and a blanket earlier, so I'll be close by if any of you needed anything."

After they climbed into the sleeping bags, the boys talked about tonight with each other for a while, but over time each of them gave in to his weariness and fell asleep. When that happened the room grew quiet and the only sound I could hear was the gentle hum of their breathing, so I closed my eyes and drifted off too. I was satisfied that I'd made it through another New Year's Eve with Noah and his friends.

When the boys woke up in the morning, I started making pancakes for them and continued until they were all full. I made enough for me as well, and then the boys started to compete on the Air Hockey and Xbox again. Glen chose to watch the parade on TV with me instead, and he even stayed inside when the other four got dressed and went outdoors to play basketball. I had Glen take a break and get dressed too, and when the other boys came inside again a little while later, I let them each get a drink first, and then I said it was time to take them home.

"Can't we stay a little longer?" Glen whined.

"I'm afraid not. I told your parents I'd have you back by noon," I replied.

"Dang, I wish we could stay longer, cuz this was a blast," Jason offered.

"Yeah, it was," the rest of them agreed.

"Maybe we'll be able to do this again next year," I told them, hoping it would make them feel better about having to leave.

"Ok, but we still wish we could stay longer."

I had them gather their belongings and then they loaded into the car. They were a little crowded in the backseat, since there were four of them this time, so Gus had Glen sit on his lap until I dropped Jason off. He thanked me and said he'd had fun once again, and then I waited until I saw him enter the house. Once he was inside, I backed out of the driveway and headed in the direction of the apartment building.

I didn't see Cheryl's car parked anywhere when I dropped the other three off, and they thanked me and said they'd had fun too. Once they disappeared from sight, Noah and I returned to the house, and I saw Cheryl's car in the driveway as I pulled into the other side. After we went inside, Noah and I went over to see her.

"Did you have fun last night, Mom?" Noah asked.

"I certainly did. How about you, honey?"

"Yeah, we had a blast."

"I'm glad to hear that. Oh, and Debbie and Monica told me to thank you for taking the boys and sending the wine for us to enjoy," she said as she turned toward me. "We all got a little buzz before we fell asleep, and we had a lot of fun watching the chick flicks too."

"Then it was worth it," I confirmed. "If you don't mind, I'm going next door to watch the bowl games."

"Can I come with you?" Noah asked when he heard my comment.

"It's fine with me, as long as your mother doesn't mind."

"No, not at all. You boys have fun and I'll let you know when it's time to eat."

"Do you think you can plan our meals to coincide with halftime for the various games?"

"I'll come over so you can tell me when that will be, and then I'll plan accordingly."

"Thanks. That will be greatly appreciated."

It's exactly what Noah and I did for the rest of the day, and we only got to spend time with Cheryl when we ate together. When we finally went to bed later, we realized the holidays were officially over for another year and it was time to return to our normal routines once again.

Chapter 46
The End of Winter.

The following week was kind of a let down after the previous one. Cheryl and I had returned to work, Noah was back in school, and basketball practices had resumed. However, Noah didn't have a game until the second week of January, and things continued to go quite smoothly until then. Cheryl and I both went to the game to cheer him on and see how he played, but he didn't get a great deal of time on the court. He played for a few minutes in each half and his team won, so he still looked pretty chipper when he smiled and waved at us before heading off to the locker room to shower and change. After he took off, Cheryl headed home to start dinner, and I made my way down to chat with Coach Rich while I waited for Noah. What started out as a congratulatory chat quickly proved to be very enlightening.

"Great game, Coach."

"Thanks, and I'm glad you're here. I haven't had a chance to thank you for inviting Jason to your house on New Year's Eve, so I'll do that now. He obviously had a great time, because it's all he's talked about after he returned home, and his being with you allowed my wife and me to go out for the evening. It was really nice not having to leave the festivities early to rush home and relieve the sitter."

"Oh, you're entirely welcome, and inviting Jason was Noah's idea. He wanted to have him there this year, along with his other friends."

"Well, I'm glad he did, and Jason seemed to like the other boys too. His friendship with Noah has been really good for him, but it's also led to some other recent developments. When we returned to school after the break, Jason was promoted from his fifth grade class and is now in sixth grade."

"Really? What brought that about?"

"Jason has always been very bright and a straight A student, and he started bugging his mother and me about skipping a grade beginning in late September. We tried to talk him out of it at first, but he was insistent, so I asked the school psychologist to test him and see if he was academically and emotionally prepared to make such a move. He ran Jason through a series of tests after Thanksgiving, and once he evaluated the results he assured us that Jason was more than ready to make the move. As soon as we heard that, my wife and I relented and signed off on letting him be moved up a grade."

"Was he having trouble with the other kids in his class? Is that why he wanted to do this?"

"Oh, no. It was nothing like that. Jason just wanted to make the move so he'd be in seventh grade next year. That way he'd be able to play soccer, basketball, and baseball on the same team as Noah."

"So he's just doing this so he and Noah can play on the same teams together?"

"Basically, and he knows it isn't going to be easy because he'll have a lot of catching up to do, but he says he's willing to work hard to make it happen. He understands that he won't be as physically mature as most of the other boys on the team either, but he doesn't seem to care. He's fairly confident that he'll be able to compete with them, and the only thing that seems to matter is that he can be on the same teams as Noah."

"I hope it works out for him then. I'd hate to see him end up doing poorly just because he tried to rush things."

"Oh, I doubt that will happen. He's not only very bright, but I've let him compete against the older boys on my teams at various times, and Jason has always been able to hold his own. He even came to the open gym over Christmas vacation and played in pick-up games with the boys on my team who showed up. He did fairly well and never appeared intimidated, so I'm not worried about him as far as sports are concerned. In fact, I'm actually excited about coaching the two of them together in the fall. That could turn out to be one hell of a dynamic duo."

"Do you know what position Jason might play on the team?"

"I'll definitely put him at striker. He has good ball skills, very similar to Noah's, and he's aggressive and will attack the goal."

"Then I look forward to watching them play together."

I didn't tell Noah about any of this, but that weekend Jason stayed with us again and filled everybody in during the meal. "Uh, I haven't told Noah about this yet, cuz I wanted to tell you all together. I got moved up to sixth grade when school started again after Christmas."

His announcement caused Cheryl and Noah to stop eating in mid-chew. "Huh?" Noah mumbled. "How did you do that?"

"I asked my parents if I could skip a grade, and they had me tested to see if it was possible."

"Why did you want to do that?" Cheryl followed.

"I did it so me and Noah can play on the same teams next year. Now I'll be in seventh grade when school starts again in the fall, and like Noah did this year, I'll be able to play with the eighth graders on the modified teams. I couldn't do it if I was only in sixth grade."

"So you did this just so we could play together?" Noah asked amazed.

"Yep," Jason answered with a big, toothy grin.

"Dang, next year is gonna be great!" Noah squealed with joy.

Once the boys finished eating, they followed me over to my side of the house and Jason admitted that he also wanted to skip the grade so we could continue doing sexual things together as well. He said that from now on he and Noah would be playing on the same teams almost every year until they graduate from high school, so we'd be able to continue doing these things the entire time. I was impressed that someone his age was able to plan that far ahead.

Jason and Noah spent the rest of the night playing air hockey and Xbox, and every so often they would challenge me on one or the other. It was fun and we all had a great time, and we did that until it was time to go to bed.

After we finished our nightly preparations, the boys asked if I'd suck them off before they did the same thing to me. I agreed, and once I had done it to each of them, they got ready to return the favor. This time Jason took turns alternating between sucking on my penis and using his hand. I was a little concerned about him taking me orally at first, but he seemed to be doing well so I let him continue. Once we'd all busted a nut, we cuddled together and drifted off to sleep.

Noah's team had a total of seven games scheduled in January, with three more in February, and I was eager to see if he was continuing to improve. After spending a fairly brief time on the court in the first game, he got a little more playing time in the second and third games and did very well. Coach Rich made him a starter in the fourth game, and he remained a starter for the rest of the season. His last game was on Valentine's Day, and the team won a close contest to end the season with a 10-4 record. After the game, Cheryl headed home, and I went down to chat with Coach Rich while I waited for Noah.

"Another great game and season," I said as I shook Coach Rich's hand. "I'm very glad that Noah had a chance to play for you."

"Oh, we're not done yet. I've been told he's going to try out for the baseball team too."

"Yes, I just hope he makes it."

"Jason says he's going to work with Noah and teach him how to play second base. That's because Jason's a shortstop and he thinks they will make a terrific double-play combination next year."

"Damn, you're son seems to have everything figured out."

"He certainly tries, and most of the time he's successful, so I don't argue when he tells me these things."

"Good point and I'm eager to see how Noah does in baseball now."

When Noah came out to join me after his shower, he was bubbly and in a great mood. I assumed it was because they'd just won the game and ended the season on a high note, so I congratulated him and told him he'd played well. Once we got to the house, I told Noah to go ahead and I'd be over in a second, because I had something else to do first. He didn't argue and went on alone.

Once he had disappeared, I retrieved the presents I'd purchased for Cheryl and Noah for Valentine's Day, and then I took them next door so I could give those things to them before we ate.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" I said as I handed Noah a card, a heart-shaped box of candy, and another small package that contained a new baseball. Then, I handed Cheryl a card and a potted violet.

"Thanks," Noah squealed before racing off. When he returned he was carrying two even larger heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and two envelopes.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mom and Uncle Brian!" he shouted as he handed them to us. "I love you both," he added before giving each of us a hug and a kiss.

"Thanks, honey," his mom said as she kissed him back.

"Yes, thanks, sport," I agreed, "but you're probably going to have to help me with this. I don't really need all of these calories."

"Ok, cuz I'll burn them off," he agreed.

I thought Cheryl had gone to take care of her plant, possibly even water it, but when she returned she had something for us as well. She gave Noah a card and a small package, and then she handed me two similar items. Noah quickly opened the card and looked at it, and then he tore open the package to find a new pair of running shoes.

"Thanks, Mom. These are great."

"I'm glad you like them. I noticed your other pair was beginning to look a little ratty and worn out, so I figured you could use these."

"Yeah, I can."

When I opened my package, I found a very nice pair of slippers.

"Thanks, Cheryl."

"They're for whenever Noah lets you have a chance to relax," she stated with a smirk, and then we sat down to eat.

Cheryl had prepared a very lovely meal, and as soon as we finished eating, I scooted next door while they were cleaning off the table. I had one more surprise and returned carrying a heart-shaped cake. "Sweets for the sweet," I said as I set it on the table.

We waited an hour before we sliced the cake and each had a piece, and in the meantime we talked about what things were on the agenda for us next. It seemed that nothing was scheduled until baseball tryouts began, which wouldn't happen until the second full week of March, and during that same week we would also be celebrating Noah's thirteenth birthday. Since both of these events were rapidly approaching, I took Noah to the sporting goods store so he could use the gift certificate I'd given him for Christmas to pick out an aluminum bat. I also bought him a Wiffle ball bat that he could use with the pitching machine.

Even though it was still quite chilly outside, there was no snow on the ground, so the next time Jason stayed over he and Noah went outside to work on baseball. They played catch first, and then Jason hit some grounders and pop-ups to Noah, and finally they got out the pitching machine and took turns batting. Jason was giving Noah pointers the entire time, little gems he'd picked up from his father and the various Little League coaches he'd played for, seeing Noah had never actually participated before.

Noah stayed with Jason the following Friday, and while he was gone I had a little chat with Cheryl. "You know Noah's birthday is coming up soon, so have you made any plans?"

"His birthday is on a Friday this year, so I thought we could have a party for him after he got home that night."

I looked at the calendar quickly. "That will work out well, because Jason will be staying here that weekend. Are you going to invite anyone else?"

"I was thinking about asking Gus, Sam, and Glen, but I don't want Debbie and Monica to feel like I was only including them so they'd have to buy Noah a present."

"You could tell them that gifts aren't required, and I could pick the boys up after work and drop them off here before I pick up Noah and Jason at the school."

"Yes, I suppose that would work, and he'd be able to celebrate with his friends."

"Since Jason is going to be staying here too, we could make it a sleepover party. The only thing I was thinking was that if Noah makes the baseball team he might have practice on Saturday."

"That's true, but Coach Rich didn't start Saturday soccer or basketball practices until 10:00, so that should give you plenty of time to feed them first, before practice starts."

"Good point, and then I'll drop Noah and Jason off at the school first, before I take the other three home. After I let them off I'll return to the school to watch Noah's practice. I'll mention this to Coach Rich and arrange to pick up Jason's sleeping bag before that weekend so he and Noah won't discover what I'm up to."

"It sounds good, so let's do that."

"Ok, and have you thought about what you're going to get Noah for his birthday?"

"Yes, since he got things to play with for Christmas, and you got him all the baseball stuff, I thought I'd just give him a bunch of shorts and shirts he can wear this summer. I don't want him wearing the same things he wears to school while he's out playing, so I'll buy him several outfits that he can roughhouse in. And since he's grown quite a bit since last year, I'll buy him a new swimsuit too, seeing I'm sure you'll be taking the boys to the state park again."

"Yes, we'll definitely be going there again, so that should work out fine."

"Have you decided on what you're going to get him?"

"Yes, I'm going to add another line to my mobile account and give him a phone. That way he'll be able to get a hold of us or we can contact him over the summer."

"That's a great idea and you can program our numbers into the phone for him so he won't have an excuse for why he didn't contact us."

"Yes, that's something I already planned to do."

Now that those issues had been cleared up, we both felt a little better that Noah would be happy with both the party and what we're going to give him.

When Noah returned home on Saturday, I went out to inform Coach Rich about our plans. After I went inside after doing this, Noah told me that Coach Rich had taken Jason and him to an indoor batting cage the previous evening after dinner so they could practice hitting. And then this morning before he brought him home, Coach Rich took the boys to a local baseball diamond so they could work on fielding. On the ride here after they finished, he said Coach Rich had assured him that he shouldn't have any trouble making the team.

Noah was feeling pretty good about himself as we entered the month of March, and I noticed he'd been practicing alone with the batting machine nearly every night after he arrived home from school. He'd been doing it ever since basketball season ended, and like Coach Rich had pointed out previously, Noah was obviously willing to work for what he wanted.

When I picked Noah up at school after the first day of tryouts, he got in the car and filled me in about how it went. "There were more than thirty boys that signed up for the team," he groaned. "I know the coach told me I shouldn't have any trouble making the team, but the other guys all played Little League and I didn't."

"Why not? You could have signed up since it wouldn't cost anything and all you would have needed was a glove."

"Yeah, but Mom was working every day, including Saturday. She was also cleaning houses at night and on Sunday, so I didn't have a way to get to practices and games. None of the games or practices happened at the park near where we lived, cuz nobody wanted to be there cuz of the people that started showing up before it got dark."

"I see, but don't worry about that now and just do the best you can. Jason and his dad have been working with you, and you're a natural athlete, so you have as good a chance as anyone else to make the team."

"I hope so, cuz Jason really wants me to do this, and I want to play too. I had a blast playing soccer and basketball, and this should be a lot of fun too. It will also give me and Jason a reason to hangout with each other."

"I'm sure you could still hang out with Jason either way."

"Yeah, I know, but if I'm on the team then we'll be together every day after school."

"Yes, that's true, but we'll work something out, even if it's just on the weekend."

The tryouts lasted the entire week, and then on Friday Coach Rich announced who'd made the team and should show up for practice on Saturday. Noah had warned me in advance that this was going to happen, so I waited in hopeful anticipation for him and Jason to come out and join me in the car. It just happened to work out that it was Jason's turn to stay with us again.

I watched the school for the boys to emerge and was relieved when I saw they were both laughing and joking as they made their way over to join me. "I made the team," Noah announced as soon as he opened the door.

"Yeah, he did really good," Jason confirmed. "Dad says he's gonna use him at second base and he might even be the leadoff batter, cuz he's been getting on base a lot in practice and he's really fast."

"Your dad told me it was your idea to have Noah play second base," I countered.

"Yeah, cuz I play shortstop and that way we can play next to each other next year. We're gonna turn lots of double plays."

He certainly didn't lack for confidence, but that was good, because it rubbed off on Noah too. I could actually see it was true, because Noah was beaming broadly about making the team.

As soon as we got to the house and walked through the door, Gus, Sam, and Glen jumped out from their hiding places and shouted "Happy Birthday, Noah!"

"Hey, I didn't know it was his birthday," Jason complained to me when that happened.

"Don't worry. It's all been taken care of. I worked it out with your dad, but we didn't tell you because I didn't want you to accidentally mention it to Noah. Your dad gave me a present for you to give Noah, along with your sleeping bag, because it's a sleepover party."

"So we won't be sleeping with you?"

"Not this time, champ, but we'll all be sleeping together in the living room, just like we did on New Year's Eve."

"Oh, ok."

I then led the boys next door because we were going to have a pizza party with Cheryl first. Besides the pizza, Cheryl had made a potato and a Watergate salad. The Watergate salad is made using crushed pineapple, pistachio flavored pudding, miniature marshmallows, chopped pecans, and Cool Whip. Once we finished eating, we let the boys go over to my side so they could play air hockey and Xbox for a while before we had the cake and ice cream.

Jason, however, stayed behind to ask me a question. "So where's my present for Noah?"

"It's on the counter, along with the rest of the presents. Just so you know which one it is, this is the present your father gave me." I then pointed to it so he'd know when it was handed to Noah, and then I explained what it was.

"Oh, that sounds cool. I wouldn't mind havin' somethin' like that too."

"Then I guess your father did a good job picking it out."

When we called the boys back later, Cheryl lit the candles on the cake and we sang 'Happy Birthday' to Noah. Once we finished, she cut the cake and passed it out while I scooped out the Neapolitan ice cream Cheryl had bought for this purpose.

When the boys finished eating their cake and ice cream, we tossed away the paper dishes before I began passing the presents to Noah to open.

"That's from us," Glen squealed as I handed Noah the first package.

"He means it's from Sam and both of us, cuz our Moms bought it together," Gus explained in greater detail.

Noah ripped off the wrapping paper and discovered a new game for four players that was called Smash Up. Inside were eight decks of cards representing various groups: pirates, wizards, aliens, zombies, dinosaurs, Ninjas, robots, and tricksters. Each player was to select two decks that they would combine into one, and then they'd use what was written on the cards to smash up the most bases. The players would score points each time they were successful, and they thought it sounded like fun. I was intrigued to see how this would all work out when they played it.

Cheryl then handed Noah the next present. "That one's from me," Jason stated gleefully.

"I didn't see you have it when you got in the car earlier," Noah countered bewildered.

"That's cuz my dad gave it to Uncle Brian so you wouldn't see it."

Noah rolled his eyes before unwrapping it and discovered a 'do-it-yourself' book entitled, Backyard Ballistics. The cover said it would show him how to build potato cannons, paper match rockets, tennis ball mortars, cinnamon kites, and other devices. As soon as Noah read that, he looked up at me and spoke.

"Uncle Brian, will you help me make some of this stuff?"

"Sure, as long as you promise not to blow up the house."

He giggled. "Ok, cuz I don't want that to happen."

Cheryl handed him a box next, but it wasn't wrapped. "I found this sitting outside our door when I arrived home from work, and it's addressed to you. Even though it's not gift wrapped like the others, I think it's another birthday present for you."

"Who's it from?" Noah demanded.

"It looks as if your grandparents sent it."

Noah's face lit up and he glanced over at me before he opened it. Inside he discovered a Razor A5 Lux Kick Scooter.

"Whoa, that's a really nice one," Jason said when he saw it. "I've got a kick scooter too, but not as nice as that one."

"Yeah, it's really great, and my grandma and grandpa gave me the Xbox for Christmas too."

"Dang, they sure spend a lot of money on your presents," Sam gasped, astonished.

"Yeah, they really like me," Noah whispered, and then he grinned.

Cheryl gave him her presents next and Noah checked out each of the shorts and shirts she'd given him, and then he opened the package with his new swimsuit.

"Does this mean we'll all be going swimmin' at the state park again?" Sam wanted to know.

"Yes, it will open on Memorial Day and we can start going then. We'll just have to decide if we want to do it on Saturday or Sunday this year."

"Can I go with you guys too?" Jason asked looking hopeful.

"Sure, as long as it's ok with your parents. I pick the boys up in the morning and bring them here to do something else first, and then we change into our swimsuits and head to the state park. Afterward, we come back here and change again before I take them out for a late lunch. After that, I drive them home."

"It sounds like fun, so I want to do it with you. I'll ask my mom and dad when I get home and let you know what they say."

Since it was the only one left, I gave Noah my present next. His mouth dropped open when he saw the phone, and then he did something that I hadn't expected, but was really cute. He closed both of his hands so all of his fingers and thumbs were touching, and then he placed one hand at either temple. He then opened his hands very quickly and pulled them away from his head, as his way of showing me that I'd just blown his mind.

"I can't believe you got this for me," he squealed in delight after doing that.

"It's so you'll be able to get a hold of your mom or me if you need anything this summer, since you'll be out of school and we'll be at work. I've programmed the numbers in it already, so it's all set to go."

"Thanks. This is great."

"What do you do all summer if they're both working?" Jason followed.

"I usually play at the park near where I used to live. It's close to where Mom and Uncle Brian work, and he walks over to the park so he can have lunch with me. Gus, Sam, and Glen live near there too, so they come over and we do other stuff together."

"You can come spend time with me at my house sometimes, if you want," Jason offered.

"K, maybe I can switch back and forth, but you gotta ask your parents if it's alright first."

"Yeah, I will."

The boys wanted to try playing Smash Up next, so we carried the game over to my side so Cheryl could get ready to go to work in the morning and get some rest. I told her that I'd try to keep the boys quiet so they wouldn't keep her up.

Since only four of the boys could play, it presented a slight problem. At first I planned on keeping the odd boy occupied, but the others needed me to read the directions and explain things, as well as to help decide who won. This meant one person would be left out completely, but Glen settled that problem for us.

"Can I play Xbox while you guys are doing that?"

"Sure. Let me get you started on it, and then I'll come back to help these guys," I agreed.

The boys seemed to have a good time playing the game, although it took them a while before they caught on to the strategy. This made it a little awkward at first, but I knew they'd get better at it over time. After the game ended, they wanted to challenge each other on air hockey and Xbox next, and by that time Glen was ready to quit what he was doing.

"I'll just sit here with you and watch them," he stated as he crawled onto my lap as I sat on the chair. I chose to sit on the chair this time because the boys were using the sofa while playing Xbox.

"Ok, that's fine with me," I agreed as I wrapped my arms around his chest.

He stayed with me until I decided they should turn in. "Ok, it's time for you boys to get some sleep, because Noah has to go to his baseball practice in the morning."

"You're playing baseball too?" Gus asked amazed.

"Yeah, and I played basketball too."

"Wow, you're doin' all kinds of new things now," Sam followed. I thought I detected a hint of jealousy in his comment.

"Yeah, Jason's dad coaches all three teams, and Uncle Brian picks me up after practice and comes to watch my games.

"You're really lucky," Glen quipped.

"Yeah, I am," Noah agreed.

I then had the boys get ready for bed, which meant they brushed their teeth and used the toilet first. After that, I let them sleep in their underwear, since it wasn't as cold as it had been on New Year's Eve. Once they were all tucked into their sleeping bags, I got comfortable on the sofa, but I didn't drift off until I was certain they were all asleep. As soon as that happened, I closed my eyes and fell asleep too.

Chapter 47
Another Minor Change.

I was the first to wake up in the morning, so I got everything ready to make breakfast for the boys before I took them home. I used two dozen eggs in preparation for making scramble eggs, cut up six cans of whole potatoes to make home fries, and took out a loaf of bread for toast. I also set the table and placed a gallon of orange juice, a gallon of milk, and a couple of jars of jelly on it for the boys to use, and then I went in to wake them up.

"Ok, go to the toilet quickly and get dressed, and then you can join me for breakfast," I advised them. "Noah, as soon as you're ready I want you to help prepare the toast while I'm getting everything else ready."

"Yeah, ok," he agreed and then raced toward the bathroom first.

Noah was busy filling the 4-slice toaster with bread and buttering each slice when it popped up, and then he stacked them on a plate. When he'd used half of the loaf for this purpose, he carried the toast to the table and set it down.

"Please help yourselves," I said as I set the large bowl of scramble eggs and another bowl containing the home fries on the table. "You can either have juice, milk, or both, and Noah after you fill your plate you can sit at the counter with me, since there isn't enough room at the table."

He was fine with doing that, and once we finished eating I asked the boys to rinse off their dishes and place them in the dishwasher. Noah helped to make sure they did it correctly, as well as taking care of the two large bowls. The hungry horde had devoured everything, so there were no leftovers to put away. As soon as those things had been taken care of, I told the boys to gather up their belongings and load into the car.

"Is it alright if I leave my sleeping bag here and get it another time?" Jason asked before heading out the door.

"Sure, that will be fine," I agreed.

I dropped Noah and Jason off at the school first, since it was close to the time practice was supposed to start, and then I drove the other three to their apartment building. They thanked me as they got out of the car and said they'd call to let us know which day would be best to do things on the weekend from now on.

When I picked Noah up after the practice, he was smiling broadly as he got in the car. "Jason wanted me to thank you again for inviting him to my party, and while we was talking we thought of something else. If you pick the other guys up on Saturday to go swimming, then Jason will already be here half the time, and when I stay over with him, his dad can drop both of us off before you go to get the other guys."

"That's a very good point and I'll suggest it to the other boys when they call. They'll probably like that better anyway, since they enjoy spending Sunday with the girls."

"Yeah, but they didn't say anything about them last night, so maybe they're not doing that any more."

"Maybe, but it's also possible that they just didn't want Jason to overhear you guys talking about the things they've been doing."

"Yeah, I guess, but Saturday will be better for us too, especially since we'll be out of school and there won't be any Saturday games to worry about."

"Unless you decide to play baseball in the summer league."

"Nah, cuz I'm too old to play in the same league as Jason and I want to be able to watch him when he has a game."

"He might have games or practices on Saturday too, so that might mess things up a bit."

"Yeah, but he told me he just wouldn't go with us when that happens. He says his team will play some games on Saturday, but most of them will be later in the day, so we'll still have time to do the other stuff first. He also said that summer baseball ends in July, and we don't stop swimming until September."

"Good point, so we'll do it on Saturday then."

After we ate lunch, Noah went to do his homework next, since he'd been too busy with his party to do it the night before. He could have done it on Sunday instead, but he wanted me to help him with his fielding and maybe take him to the batting cages then, so he opted to do it now. I spent the time working on my weekend chores so I'd be free to do those things with him the following day.

When Noah finished his homework, he took his RC drone out to the backyard so he could play with it for a while. When he came in later he had a question for me. "Where's Mom? She's usually home by now."

I glanced at the clock, realizing that I'd totally lost track of time. "You know, you're right. She is late. I wonder what's up."

I was considering giving her a call when I heard her car pull in the driveway next door, so Noah and I went over to see what had taken her so long. "You're late," Noah stated when she walked through the door.

"I know. I had car trouble, but I'm here now. Just give me a few minutes and I'll start fixing dinner."

"Would you like a hand?" I followed.

"Sure, if you wouldn't mind. It will help speed things up a bit, since I'm already behind schedule."

"While you guys are doing that, I'm gonna take the remote control car outside for a while," Noah added as I was moving toward the kitchen with his mother.

"Ok, that will be fine," I agreed.

After Noah went over to my side to get the RC car, Cheryl got out a few things so I could get started while she went to change and freshen up. When she came back, she explained what had made her late. "I think my old car is about to give up the ghost, so I guess I'll have to start looking around for another one."

"Why? What's wrong with it? Can't it be repaired?"

"I doubt it. It's been giving me trouble for a while now, but I've been lucky and there's always been someone around to help me out when it happened. Today it was one of the regular customers who helped me get it going so I could come home."

"So it just doesn't start once in a while?"

"Sometimes that's what happens, but other times it just stalls out when I'm driving. It's getting so it chugs along in a jerking motion because the engine hesitates when I press down on the gas pedal. I can also hear a knocking noise coming from the motor, and the guy who helped me today says it sounds like it needs major work. It would probably cost more to fix it than it's worth."

"I see. So what do you think of my car?"

"Oh, I like your car just fine, but there's no way we can share a vehicle with our schedules."

"I wasn't talking about sharing it. Since Jason is going to be joining our little group when we go swimming, there are just too many boys to fit into my car comfortably, so I was thinking about getting a bigger vehicle. I was going to put my car up for sale when I did that, but I'd rather you had it instead."

"Only if I can buy it from you, because you've done enough for us already."

"Ok, I can live with that, and I'm also willing to let you make payments so you won't have to take out a loan."

"How much do you want for it?" I told her the amount and she looked at me oddly. "It's in great shape, so shouldn't you be asking more for it?"

"Maybe, but that's what I was going to list it for, and it's probably more than I would get as a trade in. I won't even charge you interest, so you'll just have to decide how much you want to pay each month."

"That's very generous of you, but not totally unexpected. Ok, I'll do it then. Do you know when you'll be getting your new vehicle?"

"I saw a commercial on TV for a luxury SUV that got my attention, so I plan to do some online research tonight. If I like what I see, I'll stop at the dealership on Monday during my lunch hour to see if they have what I want. If they do, then I'll see if they're willing to negotiate a reasonable price for it."

"Ok, I guess my old clunker should be able to last that long. Thanks, you're always bailing us out."

"That's because you and Noah are very important to me."

"Damn, if you weren't gay then I'd want to marry you." She blushed after saying this, and then she gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I guess we'd better get back to fixing dinner before Noah starts complaining that he's hungry."

We soon had things in the oven, so I set the table before going outside to check on Noah. "Is dinner ready? I'm starved," he greeted me.

"We'll eat in about ten minutes. So which one do you like better, the car or the drone."

"Both. They're different, so it's fun playing with each of them."

"Good. I'm glad you feel that way."

After we finished our dinner, I excused myself and went next door to get on my laptop. I spent the next few hours doing research and making up my mind. I knew what I wanted to get now, and all I had to do was to check out the dealership to see if they had what I was looking for.

Noah came over to see what I was up to and got excited when he heard I was thinking about getting a new vehicle. "Can I go with you when you go look at them?"

"I'll probably do it on my lunch hour at work." As soon as I said that, I noticed this disappointed reaction on Noah's face. "I guess I could go to the car lot tomorrow and see what they have on hand. If I do that then you can go with me."

"Great! So what are you gonna do with your car?"

"Your mom is going to buy it, since her car is on its last legs."

"A car doesn't have legs, but I was gonna suggest you should do that, cuz she probably can't afford to buy a new one."

"I know, and I'll feel better knowing that you two are safe by being in it from now on."

"Yeah, her car's in pretty bad shape and yours is waaay better."

Noah spent the rest of the night being super excited about going with me the next day, especially after he learned the vehicle I was going to check out was an SUV. "Oh, I like those. They're big and I sit higher up in them, so I feel like I'm really important."

"I see, but that really never entered my mind. I just thought I needed something bigger to haul you and your friends around."

"Yeah, you do. The last time we rode in your car the other guys were complaining that it was getting kinda crowded in the backseat, so this is gonna be great."

"Yes, I could tell that it wasn't very comfortable for them, so this will be much better for everyone."

Noah finally began to calm down after I sucked him off once we got in bed. After he finally fell asleep, I also drifted off and we both enjoyed a wonderful, dream-filled slumber. My dreams were about picking out the SUV I wanted, while Noah's dreams were about him impressing his friends when we picked them up in our new ride.

After we got up in the morning, we ate breakfast and then Noah began teasing me about when we were going to the car lot. "I thought you wanted to practice baseball today."

"I do, but I want to look at the SUVs too. I wanna see the one you're gonna buy."

"Ok, we can do that first then."

After arriving at the dealership, I drove around until I spotted the SUV section, and then we got out and walked around looking through the windows. "Man, these are really nice," Noah sighed after checking out a few.

"Yes, they are. What color do you think I should get? What do you think about yellow?"

"No way! That would look like a school bus. Besides, I don't see any yellow ones. How about a blue one?"

"I like blue and wouldn't mind if I could get it in midnight blue, but I don't care for the shade of blue that Buick uses on their SUVs. How about silver instead?"

"Yeah, those look nice. Get one of them."

"Do you like the one they call quicksilver or satin steel?" I pointed each one out as I mentioned it.

"Get the quicksilver."

"Ok, then it's settled. I'll come here at noon tomorrow and see if I can make a deal."

Once that had been taken care of, I drove over to the school next so we could use the ball diamond to practice fielding. After hitting Noah grounders and fly balls for over an hour, I took him to the same batting cages that Coach Rich had taken Jason and him before. I was impressed with how he was doing.

"You must've been working hard at this, because you're doing much better than I expected."

"Yeah, I practiced with the batting machine at home every day before tryouts started, and Coach Rich has been helping me a lot too."

"It definitely shows."

When we got back to the house, we cleaned up quickly and had a late lunch, and then Noah went to watch TV while I got on the laptop to check out what other people in the area had paid for the same SUV I wanted. As soon as I realized the best deal I could possibly get, I was ready to haggle with a salesman the next day.

While we were having dinner that evening, Noah told his mom about everything we had done earlier. "You should see the SUV he's gonna get. It's really awesome, and he let me pick out the color."

Cheryl looked at me oddly after he said this, so I thought I should explain. "I didn't have a favorite color, so I let him choose. I rejected his first choice, though, since he wanted blue and I didn't like the only shade of blue they offered, so he chose silver next. It looks really sharp."

"I see," she sighed while shaking her head.

"And there's room for all my friends now, and I really like it. You'll like it too, cuz it's really fancy," Noah added gleefully.

"Yes, I'm sure it is and getting your approval was at the top of Brian's list." Cheryl's response was dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah," Noah agreed missing the point, "and now he can sell his old car to you."

"I'm grateful he's willing to do that, because it's going to be a real lifesaver," she concurred.

After we finished our meal, Noah wanted me to show his mom some photos of the SUVs we'd looked at earlier, so I went next door to get my laptop. When I returned, I browsed to the appropriate website and scrolled through the various photos, both exterior and interior. When we finished, she looked at me and spoke.

"That's pretty impressive, so aren't you worried about the boys destroying it in short order?"

"No, they've been very good whenever they're with me and very respectful of my property. I'm not worried about it at all."

"I should hope not," Cheryl added as an afterthought.

She and I had to get our things ready for work before we turned in, and she had Noah get his things together for school. It had been another enjoyable, but exhausting weekend.

Once I got into work the next morning, I had trouble thinking about anything other than purchasing the SUV. Before I left on my lunch hour, I warned my assistant that I might be a little late getting back, and then I told her the reason why. She said she wondered why I'd been so distracted all morning, but now she understood. She also assured me that it wasn't a problem, so I took off and headed over to the dealership.

As soon as I pulled in, a small group of salespeople rushed out of the door and headed in my direction. I walked past them, even though they were trying their best to stop me and get my attention, but I grabbed a young man at the back of the pack. "I'll deal with you," I announced loud enough for the others to hear.

I ignored their protests as they stated the reasons why I should work with them, as well as warning me that the guy I chose was young and inexperienced. That's exactly what I wanted for several reasons. To start with, I figured he was probably being eaten alive by these other sharks and could use a sale, but I also felt I might be able to get the best deal from him. He would be thrilled just to be receiving a commission and would probably settle for less than the others, so I could get the SUV for the price I had in mind. After I told him which vehicle I was interested in, he got the key and we walked over to check it out.

After looking it over, both inside and out, we took it for a short test drive, and when we returned to the lot I began negotiating with him. I told him the price I was willing to pay, and explained that it would be a cash deal with no trade-in. I also stated that it was my final offer, and I wasn't surprised when he told me that he couldn't approve it on his own. I told him I understood and he should go speak with the sales manager about it, but I warned him that if his manager wasn't interested in the amount I was offering, I'd merely go to another dealership and deal with them instead.

I watched as he walked away and noticed that he seemed to be mentally preparing what he was going to say to the sales manager. When he returned, he had a little bounce in his step, so I felt his manager had agreed. The kid broke into a huge grin as he told me the good news.

I then followed him inside to fill out and sign the paperwork, and when I asked when I could pick it up, he said he would register the SUV and have it ready for me the following afternoon. After he made a photocopy of my driver's license, I handed him the check. I knew he would have to verify that it was good before the deal closed, and then we shook hands before I left. I was very pleased that things had worked out so smoothly.

As I suspected, I was late getting back to work, but my assistant said there had been no problems and no one was looking for me. I then explained that the trip had been successful and I would soon have a new vehicle. I also contacted my insurance agent to have him add the SUV to my policy, and I told him to leave the car on the policy until it was sold.

When I picked up Noah that afternoon after practice, the first thing he wanted to know was if I'd bought the SUV. I told him I had, and he began whooping loudly and bouncing in his seat. "This is gonna be great," he squealed. "When do you get it?"

"I can pick it up tomorrow."

While we were having dinner, I told Cheryl that I'd drive her to work in the morning, and then she could drive me over to the dealership later so I could pick up the SUV. I explained that I would leave the car on my insurance policy and registered in my name while she was making payments, and that way she could save some money during this time. She thanked me and said it would help out more than I knew.

After dinner Noah handed me a copy of the schedule for his baseball games, and I saw he wouldn't have his first one until the following week. "Are you gonna pick me up in the SUV tomorrow?"

"Yes, that's what I intend to do."

"Good, then I'll have Jason come out with me so he can see it too."

I think I was as excited as Noah for the rest of the night, seeing it isn't every day that I get a new toy. Well, it isn't exactly a toy, but you know what I mean. Doesn't everyone get excited when they buy a new car?

In fact, I was so excited that I had a little trouble falling asleep that night, but due to the surge in adrenaline, I didn't feel tired after getting up early so I could drive Cheryl to work. Seeing I was there already, I went to my office so I could get started on the day's work, and my assistant seemed surprised when she realized how long I'd been there.

"I drove my neighbor to work this morning, because she's going to drive me over to the dealership to pick up the SUV later."

"I see, and since you've put in the extra time this morning, it won't be a problem if you want to leave a little early so she doesn't have to wait around for you."

"Thank you, and I know she'll appreciate it too. I'll call down and leave her a message so she'll know, and tomorrow I'll work through my lunch hour to make sure I'm not cheating the company."

"Yeah, right. Like taking things home to work on, coming in early, and working through your lunch hour isn't enough."

"I don't work through my lunch hour every day."

"Most of the time you do, except during the summer when you go to the park to eat with your little friend."

"Ok, maybe I have been doing that lately. I used to go to the park every day when the weather was good, but once I started having lunch with Noah, it wasn't as enjoyable when he wasn't there."

"You're a closet father," she teased.

I was pretty sure she didn't know I was gay, so I doubted it was the reason for her 'closet' remark. It was just that I was acting like a father, even though I didn't have any kids of my own.

I went down to meet Cheryl shortly after she finished work for the day, and then she drove me to the dealership so I could get my new ride. Once she dropped me off, she headed home so she could start fixing dinner, and I went inside to finalize things with the salesperson. I gave him a copy of the insurance card I'd printed out for the new vehicle, signed a few more papers, and then he handed me the keys. I was as excited as a kid at Christmas when I walked outside and hopped in my new set of wheels.

The new car smell was the first thing to hit me as I climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door. I hadn't noticed it during the test drive, but now I sat there for a few moments and took it all in. After doing that for a brief time, I put the key in the ignition and started the engine, and then I lowered the window before I drove away.

Noah was obviously looking for my new baby when I pulled into the parking lot, and he was waiting there with Jason and Coach Rich.

"You mean you've finished practice and showered already?" I asked, amazed that they were waiting for me.

"Yes, Noah told us that you were buying this and he wanted us to come out and see it, so I let the boys go a little early today," Coach Rich answered.

"I hope you'll be ready for your first game then," I quipped.

"Oh, we will be."

I then gave them the full tour, including sitting in the various seats and checking everything out. Once they had satisfied their curiosity, Noah and I prepared to go home.

"I can't wait until I get to ride in it now," Jason offered before we drove away.

"That will be very soon," I agreed, and then Noah and I made our way to the house.

Chapter 48
A New Season.

It was Noah's turn to stay with Jason on Friday, so Jason would have to wait a little longer before he got to ride in the SUV. It didn't seem to bother him too badly, though, since he and his father had a big weekend planned with Noah. The first baseball game was going to be on Tuesday, so Jason and his dad were planning to work with Noah on various aspects of his game to make sure he was ready. It made me wonder what Noah would tell me they'd done when he returned home the following afternoon.

Cheryl and I had a quiet dinner that evening, and then she watched TV with me for a little while before she returned to her side and got ready to work at 7-Eleven in the morning. Shortly after she left, I decided to turn in early as well, since it had been an unusual and fairly exhausting week.

The house seemed unusually quiet when I awoke the next morning, since neither Cheryl nor Noah was there. I don't know why it seemed to affect me more this time, because it was the same as every other Saturday when Noah stayed with Jason the night before, but it did. After I made my way out to the kitchen, not yet fully awake, I started a pot of coffee and waited for it to brew. As soon as I had my first cup, I began to feel a little better and decided to fix myself something to eat.

After downing a nice leisurely breakfast, I grabbed my laptop and went over a couple of the spreadsheets I'd loaded into it before leaving the office the previous afternoon. After studying each one at great length, I knew what I needed to do when I returned to work on Monday. Since that was now taken care of, I closed the files and put the laptop away, and then I started on my weekend chores.

I was still doing that when I heard a car pull into the driveway and realized Noah was being dropped off. I glanced at the clock and noticed he was returning home much later than usual, so I figured the coach must have had a lot planned for him to do that morning. When Noah came bursting through my door a few seconds later, he was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Coach Rich said I'm gonna start at second base on Tuesday," he squealed as he hopped around excitedly. "He says I'm gonna be the leadoff batter too."

"Congratulations. I'm impressed that you're going to be a starter, seeing you've never played on a team before, and I'm totally blown away that you're going to be batting leadoff as well."

"Yeah, it's really great, isn't it? Coach Rich took me and Jason to the batting cages after we ate last night, and then he worked even more with me this morning. He hit ground balls so I could work on tossing the ball to Jason at second, and he also had Jason move over to first so I could throw to him there. Then, he hit grounders to Jason and had him throw it to me to make the out at second base. After that the coach stood near first base and threw grounders to Jason, and after Jason tossed the ball to me at second, I had to turn and throw the ball to Coach Rich at first."

"That's very interesting. So he had you field grounders and make an out at second or first, and then he also had you turn the double play. It seems you must have done fairly well then, if you're going to start now."

"Yeah, and that's not all we did. The coach pitched to me and had me practice bunting down the third and first baselines, and after we did that for a while, he worked with me on getting a good lead off first so I could steal second."

"Wow! It sounds like he worked on just about everything with you."

"Yep, he did, and then before we left he told me that I was gonna start at second and be the leadoff batter."

"I'm impressed and very proud of you. Are you hungry?"

"No, cuz Coach Rich took me and Jason out to eat after we were done. He said his wife was running errands and doing the grocery shopping, and he didn't feel like fixing anything."

"Ok, then I'll just fix myself a sandwich."

Noah continued chatting with me while I made my lunch, and ate it. He was super excited about everything, but he was also a little worried. "Do you think the other guys on the team are gonna think the coach is starting me cuz me and Jason are good friends?"

"They might, but if you do well then they'll know that wasn't the case."

"But what if I don't do well? They know I never played on a team before, so they'll probably be mad."

"You'd never played on a soccer or basketball team before either, but you got to be a starter on those teams as well."

"Yeah, but Coach Rich coached those teams too."

"I think anyone who saw you play realized that you earned the spot and weren't given it because you were Jason's friend. I think they'll feel the same way about this as well, once they see you in action."

"Man, I hope so. Will you work with me some more tomorrow?"

"Sure, we can do just like we did last week. I'll take you to the batting cages first, and then we'll go to the school so I can hit grounders and fly balls to you."

"Do you have a stopwatch?"

"No, but my watch has that function. Why?"

"Cuz I want you to time me running to first, and I also want you to time me when I'm practicing stealing second. After that, I want you to time me while I run around all the bases."

"Ok, I can do that."

"Good. And I want you to write the times down so I'll remember everything. I also want to show them to Coach Rich."

"No problem. I'll even put it in a spreadsheet for you, so we can see if you get faster over time."

"What's a spreadsheet?"

"It's a kind of a chart where all the information is entered side-by-side so you can see how you're doing over time."

"Ok, let's do that then."

Noah then went off to do his homework, so I returned to my chores. I was just about done when Cheryl pulled into the driveway, but she caught me by surprise when she walked through the door leading to my side.

"Hi. What's up?" I asked, since she didn't normally do this.

"I just wanted to tell you that everyone loves my new car. A few of them even asked who I was sleeping with to be able to make such an enormous upgrade." She giggled.

"And what did you tell them?"

"I said I wasn't sleeping with anyone, but I had a great friend who was getting rid of it and offered me a great deal."

"Ok, that works."

"But I also want you to know how great it is having such a lovely car, especially after driving that other piece of crap around for so long. I almost feel like royalty driving down the street, instead of wondering if I'm going to be able to make it to my destination."

"I'm glad I could help you with that and you don't mind my hand-me-downs."

"Mind? I love it. You are something else, Brian, and I'm glad Noah found you."

"So am I."

Cheryl then went over to her side and began fixing dinner, and I followed to see if I could give her a hand. While we were working in the kitchen, Noah came out of his bedroom and told his mom the same things he'd told me earlier. After that, he filled her in about what I had agreed to do for him the next day. She merely looked over at me and smiled.

"He seems to be doing an awful lot for both of us," she mused with a grin.

After dinner, Noah and I helped her clean up the mess, and then we all went over to my side to see if there was a movie on that we could watch. We found The Green Mile and agreed to watch it, and Noah took his place between Cheryl and me and alternated leaning against us.

When the movie ended, Cheryl kissed Noah goodnight before going back to her side, and Noah and I prepared for bed. I was mildly surprised that he was willing to do this so early, but he said it was so we could get up earlier in the morning and have even more time to spend working on baseball. He was also eager for us to suck each other off first, so it was obvious where his priorities were.

After downing a light breakfast the next morning, Noah was eager for me to take him to the batting cages. Since the place wasn't open yet, I talked him into going to the school first, so I could hit grounders and fly balls to him. After we spent an hour doing that, he asked me to pitch to him so he could practice bunting next. I agreed and was impressed by how often he was able to lay down the bunt on the grassy portion of the infield, close to the baseline and about halfway between home plate and either first or third base. The grass helped to slow the ball down and the placement made it difficult for the fielder to throw him out as he raced to first base.

We spent about another half hour working on that before we returned to the house. "Hey, I thought we was going to the batting cage next," he complained when he realized where we were heading.

"I'm afraid they still aren't open yet, since it is Sunday. You can work with your batting machine for now, and then I'll take you to the batting cages after lunch."

"Oh, ok," he relented.

While he was doing that, I went inside and finished doing my chores, and then I fixed lunch. After I called Noah in to eat, I set our plates on the table and waited for him to join me.

"Man, I'm doing way better hitting now than when I first started doing this," he announced as he walked through the door. "What's for lunch?"

"I made each of us a BLT, along with some macaroni and cheese."

"Sounds good."

After we finished eating, we cleaned off our dishes and placed them in the dishwasher, and then I had him get his bat before we loaded into the SUV again. I could see how excited he was as I drove there, and before we got out he had something to tell me.

"I want you to start the pitching machine at the same speed as before, but when I tell you I'm ready I want you to make it faster."

"Ok, but why do you want to do this?"

"Cuz I'm afraid some of the pitchers on the other teams will throw harder than I'm used to, so I want to be ready."

I agreed to do what he wanted, and he had me increase the speed several times. It took him a few swings to get his timing down after I did this, but then he did fairly well making contact with the pitches. I was impressed, and he seemed pleased, so when our time was up we headed home satisfied that he was ready.

Once we got to the house, Noah took the RC car outside to play with first, and after doing that for a while, he switched to the RC drone. He did that until his mom arrived home, and then he came inside to chat with her while she was making dinner. After telling her about everything that we'd done, Cheryl asked him a question.

"I know you have a game on Tuesday, but is it home or away?"

Noah told her it was an away game and which school they were playing. It wasn't too far away, so she told him she'd drive there after work to watch him play. That caused Noah to turn to me next.

"You're gonna come too, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'll be there, but I won't be able to see all of the game. I get out of work later than your mother, and then I'll have to drive there, but I'll get there just as soon as I can."

"Ok, as long as you're there."

"Oh, I'll definitely be there."

When we finished eating dinner, Cheryl and Noah followed me over to my side to watch TV for a while, and then they returned to their side to get ready for the next day. As soon as they left, I went to bed as well.

Monday seemed to fly by, and before I knew it was time to go pick Noah up after his practice. I had to wait a few minutes longer than usual before he came out of the school to join me, so I decided to ask him about it when he finally got in the SUV.

"What's up? Did you spend more time in the shower this time?"

"Nah, Coach Rich just went over a lot of stuff to make sure we're ready for tomorrow, so we were late hitting the shower."

"Ok, I see. So was it a good practice?"

"Yeah, I think we all did really good."

"Then I can't wait to watch you play tomorrow."

We went home and had dinner with Cheryl, and then Noah went to his bedroom to do his homework. It took him longer than normal to finish this time, so Cheryl told him to go to bed as soon as he was done, but not before he came over to say goodnight to me first.

"Goodnight, Uncle Brian. I'll see you in the morning and then at the game later."

"You sure will, champ. I know you'll do really well."

I worked hard all morning, but after lunch my mind kept wandering to Noah. I wondered how he was doing and if he was getting nervous, seeing this would be his first game and the first time he'd ever worn a uniform. He practiced in jeans and a tee-shirt, and I wasn't sure if the uniform might create a problem. Would he feel funny wearing it, or would he be proud and it would give him an additional boost so he'd have a good game? I hoped it would be a positive thing, rather than a negative one.

As soon as I was able to leave, I raced out of the office and headed out to my SUV. I drove a few miles-per-hour over the speed limit so I could get to the game as quickly as possible. After grabbing the lawn chair out of the back, I followed the noise to the ball field and looked around for Cheryl. Once I spotted her, I set my chair up next to hers.

"How much have I missed?"

"It's the bottom of the second inning and Noah has been doing great."

"I knew he would, so what has he done so far?"

"He bunted to start the game and beat it out. Then, he stole second on the third pitch to the next batter, and he scored when the third batter got a hit. The team scored another run after that, so they're ahead 2-0."

"Wow! I missed a lot then."

Cheryl and I watched the rest of the game and Noah got another hit, a single, in his third time at bat. This meant he went 2 for 4 in his very first game, which was pretty good. He also played well in the field, throwing out a couple of runners at first and another runner at second, and he also ran down a little blooper that was going over his head for another out. In the end, his team won 3-1.

Shortly after the game ended and the two teams had shaken hands, Cheryl headed home, while I followed the bus back to the school to pick up Noah. "Great game," I told him as he was getting off the bus.

"Thanks. I'm glad you got to see me play."

"Me too," I replied as Coach Rich walked up to us.

"This kid is unbelievable," he began as he tousled Noah's hair. He then reached out to shake my hand. "The other coach thought I was pulling his leg when I told him it was the first time Noah had ever played on a team."

"I'm not surprised, because I can hardly believe how well he did either."

"I guess Jason is right. Next year IS going to be really special with those two playing on the same teams."

"I can't wait to see it."

"Me neither."

As soon as we got in the SUV, Noah wanted to tell me about his bunt and stealing second base. After that he told me about how he scored from second when the third batter knocked a single between first and second base. "I had to slide so I didn't get thrown out, and the coach said it was a good thing I was really fast."

"Yes, I'm sure that made a big difference."

When we got to the house, Noah went to shower first, since he hadn't done it at the school before we left. Cheryl had dinner ready by the time he was done, so we sat down to eat.

"I guess no one will question why you're a starter after what you did today," I stated after downing a couple of mouthfuls.

"I think a couple of the guys were still mad that I started and they didn't, but they were happy that we won the game."

"Yes, I'm sure winning made a difference, but you definitely proved that you deserved to start today."

"Thanks. I just hope I continue playing that good."

"So did you know the coach was going to have you bunt and then steal second base before the game started?"

"Yeah, he told me on the bus that he was gonna do those things. He said it would rattle the other team if I beat out the bunt, and then it would rattle them even more if I stole second."

"I can see how that would happen, so it was probably a smart move on his part."

"And after I scored, the coach told me that the bunt should give me enough confidence to hit away the next time I was up, but I hit a grounder to the shortstop. I hit a single up the middle after that, and then I flew out my last time up."

"I think most guys would be happy with two hits, and you played very well on defense too."

"Yeah, I guess all the infield practice that you, Jason, and the coach hit to me helped out."

"It sure seems that way."

Noah was on cloud nine for the rest of the night, even while he was doing his homework. I hoped that having had a good game hadn't distracted him while he was doing it and he did everything correctly, but it was nice to see him strutting proudly when he came over to see me once it was done.

"Did you have any trouble with your homework, and do you want me to check it over?"

"Nah, it wasn't that hard."

"Ok, if you say so. By the way, I looked at the schedule and you don't have another game until Saturday."

"Yeah, I know, and that one will be here."

"Yes, I noticed that too."

"And Jason will be staying over on Friday night."

"Yes, it's his turn to be here this time, but you'll have to get to bed early, so you aren't too tired for the game."

"Yeah, I know, but we'll still have time to do the other stuff first."

"Yes, as long as we start early enough." At least now I knew what I had to look forward to this weekend.

Chapter 49
Relationships.

When I went to pick up Noah after practice on Friday, Jason was with him and carrying his overnight bag. "Hi, guys. Did practice go well?"

"Yeah, it was great," Noah answered. "And I'm gonna start again."

"I assumed you would."

The boys continued to chat about a variety of topics as I drove to the house, and once the SUV came to a stop Noah raced over to his side to say 'hi' to his mom, with Jason right behind him. A couple of minutes later they returned to my side of the house to let me know that dinner was ready and urged me to follow them next door to eat.

While we were enjoying our meal, Cheryl wished Noah good luck on his game the following day, since she had to work and wouldn't be able to attend. Noah thanked her and said he'd tell her all about it when she got home from work.

Seeing Cheryl had other things to do after we finished eating, the boys spent the evening with me. We played a few games before I suggested they turn in, and they immediately began to complain that it was too early to do that. Since I knew they'd want to mess around before falling asleep, I explained that they should do this now, unless they didn't plan on getting their rocks off before turning in. They saw the logic in this after I reminded them that Noah had a game the next day, so they sped through their nightly ritual before racing to the bedroom. As soon as we were all preparing to get into bed, Jason turned toward me and asked a question.

"Is there other stuff boys can do together – more than just rubbing each other's dickies or suckin' on them?"

"Yes, there are, but I think it would be best if we just stuck to the two things we've been doing for now."

"What kind of other stuff is there we can do?" he persisted, not ready to give in just yet.

"We don't have time to discuss it tonight, unless you don't intend on doing the things we normally do. Remember, Noah has a game in the morning and I want to make sure he gets enough sleep so he'll play well, and that means we won't have time to do both."

"Ok, let's just do the other stuff then."

Jason wasn't thrilled with my dismissing his question so easily, but he seemed to perk up while I was sucking him off. As I was finishing up, I noticed something else and decided to bring it to his attention. "Jason, did you know that you've got a couple of pubic hairs growing above your penis?"

"No! Really?"

"Let me see," Noah demanded before I had a chance to respond. "Yeah, you do. They're not very long and kinda hard to see, but you're getting some hair there now too."

Jason bent over so he could check it out for himself, and then he broke into a huge grin. "Man, I'm glad it's finally starting to happen."

I could see how proud he was of this accomplishment, and seeing he would be turning eleven in another week, it turned out to be an early birthday present for him. I believe it also helped him to enjoy a very pleasant slumber, because he awoke with a smile on his face and a bounce in his step as he got dressed and came out to join us for breakfast. I'm sure he felt this was the first step on his journey into manhood, and now he wouldn't look out of place with his teammates next year when he entered seventh grade.

As soon as we'd all downed a quick breakfast, we loaded into the SUV and I drove them to the school. After I pulled into a parking spot, they hopped out and raced toward the locker room, ready to meet up with Jason's dad and the rest of the team. As soon as they were gone, I grabbed my laptop and hopped online so I could look for ideas about what we could get Jason for his birthday.

A short time later when I saw the team heading out to the field to warm up, I put the laptop away, grabbed the lawn chair out of the back, and found a good place to watch what was going on. The bus with the other team pulled in a few minutes later, and shortly after that the umpires showed up too. As soon as the umpires finished putting on their gear, they began to walk around the field so they could look for hazards or any unusual situations that might require a ground rule. When they finished doing that, they called both coaches together and went over everything they'd discovered. Once that had been cleared up, the coaches handed the home plate ump their starting lineups, and then the home team took the field.

Noah played really well again, as did the rest of his teammates. He walked the first time he came to bat, grounded out the next time up, and then he beat out an infield single his following turn at bat, before walking again in his final plate appearance. He scored twice and was also involved in putting out several runners while playing second base and his team ended up winning the game 4-1. For that reason, he and the rest of his team were all in a really good mood when I went down to congratulate the coach.

"The team's looking sharp," I said as I reached out to shake Coach Rich's hand.

"Yes, they played really well today. Oh, and before I go to the locker room to check on the team, I want to remind you that I'll be bringing Noah home a little later than usual next weekend, because of Jason's birthday party. I'm not planning on having a practice on Saturday morning so I can help my wife get ready for the party, seeing the other boys that Jason invited will be showing up around 1:00. I'll bring Noah home as soon as the party ends and each of the other boys have been picked up by their parents."

"That sounds fine, but I can come get him if it would make it easier for you."

"No, that won't be necessary. Jason would be upset with me if I didn't take Noah home, because he'll want to talk about stuff he couldn't say in front of the other boys."

"Ok, I understand and hope everything goes well."

"I'm sure it will. Jason said he's planning on having his friends play a game before we have the cake and ice cream, although he didn't tell me what that would be."

"I'm sure it will be something all his friends will enjoy and it sounds as if they should have a great time."

"I certainly hope so."

After the coach headed into the school, I put the lawn chair back in the SUV and waited for Noah to finish his shower. During the ride home, I chatted with him about the ideas I'd come up with for Jason's present, but he already had something in mind.

"Jason likes the drone that Mom gave me, so I want to get him one of those."

"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" I prodded, thinking it would have been nice if he'd told me about this sooner so I wouldn't have wasted my time researching possible gifts before the game.

"Yeah, he'll be surprised and really happy when he opens it."

Seeing it was his gift to Jason, I took him to the store and let him pick out the drone he wanted to give him after we finished lunch. He was thrilled that I'd agreed to let him do this, and he gave me a kiss of appreciation when we got back to the house.

"Thanks, Uncle Brian. You're the best and Jason is going to love this. You know he loves you too, don't you?"

"Yes, and I love both of you as well. I'm very lucky to have the two of you in my life."

"Nah, we're the lucky ones."

I wasn't about to debate the point, so I prepared to wrap Jason's present instead. However, Noah stopped me, because he wanted to show it to his mom after she arrived home. I gave in and started doing my chores instead, while Noah went to retrieve his drone so he could take it out to the backyard and play with it.

After Cheryl pulled in the driveway, Noah gave her a few minutes to change and freshen up first, and then he told her about his baseball game while she was fixing dinner. He also showed her the gift he was going to give Jason for his birthday, and she immediately offered to wrap it for him, seeing I'd taken him to pick it out. I didn't have a problem with that, and it seemed to make Noah happy.

After we ate and Cheryl had wrapped the present, she agreed to watch a movie with us because it would give her a chance to relax and unwind before turning in. Noah sat between us on the sofa, and when he noticed her starting to nod off before the movie ended, he encouraged her to go to bed. She apologized for not lasting through the movie and then she returned to her side to go through her nightly ritual before turning in. Noah and I watched the rest of the movie after she left, and then we both showered before calling it a night as well.

"What other stuff were you talking about when Jason asked that question last night?" he wanted to know as soon as we got into bed.

"I was referring to butt play."

"Do you mean sticking your penis into someone else's butt?"

"That's one possibility, or you could use your fingers or tongue instead, but I'm not sure that you boys are ready for those types of things yet. Besides, I'm not sure if Jason is gay, so the idea of doing anything like that might be repulsive to him."

"Nah, I don't think he'd mind. He's asked me before if I thought boys could fuck each other."

"In that case, it's possible he's more open to this than I anticipated, although it doesn't mean he's gay. He might be bi instead, meaning he's willing to do things with either sex, so I'll wait to see if he brings it up again."

"So we're not going to fuck?"

"If you mean the two of us, then the answer is 'no', because my penis is way too big to do that with you yet. I certainly don't want to try anything that might be painful for you or cause any damage. In addition to not wanting to hurt you, I wouldn't want to have to explain about what happened if you needed medical attention afterward."

"Can you at least show me what you mean about doing it with your fingers and tongue?"

"Yes, I could probably do those things with you. Did you wash your butt really well when you showered?"

"Yep, and I haven't pooped today either."

"Ok, if you want to see what it's like, then I'll show you. I think it would be easiest if you got on all fours to start out."

He did as I asked and I pulled his butt cheeks apart so I could attack his pink, wrinkled opening with my tongue. His initial reaction was to squeal when it first touched that previously unexplored region, and then he began to coo and sigh. Within a minute, he had lowered his chest and head so they were resting on the mattress, while leaving his butt in the air. I soon discovered that my ministrations were more than he could handle in this position, so I had him lie down on his belly while I continued to attack his rear. He made no indication that he wanted me to stop, and whenever I pulled away slightly he would push his butt toward me as his way of encouraging me to keep going. Of course I was happy to comply, and I continued doing it for several more minutes.

"Man, that felt really good," he blurted out once I'd stopped and he had regained his senses. "I wasn't sure if I'd like doing that, but it felt totally awesome."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," I replied, but I decided to forgo using my fingers on him for now and grabbed him by the hips instead, as I flipped him onto his back. "Now I'll take care of this," I said as I playfully squeezed his penis.

After doing that, I bent down and used my tongue to stimulate his shriveled pouch and flaccid penis. I worked on it like that for a couple of minutes, and as soon as his penis was standing tall and proud, I lowered my mouth over it and began to nod up and down. Before long, he was totally consumed with the new set of sensations that were now coursing through his slender frame.

Noah was thrusting his hips to mirror my actions, so it only took a couple more minutes before he was filling my mouth with his sweet boy nectar. I waited until he recovered, thinking he would probably want to help me get off before we cuddled together and fell asleep. As soon as he was lucid again, he asked the question I'd been expecting. "Can I do that to you now?"

"Do you mean sucking me off or the butt thing?"

"I wanna try using my tongue on your butt first, and then I'll suck you off."

"Are you sure you're ready to try doing that?"

"Yeah, I want to see what it's like doing it too, not just having it done to me."

"Ok, if you're sure," I replied before getting into position so he could begin.

"Yuck! You got lots of hair back here," he groaned, so I looked over my shoulder and responded.

"Yes, and you will probably have hair back there as well, at least when you're older."

"Dang, I hope not."

"Look, if the hair bothers you then you don't have to do this."

"It only bothers me a little, but I want to see what it is like to do it."

He was tentative at first and spent a great deal of time just staring at my backside, but eventually I felt his tongue as it began to explore my crack and pucker. He didn't do it for very long, though, but I didn't complain. At least he'd been able to explore what rimming was like, both receiving and giving. When he had enough, he asked me to get on my back so he could suck me off, and then we fell asleep after I'd ejaculated and spooned up behind him.

While we were eating breakfast the next morning, Noah explained that he wanted me to take him to the batting cages as soon as we were done. He also wanted me to take him to the school after that so I could work with him on his fielding, since he was determined to do whatever was necessary to improve even more. It didn't seem to matter to him that he'd already accomplished much more than I'd anticipated, because he truly was one of those rare individuals who totally threw himself into what he was doing at the time.

He didn't have another game until Thursday, so he'd have three more practices with the team, but it didn't stop him from wanting me to also do this with him. When we finished doing both, we went back to the house and showered, since we'd both worked up a sweat over the past few hours.

Once we'd washed up and dressed, I went to work on my chores while Noah headed over to his bedroom to complete his homework assignments. When he finished, he came over to get the RC car and took it outside to play with until Cheryl returned home from work. As soon as she pulled into the driveway, he put the RC car back where I kept it before going over to spend some time with his mom.

When he returned about a half hour later, he let me know it was time to eat, so I followed him over to his side. While we were enjoying our meal, Noah reminded his mom that his next home game was on Thursday. "You're coming to watch it, aren't you?"

"Yes, honey. I'll be there."

"And you too, Uncle Brian?"

"Of course I'll be there. And when we get home, I'll help you pack your overnight bag for Friday night. You'll need to take a little more than usual this time, since you'll be staying for Jason's party."

"Yeah, I know, and I can't wait until he opens my present."

"I'm sure he'll love it."

"I'm pretty sure he will, cuz he likes playing with my drone, and now we'll have one to play with when we're at his house too."

"So what do you do with it besides just flying it?"

"We use it to play tag. The one controlling the drone uses it to try to catch the other person, but we don't really fly it into him. We just fly over him or hover over where he's hiding, and either one counts as a tag."

"It's good to know that you aren't ramming it into each other."

"Yeah, we were afraid that the drone might break if we did that."

"You mean neither of you were concerned that you might hurt the other person?"

"Yeah, we was worried about that too, but we mostly wanted to make sure we didn't break the drone." It was enlightening to see where their priorities were.

Once we finished eating, Noah and I helped Cheryl clear off the table and rinse the dishes, and then the three of us watched TV for a while before getting our things ready for work and school the next day. As soon as those things had been taken care of, we got ready for bed and turned in for the night.

The following afternoon, when I picked Noah up from practice, I took a few extra minutes to chat with Coach Rich. "Is there anything I can do to help you get ready for Jason's party?"

"No, but thanks for offering. My wife and I took care of most of those things over the weekend. We did our shopping and got everything we'd need on Saturday, and I helped her clean the house on Sunday. I doubt the boys will notice the things we did or care about how the house looks, but it mattered to my wife, so I did what she wanted. She's already wrapped Jason's presents, and she'll bake his birthday cake while we're in school tomorrow, so that will take care of everything."

"I'm glad that you're so organized." He chuckled.

"My wife is when it comes to things like this. I'm only organized when it comes to sports."

"It was pretty much the same with my parents too. Dad always told me that it was easier to just do what Mom asked, rather than listening to her complain about it later."

"Your dad's a wise man."

"Yes, he is, and I learned a lot from him. I guess it also explains why they've been married for more than thirty years."

"I'm sure his philosophy helped. I've pretty much followed that creed as well, and now we've been married about half as long as your parents."

"And I'm sure you and your wife will be together for many more years to come." Coach smiled, and then he looked at me oddly.

"Is there any reason you haven't gotten married? From what I've seen, you'd make a great dad."

"For the most part, I've been too focused on my career, which means I haven't had much time to date."

"You seem to have found enough time to do things with Noah. I've also noticed he calls you Uncle Brian, so is his mother your sister?"

"No, we're just good friends and they've sort of adopted me."

"And you haven't thought about dating her?"

"Cheryl and I don't have romantic feelings for one another. It's more of a brother/sister relationship, although not by blood."

"Well, it's good that you all get along so well. I can tell that Noah thinks the world of you."

"Yes, Noah and I get along really well, but that certainly isn't enough of a reason to marry his mother."

"Yes, I would have to agree with you about that."

At almost that same instance, Noah came outside after finishing his shower. "I guess I'd better go check on the other boys," the coach said as he got ready to leave. "I don't want anyone to get into trouble because they were unsupervised."

"Sure, go ahead and I'll see you after the game on Thursday."

After the coach left, Noah and I hopped into the SUV and took off for the house. Cheryl was already there when we arrived, so Noah went over to spend some time with her. As I was heading toward my bedroom to change, I was mentally planning the other thing I wanted to do before going over to see if dinner was ready. I managed to finish it before the meal was ready and headed over to their side of the house.

"Hey, can I get some help here," I stated as I approached the kitchen. My right hand was clasped around the towel I was using to apply pressure to the wound on my wrist.

"What happened?" Noah screamed as soon as he saw me.

"I cut myself on the glass in the broken window. Someone broke it to get into my house. I'm not sure what they might have taken, but I noticed the remote control car was missing."

"Oh no!" Noah groaned.

"Is the cut bad? Will you need stitches?" Cheryl followed.

"No, I'll be fine," I answered as I removed my hand from the towel so they could see I wasn't really injured. "April Fool!"

I'd used some ketchup to simulate the blood on the towel I'd wrapped around my arm. Cheryl merely rolled her eyes and shook her head when she realized it was just a prank.

"That was mean," Noah griped. "I thought someone had really stolen the car and that you were hurt."

"Hmmm, I guess that lets me know which one is more important to you, since you mentioned the car first."

Noah blushed, mildly embarrassed. "I was worried about you too and figured the doctor could fix what was wrong with your arm, but the car would have been gone for good."

"We could have bought another remote control car later, but I could have lost the use of my hand if it had been badly damaged."

"Then I'm glad it was just an April Fool's joke. I should have figured it was something like that, cuz some of my teachers pulled April Fool's jokes on us too. My Math teacher told us we was gonna have a surprise quiz and said we should read the directions before starting, but some of the other kids went ahead and began answering the questions. I read the directions first, and they said to read ALL of the questions before taking the quiz. I'm glad I did, cuz the last question said 'This isn't a quiz. April Fool.' When some of us started to giggle, the other kids wanted to know what was so funny. We let them suffer a little longer before we told them to read the last question."

"I bet the students who didn't follow the directions were sorry they didn't do what they'd been told."

"Yeah, cuz the questions were really hard."

When Noah finished relaying his story, I turned to speak with Cheryl next. "Did you have a good day, or did someone play a trick on you too?"

"No, nothing like that happened to me – at least until I got here. I just had another hard day at work, so I was happy when it was time to leave."

"Seeing you had a rough day, let Noah and I do the cleanup tonight while you do something else, like soak in a nice hot bath."

"Is this another April Fool's joke?" she challenged, studying my reaction closely.

"No, this time I'm serious."

"In that case, it sounds like a really good idea, so I'm going to take you up on your offer."

"And when you're done, you can come next door to join us and we'll find something to watch on TV. Maybe there will be a good movie on."

"That sounds nice too. Thanks."

"You're welcome, and I'm glad to help."

"It's a shame you're gay, because you'd be a great catch."

"I still might, for the right guy," I shot back, which caused her to giggle.

"Yes, indeed you might."

Noah and I finished clearing the table, rinsing the dishes, and loading the dishwasher, and then I washed the remaining items by hand while Noah dried them. We had just turned on the TV when Cheryl showed up to join us.

"Either you gave up on the bath quickly, or it took us longer than I realized to do the cleanup."

"The bathwater cooled way too fast, but it was nice while it lasted."

"I'm sorry you weren't able to enjoy it a little longer." She nodded in agreement, although I knew she was mildly disappointed that it had ended far sooner than she would have liked.

We took our places on the sofa and settled in to watch "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strange Tides", and when it ended we said goodnight and prepared for bed.

Chapter 50
The Next Level.

On Thursday, I met Cheryl at the school so we could watch Noah's next game. He played well again, but didn't have any hits this time. He grounded out in his first at bat, walked the next time up, and then he laid down a sacrifice bunt in his third trip to the plate. That turned out to be a very important play, because the boy who reached second on the bunt eventually scored when the next batter hit a single. Noah flied out to the left fielder in his last at bat, but he and his teammates were thrilled because they'd squeaked out a 1-0 victory.

After a very normal and uneventful night at home, we prepared for the next day. In the morning I made certain that Noah had packed Jason's gift, a change of clothes, and his practice gear in his gym bag before I left for work. I wouldn't see him again until sometime the following afternoon and wanted him to have a good time, both that evening and at Jason's party. I also hoped Jason would like the present Noah had picked out for him.

That evening Cheryl and I discussed how we were going to handle Noah's summer vacation from school. Jason had previously stated that he wanted Noah to spend some of the time with him, and he and his dad had suggested that both of them should attend the soccer clinic being held at the park closest to their house. We agreed each of those things would be fine with us and began making plans.

First, we had to determine how we were going to get him to the Rich's house and then bring him home again whenever the boys planned on spending the day together, or when they were attending the clinic. I offered to drop Noah off before I headed to the office on those days, and Cheryl said she'd pick him up after she got out of work. On the days he wasn't going to be with Jason, I would drop Noah off at the park in the morning, as I'd done the previous summer. I would also walk to the park so we could have lunch together, and then Cheryl would take him home later.

Cheryl was also going to arrange for Noah to spend time at their old neighbor's trailer whenever the weather turned bad, but she would also check with Debbie and Monica to give him another option. If they agreed, he could go to one of their apartments instead, so he could spend the time with Gus and Sam. It appeared as if we now had all the bases covered.

After Cheryl went to bed, I called an acquaintance from work and arranged for him to stop by the house while Noah was with Jason and Cheryl was working. I had something I wanted him to do for me, and I would rely on his expertise, since he understood the process much better than I did.

As I lay in bed trying to fall asleep later, I began to think about Noah and Jason. I hoped everything was going well and both boys would have fun at Jason's party the following day. I was also considering how I was going to react if Jason continued to press me about his previous question concerning what other things boys could do with each other. Before I eventually drifted off, I decided that I would do the same things to Jason that I'd done with Noah, as well as using my finger on both of them. However, I'd merely use my index finger on them, not multiple digits, and only if Jason agreed he was willing to try it.

I also considered purchasing a small dildo to use on them, one that approximated their current erect penis size. If they handled that well, then possibly I'd allow them to try doing it with each other, but I would not join in until I felt they could handle my girth without causing either one extreme discomfort or physical damage. Now that I'd devised a plan, I closed my eyes and enjoyed a very restful slumber.

As I was eating breakfast the next morning there was a knock at the door. When I opened it, the friend I had called was standing there with a small bag of items. "I hope I'm not too early, but I thought I'd do this as soon as I could because my wife has something planned for us later."

"No, this is fine. You're the one doing me the favor, so come on in and I'll show you where to set it up."

He worked for over an hour, and when he finished we had a beer together and chatted. During that time I asked him how much he had spent on the needed materials and he handed me a receipt. I took some bills out of my wallet to reimburse him, and I added a little extra to compensate him for his time and effort as well.

"You only need to pay for the items I purchased to do this," he objected when he saw how much I'd given him.

"Nonsense! I didn't expect you to show up and do it for free, so please accept it all."

He was still slightly reticent to accept it, but eventually he gave in and slipped the money into his pocket. He thanked me again before he left, and then he eagerly returned home to help his wife with whatever she had planned.

After he left, I thought about Noah again and wondered what time Coach Rich would be dropping him off. It didn't happen until about forty minutes after Cheryl arrived home from work and she had dinner prepared. Noah was beaming from ear-to-ear as he walked through the door.

"I had a great time last night and at the party. We played touch football with the other guys first, and Jason loved the drone I gave him. I told you he would."

"Yes, you did, and I'm glad it worked out," I said as we walked to the table.

"Jason told me in the car that we'd play with it when I stayed over from now on," Noah said as he was sitting down to eat. "He also told me that I should bring mine whenever I spent the day there."

"Yes, that would give you both something to do so neither of you would have to stand around as you watched the other one fly the drone."

"And he asked me if I was going to go to the soccer camp at the park this year, but I told him I wasn't sure yet, cuz it costs money."

"Your mother and I talked it over last night and have agreed to let you do it, as long as Coach Rich and his wife are willing to let you spend the rest of the day there and transport you back and forth."

"Yeah, they said I could stay there when I was doing it, but what about the money it costs?"

"I'm going to pay for it."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, but it's not a big deal. It's only $20.00 for each week."

"It's a big deal to me, cuz I wouldn't get to do it with Jason if you didn't pay for it."

I merely tousled his hair in response.

As we continued our meal, Noah gave us much more detail about his weekend and it sounded as if everyone had a great time, not just he and Jason. I was glad to hear this, especially the part about Jason spending individual time with the other boys too, not just with Noah.

As soon as we finished eating and had cleared off the table, I made an announcement. "Earlier today I had a guy from work drop by so he could set the TV up with Hulu and Netflix, so now we have a lot more options to choose from."

Noah was thrilled and Cheryl was impressed as we looked through our potential choices. We finally agreed on a movie and then got comfortable on the sofa, with Noah in the middle, as I clicked on the icon to start.

We all enjoyed the movie, and when it was over Noah and I said goodnight to his mom. Noah also gave her a hug and a kiss before she returned to her side, and then we headed to the bathroom so we could prepare for bed. Once we'd finished and were heading toward the bedroom, Noah made a comment.

"I want you to use your tongue on my butt again."

"The proper term for that is rimming, so I'll rim you if it's what you want."

"Yeah, I do, and this time I want you to use your fingers too."

"I'll use one, but that's enough for now."

"Ok."

Noah quickly got into the same position as before and I spread his butt cheeks so I could thrust my tongue into his tiny opening. He immediately began rocking back and forth while I was applying my ministrations, and he was also cooing and purring throughout the entire time. When I finished working on his anus, I reached into my nightstand, pulled out the lube, and applied some to my index finger.

"You might want to push out a little, like you're taking a crap, because it will make my finger slide in easier."

"Ok," he mumbled before doing as I'd asked. My finger popped in with hardly any effort.

"Did it hurt?"

"No, but if feels like I've got to poop."

"It's just my finger that's making you feel as if you need to use the toilet."

"Ok, if you're sure."

As soon as he understood, I began sliding my finger in and out of his chute, while at the same time searching for his immature prostate. A few seconds later I heard him gasp.

"What just happened?" he shrieked, which let me know I'd found the spot I'd been seeking. "You made my inside tingle and some of that stuff squirted out of my penis."

"My finger just stroked your prostate, which is a small gland that's located behind your penis. It produces the liquid part of your semen when you ejaculate, and some guys' prostates are very sensitive. A few can even cum from just having their prostate stimulated during foreplay or sex."

"Wow, I didn't know that, but I think it's what just happened to me."

"You didn't actually ejaculate, but it obviously caused you to leak a lot more pre-cum than usual."

"Yeah, and it felt good too."

I continued using my finger on him for a little while longer, and then I flipped him onto his back so I could suck him off. Shortly after Noah had recuperated from his orgasmic release, he looked up at me and smiled. "Now I want to do those same things to you, and I want to do them with Jason when he's here next time."

"Are you sure he's ready for this?"

"Yeah, we talked about it a little when we were in his bed Friday night. I told him what you did to me with your tongue and that you were going to stick your finger in my butt too."

"And he's ok with that?"

"Yeah, he said he couldn't wait to see what it was like."

"Ok, we'll give it a try with him then."

"Great, but get ready so I can do it to you now."

I got on all fours and Noah slid into position behind me. He wasn't as tentative as before and quickly began rimming me. When he was tired of doing that I added a little lube to his index finger so he could use it on me next. I doubted he would need the lube when doing this to me, but I did it to get him ready for what he'd need to do when he tried this on Jason.

"Whoa, this makes my finger really slippery," he gasped as it slid all the way into my backside.

"Yes, that's so it slides in and out more easily."

"Yeah, and I liked the way it felt when you did it to me."

Noah then used his finger on me for a couple of minutes before he asked me to lie on my back so he could suck me off. He was just as greedy as ever as he bobbed up and down on my manhood, and once we were both satisfied, I cuddled with him and we fell asleep.

The following week Noah had two away games, one on Tuesday and another on Friday. Cheryl attended the game on Tuesday, although she didn't get there until the third inning. I was unable to attend, due to getting out of work later and the length of the drive to the school, and Noah was slightly disappointed that I didn't see him play. He was happy with the end result, though. It had been a close contest and they won 3-2.

Friday's game was even farther away, so neither Cheryl nor I were able to go. When I picked Noah and Jason up at the school later, since it was Jason's turn to stay over with us, I could tell they were both upset. I found out why after they climbed into the SUV.

"We lost 4-3, but we should have won," Noah explained.

"Yeah, we got robbed," Jason agreed.

"Why? What happened?" I asked.

"It started when the other team got two runners on base, and then the next batter hit a ball to the outfield," Noah continued. "The field had what Coach Rich called a snow fence around the outfield so any ball hit over it would be a home run, but the fence was busted in some places. The umpires told both teams before the game started that if the ball went through one of those holes that the fielder was to raise both arms in the air so one of them could check it out. They said the umpire would then confirm what happened, and if the ball had gone through the fence it would be ruled a ground rule double." When Noah paused briefly to take a breath, Jason spoke up.

"Our team was ahead 3-1 when the first two guys got on base," he clarified. "The first one walked and the next guy bunted. The third baseman tried to throw the runner out at second, but his throw was late, so both guys were safe.

"Yeah," Noah continued, "and then the next batter hit the pitch out to right field. No one was able to get to the ball and it rolled all the way to the fence. The problem was that no one but the right fielder saw that it had rolled through one of those holes. He forgot to throw his arms up like he was supposed to do and tried to reach through the fence to get the ball instead. It took him a long time before he was able to reach it, so by the time he threw the ball to the infield, both runners had scored and the batter was standing on third base."

"Everyone on our team was mad when they realized why it took him so long to throw the ball back," Jason added. "My dad went out to talk to the umpires about it, but they said there was nothing they could do, since the outfielder hadn't raised his arms so they could check out what had happened."

"I hope no one yelled at the right fielder for making that mistake?" I retorted.

"No, cuz they were watching my dad arguing with the umpires about what they were gonna do about it," Jason answered.

"When the umpires said they couldn't do anything, it really upset the pitcher and he lost his cool. He ended up throwing a wild pitch, and that let the runner on third score too. It's why we ended up losing 4-3, but we shoulda won. If the batter only got a ground rule double then just one run would have scored and the pitcher wouldn't have been so mad that he threw a wild pitch. We woulda won 3-2 instead of losing."

"Possibly, but you can't be sure about what might have happened, even if your right fielder had raised his arms. It's true that only one run would have scored at that time, but the pitcher might still have thrown a wild pitch, knowing he'd just given up a run. If that had happened, who knows what might have occurred next."

"But we shoulda won," Noah insisted.

"I'll agree it was a really bad break, but I hope the team doesn't get down on the right fielder about this. If they do, it could cause him to make even more mistakes in future games, and that wouldn't be good for the team. It was just a misunderstanding on his part and he didn't do it on purpose. I'm sure he feels just as badly about losing the game as the rest of you, maybe even worse because of his mistake. You and your teammates will just have to shake it off and not let it continue to bother you."

"Yeah, that's kinda what my dad said to the team on the bus," Jason chimed in. "He said they should use what happened as a lesson about paying attention to the ground rules before each game, and then he told the right fielder to just stop worrying about it. He said good players learn from their mistakes and don't make them again, and this would make him a better player in the long run. Then, he told everyone else that he didn't want to hear of anyone saying anything mean or nasty to the right fielder about what had happened either. He reminded them that they've all made mistakes before, and it was just unfortunate that this one affected the result more than the other mistakes, but it is all part of the game."

"Good for your dad," I agreed.

When we reached the house, Cheryl immediately came over to tell us it was time to eat. "I'm ready to put the food on the table, so get your butts over here now."

She was smiling, so I knew she wasn't upset, so after she returned to her side, I added my two cents. "I suspect her comment means the meal has been done for awhile and she's been waiting for us to arrive, so Noah I want you to go over and sit down, since you've already showered. Jason, do you need to wash up along with me?"

"Nah, I took a shower too, cuz I got dirty being the bat boy."

"Then you go over with Noah while I clean up. Noah, I want you to tell your mom I'll be over shortly."

He agreed and the two of them headed in the other direction while I took off for the bathroom. I washed up as quickly as I could, and then I went over to join them. When I walked through the door connecting the two sides, the boys were busily telling Cheryl about the game.

"Now I understand what took you so long. I'm sorry the team didn't win," she commiserated.

No one was very talkative once that discussion ended and we merely shoveled forkfuls of food into our mouths. Just as we were finishing up, Cheryl spoke.

"I'll let you and the boys watch a movie or whatever you want, because I've got several things I need to do before tomorrow. Besides, it would probably be best if you let them choose something, because it might help to put them in a better mood."

"You might be right about that," I agreed, and when we finished eating I led the boys over to my side of the house to spend the rest of the night.

After explaining our new set-up and expanded options to Jason, he asked a question. "We don't have Netflix, but some of my friends have been talking about one of the shows on it. They say it's really good and quite scary, so can we watch 'Stranger Things'?"

"I'll check it out. Is it a movie or a series?"

"I think it's a series, cuz my friends say there have been two seasons so far. They started talking about it last year when we were in fourth grade."

"Here it is and it lists both seasons." I'd been looking up the information while also listening to Jason.

We only watched the first episode, and I immediately began to wonder if I'd made the right choice. It was a very unusual show, and kind of spooky too, so I was afraid it might give the boys nightmares. When it ended, they began talking excitedly about what they thought of it while we headed toward the bathroom to brush our teeth and use the toilet before getting in bed.

As soon as we had completed our nightly preparations, I guided the boys into the bedroom and Jason quickly mentioned something I'd been preparing for. "I want you to do the same things to me that Noah said you did to him."

"And what would that be?" I asked feigning ignorance.

"He said you licked his butt hole and used your finger there too."

I was prepared because Noah had warned me that he thought Jason was going to want to do this, but I waited to see if Jason was going to bring it up first. Otherwise, I would have just blown them, as I normally did.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah, cuz Noah said he liked it and it feels good. He also told me to wash my butt really good when we showered after the game."

"I hope he didn't say it so anyone else could hear."

"Nah, he didn't. He whispered in my ear."

"Ok, but let me know if you want me to stop doing it at any time. Would you prefer to watch me do it to Noah first?"

"Nah, just do it to me and then I'll watch you do it to him after."

"Is that ok with you, Noah?"

"Yeah, let Jason go first."

Since they were in agreement, I had Jason get on all four and did the same thing to him that I'd done to Noah previously. I was amazed when Jason's body visibly shuddered the moment my tongue came into contact with his pink, wrinkled hole.

"Are you ok?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, yeah. That feels really good," he squealed in delight. He squealed again a short time later, but this time without adding a comment. It happened one more time when I pushed my tongue into his tight opening. "Oooh. Aaah. I can't believe you're doing this, but it feels good. Don't stop."

He added the last part because I'd pulled away after hearing the noises he was making, since I wasn't sure what they meant. Now that I understood, I repeated the steps and licked up and down his crack before exposing his tiny opening again. I repeatedly penetrated it with my tongue and his body began to tremble slightly as he mewed in contentment. I thought he might even pass out from pure ecstasy before I finished.

"Keep going," he urged when I pulled away again.

"No, it's time to switch over to using my finger, and then I'll suck you off before I do the same things to Noah."

"Ok," he agreed, although I could tell he was slightly disappointed that I wasn't going to do it longer. His attitude changed, however, as soon as I had my finger up his chute. I had given him the same advice that I'd given Noah the first time, but I became slightly concerned when I heard him hiss when my finger broke through his sphincter.

"Did that hurt?"

"No, it just feels different than your tongue did when it was in there, so it kinda surprised me. Maybe you should stop cuz I feel like I've got to take a crap."

"That's natural and you don't really have to, unless you felt that way before we started."

"No, I didn't, so maybe you're right and it's just cuz your finger's in there."

Since I was no longer worried that I was causing him any significant discomfort, I slid my digit in and out of his rectum for the next couple of minutes, while at the same time searching for the tiny nub that was his prostate. I'm not sure if I ever located it, because he didn't react as Noah had, so maybe his prostate wasn't mature enough yet to make him feel good. I continued working on him until Noah asked when it would be his turn.

"I'm sorry. I guess I got carried away and have been doing it to Jason for longer than I originally planned. I'll stop now and suck him off so I can work on you next."

I quickly flipped Jason onto his back and bent down to work on his burgeoning boner. After using my tongue on his scrotum and licking up his shaft, I wrapped my lips around his erection and started to bob up and down on it. I guess my previous work on his backside must have primed the pump, because it didn't take very long before his body shuddered and I felt a few droplets land on my tongue. Shortly after that happened, I released his organ and let him wallow in the throes of orgasmic bliss.

While he was recuperating, I started working on Noah next, but that ended as soon as Jason recuperated.

"Hey, why are you doing it to Noah already. I wanted to watch when you did it to him," he whined.

"Ok, then I'll start over just for you."

He smiled and got really close so he could watch everything I was doing. There were times when our heads bumped, because he kept inching closer and closer so he could see better, but he never complained about those mishaps. Instead, he seemed satisfied that he was able to observe the types of things I'd done to him.

He was just as interested as he watched me finger Noah, but he didn't get quite as close this time. He also asked Noah a lot of questions about what he was feeling, especially after Noah screamed out that I'd just hit the same spot that made him 'leak' the last time. After Noah answered Jason's questions, I explained to Jason that his body might not be mature enough yet to feel the same things Noah did. He seemed to shrug this off and merely said he hoped it would happen soon.

After I sucked Noah off, he said he wanted to do the same things to me. Jason's reaction was a bit more tentative, but eventually he agreed to take turns doing it with Noah, but he watched Noah rim me first, before he tried. Both boys fingered me as well, and they even did it at the same time, since they realized their smaller fingers wouldn't be difficult for me to handle, even when combined. Once they were satisfied with doing that, they took turns sucking me off, with Jason getting the full force of the reward they had been working toward.

Once we'd all gone through the process, we used the bathroom again to urinate and clean up, and then I cuddled with the two boys, with Jason in the middle. We slept very soundly throughout the rest of the night.

Chapter 51
The End of Another School Year.

I woke the boys up early the next morning, because Noah had practice. After we ate a light breakfast, I drove them to the school.

"Thanks for doing that stuff with me last night," Jason said before getting out of the SUV. "I liked it a lot and want to do it again the next time I stay over."

"I don't have a problem with that, as long as it's what you want."

I stuck around and watched the practice after the boys ran off to join the rest of the team, and then I took Noah home when the practice ended.

"Jason really liked last night and said it was fun," he advised me before we reached the house.

"I know. He told me the same thing."

"See, I told you he would, and I like doing it too."

"As I told Jason, I'm ok doing it with you boys, as long it's what you choose."

"Yeah, we both like doing that stuff a lot. And you don't have to worry about us telling anyone else about it either."

"I'm glad to hear that," I confirmed as I was pulling into the driveway.

The rest of the weekend was quite uneventful. We merely talked about what was on the calendar for the following week, and that included two more baseball games. Noah had a home game on Monday and an away game on Thursday, so we made our plans accordingly.

Cheryl and I were able to get to both games, although I arrived later than she did. It didn't seem to bother Noah, though, and he was thrilled that we were both there to cheer him on. They won the first game 4-2, and the next game proved to be even easier, because they won by a score of 7-1. Noah played well in both games, but the coach took him, and most of the other starters, out of the lineup at various points from the third inning on in the second game. Coach Rich did it so he could give the subs some playing time and allow them to gain experience in an actual game situation. The starting players, fans, and other parents, including Cheryl and myself, all felt those boys had been working hard in practices and had more than earned that small consideration.

I didn't have to pick Noah up after practice on Friday, because it was his turn to stay over with Jason. This meant we didn't get a chance to spend any time together until Saturday afternoon, and then I decided to point something out to him.

"I hope you realize that your mom's birthday is in a couple of weeks, and Mother's Day is a week later."

"Yeah, her birthday is on May 5^th and it always comes just before Mother's Day," he confirmed.

"Have you thought about what you're going to get her?"

"Not really, cuz I don't got any money. I guess I could make her something."

"Come on, you should know by now that I'm willing to pay for whatever you want to give her."

"Yeah, I know, but I feel guilty making you pay for everything."

"I don't mind, and you do more than enough to make up for whatever I spend."

"I don't know how, but I'm glad you're willing to do this for me."

"What do you think about getting online and looking for ideas of what you could get her? If you see something you like, we can either order it from that site, or we can go shopping for it locally."

"Ok, that sounds good."

We spent the rest of Saturday afternoon looking for ideas while Cheryl was working, and Noah found one item that he really liked. I told him we could go to a few stores the next day to see if we could find a similar item we could look at before making the purchase. He agreed that would probably be better than buying it online.

We checked out a couple of places on Sunday, but they didn't have what he was looking for. I felt we'd have a better chance of finding it at one of the better jewelry stores that weren't open on Sunday, so we agreed to check those places out the following Saturday. Before we went home, though, we went to another store where he picked out a birthday and Mother's Day card, so the day wasn't a total loss.

During the next week Noah's team had only one game, a home game on Thursday, which they won 2-1. It wasn't easy, but the players were happy that they'd survived another close game.

The next afternoon I picked up both boys from practice, because it was Jason's turn to join us for the night. After we had dinner with Cheryl, we all went over to my side to watch a movie before turning in. As soon as the boys and I were in my bedroom, Jason made his desires known.

"I want to do the same things that we did the last time."

"That's fine with me," I agreed. "What about you, Noah?"

"Yeah, I want to do that too," he said without hesitation.

Seeing they were in agreement, I rimmed and fingered each one before sucking him off. After I'd taken care of both boys, they returned the favor and did the same things to me, sharing the reward when I ejaculated. Once we were all sated, we cuddled together and fell asleep.

After we dropped Jason off at his house on Saturday afternoon, I took Noah to one of the local jewelry stores to see if they had what he was looking for. They had something similar, but it wasn't exactly what he wanted, so we headed to the next store. They didn't have anything close to what he had in mind, so Noah was beginning to worry that he wouldn't find a present for his mom at any of these stores. I quickly assured him that we could always order it online if that happened, because we still had plenty of time, but we lucked out at the next store. They had exactly what Noah was looking for, and after making the purchase, we took it home and I helped him add a little personal touch to it before I wrapped it for him. He was so excited that I was afraid he wouldn't be able to wait another week before giving it to his mom, but fortunately he managed to control himself.

Noah's team had two more games the following week, and both of them were away. Cheryl and I got to the first one, although I didn't arrive until the fifth inning. Noah's team won 5-2, and he'd played well while I was there, so now we turned our attention to the next game.

Cheryl wasn't able to make it to that one, since it was being played on Saturday while she was working. Seeing it had also been Noah's turn to stay over with Jason the night before, I didn't have to drop him off at school to catch the bus. I took my time and fixed myself a leisurely breakfast and after cleaning up I hopped into the SUV and drove to the other team's field.

As I was looking for a good spot where I could place my lawn chair to watch the game, I noticed that Noah appeared to be in an unusually good mood. I took it to mean that he and Jason had fun working on each other's bodies the previous evening and, therefore, the reason he was exhibiting such an upbeat demeanor. I only spent a couple of minutes thinking about that, though, before I began checking out my surroundings. I was immediately impressed with the well manicured field they were about to play on, and the only negative I observed was that there was no fence around the outfield. At this level an outfield fence is more of a luxury than a standard feature, and after what had happened at their last game a fence might even be considered a hazard.

The contest proved to be a real nail-biter and was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, which is seven innings for school teams. This meant they ended up playing extra innings, but neither team scored in their half of the eighth. Noah's team didn't score in the top of the ninth either, and then the home team came up again in the bottom of the inning.

The leadoff batter started off by placing a surprise bunt down the third base line and beat it out. He then attempted to steal second on the first pitch to the next batter, and when the catcher on Noah's team tried to throw him out the ball sailed high and got past both Noah and the shortstop. That allowed the runner to advance to third with no outs.

The batter who'd been up when the runner advanced then struck out, and the next batter hit a blooper out to right-center field. The center fielder made a sensational diving catch and quickly bounced to his feet again as the runner was tagging up. He made a strong throw to the plate and the catcher fielded the ball cleanly before wielding around to make the tag. The rest of us held our breath as we waited for the umpire's call, and it didn't take long before he ruled that the runner had touched home plate before being tagged by the catcher and was, therefore, safe.

Coach Rich raced out to argue the call and insisted that the tag had been made first, but the umpire was adamant in his stance. It had been a bang-bang play, and the home plate umpire had the best view so he refused to consult with the other umpire. It was a bitter pill for Noah and his teammates to swallow, since they'd just lost the game 3-2. Coach Rich didn't give them time to dwell on it, though, and made sure they lined up to slap hands with the other team. After they made it through the line, each player slunk over to the parking lot and climbed onto the bus for the long and depressing ride back.

As I was driving to the school and then waiting for Noah to shower and change, I thought about how he might react to the loss and how I was going to respond. I was also hoping it wouldn't leave him in a permanently bad mood for Cheryl's birthday celebration that we'd planned for the following evening. Noah and I were going to take her out to dinner after she got home from work, and then we'd give her our presents and have the cake and ice cream at the house later.

When I saw him walking toward the SUV, I knew I had my work cut out for me. To my chagrin, Noah seemed to be taking the loss very hard and looked as forlorn as a puppy that had just been scolded. He didn't look up until he opened the door and was climbing into his seat.

"Did you think that guy was out or safe at home?" he demanded as he buckled up.

"It was a really close call and probably could have gone either way, so it was unfortunate that it went in favor of the other team."

"But it's the second game we lost that we shoulda won."

"That may be, but sometimes the breaks go your way and other times they go against you. You have to learn to take the good with the bad."

"I guess, but it's hard and it really stinks. We could be undefeated."

"You could, but you're not, and there's no use dwelling on it, because it's not going to change anything. It's only a game and this is just one season, and you'll have many more seasons before you stop playing."

"Yeah, I know, but it still sucks."

He seemed to perk up slightly as the day progressed, although he was still huffing and puffing slightly as he recounted every detail of what had happened to his mom. She sympathized with him and reiterated that it was all part of playing sports, and then we helped her clear the table and load the dishwasher after we finished eating.

"Do you have to work tomorrow?" Noah asked just before we finished.

"Of course. I always work on Sunday."

"So you didn't take it off cuz it's your birthday?"

"No, but the girl who comes in after me said she'd come in a couple of hours early so I wouldn't have to work the entire shift."

"That is awfully nice of her," I stated while Noah was thinking about what she'd just said.

"Yes, it is, and we all try to make sure we do something like that when someone has a birthday," she confirmed.

"But you shouldn't have to work at all on your birthday," Noah spat back, looking slightly irritated.

"I don't mind," she insisted, "and I'll still get home earlier than usual."

"That will give you a little more time to relax, bathe, and get dressed after you arrive, because we're taking you out to dinner," I stated. When I saw her start to open her mouth to object, I continued. "I've already made the reservation at your favorite restaurant."

"You shouldn't have done that. It costs far too much every time we go there."

"Maybe, but this is for a good cause and you deserve to be pampered once in awhile."

"I appreciate that you're doing this for me, and I know I'm going to enjoy it, but you shouldn't spend so much money doing these things."

"I do it because I want to and can afford it. I also enjoy spending the time with both of you."

Once our discussion ended, Cheryl agreed to watch a movie with us next, since Noah insisted that she should relax and enjoy herself for the rest of the night. Noah sat between us, but cuddled mostly with his mom. I didn't have a problem with that, since I understood that he wasn't ignoring me. He was just showing his mom how much he loved her.

When the movie ended, I bid her goodnight after Noah gave her a hug and kiss, and then she returned to her side of the house. Noah and I then got ready for bed, but we took a little time to fool around first and get our rocks off before going to sleep.

Noah was bouncing around like a pinball the next day, constantly worrying about every little detail of what we had planned for his mom. He wasn't totally happy with the cake when we picked it up; although I thought it looked fine. He also debated over which flavor ice cream we should buy and changed his mind several times as he tried to figure out which one his mom would like best. And then his attention turned to his present.

"Do you think she'll like it?"

"She'll love it because you picked it out specifically for her."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

He calmed down slightly after she arrived home, but not much. The first thing he did was to suggest that his mom take a nap first, before she started getting ready. He knew she would take a bath before getting dressed, because Cheryl preferred to soak in a tub, rather than taking a shower. She said that relaxing in a nice, hot bath helped to soothe her aching muscles and let her unwind after a tiring day. While she was doing those things, I helped Noah get dressed in his suit and tie, since we were going to one of the classier restaurants in the area.

I drove them in my SUV and was extremely proud of the way people looked at us as we entered the establishment and were led to our table. We all looked great and collectively appeared to others as an ideal family unit. If only those people knew the real story.

After having a wonderful meal, we returned home, but we waited a little longer before having the cake and ice cream. I was surprised that Noah was able to wait before giving his mother his present, but then he held his breath as he watched her unwrap the package and waited to see how she was going to react. Eventually, she pulled out the heart shaped locket into which I had inserted a photo of Noah's face that I had trimmed to fit into the small frame.

"This is beautiful," she gushed as soon as she saw it. "I'll wear it every day so this heart with your photo in it will always be close to my heart."

That seemed to eliminate Noah's greatest concern, and after she put the locket around her neck, I gave her my present next. It was a pair of heart shaped earrings that matched the locket Noah had just given her.

"These are lovely too," she stated while looking at me appreciatively, "but you didn't have to get me anything. You paid for dinner and that was more than enough."

"I wanted to do both, so no complaining. Happy Birthday."

We then had the cake and ice cream, which caused Noah something new to worry about. He repeatedly asked if she thought the cake looked and tasted good, and then he wanted to know if she liked the ice cream he'd chosen.

"They were both perfect," she assured him with a smile.

It was getting late at this point, so we decided to turn in, seeing we all had to go to work or school in the morning. By now, Noah and I were convinced that Cheryl was more than satisfied with the things we'd done and the gifts we'd given her on her very special day.

During the following week, Noah had two more home games and his team won both. Cheryl and I got to watch him play in each of them, and he did very well, so we were surprised that he wasn't in a better mood when we got back to the house.

"What's wrong?" Cheryl demanded. "You look as if your team had just lost, not won."

"I'm happy about that, but I'm kind of sad that next week is the end of baseball season."

"It is, but it's also the end of the school year," I pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," he agreed as his mood improved slightly.

That Friday it was Jason's turn to stay over again, and I reminded both boys that Sunday was Mother's Day. "Yeah, I know," Jason agreed. "My Dad and I got her a present last weekend and we're gonna take her out to brunch."

"And I know what I'm going to do for my mom too," Noah added.

After I took Jason home on Saturday, Noah and I went shopping again so he could get his mom something for Mother's Day. Then, he woke me early on Sunday morning so I could help him fix breakfast for her before she left for work. She thanked him for being so thoughtful and gave him a kiss before putting on her uniform and leaving the house.

Once we were alone, Noah convinced me to rim and finger him again, because we hadn't done anything the night before. We'd spent most of the evening with his mom, and then he decided to go to sleep early because he was going to get up early to help fix her breakfast. That meant we didn't have time to mess around last night, so now he was eager to make up for waiting a little longer than usual.

Later, when Cheryl arrived home, we sat down to eat the dinner that I'd helped Noah prepare. After we finished the meal, he gave her a scented candle and a lovely card, along with a bottle of wine that he had me pick out. After he handed each item to her, he explained his choices.

"I know you like to light the smelly candles when you're taking a bath, and Uncle Brian reminded me that you like wine too, so I wanted to get both of them for you. I love you, Mom. Happy Mother's Day."

"Thank you, honey, and they're scented candles, not smelly ones."

"But they smell too," he objected.

"Yes, but they have a good aroma, like vanilla or cinnamon, not a bad smell. I appreciate everything you've done and you've made this a very special day for me. Thank you and I love you very much."

"And we're going to let you pick out the movie we watch tonight too," he added gleefully.

She happily sipped a glass of wine as we watched the movie she'd selected, and I think Cheryl enjoyed the wine and cuddling with her son more than the images that were flickering on the screen.

Noah's final two games were both away, and it was a struggle for Cheryl and me to get to them. We managed to make it to each one, although not always in time to watch every inning, but she did better than I did because she got out of work earlier. However, Noah was more than satisfied that we made the effort to be there for him and got to see at least part of each game. His team won both contests and ended the season with a 12-2 record.

In retrospect, now that the school year had ended, Noah had played three sports this year and each of those teams had done well. The best part, at least for Noah, was that although a few faces remained the same on the various teams, he got to be with a variety of boys during the various seasons. This included seeing each of them naked in the locker room or in the shower, something I knew he enjoyed as much as playing. In fact that aspect of his participation convinced me he'd probably be trying out and playing on multiple teams throughout high school.

Shortly before classes had let out for the summer, Noah, Jason, and Jason's parents talked it over and agreed they'd let Noah spend Wednesday and Fridays at their house until school started again. That way Noah would be there already when it was his turn to spend Friday night with their family, and then on alternating weeks Jason would be able to ride back with us when I picked Noah up.

They also agreed to let Noah stay with them during the two weeks that the soccer clinic was being held, as well as transporting him back and forth to the park, since they were taking Jason anyway. Now that those things had been agreed to, it meant Noah would be at the park near my office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. That way he'd be able to spend some time with Sam, Gus, Glen, and his other friends as well.

When Cheryl talked to Debbie and Monica about the possibility of occasionally allowing Noah to spend time at their apartments if the weather was bad, they brought up something else. It seemed their sons had been bugging them to find out if I was going to take them swimming over the summer again, so she told them she'd check with me and let them know.

When she mentioned this to me, I talked it over with Noah and Jason first, since Jason wanted to do this with us. "Gus, Sam, and Glen want to know if I'm going to take them swimming this summer, so we'll have to decide which day would be best. Should we do it on Saturday or Sunday?"

"Let's do it on Saturday, cuz we'll be together already after spending Friday night with each other," Noah offered.

"Are you planning on playing baseball this summer, because I know Jason is and I don't want to interfere with either of you doing that?"

"Nah, I've decided to just watch Jason play."

"Are you sure?" I asked, but Jason answered before Noah could.

"He's not playing cuz the teams in the summer league don't take showers after practice and games."

"Nuh uh," Noah objected as he punched Jason playfully for teasing him.

"Sure it is, cuz you like seeing all of the naked boys' dickies."

It seemed as if Jason had been reading my mind, because I'd concluded that taking showers would play a major factor in Noah's decision to continue playing sports.

"You do too," Noah spat back, "and you still play in the summer league."

"That's because I've seen enough dickies while I'm helping my dad, but I know you would like seeing even more of them, if you could."

"I still get to see yours when we stay overnight with each other."

"Yeah, but you like checking the other boys out more than I do."

While they continued their playful banter, I began to draw a few conclusions using what both boys had said. If Jason isn't as eager to see naked boys, then there's a good chance he's bi, not gay. He still likes to check the guys out, but if he's not as addicted to it as Noah, then maybe he'll want to start checking out some naked girls too.

"Ok, enough," I said ending their conversation. "Would you boys rather go swimming on Saturday or Sunday?"

"Like Noah said, we'll already be together on Saturday, so let's do it then," Jason confirmed.

"What if you have a game or practice?" I countered.

"My team only has a couple of Saturday games, so I might miss going with you if they aren't later in the day, but I'll go with you the rest of the time."

"What about Saturday practices?" I pressed.

"If the coach calls a practice on Saturday it's usually around 6:00, cuz he works during the day. He fixes up old houses and does stuff like that, so he only takes time off on Saturday if we have an early game."

"Ok, that sounds good, so it's what I'll have Noah's mom tell the other boys' mothers."

"And you guys swim at the state park, doncha?" Jason followed.

"Yes. Is that a problem for you?"

"No, it's just that I've never been swimming except in a pool."

"It's not that different and I think you'll enjoy the change. You don't have to worry, though, because I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"Oh, I wasn't worried about that, cuz I'm a good swimmer. I was just thinking that it's gonna be different walking out on the sand and mud, instead of on cement."

"Yes, that might take a little getting used to, but I'm sure you'll enjoy the change. The other boys seem to."

Now that everything was set, I relayed the information to Cheryl so she could tell Debbie and Monica. Hopefully, when Noah and the other three spend time together swimming and at the park it will help to renew their friendship. It had gotten a little dicey at one point, and they haven't seen each other for awhile, so I'm hoping this will help to get their friendships back on track.

Chapter 52
A Long and Winding Road.

Noah and Jason remained close throughout middle and high school, and this was due to a couple of reasons. The first, of course, hinged upon their joint interest in sports. Starting in the fall they played on the modified (7^th & 8^th grade) soccer team together, with Jason playing striker (center-forward) and Noah playing center-midfielder (center-halfback). They complemented one another splendidly and worked together seamlessly on the pitch. Their ability to anticipate each other's moves helped lead the team to an undefeated season, with Jason scoring the most goals and Noah dishing out the greatest number of assists.

They didn't play soccer together the following year, because Jason was still in middle school and Noah had moved up to the high school. They were reunited the following year and led the junior varsity team to an undefeated season, and the next fall both boys moved up to the varsity squad. Even though it was rare for a sophomore to play on the Varsity team, Jason was one of those rare individuals who were capable of competing with older and more physically mature boys. What made this even more incredible was that Jason was actually the same age as most freshmen, which presented an even greater obstacle for him to overcome. Despite those challenges, during their first year together at the varsity level, the duo helped to lead the team to a district title, and the following fall they helped the team play its way to the State Championship.

The pair also played basketball together, although without achieving the same level of success they'd enjoyed on the soccer pitch. They were named the starting backcourt on the modified team and did fairly well. Jason was the better ball-handler and played point guard, while Noah filled the shooting guard position, and they led the team to a 10-4 record. A couple of years later they joined forces again as the backcourt for the JV team, although not always as starters, and this time the team finished at 8-6. They eventually made the varsity squad as well, although by that time their roles were primarily as supporting players, coming off the bench to give the starters a brief respite.

They were much more successful at baseball than basketball, and became two-thirds of the double-play combination on the modified team. Jason played shortstop and Noah covered second base, with the third member of the combination being a tall, slender, left-handed first baseman whose amazing stretch turned many close plays into outs. Together, the trio did a splendid job patrolling three-fourths of the infield and kept most ground balls hit in their direction from getting through. They also did quite well with a bat in their hands when they came to the plate and all three finished with very respectable batting averages.

This same infield triumvirate also played together on the JV and varsity teams when they got older, and they continued playing very well as a unit. Due to the difference in their ages, however, the three of them only played one season together at each of those levels. Noah and the first baseman were in the same grade and played together every year, while Jason was a grade behind and only played with the other pair every other year. Jason went out for the JV and varsity squads a year early each time so they could remain together, but he wasn't dominate enough at shortstop to make the cut. There was another very good shortstop who was a grade ahead of Noah, and being younger and physically less mature Jason was unable to take his spot. However, the three of them played very well together whenever they were on the same team.

Another reason why the boys stayed close throughout that period was because they both enjoyed exploring their sexuality together. In the fall I noted that they were able to handle my penetrating them with my finger fairly easily, so I started using two digits at a time. When they began to accommodate those with no problem I bought a small dildo and began using that on them as well. After several sessions of using the dildo on each of them, I eventually agreed to allow the pair to start having anal sex with each other, while still enjoying oral sex as well. When Jason stayed over with us they usually asked me to join in the fun, but I would only blow, rim, or finger them until they were in high school.

During Noah's freshman year I finally agreed that he was physically mature enough to handle my girth and gave in to his constant whining about having anal intercourse with him. However, I also came to the decision that I wasn't going to do that with Jason, due to his growing interest in girls. I felt he wasn't really interested in doing that with me, although he still messed around with Noah when they stayed over with each other on Friday nights. Once he reached high school, though, he began having a string of girlfriends and didn't do those things with Noah as often either. During one of his overnight visits during that time, I overheard snippets of his conversations with Noah and was fairly certain that he had already fucked one or more of those girls. Since he wasn't actually gay, I limited what I did with him to sucking, rimming, and fingering whenever they asked me to join them, but most of the time I left the two of them to their own devices.

Noah and Jason's closeness began to wane after Noah left for college, and then their relationship took another hit the following year when Jason started college at a different institution of higher learning. The previous year Noah had been offered a soccer scholarship at a Division II college, while Jason got a soccer scholarship at a Division I university. They remained in contact from time-to-time through their social media accounts, but from that point on it wasn't the same close relationship that they'd enjoyed previously.

When Noah first announced to his mom and me that he'd been offered the soccer scholarship, he and I did some online research before he accepted the offer. That was to allow us to see if that particular college offered an academic program for the major that Noah wanted to pursue. I even offered to cover his tuition, room and board if he thought somewhere else would be better for him, and his mom said she'd pay for his textbooks and other supplies.

After a couple of weeks of doing an in-depth investigation, Noah and I agreed that the college offering him the scholarship had a more than adequate program in his field of interest. Therefore, he accepted the scholarship, which wasn't a full scholarship and didn't cover all of his expenses, so I paid for everything the scholarship didn't. Starting that fall, Noah left for college and was away from home for the next four years when classes were in session. It proved to be a tremendous opportunity and allowed him to be on his own for the first time. It also gave him a chance to meet others who came from vastly different backgrounds, both ethnically and economically. Before long he had a new group of friends, and over time my relationship with Noah began to change as well.

During his freshman year, Noah met and became friends with a young man he'd come into contact with in one of his classes. The boy's name was Caleb Harrington, and he was also a freshman, and they hit it off quite quickly. Part of the reason for this might have been due to a physical attraction between them, although at the time neither one realized the other was gay. They might have suspected or hoped that was the case, but at first they only knew that they enjoyed each other's company. They had a great deal in common, as far as interests and tastes, and this helped to assure a very solid friendship. Ironically, it took them until midterm before they broached the topic of their sexuality, and once that was out in the open things began to evolve rapidly.

Cheryl and I traveled together to spend some time with Noah on Parents' Weekend, and that's when we got to meet Caleb for the first time. This was prior to the pair discovering that they were both gay, so at the time Noah merely introduced Caleb to us as a friend. After the introductions, Noah informed Caleb about how his mom had worked very hard to provide for him while he was growing up, and I thought that was both classy and very sweet.

Noah had initially introduced me to Caleb as Uncle Brian, but now he advised Caleb that I'd been more of a father to him than an uncle, and that was the way he thought of me. This touched me deeply, and his comments about Cheryl and I also helped Caleb bond with us more quickly than might otherwise have happened. Cheryl and I were impressed with how good-looking, well-mannered, and what a caring young man Caleb was, and we felt they would be very good for each other.

Just as we had when Noah played sports in middle and high school, we went to watch his soccer matches whenever we could. Each time Caleb spotted us in the stands he would come up and sit with us, and together we would become Noah's most vocal supporters. I knew Noah appreciated this and it was important to him that we came as many times as we could, while Caleb was there for every home match.

Before the end of the first semester Noah and Caleb had officially become a couple, and even though Noah was excited about this, it also presented him with a minor dilemma. Despite the fact that he and Caleb were now sexually involved, Noah still wanted to mess around with me when he returned home for Christmas break. We talked it over and I agreed to do this with him, but only if we used a condom.

Before he returned to campus, Noah told me that he wanted to do the same during his summer vacation as well, and I responded that we'd talk about it again when he returned home. I didn't want to give him a definite answer at that time, because I felt he might change his mind again before then and didn't want him to feel that he'd already made an unbreakable commitment.

That spring Noah also opted to tryout for the baseball team. Although he'd previously expressed his concerns to me that he wasn't good enough, he earned a spot as a member of that squad as well. Once again, Cheryl and I did our best to get to some of his games, and it was a good thing that the college wasn't very far away from where we lived.

When Noah returned home for the summer, he told me again that he wanted to do the same things we'd done at Christmas, and once again I gave in to him and we were intimate. We basically also did that during his second year of college as well, but as he and Caleb continued to grow closer, Noah and my relationship gradually began to evolve. Before long it morphed into that of a father and son and our sexual intimacy became a thing of the past. We remained as close as ever since then, but now without being involved in a sexual relationship.

Noah ended up playing Division II soccer and baseball for all four years and did quite well at both, but there was never much of a chance that he'd ever progress to the next level, as a professional. It wasn't, however, the end of his athletic career because he continued to play in various recreational leagues for many years to come.

While Noah had been in high school, and even during his first three years at college, I had chosen to put aside my personal and professional ambitions so I could focus on his needs, not mine. I remained working at the same job I'd held when I first met him and merely concentrated on doing everything I could to help him and his mom. However, once he started his senior year of college I began sending out my resume in an effort to secure a position as CFO at a larger corporation. After being contacted by a couple of different firms and going through the interview process, I accepted an offer. It meant that I would have to move, and this created a personal quandary for me. I didn't want to leave Cheryl out in the cold and force her to find a new place to live, so after thinking it over for several days, I decided not to sell the duplex where we'd all been living. I did this so Cheryl wouldn't have to move and could stay in the house for as long as she needed.

Since I wasn't going to be able to take care of the place and handle the various problems that arose, I worked it out with Cheryl so she'd act as the property manager after I moved. She would interview the new tenants and decide who she wanted to live on the other side, and she'd also have the authority to hire people to take care of the yard work and provide any needed repairs. She agreed to perform these tasks in lieu of paying rent, and this allowed her to finally give up her job at 7-Eleven, which made Noah very happy. I also opened a special bank account in both of our names so she could deposit the tenant's rent money in it and then use those funds to pay for any expenses arising from managing the property.

After moving away, I remained in regular contact with Cheryl and Noah, usually on a weekly basis. We would also get together on the major holidays, which meant I would go there to meet them and then we'd all travel together to my parents' house and celebrate with them. My mom and dad loved having us join them on these very special occasions, and they always acted as if Cheryl and Noah were part of the family. They doted on each one and treated them like royals, and sometimes I felt that my parents treated them better than they treated me. Cheryl loved both of them in return and thought of them as if they were her parents as well, and they were the only grandparents that Noah ever knew. I have to admit that it worked out very well for all of us.

That's why it was so emotionally devastating for each of us when my dad passed away several days after Noah graduated from college. I called Cheryl and Noah personally to inform them about his death, and then I arranged to have all of us to fly there for the funeral. Shortly after my uncle picked us up at the airport, I borrowed my parents' car so I could take Cheryl and Noah shopping before we went to the calling hours and funeral. I helped Cheryl pick out an elegant black dress and assisted Noah in selecting a new suit, since neither one had anything appropriate to wear. Noah had long ago outgrown the other suits I'd bought for him, including the suit I'd provided for his college interviews and high school graduation. I'm glad I bought those things for them, though, because they looked terrific when we attended the services.

I wound up returning to my childhood home several more times after the funeral in order to help my mom take care of the things that Dad had handled previously. Eventually, I was able to convince her that it would be best for both of us if she sold the house and came to live with me. She was reluctant to do this at first, because she had lived there with my dad during most of the years they'd been married and the house held many precious memories. Those included the many years she spent there with her husband, as well as the memories of me growing up, but she realized she couldn't take care of the place by herself. In due course, she agreed it would be best to move in with me, rather than live there alone. Since I wanted to allow her to have some privacy whenever she required it, I made certain to set a couple of rooms solely for her use. That way she could enjoy some solitude whenever she wanted to be alone.

In the end, it worked out even better than either of us imagined. It gave my mom something to do besides dwelling upon the loss of her husband. She insisted that I allow her to take care of the house and prepare the meals, in much the same way that she'd taken care of my dad and the house I grew up in. An unexpected benefit of her moving in was that I merely had to provide Cheryl and Noah with tickets to fly here so they could join us to celebrate the various holidays, which meant my house soon became their second home as well.

A few months after graduating from college, Noah and Caleb were lucky enough to land jobs in the same city, although it wasn't the same one where either Cheryl or I lived. We made sure that Caleb knew he had an open invitation to join us on the holidays and any other special occasion, but he let us know that he preferred to celebrate the holidays with his family instead. Eventually, Noah and Caleb got married, and from that point on they agreed to alternate being with Caleb's family or with us on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When my mother died a few years later, Caleb and his parents came to her funeral. After the service we went back to my house and visited for a couple of hours, and during that time we collectively made another decision. From that point on we would all celebrate the holidays together. One year we would do Thanksgiving at my place and Christmas at the Harrington's house, and the following year we'd switch locations. We'd alternate Easter as well, and then the four parents, since they included me in this category as well, would travel to Noah and Caleb's place for each of their birthdays. The six of us had now become a very close extended family.

Noah and I have remained close throughout the many years since we first met, and I truly love him as a son, one I'd gotten to know intimately as well. He and I still hear from Jason once in a while, and I don't think either of us was surprised to learn that Jason had been offered a chance to tryout for a professional soccer team after he graduated. We were stunned, however, that he'd decided to turn down the invitation, until we heard his explanation why. He and his girlfriend, Emily, were planning to get married at that time and he didn't want to spend a lot of time being away from home while traveling to different cities to play a match. Instead, he opted to pursue a more conventional occupation and become a traditional family man. They married soon after he'd made this decision, and they now have two children, a son named Jason Jr. and a daughter named Caitlyn.

Cheryl, Noah, Caleb, and I have gotten together with Jason and his family at various times, and on a couple of those occasions Jason's parents have been there as well. Coach Rich and his wife seemed to be doing very well and were thrilled to be grandparents. It was also fairly obvious to see that Jason and Emily were a very loving couple, as well as being terrific parents to their children. Cheryl, Noah, Caleb, and I have agreed to get together with Jason and his family at least once a year from now on, and Jason told his children to call us Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Brian, Uncle Noah, and Uncle Caleb.

While I've been reminiscing about how things have worked out for each of us, much of what has occurred seems to hinge on one very specific moment in time and one very friendly young boy. For that reason, I will be forever grateful to Noah for finding the courage to come over to speak with me that day at the park so many years ago. Who knows how any of this would have turned out, or what any of our lives would be like today if he hadn't walked up to me and started asking questions?

The End