Chess sat at a sidewalk table in front of the Gates-Way Bookstore perusing the morning paper and sipping a Coffee Americana. The diluted bitterness of the espresso softened by a touch of milk was just his cup of tea. He chewed on his lower lip as he read an article on the ongoing Iraqi war. Silently he gave thanks that his youngest was no longer in the Marines. It had been hard enough on him when Charley had been sent to the Middle East back when George Sr. had been in office.

He was so involved in his thoughts as he held his paper before his face that he didn't realize he'd been spoken to.

"Sir, excuse me," the soft male voice repeated.

Chess dropped his paper to the table top and looked to see who had spoken. A slender young fellow stood across the table holding a plate and a cup of coffee. Chess smiled at him.

"Would you mind if I sit at your table? There seems to be no other unoccupied chairs," the young fellow said.

"Certainly, sit down, Son. Sit down."

Chess watched him meekly sit. The young man glanced up and Chess smiled at him again as he offered the young fellow his hand. "My name is Chess Hill."

The young fellow stood pushing his chair back with his legs. "I'm Roy, Sir. Roy Mason."

"It's nice to meet you, Roy. Please sit. Enjoy your sweet roll."

Roy mumbled something Chess didn't catch, but he let it pass. He studied the young man. Although he was dressed in expensive looking clothes, they looked like they'd been slept in.

"Are you a student here at the University?"

Roy glanced up at him and then looked away.

Chess watch the young man's eyes fill with tears as he blinked and firmed his mouth to suppress them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit on a sensitive subject," Chess said.

Roy looked back at Chess, wiped his eyes with a paper napkin, and said, "I'm the one that should apologize, Sir. I should be able to keep my emotions under better control. To answer your question, I am enrolled to start this coming spring, but my support has collapsed and I don't know how I can......" He bit his bottom lip and stared off toward the street.

Chess sat silently waiting for the young man to gain control once again and was shocked by the vehemence when he said, "My father," he made the word sound nasty, "last Saturday discovered that his youngest son is a faggot. He gave him an hour to pack his stuff and get out." Roy breathed in and let out a great ragged breath. He glanced off and then turned his gaze back to the kindly man across from him. "If you haven't figured it out, I am the youngest son. I'm the faggot." It surprised him to find Chess still sitting there looking sympathetic. Roy sighed and added, "And here I am, without any idea of where to go from here."

Chess studied the young man a moment still not responding verbally.

"So why aren't you being disgusted and repulsed by me?" Roy asked.

Chess stood up. "That's not my way. Come, bring your coffee with you." He didn't look back until he was through the door into the bookstore. He smiled at the young man when he saw that he was hesitantly following. Chess waited for him and put a friendly hand on his shoulder. "I have a solution to your problem, if you will trust me. I didn't want to say anything out there because there were several people listening."

Chess led him through the store to Dave's office. He knocked on the open door and Dave looked up from the newspaper he was perusing.

"Chess, come in, how's Chuck?" He smiled effusively.

"Chuck's fine. It's his morning to cover the office."

"So who is this young man?"

It took a moment for Chess to answer. "Oh, I'm sorry, I got to thinking about Chuck and forgot why I'm here."

Dave laughed and shook his head. "Young love."

Roy caught the inference in the comment and had no doubt that Chuck was his partner. He looked at Chess again. 'He couldn't be,' he thought, then looked at the handsome man behind the desk. He looked like your regular cowboy/farm hand in a plaid flannel shirt, Levi's and cowboy boots.

"Dave this is Roy Mason. Roy, Dave Gates. We're going to set things right for you."

"It's nice to meet you Roy. Come in and have a seat. I see you have some coffee. Chess would you like a cup?"

"No, I'm fine. Getting right to the point, Dave, Roy got disowned by his father. He needs a place to live and he's apparently going to need financial assistance when the fall semester starts."

It surprised Roy that Chess hadn't outed him. He wondered what he'd gotten himself into when he asked to sit at Chess's table. He imagined all kinds of horrible possibilities.

"Roy," when the young man simply stared at him unseeing, Dave repeated his name, "Roy, I want to assure you that nothing but good is going to happen to you." He turned to Chess. "The room across from the one Charley and Jake recently vacated is still available, isn't it?"

"I believe so, and the room that Jake was using as his office is, too, I think," Chess answered.

Dave nodded. "That takes care of a place for him to live. And I've got the paper work here for him to apply for a grant for four years at the University." He opened a drawer and pulled out a sheaf of papers.

Chess turned to Roy. "Since your dad...."

"He's not my dad, Sir. As of last Saturday he is only the sperm donor," Roy stated flatly.

Both men stared in surprised shock at the angry young man's vehement outburst. Without missing a beat, Chess said, "Since your sperm donor gave you an hour to pack, I assume you're not in need of clothing."

Roy looked apologetic and replied, "Actually, I got all my clothes, my pc and my laptop packed into my car in record time. I left all my trophies for him." Tears suddenly filled his eyes. "I guess I'm lucky. I've read about the abuse some guys go through when they come out to their parents. Mom kept assuring me that my father would come around eventually. But he said some awfully nasty things to me before he stormed out of the house."

There was a knock at the door. Roy stopped talking and looked up to see who was interrupting. His mouth fell open when he saw the big handsome man grinning at Dave and Chess.

"Jake, come on in. Meet Roy Mason. He's going to be living with Pete and Jason." Dave said.

Jake paused to give Chess a hug and a peck on his cheek. "Hi, Dad," he said, and turned to Roy.

His smile went right to Roy's core. "You're....you're Jake Shipman. Wow, who'd think. It's fantastic to meet you, Sir."

Jake grinned. "Cut the sir bit, Roy. I'm just Jake. It's nice to meet you, too. I'm sure you'll like living with Jason and Pete. They're fantastic fellows."

Roy just grinned and nodded. Then Jake turned his attention to Dave and hugged him. "I thought my man was on duty this morning."

"He is. He's probably lost in the stacks."

At that moment another big, and if possible, more handsome man entered and discreetly closed the door. "Damn, Dave," he said, "I'm falling down on the job. I turn my back for a moment and you're besieged by these guys."

Roy watched wide eyed as Jake and Charley met in an all out hug and kiss. He heard Jake mutter, "I missed you, Babe, so I thought I'd stop by for a little love."

Chess and Dave were across the room and apparently missed what Jake said. Roy watched their reaction to the two big masculine men and couldn't believe that they just smiled.

"Charley, I think you should meet, Roy," Jake said turning toward him. "Roy, this is my other half, Charley Hill. Charley this is Roy Mason, he's going to be moving in with Jason and Pete."

Charley took Roy's hand and said, "You're a lucky guy. Roommates don't come any better than those two."

Roy tentatively smiled, but looked totally bewildered. Dave noticed. And while Jake and Charley were hugging and talking to Chess he discreetly sat next to the young man.

"You'll get used to it. Once you meet all the other fellows you'll become inured to it all."

"Mr. Hill is Charley's dad?"

"Can't you tell just by looking at them?"

Roy nodded. "I'd kind of figured that Jake might be gay from his book, but the bio said nothing about him having a partner. And you, you just accept them like they're your best friends."

"We're all a close family, Roy."

"You mean you're...."

"Yes, I'm gay, too."

"So am I," Roy said meekly.

"So welcome to the family, Roy."

The big imposing man leaned over the registrar's desk. "He is only seventeen and I am his father." He pulled out his wallet and showed the stubborn woman his driver's license. "So please, give me his address."

"Considering the circumstances under which he is registered, I hesitate to do so without proper authority," the woman said.

"What! I need to get the police to get you to give me his whereabouts?"

"That wouldn't do you any good, Sir. Let me make a call and see if we can facilitate your request."

The big man closed his eyes a moment and then said, "Fine. Do it."

"You may be seated over there." The woman picked up her phone and dialed. "Pardon me for imposing on your day, Sir, but there is a Mr. Mason here looking for his son, Roy Mason."

Pause.

"Yes, that's him. He is here under your grant program."

Pause.

"Thank you. I'll tell him, Sir." She set the phone back in its cradle and looked over at the man.

"Mr. Mason, Mr. Gates will be here in a few minutes to speak with you. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait? I just made a fresh pot."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I would appreciate one."

Once he had the styrofoam cup in his hand he sat back and closed his eyes. What a nightmare the last two months had been. His wife and his three older children weren't speaking to him. Once he'd cooled down after...... He shuddered. The thought of what he'd caught his youngest son doing still tied his stomach in knots. He regretted his reaction, but he just couldn't abide what he'd seen. He heard the office door open and glanced up to see a man in a plaid flannel shirt, jeans and cowboy boots enter. The man's face looked familiar but he couldn't place where he'd seen him before. He watched the woman at the desk rise and smile at the man as she said, "Good morning Mr. Gates."

She stepped around her desk and said, "This is Mr. Mason. Mr. Mason, Dave Gates."

Mason was on his feet immediately. He set the cup down and blinked at Dave with his mouth open. Dave smiled at him and held out his hand. Mason stumbled forward and grasped it, saying, "My God, I never dreamed of meeting you."

Dave smiled benignly, "It nice to meet you, Mr. Mason."

"Why would a man as important as you be called about my son?"

"Mr. Mason, money doesn't make a man important. The only reason I am important to you is I hold the decision as to whether you are a worthy of a meeting with your son. I'm sure you are aware that my people have interviewed your family about the circumstances under which you disowned your son, and that your wife gave me notarized guardianship over Roy until he turns eighteen.

Mason sputtered. His wife had mentioned something about a man asking questions about Roy, but he hadn't paid attention.

"Now would you like to tell me why, at this point, you want to see Roy?"

Mason collapsed into a chair and buried his face in his hands. "I acted wrongly. I want to make amends, apologize for the horrible things I said."

"That sounds like a beginning. Why don't you come with me to my private office where we can talk more." Dave turned to the woman at the desk. "Thank you, Marcia, I'll let you know what happens."

Dave led Mason out of the registrar's office. He smiled at a tall handsome blonde man who fell in behind them as Dave led them down the hall and out the door. Mason assumed that the man was Dave's bodyguard and ignored him. He walked silently beside Dave as he led him across the quad, then across the street and into a bookstore. He was surprised that he hadn't been led into another office or another building on campus. Dave walked through the store to the back, pausing long enough to stop a young man with an arm load of books. "Pete, this is Mr. Mason. Would you be so kind as to bring us some coffee?"

Pete grinned at Dave and nodded, then gave Mason a stern look before turning to do as bidden. As soon as Pete set the stack of books down, he pulled out his cell phone and called the house. When Jason answered, he said, "Tell Roy that Dave just took his dad into his office."

"He's over at Jake's. I'll call him."

The tall blonde bodyguard followed them into the office and moved to stand against the back wall. As Dave closed the door behind Mason, Mason said, "That boy acted like he knows who I am."

Dave motioned for Mason to take a seat. "Pete and his partner, Jason have the house where Roy is living. I'm sure he put two and two together and came up with the right answer." He turned to his guard and said, "Charley, relax. Mr. Mason isn't a threat." Charley nodded but frowned at Mason before sitting in a straight chair beside where he'd been standing. Mason wondered if this Charley knew his son, too.

There was a tap on the door. Charley opened it to let Pete enter with a tray containing three old fashioned coffee mugs and a carafe along with a plate of small pastries. "Sue had this ready to bring to you." Pete said to Dave, as he again glanced at Mason with a frown and then grinned impertinently at Charley.

"Thank you, Pete, tell Sue I appreciate how she looks after me."

"Sure Dave, anything else?"

"Do you know how to get hold of Roy at this time of day?"

Pete grinned impertinently, "I already put the word out. He'll be showing up soon."

Dave shook his head. "Always trying to stay one step ahead of me, aren't you?"

Pete shrugged. "I just thought Roy should be warned." He shot another frown at Mason.

"Okay, Pete, I'll take care of it from here. Tell Roy to wait until I call him, please."

"Right." Pete closed the door as he exited.

Dave glanced at Charley who was grinning. "Can't help but love that young man," Charley said.

Dave nodded and then looked at Mason. "How do you like your coffee, Mr. Mason?"

"Just black, thanks."

Dave poured coffee into the three mugs, handed one to Mason, then offered him a pastry which he took along with a small napkin and placed them on his thigh. He watched Dave put a teaspoon of sugar into another mug, stir it and then hand it to Charley. Dave noticed the rise of Mason's eyebrows and said, "Charley is a dear friend as well as my personal bodyguard."

Mason nodded.

Dave put a little cream into the last mug and took a sip, sat down at his desk and studied Mason. Even though Mason was nearly as tall as Charley and heavier, he had to fight the urge to squirm under Dave's gaze.

"Tell me Mr. Mason, how you've felt since you learned Roy is gay."

Mason studied the mug cupped in his hands and then glanced up at Dave. "Angry at first, obviously. Then ashamed. A failure. Defeated. Miserable."

Dave nodded and held his gaze.

Mason continued, "I love my son. I want him back."

"Tell me about Roy."

"We have four children. Jim the oldest is married and has two little boys. Bob my second son and my daughter Maria are both working on their Master's degrees at our local university and still live at home. Maria, the youngest next to Roy, is four years older than him. Roy was a surprise to us. Not unwanted, but unplanned. Roy was a delightful child. He filled a spot neither of us had realized was empty. I've always been close to my all of my children. I've always heard that a father is always closer to his first son than the rest. But I think Roy and I were closer than Jim, my first son, and I were. I suppose that's why I reacted so badly. It was such a shock, walking in on him naked and in the arms of another naked young man.

"Mar, my wife, apparently already knew that Roy was....gay. Her response was that I should have knocked before entering Roy's bedroom." He cleared his throat. "I stormed out of the house. Must have driven around for an hour or so and then stopped at a park and just walked around thinking." He looked up at Dave. "I hate the fact that my son is a homosexual. But I he's still my son and I love him. I'm still mortified that I'd said such horrible nasty things to him. Once I got myself calmed down and thinking rationally, I went home to apologize to him and make amends; but he was gone. My wife had locked herself in the bedroom and wouldn't speak to me. I'm just thankful that Bob, my second son, and Maria weren't home to witness my explosion.

"When I walked into Roy's vacated room I was devastated. The only things he'd left were the sports trophies he'd won over the years. Roy was gone. I don't know how long I sat on his bed. Benumbed. I was aware that Bob and Maria had come home. I heard them talking to their mother. Eventually Mar came into the darkened room and sat down beside me. For a long time neither of us said a word. Then when she said, "I suppose I should have told you," I broke down and cried. I begged her to forgive me as I cried into her bosom. She held me and said nothing. Just kept rubbing her hand up and down my back.

"Finally, I pulled myself together and asked her if she knew where he had gone. She shook her head. "No," she said with a big sigh. "He only told me that you could find him if you really cared to look for him."

"I'm not a rich man, Mr. Gates, I couldn't afford to hire a detective agency to search for Roy. I'm still paying for his older brother and sister's college. If Roy hadn't sent a note to his..." (Mason closed his eyes and gulped) "...friend, asking him to tell his mother that he's going to school here, I don't know if I could have found him. But he didn't give an address. As soon as Mar told me that Roy is here I jumped on the earliest plane possible." He looked up at Dave with unabashed tears running down his cheek. "I want to see my son, Mr. Gates. I need to beg his forgiveness. I'll get down on my knees and beg you if I have to."

Dave stood. "I'm convinced. Let me see if he's arrived yet." He walked around his desk and opened the door.

Mason was right behind him. Looking over Dave's shoulder he saw Roy standing in front of another tall familiar looking man who had his hands protectively on Roy's shoulders. He glanced at the man who stared back at him. Mason glanced at Pete standing next to them, looking protective, too. Roy was staring at the floor. Dave stepped back and said, "Roy, I'm convinced you dad is sincere. But it's up to you whether you want to see him or not."

Roy looked up at his father, seeing his red tearful eyes, the tear streaks down his cheek, his expression remorseful. He looked like he'd aged ten years, his shoulders were slumped, his whole demeanor showed defeat. Still, with the hateful words echoing with the rage that had been hurled at him, it was difficult to connect that devastating experience to the image of his father standing before him. He felt an urge to rush to him, tell him that he was forgiven, but he couldn't move.

Mason studied his beautiful son and wondered how he could have said such terrible things to him. He could see the pain in Roy's eyes. He'd put that pain there. He had to remove it. He wanted to see the happy boy that he remembered. He started forward and saw him move back against the man behind him. The man's right hand slid from Roy's shoulder to the center of his chest. He glanced up at the man. He knew the emotionless face from somewhere, but he couldn't figure out where. He glanced back at his son's face and saw a tinge of fear. Mason's knees buckled and he crumpled to the floor. "Oh God, I am so sorry, Roy. Please forgive me," he groaned.

Roy felt Jake's hand urging him forward. He propelled himself to his dad, wrapping his arms around his bowed head. "I love you, Pop," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

Mason looked up at his son. "No, My Son, I'm sorry. I had no right to say those things to you. I'm here to beg you to forgive me. I love you, Roy. I want you back."

Dave and Jake had moved to stand in front of the door to block the curious eyes of the students shopping. When Mason stood up with Roy clinging to him, Dave motioned for Charley to join him as he stepped out of the office in order to give the man and his son some privacy.

Chess and Chuck, unaware of the drama inside, had stopped at the bookstore for coffee and were sitting at a table on the wide sidewalk when Jake, Charley, and Dave emerged with mugs in their hands. After hugs all around, they joined Charley's dad and his lover. Dave told them what had been transpiring. He'd barely finished when Roy came out with his father's arm around his shoulders. When they passed Pete, Roy stopped and hugged him, then introduced him to his dad. "It's good to know, Pete, that Roy has such staunch protective friends."

"Roy's one of the good guys, Sir," Pete replied.

After introductions around the table. Mason looked at Jake and said, "Those Shifting Sands."

Jake grinned.

"I found it in my Roy's room and read it. Thanks for writing it."

Conversation settled to a comfortable level. Jake stretched out with his butt on the edge of his chair with an arm around the back of Charley's chair. He looked with love at the men gathered around them and turned to Charley. "I guess we all have a rough road to travel sometimes."

Charley squeezed his knee. "Yeah, but you and I now have clear skies, and smooth sailing. All the rough roads only made us stronger and closer, and brought a loving bunch of friends into our lives. We're family."