"Good morning, Clyde, Dave Gates here."

"Good morning. What can I do for you this morning, Dave?"

"I've been thinking about what I would do if I was nineteen years old and had a large amount of money just handed to me. I'd probably go bananas buying everything that I could think of. We need to set this money up in a trust for Pete where there is some control on the amount that he can spend each year until he's mature enough to handle it sensibly."

"Dave you're a wise man, and a very caring one too. To just hand that money to the boy would be very unkind. It would warp his sense of value, probably beyond repair. Doing what you're suggesting will help him learn to use the money properly and in the long run he'll thank you for it. In what increments would you like it doled out to him?"

"Oh, $50,000 a year until he's 25 or until he has achieved his masters degree, which ever come first. And then $100,000 a year until he is thirty at which time he has access to the entire amount."

"At which time the original five, with proper investment, should be considerably more," Clyde concluded. "Dave, in investigating Pete I have discovered that his parents have mortgaged their farm to the hilt to put Pete through school. They are really struggling to survive. I don't know whether Pete is aware of this or not."

"I'm sure he is, but let's see how Pete handles it. If he puts the first allotment toward the debt, I will pay off the whole debt."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Well.....I believe that he will, Clyde."

Pete had been moved out of intensive care and into a private room. His parents seeing that he was going to be okay and out of the hospital in a week, felt they had to get back home. The farm would be okay for a day or two with their neighbors taking care of the animals, but there were just too many things that couldn't be put off for any length of time.

Dave accompanied them to the hospital the morning of their departure. When they entered the room Jason was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Pete's hand. He quickly stood up, but Pete held tightly to his hand not letting him go. "I've got to do this....now." Pete said in a harsh whisper.

Jason blushed and could only nod. He was self-consciously uncomfortable as he looked at Pete's parents and gave them a tentative little smile; his big brown eyes frighten as a deer's caught in a car's headlights. They both smiled at him, and then turned their attention to their son. Pete was sitting up, his upper chest in a cast that extended down his right arm to his fingers. The bandage on his head had been reduced to cover only the shaved area where his scull had been tapped. Dave followed them in.

"Good Morning, Son. How are you feeling this morning?" George asked. Pat just smiled. She was afraid that if she spoke she'd break down and cry. She knew in her heart that the moment had arrived that she had been dreading since her conversation with her husband the previous evening before dinner. She again silently thanked Dave and her husband for opening her eyes and her heart so she could accept and continue loving her only son. She felt like cursing her preacher and his predecessors for filling her with hate and bigotry. She prayed that God and her brother would forgive her.

"Hi, Mom, Dad. Hey, Dave. You've all met Jason?"

"Not really. We've only seen him getting on and off the elevator," George answered, smiling at the shy young man as he extended his hand to Jason. "Hi, I'm George, and this is my wife, Pat."

Pat again only smiled and nodded to him as she thought, 'He's certainly a handsome young man, but he looks so young and vulnerable.'

Pete had to let go of Jason's hand in order to allow him to shake his father's hand.

"It's good to meet you, Sir," Jason solemnly said. He nodded and smiled at Pete's mom, then smiled at Dave and said, "Hi, Dave."

Dave stood just inside the door. He winked and smiled, not wanting to intrude on the moment.

"Mom, Dad," Pete said, "I know you're going to hate to hear this. I've put off telling you for a couple of years. I had no reason to tell you until recently. I can't keep it hidden inside me any longer. It's really been eating at me." Pete closed his eyes. Tears slipped out and coursed down his cheeks. "I just hope you can still love me."

At this point Pat's mothering instincts took over. She moved up to his bedside, leaned down and kissed him on the forehead and said, "No matter what you tell us, my dear Son, we will always love and accept you." Her tears flowed then.

Jason had moved away from the bed to let Pat up to Pete's side. She stepped back and gently pushed him back towards Pete. Pete watched with wonder in his eyes. He'd been so sure that his mother would condemn him and reject him like she had her own brother. She took Jason's hand and placed it in her son's.

"You know?" Pete whispered in amazement.

She nodded. Pete looked at his dad. George smiled, maybe a little sadly and nodded, too.

"Well, I still have to say it." Pete squinched his eyes and then looked back at them. "Dad, Mom, even though you're seeming to accept me, I know you've got to be disappointed. I really wish I could be otherwise, but I'm gay and I'm in love with Jason."

"We figured that all out, Son. Jason, welcome into our family. We love you, Petey. And we're very proud of you, Son. It takes a real man to stand up for what he is and who he loves," George said. He leaned down and kissed his son on the forehead. Pete's eyes got big. His dad hadn't done that since he was about ten years old. George moved back and snaked his arm around his wife's waist. He pulled her up against his side as he looked down at her. "And I'm really proud to be your husband, Pat."

"As long as you and my son are happy, I am, too," she said through her tears. "I've still got to go home and face Sam. You know, I've never let anyone tell me what to think.... except when it came to religion. I guess it's bred into us, we're taught from a very early age to let someone tell us what to believe about God and his teachings. It's wrong. One should decide for oneself what is right. I'm doing that from now on. I'm changing churches; I'm going to find one that teaches love, not hate," Pat said.

"Well, in that case I just might join you, my dear."

Pat turned to Dave. "David Gates, you are an angel. Thanks for all you have done for us. But most of all... thanks for helping our son."

"It has been a pleasure, Pat. I've enjoyed all I've been able to do. I am very happy that you are still together as a family."

"Yes, we're still a family and thanks to you, I've just gained a new son," Pat said beaming at Jason as she put an arm around him and kissed his cheek. Jason blushed.

At that moment George was so proud of his wife that all he could do was just beam and nod his head.

The emotions washing through Jason as he stood frozen next to Pete's bed were overwhelming. If the grip that Pete had on his hand were released he felt that he'd surely crumple to the floor. He'd been filled with dread when Pete's parents had entered the room and caught them holding hands. It took all the bravery that he could muster not to pull away and flee the room. After what Pete had told him about how his mother treated his uncle, Jason had been sure that she would scathe both of them.

He grinned at Pete after they were left alone in the room. Pete reached up and pulled his face down to his. The kiss was so feathery light it left Jason's lips tingling, wanting more. He bent into Pete's lips searching with his tongue. Pete opened to him. Eventually the kiss got to be too much for Pete.

"You've got to stop, Jay," he said, breathing hard, "I'm going to mess the bed." Jason pulled back, out of breath and red faced. They smiled at each other as they calmed down.

"I'm so proud of you, Pete. But you have wonderful parents. Your mother is nothing like you led me to believe."

Pete chuckled. "For sure she is nothing like I led you to believe. I wonder what happened to my old mom?"

"I'll bet Dave had something to do with her changing."

"You know, I have always been afraid that Mom would reject me like she did Uncle Sam, but what was worse was that I was sure I'd be a disappointment to my dad. Yet he showed total acceptance and really seemed happy that you and I are together."

That afternoon when Dave had returned from the airport he went back to visit with Pete, knowing he could visit without any interruptions. He greeted the young man with love and warmth. The look in Pete's eyes said that it was a mutual feeling. Dave pulled a chair up beside the bed, and sat down taking Pete's hand in his. He looked at him for a few moments as he gathered his thoughts. When he finally spoke his eyes were blurry.

"You know, anyone else would have probably just yelled a warning at me and hoped that I would get out of the way of that car. What you did, Pete.... putting your life in harm's way.... was beyond the call of duty. Such actions should not go unrewarded," he took a deep breath, "I recently came into an inheritance and I want to share a bit of it with you."

Pet scowled at the older man. "Dave, I didn't do it for any reward."

"If I even remotely thought that you had, I probably wouldn't give it to you, Pete. Anyway, being that you are still in school and not yet of age, all of your education will be paid for. I've set this up so that you will receive fifty thousand a year until you're twenty-five or have gotten your master's. At that time you'll get a substantial bit more until you are thirty at which time you will receive the rest in a lump sum. I'm not revealing the total to you, but it will be invested so that it will be accruing interest until the day you get it." Dave studied Pete for a moment and then continued.

"I think you are sensible and mature enough to use this money wisely. But I think you should also enjoy it. Thank you, Pete, for being my hero." Dave smiled at him.

"Dave, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And to hell with any reward." Pete was frowning. He showed no other emotion over what Dave had just told him. Being rewarded for doing something that came natural made him uncomfortable.

"Has Jason been in to see you since this morning?" Dave asked.

"No, this is the one day that he doesn't have any breaks until five."

"When are they going to release you?"

"Doc said it would be a couple more days. As you see, I've still got a couple of wires and tubes connected to my brain."

"Well, don't worry about coming back to work until you feel up to it. You are still going to work for me, aren't you?"

"Damn right, I am. I appreciate your help on paying for my schooling. That will alleviate some of the pressure, but I won't let my parents struggle while I play around. That reward money is going to pay off some of the debt on the farm, so I'll still have to work for spending money." He glanced at this arm suspended in front of him and added, "Although, I may not be much use until this cast comes off."

Dave smiled to himself. He had read Pete correctly. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Pete. The debts your parents have taken on putting you through school have all been paid off. Their farm is free and clear."

For the first time since Dave had started talking about the reward Pete's face lit up, tears rolled down his cheeks. "Wow, Dave. Dad and Mom have sacrificed so much for me to go to school. Oh, man, that is so good of you. How can I thank you enough?" He reached out to Dave who wrapped him in an awkward hug against his chest.

"Hey, it's the least I could do for you." He then chuckled. "I'll bet you're already tired of that cast."

A few days after the Petersons returned home to their farm, George stopped and pulled the mail out of the mail box on the side of the road. He carried the mail into the kitchen and after kissing his wife he dropped it all on the kitchen table and picked up the big official looking envelope from his bank.

He wondered if they were going to start foreclosure on his loan. He was a couple of payments behind, but Mr. Edwards had told him he'd carry him for one month more. Crop harvest was just beginning and George felt he would make enough to cover the whole next year.

With a sigh of resignation, he opened it, unfolded the thick sheaf of papers and stared in disbelief at the red ink stamped message across the front page, PAID IN FULL. His wife noticed that he'd frozen with a rather blank look on his face. "George? What is it?" she asked.

He didn't respond so she took the papers from his hand. His arm slowly fell to his side. She looked at the large red words and gasped. "Who--what." She started over again. "Does this mean what it says?" George blinked and glanced at her. "Who would do this sort of thing?" she asked.

"I think I know who did it," he snarled.

Pat startled and looked at him.

"I don't know who he thinks he is, but he's not going to get away with this," George muttered.

"What do you mean? I think this is wonderful."

George glared at his wife. "A man has his pride, you know. I can't accept this. How can I pay him back? If I were to accept this, I wouldn't know how to look anyone in the eye again."

Pat shook her head as she watched her husband turn and march back out the kitchen door. She sat down at the kitchen table and started perusing the stack of documents she'd taken from him.

The last piece of paper was from a lawyer up in UniCity. It stated that the funds to pay off the debt were taken from the trust fund of one George A. Peterson, Junior. It gave Pete's address at the university and a bunch of other legal mumbo jumbo that she just glanced over. (Clyde knew George would be hard put to accept a gift like this. That is why he'd included this form.... to give George a way to accept it. Not seeing any reason to, he didn't explain this to Dave; he just did it.)

After considering it all for a few minutes Pat decided to call this Mr. Clyde Williams and find out just how this had all come about.

"Hello? Mr. Williams, this is Pat Peterson. I'm the mother of..."

"Yes, Mrs. Peterson. I know who you are. You must be very proud of your son."

"Well... well, of course, we are."

"What Pete did was far above and beyond what most people would do. What can I do for you, Ma'am?"

"Well, we just got this packet from our bank saying that the mortgage on our farm has been paid in full. It has my husband very upset."

"I don't understand. Just what is it he's upset about?"

"You city folk just don't seem to understand that you can't just go around doing things like this behind a man's back. My husband is a proud man. It hurts his pride that Mr. Gates has made such a huge sacrifice just because of what Pete did."

Clyde chuckled. "Mrs. Peterson, I think I understand what the problem is. First off, let me give you a different perspective. Your son has been under a lot of stress worrying about this mortgage. He is very aware that if there is the least bit of crop failure that you and your husband will lose everything. He's been carrying around a lot of guilt and fear of failure.

"Now, let me tell you about Dave Gates. This is confidential by the way. Please don't you or your husband repeat this. Besides being a good kind-hearted man, he is also one of the wealthiest men in the world. Between you and me, I personally think he feels a bit of guilt about having all this wealth. He inherited it all. Every cent of it. Your debt was just a pittance compared to his actual worth. So for him to do this for Pete means a great deal to him even though very little of his money was involved."

"Three hundred and seventy-five thousand is a great deal of money."

"Yes, Mrs. Peterson it is, but compared to Dave's billions it isn't even a drop in a bucket."

"Oh." She took a moment to ponder this, then said, "I see what you mean. But just a minute.... are we talking about the same man, the one who drives an old Buick and runs a bookstore?"

Clyde laughed. "Yes, Mrs. Peterson. He's the one we're discussing."

"That's difficult to believe. He's so down to earth. He'd fit in right here as one of our neighbors. He's kind, considerate, and really seems to care about people. He's nothing like our banker who is the richest man in this area."

"Do you think that you can convince your husband to just accept this little gift?"

"Well, to us it is no little gift. But I'll talk to him. By the way, just how much did Dave reward my son?"

"Pat, I can't tell you the amount of the total trust fund; Dave swore me to secrecy. I can tell you that his education is paid for, and that Pete receives fifty thousand dollars a year until he's twenty-five. Just keep in mind that this relieves the pressure on your son. Besides, Mrs. Peterson, if you'll read the bottom sheet you will note that the debt was paid from Pete's trust fund. And though it doesn't state it, let me assure you this is what Pete wanted done."

Pat couldn't see it, but Clyde was moping the sweat from his forehead when she said, "I feel so much better now. Thank you for talking with me, Mr. Williams."

"I'm just doing my job, Ma'am. Call me if there is anything else you need."

Clyde let out a gusty sigh of relief. As far as he was concerned he'd just damned well earned the hefty amount that he charged Dave to take care of his finances. Clyde Williams was a cagey ol' bastard. Although few people knew it, he was a country boy, born and bred. He, fortunately, knew how a man like George thought.

Pat found her husband in the barn working on his big International Harvester tractor. When she stepped up beside him, he stopped his tinkering, kissed her on the cheek and then went back to what he was doing. Pat loved her husband, he was a good man in all aspects of his life. She watched what he was doing for a moment and then said, "Dave Gates is a billionaire."

George bumped his head, frowned and straightened up to look at his wife. "What are you talking about?"

"He's a bit eccentric, driving that old car and working in his bookstore and dressing like a cowboy, but he's one of the richest men in the world."

"So, what are you trying to tell me?"

"That he made no sacrifice to do what he's done for our son."

"Okay?"

"George, Dave gave Pete a reward that was put into a trust fund, and he only gets a bit of it each year. Pete wanted the debt paid off on our farm from that trust fund so he could stop worrying about us, so that's what was done."

George frowned, nodded and ducked his head back into the engine compartment.

Pat smiled to herself and went back into the house knowing that George was going to be okay with what Dave had done for Pete, and hence, for them.

Sunday evening. It was a joy for Dave and Joe to be able to lie in bed, their arms wrapped around each other. There's just something magical about being in full body contact with the love of your life while discussing your day.

"You know, Pete showed hardly any emotion when I told him about the reward. He appreciated that it would relieve the pressure of his parents having to support him, but other than that, he didn't blink an eye. I kind of got the feeling that he was almost resentful. But when I mentioned that I had paid off the mortgage and loans that George and Pat had taken out on the farm, he really got excited. It's apparently weighed heavy on his conscience."

Joe's hand wandered up and down Dave's back in a gentle caress as he listened. His head lay on Dave's arm while Dave's fingers combed through his sun bleached mane. Dave got lost staring into those golden eyes.

"Pete's a great kid," Joe said as he kissed Dave just under his right ear and cupped his bubble buttocks running his fingers through the hair that graced his crack. "By the way, what exactly happened with Pat the other night at dinner? When she stepped off the elevator she was so uptight. And then when you two came out of the bedroom, she had obviously been crying, but she was like a different person. You know, warm and loving. I was speechless when she kissed me on the cheek when they left."

"Well, when you went down to the lobby with Tim's dinner and Sue had gone to the bathroom, I went out to call them in to the table. They were having a conversation about us. I stopped to listen. Joe, George said something to her that I had never thought about. She's apparently belonged to a Holy Roller church for years where the pastor preached that if you were gay, you were going to hell and that all good Christians should cast you out of their lives. George asked her if God makes mistakes. She adamantly said 'no'. So he asked her that if God had made all humans in his image how could he make a person gay and it be a mistake. That really got Pat to thinking. She has a gay brother that she hadn't spoken to in years. She decided to change churches and make up with Sam, her brother. George also laid the ground work for her accepting her son, too."

"Pete's gay?" Joe asked. His hand stopped moving. "I'd never suspected from what little I've seen of him."

"Well, he came out to his parents this morning. I think George had long suspected it. Anyway, Pat took it right in stride, and told Pete she accepted it and still loves him. She did the neatest thing. It blew Pete's mind, I think. His boy friend was there. You remember Jason. She pushed him up to the bed where he had been when they entered the room, and then she took Jason's hand and laid it in Pete's."

"I'll bet little Jason was pissing his pants," Joe chuckled, and then said, "That's really cool. It makes all the difference in the world to have parents that love you and accept what you are."

"Well, you and Johnny sure lucked out. You've got the best parents in the world." Dave rolled onto his back. Joe laid his head on Dave's chest. His wandering fingers were now discovering the weight of Dave's balls.

"Yeah, we do, don't we? What about your parents, Dave, you've hardly said a word about them." He was drawing an inward spiral through the hair on Dave's belly. Dave's arm was wrapped around Joe's back, his hand caressing his shoulder. His free hand supported his own head on his pillow.

"Well, my dad was a Viet Nam War Vet. He lost his legs and sustained some internal injuries that plagued him for the rest of his life. He died before I graduated from college. I'd only introduced Bill to him as a good friend. He never knew that I am gay. My mom lives upstate, near my sister. She loved Bill like he was her own son. She always spent more time talking to him on the phone than me. I believe that she will love you, too, Joe. I talk to her every other day. She's dying to come down to meet you. She wants to get together with your mom and 'compare notes' she said."

"What does that mean?" Joe asked, raised up to look at Dave. Their faces were just inches apart.

"I don't know, but you can bet that you and I will be the subject." Dave lifted his head and pecked Joe on his lips. Joe kissed him back.

A minute or so later Joe asked, "So, it was just the two of you, your sister and you?"

"Mmm hmm, we were really close growing up." Dave dropped back onto his pillow. "When I came out to Mom and Mary, she was okay with it. Lloyd, who was still my sister's boyfriend at the time seemed cool, but after their first child, he really became an asshole towards me. He was always nice in front of Mary and Mom, but let them get out of sight and he'd start with the innuendos. So.... I stay away. Mary doesn't understand and I won't tell her why, so it's become a stalemate. I really would have liked to share in my nephews growing up, but......."

"How many nephews do you have?"

"Three. The oldest starts to college this fall. Mom says he wants to go to school here. But Lloyd is dead-set against it. I'm sure it's because I'm here."

Both men lay quietly in thought for a while, just enjoying holding and touching each other. And then Joe raised up on his elbow and looked at Dave. "How well off are they, Dave? I mean, is it going to be a financial burden to put three boys through college?"

"Well, probably. Lloyd is a building contractor. He makes fairly good money, but...., yeah, it's going to be tough. Mary works full time, too, so that they can put the money away for the boys' education."

"And they don't know about your inheritances?"

"I've not said anything. I'm sure that reading financial papers or magazines is not something either of them would do. I don't think Lloyd would allow David to accept my financial help, anyway."

"Dave, how about an anonymous scholarship. Or better yet," Joe paused and sat up, turned around to face Dave and fold his legs in a Lotus, then said, "let's set up a foundation to supply grants to kids that need the financial help. We could call it The Way Foundation. We could give the first one to your nephew. What is his name?"

"Lloyd David Brown. They call him David."

"So we'll go through the University to let them give us the names of recipients. As each of your nephews graduate from high school we could give them a grant, too."

Dave thought for a bit.

"You know, I really like the idea.... Joe, you're a genius. I'm going to call Clyde first thing in the morning to get the ball rolling. But first there's something that has come up that needs taking care of." He rolled around to where his head was in Joe's lap. He started licking the problem. Joe laid back and let Dave take care of it for a moment, then he twisted around so that they could both take care of the whole matter simultaneously.

Two weeks later an official looking manila envelope arrived at the Brown residence addressed to L. David Brown.

As David examined the contents, a big grin spread across his face. He handed the introductory letter with its logo of The Way Foundation to his hovering mother. At first she thought it was from a religious group, but as she read she realized this was a real foundation and that David was one of the first recipients. Something nagged at the back of her mind that she couldn't quite get a grasp on.

Later, when Lloyd looked it over, he glanced at his son standing beside his chair. The two of them were in the living room alone. "This isn't something that you applied for, is it?"

"No, Dad. I've never heard of the Way Foundation."

"Well, David, the ball is in you court, fellow. I suppose that if you accept this grant, the money that we have put away for your education could go toward your younger brothers' education and Gary's operation. Your mom wouldn't have to work anymore. But I still don't know if I want you going to that University."

"Dad, I know you don't want me to go to there because Uncle Dave lives there. But, you know that any college is going to have lots of fags in them. I don't think Uncle Dave will be any problem. Maybe he can even help me find a place to live."

"You'll live in the dorm where you'll be safe."

"I'll be eighteen soon and I think I'm man enough to protect myself."

"Fine. Fine. As long as it isn't with 'him'."

"Dad, I'd rather live with guys my own age, not an uncle as old as you are."

Mary sat at the kitchen table planning dinner. She could hear her son and husband talking, but didn't pay any attention until she heard Dave's name. She listened closely after that, and began to put things together in her mind. So many little things over the years began to make sense as she realized that Lloyd was the reason that Dave was so distant.

She waited until that evening when the boys were in bed and Lloyd was getting ready to go to bed before she brought up the subject that had her boiling mad. Lloyd had removed his shirt, and was sitting on the edge of the bed unlacing his boots. Mary gathered her slip up to her waist then pulled it off over her head. "You know, Lloyd, I've lived with you all these years and I thought I knew you." Mary's voice was cool and soft.

"What are you talking about, Mary?"

"All these years.... I thought I had done something to offend my brother. I could never understand why he started keeping his distance from me after David was born."

"What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at, Lloyd," her voice hardened, "is that you are a homophobic bastard that has deprived me of my brother, and my sons of their uncle for the last eighteen years." Her voice crackled with anger.

Lloyd shrugged nonchalantly. "He's a faggot, Mary. I didn't want him around to molest my boys."

"You use that word again referring to my brother or insinuate that he'd molest our sons, and I'll cut your tongue out. He may be a homosexual, but he is not a child molester. You should have feared more for yourself. When I was dating you, he thought you were one of the sweetest, most handsome men he had ever met. Well, he was right about the handsome part anyway."

"Mary, it's a known fact that homosexuals are pedophiles. They like little boys." Lloyd had his boots off. He stood up, dropped his trousers and stepped out of them. Casually he bent over and picked them up, folded them and laid them on a chair.

Mary loved looking at her husband's muscular body but at the moment ignored it. "You amaze me. You're an educated man. And yet you sit there spouting nasty little myths that have no basis in truth. If you would look at the statistics you would clearly see that most pedophiles are married men with children. And the pedophiles that aren't married are very seldom homosexuals."

Lloyd looked startled. "Are you saying I could be a child molester?"

"Don't act stupid. You know damned well that is not what I meant."

He self-righteously stretched out on the bed and pulled up the covers. "Well, I still don't think that I was wrong in keeping him away from my boys."

Mary stood at the foot of the bed contemplating him. Her voice was quiet and soft when she spoke. Lloyd had to strain to hear her.

"Lloyd. If you want to keep your boys.... you're going to have to get yourself educated. And then you are going to apologize to them... to me... and to Dave. Fail in any one thing and I am out of here.... with our sons. I will not have them growing up to be bigots. And I will not knowingly continue to live with one."

"I'm not a bigot."

"You'll not be one by the end of next week or you will be wifeless and childless. There is a group of parents and friends of gays; Mother belongs to their association. You will attend their meetings, and get counseling."

She stared at him for a moment as she contemplated her next move. "I'm sleeping in the guest room," she said, striding out of their bedroom.