The movers had packed up Jean's house early that morning and then moved over to the Brown's. The few things that the three needed, like toiletries, a change of clothes, etc., had already been packed and placed in the two vehicles, ready to head south as soon as the movers were finished.
Max was torn between riding with his grandmother or his dad. Jean had a solution, they would stop for lunch half way and Max could switch. The first half of the trip he rode with his dad. As they left the city where he'd been born and raised, Max turned and looked back. The downtown buildings were diminishing toward the horizon. Max sighed and turned to face the oncoming road.
Lloyd looked over at his son, and his heart filled with a longing he hadn't felt before, even with his oldest son. He wished that he could find that closeness again that he'd had with Max through his childhood years. Crawling into Max's bed and holding him after he had run away was the last time Max had seemed to need that closeness. Even though it had only been a couple of weeks, not even a month, it seemed to have been ages ago. Max had met Joseph right after that and had turned to Dave. Lloyd figured that he should be thankful that Dave was there to help guide his son for him, but he still yearned, as Max's father, to be the one to guide him in his development into manhood.
Max wanted more than anything to find the closeness with his dad that he seemed to have lost since coming out. Not sure as to whether it was his doing, or his dad's, he was determined to break through the barrier that he felt building between them. The added anxiety and turmoil of moving only exacerbated the need. Max felt his dad's eyes on him and looked over at him. He thought that his dad's eyes looked a little teary, so he reached out and placed his hand on his dad's arm. "It's a big change, Dad, but we'll all stick together, and get through it just fine," he said.
"I know it's hard moving away from all your friends, Max." Lloyd smiled at his son. "But you haven't complained at all. That's really grown-up of you."
Max stared out the windshield. "Moving isn't hard. All my friends basically abandoned me."
"What are you talking about?"
"I decided to come out to everybody the day I got back." Max said as he looked at Lloyd for his reaction.
Lloyd grimaced as though it hurt, and said, "That must have been a difficult thing to do. I admire your bravery, Son."
"Well, it wasn't as difficult as it was dumb. One thing happened that was kind of weird, Jimmy Forester told me he'd watch my back for me."
"That's the big kid that was always picking on you?"
"Yeah, Dad, that's him."
"Is that all he said?"
Max sighed and relived the scene before continuing. "Well, I'd waited until all the other guys had showered before I went in to get mine. Jimmy walked in, and that scared me. He begged me to calm down...said he only wanted to talk to me. He said he was sorry for picking on me all the time, and that he would watch my back and not let anyone get physically abusive. Then he cried, Dad. The big bully cried. I hadn't expected that kind of reaction. Anyway, Jimmy said he guessed it's a good thing that he was moving to Japan to live with his dad, because we couldn't be friends anyway. He then said, 'I can't let the rest of the kids think that I'm gay, too. But I'm not completely abandoning you Max. I won't let any of the guys give you a hard time.' I didn't understand what he meant, talking as if we had been friends. I replied that it didn't matter anyway, since I was moving down to UniCity in a couple of weeks. Then he said to me, 'Well, someday when it doesn't matter anymore, maybe we'll meet up again. Maybe then we can be friends.'
Max recalled how he had just shrugged and said, "Yeah, sure, Jimmy, that would be cool." He'd had a hard time holding his head up as he watched Jimmy walk away. And he was still wondering what the look meant that Jimmy had given him when he turned and looked back, just before disappearing around the corner.
"Sounds to me like the boy had a crush on you, Max, and didn't know how to handle it, other than pick on you."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that out a little too late."
Max looked so sad and forlorn sitting on the other end of the bench seat that Lloyd's eyes teared up. He wiped the back of his hand across them so he could see the road. The lump in his throat kept him from saying anything. He reached over and pulled Max toward him. Max undid his seat belt and slid his butt over to sit against his side. Lloyd kissed him on the forehead and held him close. Max melted into his dad's hug. Lloyd cleared his throat, coughed and said, "Well, things will be different in your new school, Son. Mr. Darcy, Joseph's dad, said that the school has zero tolerance for any kind of prejudice."
"I know, Dad, Joseph was telling me that the middle school and high school are both that way."
"Speaking of Joseph, why don't you tell me about him. He's called you every night since you met him."
Max blushed and moved away from his dad's side. Lloyd figured he needed the space and let him go. Max snapped his seat belt back in place. "I learned a new word in English class last week," he said, staring out the side window.
Lloyd assumed that Max was changing the subject. He glanced at him and then looked back to the road.
"Enigma." Max stated. Lloyd glanced at him, surprised at him knowing the word. "It means a baffling or seemingly inexplicable person or thing. Joseph is an enigma to me. He is the most amazing person I've ever met." Lloyd smiled when Max's excitement rose as he tried to explain about Joseph. "One moment he's this little boy, and the next moment this totally logical adult. He makes me feel like I am the little boy sometimes. And yet, he makes me feel like I'm the most important person in his life. He's only eleven, Dad, and I'm nearly sixteen. It's an impossible situation. And he just won't see it."
Lloyd thought about what Max was saying and felt he was missing something. "I don't quite understand what you're saying, Max. What's so impossible about being friends with someone four years younger than you?"
Max looked at his dad like he was dense or something. And then it dawned on him that his dad didn't know. Max blushed and stared out the side window, wondering how to tell him that Joseph was now his boyfriend. Lloyd saw the blush and began to realize what Max was talking about. "Oh," he said. "Joseph isn't just your friend is he?"
Max blushed more furiously as he glanced up at his dad. He couldn't believe his dad was being so casual about it. Lloyd grinned. "Well, Joseph has damned good taste, I'd say."
"Daaaad!"
"And you have good taste, too, Max. Joseph is a beautiful boy."
His embarrassment was forgotten as he thought about Joseph, Max grinned at his dad.
Lloyd watched his son's expression. It thrilled him to see Max growing up and in the throes of first love. "Hey, Max." Lloyd softly called him out of his daydreams. Max looked at him.
"Yeah, Dad?"
"I love you, Son."
Max grinned and scooted back over by his dad, wrapping his arm around his chest. "I love you too, Dad."
Lloyd ruffled the boy's hair and smiled to himself. Life was good. He had Max back. Mary and his youngest son, Gary, would soon be coming home. He was eager to see Gary standing totally straight. His eldest was doing well in his first year of college. They were moving into a fabulous new home, thanks to his generous brother-in law. And thanks also to Joe, a new venture in business that was certain to be successful and very fulfilling. 'It will be so fantastic to build houses like they should be built without having to cut corners.... and to have an architect of Joe's caliber designing them. What more could I ask for? Yes, life is good.'
* * *
Jean was having much the same line of thought as she followed Lloyd's pickup down the interstate in her daughter's new SUV. Jean had decided to sell her car after Dave had insisted that he would buy her a new one. She watched Max's head and shoulders move back and forth across the back window of the pickup and saw Lloyd put his arm around Max's shoulders. She used her imagination and knowledge to guess what the conversation was about between her son-in-law and her favorite grandson.
Yes, that was the way she thought of Max. Although she had a close relationship with all three of her grandsons, he'd always been the one closest to her heart. She loved the other two boys very much, but Gary always seemed to cling to his mom and dad's affection, and David had always been so independent. But Max loved his Grandy. Yes, Max was her favorite although she would never admit it to anyone but herself.
* * *
Lunch had been rather innocuous and the conversation between his dad and grandmother rather boring. Max rode in silence beside Jean in his mom's car, day dreaming about what life was going to be like living in University City, already having a boyfriend before he even started school.
Jean looked at Max who had his head wedged between the seat and the padded door jam. His eyes were closed.
"Are you sleeping?"
'Well, if I was, you just woke me up,' he thought, feeling kind of grouchy, but he answered civilly. "No, Grandy. I'm just thinking."
"Want to share your thoughts with an old lady?"
Max grinned. Even though, he knew Jean was his mother's mother, he didn't think of her as old in the sense of being old, well, maybe older than his parents, but not old old. "Yes, Old Lady, I'll share them."
Jean gave him a look that let him know that he was treading amongst land mines.
"Sorry, it was just too much to resist." He grinned at her.
Jean grinned back to let him know he was forgiven. "So what has you so troubled? Couldn't be all the upheaval you're going through with the move."
"Nah, I can deal with all that, Gran." He paused in thought. "It's..... it's Joseph. I just don't know how to deal with him."
"What's the problem with him, Max?"
"He's eleven. He acts like he knows exactly what he wants, and I'm fifteen and I haven't the least idea what I want."
Jean studied the road, looking like she was thoroughly involved in her driving. "Max, I know this is going to sound condescending, but I don't mean it that way. You're so very young. Joseph is even younger. Emotions are very intense at your age. I guess the best advice I have to give you is, just be kind to each other. Love each other, and try not to hurt each other."
"Grandy, I understand all that. I would never do anything intentional to hurt him. But.... but.... I'm starting high school this fall. I can't have a boyfriend in the sixth grade. I'll be the joke of the whole school. I tried to explain that to him. He just won't understand."
"Well, you've got the whole summer to try to figure out what you're going to do. Maybe you'll come up with the right answer by then. In the mean time enjoy getting to know each other better."
"Yeah, I guess I am worrying too soon. Maybe by the time school starts we won't even like each other. Huh?" Max couldn't believe that he was saying that just to get his grandmother to let the subject alone. To himself he thought, 'I may only be fifteen, but I know that Joze is the only one for me.'
"That's the adult way to look at it, Max. Just enjoy the summer and get to know Joseph."
Of course she was right. What else could he do?
* * *
That night they all stayed with Dave and Joe. Dave had already prepared the potatoes and put them in the oven to bake. He had coated asparagus, carrots and zucchini spears with virgin olive oil for Joe to cook, along with pork chops on the outside grill, while he made a tossed green salad. Jean had tried to bustle in on the work, but Dave insisted that she relax after the long drive. By nine o'clock she and Lloyd had retired to their respective rooms for the night with Lloyd admonishing Max not to stay up too late.
Max had been watching MTV just to get away from the adult conversation. When his dad and grandmother retired for the night he turned off the TV and went looking for Dave. He found him sprawled on one of the overstuffed outdoor sofas in the roof top garden, with his head on Joe's lap. Joe was stretched out with his bare feet up on the glass and wrought iron coffee table, his arms spread on the backs of the big soft cushions. Both men had discarded their shirts and were wearing only their shorts. Max stared at Joe's magnificence. His broad muscular shoulders, his chest covered in a mat of dark blonde nearly brown hair, his long sinewy legs. He'd seen his Uncle Dave totally naked, and he'd seen him in just his cut off sweat pants several times since, so he already knew that he was a hunk, but he let his eyes drift over him, too. These two magnificent men were overwhelming together.
Dave noticed him standing in the doorway in a state of thrall, his eyes big, his mouth open in a little 'O'. 'Joe does have that effect on people,' he thought to himself. He never considered that Max might be 'O'ing over him, too. "Come out and join us, Max. It a nice balmy evening," he called to Max.
"Are you sure?" Max gulped. He was instantly excited with the thought of even getting near Joe, the most magnificent man he'd ever seen. Dave grinned at him, imagining just what was going on in his nephew's young mind.
"Sure." Joe answered, unaware of his effect on the teenager. "You want to lay out on Dave or cuddle on this side of me?" He patted the cushion opposite the side Dave was on.
"Sit on that side. This side is all mine," Dave said.
Max was thankful for tight underwear and loose baggy shorts. He primly sat down on the edge of the sofa. Joe reached around his chest and pulled him back into the cushions and up against his side. "Isn't that more comfortable, Max?"
Max was sure he was going to pass out any moment. The warmth of Joe's body felt like a furnace. His heady male scent had Max's head reeling. The only sound he could manage to get out was a squeaky "Mmm hmm."
Dave chuckled. He could image the awe that Max was feeling just then. "I think it's a bit too much for him, Joe."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just imagine suddenly sitting up against a big Roman god that has only been worshiped from afar. It can be right down frightening."
"Roman god? Worshiped? Me?"
Dave nodded against Joe's thigh.
Joe looked down at Max who hadn't relaxed. "Are you afraid of me, Max?"
Max shook his head.
"Well, there is no reason to be. I just want to snuggle you like Dave does. Relax."
He rubbed his hand up and down Max's arm. Max squinched his eyes. He was sure he was going to mess the front of his shorts.
"I know how to get you to relax." Joe lifted Dave's head off his leg and stood. He turned quickly, pushing Max down on the plush cushions of the sofa and started tickling his ribs.
"Oh! Oh! Please no, Stop!" Max begged in the throes of laughter. Suddenly, his body went ridged, his eyes turned up in their sockets and then he convulsed a couple of times. Joe snatched his fingers away from Max's ribs, wondering what was wrong with the boy as tremors continued to jerk and shake his body. Max sighed as his body went limp, and then his eyes popped wide open. He stared up at Joe. Tears welled in his eyes. He was mortified at what had happened.
"Are you okay?" Joe asked, reaching toward the boy.
Dave, who had sat up to watch them play, realized what had happened. He put his arm out to keep Joe from touching Max again.
"Don't be embarrassed, Max. That kind of thing happens to all of us when we're young. It's okay," he assured the boy.
Joe looked at Dave wondering what he was talking about, and then looked back at Max. Max looked furtively at Dave and then scrambled to his feet, dodging around Joe, he fled into the house. He stopped in the middle of the room not knowing where to go, and then headed for the guest toilet. He slammed the door and locked it.
Joe stood there dumbfounded. "What just happened here? Did...did he just...?"
Dave chuckled, nodding his head. "I warned you."
"I made him do that just by touching and tickling him?"
Dave nodded.
"But I didn't touch him in a sexual way." Joe was appalled and distressed that he had caused Max such distress. Dave stood up and hugged him.
"He'll get over it. It's just raging teen hormones. Let me go talk to him."
Max was so mortified. He felt like crying, and laughing hysterically at the same time. That was the most intense orgasm he'd yet experienced, even if it was so embarrassing. There was a light knock on the door. His head snapped around to stare at it. Suddenly there wasn't a coherent thought in his head. Like a feral animal he was looking for a way to escape his trap.
"Max, you know that Joe would not intentionally embarrass you. He wasn't even aware of what was going on with you. Why don't you clean yourself up and come out so Joe can apologize. He really feels bad about it." Dave's gentle words from the other side of the door and the loving kindness in his voice eventually brought Max back to his sanity. He took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. Dave listened for a moment. "Max? Are you okay?"
"I'm alright. I'll be out in a minute," he replied. Max dropped his shorts and stepped out of them. He pulled off his underwear and wiped himself off with them. He couldn't resist holding them up to his nose and taking a whiff. 'Wow, that was the wildest one yet,' he thought to himself, 'oh my God, how can I go out there and face Dave and Joe? This is so embarrassing.' He wondered for a moment what to do with his underwear and then just stuffed them in the big pouch-pocket on the side of his cargo shorts.
Dave and Joe had put on t-shirts and were sitting at the kitchen table. When he saw Max standing hesitantly in the doorway, Dave told him that if he'd like something to drink he could have anything he wanted, except the beer in the bottom of the fridge. Max chose a Sprite, popped the top and stood in the middle of the kitchen sipping it. He hadn't made eye contact with either of the men.
"Come sit with us," Dave offered.
Max walked over to the end of the table and slid into a chair. He kept his attention centered on the soft drink in front of him. Both men were in a quandary about how to make him feel okay about what had happened as they sat on each side of him.
"I'm sorry," Max muttered.
Joe instinctively put his hand on the boy's arm to comfort him. He could feel the fine hairs on Max's arm bristle under his touch. "Max, it is nothing to apologize for. Really it's kind of a compliment to me if you think about it." Max looked up at him, an expression of wonder in his eyes. "You know," Joe continued, "I'd forgotten until now, but the same thing happened to me when I was about twelve or thirteen. It was with my grandfather, and it was right in front of my mom and dad. I loved my grampa and had such a crush on him. He was the handsomest man in the world to me, and I was sitting on his lap. He was rubbing his hand up and down my back when it happened." Joe lost himself in the memory for a moment, and then continued. "I wanted to run and hide from embarrassment, but my grampa held me tight and whispered to me that it was okay, that it was just my body telling him how much I loved him. I don't think my mom ever caught on to what had happened, but my dad did. He took me from my grampa's arms, gave me a kiss on my forehead and with a pat on my butt, told me to go clean up, and then come back and have some ice cream."
Max couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Joe sitting on his granddad's lap having an orgasm. He looked up at him. "Did that really happen, or are you making that up just to make me feel better?"
"It really happened to me. I'd really forgotten about it until just a few minutes ago when I realized what had happened to you. I'd always thought, until now, that I was the only person that it had ever happened to."
"That's so cool. Thanks for telling me about it, Joe, 'cause I thought I was the only one."
"Not by a long shot, Buster. I think that the worst part of it was that Johnny was right there and figured out what had happened. He teased me for years about it."
Max giggled.
"Well, I'll just sit here and feel left out, while you two dudes brag to each other," Dave said.
"Brag? It was the most embarrassing moment of my life."
"Me, too." Max blushed.
The three were quiet for a few moments, reflecting on their own thoughts. Max looked at Dave.
"So aren't you going to share your most embarrassing moment with us, Uncle Dave?"
Dave thought for a moment, and then shook his head.
"Chicken," Joe said grinning knowingly at his lover.
Dave grinned. "Yeah, I'm chicken. Want me to cackle?"
Max laughed. Both men chuckled too, relieved that Max had gotten over the incident. Max finished his soda and went out to the tent. He stripped off all his clothes and snuggled into the sleeping bag. Reliving the incident with Joe, he drifted into a night of erotic dreams.
* * *
It wasn't quite seven the next morning when the guard on the desk called the Eyrie. Dave and Joe had just showered and dressed after their morning run and were getting mugs of coffee. Lloyd was already sitting at the kitchen table perusing the morning paper.
"Sir, there is a young boy here by the name of Joseph, asking to go up to see Max."
"Let him come up, and thanks, Dick. Oh, by the way, Joseph is Joe's nephew. Let him come up any time. Just announce him." Dave had taken note of how Joe made a point of knowing all the guards and their duty rosters, so he was doing the same.
A minute later the elevator chimed and Joseph stepped out.
"Come on into the kitchen, Joseph," Dave called out.
"Good Morning," Joseph said, appearing in the kitchen door. He made eye contact with each of the men as his bright smile lit up the room. Lloyd, who had only seen Joseph from a distance and only spoken to him on the phone, hadn't actually met his son's boyfriend. He stood up, moved around the table to him and offered his hand to the boy.
"Hi, Joseph, I'm Lloyd, Max's dad."
Joseph shook the proffered hand firmly.
"I'd know you anywhere, Sir, Max looks so much like you."
"Is that a good thing?" Lloyd asked.
"Yes, sir. Max is very handsome."
Lloyd found himself blushing.
"Well, thank you, Joseph. Max is outside in the tent. Why don't you go on out and wake him up."
Joseph grinned, nodded his head and went out to the tent.
"How old is that kid?" Lloyd asked.
"Eleven, I think," Dave answered. He and Joe were both chuckling.
"More like eleven going on thirty," Lloyd said, picking up his coffee cup and taking a sip as he watched the eager boy run past the kitchen window.
* * *
Joseph knelt at the tent flaps and lifted one to look in. Max was sprawled on his stomach with one arm under his head, the other under his body. Joseph was sure he was holding his genitals as he slept. He crawled into the tent and sat back on his heels watching Max. He giggled when he realized that Max was humping his hand in his sleep. Joseph reached out and softly caressed his cute little pink butt. Max groaned. Joseph snatched his hand back with a sharp intake of breath.
He sat there a few moments making sure that Max hadn't awakened, and then reached out to touch him again. Max pushed his butt against Joseph's hand, and murmured in his sleep. Joseph got a little braver and ran his hand up Max's back.
"Oh, Joze, that feel so good, touch me all over," Max mumbled, still asleep. Joseph leaned over and kissed Max's butt cheek. Max rolled over and opened his eyes. It took him a moment to focus and get his brain in gear. Meanwhile Joseph's eyes were glued to the red cock head sticking out of Max's hand. Max realized what he was staring at and grabbed the sheet and pulled it over himself. "I thought I was dreaming."
Joseph giggled, "Nice tent," he said, looking at the sheet.
"It's Dave's. He got it for us to sleep in," Max said, stretching and letting out a big yawn.
"I mean this one." Joseph put his finger on the apex of the tented sheet. Max jumped, pushing his morning woody up against Joseph's hand.
"That's awesome," Joseph said. "Let me see it again."
"Joze!"
"What? You're my boyfriend. Why can't I see it?"
"It's not fair, you've got all your clothes on and I'm naked."
"I know. You've got a beautiful little bubble butt, too," Joseph said as he stood up and started stripping his clothes off.
"What are you doing?" Max was mesmerized looking at Joseph's long slender body. There was no baby fat on it.
"I'm making things even between us."
With no modesty he shucked his underwear, and stood proudly before Max with his little cock, already longer than Max's, standing straight out in front on him. Max stared up at it. He'd seen lots of boys naked in gym, but he'd never seen but one other hardon besides his own. His hand, of its own volition, reached up.
"Yes, touch me," Joseph whispered.
Max's finger tips explored Joseph's scrotum, and then reached to touch his shaft.
Joseph enjoyed it for a minute, and then pulled away and lay down beside Max. They stared into each other's eyes.
"Have you ever done this before Max?"
"No, yours is the first one I've ever touched besides my own. Have you?"
"Yeah, lots. There's a lot of playing around at school."
Feeling that he was just another boy for Joseph to play around with made him feel empty, Max suddenly wanted to be elsewhere. "Oh," he said, and grabbed his shorts and slipped them on. "I've got to go pee." He grabbed his shirt and shoes and ducked through the flaps.
Joseph lay there fondling himself for a few minutes before he decided that Max wasn't coming back. He started dressing, wondering if it was what he'd just said that made Max run. "I guess I shouldn't have exaggerated," he said aloud, and with a sigh he scooted out of the tent.
Max had gone into the bathroom in the guest room that his dad was using to relieve his bladder. Once there he decided to shower. When he walked into the kitchen, the grownups were discussing the move and Mary's return with Gary. Max quietly sat down next to his dad, who put a comforting arm around his shoulders. Dave noticed Max sitting quietly, staring at the table top, and looked around for Joseph. When there was a lull in the conversation he leaned over to Max and asked, "Where's Joseph?"
"Outside."
"We're going to start breakfast soon, you want to invite him in?"
"He'll come in on his own," Max glumly said.
"Did you guys have a fight?"
Max looked up at Dave and then at all the other grownups who were looking at him. He glared at Dave.
"Excuse me," he said, pushing his chair back and standing up.
At that moment Joseph appeared in the doorway.
"Max, can we talk?" he asked.
All the grownups looked at him, and then at Max. He turned away from the table and brushed past Joseph. "Come on, then," he muttered and headed outside to the far back corner of the roof top garden. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets as he turned around and glared at Joseph.
"Did I say something wrong?" Joseph asked.
"Look. We can't be boyfriends. To me sex is something to be shared between two people that care for each other. Not with every guy who gets a hardon. Do you even have safe sex with all your playing around? Do you even know what kinds of diseases you can get? Even as young as you are, you can get HIV you know. I don't want a boyfriend who is going to die of AIDs. I don't want a boyfriend who is going to infect me. I don't want a boyfriend at all right now. Besides, you're too young."
Max stomped off, leaving Joseph devastated. He rested his arms on top of the wall and gazed out over the city and the distant mountains through eyes glazed with tears. Max hadn't given him a chance to say anything, to explain that he'd only jacked off with three different boys, twice with two of them and only once with the other guy. He'd never actually touched another boy.
He liked the idea of having a boyfriend in high school, but he could see how Max would feel ashamed of having a boyfriend who was still in grade school. Maybe it would work when he got to be a freshman. Max would be a Senior then. No, that wouldn't be good either. A Senior getting ready to go off to college wouldn't want to date a lowly Freshman. Yeah, he was just too young for Max.
He dropped his arms off the parapet and let his shoulders slump as he shuffled to the front of the house. He dragged through the house to the elevator and pushed the button, feeling relieved that no one had seen him. The doors opened and he stepped in just as he heard Joe's voice call out to him.
"Joseph?"
He didn't respond. The elevator doors closed behind him and he waited for it to descend, not thinking about having to push the button. A moment later the door opened, he turned, thinking his would be on the ground floor, and walked out, right into his uncle's arms.
"Joseph, are you alright?"
The boy collapsed against Joe and burrowed his face against his shoulder. He let out a shuddering sigh.
Max had entered the livingroom and froze when he saw Joe and Joseph across the room by the elevator.
"Let's go into the den and you can tell me what's wrong," Joe said, guiding the boy in that direction. "You know that you can tell me anything, and I'll understand. I went through many of the same things you're feeling. And you know I am not judgmental."
Max was feeling terrible for coming down so hard on Joseph. He followed them and stopped in the opened door watching Joe sit and pull Joseph down beside him. "Now tell me what happened."
"Oh, Uncle Joe, Max hates me. He thinks I'm a whore who's going to die from AIDS. And it's all my fault. I told him that I had lots of sex. I thought he'd think I was more grown up."
"So have you had sex with other boys?"
"Not really," Joseph ducked his head, twice embarrassed, first for having to admit that he had not told the truth, and then for having to tell the truth. "We just jacked off watching each other. I never touched another boy until this morning when I touched Max. I just wanted Max to feel that I was more grownup, so I told him I played around a lot with other boys."
Max was momentarily mortified that Joseph was telling Joe that he'd touched him, and then it sank in what he'd just said.
Joe had spied Max standing just outside the door. He figured that what he said next had to be to both boys, but he didn't want Max to feel more uncomfortable than he might be right now.
"Joseph, if you're going to be in a relationship as Max's boyfriend, you've both got to be honest and up front with each other. This was just a little lie, but look what it did. Now Max believes you are promiscuous and he's probably feeling hurt thinking that he wasn't the first with you. You know that the difference in your ages is going to be a big obstacle to both of you. If you're going to succeed, you both have to be honest with each other at all times. You are both going to have to be patient and understanding. You're already bigger in size than Max, and as you get older you're going to be even bigger. But you'll always be younger than him, and until you're both adults that is going to be a major hurdle for both of you."
Max had unconsciously moved into the room. Joe had watched him without taking his eyes off Joseph. Max shuffled over to stand next to Joseph. When Joseph noticed him standing there looking forlorn, he turned and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. Max's arms automatically raised to embrace Joseph's head to his chest.
"I'm sorry I lied. I just wanted to feel more grown up," Joseph said.
"I lied too, Joze. I jacked off my best friend while he did me. We only did it once. I told you I hadn't, so you would feel more on the same level as me."
Joe didn't move a muscle. He didn't want to disturb this very important moment between his two young nephews.
"I forgive you for lying to me. And I promise never to deceive you again," Joseph said.
"And I forgive you too, and promise the same. We need to always be honest with each other."
"Does that mean I'm still you boyfriend?" Joseph said, standing and approaching Max.
Max nodded, knowing that it couldn't be any other way.
Joe stood and patted both boys simultaneously on their rumps.
"Alright, you both be nice to each other, and always remember what was said here this morning. Come on, let's go see if Dave's got breakfast ready."
Joseph grinned at Max. "So you want go to back to the tent and play after we eat?"
"I think we should let it happen naturally. Besides, there's lots of grownups around right now. Maybe you could sleep over and we could see what happens."
"You are more grown up than me, Max. I would never have thought about that."
Joe might as well have not been there, for all the notice the two boys gave him. He smiled with satisfaction as he watched them walk into the kitchen hand in hand.
* * *
Later, the two boys sat against the wall on the south side of the Eyrie with their knees pulled up against their chest, their heads resting on their knees, looking at each other.
Joseph turned and looked away.
"What?" Max asked.
"Nothing. I was just thinking." Joseph turned back and looked at Max.
Max studied him a moment wondering at the shadows that passed through his wondrous green eyes. "That's okay, you don't have to tell me. Just let my vivid imagination imagine the worst." Max grinned.
Joseph's expression didn't change. "Did you ever stop to wonder if what I was thinking is ten times worse than what you could imagine?" he asked in a quiet voice.
Max studied the boy. "You're scaring me, Joze."
"All right. I'll tell you. I was wondering if it is really possible that we are soulmates."
Max thought about it for a moment and then said, "I think we're too young to know that, Joze."
"Well, I think we probably are. And I'm so scared that I will do something stupid to split us up."
"Why is it that when I close my eyes and listen to you, I hear a grownup talking, but when I open them, there is this very young beautiful boy talking?"
Joseph grimaced. "I'm serious, Max."
"I know you are, and it scares me, too, Joze."
"I don't mean to scare you. I was just sharing what I was thinking."
"I know."
They continued to sit quietly, content to just let their sides touch, and simply gaze into each other's eyes.