Love on the Rocks-Scott's Story

By Marcus McNally

---

It was good to be back in our apartment after such a long day, and despite my assurance that I was happy to make something light for dinner, Nick insisted on buying fish and chips, which we ate with a salad that Ricky and I threw together while he was out.

I was touched later in the evening when, after getting dressed in his new flannelette pyjamas, Ricky returned to the lounge room and handed me the $50 note he'd been given by Marco and Enyo.

"This is for you," he smiled.

"It's your money, Ricky," I chuckled. "You earned it. I'm being paid for the work I did."

His frown was sweet. "But it's to pay for the clothes you bought me."

"That's very thoughtful of you, mate," I sighed. "But that money's going straight into your money box. Or, if you like, we'll go the bank one day next week, and you can put it into your account…"

"How much will I have then?" he asked.

"Let's see," I pondered. "You've saved $22.40 already, so if you deposit the $50, you'll have 72 dollars and 40 cents!"

"How much did you spend on my clothes?"

"I forget!" I laughed. To change the subject, I said, "You know what - I think I might have a bath! My muscles are a bit sore after all that work in the kitchen today."

"You never have baths!" Ricky giggled.

"Well, not often," I agreed. "But every now and again, I like to soak."

Nick sprang up and started running a bath for me and returned with Ricky's book. "While Scotty has his bath, can daddy read you a chapter of your book?"

Ricky looked uncertain and glanced at me.

"I think that'd be nice, for a change," I smiled. "Your dad likes reading, too…"

The bath was just what I needed, and I could feel my muscles relaxing as I luxuriated in the hot water and bubbles. It wasn't as big as the crab claw bath Ty and Mike had in their en suite, which allowed me to lay out without bending my legs, but it was still an indulgence.

From the lounge room, I could hear Nick reading 'The Enchanted Wood' to Ricky. I smiled when I realised that Ricky was explaining the later adventures of Jo, Bessie, and Danny to his dad, showing me that he'd paid careful attention to the second book in 'The Magic Faraway Tree' series.

By the time I'd pulled the plug and climbed out of the tub, all seemed silent. I'd just finished drying myself when I heard Nick laugh, "You were asleep!" followed by a big yawn from Ricky.

"I want to go to bed!" Ricky said quietly. I chuckled; it was something I'd never heard him say before!

On the way to the bedroom to get my dressing gown, I glanced into the lounge room and saw Nick cuddling his son on the couch.

"I'm very proud of you!" I heard him say.

"Why?"

"For offering that $50 you got to Scotty."

"He didn't want it," Ricky sighed.

"No, and it was his choice to say no and let you keep it," Nick explained. "But it was very nice that you thought of him, because he bought you your nice new clothes."

"I love Scotty," Ricky yawned. "I'm glad he's our friend."

"Yeah, so am I!" Nick said quietly. "We're lucky guys…"

* * *

For the next few days, life resumed as normal, and we were once again in our routine of working different hours and juggling Ricky's activities.

I made enquiries about weekend sport, and the next Saturday morning, Nick and I took Ricky to a nearby sports centre to observe kids his own age taking part in a Little Athletics program. He seemed interested and was invited by one of the coaches to participate, to see if he enjoyed it.

His initial shyness gave way to boyish enthusiasm and competitiveness, and he was as keen as mustard by the end of the morning, when we enrolled him for six months.

The week ahead was ridiculously busy for both of us, but on Thursday night, bad weather meant bad business at the restaurant, and we closed early. I was looking forward to spending some time with Nick where we were doing more than passing in the hallway.

I got home just in time to kiss Ricky goodnight in bed, and after a quick snack, I poured some wine for Nick and myself, and we enjoyed it in front of the open fire.

When Nick returned after refilling our glasses, I sensed a perfect opportunity to flag with him Ty and Mike's invitation for the weekend, and the idea of HIV testing, so we could move our monogamous relationship to the next stage.

He was throwing some more pinecones on the fire when I said, "I've been thinking that maybe we could both have an HIV test…"

I wondered whether I'd sensed it, but he seemed to freeze momentarily. He turned and looked at me with an expression that seemed equal parts disbelief and anger. "Excuse me?" he asked incredulously. "You want me to take an AIDS test?"

"Well, I was thinking we'd both be tested," I stumbled. "Just so that we can take the next step with our relationship… you know…"

"The next step?" he almost yelled. "You don't trust me?"

"Of course, I trust you, Nick. It was something I just thought would… you know, give us both peace of mind…"

"You don't trust me!" he spat. "I don't fucking believe it…"

"It's not like that, Nick," I said frantically. "I mean, even Ty and Mike were tested in the early days of their relationship…"

"Was this their idea?" he asked tersely.

"No, it was mine!" I assured him. "Seriously, Nick… it's no big deal. If you don't want to…"

"It's not a matter of whether I want to, or not," he seethed. "But you've shown me the level of trust you have in this relationship. I might have known it was all too good to be true…"

"Nick, you're really overreacting here," I said. "The reason I thought it…"

"Overreacting?" he laughed mockingly. "You possibly think I'm cheating on you or that I've got another secret I'm hiding from you… and I'm overreacting?"

"Please, Nick… calm down," I urged him. "Sit and we'll talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about, Scott," he glared at me. "But thanks for letting me know where I stand."

He picked up his drink and started walking toward the kitchen, before turning to confront me. "The two most important things to me in a relationship are trust and honesty. I have absolute trust in you, and I'm really shocked to know that you don't have that same level of trust in me."

"Of course, I do, Nick," I pleaded. "Really, you're being way too analytical about this, mate. Just let me explain…"

He kept walking. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"To bed!" he snapped, before banging his wine glass down on the sink, walking across the hallway to our bedroom, and slamming the door.

I stood and was about to go after him, when Ricky's bedroom door opened and a sleepy five-year-old walked into the lounge room, rubbing his eyes. "Why was daddy yelling?" he asked.

"That wasn't daddy!" I grimaced. "It was… the TV."

"It sounded like daddy."

"It was a man on the TV," I said quickly.

"But the TV's not on…"

"I just turned it off because I'm going to bed…"

"Where's daddy?"

"He's gone to bed already. He was very tired."

"Can I say goodnight to him?"

"He's asleep, and he'll be grumpy if you wake him. Let's get you back to bed."

"I need to go to the toilet…"

"OK," I sighed, as I walked him to the bathroom. I waited outside as he stood at the bowl, but it was a slow process. Finally, he finished, and I waited while he flushed and washed his hands.

I was about to steer him into his bedroom, when he yawned, "Can I have a glass of water?"

"Sure," I sighed, as I trudged to the kitchen, poured him some water, then got him as far as his bed.

"I left Growl in the bathroom," he sighed, as he made to get out of bed again.

"I'll get him," I smiled, as I covered him up again. The lion was duly returned, and hugs and a kiss were exchanged, before I finally turned out the light and closed the door. I quickly secured the lounge room, before turning off the lights and opening the door to our bedroom.

I padded in, closed the door, and called quietly, "Nick?" Nothing.

I sighed as I quickly undressed to my boxers and climbed into bed in the dark. Nick wasn't in the middle of the bed, where he'd usually be; he was as far as he could possibly be on his side, curled into a tight ball.

I lay on my side for a moment, and whispered, "Nick?" twice, but I was being ignored. He was either asleep or pretending to be. I sidled over, but my attempt to spoon him was shrugged off. Even my attempt to drape my arm across him was rebuffed.

I rolled back onto my side of the bed and lay on my back. Sleep was a long time coming, and even then, it was fitful. I lay awake for a long time, berating myself that I'd been so insensitive in giving Nick the impression that I didn't trust him. I dozed, then woke again; this time, I was angry that he'd misread my comments the way he had.

I wracked my brain trying to think how I could get us back on the same page, but it tormented me; we'd never had a cross word until now, so it was hard to know what I should do to calm the waters. I dozed some more, and woke one final time before dawn, stressed that I'd caused Nick to become so upset over something I'd not properly had the opportunity to explain.

I finally fell into a deep sleep sometime around six in the morning, and by the time I woke just before eight, Nick was gone. And so were Ricky, Growl, and Ricky's backpack, which made me realise I was now facing a new day with uncertainty about my relationship with Nick.

I went through the motions of getting ready for the day, and had a quick breakfast and coffee, but my mind was constantly on Nick. Why wasn't he returning my calls or texts?

To keep things normal, I made pasta bake and set it aside to cool; at least they'd have something tasty to eat tonight.

I figured that Ricky was dropped off for pre-kinder care, and that Gayle would take him home with Oscar for a play before his dad would pick him up when he'd finished work.

As soon as I was back in the apartment, I tried to call and text Nick, but again I got no response. I considered calling Lydia but decided against it; it wasn't fair to involve her in our personal problems, even if she was Nick's best friend.

I was stumped. I needed to fix this, and fix it quickly… but how?

I thought of calling Ty to talk it over, but I'd not had the original conversation with him, so that left only Mike. I felt bad that I so often dropped my problems in his lap, but Mike was a great listener, and always seemed to have good advice. I guess it's because he's a lawyer.

Ty would question why I was turning up at Potts Point tonight on my own, and I'd need to come clean anyway. I needed to talk to Mike before I went to work, and he could fill Ty in before I arrived at their home after work.

I sent Mike a text asking if he had a few minutes to see me, sometime around one o'clock? He messaged back that he was taking his lunch break then and suggested that I join him at the deli for a bite and a coffee.

After packing some things for what was looking like my long weekend alone minding Ty and Mike's house, I covered the cooled pasta bake, put it in the fridge, and made a salad to go with it.

Before leaving the apartment, I sat and deliberated for a while, before deciding not to leave a note for Nick until I'd spoken with Mike.

I grabbed my wallet and keys and headed into the city. I parked close to the deli, found a table for two, and perused the menu until Mike arrived. He was his usual happy self, and he ruffled my hair as he sat down opposite me. He called for a waiter and ordered a chicken wrap and a flat white for himself, while I ordered a Mediterranean focaccia and a café latte.

Mike smiled when the waiter wandered off, and said, "Shoot!"

"What?"

"Tell me what's wrong?"

How did he do that? Mike, more so than even my brothers, instinctively knew when something was troubling me.

"Well, it's Nick…" I said, before drumming my fingers on the table.

"Every problem has a solution," he said gently. "But I need to know what the problem is…"

As always, Mike just listened closely as I rambled my way through the account of the conversation I'd started with Nick the previous evening, and his unexpected reaction. When I'd finished, I sighed, and leaned back in my chair.

Mike was quiet while the waiter placed our orders in front of us, and then motioned for me to start eating my focaccia.

"It's a pity you didn't start the conversation by explaining the reason for the testing - not having to practice safe sex because your relationship is monogamous," Mike said quietly. "You started by asking him to take an AIDS test…"

"But I said we'd both take it," I protested.

"Yes, but clearly that didn't register with Nick," Mike smiled. "He just wrongly assumed you don't really trust him, and he's hurt. Very hurt."

"But he wouldn't let me explain…"

"You hurt his feelings, Scott," Mike smiled, and I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach. He went from thinking he was a man in a stable, loving relationship, to feeling like the man he's fallen in love with has trust issues."

"So, how do I fix it?"

"For now?" Mike shrugged. "Let it be. He obviously doesn't want to talk to you right now, so calling and texting repeatedly is likely to just make him angry. Give him some time. Come to Potts Point for the long weekend and give him some space. He'll calm down, and you'll know when the time's right to sit down and talk."

"Is that how you resolve arguments with Ty?" I asked.

"Your brother and I don't argue," he smiled.

"Never?"

"Never!" he chuckled. "The last disagreement we had was when I said I was making tomato and lentil soup for dinner, and Ty said he wanted Spaghetti Carbonara…"

I giggled. "Yeah, your Carbonara is kind of addictive!"

"Maybe, but I get sick of it…"

"So, how did you resolve it?"

"Easy! I made lentil soup for me and Carbonara for Ty. And as I served it, I kissed those perfect lips of his and told him that I loved him."

I couldn't help the grin - they really did have the best relationship. But I did what was expected and stuck my fingers down my throat.

"You just give in to him all the time!" I chuckled.

"Who wouldn't?" Mike shrugged. "He's adorable…"

"I want to leave a note for Nick before I go to work…"

"Good idea, especially since you haven't told him about minding Potts Point," Mike nodded. "But don't go into any longwinded explanations. Just let him know where you are, and that you need to talk when he's ready."

For once, I managed to snaffle the bill when it came, and I paid for our lunch. "Can you fill Ty in on all of this, so he doesn't wonder why I'm turning up on my own?"

"Sure, I will," Mike smiled as he strolled out of the deli. "And Scott, don't stress too much about this. What you and Nick have is strong enough to survive this. You'll see…"

"Thanks, Mike," I sighed, as I gave him a strong hug. "You always manage to make me feel better about things."

"Yeah, it's because I'm a lawyer!" he chuckled, as he turned and headed back to his office. I wandered back to my car and drove home, giving thought to the note I'd leave for Nick:

Nicky:

I'm sorry I upset you as much as I did, and I'd really like the opportunity to talk it through with you. I didn't get the chance to tell you that Ty and Mike are going to Melbourne for the long weekend, and they've asked us to mind the house and look after Monty. That's where I'll be from tonight, and I'd love to hear from you when you're ready.

I've made a pasta bake and a salad for you and Ricky - remember he's got Little Aths at 10 in the morning.

I love you,

Scotty xx

* * *

Work was busy so my mind was fully occupied, but during the occasional breaks, it wandered inexorably to Nick. I kept checking my phone, but he hadn't rung or sent a text message. I kept trying to stay focussed on what Mike had said, because he was usually right… but I still had a nagging fear; even if we overcame this hurdle somehow, I might have changed the dynamic between us forever.

The night seemed to drag, and while I'm sure Enyo had sussed that I wasn't my usual self, he didn't pry. He knew I was looking after Ty and Mike's house, and he made sure I had enough food from the restaurant to feed me and my guys for three days. If only he knew…

The lights were still on when I arrived at the Cowper Wharf Roadway home, and Ty was quick to pull me into a hug the moment I walked into the foyer. "You OK, mate?" he asked, as he kissed my cheek.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I still haven't heard from Nick, but I've done what Mike suggested and allowed him a bit of time on his own to cool down."

"Good boy!" Mike smiled, as he walked into the room. "Are you hungry? There's some cannelloni in the fridge, and I can whip you up a salad…"

"Nah, I had soup at the restaurant," I smiled. "But thanks…"

After handing Mike the food Enyo had packed for me, I crouched down to cuddle Monty, who was overjoyed to see me. He jumped all around me, barking and panting. "Hello, boy!" I laughed. "You're full of energy for this time of night!"

"He's always this full of energy," Mike sighed, rolling his eyes. "At least he hasn't destroyed anything today. Well, nothing that I know of, anyway…"

I took my backpack through to my bedroom and dropped it there, before joining Ty and Mike in the lounge for a glass of wine. "Where's George?" I asked.

"He and Max left earlier for Shoalhaven Heads," Ty smiled. "The back seat of Max's car was piled high with boxes of cakes and pastries, and a bag full of classic Hollywood movies on DVD!"

Monty came running back into the room and, to Mike's horror, jumped onto the couch to nuzzle Ty. "Get down!" Mike said sternly, but the dog took no notice.

Mike reached across, picked Monty up, and dropped him back on the floor. "That dog is seriously overweight!" he exclaimed, looking at Ty.

"No, he's not!" Ty said defensively.

"Are you feeding him more?"

Ty sighed and rolled his eyes. "I feed him the same as I always have," he said. "Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, a pre-dinner snack, and dinner."

Mike was aghast. "Six meals a day, Ty?" he groaned. "The vet told us - a dry food meal in the morning and a second meal at night. That's it!"

"But he's hungry!"

"No, he's not!" Mike laughed. "He's an over-eater, and you're enabling him!

Ty suddenly turned grumpy. "You're just mean!" he grumped. "He's a puppy - he's growing!"

"Yes, Ty," Mike sighed. "He's growing really fat. And I see major vet bills in our future if we don't do something about it."

"Well, you're one who said we were rich!" Ty harrumphed, crossing his arms. "We can afford it."

"I've never said we're rich!" Mike smiled.

"So, we're poor?" Ty asked.

"No, we're not poor, Ty," Mike laughed. "I've never said that before, either."

"Are we having an argument?"

"You're arguing, Ty," Mike sighed. "I'm not…"

"How do you intend to resolve this?"

"I'm not sure what we're resolving… but how do you think we should revolve it?"

"Well, we could have couples counselling - that's always good," Ty said tongue-in-cheek.

"Yeah - been there, done that!" Mike yawned. "Any other suggestions?"

"Well, I suppose you could drag me to our bedroom, and fuck me until I see reason…"

Mike smirked. "Yes, I think that's probably the best way to resolve this!"

Mike stood and dragged Ty to his feet. "Excuse us, Scott," I grinned. "Your brother and I have some business to attend to behind our closed doors. It may get noisy, so I'll apologise in advance…"

As they walked toward their shared bedroom, Ty asked, "You're not taking advantage of me, are you?"

"Of course, I am, Ty," Mike sighed. "And you know why that is…"

When they reached their bedroom, Mike called out, "You can stay up and watch TV, if you like…"

"Nah, I'll turn in, too," I sighed. "I didn't sleep very well last night so I need a good kip."

After a bathroom stop, I stripped to my boxers, climbed into bed, and sighed. I'd become so accustomed to sharing a bed with Nick that it felt odd to suddenly be alone…

* * *

I was still asleep when my bedroom door opened, and while I'd spent the night alone, I was clearly getting company in the early hours. Either side of me, Ty and Mike crawled under the covers, and they smiled when I opened my eyes and stared at them.

"We have to leave soon," Ty smiled as he kissed my cheek. "You were clearly not coming in for a cuddle with us, so we brought the cuddle to you!"

With that, they embraced me from both sides, and the absurdity of what they were doing started me giggling.

"We've made a Scott Hill sandwich, Ty!" Mike laughed.

"It's a salami sandwich, judging by what's pressing against my thigh!" Ty chuckled.

"Hey!" I objected. "I'm experiencing 'paternal penis pubescence,' and Mike says that's completely normal!"

"Close!" Mike laughed. "It's actually 'nocturnal penile tumescence,' and yes, it's completely normal."

"So, how did you sleep, Scotty?" Ty asked as he brushed curls off my forehead.

"Pretty good," I yawned. "I was really tired."

"What are your plans for today?"

"I don't really have any," I sighed. "I'm so tempted to go and watch Ricky at Little Aths, but I don't want to cause Nick any grief. So, I guess I'll just take Monty for a walk, and dag around the house. Anything you need me to do?"

"Nah, it's all good," Mike smiled. "The house has been cleaned, and there's no shopping to do, so you can just chill out for a bit."

"I need to take a piss!" I laughed, as Mike immediately rolled over and climbed out of bed, to allow me to leave the room.

"Get it in the bowl!" he called after me.

By the time I'd finished in the bathroom and thrown on some shorts and a tee shirt, Ty and Mike were getting ready to leave.

"We've both got our mobiles with us," Mike told me. "And I've left Lynney and Steve's mobile numbers on the bench, in case you don't have them. We're home Monday afternoon, arriving in Sydney at 5:45, so we should be home by 6:30. You're welcome to stay for dinner, of course - in fact, you can cook it!"

I gave them each a hug, told them I loved them, and walked them to their car. "Give my love to Steve and Fran, and to Lynney and the bloke she's seeing!"

"Yeah, that'd be Jamie Killop!" Ty grinned. "He's a sex-crazed lawyer…"

"Yeah, just what the world needs - more sex-crazed lawyers!" I laughed, nodding toward Mike. As they climbed into the car, I couldn't resist. "You know why sharks don't eat lawyers, don't you, Mike?"

"Yes, Scott," Mike sighed as he buckled up. "It's a professional courtesy."

After taking a moment to quietly explain the joke to Ty, Mike started the engine and said, "Scott, did you hear about that famous Italian chef who died this week?"

"No!" I replied, wondering what Mike knew that I didn't.

"Yeah, it was awful," he smiled, shaking his head. "He just pasta way! We tried to save him - but we cannoli do so much! But his legacy will become a pizza history…"

I rolled my eyes. "That's so lame!"

"And lawyer jokes aren't?" he grinned as he reversed out of the driveway.

I waved until Mike turned at Dowling Street, before returning to the house and heading for the kitchen. My uncertainty about how things would pan out with Nick meant I wasn't at all hungry, but my stomach was rumbling, nonetheless. I kept it simple - some muesli and milk, toast with peanut butter, and a big cup of English breakfast tea.

There was a puppy whimpering at my feet the whole time, so I called Ty before he boarded. "Did you feed Monty?" I asked.

"Not sure!" he laughed. "Give him something, though… he's probably hungry!"

I heard Mike sigh. "I gave him his breakfast when I first got up," he groaned. "Then you gave him some leftover bacon. He's had enough. No more!"

"Thanks, Mike!" I chuckled. "I thought so…"

As I disconnected, I heard Ty say, "God, you're mean…"

I toyed with the idea of calling Lachie, but figured it was still too early. I wondered whether Ty had told him what had happened with Nick and me but realised he probably wouldn't have had time. And if he had, I'd certainly have heard from Other Favourite Brother by now; the thought that I might be unhappy in any way was always upsetting for Lachie.

Despite the anxiety I was feeling over Nick, I smiled to myself. It always comforted me knowing that no matter what else was happening in my life, I could always count on the unconditional love and support of my two big brothers.

Monty's whimpering brought me back to the moment, and I patted his head. "You wanna go for a walk, don't you?" I laughed. I grabbed his lead and headed down to the beach, where Monty ran full pelt after the gulls, and searched the scrub for sticks that I could throw for him.

It was a challenge dealing with such an active puppy. I'd become accustomed to slow walks on the beach with Scruffy in his final years, as he lumbered along the sand.

I found myself running to keep up with Monty, whose energy levels never seemed to flag. Still, it was probably good exercise for me; since moving to Sydney, I'd fallen behind with my exercising regime, and sooner or later it was gonna show.

After almost an hour, I was ready to drop, but Monty could gladly have bounced around on the sand for the rest of the day. I called him and he followed me back to the house, heading straight for his water bowl.

In Ty and Mike's en suite, I stripped off my shorts and tee, and ran the shower. I enjoyed standing under the hot spray; given how small the shower recess in Bayswater Road was, it was a novelty to wash my hair without worrying about banging my elbows on the screen.

I grabbed a towel and was drying myself when I heard the doorbell ring. The boys hadn't mentioned anything about deliveries or tradesmen, so I assumed it was a charity doorknock. I wrapped the towel around my waist, grabbed my wallet, and walked to the foyer.

I was gobsmacked when I opened the door to be confronted by a forlorn-looking Nick. Before I could speak, he looked at me closely, and said, "I'm such a fucking idiot…"

I was momentarily stuck for what to say. All I could think of was, "Well, that might be so, but fuck, you're hot!"

"May I come in?" he asked.

I stood back and held the door open as he walked into the foyer. "Scotty… I'm so sorry!" he said, his voice wavering. "I don't know why I reacted that way…"

"It's my fault for not explaining why I was suggesting taking the test," I smiled. "You still don't know…"

"Actually, I do," he replied.

"Oh… how's that?"

"Mike dropped in this morning…"

"You mean, on his way to the airport with Ty?"

Nick nodded. "Mike explained that he wasn't interfering, but he wanted me to know about the conversation he'd had with you."

"I didn't get the chance to explain it to you," I sighed.

"I know because I flew off the handle. And I'm so sorry. Will you forgive me?"

I smiled. "A simple 'I'm sorry' doesn't quite cut it…"

"What then?"

"A long, sizzling kiss will probably do the trick…"

Nick's shoulders slumped with relief before he reached out and gave me exactly what I'd asked for - a long, sizzling kiss.

"Just for the record, I trust you completely," I said as we pulled apart. "And I won't mention HIV testing again…"

"Now I get where you were coming from, I want us to do the test," he smiled. "Apart from when Ricky was conceived, I've never had sex without a condom… but I'd love to take that step with you."

"Really?"

Nick nodded. "All I've thought about all morning is how awesome that will be! I reckon we should book in as soon as possible…"

"So, we're good?"

"We're good!" Nick grinned. "I promise I won't overreact again. I stupidly thought you didn't trust me, and that really hurt me, because I love you, Scotty. I really love you."

"Right back atya!" I smiled as I stroked the side of his face.

It suddenly registered that Nick was on his own. "Where's Ricky?"

"He's at Little Aths."

"By himself?" I asked, surprised.

"Nah, Lydia's with him."

"So, she knows about this?"

"Yeah, I was all indignant and I told her."

"What did she say?"

Nick chuckled, and to my surprise, started unbuttoning his jeans. He turned around, pulled his boxers down, and showed me his ass.

"See that bruise?" he asked, drawing my attention to a small contusion on his right butt cheek. When I nodded, he said, "That's where the pointy end of her high heel landed."

"She kicked your ass?" I laughed.

"Yep!" he chuckled as he buttoned up his jeans. "Then she told me I was a fucking idiot and that I was behaving like a child. She said I was lucky enough to find the world's most perfect guy for me, and I'd probably blown it…"

"Nah, the only thing I ever want you to blow is me!" I grinned.

"Now you're talking!" he smirked as he salaciously gave my near naked body the once over.

"Not now, though!" I chuckled. "I wanna see that boy of yours going through his paces."

Nick sighed. "Yeah, he was disappointed that you weren't with us."

"I'll just throw some clothes on," I smiled as I headed down the hallway.

I hadn't realised Nick was following me to the bedroom until he whistled, "That's a seriously messed-up bed considering one person slept in it…"

I grinned. "One person went to sleep in that bed last night," I said, "But there were three guys in it when I woke up this morning…"

When Nick looked at me questioningly, I chuckled. "Ty and Mike climbed in for a cuddle."

"God, that's some support network you've got," Nick sighed.

"Yeah, it sure is," I smiled. As I dropped the towel, I asked, "Why did you follow me down here?"

"I like to watch!"

I laughed. "You can look all you like, but no touching…"

* * *

Ricky was thrilled to see me arrive with his dad and, because he knew he couldn't break away from his teammates, he grinned and waved frantically. I waved back, as we strolled to where Lydia was standing.

"How much does Ricky know?" I asked Nick.

"Nothing," Nick replied. "I just told him that you were at Ty and Mike's house because they were going to Melbourne. He asked whether we could see you while you were there, and I just said, 'We'll see.'"

Lydia was all smiles when we reached her, and as I gave her a kiss on the cheek, she asked, "So, you've decided to forgive my fuckwit best friend?"

I laughed. "He's not completely to blame," I said fairly. "I should have thought about how the question was gonna come out…"

Turning to Nick she rolled her eyes. "You're a fuckin' hunk, but you're dumb as dog shit sometimes, Nick."

"Thanks, Lyd," Nick sighed.

"Seriously, mate," Lydia groaned, "You've got yourself a guy who loves you so much that he's willing to take such a major step with you… and you go all big girl's blouse on him…"

"Don't have a cow, Lyd," Nick sighed. "We're gonna get tested…"

"When?"

"As soon as possible…"

"You can go today - the free clinic's open," she suggested. "I'll mind Ricky."

I interrupted with, "Actually, I'd like us to see Mike's doctor, if that's OK with Nick. He's a counsellor, too."

"Well, make an appointment for this afternoon," Lydia urged.

"Um, his practice is closed weekends and public holidays…"

"Then you can go Tuesday morning!"

"But I'm working," Nick laughed.

"I'm giving you the morning off," Lydia laughed. "Scotty, call and leave a message making an appointment for Tuesday morning."

When I looked at Nick, he nodded, so I called the number Mike had given me and requested an appointment with Dr. Gay for Tuesday morning.

"Dr. Gay?" Nick laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, isn't that a pisser!" I grinned. "Mike reckons he's a top bloke, and he'll make us feel at ease."

Ricky's session had just wound up and my attention was taken by the five-year-old who was thundering toward me at full pelt.

"Scotty!" he squealed, as he leapt into my arms, almost snapping my neck as he squeezed me. "I didn't think you were coming!"

"I wasn't gonna miss seeing my best mate run rings around the other kids!" I laughed. "You were pretty darn good out there, kiddo…"

"Can daddy and me be at Ty and Mike's house with you?" he asked excitedly.

"You sure can!" I grinned. "Monty was asking me all morning where you were!"

"He can't talk!" Ricky giggled.

"He talks dog language," I smirked, "and it just so happens that I can talk dog language, too… so I can understand what he's saying!"

"No, you can't!"

"Sure, I can! Just watch," I laughed, before I started to bark like a dog, much to the amusement of some of the other boys walking back to their parents.

"What were you saying?" Ricky grinned.

"I was saying, 'Let's get Ricky back to the apartment so he can get packed up for a weekend at Monty's house!'"

"Can Liddy come and have dinner with us?" he asked.

"Of course, she can," I laughed, looking at Lydia.

"Thanks, Scotty, but Liddy no can do. Liddy has a hot tradie dropping by this evening to inspect her plumbing!"

"Can you come tomorrow?"

"We'll see, sweetheart," Lydia smiled. "Right now, Liddy needs a big hug and a huge kiss from her favourite man in the whole world!"

"You mean daddy?" Ricky giggled.

"No of course not, silly!" Lydia laughed. "Dad's my number two favourite man in the whole world."

"Scotty?"

"He's my equal number two favourite man in the whole world!"

"So, who's number one then?"

"You're my number one favourite man in the whole world!"

"Why?" Ricky asked, as I handed him over to Lydia to hold.

"Because of this!" she laughed, as she started to pinch Ricky's bottom all over. "This is the cutest bum I've ever seen in the life! It's ever better than Zane's!"

Ricky gasped. "Have you seen Zane's bottom?"

"Yeah," Lydia said conspiratorially. "I peeked when I shouldn't have! You won't tell on me, will you?"

"No!" Ricky giggled as he hugged and kissed Lydia. She set him down on the ground, leaned in and kissed Nick and me, and watched as we walked back to the car, Ricky between us holding our hands.

Ricky stopped suddenly, turned around, and called out to Lydia, "Am I really your number one favourite man in the whole world?"

Lydia grinned as she put her hands around her mouth and called back, "You bet you are - and you always will be, Ricky!"

* * *

After an afternoon spent playing at the beach, then watching Toy Story 2 on cable TV on the big screen, I started to prepare for dinner. Nick was sitting at the kitchen table, and Ricky was out in the side garden playing with Monty where we could both see him.

While I slowly warmed up the unordered Ravioli Encartata and Pork Medallion Cotolette from Casa Nostra, I gave some thought to what should accompany it. As I pondered, I caught Nick gazing at me with a smile on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing," Nick sighed. "I was just thinking how awesome Lyd is with Ricky. Like, from the very start she's just been this rock for him."

"She's amazing, mate," I nodded. "Ricky just adores her, and she really has the whole nurturing thing down pat…"

"You know, I thought Ricky was only ever going to have Lyd and me in his life as he grew up… but then you came along. And mate, you're incredible with him, and you've gotta see how much he loves being with you…"

"Yeah," I smiled, as I put down my tongs. "I figure I'm a lucky guy, finding you… but it's been an amazing experience having Ricky in the equation. He's such a great kid, Nick…"

"How far off is dinner?" Nick asked suddenly.

"Not long!" I laughed. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm hungry for you, Scotty!" he grinned. "The sooner we eat the restaurant food, the sooner I can feast on this gorgeous hunk of man flesh I see before me…"

"I'll fast track!" I laughed. "You should get Ricky into the bath, though."

Nick wandered outside and played ball with his son and the dog for a while, before he gently persuaded Ricky to have a bath and get ready for bed. Under protest, Ricky got himself cleaned and into his PJs, and we enjoyed the delicious Casa Nostra offerings.

When we'd finished, I looked at Ricky and smiled. "You wanna go get your book, and we'll read a chapter before bedtime?"

He nodded and scampered off down the hallway, returning moments later with a confused look on his face. "Where's my backpack?"

"On the bed!"

"Which bed?"

"In the bunk room…"

"But I want to sleep in 'Scotty's Room,'" he sighed.

I caught Nick's eye and winked. "I'm going to sleep in 'Scotty's Room,' and your dad's going to sleep in Ty and Mike's room, so that only leaves the bunk room…"

"Um, you could sleep with daddy in Ty and Mike's room," he suggested hopefully. "Then I could have a big bed!"

"Hmm, I dunno," I said, scratching my chin. "What do you think, Nick?"

"Well, I guess that's OK," Nick said hesitantly. "No farting, though…"

Ricky giggled. "I'll put my bag in 'Scotty's Room,'" he bubbled as he ran off again.

While Nick cleared the table and stacked the dishwasher, I sat on the couch with Ricky and read the next chapter of 'The Enchanted Wood.'

Nick stuck his head around the kitchen door and said, "Did you bring any wine?"

"I get into trouble if I bring anything when I come here," I smiled. "The second fridge is stacked with wine - just open a bottle."

When Nick returned with two glasses of Chardonnay, Ricky asked, "What are we gonna do tomorrow?"

"Well, I don't think we have any plans for tomorrow yet," I chuckled.

Nick cleared his throat. "I didn't know how this weekend was gonna pan out, so I did think maybe we'd visit my parents tomorrow," he said. "I haven't arranged anything, but I'll just put it out there as a thought…"

"You mean you and Ricky, or the three of us?"

"The three of us," Nick smiled. "What do you think, Ricky… you wanna go visit grandma and grandpa?"

"Yeah, OK," Ricky replied. "Will Uncle Pete be there?"

"I guess so," Nick sighed.

Nick looked at me. "They're on the coast, just out of Terrigal," he said. "It's about an hour and a half's drive. If they're around, we could maybe drive down for lunch and come back in the afternoon. It's probably time they met you."

"They, er… know about me?"

"Just the basics," he smiled. "They know I met a trainee chef, and he's now 'sharing' with us. They know your name's Scott, but that's about it."

"Well, I'm OK with it, if it all pans out," I said.

Nick looked at his watch. "I'll go give them a call," he said, as he went off to find his phone.

I'd just sent Ricky off to the bathroom to wash his hands and clean his teeth before bed, when my phone rang. "Hey, Mike!" I grinned, "How's Melbourne?"

"Good, mate," Mike chuckled. "You're sounding… happy?"

"Yeah, all's good, mate!" I laughed. "Nick and Ricky are here with me at Potts Point, and everything's been cleared up…"

"You're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"For speaking to Nick."

"Nah, I'm glad you did!" I chuckled. "You solved the problem… again!"

"So, everything's OK with the two of you?"

"Things couldn't be better!" I laughed. "I've made an appointment for us both to see Dr. Gay on Tuesday morning."

"That's great!" Mike sighed. "You'll like him. How's young Ricky?"

"He's great," I smiled. "We got to see the end of his first Little Aths session today, and he just loves it!"

"And everything's OK with El Destructo?"

"Yeah, Monty's good!" I laughed. "He's over the moon to have Ricky to play with. Is Ty OK?"

"Yeah, he's good! We had a long lunch with Lynney and Jamie today at their place, and tomorrow we're taking Steve, Fran, and Eva out for lunch."

"Who are you staying with?"

"We're in a suite at Crown Towers," Mike laughed. "We like our privacy. No one can hear Ty's moans!"

I giggled. "Speaking of which, Ricky really wants to sleep in 'Scotty's Room,' so is it OK if Nick and I sleep in your bed?"

"Of course, it is!" Mike laughed. "Just don't break it!"

"Are you going to put Ty on?" I asked.

"He's sleeping at the moment," Mike laughed.

"Too much wine at lunch, eh?" I giggled.

"Nah, I wore him out after lunch!" Mike chuckled.

"Well, give him my love, and tell him I'll talk to him tomorrow…"

Ricky returned after getting ready for bed, just as Nick came back from the bedroom. "All organised for tomorrow," he sighed. "I said we'd be there at one, and Mum's gonna make a lamb roast. If we leave by four, we'll be home by five thirty…"

"God, you're already talking about what time we'll leave!" I laughed.

"Trust me, three hours with my parents and my brother can sometimes feel like a month!" Nick sighed. Looking at his son, he said, "Come on, sport… time to get you all tucked in."

Ricky hopped off the couch and stood patiently, waiting for me to stand. When I did, he took my hand and I walked him to the bedroom, with Nick in tow. We waited while he got comfortable under the doona with Growl, before kissing him goodnight.

"I like this bed!" he grinned. "It's soft."

"Yeah, I like that bed, too," I winked. "I never want to get up in the morning!"

"Goodnight, mate," Nick smiled. "I love you!"

"I love you, too, Daddy," Ricky yawned. "And Scotty…"

It's likely he was asleep before we switched off his light and closed the door, and after finishing our wine, we turned off the main lights and retired to the master bedroom.

Stripped and under the doona, Nick reached for me and drew my face to his for a long, awesome kiss. His hands roamed my body while our tongues entwined, and when we finally drew apart, I hugged him and ran my fingers through his hair.

"So, you're taking me home to meet the folks?" I smirked. "Anything I need to know?"

"Look, mum and dad are good people," Nick sighed. "They're just… it'll probably be a bit awkward, that's all…"

"How awkward?"

"Well, mum doesn't really ever talk about my sexuality; I think she believes I'm just 'that way' because I haven't met the right girl yet. And dad doesn't want to know; he can't believe that a son of his, who grew up playing all those macho sports, could turn out queer!"

I laughed. "That's exactly how it is with Mike's dad, and his stepmother, Kitty! Sooner or later, Mike's gonna grow out of it…"

"And apparently, I've proved that I do like girls, because I fathered a child!" Nick laughed.

"What about Pete?"

Nick sighed. "Pete just thinks I've wasted my life," he said. "I partied while he studied; I got a job while he got a degree; I mix with shallow show business types while he mixes with academics. And between times, I'm committing unspeakable acts of gross indecency with perverted homosexual men…"

"Jeez, tomorrow's gonna be a hoot, then!" I laughed. "I can't wait!"

"Well, at least we'll have got it over and done with," Nick sighed, as he rolled onto his side and moved back into my embrace.

In the dark, I spooned him, before kissing his neck. "I love you, Nicky," I said.

A few moments went by before I whispered, "You wanna perform one of those unspeakable acts of gross indecency with a perverted homosexual man?"

I heard the amusement in Nick's voice when he whispered back, "Which particular act of gross indecency?"

"This one!" I giggled, as I rolled him onto his stomach and started kissing his bare ass. His incredibly hot, delectable, bare ass…

* * *

I was vaguely aware of Nick's hand rubbing up and down my back and over my ass, as we both continued snoozing in the morning. I'd opened one eye and registered that it was 7:12, and as much as I enjoyed the physical contact with my hunky TV producer, I wanted to keep my eyes closed.

We cuddled for only a brief time more before there was a knock at the door. "Ricky," Nick sighed.

"Come in," I called out.

"I can't reach the doorknob."

Nick sighed, threw back the covers, and opened the door. As he padded back to the bed, Ricky giggled. "You haven't got any pants on, Daddy!"

"I couldn't find my boxers last night," Nick said dismissively.

"They're over there!" Ricky said, pointing to a pile of clothes on an armchair.

"It was dark…" Nick yawned, as he rolled onto his tummy. "Daddy wants to snooze, so shut up!"

I dozed for a while longer, while Ricky somehow amused himself quietly. It was almost eight when I finally opened my eyes, and realised he'd fallen back to sleep. That ended when I tried to get out of bed to take a leak. He opened his eyes, registered the fact that I was naked, before whispering, "I'm hungry."

"I'm just going to the toilet," I whispered back. "Then I'll make us some breakfast."

While Nick slept, I fed Monty and Floppy, made French toast for Ricky, and got some percolated coffee underway for Nick and me. I'd just finished putting avocado and Feta cheese on sourdough when Nick walked into the kitchen, wearing a ridiculously tight pair of body-hugging stretch boxers, and yawning.

"Something smells good!" he laughed as he hungrily eyed the food.

"Go for it, mate!" I laughed, as I poured him an orange juice and a coffee. We ate on the deck, and Ricky amused himself by giving Monty bits of crust. "Don't tell Mike you did that!" I chuckled. "He thinks Monty's fat…"

When we'd finished, I burped, which made Ricky laugh. "OK, here's the deal, men," I smiled. "I made breakfast, so you two can clean up while I have a shower. Then when you're ready, we'll take Monty for a walk so he can piss on some trees, and then we'll head off to see grandma and grandpa…"

"You make it sound way more exciting than it's gonna be!" Nick smirked.

"It'll all be fine," I smiled. "Do I need to dress up for lunch?"

"It's the central coast!" Nick laughed. "Shorts and a singlet are formal attire!"

"My mum would make me sit in the naughty corner if I wore a singlet to Sunday lunch!" I laughed. "I'll wear one of Mike's upmarket shirts, and as a compromise I'll wear jeans… with good shoes, of course!"

"Suit yourself!" Nick chuckled. "I'll wear shorts, and as a compromise, I'll wear a tee shirt!"

"What should we take?" I asked.

"I dunno," Nick shrugged. "We could pick up a bottle of something at the pub in Terrigal…"

I laughed. "No offence, mate, but all they'll have will be reds that are $15 and under!"

"So?"

"I'll take something from Ty and Mike's cellar," I smiled. "I'd like to make a reasonable impression…"

"They wouldn't have a clue!" Nick laughed. "Mum rarely has a drink, and Pete only drinks the occasional top shelf port, after a long 'intellectual discussion' with his academic mates; or, as I prefer to call it, a group wank!"

"What's a wank?" Ricky asked.

Nick laughed. "It's when you get onto the Internet and connect with someone using video, so you can see and talk to them at the same time…"

He and Ricky started cleaning up, while I trotted off to the bathroom to get myself presentable for 'The Meeting with The Family.'

As I showered, I thought back to Mike's meeting with our family. He met me first, then Ty, and then in awful circumstances, Lachie; and that hadn't gone well. He met mum and dad in Sydney when we all thought Lachie may have died in Afghanistan - and then dad caught Ty and Mike showering together; that hadn't gone well, either. And that led to Ty and me coming out to mum and dad on the same day; and boy, that certainly didn't go well. But here we were, more than five years down the track, and everything was pretty much as good as it gets.

I was determined to approach today with an open mind. These were Nick's parents and brother, and if Nick and I were to have a future together, they were gonna be in my life one way or another.

I dressed in my good Levi's, teaming them with Mike's Wayne Watkins grey and black shirt, and my black suede shoes. I smiled when I checked myself in Ty's full-length mirror - I looked very respectable. Nick confirmed it when he walked into the room and sighed, "Fuck, you're hot…"

After he'd showered, Nick was true to his word. He dressed in cargo shorts, and a 2PAC 'All Eyes on Me' tee shirt. "For Sunday lunch, mate?" I chuckled.

"Yeah, it's fine," Nick sighed. "It's either this or one of the tee shirts Lyd bought me back from Bali. Which one will I choose… "Suck More Dick!" or "I Fuck on the First Date"?"

"OK, we'll go with the dead rapper!" I laughed.

* * *

An otherwise boring drive to the coast on the M1 motorway was made bearable by Ricky's constant chatter, about nothing specific. Nick and I chuckled through the conversation, which revolved around the observations and thoughts of a five-year-old boy.

When we reached Gosford, we passed a main street florist selling what looked to be fresh flowers. "Stop for a moment! I'm gonna buy your mum some flowers…"

"You don't have to do that!" Nick laughed, as he pulled up in a strip shopping centre. "Mum has silk flowers, because the fresh ones just die!"

"Yeah, yeah!" I laughed. "All mums like being given real flowers!" I jumped out and bought a nice bouquet of spray roses and jip.

The closer we got to Terrigal; the more tight-lipped Nick seemed to become. When we finally pulled upside his family home, he was almost white knuckled. "Forgive me if this doesn't go well," he sighed as he climbed out of the car and unbuckled his son from the back seat.

As we strolled to the front door, I kept focussed on making a good impression. When Nick rang the doorbell, it was answered by a rather mousey-looking woman in her mid-50s who was smiling.

"Nicholas, it's so good to see you," she said warmly as she gave her son a hug. Without looking at me, she turned her attention to Ricky, saying, "Hello darling, Grandma's missed you!"

"Hey, Grandma!" Ricky said, as he embraced the family's matriarch. "I need to do wee!"

"Oh, well, you know where to go, sweetheart," she said, as she stood back. Once he'd scuttled off, Nick smiled at his mother and said, "Mum, this is Scott!"

Extending my hand, I said, "It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Wright."

As she shook my hand, she smiled, "Please call me Pamela."

With my other hand, I held out the roses. "These are for you…"

"Oh, you shouldn't have!" she smiled. "They're lovely."

Looking behind her she called out, "David? Nicholas is here with his, er, friend…"

As we stepped into the foyer of the house, a tall, well-built man with dark hair flecked with grey walked into the room; he didn't look anything like Nick, but he was handsome in a chiselled, weathered kind of way.

"Hello Son," he smiled, as he shook hands with Nick.

"Dad, this is Scott," Nick said standing back.

I again shook hands. "It's good to meet you, Mr. Wright."

"Call me Dave," he said, as he moved back from me.

Nick handed his father the bottle of red wine. "This looks pretty fancy," Dave said as he inspected the label.

"Scott chose it," Nick said simply.

"Where's my grandson?" Dave asked.

Nick sighed. "He needed a pee."

"Let's go into the lounge," Pamela smiled. "Peter's waiting…"

"Oh, his legs were too sore to walk to the door?" Nick sighed.

"Now, now, Nicholas … don't be like that!" his mother chastised.

We were led into a rather quaint lounge room where Brother Pete was sitting on a couch. He looked nothing like I imagined, and certainly nothing like Nick. He was thin, with short hair and round rimmed glasses - a nondescript man.

He stood and half-heartedly extended his hand to his brother. "Hello, Nick."

It seemed odd to me that two brothers would shake hands. If I offered my hand for Ty or Lachie to shake, they'd smack me in the head.

"Hello, Pete," Nick smiled wanly as they shook. "This is Scott."

"It's great to meet you, Pete," I smiled. No handshake for me, a nod was all I got in response.

The awkwardness was interrupted with the arrival of Ricky, back from the bathroom. "Here's my little man!" Dave grinned, as he held out his arms.

"Hi, Grandpa!" Ricky enthused, as he was scooped into his grandfather's arms and hugged.

When he was stood back on the floor, he looked at Nick's brother and shyly said, "Hi, Uncle Pete!"

"Well, hello there, Richard!" Pete said, forcing a smile for the first time. "You've got so tall… it's been ages since I saw you last."

"I'm five now," Ricky beamed. "I'm going to school next year!"

"We'll have to work out a way I can see you more often," Pete said.

With all the innocence of a five-year-old, Ricky looked at his uncle and said, "Maybe we could have a wank…"