Chapter Three

The dinner was disappointing for Billy. First of all, they were late getting to the restaurant. Then Taylor couldn’t come for some reason, which is why they were late, and Mike was there with his dad. Worse, Mike’s dad sat next to Billy on one side and his own dad was on the other side. Mike was relegated to sitting across from him and that just made Billy even more nervous.

About the only thing that was good about the dinner was that he could spend his time staring at Mike. He had no choice so at least this way he couldn’t get into trouble. It was hard too, as Mike had worn a tight fitting light blue button shirt that only highlighted his pecs. Billy found himself constantly dreaming of having those nipples in his mouth and it had led to some rather lame answers to questions he was asked by everyone. Even Mike seemed to look at him strange a few times and this only made him more nervous.

God what did they expect? I mean it was supposed to be his day and first his brother didn’t show up and then he was stuck having to stare at a male god that was off limits. Did they really expect him to be coherent?

Billy’s dad kept exchanging looks with Mike’s dad and for some strange reason with Mike too. Wonder what that was all about? Well, dinner was coming to a close and then he could get home and try to talk himself into believing that it was an okay birthday when he was stunned by his dad suggesting that Mike and his father join them. Well wasn’t that just dandy, now he had to pretend to be the happy birthday boy for a few more hours. What part of HIS BIRTHDAY did his dad not understand?

The drive home wasn’t all that talkative and for some strange reason his father seemed to not mind. Well this was certainly not the evening he had hoped for but at least it was almost over. And he did at least have the prospect of the party to help pass the time with. Who knows, maybe he could sew up a few extra votes if he played it right. His thoughts now turning towards other things, his bubble burst.

Funny, the lights were all off as they approached the house, with Mike’s dad’s truck bringing up the rear. He was sure they had left the security lights on, and he damn well knew he had left his bedroom light on and yet everything was dark. Maybe they were experiencing another power outage.

Billy climbed out of the car and started to head for the front door when he was startled by the blaring of a loud truck horn. He jumped and turned to check out why Mike’s dad was blowing his truck horn and yet, the sound didn’t come from there and he turned his head once more to the side where the noise was coming from.

Suddenly a whole array of lights sparkled into life and blinded him. He put his hand up to shield his eyes from the unreal glare that filled the darkness with its brilliance. What was going on? His mind was numb and confused and he heard laughter coming from behind him and from the source of the light.

“What?.. what’s going on he yelled?” but he only received more laughter and shrill screams of his name.

Finally he was able to make out some shapes and he saw a huge truck all lit up standing off to the side. It had huge off road lamps that were blinding him not to mention its own headlights. The laughter was coming mainly from behind him, where his dad and Mike and Mike’s dad were standing.

He saw a tall figure outlined by the truck and could hear laughter coming from there too when he realized that the figure was his brother Taylor.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY” was now being chanted by everyone and he was totally confused. Sure, now they were singing happy birthday, not at the restaurant, but here in the middle of their front driveway with Taylor’s truck lights…. wait a second? Taylor didn’t have a truck.

Just as the thought finally seeped into his head his Dad came forward. The harsh lights dimmed as Taylor turned the high beam roof lights off and another pair of head lights now shone on a dark brand new truck with a huge ribbon around it.

“What the…. ”

“Happy Birthday Son…. ” his father said into his ear and Billy turned to stare into his father’s blue eyes. He was totally stunned as he saw Taylor come up and toss a pair of keys at him.

“NO WAY…. DAD IS THIS?”

“yes Billy… it’s for you…..go on go check it out”

“OH YES SIR!” he yelled and started for the truck. He stopped a few feet ahead, then turned and ran back to his father. He jumped into the waiting arms and hugged his dad hard and with unbelievable strength. Tears were in his eyes as he heard his father whisper to him that he loved him. It was perfect, the whole thing was perfect and he finally stood back on the ground, his arms still around his father, but no longer clinging to him.

Their eyes were locked and it seemed like they had finally connected once again. Father to son, son to father. It had been a long time since they had been able to connect. Both had tried many times but there always seemed to be some barrier, but for this moment, the barrier ws gone. Both teared up and finally Billy was shoed away to go check out his new truck.

Taylor stood by his younger brother as he climbed all over his birthday gift. He was happy for Billy, and at least with the truck, maybe Billy wouldn’t miss him too much. As he told him, now he didn’t have any excuses for not coming up to college to visit for a weekend.

Billy hugged his brother and just kept crying. The tears didn’t stop from the second his eyes had locked onto his father’s, until now as he clambered all over the huge 1 ton pick up. It was loaded and had every option imagineable. Man what a treat and a 1999 model too.

Taylor moved on towards the house with his father and with Mike’s dad. They were all laughing together, reliving Billy’s terrified and confused expression at his birthday present. Only Mike stayed behind and he seemed rather nervous. Wonder if he knew about the surprise?

“Hell of a birthday present …. isn’t it Mike?”

“yeah. It sure is.”

“Wow, I am so damn stoked Mike…. did you know about this?”

“Yeah…. kind of… ”

Billy couldn’t believe it. How in the blazes had everyone been able to fool him but man, what a surprise and what a birthday this was turning out to be. He looked at Mike and gave him a slug on the shoulder.

He started to turn away to admire his birthday present some more when he felt a slight touch on his shoulder. He turned back to find Mike’s face right next to his and a strange sort of fear like expression on his face. Before he could say a word Mike leaned forward and kissed him full on the lips.

Billy almost fainted. His heart was in over drive and his knees started to buckle. He felt two strong arms grab hold of him before he wound up kissing the driveway. There was silence all around him as he looked up into Mike’s face. He saw worry and concern and yet the feel of those strong arms around his waist was too much for him.

With his heart still racing and without any further thought Billy reached up with his own arms to wrap them around Mike’s broad shoulders and he pulled. Mike was startled by Billy’s sudden movement and before he knew it, his face was now right next to Billy’s and this time it was Billy who did the kissing.

They broke apart, both of them stunned with wild looks in their eyes. Billy could hear Mike’s breathing, and it was almost as shallow and ragged as his own. He was sure that Mike was being made deaf by the loud banging of his heart against the rib cage.

“Mike…. I….”

“Happy Birthday Billy…”

“Mike… I don’t know what to say except….”

“Billy…. you don’t know how much I have missed you… please don’t hate me for that.. I….”

“Hate you? Are you nuts? I loved it…. and….”

“You what?”

“I loved it… you don’t how I have dreamed of that happening…”

“You too?”

“Me too? You mean.. but you never said….. I mean on Saturday…. you….”

“I think you can stop stammering now…. yes me too…”

They just stood there, in the glow of the house lights and the walkway lights. Both of them still touching each other’s shoulders, staring at each other’s face. So much had happened in that brief time, and yet so much had stayed the same.

“Hey you two ever gonna come inside?” Billy’s dad yelled and broke the connection. Both of them started laughing and raced ahead to the house, giggling like two school girls with their new found secret.

“What’ is so funny?” he asked as Billy raced past him.

“Nothing Dad.. just nothing… this is the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!”

The night moved quickly from that point on. Far too quickly as far as Mike and Billy were concerned but they had a great deal of fun. There were numerous stories about Billy told, how when he was only 5 he had sneaked into his parent’s bedroom and got himself all dolled up in make up and lipstick and high heeled shoes. The story wasn’t particularly amusing for Billy, at least not until he felt Mike squeeze his hand while howling in laughter. Mike even managed to cackle out that he knew that Billy would make a good wife someday. Taylor had rolled on the floor with that one and then Mike’s dad had dropped his bombshell, telling everyone how he always thought Mike would be the better wife of the two boys.

Billy had laughed at that one even though he wasn’t too sure just what was meant. It seemed like everyone was in on a big secret except for him and Mike.

It was a school night so the party broke up early. Everyone walked outside to see Mike and his Dad off and just before they left, Mike managed to get Billy alone out behind the new truck. There he put Billy’s head into his hands, holding his cheeks and then he leaned forward and kissed billy one more time.

“You going to the game tomorrow night? Wifey?”

“Hehe… yeah hubby… I am… they got some cute guys playing this year…hehe”

“Yeah well you just keep your eyes on 85 or else…. that is… well..”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way Mike…”

“Really? I mean I know this is rather sudden…. but…..”

“Been working up to this all our lives Mike… I am certain if you are.”

“Yeah.. I am now…. wasn’t all week long but now I am… for sure.”

“Then it’s settled…. will I see you after the game?”

“Hehe.. yeah you will see me after the game, in the morning after the game… hehe ….. guess your Dad forgot to tell you that I am staying over all weekend while my folks go to LA for the weekend… hehe”

“What? …… why you…. hehe okay you win…. another damn secret you all kept form me… how many more are there by the way?”

“Oh a few left… a few… I gotta go… cya tomorrow after the game… wish me luck Billy.”

“Wait a second.. what do you mean a few more? Hold on……”

“Can’t… dad’s honking the horn already…. tomorrow”

“yeah… ‘kay tomorrow…..”

Mike quickly jogged towards the truck and as he climbed in, he looked back at Billy and smiled. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUD” and then he was inside and the truck was pulling away.

Billy stood outside watching the truck’s tail lights vanish in the night. He turned to see his brother and father by the front door watching his every movement. Slowly he walked up towards them, and then in a sudden rush of emotion he rushed into their arms, tears running down his cheeks, only this time they were tears of absolute joy.

——————————

Well another birthday was over and he stared at the bluish green numbers flashing on his clock radio as he lay in bed thinking over this totally radical day and night.

He couldn’t have imagined it all could he? No, the tingle he felt around his lips were real alright, even Taylor said so. Funny, he thought it would be difficult telling Tay about Mike but instead it was super easy. And Tay, well he was Taylor and for some reason all he did was smile at Billy, never once did it really seem to phase him that now his younger brother was embarking on a journey with some other guy. No longer would there be their own special nights together, and Billy felt sad at that. He even managed to tell that to Tay who merely reached over and kissed his brother.

Billy had tasted the salt from tears that had fallen down Tay’s own angular face and when he looked into his eyes, he saw the sadness there, but he also saw the love. For a strange reason, it wasn’t really an ending but more of a new beginning of their relationship. It seemed like at the time they had needed each other and that need had been expressed in their sexual contact.

You know, the sex between them had been good, and for the first while it seemed like they couldn’t get enough of each other, but over the last six to nine months, even that had dwindled down. If he really thought about it, they hadn’t had any real sex for the last four or five months. Sure they had kissed and cuddled, and there were maybe three or four times that they had jerked off together, but nothing really heavy. No cock sucking at all, let alone butt fucking.

He never thought about it much, until now, but they had changed. They had finally gotten on with living, not just coping but actually in living. He looked at the clock again and realized that time never really did stand still, and that things always changed, whether you wanted them to or not and tomorrow he was starting another change in his life.

He wondered how it was going to be, him and Mike and he wondered if Mike was laying awake right now thinking of him. Funny, he had mentioned to Tay right at the beginning of their new found brotherly love that he missed not having Mike around. Taylor had stroked his head, running his hands through his blond hair and telling him that some day he would find Mike again and they would pick up where they left off, but in a more grown up way. Now here it was two years later and it was all coming true.

Sleep came slowly to Billy as he thought of just what was in store for him and his new beginning. Guess this only proved that he was totally gay, not just a pretender or a coward unwilling to venture forth into the wild world of hetro life. Wonder what his Dad was gonna say about all this, if he ever found out? God, that opened up a whole new can of worms for him to mull over. Now he had to be careful not only for his own sake, but for Mike too. Why couldn’t the world just accept that some people didn’t like to play around with those outside their gender? Why did they have to be so damned pig headed and idiotic.