The day after Christmas, Suzi, Joey, and their parents all joined us at my mansion for dinner. The three of us were incredibly nervous because we felt we needed to tell their parents about how we felt about each other. We had no idea how they were going to react, and both Joey and Suzi made it quite clear my parents and I were not to interfere in any way except verbally.
There was also the matter of exchanging gifts. I knew my gift to Joey would most likely be initially refused, if not by Joey, then by his father. Suzi's gift I wasn't as worried about since my dad was also giving her father the goblets they had discussed last year. Of course Suzi's mom might object, but then she might not. She did kind of liked me. :)
My mom and I made the dinner, and that unintentionally rung up some brownie points with Suzi's mom. In fact, Suzi's mom was the most understanding of the four, probably because she had already pretty much figured out that Suzi was seeing both Joey and I. I mean, it was kinda obvious when Joey would take her out, then I would, then Joey.. You get the picture.
Joey's and my mom had kept in touch pretty much, especially since Joey and I were always doing stuff together. Joey's mom would call to have Joey sent home and then usually talk to my mom for a while. On more than one occasion, they would talk so long that Joey arrived home before they hung up.
So Joey's parents knew about how the mansion was a gift from my dad to me, and that my mom was barely affording to keep it. But they still were a little uncomfortable to be in such a large and expensive home at first. Once the three mothers got busy chatting though, the atmosphere became fairly relaxed. Joey's dad even got a few minutes of friendly chit chat in with my dad, talking about a few things they did after they left our camp last summer, and even talked about doing something similar this coming summer.
Suzi's dad monopolized the rest of my dad's time, but my dad and I both knew it was just his nature and he wasn't actively trying to get something out of us. Not that he didn't hope for something though.
Suzi, Joey and I were very quiet during the otherwise very talkative dinner. We weren't very hungry. The butterflies in our stomachs were having orgies just so they could multiply in greater numbers.
After we helped clear the table, Suzi, Joey and I announced we had some gifts to exchange. Both their parents had expected this since Joey and Suzi had both brought something for me and each other, and Joey had brought something for my mom too. Actually, Joey's gift to my mom was from his parents as well, and that made Suzi's parents feel they needed to apologize for not bringing something themselves.
My presents to Joey and Suzi were in small boxes, but everyone expected them to be something expensive, or at least cost more than what they got me. But Joey's gift to me was priceless, or at least it was to him, and only those who were really close to him knew how priceless it was.
"A baseball card? Oh my God. It's that one. You can't really be giving it to me!? I mean SHE gave it to you..."
"Yeah, I know. But all those years you and I traded baseball cards, you always wanted it, and I would never tell you why I wouldn't trade it. At least not until you.. you know."
"But... Oh Joey... Thanks man... Really.. thanks, but I.. I have to tell you, the only reason I wanted it was because you didn't want to give it up."
"I knew that. But... Tim, it's the only thing I could think of that... You've been my best friend my whole life. I want you to take it. It's important to me that you do."
I sniffed, and gave him a hug, resisting the urge to give him a peck on the cheek and stuff while in front of his parents. It took several minutes before we both could stop sniffling. Even Suzi was a little snifflely as she explained to our parents that Joey's dead sister had given it to him, the first of many in his baseball card collection.
Suzi gave Joey the watch she had seen him admiring several times when we had taken the twins shopping.
"Hey, speaking of the twins, where are they?" Joey asked as Suzi put the watch on his wrist.
"Would you believe they had never tasted candy canes before?" I said with somewhat humorous look.
"Candy canes? What do you mean?" Suzi asked.
My father replied, "They got sick after eating nearly six dozen candy canes this afternoon."
"Yeah," I added. "I've never seen someone actually look green like that before. They were really upset about missing dinner and meeting everyone, but not as upset as their stomachs were."
"I seem to remember someone else getting sick on some fudge one Christmas," Joey's mom said.
"Oh mom.." Joey said exasperated. "Will you ever let me live that down?"
"I doubt it," Joey's dad said. "She reminds me every year that I was the one who let you get into the fudge. 'This time, make sure you put it up where Joey can't reach it, dear.'"
"Uck," Joey said. "I never wanted another piece after that night. I hate fudge."
I gave Suzi my present next, and her squeal when she opened it wasn't a complete surprise.
"Ew Timmy.." she said pulling out the gold bracelet. "It's just like... How did you find it?"
"I didn't. I had it made, using your, er, description of it. Does it look like your grandmother's?"
"It's identical! ..Except for the inscription on the back. 'Forever Love.'"
"May I see?" her mother asked. Suzi handed it over to her, and she examined it herself. "It does looks just like the original. Except for the inscription, like Suzi said. My mother's said 'Forever Yours.' You couldn't have done this just from Suzi describing it to you.."
"Okay.. Okay. My dad was in Cincinnati last month and stopped by to photo the original for me. But that was after the jeweler already started it using my description of what Suzi said. Of course he had to start over, but.."
"Jesus, Charles.." Frank said. "That must have cost a mint to have something like that custom made. I don't know if she should accept something that expensive.."
"I was expecting you to say something like that, Frank," my father said. "Well, if you can't let Suzi except her gift, then I don't expect you will want that box over there.."
Frank's eyes fell on the twelve inch square box, the largest gift under the tree, and he nervously kneeled down in front of it. He lifted it up, and instantly knew from the weight, "My god. You're giving me the goblets?"
"For university. Tim's told me how much time you put into your job. I thought that perhaps it would be fitting for that library be called the Frank and Betty Aster Medical Library, if it hasn't already been officially named. After all, you're the ones who have to put up with the snobs like myself so it could be built," my dad said, laughing at his own joke like he always does.
"Well... I... I don't know what to say," Frank admitted.
"Charles, you've really done it," Suzi's mom said. "Frank has never been short for words, especially when it's about work. I think he'll accept it, if I know him like I do. Thank you Charles, Samantha. And thank you too, Tim," she finished, popping a kiss on my forehead.
"Well, doesn't that take the cake," my father said. "I spend the money, he gets the kiss."
"Oh, now... You get plenty of kisses," my mother teased, kissing him on the forehead like Suzi's mom had me.
Joey gave my mom her present, and was very pleased with her response.
"Oh, you devils. Margaret, I can't believe you spent this much on me!" she said, holding up the crystal serving bowl.
"I'm sorry to say, it wasn't all that expensive. But when I saw it on sale at Jenny's, I knew you'd love it after the fuss you made over mine. Yours holds a little bit more than mine, does."
"Thank you Margaret, Tom, and sweet Joey," giving him the same kiss on the forehead. That reminded me I never had asked her why they had stopped messing around, but now wasn't the time..
"Who's next?" I asked.
"Here Tim," Suzi said, handing me a box that suspiciously looked like the one she gave Joey.
"Holy cow! Joey! You told her!" I said, pleasantly betrayed. It was another watch, but not like Joey's. It was like his dad's calculator watch.
"Heh, yeah. I was going to get it for you myself, but I wanted to give you the card too much. My dad even went and picked it out with her."
"I wanted to make sure you got the newer model," Joey's dad explained. "Yours holds telephone numbers and has a database also."
"Cool.." I said excitedly. I didn't mention the fact I already had a database and telephone directory in my head. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't just force myself to remember things like that. "Thanks Suz. Thanks Mr. Connor... Your turn, Joey."
Suzi's squeal was just as loud as when she opened my gift. Actually, I liked Joey's gift better than my own.
"It's a locket. Oh! With Joey's and Tim's pictures in it. Ew Joey.. I love it!"
"Yeah, Joey. That's cool. So that's why you wanted to see the bracelet. You wanted to try and match it.." I said, pretending I hadn't already known that.
"And Sss..since your mom gave me the picture of you, I uhm.. didn't need to take that picture like I told you I was," Joey quickly made up. I gave him a quick grin at his near miss.
"Okay, last but not least..." I said, handing Joey the smallest box of the bunch.
He looked at me with a frown when he shook it and couldn't hear anything. "What. Is it empty?"
"Why don't you open it and find out," I teased.
He did so, ripping the paper off in one stroke.
"Shit, Tim. You put enough tape on the box?" Joey said, forgetting Suzi's and my parents were in the room. His family cussed in front of each other all the time. Even his mom.
The color drained out of his face when he did finally open it.
"What is it?" Suzi asked.
Joey picked the keys up, making the familiar clanking noise that car keys make. I had spent twenty minutes positioning those keys in paper to keep them from making that exact noise, and finally just found some foam and cut slots in it to stick the keys in. The effort was well worth the surprise.
"Oh.. Wow.." Suzi said as Joey's mother gasped.
"No sir," Joey's dad immediately said. "He's not taking a car from you. No Connor is going to accept charity, even from his best friend's father."
"But it's not charity!" I said, having expected that response at least. "It's sorta a payment for the work we've been doing. Tell him, dad."
"It's true, Tom. Joey and Tim have been working on something that, to me, is of great value. You don't need to know the details on what it's about, but if it wasn't for Joey, we would have never figured what it was about in the first place. And he is the key to continuing the work."
"By dad is like hiring him, sorta. And me. He promised me a car too on my birthday next month. Don't say no until you see it, please?" I begged.
"Come on, dad. Let me at least see it. Then if you say no, I won't argue with you," Joey said, not really sure if he would be able to keep that agreement.
"No. Absolutely not. Tim, we appreciate the act, and Charles, I know you're just trying to do this for your son, but I'm sure Joey was doing whatever he was doing for the fun of it, and wasn't expecting payment for it. He's not going to accept it and that's..."
"But DAD!" Joey said, suddenly noticing something. He held the key chain up to his dad's face."
"Mm.. Mustang?" Joey's dad said, almost nervously.
"Nineteen sixty seven, cherry red convertible, in case you're interested," my dad said. "Oh, and before you start saying how expensive it must of been, don't. It doesn't run. The body is in great condition, but the engine is shot. But Tim tells me you and Joey work on your car all the time, so that shouldn't be.."
"Where is it?" Joey and his dad both said at the same time. I don't know who was more excited, but I could swear I saw some drool on the side of Tom's mouth.
We took them out to the garage, and I pulled down the makeshift curtain at the end of the building, next to the only limo I had never ridden in.
Joey and his father made strange noises as they caressed the shiny red paint, massaged the tires, swirled their fingers over the dash board like two boys feeling a woman's skin for the first time. I almost expected them to start kissing the seats, but they skipped the seats and popped the hood instead.
"Shit. Look at this, Joey. It's a fuckin' wreck."
"Shit. I guess we won't be taking it out for a test drive any time soon. Holy shit, dad. The belts are rotted.. and.."
They both turned around and looked at me and my dad.
"What?" I said.
"You can't fool us," Joey said.
"You bought the car in perfect condition, then swapped the motor with this piece of shit." Tom continued.
"You're absolutely... wrong," my father replied. "That is the original engine. A man by the name of Gerald T. Finch bought it after it was pulled from a swamp. He restored the paint and the interior, but he never got around to the engine except to clean the swamp sludge from it. He traded it for an old limo I had parked in the spot it's in now. Finch is getting on in age, and he wanted something, shall I say, more mature for his wife's sake. The limo was my father's, and it wasn't running either, but it wouldn't take much to get it going again. I personally hated the thing."
"But if you don't accept it," I added "there's a guy who wants to buy it from us. He has a spot waiting in his collection, right next to three other Mustangs. I just don't understand why he never drives any of his cars. They just sit inside this big warehouse, looking all nice pretty while the guy shows them to maybe three or four people a year.."
"Come on, dad.." Joey whined.
"What do you think," Tom asked his wife.
"Shit, you don't want my opinion. You know how I hate cleaning the shit you get on your clothes after you two tinker with the car. But you know you want it."
"Shit, all right, then. I'll let him have it on one condition. You figure out how much it is really worth, then Joey and I will pay you back little by little. No buts. That's how it's going to work. And... Thanks."
"Yeah," Joey said grabbing me. "Thanks," and promptly kissed me on the lips.
"JOEY!" his father bellowed.
Joey and I jerked apart, realizing we both had forgotten ourselves.
The looks of shock we were getting from Suzi's and Joey's parents, especially Joey's dad, made the butterflies in our stomach turn into bees. We hadn't intended to tell them about Joey and I.
"Uhm, I think we all better go back inside and have a little talk," Suzi finally said.
The tension was thick as we sat down in the room my mom and I had turned into a family room. Before remodeling, it had been where my grandfather's harem of women under the age of twenty had lived. My father hadn't bothered to use it since he moved into my mother's mansion, but it still took a lot of persuasion before he would allow us to alter the function of the room. What we called our living room was very similar in shape, it having been the room where the more mature women had lived. The sofa and pillows Joey's and Suzi's parents sat on were even the original furniture.
"Uhm, mom, dad?" Joey began, then hesitated no knowing what to really say.
"Let me go first, Joey," Suzi said. When he nodded, she looked at her parents, and said, "You know I care for Tim and Joey, but I don't think you knew how much I love them, both of them. And no matter what Tim thinks, I love them equally." She said, holding our hands up to her chest.
"I guess it's my turn," I said before Joey could say anything. "Mr. and Mrs. Connor, probably the only reason why Joey and I can both love Suzi with out hating each other is... well, we kinda feel the same way towards each other."
"Yeah," Joey said, not looking at anyone. "But in a way it's different. Not that we don't love each other, cause we do, but we don't see each other as boyfriends, just... I don't know.. Close. Closer than close. Just like we are with Suzi," he said looking up at us, not hearing the confliction he had just made.
"Well, that's fine and all, but.. you two don't go around.. Kissing, do you?" Tom said.
Joey and I exchanged desperate looks, but Suzi was the one who answered.
"And what's wrong with that? I've seen you give him kisses before, and he even gave you one once."
"But he's my son. And they were on the cheeks. Shit Joey.." he shuddered.
"Sam, did you know about this?" Margaret asked.
"Yes, but.."
"Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were friends. Tell me you didn't encourage it."
"I didn't encourage it or discourage it. Margaret, they're not hurting anyone. If they were, then I would have told you. They have the right to live their own lives."
"I think you're blowing things out of proportion," Suzi's mom said to the Connors. "They obviously are more interested in girls than.. boys. I've suspected something like this was going on for sometime. And I don't really know the boys like you do."
"You knew?" Suzi said amazed. "Then why didn't you say something?"
"Because you gave every indication you didn't want to talk about it. You may be surprised to find out what I know, if you ever took me into your confidence," her mother said rather oddly. Even without my telepathic abilities I could tell she had been hurt by Suzi's secretive nature concerning Joey and I.
"I'm sorry, mommy," Suzi said giving her a hug.
"So Frank, did you know?" Tom asked, feeling a bit frustrated.
"No. What about you, Charles?"
"Uh-oh," I said when I saw a mischievous look in my dad's eyes.
"Not only did I know about it, I have their first fuck on tape," he said smiling.
"Oh my God," Margaret said. "Please tell me you don't mean what I think you mean."
"I knew it!" Joey's father cried. "Joey, Margaret, get your things. We're leaving. And don't even try arguing, boy. You're in deep shit as it is."
"I can't believe you said that!" I cried at my dad.
"We're not leaving!" Joey said very defiantly. "I'm not a fuckin' faggot, and if you don't know that, then.. then.... FUCK YOU!"
"Samantha, maybe we should leave," Suzi's mom said.
"MOM!?!," Suzi cried. "I can't leave!?!"
Joey's father was trying to force Joey to leave with them, and Suzi's father was about to do the same with Suzi. I looked over at my parents and was shocked to see them watching the scene with amusement.
So I did the only thing I could think of that didn't involve my powers. I picked up the crystal bowl and dropped it on the bare marble floor.
The explosion of glass shattering brought everyone's attention to me.
"No one is leaving until you hear me out. I love Joey and Suzi. I'd give my life to save theirs. Shit, they are my life. Yes, all three of us made love. Mr. and Mrs. Connor, I've known you all my life. You've said yourself I'm almost family. And Joey and I have practically done everything together. So doesn't it make a little bit of sense that we have special feelings for each other? I trust him, I know his every thought, and I love him. Can you tell me what is so wrong with that?"
"It's unnatural," Joey's father said in a stern voice. "That's what is wrong with it."
"Why?" Joey asked.
"Because it is. Men don't have sex with men. Shit, Joey. I thought you knew better. Ever since mister big shot over there finally decided to claim his bastard son.."
"You fuckin' asshole," Joey breathed. "Tim and I started messing around almost a year before we even knew about his dad. I guess I'm the bastard. You can't be my father. My father would understand."
And without another word, Joey ran out the door.
"Joey!" his mother called after him.
"Let him be. He'll come to his senses," Joey's dad said.
"He's not the only one who needs to come to his senses," I said as I ran out after Joey.
Suzi looked painfully up at her mother.
"Oh, all right," she said. "But grab your coat, and you better take theirs as well."
"Betty!?" Frank said shocked.
"Hush, Frank. She knows what she's doing."
Meanwhile, I tracked Joey down to the garage where he was sitting inside the Mustang, staring out into space as tears slowly ran down his face.
"Hey, can I sit with ya?" I asked.
"It's your car.." Joey said sadly.
I didn't say what I was thinking, just silently got in beside him.
"If only I hadn't fucked up and kissed you like that. Everything was cool until that," he said a few minutes later.
"You mean we, don't you. I fucked up as much as you did."
"Yeah, but still.. At least your mom and dad don't call you unnatural and shit."
"They didn't call you unnatural. If anyone is to blame for this mess, it's my dad. You know he did that on purpose just for fun. Shit, Joey. My mom was even smiling at it while your dad was trying to force you out the door. My mom! I can't figure that out."
"Shit.. But what are we going to do?" He said, starting to cry in earnest.
My own tears started to flow then too. I reached out to pull him towards me, and ended up with him crying into my shoulder.
"I don't know, Joey," I said, trying to keep myself from following his example. "I guess we'll just have to stop... being?.. friends?!" That's where my own dam broke.
We recovered ourselves when we heard the garage side door slam shut. Suzi gave a sigh of relief when she saw us, and walked over carrying our coats.
"Aren't you two freezing?" she said quietly.
"I'm too numb right now to care," Joey said.
"Well, put this on anyway," Suzi said, tossing us our winter coats.
"Thanks Suz," I said, shivering as I put mine on. "So, you want to join us for a ride down depression lane?" I said with a weak smile.
"Only if I get to drive," she said, going over to Joey's side. "Scoot over. You're not in any condition to be behind the wheel." she teased.
Joey complied, but he didn't respond to her humor.
"Tim thinks we should stop being friends," he finally announced.
"No he doesn't, and neither do you," Suzi said. "Come on guys. You know they're wrong. Joey, just give them some time to think it out. And I'm pretty sure my mom is on our side... Parents. Go figure."
I snuggled up to Joey, and he put his arm around me, then snuggled up against Suzi. Suzi turned herself so she could lay against the door, then pulled Joey closer until his back was laying against her chest, and I was laying sideways against his.
"Joey, remember when we did it that day when Tim wasn't talking to us? Remember what you said afterwards?"
"I said I betrayed the only person I thought I could never betray."
I have him a hug, then said, "And it turned out you didn't."
"Let's just run away together. We could do it, ya know." Joey said a few minutes later.
"Oh Joey. They already lost your sister. Do you really want them to lose you too?" I said.
"No..." he said, tearing up again.
We laid in the car for probably a half an hour, talking about nothing in particular, all of us trying to sort our feelings and figure out what we could do.
Finally Suzi said, "I'm getting cold. Can we go for a walk or something? I'll be okay if we keep moving."
So we went outside and walked the path the go-carts had made last fall. Time flew by as we walked the complete path three times around. Then finally we decided to head back and face the music.
"Well, whatever happens, we can always form a link and talk later," Joey said as we walked up the back steps.
"Yeah," I said. "Uhm, thanks for the presents, guys. I'm sorry you probably won't get to keep yours Joey. I'll keep it for you if you want."
"We'll see," Joey said. "Ready?" he asked with his hand on the door knob.
We nodded and entered the kitchen.
"You think they left?" Suzi said softly when we didn't hear anyone.
"No, they're here... Holy shit. You're not going to believe what they're watching," I said even softer.
We snuck our heads around the corner, finding everyone sitting and watching... well, us.
My mom and dad were sitting in a lazy boy, my mom laying partially on top and beside him while they shared a bowl of popcorn. Both Suzi's and Joey's dads were holding their wives close, and Joey's dad suspiciously had his right hand under Margaret's shirt. But at the time he was only rubbing her tummy.
Their attention was fixed on the TV where a slightly younger image of Joey pounded away into Suzi's back door while I laid underneath her. I didn't recognize when the tape was made until the screen showed us changing our position.
"They keep saying something. Shit. I wish your equipment had sound, Charles," Tom said.
"Look at that," Frank said softly. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"Suzi sure seems to like it," Margaret commented.
"I wonder why they've only done it once before this," Betty pondered.
"Shit, I'd do it every night if there was two of me," Tom said.
"Shit! Did I hear you right?" Margaret asked. "You'd make love to me while another man did too?"
"Fuck, no. Not another man. I said if there were two of me. I wouldn't trust any one el.. Oh sshhhiiit. That's it, isn't it. God Damnit."
"What?" Frank said.
"Joey isn't going queer. Neither is Tim. They just trust each other. Shit Margaret, what have I done."
"I was just as upset as you were.. Shit, you didn't do it all," Margaret said.
My mom and dad both took a handful of popcorn and nosily munched it down.
Suddenly my dad said, "Here's my favorite part. Watch this."
The action on the screen had been speeding up, and now Suzi was bouncing back and forth fairly quickly. Our second game of Suz-ball had actually been a let down, so I wasn't sure why my dad had called it his favorite part.
But the camera angle showed our crotches at a very good angle, and when Joey came, his dick actually appeared to expand in size, obviously an optical illusion of some sort, but never the less very impressive.
Even my mom gasped at that, and Joey's dad immediately cried, "That's my boy!"
"Tom!" Margaret said, then suddenly wiggled madly as her husband started moving his hands into her pants.
"Thomas... Stop it! Now, not in front of... Tom.... TOM!"
"What? I don't think they will notice. They're a little busy themselves," Tom said before placing his mouth on her neck.
As the images of the three of us settled down in each other's arms, the two couples on the couch started their own show, one that Joey and Suzi didn't have any intention of watching.
"Oh, come on you two. They watched us. It's only fair," I complained mentally when they indicated they wanted to leave. They insisted, but before I turned to leave, my father's arm appeared off the side of the chair, holding the bowl of popcorn out obviously to me. I grinned and sent him a 'no thanks', then joined Suzi and Joey in the kitchen for some dessert.
"You know," I said between a forkful of angels food cake, "my mom and dad set all that up."
"What do you mean, set it up?" Joey said with his mouth partially full.
"Of course they set it up. You mean you just figured that out?" Suzi asked.
"Well, yeah," I said. "When did you figure it out?"
"The moment your dad mentioned the tape and your mom didn't jump all over him. Jeez, guys. I thought you knew her better than that."
"Shit. She's right," Joey said.
"You know Joey? I think we're starting to slip. We're the ones who used to pull things on our parents, remember?"
"Yeah. I can't wait to find out what our kids do.."
We all sat quietly thinking about that one for a few minutes, then Joey got a smile on his face.
"What?" Suzi and I said almost simultaneously.
"Let's go break in the back seat of my car," he said with a sparkle in his eye.
"Okay, but _I_ still get to drive," Suzi said.