Priorities - Book Two

*** ~~~ Eric ~~~ ***

This morning I awoke naked and in bed, alone as usual. As I lay there, I reviewed the past 48 hours in my mind. Many things have happened to challenge my thinking. Seeing Trevor and Roger in their altogether was, to me, an event I never dreamed would occur; the two are so beautiful. What they obviously feel for each other makes me so very jealous. I know it's not an appropriate feeling but it's how I feel if I am honest with myself. For so long, I've wanted someone in my life for whom I could feel like that.

At one point, I thought I might have had that; but alas, I chickened out before I was able to coax myself into telling him. It was two years ago; I'd just made the formal announcement of the formation of the alliance and he came to me to express his support. There was something in his eyes, something nagging me in my gut when I looked at him. Over the next several months we became fast friends.

There were times I felt an outpouring of emotion when I even looked at him. I am sure he caught me staring at him on more than one occasion, and I caught him as well. I was certain that he was feeling the same toward me.

It was the end of the school year and we were at the annual Headmaster's end-of-term party. We'd spent the entire evening together. Finally, we'd seated ourselves in a relatively quiet corner and I was going to do it, I was going to tell him how I felt. I sat there, a scared, gay, 13-year-old boy, having feelings I knew were strong, but I was unable to fully understand.

We sat there for what seemed like an eternity. On several occasions, I started to tell him, but my nerves got the better of me and I quickly changed the subject. It's been two years and my feelings haven't changed. I vow to myself, here and now, if the opportunity ever presents itself again, I will make it right.

*** ~~~ Bobby ~~~ ***

Weekends are a wonderful thing in the King household. Generally, we are on our own until late morning. It's about 9:30am and I was just about to go get Nick up-and-going in preparation for Trevor's meeting when my phone rang. I'm not familiar with the caller-id number but that's not in and of itself strange. I answer.

"Good Morning, Bobby King here."

"Good Morning Mr. King, it's Ricky!" Came the enthusiastic voice of a young boy. For the life of me I couldn't remember him, but for some reason I felt as if I should.

"Hello Ricky, what can I do for you?"

His voice seemed deflated when he made the statement, "You don't remember me, do you." 

"Honestly, no don't. But for some reason I feel as if I should," I replied sincerely.

"A while back you took your son, Trevor, to Chuck-E-Cheese…" At that point the penny dropped and I remembered him perfectly so, uncharacteristic to the way I am usually, I interrupted him.

"Yes! Now I remember! How are you, Ricky, and more importantly, how is your mother?" I could tell I'd made his day in the way he replied.

"She's cured! Thanks to you, she's well again!" He bubbled.

"Well, it's either thanks to my father or Trevor, I was merely there."

"Hold on a minute, Dad wants to talk to you." The next voice I heard belonged to his father.

"I'm sorry, Mr. King. I hope he's not bothering you so early on a Saturday morning."

"Nonsense Tom, I am remembering your name correctly am I not?"

"You are. We got the news late yesterday that my wife's cancer is not only in remission, but it's as if it were never there. Ricky wanted to call and thank you and Trevor."

"Tom, I have an idea, why don't you and Melissa bring Ricky here tomorrow for lunch. I'm sure Trevor will be excited, and you can meet my husband Nick."

"Well, if it's not an imposition."

"Nonsense, if it were, I'd not have asked, now would I?"

It was arranged that they'd come at about 1pm and we ended the call. I'd have to call Ange and ask if she minded coming to prepare lunch.

"Good Morning, Ange.  I'm sorry to bother you on your day off, but I need to ask a favor."

"But of course! How can I help you?" She answered.

"It seems we're going to be having company tomorrow and I'd like to ask if you wouldn't mind coming to prepare lunch. We're meeting them here at the house at 1pm. And of course, bring the boys," I asked, hoping she wouldn't mind.

"No problem. I can come at 11 and get things prepared."

"Thanks, Ange. I truly appreciate it," I said from the bottom of my heart and we ended the call.

I explained to Nick, who'd come in at the end of my conversation with Ange, what was going to happen. I also told him I wanted it to be a surprise for Trevor. After that, I called Dad and told him what had transpired and invited him as well.

*** ~~~ Trevor ~~~ ***

I have to remember that not everyone feels as we do. Not everyone is as casual about nudity. I'd knocked on the door to the guest room to see if Eric was awake and to let him know we'd have breakfast in the kitchen. When I knocked I heard his voice giving permission to enter. I walked in and sat on the bed, he was still ensconced in the bedclothes. After talking a moment, I realized his eyes never left my flaccid penis.

"I'm so sorry, Eric. I never even considered how you might react. I guess, having grown up in the orphanage, then coming to this household, I never thought that it wasn't the usual way people behaved. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Well, uncomfortable, possibly, but I wish I was as confident as you are when I was 13. Had I been, I'd probably not be as lonely as I am now," he replied.

I got the feeling there was more to this, but didn't feel as if it were my place to pry. "Again, I'm sorry. I just wanted to let you know we'd have breakfast in the kitchen whenever you're ready." I stood and started for the door when he stopped me.

"I've been feeling very jealous of how you and Roger act together. I only wish I had someone I could show I felt the same for. I could have but I wasn't strong enough to tell him," Eric lamented.

"I'm sure it'll happen Eric. But, if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

"Trevor? Do you think people deserve second chances?"

"I do. My Daddy told me once that in order to deserve Another Chance from someone else, we needed to accept we deserved Another Chance from ourselves."

"Do you think Garrett likes me?" He asked.

"Of course he does…" at that moment I realized what he was asking… "Did you mean did I think he has feelings for you?" He blushed and merely nodded. I continued, "I've seen how he looks at you, and I see how you look at him. Do you have feelings for him?"

"I do, or at least I did." He replied then told me the story of how he and Garrett met and the friendship they developed. He also told me of the regret he harbored at not trying harder to tell him how he felt.

"Eric, you owe it to yourself to tell him. You never know, he may have many of the same feelings. The worst that could happen is he can say he doesn't feel the same about you," I advised.

I left him with his thoughts, went to Roger and gave him a tender kiss. As I hugged him I told him I knew how lucky I was to have him. He looked me in the eye like I was from another planet but said nothing.

We went down to the kitchen after putting on some clothing. We arrived to Dad, Daddy and Eric sitting at the table. We chatted about the upcoming meeting with Garrett. I could see Eric deep in thought and I was pretty sure what his plan was.

*** ~~~ Garrett ~~~ ***

Eric's call last night saying we'd been invited to the King residence for lunch to discuss the Alliance meant only one thing to me. Eric had heard about the search for someone to run against me for President and must have approached Trevor to support me. They must have wanted to get together to strategize how to handle possible competition. It is with this confidence that I approached the front door to their home after having been dropped off by my mother.

After ringing the bell, the door was opened by the  Headmaster. "Good morning, Sir. Thank you for inviting me to your home," I said respectfully.

"Garrett, while I do appreciate your manners, please feel free to loosen up a bit. You may call me Nick, and my husband Bobby when we're not in a public forum. Trevor, Roger, my husband and Eric are in the kitchen. Please follow me."

He led me through their living room and into the kitchen. I was introduced to Mr. King who, didn't seem at all to me to be what I envisioned; he was kind, didn't treat me in any way I'd have expected someone of his status to treat a mere 15-year-old boy. I was invited to take a seat and offered something to drink.

Over the next thirty minutes we just chatted as if we were a group of peers. This, more than anything else to that point, impressed me. Afterward, he and Nick excused themselves so we could get to the matter I was there to discuss.

What I heard next was not what I expected.

"Garrett, I asked Eric to invite you here today because I have been told that there are those who are looking for someone to run against you for President of the Alliance. When I was approached, the first thing that came to mind was that you and Eric needed to be in the loop. I invited Eric here last night to discuss it and he agreed we needed to inform you. I have been asked to run against you," Trevor said. I guess my surprise was evident because Eric took up the conversation.

"I know what you're thinking, and honestly, I was just as shocked. What Trevor told me after he said that shows what kind of person he is. He told me that he didn't feel it would be right for him to join us and almost immediately take over. He also told me he wanted to talk to you about an idea he had and how he thinks we should proceed."

Over the next hour I listened to Trevor, Eric, and Roger explain their plan. I had to admit, it was a good plan. It appeared to address firstly, what was best for the alliance, and also what was fair to all. We agreed that we would implement this plan at our luncheon on Monday.

During the conversation I noticed Eric looking at me. Looking at me in a way he hasn't looked at me since we'd first met. At first it made me uncomfortable, it then progressed to making me feel hopeful. When we'd agreed to a course of action, Trevor and Roger excused themselves, leaving Eric and me alone in the kitchen.

Eric looked at me and he looked extremely nervous. After an uncomfortable silence he spoke. His voice wasn't the confident voice I was used to.

"Garrett, when we met two years ago, we became very good friends. That friendship has remained, and I believe it's grown. Do you remember the Headmaster's party at the end of term that year?" I nodded through the lump that was growing in my throat. He continued, "Well, with your permission I'm going to do and say what I couldn't then."

He stood and came over to where I was sitting, reached out his hand to help me stand. He took both of my hands in his, staring deeply into my eyes and said, "That night I wanted to tell you of the feelings I had in my heart. I so very much wanted to kiss you, right there in that hall. Unfortunately, I got scared that you wouldn't feel as I did and you'd laugh at me. I've spent the past two years regretting not saying anything. Tell me, would you have done that? Would you have rejected my advances and laughed at me?"

The emotions coursing through me were intense. I looked into his eyes and said, "Eric, what I would have done was this…" I pulled him into an embrace, moved my head toward his and kissed him.

"I guess now we know how they feel," we'd heard Roger tell Trevor. We broke our kiss, our hands remaining joined. Eric turned to Trevor and said, "Thanks, Trevor. Without you, I'd never have had the guts to tell him."

Eric called his father and told him he planned to spend the night with me and he'd stop by to get his school clothes. My parents would make sure he got to school.

Eric and I left when my mother arrived. When I told her what had happened she said, "I had no doubt this would happen sooner or later."

*** ~~~ Trevor ~~~ ***

The rest of the day on Saturday, Roger and I were relaxing and just being together. When we talked about what happened between Garrett and Eric that evening, Roger decided to show me exactly how he felt about me. I'll just say, I wasn't disappointed. It was a very 'long' and 'hard' but w'hole'ly enjoyable evening.

Sunday morning, Daddy came to wake Roger and me, telling us we may want to wear more than just underwear when we come down to breakfast because we have company. I had no idea who it could have been but we each dressed choosing shorts, Polo Shirt and sandals without socks.

Once we entered the kitchen, I was surprised to see Ange, Robert, and Jacques sitting there. I guess my surprise was noticed because Dad told me, she was there preparing a late lunch, around 1, for our guests.

As we were eating, Robert kept looking at me. It was making me exceedingly uncomfortable, until Robert said, "I wish I could find a boyfriend who loves me as much as Trevor loves you, Roger."

Roger didn't hesitate when he said, "Robert, I have a feeling that will happen sooner than you think. A boy as cute as you will have no problem."

Robert smiled hearing that. I then noticed Ange staring at her son. "I am surprised you told them, mon petit."

"Mere, I believe they already knew, he replied.

About then, Grandpa entered the kitchen. "Mind if I join the party?"

Roger and I gave Grandpa hugs and kisses. Robert shook his hand and Jacques tried to hide behind his hands again. That boy reminds me a lot of little Jake, Patrick's adoptive brother. They're about the same age and both cute as the day is long.

After breakfast, I invited Robert and Jacques to join Roger and me in my room to watch some television. Once there, I handed the remote to Jacques so he could choose what he wanted to watch.

Once he was happily lying on the floor on his tummy watching Ben 10, Robert, Roger and I sat to talk.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable when we met, Trevor," Robert said. "I had recently told my mother I was gay. When I said what I did to you, I did not know you already had a boyfriend. I hope you can forgive me."

"I'll admit, you kind of creeped me out a little. Not because of what you said, but the fact that I felt the same about you. Roger helped me to understand merely thinking you were cute wasn't wrong."

We'd talked for a while when the doorbell rang. We went downstairs and I couldn't find anyone around. I continued to look when the bell rang again, I went to open it. As I was doing that I thought that it was odd that they hadn't needed to ring from the gate.

When I opened the door I got a shock! "Ricky! Wow, it's good to see you!"

Ricky hugged me then said, "Trevor, you remember my dad. This is my mom, the doctors said she's cured!"

"It's good to see you again, Mr. French. I'm very happy to meet you, ma'am. I'm so happy to hear you're well again. But, I'm forgetting my manners, please come in."

The French family followed me to the living room where I'd left Roger and Robert. When we entered I found everyone there. I introduced the adults then introduced Ricky to Roger.

"Ricky, I told you about my boyfriend, well, this is the love of my life, Roger."

When I introduced Ricky to Robert, I could see a connection almost immediately. They stared into each other's eyes not saying a word. Eventually, they got to talking. They went to the side of the room and were quietly talking. Daddy looked over and said, "Looks like Robert and Ricky have found one another. They do look cute together."

At that time Mrs. French said, "I truly want to express how thankful we are for your help in my getting the treatment that cured me. Without you, I wouldn't be here to see my son potentially find his first love."

As we were going to sit for lunch everyone noticed that Robert and Ricky were holding hands. It was cute and it seems Roger might have had a sort of precognition.

After lunch, Mr. and Mrs. French were getting ready to leave but Ricky didn't want to leave Robert. Robert gave him his phone number and promised they'd be able to get together soon. As they were about to leave, Ricky took Robert into his arms and gave him a steamy kiss.

It was time for Roger to head home. This time, even though I knew we'd miss each other, I wasn't as devastated as I had been on prior separations Roger and I had to endure.

After Grandpa took Roger home, I spent the rest of the evening contemplating how Garrett and Eric were getting along and how we would present our plans to the group as a whole.

*** ~~~ Eric ~~~ ***

Waking up next to another person is something I could definitely get used to. I understand now why Trevor and Roger are always so happy. The first night we mostly kissed, cuddled, and got to know each other on a more mental and spiritual level. However, last night between Garrett and I was spectacular. We spent the night exploring each other's body.

 I had no idea a blow job felt so good and being the first time I was actually sexual with someone else, I was surprised when I took him into my mouth. It was as if a switch was thrown and I loved it! Garrett obviously did also, based on his moans and the mouthful of his special sauce I swallowed without hesitation. Our subsequent coupling was extremely pleasurable, once the initial discomfort had passed.

As I contemplated all of this I saw his eyes open. I said, "Morning. How did you sleep?"

He kissed me deeply before he said, "As long as we're together, I'll never have a bad sleep again."

We needed to get ready for school so we showered together, then after some naughtiness in the shower, got dressed and went down for breakfast. His mother and father were there. I was nervous meeting his father.

"Good morning, Mr. & Mrs. Radcliffe."

"Good morning to you, Eric. I see you and my son have finally failed to avoid Cupid and his arrows," Mr. Radcliffe joked.

"Yessir. I'm very happy he didn't miss. I'm lucky to have someone as wonderful as Garrett."

We finished breakfast and Mrs. R drove us to school. I'll be happy in seven months when I turn 16 and can drive.

*** ~~~ Roger ~~~ ***

As we rode to school, Trevor and I explained to his daddy how we planned to explain our solution to who would run for which office of the alliance. We held hands as we rode and it reminded me of Ricky and Robert holding hands. It makes me feel good, knowing we had a hand in bringing now two couples together.

We pulled into Daddy's parking place and started heading toward the door, when a car pulled up and Garrett and Eric got out. You guessed it, they were holding hands.

"Well it looks like you two enjoyed yourselves. You guys are totally showing that you've done the nasty!"

"Roger, you're just jealous because my boyfriend is cuter than yours!" Eric replied.

"Jealous? Nope! But I'm very happy you two found each other and are happy."

We went into the building and headed to our classes. During the morning, several boys came over to ask Trevor if he was going to run. He told them all that his decision will me made clear at the luncheon.

*** ~~~ Trevor ~~~ ***

I'm glad it's nearly lunchtime. If I have to answer one more person if I plan to run, I'll scream!

The bell sounded, ending our last class before lunch; Roger and I walk hand-in-hand to the small dining room and take the same seats we had the previous week. Henri provided a veritable feast for the lunch. After everyone had an opportunity to eat, Eric got everyone's attention.

"Gentlemen of the Wrigley Gay Students Alliance. As I stated last week, I was going to step-down and allow for the election of new officers. During the week, there were two nominations for the office of President. Garrett Radcliffe and Trevor King."

There was a smattering of applause before Eric continued, "Trevor King has asked to address you."

I got up and said, "I truly appreciate the fact and understand the reason for my nomination, however, I do not believe I've had enough experience here to do an effective job." I paused a moment before continuing, "Garrett, Eric, Roger and I met over the weekend and we believe we have a workable solution. I will hereby endorse Garrett Radcliffe for the office of President."

Before the level of people's voices got too loud, Garrett stood and addressed the group, "I will accept the nomination provided Trevor agrees to be Vice-president. I further propose that Trevor and I act as a team running the group. What say you?"

There was much discussion before Michael, the boy who first asked me to run against Garrett stood and said, "Fellows, having discussed it, I hereby make a motion that barring anyone here dissenting, we accept the leadership as proposed."

Eric then stood and asked if there was anyone who wished to put anyone else in for consideration. After a moment he called for a vote. In the end, the leadership was elected and I was the vice-president of the alliance.

Garrett stood and said, "Gentlemen. I thank you for the confidence you are showing the new management TEAM that Trevor and I make. I am looking forward to helping to guide this organization as well as my predecessor. Eric, your experience will be a welcome addition. I know that Trevor and I will not hesitate to consult you on major decisions."

There was thunderous applause before Eric stood. "Gentlemen, as it's nearing the end of our allotted time, let me end this meeting with a final announcement. With the help of Trevor and Roger, Garrett and I have come to embrace what we've missed for two years. He's agreed to be my boyfriend. So, officially, we're off the market!"

After more applause the meeting ended. I noticed Daddy standing in the back of the room. As he exited he gave a thumbs up to me. This will be an adventure.

Now that we're coming close to the holiday season, I need to prepare for Thanksgiving, Roger's birthday, Christmas and New Year's. So much has happened this year, I hope it just gets better.

[To be Continued]