like a river leech. Suddenly, a war of gripping and plucking occurs until Mike, unable to bear it any longer, sits up in his bed, screaming at Todd to let go of him—to get off—to leave him alone!
Sweating in horror, Mike leaps out of bed and races to the linen closet—now Todd’s small bedroom. The closet door is open as usual, but there is no Todd. Relieved, Mike sinks to his knees. Todd is not here to hear him scream. Too many times, Mike has awoken from this nightmare to discover Todd sleeping. Never will Mike wake him to ask whether Todd can hear him. It is safe, Mike believes, to assume Todd knows nothing of his inner loathing for the boy—Todd lives while his husband died. Todd lives while his responsibility to produce a child has been relinquished due to impoverished means. Todd lives while his sperm is being used to provide barren men and women with children. His children! “At least one child should have been given to me to raise.” Having had a loving relationship with his genetic mother, Mike had longed for his own parenting role. Riddled with guilt, Mike cries as he grieves and self-recriminates. “I’m sorry, Todd,” he blubbers. But his apology is insincere.
* * * * *
Dating Devon
June is coming to its end, and like every other Friday afternoon that school year, Frank Hunter and Todd Middleton arrange to meet at Todd’s locker. It has become a tradition for these two to spend every Friday after school having supper at the Soya Baron (where “ the Soya Burger is King! ”). The Soya Baron is conveniently located across the street from Pride High. Lacking the special thumbprint to connect him to an account, Todd has no purchasing power, so it is always Frank’s treat. Being more like brothers than “just friends,” it never makes Todd feel awkward to have Frank pay for him. Frank and Todd are best friends, having been best friends since they were in the cradle. Will Middleton, Todd’s genetic father, and Dean Hunter had been best friends since their high school years. Papa Dean often reminds Todd and Frank how the boys used to sleep together in the crib. In fact, sleepovers were a common event for these two until the onset of puberty. With sexual awakenings apparent in both boys (thirteen being a critical age), Frank’s fathers sat Frank and Todd down to warn them how sharing a bed now would be too awkward. Papa Mike, Frank’s fathers assured Todd, would agree. Papa Mike did not participate in this crucial parent/son discussion. Ever since Will Middleton’s death, Mike Fulton had taken very little notice of Todd’s growing needs. Still, Geoffrey Hunter and Papa Dean assured Todd that Papa Mike and they did not want their sons becoming sexually active at so young an age. Well, they had nothing to worry about with Todd. Although he had yearnings, he wasn’t interested in having sex with anyone yet. Frank, on the other hand, unknown to his fathers, began sexually experimenting when he was thirteen. Although Frank wants to be with Todd, he has begrudgingly come to accept that Todd is still listening to their parents. It doesn’t help that Papa Dean constantly reminds Todd that Papa Mike and he approve of his choice to wait until he is ready, or at least eighteen.
Today, Frank is late. Todd sighs. He is starving! Leaning against his pink locker, Todd settles in for the long wait. Disappointment begins to swell in Todd’s chest. Frank is already fifteen minutes late. It is not unusual for Frank to be late, but he is seldom ever ten minutes past the appointed time: three-thirty (ten minutes after the school bell). If he’s later than ten minutes, Todd knows Frank will usually not show. Todd is used to Frank standing him up. It seems like the older they get, the hornier Frank gets, and the more often he ignores Todd to go off with one of his boys. Frank’s absence really stings tonight because, once again, Papa Mike is working overtime. The last thing Todd wants is to spend another night at
Sweating in horror, Mike leaps out of bed and races to the linen closet—now Todd’s small bedroom. The closet door is open as usual, but there is no Todd. Relieved, Mike sinks to his knees. Todd is not here to hear him scream. Too many times, Mike has awoken from this nightmare to discover Todd sleeping. Never will Mike wake him to ask whether Todd can hear him. It is safe, Mike believes, to assume Todd knows nothing of his inner loathing for the boy—Todd lives while his husband died. Todd lives while his responsibility to produce a child has been relinquished due to impoverished means. Todd lives while his sperm is being used to provide barren men and women with children. His children! “At least one child should have been given to me to raise.” Having had a loving relationship with his genetic mother, Mike had longed for his own parenting role. Riddled with guilt, Mike cries as he grieves and self-recriminates. “I’m sorry, Todd,” he blubbers. But his apology is insincere.
* * * * *
Dating Devon
June is coming to its end, and like every other Friday afternoon that school year, Frank Hunter and Todd Middleton arrange to meet at Todd’s locker. It has become a tradition for these two to spend every Friday after school having supper at the Soya Baron (where “ the Soya Burger is King! ”). The Soya Baron is conveniently located across the street from Pride High. Lacking the special thumbprint to connect him to an account, Todd has no purchasing power, so it is always Frank’s treat. Being more like brothers than “just friends,” it never makes Todd feel awkward to have Frank pay for him. Frank and Todd are best friends, having been best friends since they were in the cradle. Will Middleton, Todd’s genetic father, and Dean Hunter had been best friends since their high school years. Papa Dean often reminds Todd and Frank how the boys used to sleep together in the crib. In fact, sleepovers were a common event for these two until the onset of puberty. With sexual awakenings apparent in both boys (thirteen being a critical age), Frank’s fathers sat Frank and Todd down to warn them how sharing a bed now would be too awkward. Papa Mike, Frank’s fathers assured Todd, would agree. Papa Mike did not participate in this crucial parent/son discussion. Ever since Will Middleton’s death, Mike Fulton had taken very little notice of Todd’s growing needs. Still, Geoffrey Hunter and Papa Dean assured Todd that Papa Mike and they did not want their sons becoming sexually active at so young an age. Well, they had nothing to worry about with Todd. Although he had yearnings, he wasn’t interested in having sex with anyone yet. Frank, on the other hand, unknown to his fathers, began sexually experimenting when he was thirteen. Although Frank wants to be with Todd, he has begrudgingly come to accept that Todd is still listening to their parents. It doesn’t help that Papa Dean constantly reminds Todd that Papa Mike and he approve of his choice to wait until he is ready, or at least eighteen.
Today, Frank is late. Todd sighs. He is starving! Leaning against his pink locker, Todd settles in for the long wait. Disappointment begins to swell in Todd’s chest. Frank is already fifteen minutes late. It is not unusual for Frank to be late, but he is seldom ever ten minutes past the appointed time: three-thirty (ten minutes after the school bell). If he’s later than ten minutes, Todd knows Frank will usually not show. Todd is used to Frank standing him up. It seems like the older they get, the hornier Frank gets, and the more often he ignores Todd to go off with one of his boys. Frank’s absence really stings tonight because, once again, Papa Mike is working overtime. The last thing Todd wants is to spend another night at
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