Randy reached under the covers and stripped off his damp jockey underwear, dropping it over the edge of the bed, and wondered if he should cancel the fishing with Josh today. Lord, he didn’t know if he could look Josh in the face now. What if Josh could see what he had dreamed? Josh was supposed to call later in the morning when he finished with some chores in the barn to let Randy know he was ready to go fishing. Randy felt he needed some time before seeing Josh again after such a vivid dream. He needed some space.
Randy then heard his mother come out of her room and quietly close her bedroom door. He knew she would be cooking breakfast in a few minutes. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, leaned over, picked up his underwear, and dropped them in the dirty clothes hamper next to his closet. He peeked out his bedroom door and could hear clearly his mother handling cookware in the kitchen. He walked swiftly down the hall to bathroom to catch a quick shower. About ten minutes later, “Sweetie! Breakfast is ready!” called Randy’s mom down the hallway. “Okay, mom, be right there,” Randy answered as he entered his bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He draped the towel over the edge of the laundry hamper, and quickly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. In another minute he was heading to the kitchen with sneakers on. “Good morning, Honey,” Rhonda greeted Randy when he entered the kitchen. She was wearing her workout gear for going to the gym later in the morning. Even though she was his mom, Randy had to admit she was a nice-looking woman that had kept her figure over the years. He had inherited his physical characteristics from her; his type-A personality from his dad. He had asked her recently why she had not started dating yet. Randy knew from a couple of accidentally over-heard phone conversations that his mom had turned down a couple of dinner dates. She had just smiled and replied that she was enjoying her independence too much right now to get involved with someone. She pointed out that even in a casual dating relationship, one still had obligations—something she didn’t want to deal with quite yet. “Here’s your French toast with sausage,” she said set the plate down on the table next to a glass of milk and a bottle of maple syrup. She turned back to the stove and scooped a cheese omelet onto her plate. She sat down at the round oak table to his right. Sunday morning breakfast was a ritual in their house left over from the family days in Greensboro. These were more pleasant now without the moody presence of his father. “When are you supposed to go over to Josh’s?” “He’s supposed to call me when he is finished with some chores, but I’m not sure if I’m going.” Rhonda looked over at her son as he kept his eyes down on his plate concentrating on pouring the maple syrup, the real stuff, not that high-fructose corn syrup, “Why not?” “I haven’t finished my homework yet. I’ve got a lot to do.” “I can’t say as a parent, I’m not impressed you’re more concerned with finishing homework than hanging out with a friend, but I would even say it is too pretty of a day to stay inside. If your grades were low, I would insist you stay home, but a few hours outdoors will be good for you. It’s not like you have to stay over there all day.” “I know, mom. I’m just not sure,” Randy said glancing up and meeting his mother’s appraising look. “What’s wrong, honey? Don’t you like Josh? He seems like a nice kid or should I say young man?” his mother smiled, “I forget how old you are sometimes. I’ll be honest, I’m glad to see you’re finally making some friends here.” Randy stalled answering by putting a forkful of French toast in his mouth before his mother had finished speaking. He and his mom actually had a fairly decent relationship, and they often talked about issues such as drugs and smoking with Randy’s mom speaking to him on an adult level. And while the subject of sex had not been discussed in detail except for that short time when he was seeing Jamie in middle school, it was probably more because it was not a subject in the forefront since neither of them was even seeing anyone right now. Randy was sure if he was dating a girl, his mom would be willing to discuss whatever he was willing to discuss. That was the catch—what he was willing to discuss. Talking with your parent, especially your mom when one is a boy seemed somewhat creepy along with embarrassing. And his dad would be the last person on earth he would ask questions of concerning sex. After Randy had still not said anything after swallowing, his mom asked, “Well?” Randy leaned back in his chair and looked sideways at his mom trying to decide what to tell her. What could he say? “Yeah, mom, I’m worried that I like Josh too much, if you know what I mean”…(wink, wink). Eeewww, he just creeped himself out. “I guess I’m just a little careful who I make friends with,” Randy said taking the safe, but still honest, route, “He’s real popular, and I’m not quite sure why he has decided to ask me to do things with him.” “Sweetie, because you’re you. I know I’m prejudiced since I’m your mom, but I can’t think of a nicer guy to have as a friend than you. He’s probably picked up on that about you. You need to be more self-confident, Randy. You have a lot of great qualities to share with others.” “Yeah, okay, mom. Thanks for the pep talk. I feel as if I was just a guest on the Dr. Phil show.” Rhonda smiled at her son, but could tell he had not told her everything. She decided as usual not to press it. Of all the relationships she had had in her life, the one with her son was the most honest and meaningful. Randy would share more with her when and if he needed to. “Well, finish up, so you can get to your homework before Josh calls. I personally think you should go, but I leave that up to you. I’ll have dinner ready around six. It’s to the gym and the grocery store for me. And it is so pretty today, I might even go to the park. If you don’t go to Josh’s, I might drag you with me. So, pick your poison,” his mom laughed. After an hour of trigonometry and forty-five minutes of reading The Scarlet Letter, Randy decided that fishing just might be a better option to spending more time on homework. The sun was streaming through his window, and the dried leaf smell of fall flowed through on the cool breeze. He was irritated at how self-righteous the Puritans were in their judgment of Hester, and at how she just took the punishment. Why didn’t she just tell them to go fuck themselves and move somewhere else with her baby? Randy’s cell buzzed on his desk since it was in vibrate mode. The text read, “Done…ready to fish?” Randy sat for a minute looking out the window. He felt something. He wasn’t sure what, but he had a feeling that this moment was important. He needed to remember this moment, how it felt, how it looked, and how he felt. He could feel he was in a crystal moment that once shattered with movement would never be recaptured again. He picked up his cell and texted back, “Yeah, I’m on my way.”
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Ragged breathing…blood throbbing…Randy restlessly turned. The light breeze through the window whispered over Randy’s smooth skin. In the gray haze Josh clasped Randy from behind and pulled him tight up against his chest, breathing in Randy’s ear. Randy could feel Josh’s hardness pressing…pressing…and then Randy awoke. He gasped as he felt a warm wetness pulsating from his rigid member as he came to consciousness in his early morning bedroom.
Randy rolled over on his back and stared wide-eyed up at the ceiling fully awake as his body returned to a relaxed state. He was shocked. The last wet dream he had had most definitely involved someone with female anatomy—an anonymous slender blonde in fact. This dream had not only a specific someone, but a someone of the same sex. He could still sense Josh’s arms around him, Josh’s body pressing up against him, and even more shocking, it still felt good. Randy had never wondered specifically about his preference; he had always assumed he was a typical, straight guy. He had had his share of the childhood and early teenage encounters with the opposite sex. Kelly Morris had challenged him, “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours” at the age of six in her backyard behind a large magnolia tree that had branches down to the ground. The waxy white flowers looked on without comment as the two youngsters pulled down their pants. Later, at a middle school dance, Jamie Strickland cornered him in the gym in a dark area between the end of the extended bleachers and the wall, and kissed him. He had wrapped his arms around her awkwardly and kissed her back. It had felt both clumsy and exciting at the same time. For a few months afterwards, they had talked by phone most every night, and every couple of weekends, when Jamie’s parents would allow it, gone to see a movie together and walk the local the mall holding hands on a Saturday afternoon. They often repeated the kiss at least once or twice during each movie during the darkest time in the theater, and both seemed satisfied to stop there. Jamie was more into holding hands and being able to tell her girlfriends that she had a boyfriend, and Randy was still shy enough and respectful enough of his mother’s advice not to go any further. Although no parents chaperoned, the two had been dropped off and picked up by parents with just enough time for the movie and a little time for walking the mall. Randy’s mom told him later that Jamie’s parents weren’t happy with the situation because they felt Jamie was too young to start “dating,” but thought it would be better to give their daughter a little freedom now rather than to risk her rebelling later. Randy’s mom had assured them Randy would be a “gentleman.” Randy vaguely remembered the talk his mother had with him about how to treat young ladies before the first time Jamie and he went to a movie together. Of course, his dad hadn’t participated in the talk; he wouldn’t have known what to tell Randy on that topic. Randy couldn’t remember quite why Jamie and he stopped going to the movies and hanging out together. Their puppy-love romance had started in the fall, and then as the holidays approached, Jamie’s family gradually had more and more family time scheduled for the weekends, until from Thanksgiving weekend through the end of December, Randy and Jamie only saw each other at school. By January, the evening telephone calls had gradually dwindled down from nearly every night to once in a while to none. They had returned to being just classmates. There had been no “break-up,” no drama—just a slow disconnection. Since transferring schools, Randy’s natural shyness had kept him from striking up even the faintest flirtatious conversation with a female classmate. He did not know it, but he had actually a few girls take second looks at him because of his clear, pale complexion, hazel eyes, dark brown hair, and slender build. A few fantasized he was another “Edward.” |
AuthorAndrea Chase ArchivesChapters |