Acro Iris

My name is Daniel Shleifer. I'm originally from Vienna, Virginia, but I currently reside with my fiancé, Leo, in New York City. He works as a professional photographer and I as a painter and a gallerist. We are both passionate about the work that we do, as it is how it should be. There was a point in my life where the notion of doing what makes me happy was... well.... denied, and I briefly suffered for it. And yeah, my father was to blame for it.

It's officially summer. Leo and I were due for a vacation and upon my request (or assistance), we went to Sugar Loaf, Rio de Janeiro. It was here, where I so badly wanted to visit the same area where my life had started to change. I visited the site that once belonged to a club known as Arco Iris, an emphasis in the Portuguese language meaning “Rainbow”. It was a place I visited eleven years ago when I was 19 during an internship. The place has since closed down and became a hotel, but the structure of the building was almost the same, and it was enough for me to picture in my head the setting it once was. I was sitting on a bench, staring at the same hotel. My fiancé sat next to me and asked me what I was thinking about. At this point, I came clean as to why I had such a strong urge to be here, and it was because of that particular building. Leo was confused, thinking there was nothing special about that hotel compared to the one we were staying in for the next two weeks, but I told him that the building had great significance. So, here's the story...

I am the oldest of three children. I have one younger sister, Rachel, and also a younger brother, Justin, with the latter being the youngest sibling. My mother, Susan, had always been a stay-at-home mom and wife, making sure the house is made and that food was on the table. This was not how she wanted to live her life for the most part. Though she always wanted to be married and have children, she also had dreams to study criminal justice and become a prosecutor and/or judge. My father, however, would never allow this to happen. He was the breadwinner, he was in charge, and he was the king of the castle. My mother, myself, and my siblings had one role in our lives back then; do as we were told. My parents had me when they were very young. They were indeed teenage parents, but in spite of it all, my father managed to attend medical school and become a doctor for complicated surgery. My mother, on the other hand, was disowned by her parents for having a kid before finishing high school and had to stay with my paternal grandparents to make sure I was looked after. Despite the odds, my father was able to pursue his goals in life and that's what I admire about him. It's probably the only thing I admire about him. But as years went by, he was relentless in validating himself as the dominant member of the household, and he became ruthless at times; tyrannical. He was not afraid to discipline me and my siblings with good beatings if we were out of line, and even my mother, his wife, was not safe from his fury. If she had ever talked back to him, or at times looked at him the wrong way, my mother would certainly suffer his wrath; emotionally, verbally, and physically.

Upon graduating high school in 2008, my father wanted me to walk in the same footsteps as him by also becoming a doctor. But art was my true passion. I expressed this to him and he told me to forget about it. I remember when I once tried to reason with him, saying how much becoming an artist would make me so much happier. His reaction was something I will never forget. He slowly approached me and seemed calm and level-headed. But then, it was like the left side of my face was suddenly set on fire, coupled with the living room couch breaking my fall, and being in a bit of a daze. It was a price to pay to ensure that defiance was kept at bay by my still bigger and stronger father, courtesy of his right fist. With his emotionless expression as he was looking down at his son on the couch, who is nursing his face, groaning, and struggling not to have a tear in his eye, my father calmly demanded I got my nose in the books that evening. My mother and my sister were horrified, but my brother saw this as just a typical interaction.

My father's vision for me was taken to another level. Dad not only imposed his standards on my professional life, but he even dictated my personal life. He was good friends with one of his patients who happens to be a real estate guru, named Larry. Together, they set me up with Larry's daughter, Nicole, as a couple. From a simple perspective, she was not a good person. She was bossy, clingy, and terrible to others, with the exception of those who are in the lines of the high class. To make matters worse, she was my first. Good thing Viagra works. If she was not happy with me, this would for sure draw my father's ire. As far as medical school goes, it was not too bad. Despite the place serving as a factory for my father's control, it was solace from the drama at home, just like with regular school growing up. I made friends there as well. They were very understanding of my situation and even offered to live with them just so that I can get away from my father until I decide on how to move forward. But, like my mother and siblings, I was still terrified of dad. Even with the opportunity to leave his influence by staying with people who care, I still feared the potential backlash no matter where I was or where I would go. I understood how my mother felt for so long: trapped, with no way out.

I always knew since I was in high school that I was attracted to the same sex. Opportunities were presented at times to explore who I could really be with. Nicole may have been the first person I had sex with, but she was not my first kiss; a boy was. My father was homophobic and overly so. He donated to organizations aimed to attack the LGBTQ community including politicians with the agenda to take down LGBTQ rights. That said, having a gay son would definitely drive him over the edge.

I was 19, and I had already spent one year at a school that I never wanted to be in. College was out for the summer, but I could not have the summer for myself. Dad had secured for me an internship at a hospital that was not located in America, but in Rio de Janeiro. The reason for this is because he has an enormous amount of respect for a British doctor named Henry Sheppard. Dr. Sheppard is a decades long medical veteran who single-handily turned a rundown office building to an award-winning hospital in New Orleans and Dr. Sheppard himself won a Nobel Peace Prize as a result. He now resides in Rio de Janeiro with his wife and is Chief Medical Officer in a hospital in Sugar Loaf. In the beginning of Spring 2009, Dr. Sheppard had announced a competition for a paid internship, and Dad decided to compose an essay on my behalf as this was the stipulations for the contest. Sure enough, I won.... or.... my dad won. I was to stay there for three weeks, and during that time, Dad would find other opportunities to keep me on course for his vision for me. One night, when I looking at the pictures of Rio de Janeiro on various websites, I could not help but smile. It was the first time I've seen Rio de Janeiro, and it was beautiful. This is where I was to spend the next three weeks. The perfect place to be away from my dad and Nicole. My father caught me looking at pictures of the country, and he made it sternly clear: this was not a vacation. I was to watch and learn Dr. Sheppard's methods and come out on top; nothing more and certainly nothing less when it came to my internship.

One week later, I made my scheduled flight to Sugar Loaf. After arriving at the airport, the driver assigned by Dr. Sheppard picked me up, and I was taken to the hospital where I met Dr. Sheppard in his office. He was a very cheerful and nice man. We toured the hospital where my “watch and learn” faculty was to take place. I had 3 days to prepare for my experience. Until then, I stayed at a hotel paid for by the sponsors of the internship, which is were I would stay for the next three weeks. Dr. Sheppard advised me to explore the city, and that's what I did. The weather was gorgeous, the people were friendly, and the food was orgasmic! The best I had. Not getting into food porn, of course, but it was easily a better experience than being with Nicole. The pictures and images I saw of Sugar Loaf before coming here did this place no justice; experiencing it was ten thousand times better. There was this one moment, however, where I got a little uncomfortable from the brief stares emitting from a group of guys as I was strolling out at 9pm at night, less than two days before the first day of my internship. Nothing came of it, but to their credit, they were hot, especially the curly long-haired guy who was smoking a cigarette.

It was the night before the day I was to start my internship. I had finished my sketching of the beach. It was blissful. As the sun had set, however, I knew this had to come to a close, as I had to start getting my scrubs and other materials ready. As I journeyed back to the hotel, I looked down, nearly absent-minded. I slowly walked, pondering and pondering on how this was gonna go. In my head, I thought to myself that Dr. Sheppard seems like a genuinely good man, but I don't think there was a chance he would put in a good word for me if I screw this up, and my father would be furious. However, I quickly got out of my head-space when flashing lights caught my attention. And there it was; the club that was once known as Acro Iris. It was a very unique place to me at the time. Acro Iris was a club that had just opened up and the people guarding it were two gorgeous-looking men standing on each side of the main door at the entrance, with bulging muscles as they were topless with a bow tie, wearing casual black slacks, with matching menswear boots. The building itself was flashy. I smiled at the look of the facility, but it was only brief as I knew I had to get back to the hotel. It was easy for the two men to notice how I somewhat marveled at the building and knew that I am an American as one of them saw fit to say in perfect English “Hey You!”, calling me over to them. And I approached them. One of them asked me if I wanted to hang out as there was plenty of room for the time being. At first, I told them I could not because I had to get back to my hotel, but he politely said no problem, and if I changed my mind, the place would be open all night. I asked them about the place, and the gentleman on my right said it was a newly established area for relaxation and VIP members would receive special treatment. When I asked him about that treatment, the two men briefly looked at each other before the gentleman on my left looked at me and said: “let's just say it's for mature audiences only” and winked at me. Well, I certainly got the message and I was not into that type of scenario... at first. So, with that, I told them thanks for the offer, but I really had to get going and I resumed my journey back to the hotel. But that was certainly not the end of it.

As I made my way to the entrance of my hotel room, I was starting to second-guess my objective for the evening. I was feeling an uneasiness in my stomach. It was for one minute that I debated in my head on what to do. It was the result of becoming immensely curious about the club I had just passed by. If it was a thrill seeing those two gorgeous men at the entrance alone, what else would I expect from inside that place? I knew that I had to prepare for a three-week internship in my father's chosen field for me, and not coming out on top was not an option. What to do? Well, even though it seemed that I had ignored my better judgment, I never-the-less decided that as hard as I was gonna work, I needed to relax, have fun, and do what I want, and not what my father wanted.... for just this one night. So I took my chances and prepared myself to go back to Acro Iris. After a major shower, I decided to wear a black short-sleeve shirt with a pair of short denim jeans and a casual pair of shoes before proceeding back to the club. Acro Iris was only a four-minute walk from where I was staying. When I got back, the two men from earlier were still guarding the door. I approached them and asked how much for admission. One of them said it was about 110 BRL for regular admissions, the currency for Brazil, and close to 1100 BRL for VIP admissions. Translated into US currency, the VIP experience was almost 200 dollars. I went in and paid without any issues with the transaction from my credit card, and after signing my full name, I was allowed in.

Inside, the place was beautifully decorated with a series of comfortable-looking leather chairs, leather couches, and red carpeting, and the décor included art.... homoerotic art. There was a bar there as well, but I immediately decided not to bother with alcohol as I wasn't into it at the time. There were a number of guys there and fellow customers who were laughing and having a good time. Techno music was playing in the background and the waiters, dressed in the same manner as the two guards outside, were serving drinks, and they too were beautiful-looking men. I looked around further, and much to my surprise, there they were again; the same group of guys from two nights ago, who gave me those awkward stares. This time, the curly long-haired one, the most handsome of the bunch, stared at me once again, smiling, seemingly glad to see me. Suddenly, I heard the call of my last name “Mr. Shleifer?”. As I turned around, I was startled by the presence of this guy who stood right in front of me; HE. WAS. HUGE. My father is a big guy himself, but he pales in comparison to what I saw here. This guy had to have been about 6'7 and he was certainly muscular, yet he seemed not only young but the same age as I was. “Sorry. I did not mean to scare you,” he said in his accent. His name was Paulo, and he both congratulated and thanked me for being the first VIP ever at their club. He revealed himself to be my “host” for the evening and guided me to the more exclusive area for a VIP. He took me by the hand to lead me to the elevator where I would explore my “benefits”. As he lead the way, I took notice of his attire and the one difference from the others in their “uniforms”. He wore black short shorts instead of casual slacks. His attire could barely contain his ass, and the crack was peaking out. We got inside the elevator, and Paulo used the key card to transport us to the top, and I was in for more surprises. The elevator acted as an entrance and the exit for what appeared to be a penthouse... a penthouse! It was much more stunning than the main area. Waiting for me, however, were 2 more guys; NAKED! I was stunned. My jaw dropped momentarily. Mature audience only, right?

I was greeted with a warm smile from these young men. As I got a closer look at these guys, I caught Paulo removing his shorts. As he turned around, he revealed his enormous uncut penis. The other two men stood side-by-side to better present themselves to me, and Paulo gently placed his hand over my left shoulder and asked me if I was okay, and if this was too much for me. I looked at the other guys, who were curious themselves about how I felt about this arrangement. That said, I gave them my answer... by removing my own clothes and getting completely naked. These guys were impressed by my own physique. Years of playing sports and working out at the gym have paid off. Even my dad was not opposed to me getting in shape. In fact, he encouraged it. One common ground we had. Leg workouts were always my favorite in the gym, and I especially loved working on my glutes. It was a means to get “more junk in the trunk” and for all intents and purposes, I succeeded. Even my old “girlfriend”, Nicole, favored my ass. This along with growing to 7 inches got her hot and bothered, and now, the guys on that penthouse floor got hot and bothered as well. I watched as they became also erect. Paulo, my host who also got a stiff boner, sporting a huge 9 incher, asked me “may I?” and smiling back at him, I said, “yes, of course”. He felt my ass and embraced me from behind as I started stroking that “monster of his”. It did not take long for me to adjust to the situation. If anything, I wanted to know where this led. One of the guys, “Lucas” as it said on his name badge hanging from his neck, guided me to the master bathroom of the penthouse, where a huge golden tub was waiting for me. I always kept myself clean, but this was part of the experience. I was enjoying the bathing portion of this experience with my requested music from Celine Dion (my all-time favorite) playing in the background. Lucas brought me a bowl of fresh strawberries with some whipped cream; classy. When I was done cleaning up, I left the massive gold-plated tub and was tended to by the guys who dried me up, with hard-ons still.

I did not stay dry for long, however. Paulo, the big and strong boy he was, carried me to the royalty-themed master bedroom of the penthouse with ease and gently laid me on the king-sized bed. I was oiled up from the neck to the legs as they made sure I stayed nice and wet for what was to come. As this was happening, I could hear the sounds of the elevator, signaling that someone had arrived. Appearing at the bedroom door, was none other than the same long-haired guy accompanied by one of his other companions I have seen before from the aforementioned group of guys. As it turned out, looking at the badges on their necks, the curly long-haired stud was named Marcelo and the one next to him was Luis, who had buzz-cut hair. The two were immediately excited seeing me naked, oiled up, and hard, as well as relaxed on the comfortable royalty-themed bed. Marcelo approached me and took a moment to examine my body. I was not sure if he could speak English like some of the others who were there, but actions speak louder than words. Paulo, Lucas, as well as “Pedro” who was the fifth party and one of the first guys to greet at the penthouse, helped Marcelo and Luis strip down and oil up.

It was inevitable for things to get even more intense; more intense than a roller coaster. Marcelo once again came to me, but this time, he climbed on top of me with his oiled physique and his huge erection. He was the same height as me at 5'9, and he slowly made his way towards my lips with his. For the first time in years, I kissed a guy, but this, of course, would be much more sensual. Marcelo was an excellent kisser. Our lips were locked for no sooner than three minutes. He kissed my chest and abs before finding his way to my dick, giving me the oral treatment. He was good. VERY good. I closed my eyes, mouth opened, and breathed heavily from the sensation of an expert blowjob. I looked at the other guys and they were stroking their own dicks while watching what was happening. Marcelo then climbed to my left side of the bed, got on his knees, and it would be the first time ever I gave a guy oral. I got on all fours and he placed both of his hands on the back of my head when I sucked his beautiful uncut cock. I gagged just a little bit from that hunk of meat, but I adjusted eventually. As I was continuing to “practice” with some oral skills, Luis came to the bed and started feeling my ass. He did what no one, had ever done up until that point: he rimmed me. The moment his tongue probed my hole I gave out, what I had hoped was a gentle squeal. I could feel Luis having his entire face buried into my butt.

Clearly, the experience was already taken up by a considerable notch and the best was yet to come. Simply put: I was gonna get fucked. Marcelo signaled me to lay in the middle of the bed, to which I of course complied. He positioned himself between my legs. Needless to say, my heartbeat went up considerably. I had never been fucked before this night, and I knew I was in for some measure of pain. Not one of these guys had dicks that were below 7.5 inches when they were hard. Thankfully, Marcelo started my first anal gently. Slowly but surely, I was being penetrated by his astounding 8 incher. He had thrust back and forth at a slow pace. This pace went on for... I would say at least seven minutes. Afterward, the more that Marcelo was gentle with me, the more I felt the need to really feel him. Encouraging him to go deeper, and grabbed him by both of his buttocks, and that's when he quickened the pace. It was as painful as I had expected, but it was worth it to feel him and the sounds he made when he fucked me.

So, just a brief moment in the present. As I gave the juicy details on what happened at Acro Iris to my fiancé. I suddenly heard the sounds of loud giggling and laughter by a group consisting of women and men passing by. Just when I was starting to wonder what was going on, apparently, Leo was so mesmerized by my story that he didn't even notice he had a boner and anyone who was near us could get a clear view of my fiancé's wonderful big cock through his sweat shorts. Well, Leo likes to go commando, so..... yeah. He quickly covered himself with his hands but the passing group went about their business, with one of them saying, “Nice cock, man!”. Pure gold.

Anyway, back to that evening at Acro Iris. Marcelo, the beautiful curly long-haired hunk gave me my first experience with anal sex. Everyone who was inside that penthouse that night was very much horny, so Marcelo would not be the only one getting a piece of me. I could tell he was getting close, but he did not want to cum too early, so he pulled out and break for a little bit, standing where the other guys are lined up. It was now Luis's turn. I laid on my stomach as he was ready to have a go. He fingered me a bit before laying on top of me. When fucking me, he started off slow as well, but only for seconds. Like Marcelo, Luis was also a good kisser as proven when he gently planted his lips on mine while he continued to thrust away. Luis was close, but unlike Marcelo, he was not backing off. His grunts and groans echoed throughout the penthouse when he pulled out his dick and streams of warm semen made its way across my back.

After laying on my back once more, my host, the big guy, Paulo, decided to have a turn. Mind you, he had the biggest dick out of the entire group. He sucked me off for a bit before Marcelo spoke to him in his native language, obviously instructing him. Pedro and Lucas had me stand on my feet, while Paulo bent over on the edge of the bed with his hairless anus exposed. In clear English, Paulo uttered the words; “Fuck me, Daniel”. “Much obliged,” I said quietly as I was eager to get my cock in that perfect hole of his. Such an out-of-this-world feeling. Paulo's.... “assets” was certainly something Nicole could not live up to. Paulo was tighter and so much better. The oils used for the experience were the perfect lube for both fucking and getting fucked. Paulo's ass felt a little too good as within the minute, I was already about to cum. Marcelo fingered me while I “spewed my venom” inside Paulo. I did not know if I was supposed to pull out or not, but Paulo looked back at me with his pearly white smile as he spread his legs out some more and flexed his anus when he pushed out my semen. At the time, it was the hottest thing I have ever witnessed.

The experience was about to reach its conclusion. Even though I was the “paying customer”, I had already come out of my shell to the point where I wanted to make sure everyone got off that night. I maintained a missionary position for the remainder of this sudden yet sexual encounter. Lucas was the next to fuck me. After a few minutes of humping, he pulled out and gave me his nut. The same happened with Pedro as well. Marcelo resumed thrusting his cock inside me some more, and I felt the need to cum a second time. Marcelo pulled out and we jerked our dicks together, blowing our loads at the same time. Another unbelievably hot moment. Well, they certainly left the best.... or biggest for last. Paulo's dick had visible streams of precum leaking at the tip; or a more accurate description in the medial sense, the urethra. I braced myself while Marcelo and Luis were sweet enough lay next to me on each side of the bed; Marcelo on my right and Luis on my left. They both held my hands as Paulo's enormous “drooling” dick made its way into my hole. His dick looked huge and certainly, his dick felt huge. SO. BIG. I was certainly loosened from the other guys, so it was not entirely painful. Sill, I could really feel that fucker. Before my ass could really be split apart, Paulo's moans signaled it was time. Like me, he did not pull out. He got me back from earlier, but no way was I bothered by that. It was my turn to see how much semen I could push out. It was a lot, I can say that much.

After the sex was over, we went back to the penthouse master bathroom. We soaked in the golden bubble bathtub, and it was here that Marcelo sat next to me and stuck out his hand for a handshake to introduce himself. “That was fun, man! I'm Marcelo, by the way. Nice to meet you.” To my surprise, he said this not only in clear English but not even with a hint of an accent. Of course, I shook hands with him and went on to introduce myself. All of a sudden, we were in that tub chatting, getting to know each other. I told them about my internship that I have tomorrow for the famous Dr. Henry Sheppard, in which Lucas said he was the doctor to go to when he suffered a serious leg injury over a year prior. Small world, I guess. There was no mention of my bad situation back at home with my dad, because not only did I want it to spoil the mood, but in many ways, it did not matter. My dad did not matter at this point. We were a bunch of guys who were getting acquainted through sex and now we were having one fun conversation after another. But, of course, the fun had to come to a close. I had to get back to the hotel. The guys once again helped me dry up as well as get dressed. My host, Paulo, right back into his short shorts and escorted me back to the elevator. Before leaving, Marcelo and these other amazing young men kissed me goodbye. We even exchanged information, via e-mail, to have some contact.

Paulo used his key card to operate the elevator once more. As we descended back to the main area, he told me to make sure I had everything before leaving, which I did. As we left the elevator, Paulo pulled me towards him and gave me his own sensual sexy kiss. Everyone who was present in the club saw this and cheered us on. I left the club with the same two men from earlier still guarding the entrance. “Thanks a lot, gentlemen,” I said to them. “Come back and see me. Free of charge this time” said the gentleman on the left as he winked at me. “Glad to” I replied back as I returned the wink.

As much as I did not want to leave, I had to fulfill my... unwanted.... obligations. Needless to say, my ass was sore, but my cock was sure as hell satisfied that night. I walked back to the hotel limping a bit, but it was worth it. What I did that night might have been bizarre and perhaps dangerous, because I did not know what I was getting myself into at the beginning, but not only were there hardly any consequences from that night, but it served as a major benefit. Exploring my true sexuality was liberating, and I wanted more. Furthermore, when I returned back to my hotel that night gazing upon the sketches of the beach I made earlier, becoming an artist was no longer a desire.... it was a must. It was late into the night, and my internship was to start the next morning. After taking one more shower for the evening, I lay on the extremely comfortable king-sized bed, ready to drift off into some much-needed sleep. Before doing so, I pulled out my smartphone, and pulled up an image of myself and my father posing for an unflattering picture inside his office at his hospital, before saying “We're gonna play this game for the last time”.

Thankfully, on the first day of my internship, I was on time, despite the incredible night I had before. I was of course still sore, but that did not stop me from what I needed to get done. For the next three weeks, my internship was being a doctor's assistant; managing appointments, managing patient records, helping with patient physical examinations, etc. As far as my personal time goes, the first night with the guys from Acro Iris was not the last time I saw them. As mentioned earlier, one of the Acro Iris security personnel, said “Come back and see me”; well, his name was Diego, and I did promise to return back to the club and see him a week after the first night. Instead of going into the club, we instead did the deed in the back of his truck when he was due for a break; proving once again, that Brazilian guys are absolutely amazing lovers. For Marcelo, Luis, Paulo, Lucas, and Pedro, I was no longer their “client” they became my newfound friends. We played volleyball on the beach, we went dancing, they took me to some amazing restaurants, and of course, more amazing sex. I had sex with Marcelo the most due to the highest level of chemistry between us. Indeed, I was whoring it up with these guys while in Rio de Janeiro, but I was seriously clicking with them. But the good times were coming to an end, and so was my internship.

The final day of working for Dr. Sheppard was the first and only time I received an evaluation for my performance. He thanked and congratulated me for my time, effort, and proficiency in working at his hospital. He revealed he had been in contact with my dad and had already given him the good word, much to my delight.... or relief. He gave me a certificate in recognition of my work, but he also gave me something that was unexpected and something I will never forget. He gave me a business card for a woman named Hillary Mason, who happened to be a gallerist and art dealer. Dr. Sheppard told me that Mrs. Mason is his sister and her gallery is based in Arlington, VA. At first, I was confused. Dr. Sheppard went on to explain that he had seen my work, and how all too often he had seen people over the years who are good in the medical profession, but let their talents as artists go to waste. He told me when I'm ready to pursue my true art, to call his sister for an apprenticeship, and to tell her that Dr. Sheppard advised me to do so. I almost cried tears of joy after this, but, I had to compose myself and show immense gratitude for Dr. Sheppard and all he had done for me.

The final handshake with the amazing Dr. Sheppard concluded my internship. My first time in Rio de Janeiro was coming to a close as well. I hung out with my Brazilian friends the night before it was time to leave. Originally, Dr. Sheppard had arranged for a driver to take me to the airport the next day, but the boys were kind enough to drive me to the airport the next day so that we could say our goodbyes. As the flight back to the states was announced, “This is it” I said to them. I thanked them for everything they had done for me. Although it was strange how all of this began, they played a massive role in what was now my newfound confidence to be who I really am. As I prepared to board the plane my Brazilian friends and I engaged in both a group hug and a group kiss. I had a feeling people were watching us, but I didn't care. Sill, I had to leave before I missed my flight. We waved goodbye to each other as I made my way home.

Returning back to America, my best friend, Jake gave me a ride from the airport. Aside from telling him about Acro Iris, I told him of my plans to leave home and pursue my real career goals. I even told him that I was planning to come out to my dad before leaving. Jake was happy for me, but he was worried about how my father would react. I don't blame home. When I told him how it has to be done regardless, like a true brother, he invited me to come to live with him at his apartment as roommates. I accepted his offer. Jake was on stand-by, parked right in front of my father's house when I arrived home, ready to drive me back to his place or if things really got ugly with my dad. The moment I entered the house, I took one good look at everything, because I had a feeling it would be the last time I would see this place. The first person to greet me was my mother, with her warm smile and embrace. My sister and brother were there as well with only the former also giving me a greetable hug. And then HE came down the stairs; the architect of my misery.... my father. He greeted me with a stoic expression before nodding his head up and down as if he was satisfied; not particularly excited just satisfied. He told me of the conversation he had with Dr. Sheppard and said that he was proud of me. I could not believe it. I a somewhat stunned. For the first time in my life, my father had acknowledged just how proud of me he was. Even though it was for something he was passionate about instead of me, this was a monumental moment for me.

It was for a moment where I developed some kind of hope of truly having a father who was willing to accept me for who I am, only that it would be a gradual process; the steps of being truly father and son. I smiled and thanked him for his recognition of me. However, he told me to get settled in so we can go over the next phase of my medical training, quite possibly securing a full-time job with the hospital he works in. He also went on to tell me that before that, I am to “sweeten” things with Nicole, almost reprimanding me because she was upset that I have not gotten into contact with her during my time in Rio de Janeiro. Just like that, with a snap of a finger. Whatever hope I had for a true relationship with my father was swept away like dust. This was the last straw. Still fresh with confidence from the experience I had in Brazil, I gathered the courage and delivered the word that would alter the course of my life for the better. “Actually, Dad” I proceeded to say “I am leaving the medical field. I am pursuing art professionally”. After saying this, the look on my father's face went from a somewhat proud dad to just now becoming outraged. He was engaging in his slow and familiar approach towards me, to confront me on what I had just said. My mother pleaded “Mark, please don't” before she was interrupted by a thunderous “Shut up!” by my fuming father. Dad went on to ask “What did you say?”. I looked at my mother, and my sister, who were both terrified by the sudden scenario, and even my younger brother, who was adopting certain attributes from our father, could not believe what was happening.

My father's eyes were very much locked on to me, expecting me to explain myself as well as to once again feel his fists of fury.“ Go ahead” I went on to say “hit me. I just hope you won't have too much of a difficult time explaining it to the police”. I could tell he was contemplating striking me down regardless of my warning, but... he was defeated. And he knew it. A physical assault on his son making its way into scrutiny from law enforcement would likely put a stain on his image as a cherished doctor. I was not a little boy anymore to whom he could aggressively punish if I was out of line. I made this clear, and there was only one thing he could do. “Get out” he demanded of me. As I opened the door to the outside and dad was retreating back upstairs, I had one final sentence for him that truly broke my fear of him; turning around I said: “By the way dad.... I'm gay”. He turned back around, his eyes now seething with rage. “GET OUT!!” he screamed. “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE! GET OUT!” I complied with his orders for the final time.

Although I felt liberated, I felt heartbroken that it had to end like this. Even though my father could be a cold and heartless man, I still loved him, and deep down he still loved me. It's ironic that the man whom my father admire so much, Dr. Sheppard, is the man who helped me develop the courage to leave my father's influence to go after my true calling. It's also ironic that Dr. Sheppard, even in those brief moments in Brazil, Dr. Sheppard was more of a father to me than my own dad.

It's been eleven years since I left home. During that time, I had taken on the apprenticeship with Hillary Mason, who helped me to get into art school, where I graduated with a Bachelor's in Fine Art. I would go on to own my own gallery in the big apple, New York City, being engaged to the love of my life, Leo, who I kid you not-- not taking away from the past men who have been with in my life, but Leo is the most gorgeous man I've been with, and I can't wait for the wedding day. As far as how my family goes, my leaving home served as an inspiration for my mother. She has since divorced my father and went into law school, becoming an example of how it's never too late. She now works as a prosecutor for the family courts where she is now headstrong when it comes to dealing with cases of abuse, being an abused wife herself. My sister, Rachel, became a doctor, following in our father's footsteps, but only because she wants to help people, not because of intimidation. I have a very close relationship with my mother and sister, both of whom insist on planning my wedding with Leo. As for Justin, my younger brother; as mentioned before, he has been adopting some of the attributes of our father, and part of that includes abusing his significant other. There was an incident where Justin had attacked his girlfriend, causing serious injuries, and was arrested as a result. Dad is doing his best to keep him out of jail, but according to mom, it's not looking good. Justin is more than likely to spend time in jail with a conviction on his record. Just as with my father, I have not seen my brother in over a decade, but I still have hope of mending my relationship with him. As far as Dr. Sheppard goes, I saw him just two years ago. He and his sister were being honored at my gallery for not only changing my life, but it was a means to commemorate their outstanding achievements. I surprised them both with an 8 feet by 12 feet painting portrait of the two siblings, personally painted myself. This portrait has since been posted in the main halls of my gallery.

In regards to Acro Iris, the club was closed down after six years of operating. From what I heard, it was a decision made by the owner. For what reason? Not sure. As mentioned, it has since become a hotel called “Mezzos”, which has a great rating online. In regards to the men whom I had sex with that night and became friends with, I was not sure what became of them. We e-mailed back and forth for a while until we were no longer in contact. I could only hope that they were fine and doing well. Leo, who listened to my entire story, had an idea; to go inside that same hotel that use to be Acro Iris and see how it is now. I agreed. Upon going inside, the place was unrecognizable. It was a nice-looking hotel now, but nothing there to capture the nostalgia of that night. As Leo and I toured the lobby, we were greeted by a man with glasses asking us if there was anything he could help us with. I was still gazing at these “new” surroundings as he asked me this. As I turned to him to say “No, thank you”, this same gentleman suddenly looked shocked. Leo and I looked at each other thinking “What's with this guy?”. After an awkward stare, this man removed his glasses and uttered my nickname, “Dan the Man”. The moment he removed his glasses, it was at this point where I instantly knew who this is despite no longer having the long, curly hair: Marcelo. Upon seeing each other for the first time in more than a decade, we hugged and laughed. I told him how great it was to finally see him after all this time, but the sounds of chatter from other men in the distance caught Marcelo's attention. It was four other men, and Marcelo signaled them to come closer. “No way”, I said as I was surprised further; Lucas, Pedro, Luis, and the Big Guy Paulo! THEY. WERE. ALL. HERE! They too recognized me immediately and we formed a group hug.

After being introduced to my fiancé Leo, we got together at a nearby bar that evening to catch up. As it turned out, the owner of Acro Iris had sold the property to them and they had since reestablished the place into a hotel. Acro Iris was a good run for them, but the boys became more business-oriented as time went by which is the reason for the hotel. However, there are plans to bring back the name “Acro Iris”. As far as how their personal lives are now, Paulo and Lucas are married, and Marcelo is currently enjoying his life as an open bachelor. However, Luis and Pedro, both who were bisexual, are now happily married to their wives and have since had children. Funny how life works, but I'm still happy for them, let alone glad to see them. To see them all. It was such a relief to see how they were doing since working for the club and also to see how well they have worked together to transform their now joint hotel business, which continues to be a work in progress. Raising our glasses of beer, Leo, myself, Marcelo, Paulo, Luis, Lucas, and Pedro, toasted to our lives and our continued success.

The End.