The Cove

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In the previous chapters…

Gerry's heterosexual inclinations and his inhibitions make it hard for him having sex with Rowan, despite the sheer love he feels for him.
Kale goes back to Hawaii, where he meets his second cousin Laniakea and then has a harsh confrontation with his dying father; Laniakea comes out to Kale, revealing how bad is his life in the narrow-minded village.
At the Cove, Beau is depressed because he badly misses Kale, who asked not to be contacted in any way.

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Synopsys

Kale tries helping Laniakea to come out of his shell and then has his last, intense confrontation with his father, whose last words hit him deeply. Once again Laniakea comes to Kale's rescue with selfless passion, and Kale takes a decision that will change both his own life and Laniakea's. At the Cove, Beau looks for comfort from Gerry, but gets a fatherly tongue-lashing.[⏳: 25’]

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Additional downloads (PDF)

~ Cast of Characters: the “Who’s Who” of the Cove!
~ Floor Plan of the Cove
~ Book 01: Chapters 1-6 (PDF with bookmarks)

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≈ CHAPTER 6 – THE CIRCLE OF LIFE ≈

~ Exploration ~

Kale was the first to wake up, the next morning. He turned to look at Laniakea, still deep asleep beside him, and again he was moved by his cousin’s incredible mix of manliness and innocence. Laniakea’s body was massive, gorgeous, and the bulge in his underwear, clearly showing a limp fat cock resting sideways on his groin, was an icon of masculinity. But his face, with his eyes closed in a childish sleep and the long curly hair partly covering one side, was irresistibly boyish, innocent, serene.

Life had not been generous to him, Kale pondered… Nature had put an irrepressible fire in his loin and in his heart, to then throw him in that forgotten corner of Hawaii where there was no chance for him to be himself.

«It’s so unfair…» – Kale thought sadly – «He would deserve a much, much better life than this!»

Faintly shaking his head, he cautiously climbed off the bed, careful not to wake up Laniakea, and headed to the shower. Under the hot water, he thought back to the day before, when they had made love, and he had confused, contrasting feelings about that.

He loved doing that with Laniakea, he was incredibly confident for his first time, and he fucked him so masterfully that he came not once, but twice. But then, thinking of Beau waiting for him at the Cove, he felt bad. Not really bad, actually, but rather confused.

He didn’t feel to have cheated on Beau with Laniakea. He was not looking for sex, he hadn’t been swept away by an irrepressible lust or something, it just happened. True, he felt a deep connection with Laniakea, but for sure he was not in love with him. He probably could’ve put an end at it before it even started, but he didn’t. Why?

He thought back at the moment when Laniakea, trembling with embarrassment, revealed to him his throbbing erection, terrified to be judged and rejected, but fiercely willing to unveil for the first time his true self to another man. To a man who could understand him, comfort him, show him the way.

And that was the focus point, Kale realized: he didn’t stop Laniakea because the guy badly needed to do that, to be himself, to be a man for another man, it was too an important step in his life; if Kale would’ve rejected his silent plea, out of respect for Beau, Laniakea would’ve never understood, and his brave effort would’ve ended in a shameful failure. After all, Kale remembered, a very similar thing had happened long ago, with Barry [1], and Beau understood, back then. Why should this be different?

And why should it be different than what Beau himself did with Brennan, up at Applecross House [2]? «Well, Brennan was 18 back then, while Laniakea is much older, he’s almost a man» – Kale, always the counselor, admitted to himself; but he felt that Laniakea’s struggle, his desperate request for help was equally heartbreaking. Laniakea might have the body of a man, but deep inside him there was a boy who needed to be comforted, to be guided, and to be told he was not wrong.

Lost in his thoughts, under the pouring water, Kale gasped when he felt a caring hand lightly brushing his back. Laniakea, naked, was behind him, and started stroking Kale’s skin with gentle hands, without a word. He took some shower gel and started soaping up Kale’s body, and at first the man tensed, as he didn’t want to shoo Laniakea away, but he didn’t want to have sex with him, either.

But his anxiety slowly faded, because Laniakea’s touch was timid, respectful, almost tentative. There was nothing sexual in his caresses, there was rather a marveled sense of exploration, the surprise of touching another man and feeling it natural.

Kale relaxed and let those gentle hands take care of his body, explore his skin inch by inch and play with his sparse body hair; and he didn’t back up even when Laniakea’s fingers explored his most intimate parts, sneaking between his inner thighs and his balls to reach his perineum, or digging into the deep crack of his ass, to then respectfully stop out of his nether portal.

When Laniakea crouched in front of him, for a moment Kale thought he wanted to suck him, but he just stared with marveled eyes at his older cousin’s manhood, cupping the hanging balls in his hand and lightly brushing the limp cock. Then Laniakea, still crouching, moved to face Kale’s ass, and again his hands explored the mysterious recesses of Kale’s body, parting the ass cheeks to have a close look at his almost hairless hole.

When Laniakea stood up again, Kale turned around and traced with his fingers the nose, the cheekbones and the jaws of his handsome cousin. With his flat hand he brushed the beefy chest, avoiding the sensitive nipples, because it was not sex what he was looking for. Under the hot shower, he explored with his hands the biceps and the forearms, a tribute to masculine beauty, to then pull up the guy’s strong hands and intertwine his fingers with his.

Following Laniakea’s example, Kale too crouched down, watching the water flowing down the fat limp cock resting on the big balls and digging his finger into the thick pubes, almost the only hairy part of Laniakea’s body. He moved to the guy’s back and his muscular ass was irresistible, and he placed his cheek on the firm mounds, with affection, while his hands brushed the powerful legs.

He stood up and their eyes locked, and there was an intense connection between them, something beyond the sex, beyond the family bond: it was a mutual understanding, an unconditional acceptance of each other; and the sensible Kale knew that something important had just happened deep inside his young cousin’s soul. The warm smile that slowly spread on the guy’s face was supremely beautiful, was truly nani kōkī, and in Kale’s eyes it painfully contrasted with the squalor of that room corner that hardly could be defined a bathroom.

But the short blissful moment was soon obscured by a dark shadow in Kale’s eyes: “I have to go” – he said closing the tap and grabbing a towel – “I really would like to stay here, but I have to talk to my father… There is so much unfinished business, and he won’t want to listen to what I have to tell him, but this time he’ll listen to me”.

“I’ll be here, when you’re done.” – Laniakea replied, still wearing his innocent, beautiful smile – “You know you can count on me”.

“Thank you, Nani kōkī…”

 

~ Father and son ~

Kale went on foot to his old home, and again his sister Alana asked him to wait until afternoon to talk to their father. They moved to the back patio and talked, and then had lunch, and talked again; Kale admired Alana for her practical sense, her wit, and the easy way she lived her life… letting others living theirs. It was a wonderful, refreshing chat, but soon arrived the moment for Kale to face his hard clarification with his father.

Before opening the door, Kale took a deep breath. Last time he was scared, and his father made him feel like shit, and later on he felt furious with himself and his father, but now he was calm, determined.

“Pāpā…” – he said under his breath, in case he was sleeping; but he was not: “I thought you’d gone back to your… man, in California. Why are you still here? I have nothing to say to you!”

“Good, so maybe, for once, I will talk and you will listen!” – Kale replied with a voice tinged with a restrained anger. In the dim light of the room, his father’s eyes flamed like two erupting volcanoes, but he kept his trembling lips sealed.

“I was furious with you, when we talked last time…” – Kale said coldly – “I hated you, and stripped your name and your face from my heart: I was not your son anymore and you were not my Pāpā!! But… it didn’t work”.

Kale’s voice softened, and he sat on the chair near the bed, to better look into his father’s eyes: “This is not something you can switch off like a lamp, something you can delete from your life with an imperious gesture of your hand… Your blood flows in my veins, Pāpā!” – Kale said with passion, trying hard to keep a steady voice – “Your heart beats along with mine! And when… when you’ll be gone, a part of me will die with you…"

The fire in the old man’s gaze slowly faded, and Kale took his fragile hand into his one: “I’m not asking you to approve how I live my life, Pāpā, and I don’t ask you to even understand why I live this way. I only ask you to love me…”

“I didn’t spit on my mother’s grave” – Kale continued – “But you did, by telling me that I ended up ‘being a woman for my man’. It was meant to be an insult to me, but you insulted my mother, and all the women with her. It’s such a hard job being a woman… They take care of us, come help us whenever we need them, take on their shoulders our pain, but silently keep theirs for themselves. My mother was a great woman! I dearly wish I could be ‘a woman’ like her for someone else.”

“I know you expected me to do much more for you and our family than I actually did; and I’m sorry about that. I displeased you, and I hate to know that you think I’ve betrayed my roots and our family, because I didn’t. I traveled far away, yes, but I brought my land and our traditions with me. And though I left to Alana the task of continuing the family line, I know what it means helping a kid become a man, I’ve done it many times in my job as a school counselor, and in my home with my lover.”

“Yes, lover!” – Kale insisted, spotting a smirk of disapproval on his father’s face – “Because in the end, it all comes down to one thing: love! I didn’t choose to love the way I love, as much as I didn’t choose to love the man I love. Just like you didn’t choose to love me, Pāpā, but you do. I know you do, no matter how hard you try and deny it…”

Kale lowered his gaze and breathed: “It breaks my heart, but I can’t pretend to ignore the truth: this is probably the last time we talk this way, and I need to know that you’re still my Pāpā…”

The old man closed his eyes and remained silent for many endless minutes, until Kale felt his weak hand grip tighter his own and heard his feeble voice break the silence: “Will you dance the Hula for me at my Luau, son?”

“I will, Pāpā” – Kale replied, with tears flowing freely from his eyes – “I promise I will, and it’ll be the most tender, loving Hula ever.”

A faint smile appeared on the old man’s hollowed face, while his hand let go of Kale’s and fell lifeless on the mattress.

 

~ A caring valet ~

In that moment, Beau was looking at the distant Ocean through the wide windows of his attic. Or, at least, he was still staring there, where the Ocean had been visible until the sun set below the horizon. The night had fallen on the Cove and he hadn’t moved from the armchair in front of the window for hours, staring at the distant West where, he knew, the Hawaii floated in the middle of the Pacific and his Kale was fighting his hard battle, alone.

Brennan had entered the room several times, trying to rouse Beau from his depressed state, but he didn’t even listen to his boy talking to him.

«OK, enough is enough!» – he said, with the resolute Scottish frown that was bred in his bones, while he moved to his own room and started rummaging into his tall armoire.

Beau leaped on his chair when he heard a polite, but firm voice talking almost into his ear: “Your bath is ready, Sir. At your convenience.”

He turned his face and almost didn’t recognize Brennan, wearing the formal valet uniform he’d brought with him from Applecross House. He was standing tall, looking straight in front of him, with a sparkling white towel hanging from his bent arm.

“My… bath?” – Beau asked, puzzled.

“Of course, Sir. If I may, Sir, you look tired, it must’ve been a long trip, so I’ve run your bath, in case you needed it. This way, Sir…!”

Brennan gently nudged Beau towards the bed, put the towel down and raised his hands to unbutton Beau’s shirt: “Let me help you, Sir…” – the boy said, still with his formal, professional tone [3].

Beau smiled, looking at the eager hands undoing one by one all the buttons, to then pull away the shirt almost without any cooperation on his part. Then Brennan pulled the tank-top up to the man’s pecs, and Beau raised his arms to make the valet’s job easier. Brennan had to raise on his tiptoes to completely pull the tank away, and doing so he leaned to Beau, his face was at an inch from the massive torso smelling of a fresh cologne; and like that distant day in Applecross, Brennan was overwhelmed by his master’s manliness. He gasped, shut his eyes tight and had to put a great effort not to cream his pants.

“Have you cum?” – Beau asked with a giggle when the boy regained his composure. “Sir! Certainly not, Sir! I’m a trained valet!” – Brennan replied, feigning an outraged tone, but the blush on his face betrayed him. His hands set again in motion, and with few professional moves he removed the shoes, the socks and the trousers, leaving the man stripped to his underwear. Beau looked at him with a sly smile: “So what, boy? Are you going to leave the job half done?”

Brennan gulped, noticing a twitch in his master’s elastic boxers, but pretended not to: “Of course not, Sir. I’m here to serve… Here, let me take away these… Oooohh!”

The boy gasped loud when Beau’s long cock sprang free in front of his face. Beau stepped out of his underwear and pulled Brennan to his feet, firmly pushing him toward the bed: “You know we don’t have a bath tub here in the attic, don’t you, boy?”.  Brennan nodded and silently gulped. “And you know what I do to cheeky valets who lie only to see their master nude?”. Brennan shook his head and gulped again.

“Get naked, boy, you’re going to taste your master’s cock!” – Beau said aloud, faking a threatening tone. “Oh no, sir! I don’t do such things! I’m a trained valet and…” – he couldn’t end his sentence, because Beau sent him sprawling on the bed: “Your training is not over, boy…”

The boy stripped naked in a matter of seconds and looked up with shining eyes to his master, a god-like blond stud sporting a huge hard-on, and murmured: “Command me in all thing, Sir…”

“I know you already learned to suck a cock and take it up the ass” – Beau said, climbing on the bed – “but now we’re going to take it up a notch. You’re going to be face-fucked, kid. But first…” – he added in a softer tone – “keep in mind that we can stop whenever you want. If you want to stop and for any reason you can’t talk, just hit the mattress with your hand. OK, kid?”

 

~ Irresistible training ~

Brennan nodded and Beau lay on the bed, on his back, with his legs spread: “Let’s start with something you know well, to… warm up!”

The boy smiled and opened his mouth wide to take the engorged meat; he bobbed his head up and down few inches, at first, coating the glans with his saliva, and then pushed his head down until the stiff rod hit the back of his throat. He took a couple breaths through his nose, relaxed his throat, and the long cock slowly disappeared into his mouth.

“Good boy, you learned it well…” – Beau praised him – “Now try pulling it out and push it in all the way, without pausing”. Brennan recoiled, licked his lips and engulfed again the hard tool, slowly taking it all, wincing just a brief moment when the mushroom head forced open again his throat. And then he didn’t stop, but started bobbing his head up and down, at a slow steady pace, every time gulping down the long cock in one thrust.

Beau, by now, was finding hard to keep a teaching tone, as his boy was quickly becoming very good at his job. After a short while, he stopped Brennan and gently pushed him down on the bed. He knelt astride his face and looked down at him: “Are you ready for the last step? Remember to hit the mattress with your hand at the slightest distress, OK?”.

Brennan’s eyes were shining with excitement: “I’m ready, sir…”

The man leaned forward, holding the headboard, and pointed his stiff cock to the boy’s eager mouth, and then pushed down, ever so gently, stopping to be sure that Brennan was breathing through the nose and wasn’t gagging. He reached the back of the throat, paused for a moment and then pushed in another inch.

Brennan did very well, and the first time he took the entire rod down his throat like a pro. But when Beau pulled out and pushed in again, he gagged hard, his face contorted in a grimace of discomfort and hit several times the mattress with his hand.

Instantly, Beau pulled out: “Are you ok? Maybe I’ve been too rough…”

“Oh, no sir! You’ve been wonderful, so gentle and caring, but you know, having my head resting on the pillow doesn’t let me escape your cock, if I would ever want to, and I… ehm… panicked a little, sir”.

“Of course you’re tense, my boy. Taking what I’m giving you is hard, I know. But you see, it’s all a matter of trust. If you are with a man you completely trust, then you can totally surrender to him, relax your throat and let him have pleasure over you, in the absolutely certainty that he won’t harm you. But you have to really, really trust him.”

“I trust you, sir” – Brennan replied sincerely – “I could never trust anyone more than you! Please, do it again, let me give you pleasure!”

“Are you sure, Brennan? I won’t be displeased if you can’t do it…”

“I can do it, sir” – the boy said proudly – “I’m a Scotsman!”

Beau smiled tenderly, and put again his cock into the boy’s mouth, and this time he found his throat muscles relaxed, the was no gagging, no chocking, no distressed smirks. The long cock moved smoothly in and out the tender throat, for a long while, and Brennan’s hands rested peacefully on his master’s thighs.

The man was enjoying it so much that almost lost his load, but pulled out before it was too late. “You’re really a pro!” – he exclaimed, praising the boy – “And every good boy deserves a reward! What would you like as a reward, kid?”

Brennan stood sitting, excited to be given a choice: “Really I can ask you anything, sir? Whatever I want?”  “Whatever, my Brennan, it’s your turn to… ‘command me in all things, sir’!”

“May I… May I ride your cock, sir? Like a cowboy on a bronco?”

Beau laughed heartily: “Like a bronco! Heeee-Haw!!”

Brennan immediately straddled Beau’s hips, pointing his cock to his hole, but the man stopped him: “Spit only? No lube? OK, OK, you’re a Scotsman, I know! But… take it easy, don’t overdo it, kid. And don’t wear me out!”

The ecstatic expression spreading on Brennan face when he slowly impaled himself on the rock-hard pole not only put Beau at ease, but was infectious: the mere idea of giving to his boy such a great pleasure, and watching the sheer pleasure clearly painted on his face was totally erotic for Beau, who enjoyed with every fiber of his being the blissful feeling of being joined so deeply and intimately with the boy he adored.

Beau watched with loving eyes the boy, now almost a man, bumping up and down on his groin, a bit reclined on his back to support himself on the man’s muscled thigh; Brennan’s stiff cock bounced around, following the steady pace of the lustful ride, and his balls were retracted to his groin, clear sign of the climax rapidly approaching.

They didn’t talk, they just looked into each other’s eyes, sharing their pleasure, while their hips rhythmically parted to soon join again, like strong magnets. Beau gasped when he felt Brennan’s ass muscles tighten harder around his cock and the sweet ass pacing up in his endless motion.

Brennan smiled, seeing Beau’s reaction, because while riding the big cock was giving him a blissful pleasure, what he most desired was to service his man, making him feel loved and taken care of, and bringing him to a mind-blowing orgasm, like a good gille-tòine is supposed to do.

A chocked scream escaped the boy’s mouth when his master’s strong hand wrapped around his throbbing dick, wanking it sensually: “Sir, please no sir! If you go on, I can’t hold it… nnngghh… Sir, you’ll make me lose my load!”

“Good…” – Beau replied with coarse voice, while his hand sped up – “because I too am fit to burst! And I want you to cum, my boy, cum like a fountain! Cum with me, Brennan! Oui… OUI!!!”

They exploded in unison in loud howls of exquisite pleasure, while their cocks exploded in a twin climax that blew their minds off. “Don’t stop, kid!” – the man pleaded, wanting to prolong the wreaking orgasm as long as possible. “Don’t stop, sir!” – Brennan echoed, mindlessly flooding with his warm semen his master’s wide chest.

In the end, their orgasms subsided, because a man’s body has its unbreakable rules, but they weren’t willing to accept that; they went on moving slowly, Brennan easing his ass up and down Beau’s now sensitive rod, and Beau slowly milking the last drop of juice from the boy’s shrinking dick. They both uttered short gasps, enjoying the excruciating feeling, unwilling to put an end to it. But then Beau let go of Brennan’s dick and placed a hand on his hips, to stop him. “I said don’t wear me out, kid!” – Beau exclaimed with a wide smile, and they both giggled and laughed heartily, rolling in bed into each other’s arms.

 

~ Untimely visit ~

Beau felt happy, his recent sadness and worries about Kale were forgotten, thanks to the loyal, imaginative Brennan who had done his magic and found the key to soothe his man’s sorrow. With a groan, the blond boss got off the bed saying: “I’m not going to sleep covered with your cum, boy! I’m taking a shower, and you should do the same!”

He headed to his private bathroom and basked for a long while under the warm stream of water… and his mind went back running in circles. Why did Kale asked not to be contacted! It was a torture for him, staying apart this way from his lover, who in that very moment might need someone to talk to, someone to comfort him.

Everyone at the Cove, when they had a problem, always relied on Kale to find a soothing word, a warm understanding of their anxiety, and often a solution to put their souls at ease. But Beau couldn’t rely on Kale now. He quickly put on his usual sleepwear, a striped long-legged pajama pant tied at the waist by a soft string, and headed downstairs, to drink something cool and mumble about his feelings.

He climbed down the spiral staircase to the third floor, then took the stairs to the first floor, and when he landed in the living room, almost without thinking about it, he took the small concrete stairs to the basement, as he suddenly felt the need to talk to Gerry, share with him his problems, putting on his aged, but still strong shoulders the weight that was oppressing his heart.

He didn’t really think about it, it was natural for him, the moment he needed a soothing word, to rely on an almost fatherly figure… someone he never really had in his whole life, as his own father was anything but fatherly.

He knocked on the door and Rowan opened it, to quickly welcome him in with a surprised glance: it didn’t happen frequently that Beau came down to that room, and it never happened since Gerry had moved with Rowan to the Cove.

Beau entered and quickly looked around, noticing that Gerry and Rowan were clearly about to go to bed, and he felt a bit embarrassed; and suddenly he felt even more embarrassed, because he didn’t plan that visit, and his attire, a shirtless pajama, definitely wasn’t in line to his refined standards.

And seeing that Gerry was even more underdressed than him, wearing only a loose pair of shorts and nothing else, didn’t help at all, as he found himself staring at his muscular body, covered with a layer of silver-streaked brown hair, like his thick beard, and to his legs as solid as trunks, leading up to an enticing bulge that his black shorts couldn’t hide.

The man, despite being in his sixties, was gorgeous, and Beau was more than glad that the hot sex he just had with Brennan had totally drained his balls, or he would’ve faced an embarrassing hard-on.

“I’m… I’m sorry, I…” – Beau said with a low voice – “I didn’t mean to disturb, you were going to bed… and I should do the same, forgive the intrusion”.

He was about to turn around, but Rowan gently stopped him: “Please stay, sir. I’m going upstairs to rustle something to drink”. Then, realizing that Beau had come downstairs to talk with Gerry, he added: “It will take a while, sir, so get comfortable. Dadd…Gerry will take care of you”.

When they were alone, Gerry broke the uneasy silence and said, pointing at the sofa: “Please, have a seat. It’s an unexpected pleasure…”

“I heartily hope it is, as we… well… don’t see much of you upstairs”. Gerry flashed a picked expression and Beau hastened to say: “No! No, Gerry, I didn’t come to criticize you! As a matter of fact, there’s nothing we can possibly fault you for. Quite the opposite, actually…”

 

~ A simple-minded wise man ~

They sat on the sofa and Beau said with affection: “Truth is, we are all grateful to you for bringing back Rowan to us. It was truly heartbreaking when he moved away [4]. Whatever difference there may be between you and us, Gerry, it’s nothing we should give too much importance to. You did something great for Rowan, we all love him, and that’s all that counts.”

“A year ago” – the blond boss continued – “we took a troubled, scared boy out of the streets and gave him the second chance life had denied him. We helped him defeat his demons, and gave him the serenity he longed for and deserved. But the last step, turning the guy into a man, that’s something you did alone, and only a great person like you could do it. You are, I guess, many things to Rowan, but above all you are the father he couldn’t have. He’s been lucky. Some of us d…” – Beau’s voice cracked, but he soon regained his composure – “Some of us didn’t have such a luck.”

Sitting beside Beau, Gerry looked at him with surprise, as he’d always seen the handsome, glamorous boss of the Cove as a sort of distant figure pulling the strings of that wide group of boys and men from his secluded attic. But now Gerry realized he was a man, straining to hide the fragilities that all men have. He didn’t know what to say, but he instinctively placed his hand over Beau’s.

“I almost feel stupid saying so…” – Gerry then said – “but if there’s anything I can do for you… No, forget it. I said it was silly… I mean, me helping you… I told Kale the same thing, when he came talk to me…”

“It’s funny you mention Kale, because I wanted to talk to you about him… Though I don’t even know what to ask you, to tell the truth… I… I miss him, Gerry. I know you are not into men, and listening to me talking about my love for Kale may sound weird, but love has no gender. Whoever you’ve loved in your life, you know what I’m talking about…”

“I know what you’re talking about” – Gerry replied in a low voice, and he didn’t find weird at all Beau talking about his love for a man, as he himself, long ago, was passionately in love with his only male lover, Caleb, Rowan’s father.

“I dearly miss him” – Beau repeated – “And you know what? I didn’t even imagine it would be so hard for me staying separated from him. I’ve always taken him for granted, he has always been at my side, even in my most terrible moments, without ever faltering. And now that he may need me… you know, with his father’s illness and his troubled relationship with him… I’m not at his side”.

“He’s not at the North Pole, he’s in Hawaii, maybe you could just call him…” – Gerry suggested, and then, thinking about Caleb, he added: “Like you said, some of us don’t have such a luck…”

Beau smiled tenderly, feeling for that man who had to say goodbye forever to too many people in his life, Caleb and his son Jason. “I’m lucky, you’re right. Kale is just a phone call away. But he clearly stated he didn’t want us to contact him, he wanted to face this difficult task alone. He… he didn’t want me by his side!”

“So, that’s it…” – Gerry said with a knowing, inquisitive expression – “I see you’re sincerely in pain for him but… what really bothers you is that he rejected your help. No critic intended, Beau, but I have a simple mind, you know that, I don’t see the nuances, I only see the elephant in the middle of the room; and it seems to me that the main focus of your concern is… yourself!”

Beau gasped, because he’d come downstairs to hear a soothing word, he had just hinted to Gerry that he saw him like a sort of father, trusting him, and didn’t expect to get a tongue-lashing like that. His pride overtook his sense, but luckily not his education, so he stood up with a restrained expression on his face, ready to excuse himself and go away. «Stupid me!» – he thought ruefully while standing up – «I came here to find fatherly advice and I got…” – he gasped, grasping the truth – «I got fatherly advice!»

He quickly sat down, ashamed for his impulsive act, that by the way had just confirmed Gerry’s words. “I’m such a smug man full of myself… Your words hurt, because they’re true, and I’m glad you talked to me like that, that you talked to me like… a father would.”

“And this is another piece of advice, Beau” – the older man replied with an affectionate smile – “If you really want to do something for Kale, and not for yourself, send him a message, few words: it would hardly be considered something against his desire to rely on his own strength. Just to let him know he’s loved. But not loved by you, this is not a personal show-off. The greatest acts of love are made secretly, behind the scenes.”

“You’re such a wonderful and wise man, thank you so much!” – Beau exclaimed, and leaned over to Gerry, holding him in a tight, affectionate hug. Beau basked in the pleasure of feeling Gerry’s strong arms around him, the warmth of his skin against his, the tickling of his furry bare chest pressed against his… and his cock started growing into his loose pajama pants!

“Oh, fuck…!” – he gasped, recoiling in a hurry and jumping on his feet. He tried in vain to hide his untimely and totally inappropriate erection that was an inch from escaping from the open fly, but he couldn’t. “I’m so sorry! Oh, please don’t think I… I’m hitting on you or something! I didn’t mean… Merde!… I’d better go!”

He almost bumped into Rowan coming downstairs, and he was grateful that the dim light in the staircase hid his shameful state. He rushed up to the attic and went straight to Brennan’s room, waking him up: “Pick up your phone, kid” – he said with an excited glance – “I need you to do something for me!”

 

~ The saddest moment ~

Kale didn’t even know how long he’d stayed sitting beside his father’s bed, silently crying, looking at the man who gave him life lying lifeless under his eyes. What he’d told to his father moments before, that a part of himself would’ve died with him, had become a painful reality. “Pāpā… Pāpā…” – he kept murmuring, suffering for the loss, but happy to have again the right to call him like that. He didn’t know if his father had accepted or understood his love for Beau, he only knew that he used up his last breath to call him ‘son’, and he couldn’t feel more grateful to him.

But he was gone, his Pāpā was gone, and Kale felt a stinging desperation filling his heart, realizing that he wouldn’t been able to hug him again, talk to him again, hear his father calling him ‘son’.

A part of his mind registered a soft buzz coming from his phone, and he automatically picked it up. There was a message from Brennan reading:

Sir, I know you told us that you didn’t want to be contacted, and I’m disobeying to Beau texting you. I just wanted you to know that I love you, and I miss you terribly. Please take care.
-- Brennan
P.S.: I love you too, sir!!!

Kale felt a sudden warmth filling his heart, and more tears flowed from his eyes, making him almost impossible to read the display. And then he read more carefully the message, wondering why Brennan wrote to love him, to then repeat it in a post-scriptum.

“Beau…!” – he murmured, with a faint smile, understanding that it was Beau who dictated the text, not to let him know that he was the real sender, and Brennan naively added the P.S., revealing the innocent lie.

He stood up with a faraway look. The Cove, Brennan, Beau seemed… another life, so far from there. But there, in the dim room, there was his father lying on his bed. Dead.

«Alana… I have to tell her…» – he thought with a sigh. He went to the living room and Alana instantly knew, just looking at his red eyes, what happened. “He’s gone, isn’t him… Oh, Pāpā…!” – she whined, and threw herself into Kale’s arms, in search of comfort, and Kale had to resort to the last ounces of his inner strength to soothe her sister’s irrepressible pain.

She recoiled and ran to their father’s room, and Kale, now alone, crashed on a sofa, holding his face in his hands. There were so many things to take care of, ask the old women of the village to come and take care of his father, contact the many relatives to bear them the sad news, organize the Luau… He was the only male of the family now, and it was up to him to do everything… and he suddenly knew it was far beyond his strength.

He picked up the phone and quickly dialed a number: “Laniakea… He’s dead… My father is dead… and I… I can’t do it…”

“I’m on my way. You’re not alone, Kale…”

Laniakea arrived in a matter of minutes, bringing with him two old villagers who went straight to the deceased’s room to wear him and prepare the room for the family visits. Kale felt his cousin’s strong arms holding him tight, and though feeling a bit selfish, he thankfully poured the heavy burden oppressing his heart onto Laniakea’s shoulders.

The guy efficiently took control of the situation. He called his own mother, who set up a call chain to alert the entire family; and then called their common cousins, asking them to organize the farewell Luau. “I will personally take care of the Hula dance” – Laniakea stated clear to his cousins – “You take care of the flowers, the food and all, ok?”

It was very late in the night when the house finally became silent. Laniakea had run around all the time, made countless phone calls, prepared some food, driven home the old women, and god knows how many other things. Kale watched him, from the sofa, in a mild catatonic state, unable to even thank him.

Laniakea crashed on the sofa beside Kale: “What about your sister?” – he asked – “We can’t leave her alone…”.  “She’s with her husband, now, she’ll be fine” – Kale replied. “In this case, let’s go home, you need to sleep. And so do I: tomorrow I have a double shift at work. Come!”

 

~ Life-changing days ~

The day after, when Kale woke up, Laniakea was already at work. He found a cooked breakfast and a note reading: ‘I’ll be late tonight, don’t worry for me, see you tomorrow morning. NK’. «Nani kōkī…» – Kale smiled, reading the signature.

He spent the whole day with his sister, greeting the relatives coming from the surrounding villages, and some even from Kahului and Honolulu. Everyone wanted to hug Kale, ask him how was he doing ‘on the mainland’ and tell him how they were willing to help, if needed.

After dinner, he went back to Laniakea’s place, and found the lights on, a pair of shoes in the doorway to the bedroom and Laniakea fast asleep on the bed, face down, still clothed. A sudden sorrow gripped Kale’s heart, looking at his cousin so exhausted to not being able to even undress before crashing on the bed. Kale knew that he needed money, and he couldn’t say no if his employer asked him to do a double or triple shift, but the sight was heartbreaking.

«It’s unfair, he doesn’t deserve this…» – Kale thought with wet eyes – «This can’t be the life that fate had in store for him…».

He felt deadly tired, but instead of slipping under the bedsheets, he silently grabbed the key of Laniakea’s truck. He went to the gas station and filled up the tank, drove the treacherous Hana road to Kahului, where he knew there were several malls open 24h, and wore out his credit card. And then he drove back home, refilling the tank on the way to leave it full.

When Laniakea woke up, no more than one hour since Kale was back, he smelled a freshly cooked breakfast and was surprised. He went to the kitchen, still clothed like he fell asleep last night, and Kale smiled at him: “Good morning, Nani kōkī, breakfast is ready!” – he said, pointing to a large plate on the table with a full English breakfast. “Eggs, tomatoes, beans, sausages and bacon. Lots of bacon!” – he laughed.

Laniakea sat down, but he didn’t eat. He looked around the kitchen, looking with wide eyes the shelves overflowing with supplies, fresh fruit, vegetables, and even some new pots to replace the old battered ones he’d used for ages.

“What does it mean?” – the guy asked after a long pause. “Eat first, talk later!” – Kale joked, sitting at the dining table. Laniakea wolfed down the delicious breakfast, without talking, but he couldn’t tear his gaze off of Kale, who kept flashing at him a happy smile. When the plates were clean, Kale rose from the chair and extended a hand: “Will you please hand me your dish, so I can wash it?”

Still a bit shocked, the guy picked his dish and noticed an envelope under it. He looked at Kale, who nodded at him, still smiling at him. Laniakea opened the envelope, and there was a one-way plane ticket for Los Angeles, for the next week… with his name on!

“What… what…” – he tried to say, but he was too emotional to go on.

Kale became serious and set down in front of him: “I can’t let you waste your life here, Nani kōkī… You deserve much more than this! You said it: here in Hana there is no chance for you to build your life. I’m not asking you to totally change your life, I’m offering you a sort of sabbatical, a time to explore what life has to offer to you. You will live with me at the Cove, our house in California, and I will introduce you to the men and boys living there. And you can come back here anytime, if you don’t feel comfortable there or if you think it’s better for you to stay here, close to your family.”

“Am I going to be… your boy, like that Brennan?” – Laniakea asked shyly – “I mean, you and I… we…”

“No. You’re not a kid, and you’re my cousin, you won’t be my boy; but… you will be, sort of, because I’ll help you find your way and I will teach you what I know about life and love. Just to make it clear, we won’t be lovers, if this is what you were asking me. We can’t be, you know I’m in love with Beau. Yes, I know, it’s a bit confusing, but the main point is that a man’s heart is so big, Nani kōkī! We’ll make love, if you feel to: at the Cove we’re all sort of fuck buddies, but I have a very special bond with Beau. Maybe at first it will be a bit shocking, but I think you’ll fit in quite well” – Kale concluded with a smile.

“I knew you were a very special person, Kale” – Laniakea said with trembling voice, holding tight the envelope as if it was a treasure. Kale smiled back at him and replied: “And I didn’t know you were so special, when I was coming here, but I soon realized how wonderful a guy you are. I couldn’t have done it without you, Nani kōkī...!”

“You’re not done, yet, I’m afraid!” – Laniakea said, with a sympathetic smile – “There’s a Luau to attend. I talked to the cousins about the Hula dance, and they were a bit reluctant at first, but then they agreed to dance that song you danced for me, Kale, if you think it’s a good idea. I mean, it’s your father’s Luau, and the kindred will talk about it for months if we dance a women’s song, but it’s up to you”.

“Let’s do it!” – Kale exclaimed with sparkling eyes, placing his hand over Laniakea’s – “It’s about time something changes, here!”

 

The farewell Luau was memorable, many tears were shed, many bonds were strengthened, many comforting and loving words were spoken. And Laniakea was right: as soon as the sweet Hula song began, many people were surprised and exchanged hushed comments, but there was no dry eye when Kale, Laniakea and the other male cousins ended their touching dance.

In a couple days, Laniakea’s few belongings were all packed and they climbed on the truck, ready to be driven to Kahului by Dana, the guy’s supposed ‘girlfriend’. When, later on, they were comfortably seated inside the airplane cabin, Kale really hoped that Laniakea would’ve stayed with him for a long time, but he was dubious, looking at the conflicted frown on the guy’s face. He knew well how hard it was for his cousin leaving behind his homeland and his family. He turned to Laniakea and asked, with a casual tone: “How about your truck?”

“I gave it to Dana. I won’t need it ever more.”

Kale felt a warmth spreading in his heart and smiled tenderly: “You’re such a nice guy, Nani kōkī…!”

* * * * * * * *