Trial Of Strength (Book 12)

"GYPSY-BOY BEN RUNS AWAY FROM HOME"

Construction boss Randy is under huge pressure at work. His famously volatile temper erupts and in a fit of rage he fires the young mechanic Ben – his own kid-brother he swore to protect. Ben is also anxious for his lover Jason, a fireman away fighting forest fires. In despair Ben runs away from home and work, to seek comfort in the arms of an older man, the authority figure he needs.

In the previous chapter

The small group of two men and four boys were settling in to their week’s vacation at the sprawling Grady House, whose owners, movie-star Grady and his Italian lover Mario, were away on a grueling publicity tour for Grady’s next big movie.

The vacationing group had spent the first day and night indulging their lust, love and affection, and the following morning they were feeling pretty mellow as they kicked back lazily by the pool.  Lying in a chaise, one of the boys, Brandon, phoned down to the tribe’s main compound a few miles away, to talk to his buddy, the young assistant chef Will.

Brandon expected laughter, but he could tell right way from Will’s non-reaction that all was not well.  “What’s up, Will?” Brandon said.  “Something wrong down there?”

“Not sure, Brandon, but it sure looks like it.”

“That problem with Randy again?” Brandon was referring to the big gypsy boss of the tribe’s construction company and co-leader of the tribe with his lover Bob.

“Something like that.  You know Bob’s been real worried about Randy working too hard on the company expansion.  After that first real hectic week, most of the guys have slowed down to a normal routine, but not Randy.  He’s still pushing himself, putting himself under a lot of pressure. And you know the boss, him and pressure don’t go well together. I’ve heard Bob and him arguing about it, but you know how obstinate Randy can be.

“Most of the guys are keeping their heads down, waiting for the storm to pass, but you know how easy it is to get caught in the crossfire when Randy’s on a rampage and the shit hits the fan. Er, hold on a minute, dude, call coming in from Ryan in the office, I’ll put you on hold.

Brandon waited with a troubled frown.  His frown got deeper when Will came back on the line.  “Fuck, dude, looks like the shit just did hit the fan.  Ryan says Randy just fired Ben.”

“Fired Ben?!  His own kid-brother?  That’s insane.  Ben and Pablo were working so hard on that new central mechanic’s shop.”

“Yeah, well that seems to be the problem.  Ben just stormed into the office and gave his keys to Ryan ‘cos he said he’s just been fired by Randy.  Then he took off like a bat out of hell without telling anyone where’s he’s going.  Dude, I gotta go and find Bob.  He’s gonna go apeshit.”

=========    Book 12: Chapter 44   =========

<><>    Ben Runs Away    <><>

The two houses were a study in contrasts. 

The small group vacationing at the Grady House were mellowing out and drifting through the day.  But meanwhile, down at the tribe’s main compound, turmoil had gripped the clan. 

Young Brandon, at the Grady House, had phoned his pal, the assistant chef Will in the tribe’s main kitchen, and he was stunned by Will’s news. 

The tribe’s construction company had been undergoing a major expansion, putting a ton of pressure on the charismatic construction boss Randy who refused to slow down. Will had just heard that Randy’s famously volatile temper had erupted and the unthinkable happened.  He had just fired Ben, assistant mechanic on the construction site and Randy’s own kid-brother. 

“It sounds really bad this time, dude,” Will said.  “I gotta get off the phone and go find Bob.  I’ll keep you posted.”

Will realized there was no time to lose or this whole thing would escalate and become worse.  He was alone in the kitchen and knew the only man to handle this was Bob, the way he had handled so many Randy disruptions in the past. 

Will recalled Bob saying that he was going for a meeting at the bank to wrap up the financing for the company expansion.  So it wasn’t hard to track him down in the bank manager’s office.  Bob knew it had to be something serious for Will to call him there.

“Sir,” Will said, sounding as if he were holding back tears.  “I’m sorry to interrupt you, sir, but something’s happened.  Randy as gone into one of his rages.  He’s fired Ben ... fired him from his mechanic’s job, and nobody knows where Ben’s gone. Please, sir, we ...”

“It’s OK, Will,” Bob said soothingly, “I’ll take care of it.  Who told you about this?”

“Ryan, sir, in the office.  He said Ben had come in and thrown his keys on the desk, saying Randy had called him a lazy loser and fired him.  Ben told Ryan he was going away and he left, but he didn’t say where.”

“Have you talked to anyone else about this, Will?”

“Only Brandon, sir, ‘cos he happened to phone from the Grady House when I got Ryan’s call.

“OK, Will, you’re my point-man on this so listen carefully.  We have to keep a lid on this as long as we can.   Once Ben’s boss Pablo gets involved and Ben’s man Jason hears of it, we’re in trouble.  So, here’s what I’d like you to do.  First go straight over to the office and make sure that Ryan, Noah and Vic are OK.  Tell them I want them to keep doing the fine job they always do and keep the office running. 

“Then I’d like you to call Brandon at the Grady House and tell him I have everything in hand.  I know his instinct as office manager will be to come racing back, but I want him to stay there and enjoy his time with Pete. No need to interrupt their vacation.

“I had just finished my business here at the bank, so I’m on my way.  I’ll meet you in the office with the boys in twenty minutes, tops.  Hang in there, kiddo.  With you guys’ help we’ll sort this out.”  He chuckled.  “Not the first time we’ve been at this rodeo, eh Will?”

He had succeed in calming Will with his strong, confident voice, but when the call ended Bob buried his face in his hand muttering, “Randy, Randy ... not again.”  Then he took a deep breath, stood up and marched out to do battle.

When he reached the compound and went to the office he found the young staff – Ryan, Vic and Noah – in earnest conversation with Will.   Bob knew that one of the best ways to handle anxiety is to stick to the routine of work so he asked brightly, “Everything ticking over nicely in the office, guys?”

“Yes thank you, sir,” said Ryan, while Noah and Vic managed strained smiles.

“OK look, guys, Will told me what’s happened and I won’t pretend it’s not worrying.  I realize Ben is a good friend of yours, but I want you to trust me to sort all this out.  In the meantime the best way you can help me is to keep the office going as usual.  I’m obviously going to be busy for a while, and of course Brandon is on vacation at the Grady House, so my questions is, can the three of you handle the office on your own?”

“Yes sir,” the three of them said in chorus.  Ryan added, “As you know, sir, the new systems have all been set up and they’re running fine.  I’ve been talking to Darius and we’ve worked out what reports he has to send us as the new site manager.”

Bob smiled, “Doesn’t hurt that you’re Darius’s boy, eh Ryan?  Lovers working well together.”

“Yes, sir,” Ryan blushed.

“Good, I knew I could depend on you guys.  Now Will, what about the kitchen?”

“I handed over to the twins and Felipe, sir, but I should probably get back there.”

“No, no.  I’d prefer that you stay here for the time being, Will.  Ben is close to you ... as I recall, he helped you a lot when you first joined us.  He was the first guy you even had sex with, right?” Bob smiled.  “So if Ben contacts anyone it’s likely to be you or the boys here, so it’s better that all you guys are here together. 

“Right now our main concern is Ben, the rest I can deal with.”  (They all knew he was referring to his lover Randy.) So first, Ryan, I want to know exactly what Ben said when he came in here.”

“Well, sir, he was obviously real upset, I think he’d been crying.  As near as I can remember he threw his company keys on my desk and said, ‘I’m outa here.  Randy just fired me ... my brother just fired me.’  I was shocked, of course and said something like, ‘Fired you?  That can’t be true.  What happened?’

“His words were mixed with sobs, sir, and he was a bit hard to understand.  He said something like, Pablo and him were working on the new mechanics space and Pablo had to go out to get some parts they needed.  They couldn’t do any more work until they had them so Pablo told Ben he’d been working so hard he should put his head down and take a nap till he got back.

“Next thing he knew, he was being shaken awake by Randy, who was in a rage.  ‘He scared me,’ Ben told us.  ‘He accused me of sleeping on the job and I tried to explain, but he kept yelling, said I was lazy and called me a fucking loser.  He said if he caught anyone sleeping on the job he fired them, so ‘you’re fucking fired, boy.  I don’t need a loser like you.  Get the fuck outa here.’

“Then Ben choked up, sir, and said that if his brother don’t want him he would go away.  I started to ask him where he was going but he was already out the door.  That’s the best I can remember, sir.  Did I get it more-or-less right, guys?”

Vic and Noah nodded unhappily.  Bob had been clenching and unclenching his fists as Ryan continued.  “I called Will to see if you were there at the house.  He happened to be on the phone with Brandon but he said he’d try to find you.  And that’s pretty much it, sir.  I called Brandon like you said and told him I’d keep him posted.”

“Hmm, so the guys at the Grady House know.  Ryan, thank you for filling me in.  Have you boys any idea where he might have gone?”

“Not really, sir,” Will said.  “I tried calling his cell but I think he’s switched it off ‘cos it goes straight to voicemail.   And I doubt he’s at his and Jason’s house ‘cos it’s empty.  You know Jason is up in Northern California fighting those awful forest fires.  Ben told me they work in four-week tours of duty, then hand off to other fire companies.  Ben can’t contact him, and has to wait for Jason to call him, if he can.  So Ben’s been staying with me, and he’s real worried about Jason, ‘cos he hasn’t heard from him for five days.”

Bob winced.  “As if the poor kid didn’t have enough anxiety already, now this.  But in a way I hope Jason doesn’t call.  He’s got enough on his plate up there without worrying about his boy.” Bob clenched his jaw.  “Godammit, I’d like to ...”

He caught himself and took a deep breath. “OK, guys, like I said, I want you to continue work as usual. You stay here with them Will, and keep trying Ben’s phone.  As he’s been living with you I think it’s most likely you’re the one he’ll call, especially if he turns his phone on and sees all your voicemails.”

He sighed again. “OK, kids, next stop for me is the construction site.  Bit like Daniel in the Lion’s Den,” he grinned ruefully.  “Wish me luck, kids.”

“Good luck, sir,” they chorused. 

<><>    Bob Confronts Randy    <><>

As he drove to the construction site Bob’s mind raced with troubled thoughts.  High on the list was his concern for young Ben.  The mere thought of Ben driving anywhere while he was so distraught concerned Bob most.  And he didn’t even have his man Jason as support, couldn’t even speak to him.  Where could the boy have gone?  Searching his mind an idea glimmered, faintly but it was worth looking into later, once he had confronted Randy.

Randy!  Bob gritted his teeth.  Damn him and his rages, causing so much grief, especially to a boy he loves, his own kid brother, little gypsy Ben.

When he got to the principal construction site it felt like a pall of gloom had settled over it.  The crew men were all working, but their moods always reflected the boss’s, usually the satisfaction of working manually for the man they respected and who did his share of the heavy lifting right alongside them.

They all knew and respected Bob, and one of the foremen said, “Hi, Bob. Er, in there, in the new mechanics’ shed.  God luck.”

“Thanks, Gus, I think I’m gonna need it.”

He heard Randy before he saw him – Randy and Pablo, yelling at each other.  “He’s my staff, Randy, you overrode my authority.  I’m the only one has the right to fire the kid, but I’d be crazy to do that he’s such a great little worker and so loyal.  But that’s it ... you are crazy, plumb crazy and a fucking sadist to hurt that kid, your own damn brother.

“Shut the fuck up.  I’m your boss too, and I can fire your ass as well.”

“Go ahead,” Pablo taunted, “‘cos I am this close to telling you to shove the job up your crazy ass.”

“Go right ahead.  I’ll tell Bob we need to advertise for a new crew of mechanics ...”

Bob stepped forward. “You’ll tell Bob no such damfool thing. Stop it, you two.  While you’re snarling at each other there’s a poor kid out there somewhere with tears running down his cheeks, driving god knows where when he shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a car at all, the state he’s in.  I’ve told all the boys to try to contact him but right now he seems to have turned off his phone.  So they’re standing by, hoping for a call from him.”

Bob glared, “And why is the boy in such a state?  Because the big brother he idolizes just fired him.”

“Bullshit,” Randy growled, “he knows I didn’t mean it.”

“Oh really?  A kid hears, ‘You’re fucking lazy, sleeping on the job ... you’re fired ... I don’t need a loser like you ... get the fuck outa here.’  And you say what he’s supposed to hear is ‘I love you, little brother, you’re doing a great job?’

“What fucking planet are you on, man?  Worse than that, right now Ben can’t contact the man he loves and pour his heart out to him, because that man is in danger, fighting the fires up north.  And he can’t get comfort from his other hero either, ‘cos that ‘hero’ just told him he’s a loser and to get the fuck out.  Way to go, Randy ... big fucking boss man.  You’re not a man, you’re a bully and a coward, a deranged coward.”

Randy’s eyes blazed, “Fuck you, man.  No one calls me a coward.”  He raised his arm and slapped the back of his hand hard across Bob’s face, sending him reeling and falling in the dirt.

“Stop!”  Pablo rushed forward and helped Bob to his feet, while Randy stared vacantly, in disbelief at what he had just done.”

Just then Bob’s phone rang and he looked at the ID.  Will.  Bob blinked unsteadily and took the call.  “Hey, kiddo, what’s up?”

“I just heard from Ben, sir.  He was at a gas station where he’d stopped for gas.  He told me he was going to a place where people loved him, unlike here.  I got it out of him by promising not to tell anyone but you, and definitely not Randy, who he says is not his brother anymore.  So please, sir, if I tell you, you have to keep my promise.”

“OK, Will, I promise.”

“Sir, Ben is on his way to Uncle Mike’s in Palm Springs.  He said that Mike’s boy Larry often said if ever he wanted a job there was one waiting for him in Larry’s bike repair shop.  So Ben said he’s turning his back on L.A., the tribe, and especially his brother.  When Jason finally calls him and his tour of duty is over he’ll ask him to come straight from Northern California to Palm Springs. Ben said he loves me, and loves you, sir. But this was kinda goodbye.

“Sir you will keep my promise, won’t you, and just tell everyone that’s he’s safe?”

“Absolutely, kid.  And I won’t say who gave me the news.  Let me know right away if anyone tries to force the information out of you.  Well done kiddo, you’re a rock.”

Bob shut off the phone and looked at the bewildered Randy and tense Pablo.  “Ben is safe, he’s OK.”

“Where is he?” Randy demanded.

“I can’t tell you that, Randy.  Not surprisingly he doesn’t want you coming after him, doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

“Who were you speaking to, one of the boys?”

“I can’t tell you that either, Randy, ‘cause you’d only go and beat the information out of him.”

“Give me your fucking phone, man.”  Randy launched at him and tried to wrestle the phone away.  But Pablo grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.  He slammed his fist against Randy’s jaw and sent him sprawling on the ground.

Bob looked down at him.  “Thanks Pablo. I’ve been longing to do that myself.”

Too stunned to move Randy looked up at Bob towering angrily over him.  “So Randy, you’ve managed to devastate a young kid who was already worried for his fireman lover, and made him run away.  And you’ve assaulted me, the lover you have sworn so many times never to strike again.  Way to go, big guy, good job. 

“I have to go talk to Zack but I’ll leave you with these two thoughts.  You have to get away from work for a while ‘cos you’re burned-out.  And you have to get professional help, because right now you’re borderline insane.  I strongly suggest you go see your therapist brother Doc Steve.

“Fuck, I gotta go and ...”

“And do not ... do not approach any of the boys and force them to tell you where Ben is.  If you do that I swear I will walk out of your life.  Those kids must not be part of your madness.”

That dire threat left Randy silent and motionless on the ground as Bob walked away.  Pablo walked over to Randy, bent down and helped him to his feet.  “Sir, would you like me to drive you to Steve’s house?”

“Fuck you, boy, I can still drive myself, I’m not a fucking cripple. A sock on the jaw ain’t nothin’.”

“Sorry about that, sir.  Spur of the moment thing.”

“Ah, you and me talk the same language, boy, always have. That right hook was a classic.  I gotta go, sort some stuff out.  You carry on here, get one of the other guys to help you.”

He stumbled away and Pablo watched his adoptive dad leave, with mixed feelings.

<><>    Bob Confides in Zack    <><>

Bob drove the short distance to the construction site where Zack was the boss.   Zack met him at the gate with a look of concern.  “I thought I’d be seeing you, Bob.  Jesus, what’s that mark on your cheek?  You’re covered in dirt.  Did he fucking hit you?”

“Just a slap.” Bob grinned ruefully, brushing himself down.

“Damn, here we go again, eh buddy?  Come into my trailer office, you need a Scotch.”

They sat in the office facing each other and Zack poured him a drink.  Dammit, Bob, I could see something like this coming, we all could.  I’ve tried everything to get through to him, pleaded with him to take time off, but you know he’s stubborn as a mule. 

“Trouble is, Bob, he always thinks that this company rests squarely on his shoulders and he owes it to the tribe to keep it going.  And you know what?  In a way he’s right.  This expansion is a big deal and he’s been shouldering a lot of the burden.  He’s incredible the way he pulls everything and everybody together, a great leader.

“Randy thinks that if the company were to fail he would have failed the tribe.  So he doesn’t dare let go, even now that everything’s running smoothly.  Seth is firmly in control of the commercial division, and my boy Darius, another natural leader, is already an efficient boss of the residential site.  Pablo’s doing great setting up the mechanic’s shop, I’m boss of the government contract on this site, and Randy has the new government division. 

“But Randy still feels he’s gotta run the whole show. The pressure’s been huge and he’s burned out.  He had to erupt sooner or later and I’m real sorry it was young Ben who got caught in the crossfire.  He’s a great kid and I can’t believe Randy actually fired him.  But you know Randy, a terrific guy, a great buddy, until that rage takes over and he loses his mind.  How is Ben, have you heard from him?”

“Yes, he called one of the boys and told him where he’s going.  But I’m sworn to secrecy as Ben is scared of Randy coming after him.

“I get it, dude, mum’s the word.  Don’t tell me ‘cos I might let something slip.”

“What I really came to ask you, Zack, is could you all manage if Randy did take a few days off?” 

“Bob, I tell you frankly, it would be a relief if Randy weren’t pressuring the crews the way he is.  My foreman can easily take over for me here and I’ll keep Randy’s site up and running.  Randy thinks he’s indispensable but he’s not.  He’s set everything up so well he could easily take time off and we wouldn’t feel a thing.”

“Thanks, Zack, that’s a relief.  Try not to let this thing spread, you know how dramas like this shake the grapevine and take on a life of their own.”

“Sure thing.  How are things in the office?”

“Zack, those kids are incredible.  All these changes and they’ve handled them all without blinking.  No, all I have to do now is make things easier for young Ben.  A few phone calls should help a lot.”

Zack smiled.  “So, Bob, here you go getting out that shit shovel again that you’ve used so often, following the crazy parade.  We’re lucky to have you doing the cleanup.  Damn, when you take charge like this you look sexier than ever.  Let me know if you wanna ease your tension by climbing into the sack with me.”

Bob laughed, “Zack, I’d take you up on that, except when Randy found out it would rock the boat so bad it would sink like a stone.  “Thanks for the offer, though.  Later maybe.”

<><>    Uncle Mike    <><>

Bob drove back home, reassured by Zack’s confident leadership but still anxious about Ben.  He went to the kitchen where the twins were working away as usual, assisted by the newest member of the tribe, the young immigrant from Honduras, Felipe.  “Kyle, Kevin, I’d like to run a few things by you guys.  Could you spare a few minutes in my office?”

“Sure, sir.  Felipe, can you handle things here for a while?”

“Of course.  It’s still just early prep for dinner, I can handle that.  Er, sir, is Ben gonna be OK?”

“Thanks for asking, Felipe, and yes he is.  We’ve heard from him but I promised not to tell anyone where he is or where he’s going ... not yet.  Thanks for covering in here, kiddo.”

Upstairs in his office, Bob decided that promise did not apply to the twins, Kye and Kevin.  As they were his boys, he shared everything with them and he could depend on their absolute discretion.  He told them about Will’s report that Ben was headed to Uncle Mike’s in Palm Springs.  Bob also described his own contentious meeting with Randy and Pablo, and then the more reassuring one with Zack.”

The twins were relieved that Ben was on his way to Uncle Mike’s and they discussed various options back and forth.  In the end Kevin stroked Bob’s inflamed cheek and said, “Sir, what concerns us most is you.  Suddenly this whole drama is on your shoulders.  That’s a lot of tension, so anything we can do to help you, we will ... anything at all.”

“Thanks, guys, maybe later, after dinner.  I somehow I don’t think I’ll be sleeping with Randy tonight and I could use your company.”

Kyle smiled.  “Of course, sir, you know we’d be delighted.  We’ll plan on it.  What’s your next step, sir?”

The most important one – a call to Uncle Mike.  I don’t want him to be surprised by Ben suddenly showing up so I’m gonna call him and tell him the whole story. 

“Matter of fact, I think that is probably the best place Ben could be right now, in the warm, wise embrace of a level-headed older guy like Mike.  Right now the boy doesn’t have Jason to comfort him, nor his brother Randy, and he’s even wary of me as I’m Randy’s lover.  So Mike is perfect.  I would like Will with me when I call Mike, as he’s Ben’s best friend and the only one except you two who know of his plans.

The twins planted a kiss on Bob’s sore cheek. “That’ll make it heal faster,” Kevin grinned.

They left, and pretty soon Will came in and sat with Bob while he called Mike.  “Hey, Bob,” came Mike’s friendly voice.  “What’s up, gorgeous?”

“A lot, I’m afraid, Mike and I’ve called to alert you that young Ben will soon be arriving at your door, in pretty bad shape emotionally. There’s been a big drama here and he’s run away.”

“A big drama eh?” Mike said thoughtfully.  “Do I smell the hand of Randy in all this?”

“Mike, your sense of smell is as acute as ever.  Let me tell you the whole story so far.”

Mike listened without interruption while Bob related the whole sad course of events.   “I could see it coming, Mike, and I begged him he had to take a break from work.  But he flared up with that old thing I’ve heard so often – ‘are you telling me how to run a construction site?  You stay with your damn figures and leave the heavy lifting to me.’  And this was the result.”

When Bob finished Mike responded slowly. “The damn fool. He fired Ben? His own kid-brother?”

“He told me he didn’t mean it ...”

“Of course he didn’t mean in,” Mike snapped, “but he said it, he actually used those words to his own kid-brother... ‘lazy, loser, you’re fired, get the fuck outa here’.  Wait a minute, ain’t Ben’s guy Jason up north in the thick of things fighting those godawful fires?”

“That’s right, Mike, and the kid’s worried sick ‘cos he hasn’t heard from Jason in five days.”

“Poor little kid.  And that asshole chose this moment to blow his top and fire him?!  Pull the rug right out from under him?  Godammit I could wring his fucking neck.   But I’m not gonna waste my breath on that idiot.  We gotta think about the boy.  You say he called Will and he’s coming out here.  Why?”

“He told Will that Larry always told him that if ever he wanted a job there was one waiting for him in Larry’s bike repair shop.  So he’s leaving everything behind him and coming out to work for Larry.  Sorry to foist this on you, Mike.”

“Don’t you dare apologize to me, boy.  It’s that shit-for-brains bastard who should be groveling, eating dirt. 

“No, Bob, I’m glad to be of help, and I think I can be.  Matter of fact, as we speak Larry is over at his workshop, been there since early morning ‘cos he’s swamped with work.  The place is lined with bikes that guys have brought in for repairs.  He had a flaky assistant who walked out on him, and he’s kinda panicked that he’ll get so far behind he’ll lose customers.  Seeing Ben will seem like a miracle to him.  They’ve worked together before and he thinks Ben’s a great mechanic.”

“So you’ll put Ben to work?”

“Soon as I’ve calmed him down and given him a good ol’ Mike-hug.  Work is the best thing for a troubled young guy like him.”

“That’s what I told my guys in the office.  Mike, I can’t thank you enough for ...”

“Ah, forget it.  That’s what family’s for, and you guys are my family – all except one of you,” he growled through gritted teeth.  “Hey, wait a minute.  I hear a truck pulling up outside.  If it’s Ben he made it out here real fast.  Stay on the line Bob and I’ll go out there.  If it’s him I’ll ring off so he don’t think I’ve been plotting.”

There was a long pause, the sound of banging doors and Mike murmured into the phone.  “It’s him, he made it OK.  I’ll touch base later, Bob.  Don’t worry.  Young Ben will be safe with me.”

<><>    Ben Finds His Port in a Storm    <><>

Mike went up to the truck where Ben faced him boldly.  “Hey, kiddo, great to see you.  What brings you out to this neck of the woods?”

Ben stood almost to attention with a defiant look in his eye.  “Sir, I would like to apply for a job.  With Larry.”

“Really.  Well he could sure use the help, but what about your mechanic’s job in the construction company?”

“They don’t want me there anymore, sir.”  The young gypsy’s defiant look and clenched fists reminded Mike so much of Randy – tough, resolute.

“They don’t want you?”

“I got fired, sir.  My brother Randy ...”  He faltered and continued haltingly ...  “My brother fired me.  He caught me napping on the job, called me a loser and told me to get out ...  I can’t go to Jason ‘cos he’s ...”

The tough defiant look collapsed and Ben crumbled before Mike’s eyes.  Tears ran down his cheeks, and he began sobbing uncontrollably as the tension finally took its toll. 

“Hey, hey come here kiddo.”  Mike wrapped his arms round him and he sobbed into his shoulder.  “You came to exactly the right place, kiddo.  You’re safe here, so you let ol’ Uncle Mike take care of you.” 

Mike realized what a long, lonely drive the boy had out here, trying to hold it together for mile after mile with no-one to confide in.  Now suddenly his courage collapsed and he gave way to his grief.

“Hey,” Mike said gently,” we can’t stay out here.  I was just having a beer and a snack by the pool.  You wanna join me?”

“Yes please, sir.”

“You got any gear to bring in?

“I didn’t have time, sir.  I just got in my truck and drove away.”

“No problem, Larry can give you whatever you need while you’re staying here.  You are gonna stay with us, right?”

“I ... don’t know.  I thought I might look for a place ...”

“You’re staying with us, kiddo.  Hey, I’m your Uncle Mike – who else would you stay with?”  They walked into the garden.  “OK, here’s the pool, and I had just had pizza delivered – two with everything on them.  Comfort food. ‘Cos what you need right now, kid, is a whole lot of comfort.  Beer too, we got plenty of beer.  Hey, I own a bar.  ‘Course I got beer.”

Ben sat down opposite Mike at a small table by the pool and realized how hungry he was.  He took a slice, bit into it and washed it down with beer.”

Mike chuckled.  “Feeling better already eh?  Pizza will do that every time.  OK, kiddo, if you’re up to it, we gotta talk.”  Ben nodded, with his mouth full.

“First of all I gotta level with you, kiddo.  I already got a call from Bob and he filled me in on everything. Don’t worry, the only ones who know you’re out here are Bob, Will and probably Bob’s twins ‘cos he tells them everything.  But you know they’ll never breathe a word, their lips are sealed.  Like I said, you’re safe here from ...  well, I’m not gonna say anything about your brother right now ...”

“He’s not my brother anymore, sir.  He threw me out.  I don’t have a home or a job no more.”

“Well that last bit’s not true.  You have a home here as long as you want it, and heaven knows you’ve got a job waiting for you.  Larry has kinda bitten off more than he can chew at his workshop – too many customers and not enough help.  His assistant’s a drugger and walked out on him, and there are bikes stacked in there waiting for repairs.”

Ben’s eyes brightened.  “Oh I can help Larry with that, sir.  I enjoy working on bikes, he knows that.  He won’t have to pay me nothing ...”

“Hold it right there, junior.  Larry will hire you and pay you the going rate – plus maybe a little on top.  You’re a skilled mechanic, don’t sell yourself short, kid.  Er, matter of fact after Bob called I phoned Larry briefly and told him you were on your way out here – don’t worry he won’t tell a soul.  Poor guy has no time to call anyone anyway, he’s too busy.  He was thrilled to hear you’d be here and begged me to ask you to help him.”

“Should I go now, sir?”

“Not just yet, Ben ... maybe in an hour or so.  First I want you to settle in here.  You’ve had a big shock, maybe feeling a bit lost, and I want to reassure you in whatever way I can.  It might help if you talked about all this, ‘cos you’ve had no one to confide in since the shit hit the fan.  Talking it out often helps – and I’m a good listener.”

Mike was wearing jeans and a leather vest over a plaid flannel shirt.  Ben stared at the handsome older man with the twinkling eyes and he suddenly felt a calm settle on him.  His tension lessened for the first time since the event that had shattered his world.  He had always loved Uncle Mike and now wanted more than anything to share his troubles with him.

Mike smiled encouragingly and listened without interruption.  Ben talked about his job, how he had loved working with Pablo, and how his work took his mind off his worries about Jason. 

“I see those pictures on the news of those horrible fires and I don’t see how anyone could survive them.  And Jason is right in the thick of it.  Sometimes they show pictures of the firefighters and l look for Jason, but he’s never there.  I can’t call him and he tries to call me when he can, but it’s hard for those guys to phone out from that wild place and, and I haven’t heard from him for five days.”  His voice caught and tears welled again.

“I looked up to my big brother as the guy I could really rely on, but now he’s turned his back on me and ... and ...  There’s always Bob, he’s a good guy, but he’s Randy’s lover so I can’t ...

Tears flowed and Mike clamped his hands over Ben’s.  “Kiddo, let me take you to your room and get you settled in.  Bring the beer with you if you like.”

Ben allowed himself to be led into the house to the guestroom that overlooked the extensive grounds.  “You’ll be comfortable in here, kiddo.  This chest is full of Larry’s spare clothes that he stores here.  They’re all yours, take your pick.” 

Mike patted the bed.  “See this king-size bed?  Perfect for you and Jason when he comes here.”

Ben sat on the bed and looked up plaintively at Mike.  “Sir, if Jason don’t come back, can I live here?  Will you take care of me?  Please, sir.”

Mike sat on the bed with him.  “Hey, hey, of course Jason’s coming back.  What you got going here, kid, is what shrinks like Doc Steve call catastrophic thinking – imagining something terrible is gonna happen when it definitely won’t.

“Those pictures of fires you see on TV are the most dramatic they can find.  The fire department protects its guys and there are very few injuries.  The reason you haven’t heard from him is, like you said, it’s such a wild place they can’t call out, except emergency calls.  He’ll turn up, you’ll see, with that sexy smile on his handsome mug, and you’ll get to feel that muscular body press against you in bed.”

“I miss him so much, sir.  I miss making love to him.  Since he’s been gone nobody’s made love to me.  I’ve fooled around with my pal Will a bit, but just to get our rocks off, you know.  But there’s nothing like having an older man make love to you is there, like Jason, or even Randy before he ...”  Ben bit his lip.  “I, I mean, it makes you feel safe, like you belong, in a way.  That’s what I’ve missed most, sir.”

Mike understood completely.  Ben had had his world knocked out from under him and he needed, not a boy, but a man to take charge of him and love him.  He didn’t have a man now – not Jason for a while, and certainly not his big brother, the man who had rejected him so cruelly.  Mike even anticipated Ben’s next question.

“Sir, I know it’s a lot to ask but ... would you make love to me, sir?  Right here on this bed.  But I understand if you don’t want to, after everything that’s happened.  I mean, Larry’s your boy and all, so if you say no I ...”

“Ben, it would be a privilege.  You’re a handsome sexy young man, with those dark gypsy looks, and most men would jump at the chance.”  He grinned. “Thing is, though, I’m the only man around right now.  Are you sure about this, young Ben?”

“Yes, sir, especially now I’ve actually said it, I want it even more.”  Ben managed a faint urchin smile.  “Sir, you did say you wanted to help me in whatever way you could.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Mike chuckled.  “Man, you gypsy boys have a way of twisting a man round your finger, don’t you?  OK, right here and now you say?  But then you’ve gotta hightail it out of here and go help Larry out of the hole he’s dug for himself.”

“OK, sir, it’s a deal.”  And Ben at last turned on the full, gleaming urchin smile that Mike had been waiting for.

<><>    An Authority Figure for Ben    <><>

“Can I change out of these old clothes, sir?  I’ve been wearing them since I ran from the construction site.”

“I wish you would, kiddo.  Besides, it’s your room, you can do anything you like.” 

As Ben pushed off his sneakers and slowly pulled off his T-shirt and jeans, Mike thought that Ben probably went through a routine like this when he teased Jason before bed. 

It briefly occurred to Mike that he might be a substitute for Jason in Ben’s mind.  But so what?  That’s what Ben needed right now after his rejection by Randy – a new male presence, to protect him and make love to him.  That was a role Mike willingly filled. 

But unlike with Jason, Ben was unsure of himself in this new world he had entered so abruptly, and now stood shyly before the older man.

“Will I do, sir?”

“What a question,” Mike smiled.  “You have a serious inferiority complex if you can ask a thing like that.  Here you are, sexy gypsy face, ripped, gorgeous young body, and here am I old enough to be your dad.”

“But I like that, sir.  Right now I’ll take a dad rather than an older brother.  They can’t be trusted.”

“Enough about the brother, kiddo.  Get on the bed.” 

Ben pulled back the sheets and lay on his back on the bed, staring up at Mike as he took off his leather vest and flannel shirt.  What Ben needed right now was the protection of an older man, but it didn’t hurt that this older man made his dick hard. 

In his late fifties Mike was as fit and firm as a younger guy, thanks partly to the influence of his very active boy Larry.  They worked out together in the gym most days and Larry’s youthful energy kept Mike young in mind and body.  He had a tanned, ruggedly handsome face, with graying hair.  His body was not the perfectly chiseled physique of Jason, for sure, but it was solidly muscular, if a bit chunkier.  Jason’s body was smooth, Mike had gray hair on his chest.

A Mike got naked and lay down beside him Ben felt a warmth, close to joy, wash over him, so different from the grief that had seized him since the shock of being fired by Randy.  Mike propped himself on his elbow and smiled down at Ben’s blue eyes, so like his brother’s.

“OK, kid, so before we do the deed there’s two things I gotta tell you.  First, although it prob’ly don’t feel like it right now, your big brother Randy loves you.  I’m sure of that ‘cos I see it in his eyes when he looks at you.”

“Sir, I don’t wanna talk about him, that’s all in the past.”

“Fine.  So let’s talk about the future and Jason.  How long’s he been up North?  Four weeks?  That means his tour of duty’s nearly over.  After working flat out in that godawful place he’s due for some leave, and he’ll come running to you and wrap you in his arms.  So no more stupid catastrophic thinking, OK?  And in the meantime I’m more than happy to substitute for both men, to protect and love you.”

“And fuck me too, sir?”

“Yeah that too, you little rascal.  Show me what you do when Jason’s comes into the bedroom.”

Ben hooked his hands under his knees and pulled his legs back, displaying his butt.”

“Hm, not much doubt what that means.”  Mike knelt behind Ben’s legs, leaned forward between them, and smiled down at the handsome, gypsy-dark face.  “Such a sexy boy.”  Mike bent down and kissed him, tenderly at first but then clamping their lips tight together. 

Ben tensed with delight, raised his legs and curled them round the back of Mike’s waist.  Locked together they rolled over on the bed and Mike laughed, “Damn, you’re a frisky one, dude.”  Ben dug his fingers into Mike’s pecs, then wrapped his hand round the back of Mike’s neck and pulled him down for an even more passionate kiss. 

In response Mike rose higher on his hands and knees so Ben was hanging on underneath him, legs curled round his back, arms round his neck.  Mike pulled his mouth away and laughed, “Hey, kid, this is how a daddy gorilla carries his young.”  On all fours Mike moved clumsily over the bed with Ben hanging beneath him until they collapsed in a heap, laughing.”

“Then does the daddy gorilla butt-fuck the little ‘un, sir?”

“I don’t know, not being a gorilla myself, but I can tell you that this daddy sure as hell is gonna fuck the young ‘un.  Assume the position, boy.”

Ben raised his legs as before and Mike dipped his fingers in a jar of lube by the bed.  He lubed his cock, then grabbed Ben’s ankles and pushed them up high.  Ben gazed up at the powerful older man and felt his dick press against his ass.  “Hm,” Mike grinned, “hairy butt, just the way I like ‘em.  You ready, kiddo?”

“Yes please, sir.”  Ben winced as he felt the thick shaft easing inside him.

“You OK?  Am I hurting you?”

“Only a bit.  You’re cocks bigger than Jason’s.”

“I never had any complaints before,” Mike grinned.

“Oh, I’m not complaining, sir, I love it.  Don’t stop.”

“Not till I bust a big load in your butt, kiddo.”  In seconds Mike was making love to the little gypsy’s hairy ass.  As he pushed in deeper and deeper he watched a look of ecstasy spread over the young dark features.

Mike realized that this is exactly what the boy had needed.  Deprived of his big brother’s affection, and separated from his handsome firefighter, Ben craved the love and strength of a dominant older man.   So Mike leaned forward and pinned the boys wrists to the bed.

“See, boy?” Mike growled.  “A cute kid comes to my house, he’s mine, to do as I like with.  How’s it feel to be captured and controlled by the master of the house?”

“Feels awesome, sir.  Will you take care of me, sir?”

“I told you I would kid.  What do you think I’m doing right now?” Mike chuckled.

That urchin smile was back, and after a long, loving fuck Mike shifted position.  He let Ben’s left leg drop flat on the bed and pushed the right leg higher with one hand.  He curled his other hand round the boy’s cock and stroked it while he fucked his ass.

Ben stared up at him in awe.  “That feels so good, sir.  I love feeling you inside me.  Is it OK to say I love you, sir?”

“It’s always OK to say that, kiddo.  Only thing is, you have to prove it.”

“How sir?”

“You’ll know when it happens – pretty soon, I think.”  Mike pounded Ben’s ass faster, pounded his cock in his fist, and watched the young gypsy’s dark face thrash from side to side, his long black hair splayed on the pillow.

“You say you love me, boy?  Time to show me.”

“Yes, sir.  I think I’m gonna cum, sir .... I’m gonna cum ...”

“Me too, boy, deep in that sweet ass.  Aaagh!”

The sight of Ben pumping jizz over his abs and chest, then another stream up to his face, was so erotic that Mike’s cock erupted in the hot gypsy ass. 

It seemed like a long time before their cocks had drained at last.  Mike smiled down at Ben as they panted hard and waited for their heartbeats to subside.  “Not bad for an old guy, eh kid?”

“Awesome, sir.  Well, you’ve had a lot of practice ... years and years.”

“Hey, let’s not count the years, OK?”  Gently, Mike pulled out of Ben’s ass.  “See, I told you I’d take care of you, kiddo.”

“Thank you, sir.  And now that you have, I’ve gotta go take care of Larry, sir.  Part of the deal.”  He quickly got dressed.

“Thanks Ben, I’m real glad of your help.  I’m so worried about Larry.  We’ve already seen with Randy how overwork can make a guy snap. I’m afraid something bad will happen to Larry too.”

Ben grinned, “Hey, that sounds a lot like catastrophic thinking to me.  Knock it off, sir.”

Mike laughed.  “Get that cute ass outa here, punk.”   Ben ran off and Mike picked up the phone.

<><>    Checking In With Bob    <><>

“Hi, Bob?  It’s Mike checking in ... yeah, I told you I’d take care of the kid and everything’s just fine.  Actually,” he chuckled, “taking care of Ben included making love to him.  He needed to feel protected and loved by an authority figure, so yours truly took on the role.  Damn that’s one sexy young kid.  I just got through fucking him and now he’s dashed off to bail out Larry at his shop.”

“Mike that’s perfect, just what he needed – the reassurance and love of a dominant man, and a good fuck that he hasn’t had for weeks since Jason left.  And now he’ll be buried in work, helping a buddy.  That’s a whole load off my mind, I can’t thank you enough.”

“And meanwhile, back at the ranch ...” Mike grinned.

“Ah yes.  Well it’s surprisingly quiet.”

“The calm after the storm, or before it?”

“Oh after, I hope.  The storm was bad enough.  Actually, Mike, what Randy did has knocked him for a loop.  He worships that kid brother of his and he’s horrified that he caused so much grief to him, at a time when the boy was already depressed and anxious about Jason.  It’s one thing to slap me around, I’m a big boy, can take care of myself, and we’ve been that route before.  But that sweet kid, his own little brother?”

“Does he know Ben’s out here, Bob?”

“No, and he won’t find out – the few people who know are sworn to secrecy.  If he knew he’d come charging right out there, and I’ve told him that’s the last thing Ben wants.  It tortures him that he can’t see Ben and hug him – a torture he deserves, Mike.

“I tell you, Mike, I’ve never seen Randy so lost, like a kid in a thunderstorm.   I told him he needs professional help, and he’s in such a daze that he actually took my advice – that’s a first.  He’s going up to his brother Steve, who will treat him professionally as doctor/patient.  Hopefully Steve will let him stay up there at his house for a few days till the dust settles a bit.”

“And how are you, Bob?  I worry about you under all this stress.”

“Oh, you know me. Mike, I’ve got a tough hide by now.  The worst part is I feel desperately sorry for Randy.  Appearances to the contrary he idolizes his little brother.  He always marvels at how Ben had the guts to walk and hitchhike over eleven-hundred miles from West Texas to find his big brother in L.A.  And now that big brother has rejected that same gutsy kid, ousted him, and Ben has run away from the home he trekked so far to find.  That’s a special kind of purgatory for Randy.

“But though all this, the boys have been terrific, Will especially as Ben’s best friend, the only one Ben will talk to.  The twins, of course, are solid as a rock, and they’re gonna sleep with me tonight.  Our buddy Mark has been working out of town during this whole mess, but he’ll be back tomorrow and I can’t wait for that.

“So don’t worry about me, Mike.  Just take care of Ben for us.”

Mike laughed.  “I think right now Ben is taking care of us, or Larry at least.  In that sense his sudden arrival here has been a godsend.

<><>    The Hero Returns    <><>

That is certainly the way Larry saw it.  When Ben came into his workshop Larry said, “The cavalry’s here.  Thank you, God.”  He put his greasy arms round Ben.  “Dude, I’m so glad to see you.”  He held Ben at arm’s length.  “But hey, for a guy who’s down in the dumps you sure have a glow about you.  Wait,” Larry grinned, “I know that look, I see it often enough in the mirror.  Did you just get fucked by Mike?”

“Right first time, Larry.  Do you mind?”

Mind?!  ‘Course not.  I love it when my old man gets to do stuff like that, especially with such a cute kid as you. And when a guy’s feeling as depressed as you must be, there’s nothing like a great Mike-fuck to chase the blues away.”

“So I found out.  OK, Larry, so what’s the problem here?”

“Dude, look around you – bikes as far as the eye can see.   I’m desperate, man.  My fucking drugged-out assistant bailed on me and now customers are threatening to take their business elsewhere if I can’t deliver on time. I gotta get this one here done, and see that one over there? The owner keeps on calling to see if it’s ready. You can probably tell what’s wrong with it.”

Ben went over to it and knelt down.  “Yeah, sure I can.  If you’ve got the parts I could have it ready in an hour or two.”

“Bless you and keep you, my boy.  OK, let’s get to work.”

They got right down to it and chatted while they worked.  They felt so close, and Ben was so relaxed after his time with Mike, that he loosened up and shared his whole story.  Time went by quickly and an hour or more later Ben’s cell phone rang.  He almost didn’t answer it, but there was always the dim hope that it might be ... and this time it was!

“Sir, where are you?  Are you OK?  I’ve been so worried.”

“Sorry about that, kiddo, I was dying to call you but we were deep in the forest and there was no communication out, except for our walkie-talkies to the other guys.  But we just came back to base for the first time and I’m fine, except totally exhausted and missing you kiddo. 

“But listen, I can’t talk long.  My tour of duty’s over and they’re releasing us tomorrow.  We’ve been trying to save Lake Tahoe but now we’re handing off to a crew from Montana.  And guess what.  I have a whole two weeks off.  They do that after we’ve worked flat out for so long.  I can’t wait to see that smiling gypsy face, kiddo.”

“Sir, I’m in Palm Springs with Uncle Mike and Larry.  Why don’t you come straight here?  It’s a great place to rest and relax – like a vacation.”

“If you’re there kiddo, that’s where I’ll be.  Tomorrow morning they’re driving us out of here down to Sacramento, and I’ll get a flight from there to Palm Springs.  I’ll let you know what time, so can you pick me up at the airport?”

“You bet I can, sir.”

“They’re calling us for debriefing.  I gotta go.  Can’t wait to see your smiling face, kiddo.”

Ben beamed at Larry.  “It’s Jason, he’s coming for two whole weeks.  Don’t worry, dude, I can still work here while Jason relaxes.  Well, maybe not tomorrow afternoon ...”

“’Cos you’ll be spending it in bed with a certain fireman,” Larry laughed.

“Larry, OK if I call Mike before I finish this bike?  I’m almost done with it.”

“Sure Ben, tell him the good news.”

Ben punched the number and put it on speaker while he worked.  “Sir, it’s him ... he’s coming ... got two weeks off ... I told him to come here.  Sir, can he stay with me here for two weeks?’ 

“Er we are talking about Jason, right?”

“Of course, sir, who else?  Can he come?  Please say yes, sir.”

Mike chuckled.  “Ben, after what that guy’s been through we’ll give him a hero’s welcome, ‘cos that’s what he is.  And we’ll give your guy the best vacation he’s ever had.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

TO BE CONTINUED in “A Trial Of Strength” – Book 12: Chapter 45