Back to the States
A few months before their departure Sgt. Mills retired, and as a parting gift he took them off duty for the remainder of their time and requisitioned a replacement team.
“You boys can’t be replaced. It’s been an honor to serve with you.”
Dev said, “It was an honor to serve under your command, Sir.”
Josh agreed and added, “Best of luck, Sir, when you get back home. You deserve some peace.”
Sgt. Mills had aged in their time together. The loss of any of his men hit him hard and he felt each one. Dev and Josh had served under him longer than any other Marine. He had promoted them twice in their time under his command and they were returning home as Corporals.
Sgt. Mills rarely smiled but he said, “I got a pile of grandkids waiting for me to spoil them rotten.”
He didn’t offer to stay in touch.
When they left, Josh pondered, “I think he wants to leave this place behind.”
Dev sounded uncommonly serious and said, “He won’t. He can’t any more than we can. We’re taking part of Vietnam back with us, Josh. The sounds, the smell, the war… it’s in us and we can’t outrun it. The best we can do is keep it quiet. You help me keep it quiet. If I ever lose you, I’m not sure how long I’ll last.”
Josh’s eyes turned bright with unshed tears, “It’s the same for me. If I ever lose you I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Snapping out of his momentary seriousness, Dev grinned and said, “Well then we both need to stick around, don’t we? You can’t get away from me, Okie.”
They counted down the days. With Sgt. Mills gone they said goodbye to the current batch of guys in the hooch. Ian was gone, shot while out on patrol, a few years prior. There was a new guy they didn’t know who manned the clearing.
The last thing they did was fill two small jars with dirt, and each of them took off one of their dog tags and buried them together, deep beneath the roots of an ancient Banyan tree.
<><>
A helicopter took them to Danang, where they caught a commercial charter for troops. They hopped to Tokyo, San Francisco, and across the states to Atlanta.
An airport shuttle in Atlanta got them to a hotel, and they spent two days decompressing. Their arrival was met with protesters, and they were yelled at and spat at. They never got closer than a few hundred feet to the crowds, but they were shocked at the veracity of the young hippies and beatniks.
When Dev and Josh arrived in Vietnam, they were nineteen and twenty, respectively. They were almost six years older now and bore the maturity of war. They weren’t that much older than a lot of the protesters, but they looked like children to the two Marines. Untested and living in the freedom Dev and Josh fought for them to have. It didn’t sit well with either of them, but as Marines, it was their duty to uphold that freedom.
When they settled in their room, they both sat on the bed. Neither one said a word, trying to work through being back in the States. Dev took Josh’s hand, pulled him close, and kissed his temple.
“It sure doesn’t feel like home does it.”
“No.”
“It’s gonna take time. After seeing those protesters at the airport, maybe it never will. We all heard about it, but seeing it, being the focus of it….”
“It can’t be like that everywhere.”
Dev sighed and said, “I’m gonna call my Dad tomorrow and let him know I’m here with a buddy. We can catch a bus. My brother Mark should be able to pick us up from the bus station.”
“How are you going to explain me?”
“You’re my Marine buddy. That’s all Dad and Mark need to know.”
“Will we have separate rooms?”
“No. We stay together.”
Changing the subject, Josh said, “I’m hungry. There’s a burger joint across the street.”
Dev’s eyes glazed over at the idea of a real cheeseburger and Josh laughed.
“Let’s eat and come back. We’re going to crash soon.”
They did eat and got milkshakes for dessert. The first real American food they had in almost six years. The steaks in Saigon didn’t count. When they got back to the room, Devon undressed Josh and then himself. They made love and fell asleep in bed. They were so used to sleeping in their bunks, they almost didn’t know what to do with all the room in the queen-sized bed, but they clung to one another as if their lives depended on it. They did.
Josh slept himself out and woke first. Dev always woke with morning wood, and Josh smiled, wanting to wake him up with a blowjob. Slowly pulling the sheet back, he exposed the man beside him. He never tired of admiring Dev. Even at rest, his muscles were magnificent. The sun peeking through the curtains cast a beam of light across his abs, and his body hair lit up like fire where the light touched him. Cupping his big balls, Josh tugged them down to raise his hardon and took Dev into his mouth.
Fuck, his first blowjob on American soil, and he’s asleep.
Dev woke with a slight start but the warm wetness of Josh’s mouth put him at ease. He put a hand on the back of Josh’s head, running his fingers through his short hair. They had both visited a barber in Danang and got their standard Military high and tight cut to come home. Dev loved seeing Josh with that look. It accentuated his features, and he liked the feel of his short hair under his fingers. Josh drew the blowjob out until Dev couldn’t hold back, and he flooded Josh’s mouth and throat. Dev looked at him with a goofy, satisfied grin, with his face still scrunched up a bit with sleep.
“Your turn, Okie. Get up here.”
Josh straddled Dev’s trim waist with his hardon sticking straight up. He gripped himself and smacked his dick a few times on Dev’s solid chest and smeared some of his precum over one of his nipples.
Gripping Josh’s manhood firmly, he started stroking him. He learned a lot about how to get Josh off. Dev’s strong hands never failed to get him off. Even after all their time together, they still excited one another in every way. Josh was already close to cumming before Dev started stroking him, and he didn’t last long. When Josh’s cock stiffened in advance of his first volley, Dev pulled him forward and engulfed his cock. Dev had started sucking Josh off a few years before. He had gradually expanded his horizons with Josh, and Josh never pushed him beyond his readiness. Fucking Dev was still not on the table, but he did enjoy getting rimmed and Josh’s finger massaging his prostate. It didn’t matter to Josh. He loved everything about Devon and was happy with their sex life.
Josh grunted with each spurt and once his orgasm subsided, Dev released him.
The taste of their cum overrode any morning breath they woke up with, and the two men kissed passionately while their hands roamed over each other. Each felt the difference of waking up without a war going on around them. They were in no danger and they could lie together and slowly wake up while they cuddled. Eventually, they hopped off the bed and showered together, shaved, brushed their teeth, and dressed.
Dev said, “I saw a Denny’s about a mile down the road. We can walk if you’re ok with that.”
“Sure. It’s a nice day and the exercise will be good for us. You think they have corn?”
Dev’s fist flew out, but Josh was prepared and laughingly dodged.
Dev had talked extensively about keeping in shape when they got back. He didn’t want either of them getting fat and lazy. Josh could never see that happening with either one of them, but he acquiesced to Dev’s wishes.
When they got back Dev called his Dad, who was surprised but pleased that Dev was back and no longer in the Marines. His father was very proud of him, and supported the troops. His brother, Mark, did too.
Dev asked, “Hey, Okie. After we get settled and get the lay of the land, do you wanna go see your folks? Try to patch things up?”
“Not really. They said some pretty awful things when they kicked me out. Pretty much disowned me, so I don’t see any sort of reconciliation, short of me dumping you and becoming a monk.”
Dev sounded sad when he said, “I’m sorry, Josh.”
Perking up, he said, “But hey, you got me!”
Josh patted Dev’s shoulder and said, “Yes, I do, and you’re all I need.”
Josh found it interesting that when any conversation turned serious, or there was concern for one or the other of them, they reverted to using their names and not “Okie” or “corn fed” or “country.”
<><>
They caught a bus to Birmingham and continued down to Montgomery. The bus stopped in Brantly, about ten miles from the farm. Mark, Dev’s older brother, was waiting for them.
The family resemblance between Mark and Dev was remarkable. Mark was big and also handsome. Josh was admittedly biased, but Dev was the better-looking of the two.
The two brothers embraced in a bear hug and Mark said, “Damn, Dev, it’s good to see you.”
It was nearly a minute before they separated, and Mark turned to Josh and held out his hand, “Mark Kincaid.”
Josh made Mark laugh when he said, “I’ve heard all about you. You’re corn fed senior.”
Mark said, “Corn fed senior is Pops, I’m corn fed, and this yahoo is corn fed junior.”
In a surprised voice, Josh looked at Dev and said, “You’ve been lying to me all this time?”
Dev flipped him off and they threw their duffel bags into the back of the pickup.
Mark said, “Get cozy, fellas, it's gonna be a tight squeeze with the three of us.”
The pickup was a very old Ford F-150 with a bench seat. It had no air conditioning so they drove with the windows down.
Making small talk, Mark said, “Caroline still asks about you. You should let her know you’re home.”
Josh was surprised at the undercurrent of veracity in Dev’s tone.
“I hadn’t been in country even six months and she dumped me for Bobby. I don’t want anything to do with her.”
Mark raised an eyebrow, “She did? That’s not the story we got around here. I’m sorry, Dev. Damn, what a bitch. You’d hardly recognize her or Bobby anyway. They are on their third kid and she’s gotten fat. Bobby, too.”
Josh kept silent on the matter, but his forehead creased in anger at hearing that Caroline lied about the breakup to make Dev look like the bad guy.
In the middle of what looked like nowhere, Mark pulled off onto a dirt road and they rode for a few more miles, surrounded by cotton fields. Josh had never seen cotton growing and was fascinated. The plants looked loaded with cotton balls like you’d buy in a store.
Mark said, “It’s good you’re back. We could use your help if you’re up to it. We got two fields ready to harvest.”
Dev said, “I want to talk to Pop about that. Me and Josh could use a place to stay and I’d love to live on the farm. We’re a bit lost at the moment. We’ve only been back in the States for three days.”
Mark put a hand on Dev’s leg and said, “Pops was so worried you weren’t coming home. He’s lonely. Janie and I and the kids live just down the road, and we see him every day. He loves his grandkids, but he’s never been quite the same after you left. He’s extremely proud of you, Dev. Don’t get me wrong. He just worried a lot. The papers here paint a bleak picture.”
Frank Kincaid, Dev’s father, waited for them on the front porch. Josh barely had time to get out of the way before he engulfed his youngest son in a bear hug.
“Thank God you’re home safe.”
Staying upbeat, Dev said, “It’s great to see you, Pops.”
Frank was teary-eyed as he held Dev by his shoulders at arm's length, “Let me have a look at you. You left a boy, and came home a man.”
Blushing, Dev said, “Pops, this is Josh Brennan.”
Frank’s grip was even stronger than Devon’s, and he said, “Pleased to meet you, Josh.”
Josh said, “You, too, Sir.”
Frank cocked an eyebrow and asked, “Sir? You boys could learn a thing or two from ole Josh here. Maybe I’ll finally get some respect around here.”
Mark and Dev laughed it off, and Mark grabbed both duffel bags from the bed of the truck.
“You guys staying in the main house? Or the bunk house? I cleaned up the bunk house. Josh might want to sleep there.”
With no hesitation, Dev said, “We’ll both stay in the bunk house.”
Neither Frank nor Mark questioned his decision, and Mark hauled the duffel bags over and set them inside the door.
Frank asked, “You boys hungry? I made extra this morning since you were coming.”
Dev said, “I haven’t had any decent grub since I left. Okie, you’re about to find out what real southern food tastes like.”
Other than the Marines in the camp or the hooch, or the occasional trip to Saigon when they got a pass, Dev and Josh had not been around people. They spent most of their time alone in the jungle. Josh felt anxious and out of his element. The feeling hit him from out of the blue and it was intense.
Dev noticed the look on his face and he said, “Pops, we’ll be right there. I’m gonna show Josh the bunk house, and we need to wash up.”
Josh nodded to Frank and Mark as he followed Dev. Once the door shut, he let out a deep breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding in.
Dev asked, “Are you ok?”
Josh sat on one of the beds and put his head in his hands, and Dev immediately sat beside him and put an arm around him.
“I don’t know. I just got anxious. I don’t know why. It came out of nowhere. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t feel like I belong here. Not here at your farm, but in the States.”
Dev rubbed his back and felt the tension in Josh.
“I get it, Josh. I think we’re both gonna feel that way for a while. Maybe forever. It’ll get better.”
“Fuck, I hope so. I’m sorry, man.”
“I’m gonna kick your ass for apologizing. I understand. This is my old home and I don’t feel like I belong here anymore. Everything is different. Like Pops just said, I’m not the same person that left.”
Josh leaned over and hugged Dev around his waist and Devon’s arms tightened around him. They sat together, holding each other, just like they did in the jungle under their Ghillie suit. They felt safe together.
Dev’s stomach let out a rumble and Josh laughed.
“God, Dev, it’s always about food with you.”
Dev grinned and said, “And sex. I can’t wait to get settled in after we eat and plow your ass. It’ll make us both feel better.”
<><>
Josh’s eyes nearly popped out of his head at the smells coming from the kitchen. The spread on the table covered nearly every square inch. He saw biscuits, gravy, bacon, ham, fried eggs, hash browns, and a large pitcher of sweet iced tea.
Frank said, “I got coffee too, if you’d rather have it. You men eat your fill.”
Dev asked, “Where’s Mark?”
“He had to run home for a bit. Janie fixed lunch for him and the kids. I usually eat lunch at their place, but I wanted to feed you your first meal back.”
Dev’s eyes seemed bright, and he said, “Thanks, Pops.”
“So, are you stayin’ for good?”
Dev looked at Josh and said, “I don’t know, Pop. We just got back, we’re out of the Marine Corps with no jobs and nowhere else to go.”
“You know you’re welcome here. You too, Josh.”
Josh blushed, “Thank you, Sir.”
Frank smiled, “Call me Frank, or even Pops, son. Whatever you feel like. Why don’t’ you stay here for a bit. Me and your brother could sure use the help. It’ll save money if I don’t have to hire extra hands. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll pay you both a fair wage, but the extra hands these days cost me money by not knowing what they're doin’.”
Dev said, “Let us think about it. We’ll be here a while, no matter what. At least until the harvest is done.”
<><>
The two men ate their fill, and returned to the bunk house to unpack their meager belongings.
Dev chuckled, “We need to go shopping. We can wear our fatigues on the farm with no issue, but we need blue jeans and boots, and we gotta get you a few hats.”
“Are you gonna turn me into a farmer, corn fed?”
“Hell yeah, Okie. You’re a farm boy now.”
“You know we have farms in Oklahoma, too, right?”
“Maybe, but did you live or work on one?”
“Well, no…”
“So, you ain’t a farm boy.”
The curtains were drawn and the room dim, so Dev turned on a lamp. Standing there, he stripped off his shirt, and Josh drank in the sight of him. The stark lighting made him even hotter.
Fuck, is he always this handsome?
Dev knew what he did, and he knew Josh. Glancing down, he saw the bulge in Josh’s pants.
“Take off your shirt. You’re overdressed.”
Josh stripped off his shirt, and Dev pulled him to his feet. He pulled Josh against him, chest to chest, and they rested their chins on each other's shoulders. Their rough cheeks, their skin, and their strong bodies felt perfect.
Years ago, Josh accidentally discovered that Dev’s nipples were sensitive, and he brushed the back of his knuckles over them. They hardened immediately, and Dev got goosebumps. They slowly ground their crotches together, feeling how hard the other was.
Dev cupped Josh’s face and ran his hands through his short hair before kissing him. Without breaking the kiss, Dev unbuckled both of their pants, but they smiled when they had to stop and remove their boots before they could completely take off their pants.
Josh found some lube and got them both ready.
“We’re gonna have to hit a drug store and get more lube. I only have a few more packs.”
Dev said, “We can do plenty without lube, Okie. I’ve learned a thing or two.”
Turning Josh around, Dev gently pushed him down on the bed and crawled over him. There was no time for foreplay, so he went slow and in a few minutes he was balls deep. Josh gasped and pushed back. It had gotten easier over the years, and he felt the fullness of Dev’s big cock inside him. He felt it flexing.
He loved it when Dev rested his full weight on him, and Dev put his arms around Josh’s chest and neck from behind, covering him completely before starting to thrust slowly. Caught up in each other, neither man spoke, focusing on their love and the pleasure they brought one another.
With all the anxiety of leaving Vietnam and the unknowns facing them, they had each other, and when they connected like they were, nothing else mattered. Slowly picking up the pace, Dev’s thrusting became more frenetic and he grunted as he unloaded in his lover. Once he started shooting he stopped moving and Josh squeezed around him, milking every drop of cum out of him. Josh hadn’t cum yet, so Dev rolled off him and sucked him off. One of Josh’s greatest pleasures was having Dev’s strong hands on him, feeling his muscles. He became an expert at getting Josh off, and he accomplished his mission.
Both men worked up a sweat, and it was another aspect they loved. The manliness of their bodies, the smell of their sweat and musk got them off. Josh scooted back on the bed and had Dev sit in front of him so he could press his chest against Dev’s back. His arms went around Dev from behind, cupping his pecs and soothing him. For Josh, Dev tightened his chest and did a double bicep pose, hardening his body. They both got off on that, and Josh rested his chin on Dev’s solid shoulder, occasionally kissing across his back while he touched and felt Dev’s hard body.
They were more tender with each other than usual, and it went unspoken, but they each needed it. Often their sex was rougher, but if either of them was bothered, or anxious, they reverted to their emotional bond expressed through caring touch.
After a few minutes of holding Dev, Josh said, “We should shower. You can show me around. If we’re going to live here, I need to learn my way around the place.”
Serious, Dev asked, “Are you okay with staying here? This is my old home and my family. I want you to feel welcome and a part of it.”
“Your dad and brother seem nice. I still need to meet Mark’s wife and kids. I’m not good with kids, but we’ll see. As long as I’m with you, I’ll be fine.”
“How are we going to handle us, Okie? I don’t want to hide, but I’m not sure how Mark or Pop will react if they learn about us.”
“I can’t tell you what to do on that. You know I have your back, no matter what.”
“I know. You always have.”
<><>
A few weeks passed. Devon and Josh made some trips into Brantley, the closest town, to get some clothes and personal items. They both had a fair amount of money saved from their deployments. Spending all their time on missions left little time to spend money, and neither one liked to play poker in the hooch. They didn’t get many passes, and other than a few good meals, they stayed in the Grant Hotel and made out. They weren’t rich, but they were comfortable.
Dev found his old weight set covered by a tarp in the barn and dusted everything off. His old wrestling posters, mostly in tatters, still hung on one wall. He had a pull-up bar he made himself, so he and Josh started working out. The farm work kept them lean, but the weights let them keep their physiques. They both liked working out in the barn. It reminded them of the heat and humidity in Vietnam, but without the smell.
They went to Mark’s house for lunch with Frank most days, and Josh was a hit with the kids. He was introduced as Dev’s best friend, and the kids really took a liking to him. Awkward at first, he quickly relaxed and enjoyed playing with them.
Both of them were shirtless most of the time and their skin darkened. It was a turn on to both men to see their muscles shining in the sun while they worked. Josh got used to wearing a hat once he found one that fit.
Frank watched them, and their deep friendship was obvious. They hung shit on one another, laughed, and joked. He laughed at their nicknames for each other. But over time, he began to wonder. Simple friends didn’t touch each other so much. Dev had always been physically affectionate, but what Frank saw was beyond that. The familiarity, the way they interacted, told Frank that they were lovers. He wasn’t deeply religious, but he was surprised. The two men acted so straight and masculine, at first, he thought he couldn’t be right, but the more he watched them, the more he became convinced. One night, he went to the bunk house, but before he knocked on the door he heard the unmistakable sound of someone getting fucked. The beds in the bunk house were comfortable but noisy, and by the sounds he heard he wondered how the bed hadn’t broken apart.
Retreating back to the main house, Frank sat in his recliner, his face lost in thought.
The next morning after breakfast, Frank asked Josh if he could run into town for some supplies. Dev automatically started to get into the truck, but Frank asked, “Son, could you stay and help me with something?”
Josh laughed at the look on Dev’s face, and he softly said, “Don’t worry, corn fed, you’re a big boy.” His discreet reference to Dev’s dick made him laugh, and he flipped Josh off as he closed the door to the truck. The door creaked loudly as it shut.
Josh drove off, and Frank looked at his son. God, he was a handsome man. The best looking of his three boys.
Thankfully, they all take after their mother. God rest her soul.
The Marine Corps had forged Dev into a weapon, and Frank knew that both he and Josh were struggling to adjust to being back. They hid it well, but Frank was observant, and Mark had mentioned a few odd behaviors. Certain things triggered them—not in anger—but if one of them reacted to something, they would both retreat into a place they shared. It was private, and no one else was allowed in.
Dev looked at him questioningly and asked, “So what do you need help with?”
Frank turned and started to go into the house and said over his shoulder, “Come inside.”
Dev was curious. His father’s behavior seemed strange. He followed him into the kitchen.
“Sit. You want coffee?”
“No, thanks.”
“Son, I’m not sure how to talk to you about this.”
“About what?”
“You and Josh. You two are together, aren’t you?”
Dev went pale and if Frank didn’t know any better he would say Dev looked scared.
After a long, drawn-out pause, Dev said, “Yeah, Pop. We are. I’m sorry if that disappoints you.”
“I’m not disappointed, son. I’m surprised. I didn’t know you were gay.”
“I’m not. It’s hard to explain.”
“It’s your business, son. I just noticed how you and Josh act around each other. You’re tight, tighter than I’ve ever seen two men.”
“We are.”
“Is that why you dumped Caroline?”
“Fuck, Pop, I said I’m not gay. She dumped me six months after I left. Honestly, man to man, my dick was too big for her, and she couldn’t take it. She shacked up with Bobby Wheeler. His dick’s a lot smaller. Before you ask, yes, I saw him. It was in the showers at school and we were on the wrestling team together. I don’t care about other men’s dicks. Except Josh’s.”
Dev grinned and said, “I bet Caroline’s not tight anymore, after three kids. I bet Bobby doesn’t feel anything. Serves them right.”
Frank chuckled and said, “I guess she got what she deserved. She told everybody in Crenshaw County that you dumped her.”
“I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, Pops, except you, Mark, and Josh.”
“I don’t understand, but it’s your life. I just want you to be happy. I know it’s hard being back in the States. I don’t get that either, but I hear most soldiers have a tough time of it.”
“Josh and I met the first day I arrived in our base camp. We’re both Snipers, but I’m the shooter and he was assigned as my spotter. We’re both fully trained and our skills complement each other. Being in Vietnam was hard, Pop. Every minute was a danger, and the pressure gets to you. Before Josh and I went on our first mission, our camp was attacked and our hooch was partially blown up. I thought Josh was dead. I saw him in his bunk with blood dripping out and pooling on the floor. It turned out he was knocked unconscious and it was a scalp would that bled like a pig. But it drove home how dangerous just being there was.
“Our first mission was a three-day foray. We were supposed to recon an area and bring back intel, and take any Charlie’s out we could manage. I took three out, and we hid. We’re both experts at camouflage. It was sheer dumb luck, but one of the soldiers literally stepped on my back. I was so well hidden he didn’t see me until he stepped on me. There were eight of them, and before I could defend myself they had me. Josh was only a few feet away and stayed under cover. There was no use both of us being captured.
“Pops, I’ve never been so scared in my life. They put a knife to my throat, and they beat me senseless. Every time one of them walked by me they kicked or punched me. I was bound and gagged. They didn’t give me any food or water, so I knew they planned to kill me. I think they were waiting for someone to interrogate me. I don’t know. Another unit joined them, and they seemed to fight over me before they left.
“Before they could break camp, Josh rescued me. He slit the throat of one taking a piss on a tree, and then he shot the other seven. I wish I could have seen it but I was still blindfolded. He freed me and we hightailed it back to where we set up our first shot. Josh covered us both in our Ghillie suits and he gave me what food and water we had left. He held me, Pops, all night and the next day, protecting me until it was time for our ride out. He saved me.
“After that, I was never as scared. He was scared, too, but we had each other's backs. We relied on each other every day to survive, for five and a half years. I didn’t know it, but Josh is gay, and he fell for me. He covered well, but I noticed things. I tried to act like I didn’t, but I did. I’m still a bit ashamed over that.
“On our first three-day pass, we went to Saigon. We wanted to get a steak and a beer. The place we ate at had a show, but they also had hookers. I wanted to share a girl with Josh, but he told me he wanted to watch the show first.
“I wanted him with me and I wasn’t sure why. I just couldn’t be there without him. I left the brothel and went to find him, but he was gone. He left and headed back to our hotel. My dumb ass got turned around and it took me a while to find it, but when I finally got back, Josh was a mess. He was drunk and upset, and he told me everything. How he loved me, and how hard it was to be around me. How every day I hurt him without realizing it, by not loving him back. Every mission when we had to stay hidden together, and we protected each other, he never said a word about his feelings.
“He poured his heart out to me, which forced me to confront my own feelings, and I realized how connected we are. I’m not gay, Pop, but I love him. We had sex, and it opened a door in me. The fierce love he has for me… it was scary too, but in a completely different way. I realized I loved him, too. I tried to convince myself I loved him like a brother, and I did, but it was way more than that.
“Our lives are intertwined, Pops. I don’t know how else to say it. We shared the fear and terror of being in Vietnam for almost six years. We survived together because we had each other. We can’t be apart now. I don’t think we’d make it apart.”
Frank sat and listened to his son pour his heart out, trying to explain his relationship with Josh. Frank cried over most of what he heard, especially about Dev being captured.
“Devon, I want you to know I’m not disappointed or upset with you or Josh. I don’t fully understand it, but I see the two of you together, and what you’ve told me makes sense. I want you to be happy, and Josh does that. It’s more than that. I see that. I love you no matter what.”
Frank stood and pulled Devon against him. Devon broke down. The relief he felt over his father knowing and not being upset or disappointed was incredible. He didn’t realize how badly he wanted his father’s acceptance, and he had it.
“How do you think Mark will take this?”
“I don’t know, but I think he’ll surprise you. One of his old High School friends is gay and they keep in touch, so he can’t be that uptight. It might be different because he’s your brother, but if you tell him what you told me, I think he’ll be fine. Janie might be another story. Her family is as Baptist as you can imagine. Fire and Brimstone folk. I don’t like ‘em much myself, but I don’t say anything that would cause Mark any trouble.
“Do you think he knows something?”
“He might have an inkling. He’s mentioned a few things he found curious. Mostly how you and Josh protect one another, over even the smallest of things. Physically and emotionally.”
“We do. We can’t help it.”
Frank said, “I’ll talk to Josh myself. I want him to know he’s got a home here no matter what, and a place in our family.”
“I haven’t mentioned his family, Pop, but they threw him out for being who he is. In High School, he was caught with another boy and was almost beaten to death.”
Frank sighed, “Sometimes, the cruelty in this world astounds me. What a shame. Well, like I said, he has a place here, and he’ll be safe.”
Dev choked up and hugged his dad.
“Thanks, Pop.”
Frank hugged him back and thumped his back.
Josh was gone a long time and Dev was getting worried when he heard the truck coming down the road. Josh backed up to the barn and started unloading the truck, and Dev came over to help.
“What took you so long?”
“I got lost.”
“Okie, don’t lie to me. You could locate a gnat’s ass in a forest.”
“You have a fixation with gnat’s asses. Is there something you haven’t told me?”
Dev punched his arm and almost knocked Josh over.
Before Dev asked him again, Josh said, “I went on a little detour. I want to talk to you in private.”
“Ok. After we talk, Pops wants to talk to you, too.”
Josh went pale and asked, “What about?”
Dev took Josh by his shoulders and said, “Don’t worry, Josh. It’s all good. I promise. Let’s go in the bunk house.”
Once inside Josh sat on the bed, still looking nervous.
Dev smiled, and said, “So where were you?”
“We haven’t talked about this, but I’ve got some money saved, and I know you do too. I rode up to Luverne to the Ford dealership and looked at new trucks. They have a few that would be perfect for the farm. I’d like to get one for us and your dad. The old one can stay here and just be a work truck.”
Dev didn’t know what to think. Shocked? Definitely. Surprised, not as much. Josh has a big heart.
“Man, I wish I’d thought of that. You sure we can afford it?”
“Look.”
Josh handed Dev a sheet of paper that had some handwritten numbers on it.
“That’s the full price to drive it off the lot. I can cover half if you can. What do you think?”
“Jesus, Okie. This is out of the blue.”
“I want it to be a surprise. Don’t say anything. That is, if you want to do it.”
“You need to talk to Pop first. Now. I’ll give you my answer when you come back.”
Josh had butterflies in his stomach as he walked to the main house. Sniper duty in Vietnam seemed easy compared to the unknowns of what Frank wanted to talk about.
Entering the kitchen, Josh called out, “Frank?”
“I’m in the den!”
“You wanted to see me, Sir?”
“Yes. I talked with Devon after you left. I actually confronted him about the two of you. I asked him if you two were together.”
Josh felt like he needed to throw up. His forehead broke out in a cold sweat and he started trembling. Frank was shocked at Josh’s response and he immediately stood up and pulled Josh into a tight hug.
“It’s okay, son. You got nothing to worry about.”
Frank went on to tell Josh everything Dev tried to explain.
“I can’t say I fully understand it, but when I see the two of you together, it makes sense. I want my son happy, and you do that. You two aren’t married, but from now on, you’re my son too.”
Josh buried his face against Frank’s shoulder and bawled like a baby. Frank held him in a way that Josh’s own father never had, and the comfort and acceptance he offered warmed Josh’s heart.
He blubbered, “Thank you, Frank. I don’t know what to say. I was so worried my being here would mess things up for Dev. I don’t know what I would have done if that happened.”
“Calm down, son. And I do mean son. I need to talk to Mark about all this but don’t you worry about that. I’ll make sure he’s ok with it.”
“I won’t.”
Josh went to the sink, splashed cold water on his face, and wiped it off with a dishrag.
Wide-eyed, Josh went back to the bunk house where Devon waited, smiling.
“Hey, brother!”
Being called brother started more tears, and Dev held him until he settled.
“Man, what a day.”
“So my answer is yes on the truck. I’ll go tell Pops that we need to make another quick run. You can drive the new truck back and I’ll follow you.”
Frank was beside himself when Josh pulled up in the shiny new F-150.
Josh’s smile was the brightest Dev had ever seen on him as he told Frank, “Hop in, Frank!”
Josh scooted over and Frank got behind the wheel.
“Roll the window up and check this out.”
Frank felt cool air blowing over his face. The truck had air conditioning!
“I don’t deserve anything this fancy.”
“Yes you do.”
Dev opened the door and said, “Before you ask, Pops, Josh made this decision before your talk.”
Frank gripped Josh’s leg firmly, grinning from ear to ear.
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