Helmut speaks
I hadn't forgotten about the unfinished business I had at the museum, but the events of the morning and Ben's sudden improvement had pushed them to the back of my mind. “That sounds like my cue to exit stage left,” I chuckled. “You're not trying to get rid of me are you?”
“Absolutely!” he insisted, grabbing my shirt and pulling me into a long passionate kiss. “I can't stand the sight of you.” he continued before kissing me again, and sliding a hand down my pants to grab my dick.
“Oh my god!” Of course, the nurse chose this moment to walk into the room. “Don't you boys ever give it a rest?”
“It's been resting for too long,” Ben countered with a laugh. “So if we could get a little privacy...” He raised an eyebrow as a kind of challenge, and waited for the nurse to leave.
He didn't. Instead, he walked over to his bedside and placed a small white paper cup on the table. “Listen, bitch, do you want your pain meds or not?” And without waiting for an answer he stepped onto the bathroom to get a cup of water.
“Oooh, it's on girl!” Ben gave me a wink and shouted toward the bathroom, “That's alright, I know that those who can, do. And those who can't, like to watch.”
The nurse, returned, with an evil grin on his face, clearly enjoying the banter. He was tall, heavy set, and hairy, the epitome of a bear. He towered over Ben, and said, “Honey, I would crush you like a tin can.” Then placing the tablets in Ben's hand and handing him the cup of water, he continued, “Now take your pills like a good little bottom, before I go get some suppositories.”
“Promises, promises!” Ben chuckled as he took his meds. “But I bet you'd like to watch this,” he added once he had swallowed them all.
Ben threw off the covers, but before he could do anything the nurse protested, “Honey, put it away, I've seen way too many sad little...” before he could finish, Ben had flexed one knee, lifting it for a brief moment, before collapsing it back down to the mattress.
“What do you think of that, big fella?”
The nurse went suddenly serious. “Wait, you were...”
“Not any more,” Ben triumphed. “And I have sensation in my thighs, too! Go ahead, pinch me! He did,” he announced, glaring in my direction. “I'll probably be black and blue for a month!”
The nurse remained serious, focused on Ben's legs. He said, “Can you move the other one as well?”
“I'm not...Yup! There it goes!” he crowed as the other leg twitched, then rose about an inch before also collapsing onto the bed. “Just call me Superman!” he beamed.
“Sweetie, You can be the Queen of Sheba, if you want, just so long as you keep on improving like that.” He leaned down and gave Ben a real bear hug. “I'll let the doctor know. It probably means some more tests, but I don't think it will be anything too invasive. At this rate, they'll probably discharge you fairly quickly.” Then turning to me he asked, “You ready to have your very own invalid at home?”
I didn't hesitate. “I can't wait!”
Just then the orderly came to take Ben to dinner, and I decided that, since it looked like the remainder of his day would probably be filled with medical professionals, and I was feeling a little peckish myself, it would probably be good if I grabbed a bite as well. So I kissed him goodbye and headed out to do some errands. I wanted to catch up with Phil, after all that happened this morning, and I also needed to check in with Heather. On my way to the car I gave Phil a call and asked if he minded if I dropped in.
“Not at all,” he enthused. “Have you had dinner yet? We're just about to sit down, and you're more than welcome to join us.”
“We?” I asked
“Yes, Helmut, Kevin, and I, but there's plenty for a fourth.”
I accepted without hesitation. Phil was an excellent cook, and I could use some family time right about now.
I also called Heather and set up an appointment to meet with her and the head of the museum the following morning so we could open the final mystery package. She tried to get me to come in tonight, assuring me that everyone was so anxious to see what it was that no one would mind staying a bit late. But I declined. “A lot has happened today,” I confided. “And Ben's condition has improved considerably since this morning. So, once I've had dinner, I just want to be by his side.”
“I understand.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice, but also her happiness at news of Ben's progress. I'll spread the word and set everything up. You just get here when you can.”
Kevin was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch when I arrived. He was once again absorbed in whatever he had going on on his phone, but as soon as he saw me, he turned it off, and stuffed it in his pocket, rising to give me a hug. “Hey joey, how's Ben?”
“Much improved,” I enthused, “But I'll fill you in on the details once we're all sat down to eat. What did Auntie Phil make for us tonight?” I motioned for us to sit back down in the rocking chairs, welcoming this unrushed moment of peace and connection. We chatted about nothing in particular for perhaps twenty minutes, watching the town slip into the early evening, and lapsing into long comfortable silences that showed me just how safe and loved Kevin felt in his new family.
As the first star began to show itself in the deep blue of the late afternoon sky, I felt a soft brush of chiffon against one arm, as Miss McFiercen quietly placed a tall cold glass in my hand, saying, “Lemonade? Fresh squeezed, no nasty mixes here.”
“I would expect nothing less,” I smiled, as I thanked him for the drink.
“Dinner will be ready in about five minutes, If you can tear yourselves away from the fascinating boredom on offer here tonight.”
“After all that's gone on today, this is bliss,” I replied, drawing in a deep breath of the early summer air still holding traces of spring's freshness, while teasing with the promise of sultry evenings yet to come.
Once we were settled at the table, and the meal had begun, I realized there was still one thing that I didn't understand, so before I filled them in on everything that they didn't already know, I asked, “How did you two know to be there this morning?”
Miss M. answered for the both of them. “It was Sabina. She called and asked if I would take her to see Ben. She said she had asked Helmut, but he was busy and wouldn't be available until a little later. Of course I said I would be right over to pick her up. It's so important to encourage thoughtfulness in the younger generation, don't you think?”
“That's not quite what happened,” Helmut interjected. “At least, not on my end.”
“Oh?” Miss M. seemed surprised. “Didn't she ask you to take her?”
“No, she said that you had invited her to go and wanted me to join you there as soon as I could. It's true I was busy, but I would have made time for her.”
“I know you would, dear.” Miss M. looked perplexed. “I wonder why she lied to the both of us. It's not really like her.”
“Maybe...” I was forming a theory on the fly. “Maybe she just wanted to make sure both of you would be there, but didn't want to raise suspicions ahead of the event. I think this may have been Andi's handiwork, not Sabina's, especially considering the part you both played in the rescue of the imprisoned spirits.”
They looked at each other as if they had no idea what I was talking about, so I decided it was time to explain what I could. They were saddened by Mr. Bouchard's passing, but ecstatic about Ben's improvement, making me promise to keep them informed of any changes. Miss M. was particularly adamant about it, asking, “Have you called his mother yet? She will be livid if you don't! You know she'll insist on coming back immediately. Tell her she can stay here, free of charge if she wants. That way she won't be in your way, and she'll have someone to keep her company. To be honest, I'd welcome the company too. Summers can feel so empty, with all my lovely boarders away.”
Helmut's hand slipped under the table, and Miss M. gave a slight gasp, as Helmut said, “I don't think you're going to have to worry about being lonely this summer.” I believe Miss M. managed to blush slightly, while Kevin just rolled his eyes and focused on his food.
I chuckled, and offered, “If memory serves, shouldn't that statement be followed by the pet name, 'sweet-cheeks'?”
At that Miss M. went into a full blush and started giggling uncontrollably, while Helmut gave me a confirmational leer and nodded his approval.
“Your turn,” I announced once everyone had managed to return to some semblance of normalcy.
“What ever can you mean?” Miss M. queried.
“I've been answering all your questions, and filling you in on the things you didn't know,” I stated emphatically. “Now it's your turn. Dish!”
Kevin snickered. “Don't ask if you can't handle it,” he muttered under his breath.
“And what is that supposed to mean, young man!?” Miss. M. challenged in her most innocent tone.
“Oh come on...!” He was trying not to laugh, and failing miserably. He looked at me for support then back at Miss M. “He wants to know if you two are having sex again.”
“What!?” Miss M. did her best attempt at being shocked and horrified at being asked such a personal question at the dinner table.
Helmut's smirk, however, deepened, as he leaned back in his chair and began massaging one of his nipples through his shirt. “No secrets in this family, I see,” he chuckled. “But why should there be?”
I laughed outright, enjoying the contrast between the two. “That's not exactly what I was asking, but...”
Miss M. relented, “Well, now that the cat's out of the bag, What do you want to know?”
“Obviously you don't have to share anything that feels too personal, but..”
“What's too personal?” Helmut asked in amusement. “We've all seen each other naked. We've all seen each other cum, well except the boy there.”
“Eww, dad! TMI!”
“No, what I really want to know is what happened after Kevin dragged you away from Mike's the other night,” I clarified. “I mean, I saw the three of you with the congregation the next morning, and I didn't want to interrupt, and since then things have been moving so fast, I haven't had a chance to...”
“I see,” Miss M. interrupted. “You're asking after the status of our relationship, correct?”
“I guess that's as good a way to put it as any,” I smiled. “I love you both, and I want to support whatever arrangement you've come to. And let's be honest, I'm just plain curious. Wouldn't you be?”
“Without a doubt,” Miss M. replied with a knowing smile. Then after thinking for a moment, she said, “We haven't made any arrangements yet, not really. But things have changed, thawed a bit, wouldn't you say?”
She turned to Helmut, who had remained silent since I brought up Mike's bar. I knew how uncomfortable he had been about sharing his past that night, and didn't want to be the cause of more discomfort, so I said, “It's okay. You don't have to...”
“No,” he broke in quietly. “I need to...I mean, I want to...” He looked me in the face and spoke from a depth I had never before seen him reach. “You are my family, and I can't bear the thought of ever loosing you the way I lost... You can ask me anything, and I will answer, even if that answer is painful.” He paused and looked at Miss M. and Kevin, who were both listening intently. “These two...How did I ever survive without you?” He lifted Miss M.'s hand and kissed it gently, then reached over and grabbed Kevin by the shoulders, practically pulling him off his chair, so he could give him a big sloppy kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks dad,” Kevin chuckled sarcastically, as he recovered his composure, probably grateful that none of his friends were here to witness such a spectacle
“So what was your question?” Helmut mused, regathering his focus. “What happened next? Well, I don't mind telling you I was upset, but I suppose that was obvious. I didn't know what to expect from Kevin. Anger? Tears? But he did something I never expected. He heated up the leftovers and made me sit down and eat with him. No hysterics, just a quiet meal. We hadn't really talked on the drive home or while he was cooking, and I thought he might be giving me the silent treatment..”
“It's called ghosting these days, dad,” Kevin chuckled. “Keep up!”
“Yeah, I know, I'm an old fart,” Helmut smiled. “Anyway, once we began eating, he finally piped up and said, 'Okay, let's hear it'. No fuss, nothing, just a quiet calm that I couldn't understand.”
“Yeah, I wasn't calm, but I wanted to give you a chance to explain yourself. After all, you've given me lots of chances, more than anyone else, so, I just thought...”
“Whatever your thinking was, it worked.” Helmut reached over and gave Kevin's hand a squeeze before continuing. “I knew I couldn't make excuses, so I started doing what I had always done. I took full responsibility, and blamed myself without mercy. I really hated myself at that moment, and couldn't see how anyone could ever love me again.”
Miss M. reached over and rubbed his shoulder, uttering a soft, “Helmut, my love.”
“I figured it was because I was such a failure at showing love. I had destroyed the only real relationship I had ever had, and never managed to find another one. I felt like I was so twisted and damaged that nothing I could do would ever be good enough, and I would never be worthy of love.” He took a deep breath before continuing.
“I did my best to say these things to Kevin, and I guess I must have said something right, because he began listing all the people who loved me. He told me about the night when the carriage house burned down and how upset everyone was when they thought I was in the fire. He told me stories of things I had done for the kids at the Hathaway and how they all looked up to me as a...well, not a father, so many of them had been abused by their fathers, but as...I don't know...”
“Their favorite gay uncle,” Kevin chimed in.
“Yeah, I guess that will do,” Helmut grinned. “But then I pointed out that they wouldn't love me if they knew the horrible things I had done. And he said something I'll never forget.” He looked at Kevin and asked, “Do you want to say it?”
“No!, Once was enough, thank you.”
Helmut smiled. “Then I will. He said, 'I know what you did, and I still love you'. And he threw his arms around me and gave me the biggest hug. He actually made me think that he meant it.”
“I did mean it,” Kevin said softly. “I don't know why. I was really upset when I first heard Auntie Phil's story, and I thought I'd never get over it. But after listening to how much that night hurt you... I guess I figured you had suffered enough. More than enough. So I just said what I felt.”
“Well it was the right thing to say,” Helmut smiled. “Then this one turned up the next morning with a picnic and a plan.” He turned to Miss M. with a grin. “Your turn.”
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