The Start

by RJC

26 Apr 2019 1492 readers Score 9.2 (370 votes) PDF Mobi ePub Txt


Highest highs and lowest lows

Dean’s POV:

What a month. The concert with John then Pink and the thing at that roadhouse was behind us with no real fallout. When I say Niki is worth her weight in gold; I’m not lying. I had gone against Parker’s recommendations and gave Niki a check I thought she deserved.

A bonus is what I called it; Ten thousand dollars. She looked almost hurt when she opened the envelope. You shouldn’t feel bad when you give someone ten grand but I did. I wasn’t sure if she was offended because it was only ten thousand or if she was shocked.

“This is too much, Dean.” And she tore it up stuffing the pieces back in the envelope. “I’m here because I want to be. Do you understand that, Farmboy?” And I nodded looking into those green eyes of hers.

It had been ten days and Niki and I were developing a relationship; a complicated one. From the Florida beach to my parents' table Niki and I were coming closer to whatever was going to happen.

We toured the campus like I should have been doing with Rick and I told her my plan. “I’ll give a year, two tops, Niki; but no more. I want to have a life and I refuse to turn into something I’m not. This isn’t me. In a couple of years, I’d like to hear people say, who was that guy?”

The single with my wrecked voice had come out three days ago and was well received, to say the least with people comparing me to Iggi. The affair was held in Winnipeg and I was becoming more aware of just how expensive it was to be me. Unless I made some big purchase I couldn’t begin to spend the interest but still. My first quarterly showed me what it meant to be Dean Cooper.

I had over twenty-four million dollars in the bank and I’d spent forty thousand just getting around and stuff. I didn’t know or care what the stuff was. I told Parker not to get excited; I could still give it all away.


I guess it was an annual gathering of honors. The Project was part of that and the offer was made to me weeks ago and Niki accepted on my behalf. I had no idea what was really going on. It was a kind of Red Carpet thing, televised, and Niki made me look so good.

Even though the suite was on the Project we still had to get there and the clothes. Sony was becoming more finicky about the jet and even though I could afford a private one we flew first class. Niki knew how these things worked and called designers to announce that, ‘Dean Cooper’ would be on the Red Carpet, and he would have a date. It was a big thing in Canada; spotlights in the sky big shit.

I really didn’t like the suit she picked and I told her and the designer so. It was tight and I thought it made me look like Pee Wee Herman. But I guess I was spot on. Niki, on the other hand, was star quality. It was a surprise, to say the least. She was my plus one. Always would be. Where I went she did too. Just the way it was now.

Remember that seine from Pretty Woman? I was standing in the lobby when she stepped from the elevator and the air got sucked from the room as people stopped to look at her. I laugh now thinking back.

Do you know that time when shit just can’t get any better? It was like in slow motion as she stepped next to me. I held out my arm and we walked to a white limo as pride exploded inside my body. This was a first for me. Niki was jeans and a tee shirt kind of girl and tonight she showed me she was all that and then some. She drew more attention than I did; rightfully so.

She saw me looking out the sunroof. “Whatcha thinking, Farmboy,” I know I blushed.

I couldn’t stop smiling to answer her so she answered me. “Sunroof blow job, Dean. And I’m sorry, I don’t want to mess my lipstick or your hair.” I thought to myself, ‘I will mess more than your lipstick, Uptown.’

It was fancier than anything I had ever been to before, maybe five thousand or so. As we watched people got up and talked about Project stuff and names were mentioned along with new officers and outgoing ones. I had no idea what was coming and Niki squeezed my leg.

I didn’t know who the guy was that walked out but everybody stood to clap. He started talking about the Project and then it dawned on me. Justin Trudeau. The fuckin King of Canada. Then I was double smacked when he started talking about me. Now I knew why I was sitting at a table in the front.

“Don’t be pissed, Farmboy. You deserve this.” She said in my ear. Her lips actually touched my hair.

And I heard, “Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. Dean Cooper.” The room was on its feet and I was still sitting trying to absorb shit as a spotlight shined on me.

I stood, Niki stood and kissed me on the cheek like I was accepting the Oscar, and I mouthed ‘you’re fired’ smiling back.

I walked up to the podium and shook the hand of Canada’s Prime Minister. The applause was embarrassingly long. After a seemingly tiring eulogy of Dean Cooper, I was presented with ‘The Breast Star of Nights/Dames Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.’ Royal Guard and everything. It was the highest honor a Canadian could receive and I wasn’t even Canadian.

As he walked away and I was left alone a figure walked up next to me.

“Hey, Dean” Tom Hanks announced. It was so funny. I wasn’t expecting this.

“Hey Forest,” I said back to him smiling.

“Real funny, Kid,” He returned.

“It always will be.” I finished putting my arm around his waist. The laughter was like a Red Bull for me.

Tom separated us so he could look at me and the people before us. “Dean.” And there was a long pause as he looked at me. He wasn’t acting; he had a smile on his face, “It is a privilege to know you, Kid. Do you remember when I showed you how much money you’d raised for the Project?” And I nodded.

“At the time you thought a hundred million dollars was such an insane number.” And I nodded again. “Turn around, Kid.” On the screen was a counter like the one before. It was over four hundred million dollars and the room erupted.

Tom turned us back to the audience and laid praise down on me I didn’t feel I deserved; then he got serious. “Dean?” He started resting his arm around my shoulder, “I hope there are more like you out there. I really do.” And more claps.

“I won’t ask if you’d do it all again but, we know what that answer would be, don’t we, Kid?” There was more applause.

“Dean? Did you ever imagine? I sure as hell didn’t.” And I shook my head, no; realizing I never thought I would be here, or anywhere but home, six months ago. It was an eye-opening moment for me.


“Do you remember how it started, Dean?” And I looked at him. There on the screen behind us was Rick and I doing the half time show. I didn’t rap much on this album and only on the single with Rick. Then still pictures ran across the screen, selfies with friends like Ellen, O, Grandpa Willy and so many others. It ended with the picture of me and Rick asleep on a plane. “Ladies and Gentleman: Justin Timberlake, Matt Morris, and Rick Swanson.”

Rick walked up and hugged me. Justin was on the piano and Matt on the guitar; Sound of Silence. The single had been released and Dean had been working on that sound and I gave it. The high falsetto I could once reach was gone and a new reckless bottom was found. Ha Ha.

It really sucks not being able to play an instrument, I don’t read music, and I don’t know what key I sing in. I guess when they want to see the look of surprise on someones face they don’t tell you ahead of time. I could have used a warning. It’s just not right doing that to someone.

Tom stepped aside and I met Rick with open arms. “I’ve so fuckin missed you,” I said in his ear. I really had. And then I saw the look on Niki’s face.

I shared the fame. It was never ‘just’ Dean. “If I’d of taken a right, I might have never met Rick. I don’t really believe in destiny but, it’s hard to think stuff like this happens randomly. Six months ago if you’d of told me I would be honored here today; well, just think about that. The number behind me didn’t happen by accident. The Sony label is donating Seventy-five percent of the proceeds from the Friends album to the Project along with Usher and JT who worked for free producing. I have finished another album that should be out in a few months and I see that counter rolling over to one billion.” And there was more applause. Sony would slap me. The deal was fifty percent.

“The Superstars, my friends, have all agreed to give half the royalties to the Project and everything that would come to Dean Cooper will be directed to The Project. That’s years of revenue so the good work can continue helping kids.” And the room was on its feet and the applause was frightfully long.

I hadn’t written anything. Again I wished I had, had Niki fuckin told me. I looked around the room making eye contact with people. “There is such a need. It will take generations to bread out the hate our ‘thankfully late’ President, fostered in my country. If it’s not too forward, we would like to have your Prime Minister when you’re done with him.” More applause.

“When I say there are too many people to mention, I’m not lying. On behalf of all my friends, fans, and the Project, I humbly thank you.” And I mouthed thank you to Niki and pointed at her before walking off stage.

I hadn’t been home in a month and obligations on both our parts required canceling our trip to Washington for spring break. Rick hadn’t taken any of that well but seemed good now. He seemed to be really good. And he looked even better.

As we walked off stage I had no idea what I’d say to him. I had no idea what I would do if he wanted us to share a room tonight. Niki and I had shared a room or a bed for over a month as I traveled back and forth across the country promoting the album and the Project. Overall those nights we never found the time to pick up where we left off and it didn’t seem to bother either of us.

We did sleep together quite well and we showered together but not every night or morning. Sometimes she’d fall asleep on the couch organizing shit for me or others I’d fall asleep in the tub singing with my headphones on. Whatever we got from the other seemed to be enough for now.

The fact was I was scared. My only real sexual experiences’ were with guys and the thought of finding out I might like girls, was something I didn’t want to deal with. I cruised guys; well I looked at crotches before faces, and Niki had caught me more than once but would just smile.

I was stuttering having absolutely no idea what was going to happen with Rick and in the not so back of my mind was, Niki.

“Oh Dean, I wish I could stay. I flew in just for this,” he said to my deer in the headlight eyes. “I need to go.” And he hugged my body; my arms at my sides having no idea what to say.

I realized it didn’t matter; for whatever reason he was walking away from me now. And then I thought of Niki. I knew she set this entire thing up and she did that for me even knowing what might happen with Rick; I wondered if she was testing me.

I had been making the Talk Show rounds for the second or third time over the last five weeks. I had appeared at concerts with friends, photo shoots for magazines, and live morning TV.

It was like the first time but now it was just Dean. All the morning shows and then the night shows. Sometimes I might have a friend; a co-signer; or I’d be alone and not sing. And I continued to do lunches at schools. Niki pushed but not too hard. She liked elementary schools best. It had been one hell of a month and the next one would be too.

Jeff’s POV:

It had been weeks and the networking that had happened was astounding. In our school, not one guy identified as gay or even bi but the groups of buddies was almost two hundred and half of them needed serious help. Max and I started helping each other out.

It had been a couple of weeks and we would get together to try and get off a different way. Max had it the worst. I did all I could do to keep him from cutting himself or turning to the rod that neither of us had used in eleven days. It didn’t hurt to pee anymore, my swollen slit was looking less angry, and I was getting a stream back instead of a spray.

I did let Max fuck me as I thought of Dean. I did suck and fuck him thinking of Dean. Max was a good lover. He loved my body as he would his own and we were a good combination. And we talked to buddies who wanted help getting off whatever sex roller coaster they were on. There was a lot of shit going on in this town and the area around us.

I walked out of the house on Monday; we’d been back in school for three weeks. Donny sat in front of my car. He was a mess. Surprised as I was I sat down next to him and when he looked at me I gasped. He had dried blood by his ear, his nose looked broken, his face and throat were bruised, and his eyes swollen.

“Dean doesn’t answer his phone. I need to talk to him.” And he brought his hands up to his face.

“Donny, what happened?” I asked.

What he told me turned my stomach. Donny’s mom had died a slow death from cancer and before she was cold in the ground Donny became the surrogate ‘sex thing.’ He was twelve. He was the toy for his dad and older brothers and the only relief was when they would just watch the videos and not do it to him again.

I was freaking, fucking, out. I stood and held out my hand helping him up and when he turned in front of me; from his ass down the back of his jeans was red from blood. I had to tell him and he just kind of shrugged. My phone was out calling Dean as I led Donny into the house. My folks had left for work and it was just us. Thank god.

This was way out of my comfort zone. I had talked to guys with problems and did what I could. I remembered Dean telling me to leave Donny alone because things had been done to him to make him what he was. I hit redial for the fifth time.

“Jesus Christ, Jeff. Why are you lighting him up like this???” Niki said.

“Don’t hang up? Donny lay down. I need to talk to him Niki, please.” I explained to Dean this had been going on for years. I think he’d more than suspected. I told him Donny was bleeding from behind and I heard him take in some air and he told Niki they needed to go home.

“Let me talk to him, Jeff.” And I passed the phone to Donny who was face down on my bed.

“Dean…” and Donny was crying. “They hurt me so… bad this time.” And I wondered just how this day was going to end.

“There are cameras are in the basement and a computer is down there too. What am I going to do, Dean? They’re gonna look for me and I don’t know what they’ll do if they think I told someone.” And after a few minutes, he handed the phone back.

“Jeff, drive him to the hospital in Minot and I will do what I can from here and we’ll talk.” And the phone was dead. I knew some really big shit was coming down and I wanted to panic.

Niki’s POV:

We were in Chicago and I heard him say we needed to go home. When he got off the phone he told me to get Bill Long and Mike Gear on a conference call. With a tablet on my lap and phone to my ear, I did both. I booked tickets on my tablet and had both the Principal of his school and the Police Chief ready for a conference call.

“I want to ask you both one question? Do you know the Fossness’s?”

Bill was the first to respond, “Why do you ask, Dean? Both Mike and I went to school with Adolf. And his boys went here.”

“Were you guy’s buddies? Did you fuck around with each other?” This was another side of Dean. He took total control of this conversation. I didn’t listen in on the call with Jeff but all this was connected. His face changed and the way he talked to them through gritted teeth.

Now all were talking at the same time. “Mike, Donny is on his way to the hospital in Minot.”

“What did they do to him?” He asked.

“What do you think they did to him, Mike?” Dean held the phone out. “They have cameras and a computer in the basement. Jeff Grundvuld is taking Donny to Minot and if you can keep this quite it would help Donny.”

I could hear Mike on the phone and Dean asked, “Bill, did you know what was going on? How many boys went missing from our school, Mike? Jeff thinks that it all leads back to the Fossness farm. I really don’t want to hear your answer. I really like you, Bill.” And Mike cut him off.

“Look, Dean, we had nothing to go on. Yes, Bill and I knew Adolf and yes, we were, I think I understand your term, buddies. Donny has never come to this office for help and Bill and I have talked about it. What do you really think we could have done?”

Dean was pacing back and forth and he looked at me; I saw the rage in his eyes. The top of his head was ready to blow off.

I don’t know how he does it. Dean calmed. “Well first, you are the Police Chief, and Bill, you are the Principal of the largest High School in the County. Police Chief Gear, if you don’t go in and kill all three of them in the next hour I will see to it that it happens and then you will resign.” And Dean paced more as it was quiet.

He looked at me and mouthed, “Niki, get Barry on the line.” And he waited for a response from one of two men on the other end.

“Dean, I’ve talked to Minot and Donny will be a John Doe for now. He will be processed and if it ever comes down to a trial we will have what we need.” Dean was ready to throw something. Like throw a fuckin lamp but it was bolted to the table.

“There will be no trial because there will be no one to go to trial. Are you not fuckin hearing me? If I don’t see on the news that three suspects sought in the disappearance of seven boys have been killed in a heroic gun battle; then I better hear that you resigned due to health reasons and allow me to clean up the shit you don’t seem to have the stomach for.”

Dean had pulled his shirt off as he paced the room. He reached into the mini-fridge and pulled out two bottles of scotch twisting both tops and downed them. I had not seen this side of him; he was ready to rage. I had seen him pissed and I saw what he could be when provoked, I’ve seen him weak and vulnerable, but not like this.

“Don’t you think for one minute that you can intimidate me, boy.” the police chief said. Dean was trying to pull his hair out.

“I’ve got guys in the air and if you don’t clean up the mess you alone allowed to fester,” And Dean stopped.

There was a long pause as Dean paced back and forth. “Bill? Are you there?”

“Yes, Dean, I’m here.”

“Bill, call the FBI; now.”

“Mike?”

“Yes Dean,” finally came.

“You and Fossness are still buddies, aren’t you?” And Dean is like wanting me to record this with hand motions and lip speaking to me.

“I can’t even imagine what it was like for you guys back then,” he started.

“You have no idea.” A sad man's voice said.

“You had to have known what Adolf was capable of. Why didn’t you guys just put him down then?”

“You don’t understand, Mr. Cooper but, they farm square miles; that’s like tens of thousands of acres.”

“I can do the fuckin math. I know what it’s like, Mike.” And Dean was looking for words like this was fixable.

“You couldn’t let him go, could you? You love him, don’t you?” And it seemed like the light came on for me and Dean.

“Now is the time for you to make a choice, Mike.” And Dean waited as I streamed this to the cloud.

“We all went through high school together,” the Chief started.

“We went to Minot State and roomed together both years. It’s not like my family isn’t known in these parts. Adolf was always. He never accepted what we did. He was in denial. It was my fault or one of the kids he’d fuck and then beat up.”

Dean looked at me like, ‘are you getting this?’

“Even after we married it continued. He was mean even then. He seemed to temper after we had kids but we would still meet up and.” Dean was foaming at the mouth wanting to rip someone’s throat out.

Again he spoke in a calm voice, “What are you going to do, Mike? There needs to be justice, if not for Donny then for those poor dead boys. You weren’t involved in any of that were you, Mike?” And there was no response. Dean and I looked at each other.

An alarm startled us and Bill said, “Fuck. There here. Oh God. They’re just shooting my kids.” Dean and I listened on the phone as pandemonium broke out in Dean’s school and the lockdown alarm sounded.

He listened till the phone went dead and Dean threw his at the wall and walked out the door. I had us on a flight that we could make if we left now. I followed him. I couldn’t fuckin believe it; I was listening to a bazaar conversation and a School shooting happens.

I caught up to him at the end of the hall banging his head up against the wall.

“Dean,” I screamed at him and he looked at me. He turned away and held his hand out for me to stop.

“I might have been able to stop this, Niki.”

“Might have, could have, should have, and would haves. You couldn’t have changed anything, Dean. Now we have a plane to catch.”


From your Author:

This was a shorter chapter; more setup for what is to come. I have said before I’ve been complimented for the style I am using and I want you to know it is difficult. We are too far along to change and I will not just end the story with a big dump and the end.

I have always liked the suspense of waiting and wondering if the next chapter might come out today. I despise stories that take months for another chapter and that is why I go for a week. I will never keep you hanging like that. RJC

by RJC

Email: [email protected]

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