Talk To Me

Written By: LJ


“Humph!” Jayson grunted as he helped push the piano against the wall.

“That’s it!” exclaimed Rowan, looking around the room. “I think everything is finally in place.”

“You two have done a great job setting up this studio, Rowan,” Jayson complimented his friend.

“Darby deserves all the credit. He designed and decorated the entire room. I only assisted with the relocation of the heavier furniture.” Rowan was proud of all his partner had accomplished in the past couple of weeks. “Thanks for coming over and giving me a hand to move the piano in here.”

“Well, once we got it up those two steps, it was pretty easy going. There are slight disadvantages to having a sunken living room, you know,” Jayson laughed.

“Sorry I wasn’t much help,” Darby apologized, carrying in the bench and setting it down in front of the piano.

“I certainly didn’t expect you to help, Darby,” Jayson gently assured the younger man.

“And I wouldn’t have allowed it!” Rowan stated firmly. “It’s only been five weeks since your surgery.” Holding up one hand, he laughed and continued. “I know, I know, before you even say it. You’re fine.” He briefly hugged his partner.

“Have you started advertising yet, Darby?” Jayson inquired.

“Only at the Community Center and I’ve already received several responses, which resulted in three students who will begin classes in September. I’m really excited about this whole ‘my own business’ thing.”

“I bet! I know Riley will be happy to hear how it’s all going for you,” Jayson said. “He’d have been here this evening if he wasn’t working.”

“He’s been rather busy this week, hasn’t he?” asked Rowan.

“Yes. A new client couldn’t decide what she wanted her new computer system to do. She only knew she needed it as soon as possible. Riley has worked late the last four evenings but should have everything up and running by tonight.”

“So our long weekend at the cabin is still on, right?” Darby questioned. “Remember Monday is a civic holiday.”

“Yes. We’re both looking forward to it and Riley sure needs the downtime. We’ll be ready to leave at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“That’s great!” Darby bounced excitedly. “Don’t forget your guitar. I’m bringing mine.”

“All right,” Jayson promised as he headed out the front door with Rowan. “See you in the morning, Darby.”

“Okay, bye and thanks for your help,” Darby called out.

Standing on the veranda, Rowan expressed his concerns. “I hope the good weather holds up so we can get the new shed painted this weekend. You don’t think Riley will be too tired, do you?”

“I hope not because he has never handled being overtired very well. We will just have to wait and see,” Jayson replied, getting in his car to leave.

“Thanks again for all your help, Jay. We’ll be at your place shortly before nine AM,” Rowan called out and waved to his friend.

“Goodnight!” Jayson hollered, waving as he drove away.

Walking into the house, Rowan picked the mail up from the hall table. Sorting through it, he found a delivery notice from Canada Post. “Darby, have you seen this card in today’s mail?”

“No; I didn’t even look at the mail yet,” Darby answered as he walked out of the studio.

“You have a parcel waiting to be picked up. We can get it at the post office on our way over to Jayson’s in the morning.”

************

“Rowan, I wish I didn’t have to take that.” Darby grimaced at the spoon in his partner’s outstretched hand.

“I know, Sweets, but you need it.” Rowan tipped the spoonful of liquid Gravel into Darby’s mouth and then handed him a Werther’s Original candy. “Let’s get going. We have twenty minutes to get to Jayson’s house and we have a stop to make on the way.”

Darby popped the candy into his mouth, disposed of the wrapper, grabbed the notice card off the counter and followed Rowan out to the car.

Fortunately, there wasn’t a line-up at the post office, so they were able to pick up Darby’s parcel and make it to Jayson’s house with time to spare. While the two older men transferred Rowan and Darby’s belongings to Jayson’s SUV, the younger men caught each other up on the week’s activities and discussed plans for the days ahead.

“Did you get the peanuts?” Darby asked his friend.

“Yeah, I got two five-pound bags,” Riley announced happily.

“How many squirrels are you planning to feed?” Darby teased.

“Well, there are lots of them as well as a number of blue-jays. You’ll see. We’ll use all the peanuts.”

“Come on, boys! We’re leaving now,” Jayson called to get their attention.

Darby got settled in the back seat of the SUV and, as Jayson backed out of the driveway, began to open the parcel he had pick-up at the post office. He had not recognized the return address on the box, but the brief note inside was from his stepmother.

Darby:

I have sold the house and thought you might have some use for these few articles of your father’s.

Vivian

After putting the note back in its’ envelope, Darby began looking through the items in front of him. The last one he came to was an old album. Carefully lifting it out of the box, he quickly glanced over several pages. Slamming it shut, he packed it back in the box and then stuffed the re-closed parcel under his seat.

“What was is the box, Darby?” Riley inquired.

“Nothing!” Darby didn’t want to talk about it. He sat staring out the window until the Gravol Rowan had given him, took effect and he feel asleep.

Riley was also tired but couldn’t sleep. “This trip is beginning to suck!” he complained. “It’s boring already and we are not even half way there.”

Looking at his partner in the rear view mirror, Jayson suggested, “Why don’t you take advantage of the peace and quiet by catching up on your sleep too, sweetheart?”

“Because I don’t want to; I wanted to talk with Darby. We haven’t had a chance to see each other for over a week.” Riley was becoming decidedly grumpy.

“Well, there is no point in getting worked up over it. If you can’t sleep then find something restful to do. Read, play your Gameboy, listen to music: you have several options.”

“I’m hungry.”

“Don’t start, Riley. We have another three and half-hours before we get to the cabin. You had a big breakfast less than an hour ago, so you can wait for awhile. There is water in the cooler behind you if you’re thirsty.”

Riley pressed himself against the back of his seat, crossed his arms and glowered at the back of Jayson’s head. He eventually managed to resign himself to the fact there wasn’t much he could do to change the situation.

A couple of hours later, Darby woke up and stretched. “How much further do we have to go, Riley?” he asked, rubbing at his eyes and sitting up straighter.

“Don’t bother me! Can’t you see I’m reading,” was the surly response from the other young man.

“We have just over an hour to go, Sweets,” Rowan answered Darby’s question. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel great, Row. Are we going to stop soon or go right through to the cabin?”

“We’ll be stopping in about twenty minutes to have something to eat and to stretch our legs.”

“Sounds good.”

Noticing Riley putting away his book, Darby tried talking to him once again. “Were you able to sleep at all during the drive?”

“No! And thanks to you, I was bored stiff. Why did you have to sleep so long?”

“I can’t help it. The medicine makes me drowsy.” Darby smirked at his friend. “Maybe you’d rather I threw up instead.”

“Shut up, jerk!”

“Twit!”

“Asshole!”

“Riley, watch your language,” Jayson sternly admonished.

The two younger men continued to glare at each other.

“Why wouldn’t you tell me what was in the box?” Riley asked.

“Because I don’t want to talk about it and anyway it’s none of your business.” Darby had managed to put the box’s existence out of his mind and being reminded of it only caused his mood to deteriorate.

“I didn’t really want to know about it anyway,” Riley replied sharply as he pushed Darby against the door of the SUV.

Darby immediately retaliated by punching Riley’s leg.

“Darby! What do you think you’re doing?” Rowan turned in his seat to glare at his partner.

“He started it.”

“Well, I’m finishing it. Apologize right now, young man.” Rowan waited several seconds to see if he would be obeyed before issuing a one-worded warning. “Darby!”

“All right, I’m sorry I punched you, Riley,” Darby said in a small voice, keeping his head down and not looking at the other Brat.

“Riley, I think you owe Darby an apology as well,” Jayson firmly advised.

“Sorry,” Riley complied begrudgingly.

Both boys were relieved when Jayson pulled into a truck stop and they could get a bit of a break from each other.

“What would you like for lunch, Darby?” Rowan asked once everyone was seated in the diner.

“Just a chicken salad sandwich and milk, please.”

Darby was still behaving in a rather subdued manner but Rowan put it down to the younger men being irritated with each other. He figured it would all blow over once the long drive was finished and they reached the cabin.

“What do you plan to order, Riley?” Jayson asked his partner.

“I’m not hungry. I’ll just have some ice water.”

“I’d prefer you have some lunch. You said you were hungry earlier.”

“Well now I don’t want to eat,” Riley answered belligerently.

Jayson knew his partner was overtired, but he had no intentions of allowing Riley speak to him in such a rude manner. “I beg your pardon, young man?”

“I said I don’t want to eat now.” Riley hadn’t improved his attitude even though he had been given an opportunity to do so.

“If you’ll excuse us please, Riley and I have something to discuss,” Jayson said to their travelling companions as he pulled his partner out of the booth and headed towards the washroom area.

“All right,” Jayson said after they reached the relative privacy of the men’s room. “I expect your attitude to change immediately. I realize you are tired and getting fed-up, but that is no reason to be discourteous and make the others uncomfortable. Do you understand me?” Not getting an answer, Jayson grabbed Riley’s arm, turned him to one side, and delivered a hard swat to the seat of his pants. “Answer me, young man.”

“I understand,” Riley pouted and rubbed his hand over his backside. “I’m sorry but I am really not hungry right now.”

“I would like you to eat a little bit. How about some toast and hot chocolate?” At the younger man’s nod, Jayson pulled him into a warm hug and kissed his forehead. “Okay, babe, thank you. We will be at the cabin in a little over an hour and then you are going to have a nap.” He took his partner’s hand and led him back to their table.

“Do you think Riley and I should change seats, Jay? It might be better if I ride in back with Darby,” Rowan suggested on the way back to their vehicle.

“I don’t think that’s necessary. There is less than an hour’s drive left and they seem to have settled down and gotten over their differences.”

Ten minutes later, Riley was searching around his seat. “Have you seen my book?” he asked Darby.

“No! I’m not responsible for your things,” was the surly reply from a disgruntled Darby.

“I was just asking, jerk.”

“Well, I don’t have it, dimwit.”

“You’re a real asshole, you know.”

Jayson pulled over to the side of the road, looked at Rowan and rolled his eyes.

“Here we go again. I guess we should have gone with your idea to change seats back at the truck stop, Rowan.”

By the time the two older men had gotten out of the car, the Brats in the back had undone their seat belts and where scrapping on the floor between the seats.

Opening the back door on the passenger side, Rowan reached for Darby and pulled him out of the SUV. One sharp smack was all it took to get the young man’s attention and stop him from trying to get back in the vehicle to continue the fight.

Meanwhile, Jayson dragged Riley out from behind the driver’s seat and steered him around the front of the SUV and after landing a stinging swat of his own, parked him in the passenger seat.

“Settle down and not another word. We’ll finish this discussion when we get to the cabin,” Jayson informed his partner.

Rowan got into the back seat beside Darby and shut the doors. “We will also be discussing this later, young man. Now sit quietly, please!” he scolded.

Both boys squirmed in their seats and tried to obey the directives to relax. Neither was too happy, as evident by the pouts on their faces. The rest of the trip was accomplished peacefully with the younger men actually nodding off during the last half-hour of the drive.

Arriving at the cabin, Darby and Riley were left standing in separate corners while their partners unloaded the SUV. Darby was in the kitchen and Riley was serving his time-out in the family room.

Rowan stood quietly behind his partner for a few moments before softly saying, “Come here, Darby.” He enfolded the younger man in a tight hug and then led him over to the kitchen table. “Sit down, please,” he instructed as he took a seat himself.

“Can you explain to me why you were behaving the way you were during the trip?” Rowan spoke firmly but without any anger.

“I don’t know why. We just seemed to hit it off wrong.” Darby kept his head down and his eyes on the floor.

“Look at me, please. Is there anything bothering you that we should be talking about?” Rowan was still trying to understand what had been the cause of today’s problems.

Darby looked at the older man and shook his head. He didn’t know how to express the feelings aroused by the contents of the box still under the back seat of the SUV.

“Aside from the fact that friends don’t treat each other in such an unpleasant manner, you two boys could have caused an accident by distracting Jayson while he was driving. You do realize your behaviour was totally unacceptable, don’t you?” Rowan asked.

“Yes, and I’m sorry,” Darby replied in a low voice.

Rowan pushed his chair back from the table, reached over to take Darby’s hand, pulled him up and over to stand at his right side. He looked up into Darby’s face while he undid his partner’s pants and lowered them before putting the young man across his knees. “Tell me why you are getting this spanking, Darby.”

“Because I was fighting with Riley and being rude,” was the tearful answer.

Rowan wasted no time in landing the first swat. Darby managed to get a hand back before the second one landed but Rowan grab it and held it against his side, then proceeded to deliver a sound spanking to ensure his Brat’s understanding of the issue.

After gently rubbing Darby’s back for several moments, Rowan carefully lifted the younger man up, adjusted his clothing, and sat him on his lap. A soft litany of comforting words was spoken, as Darby slowly calmed down and the sobs turned into hitches and sniffles. Rowan wiped away the few remaining tears and raked his hand through his lover’s soft, auburn curls.

“I-I’m sorry, Rowan. And-and I’ll apologize to Jayson and Riley.” Darby sifted his position on Rowan’s lap and reached back to rub at the heat radiating from his backside.

“I know, sweetheart, and you can apologize later. Jayson has taken Riley upstairs and we’re going to lie down together in the hammock for a little while. How does that sound to you?” With Darby’s agreement, Rowan took his partner’s hand and led him out to the front porch.

Once the SUV had been unpacked, Jayson rescued Riley from the corner and escorted him upstairs to their bedroom. He knew his partner was over-tired but also realized it was important to impress upon the younger man that his earlier behaviour would not be tolerated.

Face down over the older man’s lap, Riley assured his partner he understood why he was presently in this position. Riley’s legs were kicking wildly by the time Jayson finished applying the final painful swats to the tender underside of his bare bottom.

Jayson lifted Riley to his feet, untangled and removed his partner’s jeans along with his shoes and socks. Then he pulled up Riley’s boxers before lying down on the bed to gently gather the young man into his arms to wait until the crying gradually slowed to small hitching breaths. He watched as his Brat ran a trembling hand across his tearstained face.

“I’m sorry,” Riley shuddered into Jayson’s shoulder as he rubbed his face against his lover’s shirt. “I’m really tired.” He yawned and cuddled closer.

“You need to have a long nap, babe. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.” It didn’t take long for Jayson’s rhythmic backrub to put the younger man to sleep. Jayson slid out from under his sleeping partner, kissed him and left the room to go join Rowan and Darby.

By late afternoon, three sides of the large storage shed had been painted, leaving only the back wall and the trim work.

“If you and Darby don’t mind putting away these supplies, I’ll go and start up the bar-be-cue and throw a salad together,” Jayson suggested.

“Sounds like a plan because I’m starving,” Rowan agreed and began gathering up the paint cans and brushes. “I bet you’re just about ready to eat too, right, Sweets?”

“Yes, I am. We got a lot done on the shed though, didn’t we?” Darby was happy with the work being accomplished so quickly, because now they would have time to relax and really enjoy the rest of the weekend.

“We sure did and we should be able to get it completely finished by this time tomorrow. The trim work will be slow going, but at least there will be four of us working on it,” Rowan said, handing the trash bag containing empty paint cans to his partner. “Here, love. Please put this in the SUV so we can take them to the dump when the job is done.”

Darby put the trash in the back of the car and dragged his parcel out from under the seat. He was on his way upstairs just as Riley was coming down.

“Man, you slept for over four hours. You must be well rested by now.”

“Yeah, I’m feeling much better. It’s been a long week and I’m glad it’s over,” Riley replied then softly added, “I’m sorry about the fight and all.”

Darby nodded his head in understanding. “Yeah, me too. I shouldn’t have punched you even if you were acting like a jerk,” Darby chuckled, taking the sting out of his words. “Jayson’s getting supper started. I’m going to clean up and then I’ll be right down.”

“What are you going to do with that?” Riley asked, pointing to the object in Darby’s arms.

“Just put it under my bed for the time being, I guess.” Darby was thankful that Riley didn’t ask anymore questions about what was in the box. He knew his friend was curious, but he wasn’t ready to talk about it.

“Anything I can do to help, Jay?” Riley offered as he walked into the kitchen.

Jayson turned and held out his arms to engulf his partner in a warm hug. “Yes, sweetheart, you can set the table and mix up some ice tea. Rowan is getting the steaks off the grill.”

“What all are we having for supper?”

“Besides the steak, we having corn-on-the-cob, salad and rolls so I hope you’re hungry.”

“How can he be hungry when he didn’t do anything to work up an appetite?” Rowan teased and laughed at Riley’s exaggerated groan of indignation.

“It’s not my fault! Blame Jayson for making me sleep,” Riley continued the gentle baiting of his partner while laying out knives and forks.

“Well, there is still plenty of work to be done and you’ll get a chance to do your share of it,” Jayson assured the young man.

“Yeah, like I can hardly wait,” Riley laughed.

“Are you guys just going to stand around gabbing or are we going to eat?” Darby asked as he entered the room.

“Well, now that we’re finally all here, we can sit down and dig in,” Rowan said, pulling out his chair.

The four men sat around the table, laughing, talking and enjoying each other’s company.

“That sure hit the spot, Jay,” Rowan complimented the cook as he pushed back from the table. “I think I may have eaten more than I should have. I’m feeling rather stuffed.”

“Same here! Want to go for a walk after the kitchen is cleaned up?” Jayson invited.

“Good idea! What do you say, boys? Care to join us?” Rowan extended the invitation to Darby and Riley.

“No, thanks. You go ahead,” Riley answered. “Darby and I will do the dishes. Right, Darb?” Riley wanted them to have some time without the older men around.

“Yeah, sure….why not.” Darby was wondering what his friend was up to.

Riley waited for Rowan and Jayson to leave the cabin before explaining to Darby, “As soon as we get finished here, we can go feed the squirrels.”

“Couldn’t we have done that anyway?”

“It’s best to do it when Jayson’s not around ‘cause he doesn’t really want me doing it.”

“Why not?”

“Because last year when Pete, Freddie and I did it; we accidentally let a couple of squirrels into the cabin. Believe me, it wasn’t pretty.” Riley grimaced at the memory of that particular escapade. “And Jayson’s reaction was not good! He kinda went ballistic. Even though Rowan didn’t say anything, it wasn’t hard to tell he was less than impressed with us.”

“So how do you plan to get away with it now?”

“We just won’t throw these nuts anywhere near the cabin.”

An hour later, the boys will still occupied in providing peanuts to the neighbourhood wildlife.

“Will you look at those greedy blue-jays. They’re trying to get the peanuts before the squirrels do,” Darby complained.

“They always do that, but I know some tricks we can pull on them.” Riley pulled a roll of invisible fishing line from his pocket. “Watch this.” He tied a long piece of line tightly around the center of the peanut shell and tossed the shell out a few feet away from where they were sitting. “Now, when a blue-jay tries to fly off with it, I’ll just yank on the string.”

They only had to wait a couple of minutes before the bait was taken. When Riley gently yanked on the line, the blue-jay lost its’ hold on the peanut and flew slightly off course.

“He looks like he’s drunk.” Riley burst out laughing.

Darby also found it funny once he realized the bird wasn’t hurt in any way, only frustrated. “Okay, let me try it. By the way, whose idea was this?”

“That one was mine but this next trick was Pete’s.” Riley carefully opened a shell and ate the two peanuts. Next, he picked up two pebbles, placed them in the shell and after putting it back together, tied it up with a short piece of the line. “Watch what happens when a blue-jay tries to fly off with it,” Riley instructed as he threw the peanut shell several feet in front of their hiding place.

The young men stayed as quiet as possible and waited for the bird’s return. They both found it hilarious when the blue-jay repeatedly attempted to carry off the sabotaged treat, only to drop it over and over again. Darby and Riley were absorbed in what they were watching and failed to hear their partners’ approach.

Having returned to an empty cabin, Rowan and Jayson decided to go looking for their Brats and heard the boys’ laughter long before their presence was realized by the mischief makers.

“Do you want to share the joke with us?” Jayson asked sternly.

Riley and Darby both jumped to their feet. Riley tried to hide the remaining peanuts behind his back while Darby stammered to explain what they were doing.

“Aaah, we’re just taking in the humm, sights. You know, aaah, nature type stuff, like birds, small animals, humm….” Darby decided from the look on Rowan’s face, he better not dig himself in any deeper.

Neither of the older men responded to Darby’s ramblings. Jayson merely held out his hand towards Riley and snapped his fingers.

Letting out a deep sigh, Riley handed the package containing the last of the peanuts to his partner.

After taking a moment to read the label, Jayson demanded, “This was a five pound bag of peanuts and there is less than a pound left. Did you feed over four pounds of these nuts to the squirrels?”

“Sort of; the birds got some,” Riley answered softly, wishing he could look anywhere but at the irritated man in front of him.

“Do you remember what happened the last time?”

“Yeah, but we’re not near the cabin now.” Riley figured that should vindicate them of any wrongdoing.

“Riley, the more wildlife there is, the greater the chances are some of the animals might look for food closer to us. This feeding ground you’ve set up is not that far from the cabin. Aside from which, weren’t you clearly told not to do it?”

Riley looked down at his feet, realizing there was probably no way out of this but willing to give it a final try. “We just wanted to have a bit of fun, Jayson.”

“Darby, did Riley mention the repercussions from the last time he fed the squirrels?” Rowan asked.

“Well, yeah, sorta. He said you guys weren’t too thrilled about having wildlife in the cabin.” Darby felt like squirming but managed to stand his ground.

“That’s right and we’re not any happier about the possibility of history repeating itself.” Rowan sounded cross and his expression was firm and determined. Taking Darby’s hand, he suggested, “Let’s finish this discussion back at the cabin.”

“It could have been worse, Darb. Jayson confiscated the rest of the peanuts and we only have to write lines. Man, I thought for sure we were going to get our butts heated again.” Riley breathed a sigh of relief. Both boys were sitting at the kitchen table with several sheets of paper each and a couple of pencils.

“I shouldn’t have even listened to you. It was a dumb idea. You knew how Rowan and Jayson would react. You should have told me earlier, you dweeb.” Darby couldn’t decide if he was angrier with himself or his friend.

“Well, it’s not as if I had to force you or something, jerk.”

“Idiot!”

“Creep!”

“Schmuck!” Darby said loudly.

“Asshole!” The volume of Riley’s voice also increased.

“Not again!” Rowan got up from his place on the sofa and headed towards the kitchen, followed closely by Jayson.

“Darby, get into the family room,” Rowan ordered, pulling his partner up from the table and sending him on his way with a healthy swat. “You can write your lines in there.”

“Riley, that’s the third time you’ve used that ‘A’ word today and is three times too many,” Jayson said as he hauled the younger man over to the kitchen sink. “Maybe a mouth full of soap will clean up your language.” He took a spoon out of the drawer and filled it with liquid hand-soap.

Riley’s eyes pleaded with Jayson to change his mind as his head slowly moved back and forth, trying to avoid the spoon. “Please, don’t, Jay. I won’t say it again,” Riley promised through clenched teeth.

“Open up, Riley!” Jayson instructed firmly and when the order had been obeyed, tipped the spoon into his Brat’s mouth. “Hold that for two minutes.” His heart melted at the tears welling in his lover’s eyes but Jayson stood firm. After the allotted time he handed Riley a glass of water and gently said, “Okay, babe, spit and rinse it out.” He allowed the young man to clean out his mouth before pulling him into a tight hug. “Now, please go and finish your lines.”

Half an hour later, Darby spoke up, “Rowan, I’m done.” He got up from the table, crossed the floor and handed over the sheets of paper for the older man to check.

“Thank you. Go upstairs and get ready for bed please,” Rowan said as he tore the pages in half and tossed them into the fireplace.

“It’s only eight-thirty. I don’t want to go to bed yet,” Darby pouted.

“I am well aware of the time, Darby, and you are going to do what you are told.” Rowan voice instilled a sense of certainty that he would be obeyed or else.

Darby stamped towards the stairs, complaining loudly, “It’s not fair. I already did two hundred lines.”

Stomping up the staircase and into their room, Darby slammed the door. When it rebounded he slammed the door a second time, even harder. He was about to slam it again when he saw his very annoyed partner standing on the other side.

Rowan calmly walked into the bedroom and quietly shut the door. Taking Darby by the arm, he steadily propelled him over to the bed, sat down and pulled his partner over his knee. Efficiently lowering the shorts and boxers barring his way, Rowan began an unfaltering volley of hard smacks to the bare bottom in front of him.

“I believe we have had more than one discussion about the unacceptability of temper tantrums, little boy.”

Everything happened so fast, Darby barely had a chance to catch his breath before the spanking ended.

Landing the last painful swat, Rowan removed the shorts, replaced the underwear and stood Darby on his feet. He guided the younger man into the bathroom and gently washed his face.

“All right, baby. Take a deep breath. That’s it.” He wrapped his arms around Darby and held him tightly until the sobs and gasps for breath died out. Speaking softly, he tenderly bullied his Brat through the nightly preparations of brushing his teeth, washing up and taking care of his personal needs. Back in their bedroom, Rowan helped Darby to change into clean pajamas. Then he stretched out on the bed and drew Darby into his arms once again.

“I want you to go to sleep now, sweetheart.”

“I can’t! My butt hurts too much,” Darby whimpered. “And I don’t want to stay up here by myself.”

“I imagine your backside is hurting. I don’t know what the problem is, but you have never had to be punished three times in one day,” Rowan commented as he pushed himself up off the bed. “I’m going downstairs to get the book I was reading. I’ll be right back, little one.”

Returning, Rowan lay down beside his lover and pulled him against his side. The gentle hand rubbing circles on the young man’s back soon lulled him to sleep. The cabin had been locked up for the night and all the lights turned off, as Jayson and Riley had also decided to call it a day.

************

Saturday morning got off to a good start and well before noon, the two couples had finished applying the first coat of trim on the shed.

“Look at those clouds rolling in,” Rowan said, staring at the darken sky. “It’s my guess that we’re in for a storm any time now, so we better get these supplies put away.”

“You’re probably right. We’re not going to get any more painting done today,” Jayson agreed.

The older men were not particularly looking forward to spending the afternoon and evening keeping two Brats entertained as yesterday’s quarreling was still on their minds and they certainly didn’t want it to start up again today.

The next few hours passed peacefully. They played a variety of board games and got a large puzzle put together. Instead of having a hot meal at noon, they opted for sandwiches and munching on finger foods. By late afternoon, the entertainment value of the games and puzzles had started to wane and the younger men were getting restless.

“The rain has slowed down, Rowan. Can we go outside?” Darby requested although he suspected what the answer would be.

“Yeah, the lightening and thunder have stopped and it’s really kinda warm out.” Riley figured he’d side in with Darby and maybe their partners would agree to a little fresh air.

Looking at each other in silence agreement, Rowan and Jayson nodded their heads.

“Okay,” said Rowan. “Let’s go for a walk before it’s time to prepare supper. What’s a little water, right?”

Even though it was still raining slightly, the walk invigorated all four men, leaving them more than ready to get a meal on the table so they could satisfy their growing hunger.

“Got any ideas for an activity while the big guys are cleaning up the kitchen, Darby?”

“I’m going upstairs to our room. I’ve got something that needs to be taken care of.” Darby had reached a decision to face the negative feelings stirred up by the parcel from Vivian. He was sitting on the floor with the box in front of him when he heard the bedroom door open. Glancing up, he saw Riley in the doorway.

“What are you doing, Darb?”

“Nothing much.” Darby’s didn’t want to be disturbed but wasn’t sure if his friend would be willing to leave him alone. He wanted to avoid trouble at all possible cost, as his backside was still recovering from the attention paid to it yesterday. “There is a matter I have to take care of, but I kinda have to do it alone. I’ll be down later, okay?”

Although he would have liked to know what the other Brat was up to, much to Darby’s relief, Riley chose to consider his friend’s request for privacy.

Ten minutes later, Darby was still sitting on the floor and still staring at the box. He knew he had to open it but couldn’t bring himself to do so. He wasn’t even aware of Rowan’s presence until his partner sat down beside him.

“Do you need some help, love?” Rowan gentle tone radiated assurance. Darby would not have to face this alone.

“It’s from Vivian,” Darby said in a hushed tone, indicating the unopened box before him. He opened it to hand Rowan the letter and waited for the older man to read it. “The things in there belonged to my father.”

“Have you looked at them yet?”

“Not too closely. I’ve only flipped through an old photo album.” Darby shrugged his shoulders and tried to think of a way to explain how he was feeling.

Rowan was able to read his lover’s body language and recognized the younger man was struggling with emotions he was unable to put into words.

“What was in the album that upset you, sweetheart?” He sensitively encouraged Darby to open up and share his thoughts.

“She tore herself out of all the pictures. There are photographs of the three of us throughout my childhood, but she removed all traces of herself. Why did she even bother to send them to me?”

Rowan picked up the album. “May I, Sweets?” He didn’t want to intrude on something so personal without Darby’s consent. At his partner’s nod, Rowan slowly scanned through the photos.

“What a beautiful baby you were. You apparently acquired most your facial features and colouring from your biological mother. And would you look at all those red curls and those gorgeous green eyes.” He carefully closed the book and put his arm around the man he loved. “Do you have any other pictures from your youth, love?”

“Just school pictures; grade one through high school.”

“Darby, I can understand this defacing done by your stepmother is hurtful, but, darling, wouldn’t you rather have these pictures than none at all?” Rowan’s soft voice penetrated Darby’s thoughts, enabling him to see where the older man was coming from.

“Yeah, you’re right. I bet we can make new copies on the computer so we won’t have to keep these damaged ones,” Darby calmly said before reflectively adding. “But whether she likes it or not, at one time in my life Vivian was a part of it. She can’t take the memories away. And no matter what she thinks, there were some good times worth remembering.”

“What else is in the box, Sweets?” Rowan quietly asked to gently bring his lover back to the matter at hand.

“Oh, yeah. There’s some neat stuff in it.” Darby began pulling out items and handing them to Rowan. “This,” he said in a happier frame of mind, “is my great, grandfather’s pocket watch and when wound up it still keeps perfect time. Wait ‘til you see these old comic books of my father’s. There are over a dozen and all of them are first editions in mint condition.”

Darby laughed as he pulled out a twelve-inch stuffed animal. “My dad bought this koala bear the day I was born so it’s actually older than I am. And in this old shoebox is a metal wind-up toy that my grandfather used to play with. Maybe it’s an antique or something. Look! All the parts are still working.”

Enjoying his partner’s enthusiasm, Rowan examined each item carefully as it was handed to him, commenting when he could get a word in, and returning them to the box for safekeeping. “Do you want to put them away for now so we can join Jayson and Riley downstairs or would you like to show them some of your riches.”

Closing up the box and pushing it back under the bed, Darby said, “I’d rather put them away for now. I’ll probably show Riley later and of course I’ll want Shelley to see them when we get home.” Looking into his lover’s eyes, he softly whispered, “How did you know?”

Rowan lifted Darby up off the pillow he had been sitting on and settled him on his lap. “Riley came downstairs rather disgruntled and complaining about a stupid box and all the trouble it had caused. It was then that I clued into just when the various disturbances had begun; it was almost immediately after you opened your parcel from the post office. I thought now might be as good a time as any to talk about it.”

Darby spoke quietly, wrapping his arms around his lover’s shoulders and nuzzling into the big man’s neck. “Thanks, Row.”

“You only had to ask, little one, you only had to ask.” Rowan gathered the young man closer and spent the next few minutes expressing his love with soft, gentle kisses.

************

Sunday morning dawned sunny and warm enough for breakfast to be eaten outside.

“Maybe we can get some swimming in today,” Darby suggested.

“Work this morning, play this afternoon.” Jayson laughed at the young men’s pained expressions. “We need to finish painting the shed and we don’t want to be doing it in the heat of the day.”

“Well, that’s one big chore completed,” Rowan commented later in the morning when he stood back to admire their work. “I think we all did a terrific job.”

“Come on, Rembrandt! Let’s get the work site cleaned up and start having fun,” Darby teased, turning on his heel and running away before Rowan could grab and tickle him.

“You boys clean the paint brushes while Rowan and I gather up the empty paint cans and put them in the SUV with the other trash,” Jayson said, handing his paintbrush to Riley.

“What should we do with the paint left in this bucket?” Riley asked. “There is almost a litre left in it.”

“Just hammer the cover on really tight and put it in the shed. We may need it for touch-ups later,” Rowan advised.

Closing the back of the SUV, Jayson called, “Riley! Rowan and I are going to take this load to the dump. We’ll try not to be more than an hour. Do not go in the water until we get back.”

“That goes for you too, Darby,” Rowan also instructed.

“All right,” both boys answered in unison.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Darby dried the last brush and placed it with the others.

“Hmmm, well…..” Riley grinned as he contemplated the bucket in his hand. “Here, hold this for a minute. I’ll be right back.” He run towards the cabin and returned a couple of minutes later with a small paper bag in his hand.

“I hope there aren’t any peanuts in that bag,” Darby stated, remembering the directive not to feed the wildlife.

“Nope! Balloons!” Riley laughed and held up a handful of colourful objects.

“What are we going to do with those?” Darby was anxious to know as Riley’s enthusiasm was starting to rub off on him.

“We’re going to use up the rest of this paint. I’ll get a funnel out of the shed and you can start blowing up a balloon.”

“Okay! Now we slowly pour some paint into the balloon and tie off the end,” Riley instructed. Darby held the inflatable rubber while Riley tried to fill it with as little spillage as possible. The operation was repeated until all the paint was gone which as luck would have it, coincided with the running out of balloons.

“Ha-ha! Now for the fun part!” Riley picked up a loaded sphere and launched it at the back of the shed.

SPLACK! Additional paint was applied to the newly painted area as the balloon burst and slowly slid down the wall. Twenty-four more missiles followed the first one as the bombardment continued. The boys took turns throwing the balloons and by the time they were finished, both of them were finding it impossible to remain standing due to their hysterics.

“That’s one thick coat of paint you have on that wall, boys.” Jayson’s voice was heard over the ongoing fits of laughter.

Darby and Riley looked upwards into the faces of their partners. The older men appeared bigger than ever to the boys’ view from the ground. Rowan and Jayson each tugged at their respective Brats until all four men were facing each other. The younger men were nervously shifting from one foot to another while the older men glared down at them.

Suddenly, to Darby and Riley’s surprise, Rowan and Jayson started laughing. The Brats only had a moment to give each other a bewildered look before being hauled into their lover’s arms.

“At least you put the extra paint on the wall that’s exposed to the worst weather conditions.” Rowan was still laughing.

“Once you two guys have your unconventional painting equipment cleaned up, why don’t you head on down to the lake while Rowan and I gather up towels, bathing suits, sun-screen and pack a picnic lunch?”

Darby and Riley merely nodded their agreement. They were still too surprised at their partners’ reactions to speak. As Rowan and Jayson strolled towards the cabin, their Brats got rid of the paint can and returned the cleaned funnel to the shed. After collecting up the broken balloon pieces, some of which had to be peeled off the wall, the young men joined their partners for an afternoon of water fun.

************

“We had a great time today!” Darby said from his seat in the middle of their bed. He was watching Rowan undress. “The weather really co-operated with us so we were able to finish the shed and still have fun.”

“Glad you enjoyed yourself, Sweets.” Rowan lay down and opened his arms to invite his lover into a warm embrace. Pulling the blankets up, he commented. “The weekend certainly ended better than it started.”

“Yeah, I know,” Darby admitted in a soft voice. “I guess I shouldn’t have let the pictures get to me.”

“You had every right to be upset, little one,” Rowan lovingly assured the young man. “But now you know how you could have handled it differently, don’t you?”

“I could have told you about it?”

“Are you asking me a question, love?” Rowan wanted to see if Darby was sure of what his options had been.

“I know I could have told you and you would have helped me deal with it,” Darby stated. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away, Rowan. I could have saved us a couple of unpleasant outcomes on Friday.”

“That’s right. Although you were telling me in a very obscure manner, I just wasn’t grasping the message. That’s why, sweetheart, it’s so important to talk to each other and share things.” Rowan had tightened his arms around his partner and was speaking into the soft hair under his chin. “I know if I was having a problem, Sweets, I could rely on you for support. The survival of any relationship depends upon keeping a good line of communication open.”

Darby lifted himself up to look in his lover’s eyes. Tracing his fingers over the plains of the older man’s face, he acknowledged his agreement with a nod of his head before slowly reaching up to give the man he loved a soul-shattering kiss.

“I love you, Rowan. I need you and I don’t ever want to lose you. I just have trouble expressing how I feel sometimes.”

“I realize that, little one. Don’t worry. You are not going to lose me. I need you too, and I love you with all my heart and soul.” Rowan returned his lover’s kiss and gently insisted, “From now on, baby, when something is troubling you, talk to me.

The End