Spring came. The boys were doing well in school and enjoying it. Charlie knew that he would be in high school in the fall, and he talked with his uncles about the courses he would take. He’d decided that since he already knew some Spanish, he’d take it in high school. He wished he could find a guitar teacher, but there was none in Truro and the nearest one was an hour’s drive away, so he kept playing and practicing on his own.
Joey would be in sixth grade. He would go to the middle school in Orleans where Charlie had gone in eighth grade.
That summer, the uncles once again raised the idea of adoption. Charlie agreed to the adoption. There had never been any doubt in Joey’s mind. A lawyer drew up the necessary papers for Ben and Rodney and in the summer they all drove to the court in Barnstable. The boys were nervous about appearing in court, but the uncles told them it was merely a formality, and it wouldn’t take long.
In the courtroom, both boys wore jackets and ties. The judge asked them a few questions and then approved the adoption.
As soon as they were outside, the boys removed their jackets and ties and unbuttoned their shirt collars. To celebrate, they went to an upscale restaurant in nearby Hyannis.
On the way home, Joey, always the inquisitive one, asked, “What should we call you now?”
“Well,” answered Ben, “you now have two fathers or dads, so you could simply call us ‘Dad’ unless that gets confusing.” The boys liked the idea and agreed.
The boys grew accustomed to swimming in the cool ocean water off the Cape and enjoyed playing in it, often with Jared or the twins or all of them.
As Labor Day approached, Charlie again grew nervous about school, since he would be going to a new one. He knew that his eighth-grade class from middle school would all be there, but he also knew that he would be among the youngest in the school.
On the first day, Charlie rode the bus and as usual saved a seat for Jared, who plunked himself down saying, “Another school year. Ugh.”
Charlie laughed, and they rode companionably to the regional high school in Eastham. The first day was an orientation for the freshmen. The older grades would not attend until the next day.
The boys found their homerooms, lockers, and classrooms. They listened to short talks by the teachers in each room where they would be having a class and then went to the assembly hall, where the principal welcomed them and answered questions.
By noon they were back on the bus headed for Truro.
Meanwhile, Joey had gone for his orientation day in the middle school. He rather liked the idea of having different teachers for different subjects. He particularly liked his math teacher, who seemed to have a good sense of humor.
Classes began the next day. Joey rode the bus to his school, telling the uncles he was too old to need an escort.
The fall proceeded with no bumps for the boys until one day when Jared said to Charlie, “I need to talk with you.”
Outside, as they ate lunch, Charlie asked what was up.
“I’m in love,” said Jared, “and I’m sorry to say it’s not with you.”
Charlie was silent for a few moments before he said, “Tell me about it.”
“Do you know Carter, the new guy in class this year?”
Charlie nodded.
“Well, we’ve really fallen for each other. I thought I should be honest and tell you as soon as I was sure.”
“You’re sure?”
“Oh, yeah. And he’s shown me things you and I never did together.”
“ Anal things?”
“How did you know?”
“My dads mentioned it once as something I should put off until I was older, although they never said how old.”
Although he was sad, Charlie tried to sound happy for Jared’s sake. “I really hope this works for you, Jared. Can we still be friends?”
“Of course. Just not sex buddies anymore.”
They finished lunch and returned to the school building.
That night, Charlie sat on his bed strumming his guitar quietly. There was a knock on his door, and when he opened it, Joey stepped in.
“What can I do for you, buddy?” Charlie asked, trying to sound upbeat.
Joey sat on his brother’s bed and asked, “Why are you sad?”
“How did you know?”
“You looked sad at supper, and all the music you’ve been playing has been sad.”
Charlie nodded. “I got dumped by Jared today.”
“Oh. Why?”
“He found someone else. He wants to still be friends, but no longer ‘friends with benefits’.”
Joey wasn’t sure what that meant, but he got the general idea.
He put his arm around his older brother’s shoulder, and displaying more maturity than Charlie thought he had, said, “Charlie, if love with Jared was meant to be, it would be. I’m sorry you’re sad but I know you’ll find someone else in time.”
Charlie thanked him. Joey returned to his room to work on his homework, and Charlie returned to his guitar playing.
*******
Charlie was doing very well in his Spanish classes. He had an ear for the language, and he already knew a lot of the first-year material because of all the Spanish he’d heard in Waco. He knew that many of the Mexicans in that city had menial jobs ─ dishwashing, serving as maids in hotels, working in fast food restaurants, and mowing and maintaining lawns and flower beds. He assumed there were Mexicans in Waco who were professional people, but he had never met one.
When he was old enough, he began taking drivers’ ed, which met after school, so Ben or Rodney had to transport him from Eastham after each class. He apologized to them, but they said their time was an investment, and they would reap the rewards when Charlie was able to drive.
After he passed the course, he applied for a learner’s permit so he could drive with an adult in the car.
Sometimes when he saw Jared, he became sad again. Jared seemed very happy, and Charlie was glad for him, but he was missing the companionship, although he and Jared occasionally spent time together.
Snow fell first on November 26, Thanksgiving Day. The snow was 10 inches deep and very wet. As the boys shoveled, they occasionally paused to rest their backs and throw snowballs at each other. The dads were indoors, preparing the Thanksgiving dinner.
They served the feast in the dining room, with a linen tablecloth and linen napkins. It was a traditional New England meal ─ roast turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, beans, and for dessert, apple pie with ice cream. The boys ate until they were stuffed, then went into the living room to lie on the floor and watch some football.
Christmas came with all the fixings, including, as always, a real tree. In Waco, they had only known artificial trees. The tree was set up in the living room and soon packages began to appear under it. The brothers loved the scent of the tree and the way it was beautiful but not perfect.
Charlie thought that now he was able to drive, perhaps he should get a summer job. Both dads said that wasn’t necessary, that there was plenty of money in the trust fund to send him to college. Instead, they suggested, maybe he could give more attention to the stock market and trading.
One day he asked how big the trust fund really was. “When it began,” said Rodney, “it was just over a million dollars from some investments your parents had made, some insurance, and some from the sale of your house. With careful management, it has grown since then, adding about another $250,000. Of course, that’s to be divided equally between the two of you, but there’s plenty there for college and graduate school if you desire and to get you set up living independently.”
Charlie was astounded. He’d had no idea of the size of the fund.
Following Rodney’s advice, he continued to work on his stocks, devoting several hours a day to research and trading, and preparing for the day when he could invest his own money. He found that he really enjoyed the research.
*******
On the first day of his sophomore year in school, Charlie was aware of Jared when he was around but had pretty much gotten over his crush.
As he was sitting at the lunch table, looking at his tray, he heard, “Do you mind if I sit here?”
He looked up and suddenly bells seemed to be ringing in his head ─ joyous bells.
“N…n…no,” he replied. Across from him was the most stunning boy he’d ever seen.
The boy reached across the table and said, “Hi, I’m Ethan, Ethan Winters.”
With his heart pounding loudly in his chest, Charlie took the proffered hand and stammered, “I…I…I’m Ch…Charlie.”
While they ate, they talked. Well, really, Ethan did nearly all of the talking, while Charlie just gazed at his beautiful face and listened. Ethan had long, black, rather curly hair which fell to his shoulders. His dark eyes looked out from a deeply tanned face. His full lips and smile almost did Charlie in. He wore a T-shirt which was tight enough so that Charlie could see that his chest was developing well.
Ethan said that he and his family had moved to Eastham that summer, when his father inherited a house there. His father did all his work on a computer, so it didn’t really matter where they lived. Ethan was a freshman at the school and just learning his way around. Somehow Charlie managed to invite him to return to the table the next day.
By the end of lunch, as both of them reluctantly stood to leave, Charlie was in love. Never had he felt this way before. As Ethan left, Charlie admired his back, especially his round, taut bum.
He went through his afternoon classes in a daze, hearing little of what the teachers had to say.
On the bus that afternoon, Jared said to Charlie, “Well, you’re looking happy today. Was your first day really that good?”
“Yup,” Charlie answered.
“What was so good about it?”
“I’m not saying anything more.”
Jared grinned, thought about it as he rode, and began to come up with an idea of what had happened.
“Well,” he said, “if it’s that good I hope it continues.”
“So do I,” said Charlie. “So do I.”