Special Friendships
(English Version)
by N Fourbois
PART THREE
And so over a year had passed since Marc and Elly's wedding and the significant events of the stagnight. Lewis and Ben were now hoping they could settle down to a fortnight of relative peace until the beginning of their respective terms and with them the first posts of their careers. However, it was not to be so. On the Monday morning Lewis received news that his flat had been sold, more or less at the price he had asked, but the couple now had to hurry up to Scotland to arrange for the removal of Lewis' belongings to Cambridge. That took a few days, but then he had to hand over the keys to the estate agent and beat the removal van to reach the Nook before it did. Some of his furniture fitted nicely into his floor or the communal ground floor. Other items had to be stored in the garage until he could arrange for their sale. Most important his model railway could be set up in the loft although it would be the Christmas holidays before any attempt was made at that. With the receipt of funds from the flat he could offer his partner a substantial sum towards the cost of buying the Nook. Not only did that put their relationship on a more equitable financial footing, but it had tax advantages as well. It also enabled Lewis to buy a car which he needed for school and gave him some financial independence over and above his salary.
In the meantime the twins had been as good as their word. The portraits had been photographed and duly processed on the computer and they had presumably known what Ben and Lewis were looking for, as they would not have produced better themselves, had Ben been supervising the shoot with his professional knowledge. Lewis and Ben received identical packs with individual exposures of Jack and Ted in the agreed sports gear and retaken with them together, plus a CD-ROM of the prints. There were also additional shots which no less attracted their attention. Equally Seb had enabled them to keep their part of the bargain by previously supplying the bodysocks in their chosen colours and they too had made due appearance in the folios.
However, before school began in September there was to be one occasion into which, it later became clear, the twins had manipulated their unsuspecting parents when they could claim Ben's and Lewis' undivided and undisturbed attention.
Christina Batty appeared on the doorstep of the Nook one morning and was readily invited in for coffee. She obviously felt some embarrassment at the request she was about to make, if only because the neighbours had known each other for such little time. Phil and Christina had a short time ago arranged a long weekend away without the boys who were to be left in the charge of her sister and family. Unfortunately her sister had broken her leg and they did not feel it was fair to impose two fourteen year old boys on her in that state for the bank holiday weekend. Jack and Ted were not backward in coming forward to suggest that they could stay at home and Ben and Lewis might be their babysitters. They'd be perfectly happy with that and if mother didn't ask they certainly would, and they couldn't possibly spoil their parents' weekend away by accompanying them. In any case there was no spare accommodation. Phil and Christina were unable to come up with a better solution either. Our heroes were more than happy to help in any way they could and readily agreed without a thought for the implications. In fact they thought that Christmas and their birthdays had suddenly all come at once. The twins might have to muck in and give them a hand with some jobs about the house and garden, but they were so outgoing and ready to make the best of everything that they readily accepted anything that was provided for them and the Battys insisted they should cover all the expenses the four incurred. Christina promptly called Jack and Ted across from their house and they were sat down in the kitchen while the ground rules were set out by their mother. Lewis and Ben couldn't help smiling to themselves as it became clear that while Christina believed she was in charge, her sons had actually wound her round their little fingers and rather too readily agreed to all the conditions she made. Lewis and Ben agreed despite hardly getting a word in edgeways.
Accordingly on the Friday morning Jack and Ted brought their kit across which they deposited in the spare room in Ben's wing, dutifully waved their parents goodbye as the Mercedes departed down the drive and were now, theoretically at least, in the charge of their brand new nextdoor neighbours who, excited at the prospect, had formed a plan of work and entertainment for the weekend for which they sought and easily gained the agreement of their young charges.
The first thing that sprang to Ben's mind was the impending rugby season. With all the excitement of decorating, moving into the Nook and moving Lewis out of his Glasgow flat personal fitness had gone by the board. So not without an ulterior motive he sent the twins off to change and he was not disappointed when after their return and warming up they took off their tracksuits to reveal the Lycra running suits and Ben was pleased he had decided to wear his, as yet hidden by his unshed tracksuit. It was not entirely coincidental either that Jack had brought the digital camera across with him, and he was certainly ready with it when Ben finally decided he had thoroughly warmed up. The main workout consisted of a run through the lanes and public footpaths and to prevent any monotony Ben had planned a programme of fartlek. The one who needed the most encouragement was Lewis as Ben found even he really had to put in an effort to keep one step ahead of Jack and Ted. On their return and after a short break they got a rugby ball out and practised their routines which had been so successful in gaining them their schoolboy county caps. Lewis volunteered to prepare a snack lunch.
Ben was really impressed with the effort the twins had put into the the whole morning and soon realised that they were out to impress before the real competition for team places began in September. Somewhat recovered from his earlier exertions Lewis came out and used the opportunity for a photo call with Jack's digital camera as well as his own normal one, taking advantage of the good light as the sun approached its meridian.
Finally Lewis called all three in for lunch. The boys went and stuck their heads under the cold tap and, disappointingly, put their tracksuits back on. Over the lunch table in the kitchen they discussed the arrangements for the weekend. Lewis had made sure that there was copious iced water on the table to compensate for the morning's dehydration. This afternoon work had to be done and although Lewis and Ben made it clear throughout that Jack and Ted were free to come and go as they wished and do whatever they wanted the twins enthusiastically offered to join in with whatever was going on. First job after lunch was the Sainsbury's run. After that the grass had to be mowed and immediately Ted offered their family's brand new sit-on motor mower and they would cut the lawns for both houses. In the evening it would be dinner and relaxation, television or a video. On Saturday Ben and Lewis thought they might try the new leisure centre and country club that had recently opened at which Jack broke in and said that they had been given a year's premier membership as a birthday present and that they could each sign a guest in free for a day as part of the deal. Then Ted said "What are we doing in the evening?"
"Nothing in particular," replied Lewis.
"Why?"
"Well. we'd like to cook you a meal," said Jack.
"We're quite good actually," said Ted.
"Though we ought not to say it ourselves," completed Jack.
"And what about Sunday?" they enquired in unison.
"Well again you don't have to do this, but as we told your mother we've had a family day organised for rather a long time, but we can work round it," said Ben.
"Will Seb be there?" asked Jack.
"I imagine so," answered Ben. Their faces lit up
"We're on," said Ted.
"We have a little unfinished business still to transact," said Jack. Lewis and Ben looked puzzled, but made no enquiries. They thought it might concern bodysocks.
"By the way," said Ben, "you might find this strange, but we've made the arrangement that all the men wear 501s."
"We do things like that," explained Lewis.
"It's a form of corporate identity and without you might end up paying for the drinks."
"We're too young," piped up Jack.
"Since we met you we've found nothing strange," said Ted.
"Wouldn't wear any other jeans," said Jack.
"Haven't you seen us in ours?" said Ted.
"Knowing you two you'd have noticed," said Jack and the twins winked at one another.
"Then on Monday," said Lewis with emphasis and a cough before the conversation got out of hand we thought of the Duxford air display."
"Sounds good to us," retorted Jack and Ted.
As good as their word Jack and Ted helped with the shopping at the supermarket. Ben invited them to put whatever they wanted into the trolley as they would need things for their Saturday night cooking adventure. On their return to the Nook they took charge of mowing the grass and while on the motor-mower they covered the two gardens. Meanwhile Lewis and Ben did the laborious part of cutting the edges. At the end of a warm afternoon Ben organised cold drinks and Lewis arranged the garden furniture on the patio and they sat back sunning themselves to get the last touches of a tan before autumn set in.
Finally it was time to cook and the twins disappeared over to their own house for an hour. On their return our boys' pleasure was enhanced to see that they were sporting the new bodysocks that Seb had procured for them, both in turquoise blue which certainly suited their eyes and complexion. The suits fitted perfectly over their packets and buttocks and Lewis and Ben found it essential in order to honour the occasion to change into theirs.
On their return Jack said
"Ben, as a professional, you know about this sort of thing."
"What's that?"
"Are you supposed to wear a jockstrap with these?"
"I would in public to guard against the unpredictable stiffy," said Ben, "but in private it's up to you. Whatever you feel comfortable with."
"Well, we're not in public at the moment, are we?" said Jack.
"And we're not wearing one anyway. So it doesn't matter really, does it?" added Ted with a smile and an air of defiance towards his brother.
"We've noticed," chimed in Lewis smiling.
"And we've got no criticism whatsoever, either," commented Ben, also with a smile, or rather a grin.
"We love you the way you are," said Lewis provocatively.
"But," continued Ben, "if you do, you ought to wear one of those dancer's jockstraps, dance belts they're called, the ones with the single strap that goes up your crevice". The twins' eyes lit up.
"We haven't tried one of those."
"You can get them in Cambridge at Pate's, but they do tend to flatten out your packet rather than enhance it.." Ted's face fell, Jack's lit up.
"It won't make any difference to us with our packets," he said.
"Pate's is where you got yours, then?" said Ted cheekily, eying up the pair with a critical mien and making those measuring gestures with his thumb that artists do when they are sizing up perspective.
"We're not wearing one, eith...." Lewis' voice trailed off as he realised the verbal trap he had fallen into. All four laughed heartily. Ben and Lewis loved the banter and were quite prepared to take it as they were to give it.
"Photo calls apart it's the first chance we've had to wear them," said Jack as they both felt the the admiring glances made towards them.
"Just feel the material," added Ted, seeing how far they could go, and both Ben and Lewis took this as permission to pat and stroke their bottoms, which, forgetting for the moment that the twins were only fourteen, they found satisfyingly firm. Ben enquired whether they were allowed to drink wine at home and upon an affirmative opened a bottle of claret and set four glasses on the dining-room table.
The four were happy to sit and chat over the meal. Somehow the conversation strayed onto checking out guys' packets and Ben explained how the twins could enhance theirs, especially in their bodysocks. He described the modelling techniques with trainer laces and cock rings. Indeed he gave them a couple of spare leather and velcro ones he had and while he and Lewis were making the coffee the twins used the time alone to help each other peel their bodysocks, apply the leather straps and replace the bodysocks. They agreed it was a strange sensation at first, but not a disagreeable one, but they would have to wait before being able to admire themselves in a mirror.
Lewis and Ben reminisced over the story of how they had become so friendly with the Batty family (for 'family' read 'twins') and as the wine had in fact loosened the twins' tongues Ben took this as an opportunity to satisfy his curiosity.
"Well, Jack and Ted, you know the story from our point of view. Let's hear it from yours."
"Oh, that's easy," said Ted.
"As you said, it was built on a series of happy coincidences," continued Jack. "Let's go back to the beginning, that maths class at the comp. There you were, Ben, among the visitors. I could hardly believe my eyes. So I turned to Ted and said 'Isn't that the bloke in Stud, you know the one in the Lynx advert?'"
"'You should know. You've got it on your poster board,' I replied. 'He's amazing,' you said." Then Jack continued.
"I had butterflies in my stomach and then I noticed that you were looking at us. You weren't paying the least bit of attention to the lesson. Okay, we weren't either, and when we made eye contact you smiled." Ben blushed. "That's when we decided we would chat you up at the end of the lesson and I was going write a note and slip it into your pocket." Ted took up the story.
"We just loved it afterwards and we knew you fancied us, as well. Anyway, that was the end of it until we received the photos. You didn't put your address inside. So we couldn't thank you and all we found out after was that you were in a group from the University Department of Education."
Jack took over.
"And that was it until that time on the station in the Easter holidays. From the way you hugged each other we knew you were either brothers or 'partners' and you don't look like brothers. I went weak at the knees to see you again, Ben, and Ted went weak at the knees when he saw you, Lewis, and from the conversation we knew you were interested for a start."
"We've always had people chatting us up," said Ted.
"Especially at the rugby club," interrupted Jack.
"But you were the first guys we ever felt like chatting up. When we told you we had changed schools and you said you were teaching at our new one, we couldn't believe our luck."
"So that's when we started planning, not all at once, but over a period. First of all the kit. After that there was never any doubt you fancied us. Then we worked on the shower. Neither of you ever came to supervise us in the showers and now we know why. So we had to try something else and it didn't take long to realise that you always did some sort of fitness after the lesson before coming back to the pavilion to shower and get changed yourselves. It was so routine." Jack let Ted continue.
"It was easy enough to hide, both ourselves and our kit. You thought everyone had gone home - you even checked. We waited until we saw you coming back, stripped off quickly and hid in the showers until you'd gone into the staff changing room when we switched on the showers and you found us. You didn't have your towels with you, so we were on equal terms, as it were, and did your eyes pop out of your heads!"
"Mind you, ours did as well," said Jack. "We also sent you some holiday snaps through the school post. Objective achieved. School went on smoothly until you left, but the news that you at least, Ben, would be back in September, plus you were to be our rugby master really cheered us up."
"But no way could even we have known that Mum and Dad were going to buy the house nextdoor to yours and now we're neighbours."
"Friends," contradicted Jack.
"Family friends," countered Ted. Ben and Lewis raised their eyebrows in pleasant surprise, but said nothing.
Finally it was time to clear away which the twins joined in with and they spent the rest of the evening all four sat cosily on the settee in front of the television, obviously enjoying the closeness of their bodies enwrapped as they were in Lycra. At eleven they climbed the stairs after a strenuous day. Ben was sleeping in Lewis' room lest any of the things that go bonk in the night should cause a disturbance.
II
Saturday turned out to be a great success. With hindsight it was obvious that the twins had between them organised the events while wisely giving the impression that Ben and Lewis were in charge. Everyone was down to breakfast by half past seven and shortly after eight they were loading bags of sports equipment and personal kit into Ben's car.
When they arrived, our two young men were, since it was their first visit, visibly impressed with the set-up. The concern was divided into three parts. The twins signed their guests in at the leisure centre. They had their photo taken and within five minutes were each issued with a go-anywhere do-anything day pass and a locker key. The leisure centre was the usual windowless building one would normally expect, while connected to it by a glass passageway was the country club which was set out as a hotel. It contained bars, lounges, a restaurant, a self-service cafeteria, two conference rooms, even a hairdresser's and shop, each marked with the expected dress code. In fact on the top floor were hotel rooms. Outside as well as an eighteen hole golf course were tennis courts, cricket nets with a bowling machine and swimming pool, more for recreation than the more serious indoor pool.
The four started in the fitness room as a warm-up and it was clear why Jack and Ted at so tender an age had such well defined sixpacks. After that they split, the twins to play squash, Ben and Lewis to play badminton. At eleven they met in one of the bars and after liquid refreshment went off to the skating rink. Lewis remarked to Ben that neither lad gave any quarter or performed any task half-heartedly and Ben was impressed with the way they dressed in the appropriate immaculate kit for each activity. As all four were beginning to feel the effects of their efforts, they went off to the cafeteria dressed in their tracksuits for a long lunch break which ended with their reading the papers in the scruff lounge. They discussed the afternoon programme - tennis followed by the swimming pool, followed by what the twins called a particular treat to end with, but would then say no more.
Ben and Lewis mused over their relationship with the twins. It was less than six months since they had met and since then a strange sequence of coincidences had occurred to form a relationship which had transcended the normal pupil-teacher relationship and they were fast becoming firm family friends without overstepping the bounds of unacceptable familiarity. Ben wondered how he would fare with them at school next term, but their track record had given him nothing to worry about so far.
On the tennis court they split to make a more even game. Had Ben and Lewis performed the impossible? 'We are after all the Atomic Twins - we're difficult to split,' echoed in their minds. 'Anatomic twins - now that's far more interesting,' thought Lewis, but kept the thought to himself. Ben naturally partnered Jack while Ted willingly played with Lewis and it was a hard fought game with the set going 7-6, 7-7 and so on until they had to play a tiebreaker to keep within their allotted time with Ben and Jack finally gaining the victory.
Then off to the indoor swimming pool. As they had the changing room to themselves the twins inaugurated a posing competition, not so much to show themselves off, but as a prelude to what was to come. In the pool they chased one another up and down the chutes, ducked each other and took full advantage of the wave machine. Exhausted they left the pool and dried themselves and as Jack wrapped a towel round his naked body he said
"And now off to the sauna!" Likewise clad in nothing but a towel all four went off to the sauna which they found empty. They discarded their towels and disported themselves on the benches, too tired to talk, just relaxing after their physically demanding day. Halfway between waking and dreaming Ben's thoughts went back to that fateful time after squash when alone in the shower with Lewis he was unable to disguise his passion. That had been the culmination of the getting to know Lewis process, caused by a lust he could no longer suppress. Fortunately it led Lewis on. It could have gone so disastrously wrong, but he took it as a compliment and in his dream Ben relived the moment until he woke up with a start realising that it was no longer a dream, but reality. As he opened his eyes he expected to be the object of everyone's amusement, the butt of jokes. Yes, all three were obviously entertained, but it was nothing new for Lewis anyway. However, there was no cause for superiority as he had led the way and the other three were all in the same state and yet no one was embarrassed, except perhaps Ben himself who dearly wanting to relieve his passion by his own hand could only banish the thought by replacing it with a desire to give Jack a hand. And from the look on Jack's face his thoughts were not dissimilar. They simultaneously all burst out laughing which released the tension. At least they were all on an equal footing with nothing to hide.
Ted announced that it was time for the last activity and he led them through the cold shower which killed off any remnant of passion, out of the sauna picking up their towels, past the changing room where all their gear was, following a sign marked Jacuzzi. Again they shed their towels and jumped in and once the bubbles flowed so the giggling began and they relaxed again. After a thoroughly enjoyable day they dressed, handed in their locker keys and passes and climbed into the car for the journey home.
---oo0oo---
Once there Lewis set up some cold drinks in the garden and they sat and chatted about the day's events until Ted said
"If we're cooking supper tonight, it's time we got started." At that Jack jumped up, asked their babysitters to give them a brief guide of the kitchen and then banished them upstairs or into the garden until supper was ready, probably in an hour's time, prisoners in their own home. Neither could deny being exhausted, although their tiredness was accompanied by that self-righteous feeling that comes after physical effort. So they slipped upstairs to Lewis' room, set the alarm clock, divested themselves of their sports clothes and lay on the bed dozing in each other's arms. The alarm did its work. They showered together and without bothering to dress again Ben made his way naked across to his wing, towel and dirty clothes in a linen bag, just as Jack came out of the twins' room before looking for their hosts in order to announce that dinner would be served in ten minutes. There was no embarrassment whatsoever. Admiration, yes, adoration, maybe, envy not in the slightest for Ben and Jack matched up very well in their physiques and Jack had the temerity to slap Ben on his bare bottom as he left to go downstairs again. While dressing he thought how lucky he was to share his affection with Lewis, but also realised that neither was he left entirely untouched by Jack. Phrases like 'the sort of son I would like to have' and the transparent 'I'd like to marry sister' ran through his mind and in conclusion he came to appreciate his brother's situation where he had openly fallen in love with two people at the same time. His eyes fell on his signet ring and he instantly reaffirmed to himself his commitment to Lewis. As a by the by it dawned on him that it was too easy to forget just how young the twins in fact were especially as he and Lewis had really accepted them as contemporaries.
When he went downstairs Lewis was already in the sitting room enjoying a glass of sherry. One had been poured for Ben. Within minutes Jack and Ted invited their hosts to take their places in the dining room and acting the part they held their chairs as they took their seats. If it had not been obvious before it became so today that Jack always attached himself to Ben while Ted attended on Lewis. It had been the twins' choice, but it certainly suited them. On the table already served were bowls of Mediterranean tomato soup complete with basil leaves. They must have raided their mother's larder while Ben and Lewis were upstairs. This was followed by poached salmon cutlets in a sauce accompanied by boiled new potatoes and a mixed salad.
"We've taken the liberty of opening a bottle of wine," said Jack as he filled the four glasses on the table with a German Mosel. To finish a fresh fruit salad and assorted cheeses were offered and from the variety compared with the previous day's shopping Lewis and Ben not only deduced that they had in fact raided the larder at home, but that Christina had connived before going away in the provision of ingredients and it would have been a great disappointment, had they refused the twins' offer of playing chef. And to boot they could not fault the quality of either the production or the presentation. Was there no end to these lads' gifts?
The evening had been most civilised and over coffee Ben and Lewis extolled Jack and Ted and expressed their gratitude for their efforts. With tongues loosened by the bottle of Mosel the conversation ranged over various topics from their early life. The twins talked about the difference the lottery win had made to their lives, Ben talked about Buckton College, the prep school where he had taught for a year and perhaps what was most fascinating for the twins the interrelationships of his family. They asked about Marc and Seb in particular. Lewis also talked about his schooldays and coming out when he was fourteen. The boxer-brief argument was given an airing in a way that only Jack and Ted could air it.
"Do you say all this to your Mum and Dad when they buy you clothes?" asked Ben.
"Do we ever!" said Ted.
"We get a clothes allowance and we buy our own usually. Okay, Mum or Dad will come with us if we're getting something big or formal like a suit or school uniform," said Jack.
"But everyday things we get ourselves, some of it off the internet," finished Ted.
"We also get stuff when we're on holiday in America."
"It's different..."
"... and cooler, and what costs a pound here costs a dollar there, so we can get more for our allowance."
The conversation continued in similar vein and our heroes felt they had been regally entertained by the twins. Furthermore when they went to do the washing up they found that it had already been done.
"Nothing is too much trouble for you, sirs," they said in unison and with a bow, but despite the irony in the word 'sirs' it was a remark made with obvious genuine feeling.
Despite coffee, the exertions of the day finally overcame them and soon all four made their weary ways up to bed.
III
Since they had been living at Oddstones Marc, Elly and Seb would attend the parish church each Sunday and now Ben and Lewis were resident in the village they joined the extended family. They were admittedly surprised when Jack and Ted asked if they might join them and even more surprised when they got themselves up early, disappeared back home and returned wearing very smart dark suits. They looked so grown up and handsome. The villagers in general supported their church very well and in sufficient numbers to retain their own priest who had been at the church more years than many of the congregation could remember which led to the fear that when he finally retired they might well have to share whoever was available and 'whoever' would more than likely be of the modern tradition and, dare one say, happy-clappy, or even worse a woman. The family preferred the early service for the rector with full support of his churchwardens had resisted calls to modernise that service and week upon week it would be read from the Book of Common Prayer.
The family always walked from home to the church unless the weather was particular inclement and their timing was such that the Oddstones group and the Nook contingent converged on the lychgate from opposite ends of the village at the same time. Self-indulgence led to a communal family hug and the twins were not to be left out. Had anyone been looking they would have noticed the particularly warm and tight embrace between them and Seb, but no one was looking. During the service the twins sandwiched Seb between them, both in their pew and when they went up to take communion. On the way out the rector enquired after Jack and Ted's parents and they explained that they were away for the weekend, something about a second honeymoon to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
When the extended family was leaving, the first autumnal mist was lifting as the sun gained height and ever armed with their digital camera the twins asked for a group photograph which Elly readily volunteered to take so that she could avoid being in it. Eventually the party split up. From the gossiping a bystander might not be blamed for thinking they had been parted for months. With calls of "See you later" and another hug between Seb and the twins they made their separate ways home to breakfast.
At the Nook breakfast was a leisurely affair aided by the Sunday papers, but eventually Jack and Ted disappeared over to their house to download the camera as they wanted to take some prints along with them to Oddstones. Later they were to be seen in the garden practising their rugby passing and promptly at half past eleven they returned dressed in the regulation 501s ready for the walk to Oddstones. Admittedly they thought they were having their leg pulled, but had decided to play along. However, Lewis and Ben had changed into theirs and on their arrival they discovered that with one exception all the males had played the game, that exception being Tony whom no one had remembered to tell. (Exempt on grounds of age, everyone joked.) Margaret, Jessica and Adam were also there by now. The only family missing were Marc, Jessica and Ben's parents who found the journey too much for just one day, especially on a bank holiday weekend, and had declined the invitation.
The temperature had risen with the sun and the three ladies had worked hard to lay lunch al fresco in a shaded part of the garden. Marc and Seb busied themselves ensuring that everyone was fully supplied with liquid refreshment. After the housewarming at the Nook Ted and Jack were no strangers and everyone went out of their way to ensure they were fully integrated and entertained to the point where they were successfully separated without the need for a surgical operation, but when lunch was served they closed in from opposite ends of the garden to ensure that at table they had Seb sitting between them and from his face you could see that Seb was thoroughly relishing their company. The photographs had been duly produced to general approval, but Jack was still carefully guarding another envelope under the table. Conversation was lively over the traditional roast, pork on this occasion, and the meal easily lasted two hours before the family rose from table. Another family tradition, the menfolk cleared away and loaded and unloaded the dishwasher. This now included Lewis of course - privileges had their corresponding duties - but not the twins who were still considered guests. Strangely, though, after carrying dirty crockery and cutlery through to the kitchen from the garden Seb was nowhere to be seen and that was unlike him. Still they had more than enough to help with the tendency to get in each other's way. After that it was relaxation in the garden for the men or the sitting room for the women who could discuss babies to their hearts' content, and an after-dinner nap was also in order.
Five o'clock and time for tea. The ladies dutifully got up to enquire after the wishes of their menfolk. Elly returned to the garden to ask Lewis if he had seen Jack and Ted and only then did he realise he hadn't seen or heard them all afternoon. He went inside to ask Ben and they duly made their way to the kitchen to report when they heard an almighty racket on the stairs as three bodies bounced their way down ignoring the odd step and chatting nineteen to the dozen. It was the twins and Seb. Each of their faces had the look of the cat who'd got the cream and Jack was no longer guarding that envelope. Ben's sharp mind immediately flashed back to the evening of Marc and Elly's wedding day feeding him the idea that the twins had finally succeeded where he had failed. Not that it mattered to him now and they had certainly made no secret of working hard for it. Still he mustn't jump to conclusions.
Tea was served on the patio and everyone sat around and chatted until Jack asked if he could take some more snaps to finish the film off - not bad for a digital camera! Without further ado he organised everyone into various groups and clicked away or organised someone else to, while he joined this group or that. When the tea things were cleared away it signalled a natural end to the lunch party and two by two everyone took their leave. Ben, Lewis, Jack and Ted were the last, mainly as the twins were still talking to Seb. As they parted the passion of the hug had not diminished from the morning after church and Ben smiled to himself. He had to confess to some professional jealousy. On the way home he asked the twins whether they had enjoyed themselves. They had.
"Where did you disappear to this afternoon?"
"Oh. we were up in Seb's apartment." He knew he would get no further than that. There was no use trying. But he wasn't deflected from his theory either when five minutes later Ted casually said
"Seb might be able to fix us up with his friend from your modelling agency." They arrived home and spent the rest of the evening in a heated game of Scrabble until bedtime.
IV
The following day spent at Duxford turned out to be most entertaining for our four young men. The Battle of Britain flight had managed to muster all the few remaining airworthy Spitfires and Hurricanes which formed up in a flypast. Even when there was no flying the fringe entertainments kept them occupied. The worst aspect of the excursion was the traffic in the evening and it was eight o'clock before they finally arrived back at the Nook.
Cooking that evening was out of the question, so they quickly showered and changed and walked to the village inn for dinner. The sky glowed in the west for the evenings were fast drawing in. They all felt that incandescent warmth that comes after a day in the sun. Conversation was subdued, even from the twins, for no other reason than that the weekend had scarcely been restful and that its exertions were catching up even on them. Over dinner Ben bought them each a beer. He knew from experience it would get them talking and he wasn't wrong.
"How do you get on with Seb?" he blandly asked in his ingenuous way.
"Great," they replied together.
"It's odd because he acts like he's our big brother," said Ted. "He tells us funny stories and over the years he's been there, seen it, done it and he feeds in advice without being pushy."
"What were you talking about for so long yesterday afternoon? We wondered where you'd got to."
"Oh, stuff. He's got a such fund of stories."
"And the people he's met through his work."
"We gave him some of our photos because of the possibility of doing some modelling like you, Ben."
"He also showed us his collection of jockstraps," said Jack warming to his subject, "and he let us try some on." Lewis and Ben gave each other a knowing look.
"We'll let you see some pictures," continued Ted.
"There's one of me in David Beckham's," said Jack.
"And one of me in Michael Owen's," added Ted.
"How did he get hold of those?" asked Lewis.
"He's never mentioned them to us," said Ben.
"There was a charity auction advertised on the internet a couple of years ago of famous personalities' clothes and kit. Mainly shirts, shorts, suits, dresses, hats, tracksuits, even trainers and boots and through friends he talked them into thinking there would be little call for jockstraps and persuaded them to come to a private arrangement."
"He's got one of Ian Botham's."
"And Linford Christie's, but even we couldn't do justice to it," said Ted.
"It was much too big round the waist," Jack quickly added, but with little chance of convincing anyone.
"Anyway, that apart, we've decided to invite him to become our unofficial godfather," said Jack.
"We're not quite sure how Mum and Dad are going to take it, but we'll work on that."
"You see, our real godfather died when we were about five.
"He was a conjuror and did magic tricks for us." "And we felt we'd missed out."
"It means he can be a friend of the family like you two are now."
The twins were probably working on their parents over that, as well. Lewis and Ben were getting used to the way one twin would start a sentence and the other would finish it and didn't find it so bewildering now. In fact they'd noticed how they'd begun doing it themselves since they'd been living together.
They went on to discuss many of the other things they had done and could not express their gratitude sufficiently. On the other hand Lewis and Ben praised them for the way they had joined in and made themselves so handy about the house. They had enjoyed their company and would be pleased to babysit for them again should the opportunity arise. Lewis and Ben were dying to discuss the sexual overtones of the weekend, fully aware of the effect the twins had had on them, but could not bring themselves to do so for fear of seeming to encourage them. But in truth while they had responded undeniably positively to the twins' attractiveness and tarting they could honestly say they had not initiated anything despite the many opportunities and temptations.
It was not long after they had finished their meal that they made their way home through the lanes so completely dark that they wished they had brought torches. Once indoors Lewis asked Jack and Ted whether as a special treat and because they had been so responsible they would like to taste one of his available in Scotland only malt whiskies. Again the twins' enterprise won through and he poured them each a measured tot into a glass while pouring an unmeasured one for Ben and himself with the advice to drink just one small sip at a time and savour it before swallowing. In both the first sip caused coughing and spluttering, but the second was savoured and eventually appreciated. However, the overall effect after they had finished was that they both went very red in the face and became giggly as they sprawled over the settee. It was obviously time for bed. Our heroes first took Ted and Jack into the kitchen and insisted they drank a large glass of water, then accompanied them upstairs to their room just to make sure they were safe. They left a tray with two glasses and a large carafe of water on the bedside table and told them if they felt thirsty in the night to drink some water. There is no implication that they were drunk. They were not, just giggly, but our lads didn't want to take any risk with other people's property. Jack and Ted assured Ben and Lewis that were perfectly all right and just wanted to sleep. They wished them good night at which Jack took Ben's hand and stroking his palm with his forefinger drew him towards him, put his arms round his waist, his hands on his buttocks and kissed him good night on the lips. They lingered for a few seconds feeling the contours of each other's body before Jack released him, climbed onto the bed without undressing and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
"He's okay," assured Ted. "He always does this. Passes out on a barmaid's breath. He'll wake up after an hour and I'll help him to get undressed," he said with a knowing smile as he took his shoes off for him. Our lads wished Ted good night, told him not to worry about calling them if he needed to and disappeared downstairs.
"Tomorrow's the 1 September," said Ben once they were seated in the sitting room again. "One week until school begins."
"We'd better get down to some work, I suppose," Lewis replied.
"Still, time for bed, said Zebedee," or rather Ben and they cleared away the glasses, climbed the stairs, undressed and got into bed.
"Good night, Ben," said Lewis.
"Just a moment. I'm afraid Jack started something that's got to be finished," and Ben took Lewis in his arms and gave him a full, hot-blooded good night kiss.
---oo0oo---
"Good morning, everyone," they cheerfully chorused. The twins were down to breakfast the following morning at seven thirty sharp, carrying their bed linen and towels which they put into the washing machine. Ben and Lewis were just putting the final touches to the Daily Telegraph crossword.
"How did you sleep, Jack?"
"Like a log."
"Breakfast?"
"Yes please, I'm starving."
"Bacon, egg, fried bread, mushrooms, baked beans and sausage okay?"
"I could murder them," came the reply as Jack poured himself a bowl of muesli.
"It's all right," said Ted.
"I've told him. He can't remember a thing."
"All I can remember is being downstairs and then the next was I woke up about midnight frozen stiff. Did I really kiss you, Ben?"
"That's right. You did, but I wouldn't call it frozen stiff."
"Damn shame I can't remember. Must catch you another time," and by now he was heartily tucking into his full fry.
"Obviously no harm done," added Lewis.
Breakfast over the twins collected their things together and with hearty thanks they disappeared across to their own house. They had a morning of fitness, rugby practice and photo processing on the computer ahead of them. By eleven the Mercedes was parked in the drive and within the hour Phil and Christina were ringing the front door bell, carrying a large old-fashioned picnic hamper between them. They were immediately invited in and offered tea or coffee.
"The boys have told us all about their weekend with you," said Phil.
"We couldn't stop them talking. We haven't been able say anything about ours they were so excited," continued Christina. They lifted the hamper onto the table. Sellotaped to it was a card in an envelope.
"We've brought you this to say thank you," said Phil.
"The boys must have eaten you out of house and home," Christina went on. "I don't know where they put it all and there's not an ounce of fat on them."
'I've noticed,' thought Ben.
"You didn't have to," said Lewis. "It's been great fun and they certainly kept our family entertained on Sunday."
"I'll drink to that," said Ben and after last night immediately wished he hadn't.
"In the envelope there's some cash to cover the boys' expenses. If it's not enough, don't hesitate to say so." Ben and Lewis peered into the hamper and were taken aback at what was there. It was all kinds of non-perishable food and drink. It would take them a month on holiday to get through that. They left the envelope for the moment, but expressed their gratitude as Phil and Christina made their excuses.
"All the unpacking and washing to do and a bucket of cold water to throw over the boys to calm them down. I don't know where they get all their energy from. Yes, we had a super weekend and it's made it even better to know that Jack and Ted were in such good hands." After the Battys had been shown out, Ben and Lewis undid the envelope. They gasped. The sum inside was far in excess of what they had spent.
V
In September school began and both Ben and Lewis faced a gruelling first term. For them life had finally become serious with the ensuing stresses and tests on their relationship. However, facing the trials of probationary teachers they were strengthened by their mutual support and comfort. Together they were able to ensure that there was life beyond school, even if during term time that was only on a Sunday. Lewis did have two full days at the weekend, but the U15 rugby team would take up Ben's Saturdays. At least he could stay in bed longer unless it was a morning away match, but morning matches on the other hand gave him a free afternoon.
With their various common interests, not least of which was their shared sexuality, Lewis' and Ben's friendship with the Batty boys inevitably developed. To begin with there was the school run. Ben and Lewis would take turns driving to and from school, unless there was something special to detain them such as staff meetings or parents' evenings, and it would have been churlish not to take their nextdoor neighbours with them. The boys livened up the journeys with their chatter in the back seat. In fact our couple often wondered whether they rehearsed the comedy routines at home on the evening before. Despite the temptations the twins never compromised their professional relationship with Ben although they had plenty of opportunity. If they were in school uniform it was always 'sir' and 'Ben and Lewis' in casual clothes. Ben not only had them in his rugby squad, but discovered they were members of his fourth form maths set, as well. The potential problem with the U15 rugby XV did not really evolve. The twins could prove their superiority as halfbacks to their fellow pupils with such little difficulty that there was no visible or audible dissent. By then they were already very well accepted by their peer group and obviously well liked. Ben was so sure of their ability that he let the decision, publicly at least, be announced by his deputy. Jack and Ted not only strengthened the XV by their own contribution, but released talent that increased competition for places elsewhere in the team. What had been a mediocre season as U14s turned out to be the most successful school U15s in the memory of any of the pupils. The acid test came when Ben heard that Buckton College was planning a tour in the area and he used his contacts to arrange an extra fixture. The match was a high-scoring success of entertaining rugby and when the whistle finally blew for no side honour was satisfied with a draw.
But we have gone off at a tangent. It is family and village life we should be discussing at this point. First among the September social rounds was the Battys' housewarming party which took the form of a barbecue organised by the local butcher. All of Ben's family had been invited, but when it came down to it only Seb, Marc and Elly besides him and Lewis were able to attend and it was to their great surprise when the announcement was made that Seb was to become Jack's and Ted's new godfather. Ben and Lewis had given it no more heed since that pub dinner after Duxford and Seb had certainly kept quiet about it. They were able to meet the aunt with the broken leg whose accident had indirectly given them such an entertaining and pleasurable bank holiday and it came out in conversation that all the parties involved would be delighted for Lewis and Ben to 'babysit' for the twins again, should the occasion arise, and the occasion certainly was going to arise if Jack and Ted had anything to do with it.
As autumn progressed the days were fast closing in and Ben and Lewis realised that they hadn't organised anything for half term. They felt a need to get away to find some sun, but not only that. They were both exhausted and had been so fully committed to making a success of their school life that they had neglected not only house and garden, but more particularly each other. If they stopped at the Nook, they knew they would would fiddle and waste the break. On the Friday a week before half term started they sat down together after dinner and formed a plan of action. Firstly they would ask their cleaner to double her hours over half term. The weekend would be spent tidying the garden, enlisting the twins' aid since they would willingly cut the grass provided they could use the sit-on motor mower. Ben and Lewis would do the rest. Then they trawled through the teletext for last minute holidays. Not wanting to repeat Mykonos just yet they found a slot for Tenerife, leave Saturday and return the following Saturday, and a phone call secured it. It was such a bargain that they did not worry over much about the accommodation as long as they could build on the physical side of their relationship. The five Ss - siesta, swimming, supper and sleep - that was what they were after, especially getting away from the chores of their everyday existence and being waited on.
In the extended family there were also developments. Marc, Jessica and Ben's parents had finally taken the decision to sell up in the west country and to come and live in Cambridgeshire. They had found a bungalow in the country on the other side of the city near to Jessica and Adam. Both Ben and Lewis felt some relief for they did not really want to be overshadowed while they were building as it were their lifetime partnership together. The parents were safely settled in for Christmas. However, Christmas required some planning which took place over a family Sunday lunch. There were practical considerations. The parents' bungalow was patently too small to take them all. Both Jessica and Elly were growing large with child, Elly especially, and she was petite under normal circumstances, and so it would not be fair to lumber them with the arrangements. Therefore it was Ben and Lewis to the rescue as they readily volunteered to host Christmas Day for the family if others would provide any accommodation required. However, it did not come to that for in the end for it was Tony and Margaret who insisted that everyone should come to them. Lewis and Ben did admittedly utter a sigh of relief.
When Christmas finally arrived they were more that ready for it and in the end it panned out rather well. At the Mythe School the end of term celebrations included the rugby dinner, the school play and the carol service. At least Lewis could accompany Ben to the last two and he was heartened by the number of boys who remembered him from TP. The week before Christmas saw the usual panic with shopping, writing cards and the general preparations such as decorating the house.
The holiday was a period of rest and recuperation for our two young men, punctuated with the usual round of social events with the family and of course with their neighbours, and by the way, after negotiation neither had found any necessity to mark the boundary between their properties by any other means than those the surveyors had used in the summer. The openness of their gardens was emblematical of the openness between the two (for want of a better word) families.
On Christmas Eve along with the Batty family Ben and Lewis stepped through a light sprinkling of snow to Oddstones for drinks and then on to church for midnight mass, Seb under the constant supervision of his new found godsons. After church the party split to return to their own homes. Once indoors Ben and Lewis exchanged gifts, a pair of cufflinks made from two sovereigns for Lewis and an exercise bike for Ben. They thanked each other under a sprig of mistletoe in the traditional way. Lewis poured two glasses of exclusive malt whisky which they drank in front of the television watching the remnants of a Will Hay film before returning to the mistletoe as a prelude to retiring to bed.
After the late night came the late morning. It was nine o'clock when Ben woke. As Lewis was still slumbering, he put on a pair of shorts and went and made tea. It was strange. He was proud of his body and knew it was in superb condition. He had no compunction whatever in stripping off all his clothes and yet he would feel physically uncomfortable if he walked round the house naked. He could never understand the culture of nudists. He brought the tea up to the bedroom and in the manner of the tale of Sleeping Beauty the prince gently woke his loved one and presented him with a cup of tea. Lewis smiled sleepily and looked at his watch. The family space wagon would pick them up at eleven o'clock. They had another hour before they had to get up. Ben peeled off his shorts, climbed back into bed and warmed himself against Lewis' naked body.
By eleven they were up, showered and smartly dressed, standing by the front door in anticipation each armed with two large carrier bags of Christmas presents duly packed and labelled with the combined love of Ben and Lewis.
A thoroughly happy day was spent with all the family at Tony and Margaret's. This would be the last Christmas with only two generations. Elly and Jessica were pampered to the last degree, especially by their respective mothers. Christmas was still celebrated traditionally. This year the main fare was goose, an advantage of living in the country. Lunch lasted until the Queen's speech and afterwards the presents were distributed and opened. The menfolk were finally allowed to take their afternoon nap while the womenfolk could talk of babies. The evening was time for silly games and drinks except for the duty drivers. Towards midnight the party broke up and Lewis and Ben climbed into the space wagon with the Oddstones contingent for the journey home. Our two young men chilled out for an hour until they finally decided to go to bed, and after calling by the mistletoe their day finished in the same way as it began.
However, it was Boxing Day that was to provide the surprise treat and even Lewis was taken aback. They were invited nextdoor to the Battys' for lunch and Lewis and Ben dutifully turned up at twelve. It was Boxing Day in the true sense since the six gathered together would later exchange their Christmas boxes. After a chat over sherry Phil and Christina suggested that while they were making the last preparations for lunch Jack and Ted might like to take Ben and Lewis to their den and show them their Christmas presents. No sooner said than done. The twins had decorated their room for the festive season and while our young men were recovering from the surprise Jack skilfully manœuvred Ben, and Ted likewise Lewis, under the two prominent sprigs of mistletoe and before they knew what was happening the twins wrapped their arms around them and took full advantage of the yuletide tradition by giving each a long and passionate kiss. The two pairs of bodies held such a tight embrace that all four could feel the passion aroused in themselves and their partner. When they finally split, Jack looked Ben in the eyes and sai
"Do you remember that last morning at your place over the bank holiday in the summer? I said I would catch you another time? Consider yourself caught." Meanwhile Lewis was still making sure that he was giving as good as he got. Any thoughts of professionalism had long gone out of the window. The flirting had to stop when Christina's voice was heard calling up the stairs that it was time for lunch.
However pleasurable the rest of the day was, it was an anticlimax compared with the aperitif all four had just enjoyed. Each was astonished as to where the last half hour had gone. Ben had some professional qualms, but they were soon dismissed by the satisfaction of the moment. He was relieved that he had taken his pleasure with Lewis that morning or he could have been on edge for the rest of the day. Without the professional relationship Lewis had thoroughly exploited the whole affair content in the fact he had neither instigated it nor been untrue to his lover. By the time the four had washed their hands for lunch all feeling of tightness, if not dampness, had vanished from their trousers. Lunch extended into tea and further into the evening. Finally they got round to the exchange of gifts and Ben and Lewis were equally surprised as they were delighted to receive from the Batty family, signed by each member, a year's premier membership to the local leisure centre and country club they had visited in the summer. Each membership card was placed inside a folder with a picture of the relevant twin posing at a sporting activity.
New Year it was Lewis' and Ben's turn to host the celebrations at the Nook. It was almost a repeat version of house-warming with the full family and the Battys. Our two lads organised a buffet supper, which made the arrangements easier, and organised various entertainments which the two sisters-in-law had to sit out. However, they had brought their knitting. The twins behaved themselves exceptionally well and even at midnight followed Lewis' and Ben's restrained example in confining themselves to hugs with the one exception of their godfather. It was two o'clock before the party finally broke up and after all their hard work in entertaining Ben and Lewis could retire, only to fall asleep immediately. Still, they made up for that in the morning as they had the whole day before them and to themselves.
VI
January brought the first piece of excitement of the New Year to the extended family when without any complications Elly gave birth to her and Marc's twin baby boys, and none outside the family took greater interest in them than Jack and Ted, especially as in this case the new born were identical twins. In due time they were christened Thomas and Guy in deference to Marc's great schoolfriend and the man who had indirectly contributed, perhaps unwittingly, to the happiness and support of so many of the younger members of the family. Boosted by their success Marc and Elly produced Sebastian some seventeen months later and he was named in honour of his uncle. Not to be outdone Jessica brought Benedick into the world two months after the arrival of the twins and with Adam's further assistance gave birth to Elizabeth in the same month as Sebastian was born. With a new generation the centre of gravity of the extended family altered. Now for years to come all eyes were on the new arrivals with interest in their future development.
At a family Sunday lunch to celebrate the birth of the twins the company gathered was reminiscing and because of the time of year the topic of conversation naturally alighted on the skiing holidays in Austria.
"Why don't you men take one again this year," suggested Elly.
"I can't leave you and the twins so soon," replied Marc.
"Why not?" chorused the two grandmamas in unison.
"That would give us a chance to come and give a hand without interfering." The two grandfathers looked at one another trying not to laugh. It was just the opportunity both had been looking for and the conversation had all the signs of devious feminine preplanning. The three bachelors said
"We're up for it."
"Count us out," piped up Adam.
"We've made other plans for the next few weeks," added a radiant Jessica.
"What do you think, Marc?"
"I'll discuss it with Elly when there's no pressure, but why don't you all go ahead anyway?" Marc was on a term out, partly leave for research, partly paternity leave, so he could not argue that he was unable get the time off. Seb was a free agent and he had some time owing to him. Ben and Lewis had half term.
"We're in for a bit of taxi-driving," said the grandfathers.
"Anyway, you youngsters won't want us holding you back."
"You know what?" piped up Seb. "I think it's about time I treated my godsons. Leave the bookings to me and I'll see what I can do for a party of six." Seb knew that if his sister and mother were in favour Marc virtually had his case packed.
"Maurach?" he continued.
"Is there anywhere else?" said Marc whose heartstrings had been plucked by nostalgia.
"So you're coming?" said Ben.
"Wait a moment. Elly, shall we go and make some tea?" He was interested. It was conference time.
Marc and Elly disappeared to the kitchen. Seb disappeared upstairs. Meanwhile the rest of the family played Pass the Parcel with Thomas and Guy in a communal hugging session until Margaret decided it was time for a nappy change which gave the two grandmamas an excuse to go and add their two pennyworth in the kitchen. Even at this early age nappy change showed that the twins were truly their father's sons. As the grandfather clock struck five, tea was wheeled in on a trolley. Seb reappeared on cue. Decisions had been made. It was all systems go. Marc was coming and the Batty boys would be entrusted to the tender loving care of their godfather for a week. Twenty-four hours later Seb had done the biz and flights, transfers, hotel and ski hire had been fixed up.
The journey to school in the car next morning was interesting, to say the least.
"I hear you're coming skiing with us at half term," the twins said to Lewis and Ben. They smiled wryly as they thought it was the other way round.
"Yes."
"Seb said he wanted to treat us as we were his godsons," said Ted.
"And we're going to treat him," added Jack.
"We've got a little surprise up our sleeves."
"What's that?" asked Ben naïvely.
"If we told you it wouldn't be a surprise," answered Ted.
"But he'll enjoy it. We'll make sure of that," continued Jack. "It's something all three of us have wanted for a long time." As the car disgorged its contents Ben and Lewis thought no more about it and nor should they.
Half term was late that February which meant it should be that much warmer on the slopes as the sun finally began to gain some height. Although it had been some years since the last family trip to Maurach for skiing the routine had hardly changed. Marc and Ben's father took the six to Luton in the family space wagon for seven o'clock on the Saturday. Flight to Munich, coach over the frontier to Maurach, arrival late afternoon, get kitted out, dinner, crash out after a long day, Sunday morning revision skiing lessons. Our six had elected to be housed in the annexe not only for sentimental reasons, but also for the extra facilities such as the swimming pool, sauna and fitness room. Marc and Seb stayed in their usual room, the one where as sixteen and fourteen year olds and after six months of wooing and longing, not to mention manipulation, they had finally consummated their relationship. A year later they had connived so that Adam and Jessica had a couple of hours alone together in that room and in heterosexual form they followed their older brothers' example and a dozen or so years later both relationships were as strong as ever.
Seb had also organised the weather. Fresh snow had fallen just before their arrival and as was usual for early spring in the Alps the sun shone warmly and the locals were already sporting that winter suntan. Marc and Seb were concerned about the twins. They had not skied before and naturally had to go into the beginners' class, but being the natural sportsmen they were and along with their honed fitness they easily picked up the skills they were taught in the morning and were anxious to exploit them in their free time in the afternoon under the expert tuition of the neighbour with the qualification in PE. Ben had never viewed himself as a Schilehrer before, but his combination of training and years of experience on the slopes made sure that the youngsters progressed speedily and by midweek they were equal to any task the others were attempting. All four would ensure that Jack and Ted had a good time in the evening and took full advantage of the après-ski activities. They were not given time to get bored and in any case they were entrepreneurial by nature. Since being at the Mythe School they had started German and with two graduates in German in the party and Ben having gone through the Buckton College system it was poor Lewis who was left out in the cold linguistically. Of the adults he was also the least experienced skier. He had once been on a school trip to the Highlands. So he was not a complete beginner. To assuage his conscience, since he was supposed to on study leave, Marc had arranged to spend the Wednesday and Thursday with a German colleague at Munich university. When the twins heard this their eyes lit up, unnoticed by the others, for although they would miss Marc's company it made their plans for Seb's surprise that much simpler. Only Lewis and Ben had heard anything about it and that was in the car on the way to school a few weeks back and since that day they had given it no more thought. So Wednesday was the appointed day. It was too easy really and unwittingly Ben and Lewis fel l in with their plans.
They had already expressed the wish to spend a little time by themselves. The day's skiing had gone like all the other days. The five skied down to the hotel from the top station, but instead of the customary swim Lewis and Ben decided for once they would go off for Kaffee und Kuchen followed by shopping and catch up with Seb and the twins at dinner. This left the way free for the twins for they knew Seb well enough for him not to go off on his own and leave them behind. That would have been irresponsible even if he had wanted to. So they took their customary swim and finished off in the sauna. That relaxed all three and put them in the right mood.
Afterwards they went and changed for the evening. As arranged they had dinner together and spent the time chatting in the hotel bar until the twins said they were tired and Ben suggested that an early night was in order. All five made their way back to the annexe and said good night before going off to their rooms. As they had the annexe to themselves, once they were in they locked the front door and had no need to worry about the outside world. Lewis and Ben were so occupied with one another that half an hour later they did not hear the twins' door open as, clad only in their dressing gowns, they padded their way along the corridor to Seb's room. A light tap on his door and they went in without waiting for an answer. Seb was reading, in bed in his normal night attire, namely his birthday suit. Jack and Ted greeted him cheerily and Seb was overjoyed, if taken aback, to see them. They hung their dressing gowns on the peg behind the door, walked across the room to either side of the double bed and climbed under the duvet. When Ben went to wake the twins in the morning they were not in their room. He just heard the telltale giggles from Marc and Seb's room and immediately knew that not only were they up and about, but they had also given Seb his treat. What he didn't know was that now Plan A had been executed Jack and Ted would be working on Plan B, an even greater challenge, and that Plan B involved him and Lewis. However, that would not be for some time yet.
The mood during Thursday's skiing was light and frivolous. Everyone knew why, but no one was anxious to talk about it, least of all Seb. Marc would return from Munich in time for dinner, so Ben and Lewis suggested all six should go out for a drink afterwards, but with one view to loosen tongues. To start with Lewis stood everyone a beer over dinner to start the ball rolling, but kept off the taboo subject. Anyway, Marc's academic adventures in Munich were the main topic, even if it left everyone but Seb cold. He had managed to see some Thomas Mann archive material which would have been useful to him when he was writing his thesis. However, he accepted philosophically that one never ceased learning and that that material alone had made the whole stay worthwhile. Marc asked if he could be excused from going out for a drink. He was knackered from the travelling and had a few things to catch up with and he was determined to enjoy the last day of skiing.
The five wrapped themselves up warm, for it was a frosty moonlit night, and disappeared off to the Goldener Apostel. For Seb this was a sentimental journey, but he wasn't letting on. Well, not yet. They settled down at a quiet table. Only Seb knew that it was the table. He ordered the beers and as planned the conversation got going. It was Ben whose curiosity got the better of him and he blurted out with
"You lot were making enough noise last night." He was trying his luck. He had been too involved in his own love life to pay any attention, but they weren't to know that.
"Why? Was Lewis stopping you from getting to sleep?" came the rejoinder from Seb.
"Go on. We know about it. You may as well spill the beans."
"Well, there's nothing to tell. I was quite happily reading in bed when there was a tap at the door. I had a visit. It went on a bit."
"You can say that again," said Ben.
"Till the morning," said Lewis. Seb continued quite unabashed.
"The visit was from two thoroughly irresistible young hunks..." Jack and Ted giggled. "...and I don't think what happened after that was much different from what was happening in your room." Seb ended defiantly and with a self-satisfied smile complete with the twinkle in his eyes. Jack and Ted were looking at one another, nudging each other, obviously proud of their efforts and enjoying the moment, and still giggling uncontrollably.
"Your turn will come," they said to Ben and Lewis with tears of mirth rolling down their cheeks as some kind of consolation which they took as simply a throwaway remark.
Ben was just about to order some more beers when the door opened and who should come in but Marc.
"I thought I might find you here. Has Seb told you what this pub means to us?" The beers arrived. "Shall we tell them, Seb?" and the story of their first declaration of love after their first night spent together was passed on to the next generation.
"And it was at this very table," concluded Seb.
"And am I to gather that you two lads had your wicked way with my boyfriend last night while I was away?" The twins gasped.
"How did you know?"
"Well, it doesn't take a Sherlock Holmes to know that. Firstly, Seb and I gave up using Lynx some years ago. Secondly, there are no secrets between us and thirdly you don't often see four dressing gowns hung behind the door of a room for two."
"You don't mind?" asked Jack suddenly becoming serious.
"No, why? We've always been brought up to share and I hope you had as good a time with him as I do. I'm looking forward to hearing all the details when we get back. It's got me going already."
There was a natural pause and Marc looked at his watch. They paid up and took their leave.
"We've got a strenuous day tomorrow - Langlauf - cross-country." Outside it was quiet, so quiet that Seb and Marc walked up the road to the hotel with their arms round each other's waist. Following suit Jack took Ben and Ted took Lewis. Despite the cold Ben felt his trousers tighten. On reaching the annexe they went up to their rooms, but all had a communal hug and kissed each other good night.
Although new for the twins and Lewis Friday was exactly what the other three had come to expect, but no less enjoyable for that. A thoroughly good time was had as they skied to areas not touched before. In the evening the presentations and a particular fuss was made of the twins for having made the most progress as beginners. After the party the packing and early to bed for the early start in the morning.
VII
At Luton they were met by Tony with the family space wagon for the journey back to Cambridge. The twins and Lewis and Ben were the first to be dropped off. The Batty family reunion clearly showed they had all missed each other over the week, but Christina Batty, appreciating how tiring the long journey must have been, insisted that once they had unpacked Ben and Lewis were to join them for a hot meal, in the kitchen, no ceremony, and they could go as soon or as late as they wished. Much of the conversation over supper was about the week. The twins could announce that while they were away not only had they secured their places in the County rugby XV, but they had been invited for an England schoolboy trial. This news brought congratulations all round, certainly for the boys, but also for their rugby master who modestly denied any responsibility whatsoever. All four had Sunday to get ready for school, which at the Nook meant a battle with the washing machine, tumbler dryer and iron. Ben and Lewis joined the family and the Battys for church and were invited round to Oddstones for lunch. That way they were spared the Sainsbury's run and cooking
When they returned home late Sunday afternoon they finally had time to relax. Ben made some tea and they sat on the sofa in each other's arms simply pleased to be by themselves at last. Now they could talk and Ben broached the one topic that had been taxing him over the last few days.
"What did you think about Jack and Ted spending the night together with Seb when Marc was in Munich?"
"Is that the green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head?"
"I've got to say I was envious, not jealous, but envious certainly."
"You see, it had to come and I suppose there couldn't have been a better opportunity. It was inevitable and when you think about it, I'm surprised it hadn't happened before."
"I must admit I thought it had, but I was clearly wrong there, and I'm amazed how calmly Marc took it."
"Since he's been married to Elly, Seb's really been a free agent. If I understand the situation correctly, he didn't encourage them. They made the decision and it wouldn't surprise me if they've made a similar decision about us."
"What do you mean?" asked Ben naïvely, but obviously curious. He would always rely on the fact that Lewis was more experienced in these matters.
"Think back to last Thursday when we were going back to the hotel from the pub."
"You mean when the twins did split up and they walked us up the road with their arms round our waists."
"Yes. What did you say to me afterwards?"
"What? About experiencing that tightness in the trouser department again?"
"Yes."
"But you know me. It doesn't take much to work me up."
"I know," giggled Lewis "and they're only too well aware of it as well. But remember they always split up the same way. Think of the tennis, for instance, and let's face it. You fancy Jack - that's obvious from your body language - and I prefer Ted..."
"Fancy Ted!"
"Okay, fancy Ted, and they know it and what's more they fancy us in the same way. I tell you, it'll only be a matter of time until they try it on with us and don't tell me you'll say no. I know I certainly won't and providing they started it, I'm not deceiving you and you're getting your fair share as well I won't have any conscience."
"You mean, you wouldn't object if I gave in as well?"
"Look, we're a team, Ben. They're a team. It would just be the teams working in a different way, but we'd still be teams. So the answer's no and I think our relationship would gain from the experience. Anyway, I'm suffering the same frustration as you."
"I've got to admit I'd love to give it go," concluded Ben wistfully, "even if it's only to get it out of my system." He gave Lewis a long intimate kiss and they disappeared upstairs for a quiet hour together before getting on with the chores.
The Monday brought school and on the return journey Lewis could hardly contain his excitement, but had to until they had deposited the Batty boys. He had received a letter from the Mythe School, sent to him at the comp, with the details of a chemistry post and an invitation to apply.
"So they didn't just say it to make me feel good," he said to Ben. The closing date was the end of the week. From the application it was clear that his address was the same as Ben's, but no questions were asked and after interview he was offered the post which he duly accepted. Jack and Ted continued to blossom at the Mythe, certainly in their sport, but also and importantly in their academic work. They did represent the county at rugby, something which brought Ben even closer to the Batty family. Indeed they attended their England schoolboy trial and were on tenterhooks to see whether they would finally gain a cap.
So without their noticing, a year, an important year for our two heroes, was quickly elapsing. The summer term was blissful and relaxed. The twins from their reputation for rugby were siphoned off as 'natural sportsmen' into the cricket squad. Ben had both his fourth and fifth form taking public exams, not to mention the sixths. Ted had taken his and passed with flying colours. Jack had not as he was carrying on with maths in September and so came their first divergence with him taking sciences at A-level and Ted planning and an arts course.
The half term holiday started as usual on the Friday and on the way into school in the morning the twins asked if Ben minded bringing back a friend in the car as he was stopping with them during the weekend for a sleep-over. If it was any trouble their father would collect all three after school. Of course, it wasn't any trouble and Ben and Lewis thought no more about the conversation. Only, on recollection, the twins had never invited any friends home before, nor had they gone off to stay with other boys. One needed to look no further than their distinctive lifestyle to realise why. At four o'clock Ben's heart leapt to discover who it was. He had not given it any more thought during the day and there was no reason why he should have. The lad who was waiting with Jack and Ted was none other than Paul, his former rugby captain. It was only in retrospect some years later that Ben realised that his choice of rugby captain would not only fall on one of the outstanding members of the team - that went without saying since for one thing he had to be able to hold his place against any competition - but to a man they had all been particularly rugged types or more precisely good-looking youths who had at first subconsciously, but later more deliberately taken his fancy with a combination of character, sense of humour and physical attraction. So as the three loaded their kit into the boot of his car he could not help but admire their taste in friends and hope he might see something of Paul around home over the weekend and even said as much on the journey home.
Ben motored off to pick up Lewis and even he could not hide his obvious interest when he saw the 'stranger' in the car. The 'stranger' in fact needed no introduction as Paul and Lewis recognised each other immediately from TP. Half an hour later they were depositing their passengers outside the Nook and as Christina Batty came out of the neighbouring house to greet the guest she mentioned to Lewis and Ben that they would be welcome to join them for the barbecue they were having on Saturday evening. Ben was not a great fan of barbecues. They were a great recipe for ruining good food as well as a ready way of picking up campylobacter, as they had been taught in their health education lectures while at college. Anyway his libido soon overcame all the logical objections and Lewis needed no persuading anyway. Over that weekend Ben spent an inordinate amount of time seated at his desk in his study as the window gave a panoramic view over the gardens of both houses.
On the evening of the barbecue both Ben and Lewis entertained Paul. On casually enquiring about the intentions behind the weekend sleep over Ben was quietly told by the twins that they would give him the lowdown later at which, driven on by curiosity, Lewis and Ben's teamwork came into play. Chatting away Lewis led Ted and Paul up the garden path while Jack, who was visibly and undeniably keen to spill the beans, metaphorically, not those being served with the sausages, walked Ben over to the gazebo.
"It all started after games earlier this week. We were drying off in the changing room after our showers and there's Paul standing stark naked on a bench shouting 'Who's going to give me a BJ?' Of course there were the usual shouts of abuse, but Ted turned to me and said 'Now there's an invitation we couldn't possible refuse.' For obvious reasons we didn't say much then. As you know, we keep a pretty low profile as far as our sexuality's concerned."
"Should I be listening to this?" half joked Ben, but he wanted to in any case.
"Come on," protested Jack, "I'm talking to my hunky neighbour, not my maths master."
"Point taken. I was only giving you a get-out in case I embarrassed you."
"I think we lost all sense of embarrassment ages ago."
"That's if you ever had any in the first place."
"Anyway, while all this verbal abuse was going on I went and took one of his shoes and hid it. Then Ted and I took our time getting changed, but it had the effect we wanted. Everybody else was changed and gone home with just us and Paul left. Mr Griffiths put his head round the door and told us to hurry up. Naturally we said 'Yes, sir!' and he went off quite content. So we helped Paul look for his shoe which Ted found and we did a pincer movement on him and chatted him up. Yes, he was serious. No way were we going to do anything at school. So here he is spending the weekend with us and having a thoroughly good time once he was sworn to secrecy."
"Do your Mum and Dad know what you're up to?"
"They've always been very good ever since we came out. They must know what Ted and me get up to, but they've never asked and after the initial invitation to talk to them whenever we wanted to they've never interfered. As you know, when we moved into this house they planned it so that our room is nowhere near theirs and Paul's in the spare room next to us."
"And is Paul enjoying himself?"
"We've made sure of that and there's more to come." Meanwhile Ted, Lewis and Paul were coming back to fill up their plates.
The following morning after church Ben and Lewis walked back slowly with the boys while Phil and Christina Batty went on ahead. Unsolicited Paul could hardly stop describing what a good time he'd been having without giving any details away at all. Little did he know at that point that he was among friends. Nor at that point did Ben and Lewis know that the twins had especially asked their parents to invite their godfather to Sunday lunch that weekend.
VIII
Ben and Lewis had a busy half term under the motto: a change is as good as a rest. Paul was taken home by Christina Batty and the twins on the Monday morning, but not without the three boys calling in for him to say goodbye. Chatting after Paul's departure Lewis and Ben found they had independently come to the conclusion that they might have won a new friend. Neither denied that they had found him cute and as Ben had already admitted to Lewis the decision to make him his rugby captain hadn't, as previously explained, been solely based on his rugby ability. He had wanted to forge an eventual relationship with him and although it took several months it was now obvious that the seeds sown in the preceding autumn were now just beginning to germinate. The twins were sufficiently astute to know what was going on which was supported by an order Ben and Lewis had given them for photos of the weekend's activities.
At the top of their list of holiday activities was lovemaking. On schooldays this was largely confined to a quick kiss and a cuddle night and morning, but with the early sunrises they both naturally woke early, but found they could use the extra time in bed to attend to the other's desires, usually a continuation or reversal of what they had been doing the night before. So they could enjoy each other, still get up at a reasonable hour and not waste the day. Before breakfast there would then be some form of physical exercise, usually a run, certainly not a jog, round the village footpaths, then back home for a shower, breakfast and the Daily Telegraph crossword. Together they could usually complete it over breakfast except for Friday's which always seemed that much more difficult and took to lunchtime. They then had a choice of things to do: necessary house and garden maintenance, - their cleaner saved them the chore of ordinary housework - making full use of the year's leisure centre membership, stocking the larder, fridge and freezer, which with washing and ironing seemed a perpetual task, or doing something more culturally stimulating. This half term it was cathedrals and they managed to take in Ely, Norwich and Peterborough plus an outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet in Cambridge, but usually they liked to spend a leisurely evening just together over a meal out or one they had cooked themselves followed by an early night. During that week they saw little of the Battys who, they found out after, were here, there and everywhere though they had not gone away.
However, that was soon remedied on the following Monday morning when four completely relaxed people made their way to Cambridge in Lewis' car. The banter was non-stop and the twins got as good as they gave, but for all that it was not really necessary for them to relate, which they did, however, with relish, how they had run out of vaseline just before the weekend. When Lewis, not to be beaten, suggested they could have used butter, Jack quickly came back with the riposte that it would have melted in the summer heat before he could get the ballbearings back in the axle of his bike pedals. Lewis had been concentrating too much on the driving to notice the trap they were setting up and everybody's amusement but his was registered by the mirth echoing round the car.
Tuesday's journey home in Ben's car was far more serious. The twins had a problem that was taxing them and as open as they were it did not take them long to air it.
"You know little Harry in our class, Ben?" started Ted.
"He's being led a dog's life at the moment," continued Jack.
"What's that all about, then?" asked Ben. Lewis knew who they were talking about from TP and he was one of the boys who used to be mentioned in dispatches.
"He's harmless enough," said Lewis. "I remember him from the games lessons. Quite a gutsy little kid. Kept ferrets, didn't he?"
"That's the one," said Ben. "Quite a character, a cut above some of the others."
"Well, that prize idiot Graham was stuffing him into a book locker until we came along," said Jack.
"Those lockers can't be more than three feet high," said Ted.
"What can we do about it?" the twins said together.
"Can we have time to think about that one?" answered Ben. "The traffic's a bit heavy at the moment and I need to concentrate on that." Ben beeped the horn as some eejit in the left hand lane of the roundabout cut him up to take the last exit.
"Come across to our house when you've finished your homework and had your tea"
"Might be a bit late," replied Ted.
"That so-and-so of a maths master of ours has set a stinker of a prep," completed Jack.
"Even the swats in the library at lunchtime were finding it hard," went on Ted.
"If it doesn't hurt it's not doing you any good," countered Ben who knew he was only having his leg pulled.
"There'll be cocoa on the table from eight," said Lewis.
"Put it in mugs and we'll drink it," said Ted.
"If you can't do better than that we've got two problems to discuss," said Ben.
Back at the Nook the contents of the car were disgorged and about to go their separate ways when Christina Batty came out of the front door and invited Lewis and Ben in for a cup of tea. The boys were dispatched to get their homework done.
"I wanted to have a word with you," started Christina, "but I'm afraid with the excitements of the last week we just haven't had five minutes to ourselves." Ben dunked his third ginger biscuit while Lewis sipped his tea. "I'm afraid this partly involves school and I don't like burdening you with things like that in your free time, Ben. People wouldn't misuse their lawyers like that for fear of getting a bill, but I know how fond the boys are of you both and it's something they've been talking to Phil and me about over half term." In his mind Ben congratulated her on her public relations, but in his heart knew that he and Lewis would have done anything for those two boys, indeed as they would have done for their parents as well.
"It started that weekend when the boys invited Paul to stay with us. We've always wanted them to bring their friends home, but when we discovered their little problem..." Lewis and Ben glanced at each other at the words 'little problem' and Christina blushed. "I'm sorry, Ben and Lewis, believe me. I know homosexuality is not a problem, neither for you two nor the twins, or even for Phil and me now. It's just that it's been a steep learning curve for us and perhaps we're sometimes not as sensitive as we should be."
"Don't apologise, Christina," Ben said soothingly. "As you know in our private lives of which you, Phil and the boys are part we are perfectly open about being gay and we don't mind the words 'gay' or 'homosexual' or even 'queer' in the least."
"Mind you we hate some of the other words when they're used by heteros," added Lewis. "It's like the word 'nigger' when used by black people themselves. They take it, but it becomes a big no-no when used by white men, or do I mean Caucasians?" That relieved the temporary moment of tension.
"Mind you, we still have to be very careful about being openly gay in our professional life or it could become a 'little problem' and like the boys we keep that very much to ourselves at school," said Ben.
"Still, we've driven you off the subject, Christina," said Lewis. "Well, you haven't actually, boys... Whoops, there I go again, treating you as though I'm talking to the twins."
"We take that as the highest compliment," said Ben.
"As if we've been fully accepted by you," continued Lewis.
"We just love it," finished Ben. Christina laughed.
"It must be my day for opening my mouth and putting my foot in it. And there you go, just like the twins, one starting a sentence and the other finishing it. Would you like some more tea, er ... boys?" she said with a giggle. "And another ginger biscuit, Ben?"
That made a break in the proceedings while she put the kettle on, made a fresh pot and took a tray up for Jack and Ted.
Settled back down in the kitchen she made a fresh start.
"As I said, it started that weekend when Paul was staying with us. All five of us were talking over dinner when it turned out that Jack, Ted and Paul are not the only gay pupils at school and while they feel safe enough, there are one or two that are having a hard time of it and they wondered what to do."
"I wonder if that ties up with what they were saying in the car this afternoon?" asked Ben and Lewis told Christina what had been said on the journey home and that Jack and Ted were coming across to them later to discuss it further. "They were obviously wound up about it," said Ben. He thought for a moment. "We can't say too much until we've heard what they've got to say, except feed through any relevant information and I'll talk to the right people at school. But one suggestion I have got. You obviously enjoyed having Paul as a house guest for the weekend."
"We certainly did. We just wish they'd invite more people home. There's never a dull moment in this house, as you know."
"Well that's what I was going to say," Ben went on. "You're obviously very sympathetic to our 'little problem'," he said both teasingly and provocatively. "I was going to suggest you got the boys to invite any gay classmates home for the weekend. They'll have a good time, more importantly they'll realise they're not alone in the world and some of them might be so holed up in the closet that they can't even talk to their own parents about it."
At that moment there was a noise and two hungry boys came tumbling down the stairs and rushed through the door to ask if tea was ready yet.
"Is that the time already?" said Christina looking at the kitchen clock.
"We'd better get going," said Lewis.
"Have you done your maths yet?"
"Piece of piss," answered Jack with a grin.
"Jack!" shouted Christina. "Please!"
"Sorry, Mum. Sorry, Ben. Sorry, Lewis."
"Sorry, Ted," added Ted.
"I'll tell Mum what you said upstairs if you don't watch it," said Jack and stuck his tongue out at him.
"We're off," said Ben.
"Thanks for the tea," said Lewis.
"And the biscuits," added Ben.
"Bye, Christina, bye, boys, see you about eight," together and they let themselves out of the kitchen.
---oo0oo---
At eight o'clock the door bell rang and in came Jack and Ted with a clatter as usual. Ben's jaw dropped. As usual Lewis maintained his composure for Jack was dressed in sandals, light blue Lycra shorts and a white tee-shirt of sufficient length to tease, while Ted had stated his individuality by wearing a pair of yellow Speedos with a yellow tee-shirt of similar length. The boys knew immediately they had made a hit and checked out Lewis and Ben to see if there was any external proof, but were disappointed on that score. They settled the boys down with cocoa and biscuits and then got onto the serious matter they had come to discuss.
They recapped on the business of Harry being bullied by Graham, but, Ben was surprised, that was not the actual point of their business, just the introduction. They would sort out Graham and Ben warned them to be careful in case they got themselves into trouble, either with their mates or the school authorities. Lewis realised he was just a bystander in this matter, but Ben wanted him to stay as he would value his impartial advice.
The twins settled down to their double act.
"There are two problems really, both connected," started Jack.
"One is Harry and the other is the odd homophobe in the school," finished Ted.
Over the fifteen months or so he had known them Ben had tried to work out who was the dominant twin. He knew Jack was the elder by minutes, but because they were fraternal twins with different characters they complemented each other so well that he could discern no permanent dominance, only that in their double act Jack usually started and Ted usually finished. Even when he had watched their horseplay and wrestling in the garden they were so evenly matched that he could never forecast the winner. In school he realised that their brains worked differently. Jack was the convergent thinker that made him the better mathematician and scientist while Ted was the divergent thinker that made him the better at English and languages, but even that was hard to discern in their half-termly grades.
"Graham keeps calling Harry gay and that's catching on with the others."
"Is he?" asked Ben.
"We don't know for certain," said Ted. "You see he's small for his age..."
"But certainly not in the trouser department," interrupted Jack. "We've checked him out."
"But then we've checked out ninety percent of the guys at school," added Ted.
"You're wandering off the subject," warned Lewis.
"Sorry," said Jack. "As I said, he's small for his age with very fine features and so he looks precious and fragile."
"He's not," said Ted.
"He's a very gutsy little wing forward on the rugby field, as you know, and misses out just because of his size."
"But a couple of weeks ago he got an erection in the showers and ever since then Graham's not only been bullying him, but giving grief about being gay."
"Yet it was Graham who couldn't keep his eyes off him," said Ted.
"And we hate seeing him have such a miserable time because he used to be such a happy kid," said Jack
"And so the second part of the problem, and of course this affects us indirectly. Graham is stirring up a homophobic atmosphere where there wasn't any before."
"So we're a bit apprehensive because it's bound to come out sooner or later that we're gay," said Ted.
Lewis went out into the kitchen and took the boys with him to help him make some more cocoa leaving Ben to think. Ben was oblivious to the squeals, giggles and laughter that came from the kitchen while he focussed his thoughts. When the three returned he was ready. He dunked three custard creams in his cocoa and delivered his conclusions.
"Right. I take the point that you are going to have a quiet word in Graham's ear. As I said, be careful you don't land yourselves in trouble, but I'm a great believer in schoolboy justice and peer group pressure and I am sure Paul would be only too willing to help you out. Secondly, I'll have a word with the relevant form tutors so that they can keep an eye on those two. Fortunately they are not in the same tutor group. Then I'll find out whether there is an official policy concerning gay pupils and what the attitude is generally in the school and we'll go from there. Thirdly, and this goes back to something we talked about with your mother this afternoon, here's something you can do to help. You obviously like Harry or you wouldn't have got so emotionally involved and gone to all this trouble. So make sure he knows you're his good buddies and I suggest you invite him to spend a weekend out here as soon as possible. It'll be a risk as it was with Paul as far as your reputations are concerned, but I think you've got to think in terms of coming out at school eventually in the way that I'll eventually have to face it too. What do you think, Lewis?"
"That's probably as far as you can go for now. When I was a boy at school we had the same problem, but times were different and far less tolerant towards gays. The gay boys at my school formed a little group and we had a sympathetic member of staff who took an interest in us and we all looked out for one another - and had a lot of fun together I might add - but of course it was all rather clandestine."
"So you think we ought to form a school club for gays, a sort of HomSoc?" asked Ted.
"I don't think even in these enlightened times the Headmaster would go that far, but if you have a close knit group of friends from school that come out here for the weekend and stopovers in the holidays, I think between us we could help a lot of people," said Ben.
They chatted after that until the phone rang. Lewis took the call. It was Christina Batty to remind the boys they had school the next day and that they should be getting along to bed. Ben looked at his watch. It was nearly ten o'clock. They wondered where those two hours had gone. As they said their thank yous and good night the twins took their neighbours in turn in a hug of gratitude and affection and without giving it a moment's thought Ben stroked Jack's buttocks firmed up by the Lycras. Dressed as they were it was obvious to any casual observer that the affection was greater than the gratitude.
Ben briefly asked Lewis if he had got it right and Lewis agreed, but the hug with the twins had put them in the mood for an early night. They quickly washed up the cocoa things and disappeared upstairs to bed. There was no way they could know that at the same time Jack and Ted were enjoying each other's company in a similar manner.
IX
Wednesday afternoon in Lewis' car brought news of a small amount of progress. With Paul's help recruited before assembly the promised word in Graham's ear was had, which brought about some relief to Harry's situation and the three invited Harry to make up a foursome at lunch. They wised him up and he was to let them know if he had any more trouble from Graham or anyone else for that matter. All three jollied him along and were heartened to see some of the old happy Harry return as his eyes started to sparkle and when he laughed his whole face lit up. They engineered the conversation round to whether he would like to spend the weekend with them at their house. Paul encouraged him by saying what a wonderful time he had had with the twins when he was there. Thursday morning in Ben's car the twins announced the good news that a couple of telephone calls had settled a visit for the coming weekend. The sticking point had been who was going to look after the ferrets, but Harry's sister agreed to that after being reminded that he fed and watered her horse when she was away. During the journey home after school it got even better. Harry, Paul and the twins had gone into town and Harry took them through one of the narrow alleys, appropriately called Love Lane, and showed them some graffiti which advertised Graham's gay sexual favours. No mistaking it was him as the telephone number tallied and it was a favourite haunt of the Mythe School smokers. The twins would bring their digital camera the next day against the unlikely event that he might cause any more trouble.
Friday afternoon three boys and a master were to be seen waiting in the school carpark for Lewis to pick them up. Harry needed no introduction. Lewis greeted him as a long lost friend, the luggage and schoolbags were stowed in the boot and with the aid of a shoehorn the passengers loaded into Lewis' car. The first topic of conversation after the usual politenesses was that the lunchtime photographic session had been successful which made Harry prick up his ears, but no more than that was said. Back at the Nook our heroes helped the boys unload and wished them a good weekend.
On Saturday they had the Sainsbury's run and family things to do after that, so it wasn't until Sunday that they caught up with the news. It was a full turn-out for Family Eucharist at ten that Sunday with Oddstones meeting the Nook and the Retreat. The only difference was that in deference to Harry, Jack and Ted appeared at church in their 501s and a short sleeved shirt instead of their normal exceedingly smart dark suits. Being petite Harry could wear his as if they were tailored. The only difference, and had this not come up in conversation it would have taken an eagle-eyed expert to spot it, was that the twins were wearing their genuine American made Levi's while Harry's were made under a European franchise. As the discussion proceeded after the service, Seb pointed out the differences and added that you could get the genuine articles on the internet for half the British price and that even with adding in the cost of shipping they would be significantly cheaper than buying them England. There was also a mass debate as to whether you should remove the leather size label from the waistband at the back with a majority in favour of removing it.
It was Marc and Phil Batty's turn to act as sidesmen that Sunday and so they hadn't attended their normal eight o'clock Communion. The fact that they had paired up for that duty ensured a mass gathering of the two clans. Afterwards it was parish coffee, so there was time to chat and tacit teamwork would make some exchange of information possible. Ted paired up with Lewis and Jack with Ben, giving Harry a choice of whom he was going to walk home with. Fortunately he chose Ted and Lewis. He probably felt less uncomfortable if he didn't socialise with his maths master. But that had been the plan so that Ben could get the lowdown.
Friday evening in the Batty house had been low key as was the intention. First job to be done was to get homework completed to leave the rest of the weekend free. The Mythe had a system of getting school exams out of the way in the first half of the summer term. That had several advantages. The pupils could enjoy the long light evenings of May, June and July without having revision on their consciences. Equally the staff could get their marking and reports over and done with. If anyone needed to repeat an exam to secure promotion to the next year that could be dealt with without prolonging the agony until September. It also cleared the decks for those taking public exams in the second half of term as they did not have to concentrate on two things at once and time was left to build up to the social week at the end of the school year during the first week of July. However, we digress.
Meanwhile Christina Batty, Lewis, Ted and Harry had walked on ahead. Ben and Jack offered to give Phil Batty a hand clearing away, but he told them to go as he needed to talk to the rector about some parish business. As the others were now out of sight Jack and Ben went and sat down on a bench in the churchyard by the lychgate. It had been cold in church and the summer sun was just about warming their bodies.
As we said, Friday evening had been low key and after homework had been done and the conducted tour, the three boys had simply chilled out with tea, computer games, throwing a ball around in the garden, snacks and just general hanging out together, but most important of all processing the pictures on the computer of the graffiti they had taken in Love Lane at lunchtime. The twins were fortunate with their parents for although they were expected to carry out chores in the house and garden to earn their pocket money, they also appreciated that adolescents need time to be idle and daydream and listen to their music. Although having a guest meant they were excused chores for the weekend, such was their upbringing that they cheerfully got on with them anyway and involved Harry in loading and unloading the dishwasher and later on Sunday, cutting the lawns, even letting him drive the sit-on mower, and they would never do their own grass without mowing Lewis and Ben's. Again we have digressed.
Harry had naturally been put in the guest room next to the twins' den. When he had been in there playing on the computer and had seen the huge double bed he asked out of natural curiosity whether they slept together and was told that they had always done so because they were twins.
"'Compared with spending nine months together in the compact space of the womb,' said Jack, 'sleeping in the same bed is sheer luxury.' 'And he still kicks me just as much,' added Ted with a grin, and nothing more was said.
"About half past ten we all said good night to Mum and Dad and went upstairs. Not that we went to bed. We two changed into shorts and tee-shirt to get comfortable and in front of Harry as a small preparation for what we had planned for him and to see whether he would check us out. We watched a video until about midnight when Harry said good night and went off to his room. Mum and Dad are very good. They don't worry about us once we've said goodnight unless we're ill of course or we make a row. I think they realise we might be up to something they'd rather not know about. Anyway, once we put the light out we did what we normally do on a Friday night and went to sleep."
"What's that?" asked Ben as a tease.
"We went to sleep, didn't you hear me?" Jack came back as quick as lightning. "Yesterday we had a great day. Dad took us off to the country club and left us there, then we went off to the pictures in Cambridge for the early evening showing and then Dad picked us up and brought us home. But it gave us a chance to talk to Harry and also we were a bit naughty with him, but let's face it, he enjoyed it and joined in being naughty too in the end. For a start we showed him the pictures on our poster boards in our den and he picked up on that straightaway that they were all male pics and he even asked if we weren't allowed to have any pin-ups of page three girls on our boards and we told him straight we weren't interested and preferred page three men. He didn't know what to say to that, but he couldn't hide his interest. We checked out his trousers while he was looking at them. And he asked about your modelling photos, and the family ones with Seb and Marc. He couldn't keep his eyes off the ones in the bodysocks.
"Next thing, he didn't have any kit for the leisure centre. Well, that was no problem. We've got plenty of spare kit that we've outgrown. The only trouble was that he was so small that we had difficulty carrying out what we'd planned and that was to give him the smallest kit we could find. Anyway it worked a treat. He had his own trainers and white socks, so we found him some white shorts, a singlet, tee shirt and sweatshirt, then a jockstrap and some scrungies and a pair of tracksuit bottoms plus a towel. So there he was kitted out. And if it was too small we had some spare in our own kit bags we could have lent him."
"What are scrungies?" inquired Ben.
"You know. Proper swimming trunks like racing swimmers wear, not boxers, Speedos."
"Where did that expression come from?"
"We picked it up when we were staying with some Australian cousins, liked the word and used it ever since.
"When we got there we played our normal trick when getting changed. This is what's so good about being twins. We've always got the other one for support and when we're with someone like Harry we automatically put him in the minority. We quickly stripped off all our clothes before even opening our kit bags, then slowly put our kit on for Harry's entertainment. We learnt that from Seb. He said he used to do that at school for a bit of fun. When Harry changed into that old kit of ours I could have taken him on the spot. He was hot, man. We might as well have given him a bodysock to wear. Still, there was work to be done. We warmed up in the fitness room, played squash taking turns, then went off for an early lunch. Out on the tennis courts in the afternoon and then back for a swim in the indoor pool before being really naughty.
"Throughout the day it was becoming clearer to both of us that Harry was in fact gay. He didn't only check us out at every opportunity, but kept his eye on any guy the slightest bit cute who came into range and so Ted and I decided we'd go in for the kill, especially after hearing about what happened in the showers at school. The sauna. No problem. All during the day he had not been the last reticent in showing off his body and there was no reason why he should've been. Luckily we had the sauna to ourselves. You usually do. So we made ourselves comfortable on our towels and I looked at Ted, he looked at me and nodded and we lay back with our eyes closed and gave ourselves erections. When I opened my eyes, Harry's were out on stalks and they weren't the only stalks he was displaying. We all burst out laughing. 'Can I ask you something?' he said to us hesitatingly. 'Are you two gay?' 'Whatever made you think that?' said Ted teasing him, but I judged the moment to be wrong and quickly said 'They don't come gayer than us. What about you?' He didn't know what to say. In fact through the steam I'd say he was close to tears. I put my arm round him. By then our stiffies had gone down, but when I cuddled him he started to get hard again. Ted leant against the door of the sauna in case someone came in. 'Don't worry. We're your friends. We noticed that you were getting a bit of a rough time at school after you got that boner in the showers a couple of weeks ago. It happens to all of us. It's just that we've learnt to laugh when it happens to us and that's why we wanted you to come and stay with us this weekend, so you'd know who your friends are,' I said 'I don't know for sure whether I'm gay or not,' he replied. 'I've suspected for some time and then I got a hard-on in the shower and knew it wasn't an accident. I saw Paul there and I really wanted to touch him and then I remembered something he'd said a few weeks back in the changing room about someone wanting to give him a blowjob.' 'Don't worry about him,' said Ted. ' He's a friend as well and he'll look after you. We're all going to look out for one another after what Graham did to you and I think once one of those photos gets stuck to his locker door he won't be giving anybody any more trouble again.' We got a smile out of Harry then. We all went for a cold shower, then into the jacuzzi and after we got changed we had a snack in the cafeteria and Harry opened up.
"He'd thought he was gay for some time, but had no one to talk to about it. He didn't dare mention it to his parents because from some of the things his father said he knew he'd go spare. So he just ignored it until he got the boner in the shower that time. From then on one or two people at school made his life a misery. I won't mention any more names at the moment, though it might come to it in the end. Ted and me with Paul will see what we can do first. The three of us came to a decision. It was from something Lewis said, but we want to discuss it with Mum and Dad and Paul doesn't know yet, but he'll be involved too. We want to make our house a sort of refuge for gay pupils at school. They can come and visit and feel safe and be open about their sexuality and if they want to talk to someone about it for advice or sympathy even we'll find someone for them. With your family connections that won't be hard. Will you help us, Ben?"
"I think you're being very brave. Providing your parents and Lewis come on board, the answer is yes. I don't think there will be any difficulty there, but I'm not working against them. I want to work with them. We'll talk some more when you've spoken to them. Leave Lewis to me. You won't know this yet, and it's not to go beyond the Batty family until it's announced officially - promise?"
"I promise."
"Lewis is coming back to the Mythe to teach next term."
"He's not?"
"He most certainly is."
"Well, that'll be a powerful team."
"But at this stage leave the School out of it. I don't know what the official line is, but if we act as purely private individuals I can't see a problem. What happened for the rest of the evening?"
"Not a lot really," said Jack.
"We caught the bus into Cambridge, went to the cinema, sat Harry inbetween us." 'The Atomic Twins,' thought Ben to himself.
"He was entirely relaxed," Jack continued.
"We held his hand and put our arms round him for a bit and otherwise just enjoyed the film. It finished about half past seven. We gave Dad a ring on the mobile and he came and fetched us. At home we had something to eat and sat in front of the television until bedtime, said good night and went upstairs. We did stuff together for a bit and when we started to get ready for bed he asked us if he could sleep in our room. You can't not help a friend and we weren't going to let him sleep on the floor so we stripped and showered as we normally do for bed. He did the same and we put him inbetween us in the big bed."
"I'm not going to ask what happened next," smiled Ben.
"And I'm not going to tell you except, one he wants to sleep with us again tonight, two we were all glad church wasn't until ten this week and three..." in a mock stage whisper "...our Harry's no longer a virgin!"
"Hello, you two. No home to go to?" It was Phil Batty.
"We just got chatting, Dad," said Jack, "and then thought we might as well wait for you. You've finished your conference with the rector, then?"
"Yes, went on a bit."
"What the conference or the rector?"
"Good bye, everybody." That was the rector as he passed them on his way to the rectory. Phil counted his blessings that he hadn't had a chance to answer the question. At that all three made their way home to various Sunday lunches.
As Ben drove to school on Monday morning there were three very happy bunnies in the back of his car.
X
Monday afternoon in the car on the way back from school Jack and Ted almost fell over themselves to talk about the weekend. Sunday after church had really been an idle day, but the one thing they had done was to talk. The three boys made it clear they were quite happy to stay at home after the exertions of Saturday and the twins explained that Harry just wanted a normal Sunday to hang out rather than be entertained one hundred percent of the time. Lunch was as drawn out and leisurely as it always was, whether at the Battys' or, when they were invited, at Oddstones. Jack and Ted had a superb opportunity to discuss with their parents and in front of Harry their idea of having a kind of safe-house for the gay community at school at their home. Providing there were certain ground rules Phil and Christina seemed to support the idea. It would be just for boys at the Mythe School. They couldn't cope with greater numbers and at least they had some idea of whom they would be hosting and if things went wrong they had a family to contact. They were not experienced enough to deal with strangers, nor did they have the resources and they were certainly not an extension of Social Services! Phil made that very clear.
"I now know why we moved to a house called 'The Retreat'," commented Christina.
All three boys sorted the dishwasher afterwards and then as promised took turns to teach Harry how to control and drive the sit-on motor mower. Then they took skateboards round the village, came back home, had tea in the garden, went and watched a bit of television in the twins' room and did their best to make the graffiti photos clear and legible before printing a few copies for possible use at school.
"And did you use any?" asked Lewis.
"Only one at the moment," said Ted.
"It's sellotaped on the inside of Graham's locker," said Jack.
"With the distinct hint it could be superglued to the outside should certain things happen again," said Ted.
"You know, I've suddenly gone very deaf in my left ear," said Ben "and the noise of the traffic in my right is just too much." The twins giggled.
"So what happened for the rest of the evening?" enquired Lewis.
"Not a lot. We had a snack downstairs. Mum and Dad chatted to Harry. Then we all said good night and went to bed."
"And a very good night it was, thank you very much, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more" completed Jack straight from the Monty Python's Flying Circus DVD.
Amid all the laughter Ben drew up outside the Nook. The boys got out, grabbed their school bags from the boot and with a cheery cheerio and a thank you disappeared into their own house. Lewis and Ben went straight in, put the kettle on and made a cup of tea.
The twins went in, greeted their mother, went up and changed out of their school uniforms into something more comfortable for a warm summer's day and went down for a quick bite to eat before doing their homework. They had always been conscientious about their schoolwork, even when they were at the comprehensive school where things were not quite so strict as at the Mythe. They knew once it was done the rest of the evening was their own. Over the tea table Jack said
"We were thinking of going over to see Seb this evening."
"Is that all right?" asked Ted.
"We want to tell him about this weekend."
"He might be able to help us," said Jack.
"You'd better be ring him first to see if it's okay," said their father.
"And do make sure you're back before it gets dark. Those lanes can be quite dangerous at night."
"Yes, Mum," they chorused and Jack went to telephone. Ted said
"That gives us until ten."
"You'd better be back before then. You've got school tomorrow and we don't think you got a lot of sleep over the weekend."
"Dad! Jack, did you hear that? I don't know what he thinks we get up to."
"Tell us, Dad, it might bring some excitement into our dull little lives," and they zoomed out of the room denying their father the right to reply.
After working off their surplus energy on the lawn and chatting up Lewis and Ben while they were having their tea on the patio it was time to go and visit their godfather. They shouted cheerio to their parents through the kitchen window, hauled their bikes out of the garden shed and cycled off down the path and out into the lanes to Oddstones. When they arrived Elly let them in, gave them each a great big wet kiss which they wiped off on the sleeve of their tee shirts while she went to telephone Seb.
"Two awesome 15 stone, I mean 15 year old hunks for you, brother dear. I almost fancy them myself."
"Please send them up, sister dear, and don't make promises their bodies won't fulfil. They know the way." Four feet stomped up the stairs two at a time until they reached Seb's apartment. He was working out on his rowing machine and dressed in the most fetching yellow one piece. They hugged him and he kissed them on the cheek. This time they did not wipe it off, but just took a moment to breathe in the pheromones from his fresh masculine perspiration. He towelled off the excess sweat and went to get some cold squash for them all to drink.
"Sit yourselves down," said Seb. "I hear you had a pretty wicked weekend."
"We'll tell you all about that later, but we want to run some ideas past you first," said Jack.
"We've pretty well got Mum and Dad on board and Dad said that if we get it right..."
"A business plan, he called it," interrupted Jack. Ted continued.
"...he'll finance it within reason."
"He was even talking about getting it charitable status."
Seb already knew about the background to why Harry had spent the weekend with them. The twins had started to confide him a lot since they had adopted him as their godfather and they respected his experience and opinions and the fact that he was less emotionally involved. So after bringing him up to date with the discussions since they had met at church they popped the vital question.
"Seb, would you become our independent adviser?" asked Ted.
"You always seem to come up with the right answer," said Jack.
"I feel flattered," answered Seb. "You're right, I suppose, about being independent, but I'm not sure about having the experience. I've always shied away from official 'counsellors'. The ones I've met always seemed more in need of counselling themselves than capable of giving it."
"That's why we want you."
"Thank you, Jack. That does my confidence a lot of good."
"We didn't mean it like that," said Ted.
"What we meant," continued Jack, "is that you are independent and have always got it right, and been successful, and so you could share that success."
"I see what you mean and I suppose you're right, really," answered Seb with that smile and the accompanying enchanting boyish twinkle in his eyes that always betrayed how much he liked the people lucky enough to receive it.
"We love you, Uncle Seb," and they grabbed him, pulled him onto the sofa and cuddle him in a rough way.
"Careful. Mind my new one piece. If you stretch it the wrong way, it could be quite painful." His loins were already beginning to fight against the Lycra.
"And I haven't said yes yet."
"But you will, won't you?"
"How could I refuse such a hot pair of godsons?. I'll give it a go, but without any promises." And poor Seb had to suffer quite a rough house while the twins hugged and kissed him.
To spare himself any further damaged he got up and made some more squash and brought in some biscuits.
"Well, tell me how you got on with Harry. You haven't told me any of the details yet."
"We've told you," said Ted.
"No, I meant in bed."
"Of course he did, dummy," said Jack summoning up all his brotherly love. Jack looked at his watch.
"We'd better be going or we're be in for a nagging."
"Thanks a lot, Seb. We love you," and he got a final hug and a kiss from both of the twins before they went down the stairs, two at a time as always, said good night to Marc and Elly and rode off on their bikes. Their twins were safely tucked up in the nursery.
---oo0oo---
When the twins got home, they said hallo to their mother and father and over a cup of Horlicks recounted their conversation with Seb, but as time was getting on and it was school the next day they soon disappeared upstairs, took a quick shower and got ready for bed. As usual they checked their e-mails. They had discussed setting up a website for the Retreat and the Dining Club, but decided against it after talking to Seb, Lewis and Ben for fear of bringing their school into disrepute for probably they would never have gained permission for such a venture and it could not be detached from the school and have remained credible. While Jack was waiting for Ted to cut his toenails, he logged on to <www.selfpics.org> to make sure their pictures were still there - they had posted some of those they had taken for Ben and Lewis - and while searching through the pages he suddenly stopped.
"Hey, Ted. Come and take a look at this." He had stumbled across a picture of a boy, allegedly eighteen, posing in a black tanktop and a white silken slip. With his strawberry blond hair partially hanging down over his bright blue eyes and a faint line of fair hair leading the viewer's eye down from his navel to his packet in that loose, white, silken slip he was hot, the cutest of cuties, and this was perhaps the key to the whole attractiveness of the boy and his pose, for although he was not 'big' by any stretch of the imagination, the slip made the most of what he had got and rendered the whole photograph extremely sexy.
"Let's see the other pictures, Jack," Ted said as he noticed there were four more appended. They looked at them in turn