Discovering the Unknown
Chapter 3
By Angel Love
I hadn't slept much last night. I had jacked off to seductive visions of Rob in my mind, but that hadn't helped much. If I wasn't dreaming about him, I was awake thinking about him. Finally just at the first light of dawn began to light my room I slowly crawled out of bed. I don't know if it was lack of sleep or my infatuation with Rob, but I felt slow and sluggish as I made my way to the shower and stood there letting the warm water relax my body. I could not clear my mind of the beautiful boy that I had befriended. My hand slowly started pulling my shaft and I was startled by my quick convulsions of the orgasm that took complete control of my body. Once my breathing quieted I rinsed myself off and finished getting ready for school.
My Mother was sitting in the kitchen enjoying her first cup of fresh brewed coffee.
"My, you're up early this morning."
"Yeah, didn't sleep much last night."
"You feel alright? Is there something bothering you?”
"Yeah… feel fine."
I took a cup from the cupboard and slowly filled it. My mind was so far out of focus with what I was doing it overflowed onto the counter.
"Come on Buddy." Mom coaxed. "Don't clam up on me now. We've been through a lot together. And we always did it by confiding in each other."
"Oh no Mom, nothing like that. It's just a new guy at school. He's got the locker over mine. And, we sort of got acquainted yesterday. He's a great guy. But I feel so sorry for him. I just can't get him off my mind."
"Why?
Mom was a wonderful and understanding person; I knew she was truly interested in Rob if I was.
"It seems his dad was killed in a truck wreck about a year ago. They lived on a ranch in Texas. However, the bank and the IRS sold them out. Left them homeless and broke kind of like us. Now they're living here with relatives."
We talked for sometime about Rob and what little I knew about him. It wasn't long before Mom came to the same conclusion I had.
"I think the best way you could help him is to just try and be his friend. Be the best friend you can be.
"Thanks Mom. That's just the way I feel."
I still hadn't told her that I knew I was gay. I really didn't know why, except I could not get a feeling for how she would take it. Hank had always made very nasty remarks about gays and I didn't know if she felt the same way or not; although I had never heard her say anything bad about gays, or anyone else for that matter.
I drank another cup of coffee with Mom then started to gather up my school things.
"Leaving for school so early?"
"Yeah, I want to be there early to talk with Rob. I'm trying to help him find a part time job."
Mom smiled warmly at me. "You're going to make him a good friend and a cute one too."
"Ah, Mom!" I felt my face getting a little red. It happened every time she teased me about being cute.
I couldn't say anything to her, but from some of the thoughts that I had had last night I would like to make him something more than just a good friend.
Steve and I were standing by my locker when Rob coming down the hallway. Long steady strides, head erect, giving the appearance of confidence without arrogance. My heart seemed to skip a beat when I saw him. A low muffled sigh escaped my lips as he neared where we stood; Steve chuckled then patted me on the shoulder.
"Easy boy!" He teased. "Think I better leave now so you can work your magic on him."
I gave him a friendly little slug on his shoulder as he turned to walk away. He spoke to Rob when they passed than gave me a quick thumbs up when Rob looked back in my direction.
"Good morning Tenant Buddy!" I spoke as he approached.
"My you sound happy this morning." Again, that smile and those eyes made me weak in my knees.
"I am. I talked with Mr. Barney last evening. He's very excited about meeting you. He said if you're half as good a man as I told him you were he'd bend over backward to fit you in."
Rob's face lit up, and a soft baritone chuckle filled our end of the hallway. "Boy. I don't know if I could live up to the picture you must have painted about me. You're not in the habit of exaggerating? I hope."
"Nope… never do that. The truth, and nothing but the truth, that's my motto."
"Good. When can I meet your Mr. Barney?"
"Right after school if you want. In fact, he said if we were of a mind he'd set us up as a team and give us our own weekend route. That way we could get more hours, and it would leave us free during the week for school and school activities."
"Hay! That's cool. This Mr. Barney sounds like an all right man."
"That he is. Only one hitch though. Since Mom and I don't have a car I never bother to get my divers' license last fall."
"Not to worry." And he pulled out his wallet and flashed his license at me. "Had'em a full six months now."
I reached up; literally I had to, and patted him on the shoulder. Just that small amount of contact sent tingles of emotional electricity surging through me; again the ringing of the bell unceremoniously shattered the feeling of euphoria.
"See you for lunch." Rob smiled at me then turned and hurried down the hall.
I watched for a moment before I entered the room across from our lockers. Today I hadn't noticed his body, only the wonderful person who was on the inside of it.
Four o'clock found us sitting in Mr. Barney's modestly appointed office. After I introduced Rob to Mr. Barney I sat down on the sofa along the back wall. I wanted Rob to feel free to conduct his own interview, rather than think I was there to back him up.
For twenty minutes they visited and Rob filled Mr. Barney in on his background, and experience working with machinery on their former ranch. I had no problem discerning that Mr. Barney was more than satisfied with what he was hearing.
"Rob you've came highly recommended by your friend Jamie. And in my book that goes a long way. He's been one of the best workers I've ever had." I felt my face blush bright red with his kind words. "Your experience more than qualifies you to run the small equipment that we use in the lawn business. Did Jamie tell you about working weekends rather than late afternoon?"
"Yes sir. That sounds like it would be a great schedule."
"Fine, fine, what say we all three meet here Saturday morning. Say, seven-thirty. And I'll have you two a nice route worked out, one that should make you some good money and still have you home early enough to chase the ladies. How does that sound?"
"Sounds like it couldn't be better."
"Jamie. That fine with you?"
"Just great!"
Wow! Just think, I was going to get to spend two days each week with my dreamboat. Wow!
"Thank you for giving me a chance. I hope I don't let you down." Rob stood to accept Mr. Barney's hand in a warm gesture of acceptance to the agreement.
"Don't mention it. Good workers are hard to find now days. And I appreciate you wanting to work for me."
Rob turned and walked over to be with me by the door.
"By the way boys, aren't you curious about what your wages will be?"
"Oh. I'm not worried, Sir. Jamie tells me you're one of the most honest men in town. I know you'll give me what you think I'm worth."
Mr. Barney's face took on a slight tent of color. "Well, Jamie. I'm glad I rank so high in your regard. I'll tell you what I'm thinking then you tell me if it's OK with the two of you. Fair enough?"
"Fair enough." We both echoed together.
"Well. My overhead, insurance, repairs, and a few incidentals costs me about twenty percent of each of my contracts. Most of the time I allow fifty percent for wages, which leaves about thirty percent profit. But this time I feel ten percent will be quite adequate for the company. The contracts I have in mind for you guys are good paying accounts. Now if you boys would be satisfied with seventy percent then split that between yourselves; you should be able to make three hundred, sometimes four, a weekend each and still be home by mid, to late, afternoon. Sound fair?"
"Sound fair!" I almost shouted. "Mr. Barney, that sounds great!"
Three to four hundred dollars each weekend! WOW! That was as much as my mother made working all week.
Rob looked at me, a big grin on his face. Then he turned to Mr. Barney and shook his hand again. "Sir; you are indeed a marvelous man."
"Now boys. Two things you have to do for me. One, this business deal is just between us. It's not for my other employees to know about. Second, you have to take extra good care of my customers. Give them the best looking yards on the street. Most of them are my oldest customers. And my reputation will be in your hands with them. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir."
Again our voices spoke as one. Then we both looked at each other and chuckled at our timing.
"I'm doing this because I know you're both in a small bind right now. I don't consider this charity, and I don't want you to take it that way. This is just a helping hand up when you need it."
"Thank you Sir." Rob said, and much to my surprise I could detect a slight quiver in his voice.
We rushed outside and unchained our bicycles. We chatted happily as we rode to Rob's house to tell his mother the good news. We leaned our bikes against the back porch and hurried inside. When we entered the kitchen door a stunningly beautiful lady was busy washing some dishes.
"Hi Mom! This is my best buddy Jamie." My heart took a little leap at the words I heard Rob speak about me. His "best buddy,” WOW!
"Oh, Jamie, I'm so pleased to meet you. I heard a lot about you the last couple of days."
Again I felt my heart patter a little. Did Rob really talk to his mother about me?
"Jamie this is my Mother, Ellen."
She dried her hands on her apron, than reached out to shake my hand. It was so evident where Rob got his good looks. So much of her soft beautiful features were strikingly evident in Robs face.
"Mom. We've got some great news!"
Then without warning his arm came around my shoulders and he hugged me tightly against himself. I thought I was going to swoon right on the spot. He held me tight while he told his Mother everything that had happened while in Mr. Barney's office.
"Oh Rob that's wonderful!" Mrs. Sinclair sounded as though she may cry. It was easy enough to tell she had been through some very tough times the past year. "You see Honey. I told you things would get better for us."
Then Rob released his grip on me and hugged his mother tenderly. As I stood behind him it looked as though he were hugging a child. He was a good six inches taller than his mother, perhaps even seven inches. As he raised his head I could see tears in his eyes. It was easy to tell the loss of husband and father had drawn them very close together. Most teenage boys would rather die than have another teenager see them embrace their mother in such a fashion. I felt like I was intruding on a very personal moment and it made me very uncomfortable. Not that there was anything wrong with their hugging. Just that I felt perhaps maybe they needed some time alone.
"Say, Rob. Guess I better be heading on home now."
He turned and gave me that smile again. OH! Damn! If he doesn't stop doing that to me I was going to have a hart attack.
"Let me drive you the rest of the way home. We can put your bike in the back of our old pickup truck." Then he turned back to his mother. "That OK with you Mom? Do you need the truck, or need me to do something?"
"No Honey. Give your friend a lift." Then she turned to me and I was taken back a little when I quickly found myself in her arms being squeezed tightly. "Jamie, I'm so thankful Rob found a friend like you so quickly. And such a cute one also."
God. Why did everyone always have to tell me I was so cute? I never considered myself as even handsome, much less cute.
While we were walking out to their truck Rob put a big hand on my shoulder. "Hope Mom didn't embarrass you back there. She's always been a very affectionate person."
"No, of course not. She's a very cool mom." And I smiled warmly at him. God, I loved the way I had to turn my face up slightly to look into those marvelous blue eyes.
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