Copyright © 2026 by Julien Gregg
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The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
SIX
It was odd to be in the house without Kevin after all of this time. We'd been together accept for the other night when I stayed with Jason to be up for the airport today. This made two nights that I was away from my twin and it was weird. Dustin made up for it though. We were the ones in the basement until dinner. He had many questions about what we did here for fun. I told him we hated winter, and it was so cold outside that we didn't do much outside. He said he understood that. I told him we had a wide selection of movies until Richard went religious hellion and destroyed most of them because they were wicked. He got wide-eyed at that.
"So, Richard's dalliance with religion was hard core?" he asked.
"It bordered on obsession," I said. "It was scary and heartbreaking at the same time. I still don't trust him. After it was said and done he told me that there's something about me that he hates. I can't trust him after that. He broke a bond that had existed since we were very little boys. He was our big brother and we trusted him completely. Now that's been shattered. Kevin and I don't have much to do with him now."
"That's sad," he said. "Has he not bounced back?"
"Not completely," I said. "He's quiet and withdrawn. I know depression when I see it, and Richard is depressed. I don't know what to do for him, and I don't know that I would do it now if I knew what to do."
"What about April?" he asked.
"April is a force," I said with a smile. "We adore her. Her happiness is very important to us. When we're in town we do things with April. She loves to spend time with us, but she has her own friends from school that she hangs with a lot. She's with one now."
"But she'll be home for dinner?" he asked.
"Richard and April will be home for dinner," I said. "You'll meet both of them then."
"Well, I didn't come here to meet them," he said. "I came here to be with you. I have something I want to talk to you about that my mother said. It scares me."
"What is it?" I asked.
"She said that we're young and we may decide later that we don't want each other anymore," he said. "She said we'd grow apart. I don't want that to happen."
"Well, I can assure you that I won't grow apart from you," I said. "I can't tell you why that is, but just know that for me you're it. I don't want anyone else, and I haven't wanted anyone else. For you just remember to communicate. If we don't do that then we're doomed. We have to tell each other what's on our minds. If I do thinks that you start to dislike, tell me, and I'll do the same. Communication is the way we stay together. We're both young, and we're going to change as we grow up. Those changes won't always compliment each other. We have to talk."
"I can promise that we'll talk," he said. "I don't want this relationship to fail. I want to grow old with you, have kids with you."
"I want that, too," I said. "We just have to work on it. We have to always remember what it was that attracted us to each other and focus on that at times."
"You're so smart," he said. "I'm no slouch in the intelligence department, but you've got me beat hands down. I like that about you. It's what first attracted my attention. I loved your mind. Plus you're gorgeous, and you don't look thirteen. I have to remind myself all of the time that you're thirteen. I get that it's young for a relationship, but you're so sure of yourself that I think we have a shot."
"I was attracted because of lust at first," I admitted. "Then I got to know you, and I loved what I got to know. You're kind, compassionate, and you have an incredible body. Dustin, I'm in love with you. I know that's odd for a thirteen year old to say, but I am. I know it."
"Well, then what a pair we make," he said. "We'll communicate when we need to. Don't worry."
"I'm not worried yet," I said. "We'll be together for a long time, Dustin. Hopefully for life."
April came down the stairs after that. I smiled at her. She smiled back. She asked where Richard was, and I said he was at Jason's and should be back momentarily. She said she was tired of watching him be sullen and quiet. I told her he'd be all right. She smiled at Dustin, and I introduced them. She liked him on sight. She told him he was very good looking. He thanked her. I watched them with a smile on my face.
"So you're with Killian," she said. "I hear that Alex moved to town."
"Yes, that's where Kevin is," I said. "He's spending the night with him."
"So this is night two that you and Kevin have been apart," she said. "How do you feel?"
"I'm fine so far," I said. "We're not so dependant on each other that a few nights apart would undo me."
"No, I know," she said. "I just thought you might find it strange to be here without him."
"I do," I said. "But he's his own person and has to do what he's going to do. I can't let my life revolve around him."
"Well that's drastically different than what I thought," April said. "You're both away at school all year, and when you're here you're always together."
"Well, at school we're not always together," I said. "He has his friends and I have mine. Some of the overlap but not all of them. Here, there's not much to do for us in winter. It's cold outside so we're indoors. We're usually together when we're here, because you and Richard were with your friends, and we were all we had."
"It's sad when you say it that way," she said.
"No, don't think it's sad," I said. "It just is what it is."
"But you have Dustin now, and he has Alex," she said. "Won't that change the way you guys interact now? I mean, you won't be together a lot, because you'll want private time with your guys."
"Probably," I said. "But Kevin and I will always be in each other's lives. We're identical twins with an unshakable bond. April, you'll always be a part of our lives, too. You're our baby sister. We adore you, and naturally, we like to spend time with you. That won't change because of Dustin and Alex. It won't change because of you and Jesse. It just is."
"What about Richard?" she asked.
"What about him?" I asked. "He hates a part of me, remember? I don't trust him, and I don't think we'll be a big part of each other's lives in the future."
"That's really sad," she said. "He is our big brother."
"Yes, he is," I said. "But he has his demons, and I can't help him."
"Would you if you could?" she asked.
"I don't know to be honest," I said. "I miss the close relationship we had, but with this hatred, he can't be close to me. Do you understand?"
"I do," she said. "We've all talked to him about it. He said he can't help it."
"Well, he can, but he doesn't want to," I said.
"Well, damn," she said. "You really don't have a high opinion of Richard now, do you?"
"No, I don't," I said. "He destroyed all of that when he told me there was something about me that he hates. I dare say it's something I have no control over."
"You're probably right," she said. "He says it's not your sexuality."
"I know it's not my sexuality," I said. "He thinks I'm too young to be in a real relationship, but other than that he has no problem with it."
"Yeah," she said. "Grandma thinks you're too young to be in a real relationship. Like me and Jesse, she calls it puppy love."
"Well, she can call it whatever she wants," I said. "The fact is Dustin's going to be around for a long time."
"So is Jesse," she said.
"I know that," I said. "We're all young, April. That doesn't mean that we can't forge meaningful relationships."
"No, it doesn't," she said.
"Dustin, I'm sorry that you haven't been a part of the conversation," I said, looking at him.
"You were discussing your siblings," he said. "I don't have a say in that. I'll talk with you about it if you want, but all I can do is give my opinion."
"Your opinion matters to me," I said. "Trust me."
"I do, and I know it does," he said. "It just wasn't needed in that conversation. I did like the way that you and April talked to each other, though. There's no problem with communication between the two of you."
"No there isn't," I said with a smile. "April and Kevin are pretty open and honest."
"I'm understanding that," he said.
We were called up for dinner after that. Richard was at the table, and he seemed genuinely happy to meet Dustin. He asked him questions about himself and volunteered information about his own life. I was nervous about this, but I allowed it to continue. Richard asked me how my day had gone. I said it was fine, but I didn't elaborate. We passed food around the table, and then got down to eating. Grandma asked Dustin how he was getting along since he'd arrived, and he said just fine. He said it was interesting to see me in my element.
"Well, you'll see a big difference in his element when Kevin is home," she said. "They're usually thick as thieves."
"That's our fault," said Richard. "We spent too much time out of the house and away from them last summer. They had no one but each other."
"Well, now you're not really a part of what they consider their inner circle," she said.
"I know," he said. "It hurts, but I did it to myself."
"Yes, you did," she said. "Now did Jason talk to you about college?"
"I'm going to take some courses at the community college here in town, and then transfer to a four year college when I've figured out what I want to do," he said.
"Then your trust will open," she said. "You understand why I took your allowance away from you, right?"
"Yes," he said. "I went off the deep end with religion. I hurt Killian, and I'm trying to figure out how to make that better."
"That's between you and Killian, but you know if you're on the outs with Killian, then you're on the outs with Kevin," she said.
"I know that," he said. "Kevin won't even look at me."
"Well you have no one else to blame but yourself for that," she said.
Grandma was talking to him like she was angry with him. I suppose she was. I hadn't really thought about it. I knew what my own relationship with Richard was, and it wasn't good. I hadn't stopped to pay attention to the others and what their relationship with him was like. I knew that Kevin was done, but Grandma was a different story. I didn't know what to think about the way she talked to him. I didn't even know how April talked to him.
"This isn't the time for this conversation," Grandma said suddenly. "We have a guest who isn't part of this."
"Yes, we do," I said.
"Dustin, how are you liking it here so far?" she asked.
"So far so good," he said, smiling. "Everyone has been really nice. Like I said I'm enjoying seeing Killian in his element."
"Right," she said. "We'll go rent some movies for you guys to watch tonight when we get done eating. Is there anything that you'd like to see?"
"'Back to the Future'," he said. "They didn't get that one for movie night at school, and I was looking forward to seeing it."
"Okay," she said. "You, Killian, and April can come with me to the video store and pick your movies. We might get several."
"Okay," he said. "Thank you."
"You're so polite," she said, smiling. "You're a good fit for Killian. I think your both too young for the type of relationship you think you have, but I won't stand in its way."
"Thank you," he said. "We are young, but we mature so much faster in boarding school than in regular school."
"Why is that, do you think?" she asked.
"Freedom," he said. "We have structure, but most of the time we're free to do as we like. We solve complex problems on our own all of the time. We navigate social currents at school, we decide when to eat when we're not in classes and going to lunch. The cafeteria is open until ten o'clock. We can get snacks and drinks until then. After ten, we should be in bed if we want to be ready for classes the next day. Weekends are spent in the club house, and there is food and drink there. We mingle with the girls from Worthington Prep. Sure, there are professors in there, but they do their own thing. They only step in when we ask them or someone steps too far out of line. We're left to think and do for ourselves most of the time. In fact, they encourage us to do things for ourselves. They tells us constantly that there won't always be an adult to consult when problems arise."
"That's radically different than the home life," she said. "Do you think it's better?"
"I don't know any other way," he said. "When I'm home, my mom is at work a lot. She's a nurse that works sixteen hour days. I see my uncle when I go to his house, but I don't go over there as much anymore. I'm not the same as I was before Maxwell Academy."
"Huh," she said.
"One thing that's great about this experience is that it makes sure we can do the college experience as well," he said. "When we get there and have dorm life, it will be old hat for us. We'll thrive there."
"I hadn't thought of that," she said. "The school was a blessing for Killian and Kevin. They didn't have friends here in Janus. The kids were cruel, and the teachers were worse."
"Killian has told me what his life was like before Maxwell," Dustin said. "I'm sad for him because of that. I had a positive experience before Maxwell. I had many friends growing up. I still associate with most of them on breaks when I'm home."
"That's great," she said. "I suspect with Alex living in Janus, they'll have someone to hang out with now besides their siblings."
"Robby and Pug are coming in a few days," Dustin said. "Robby comes down this way twice a year to see his cousin in Quincy. He said they'll stop here and meet everyone. Plus, Robby wants to see Killian."
"Robby is the sixteen year old?" she asked.
"He's seventeen now," he said. "We celebrated his birthday at school."
"What does he have to do with Killian?" she asked.
"He's adopted Killian as his little brother," Dustin said. "He looks out for him a lot at school. We works out with Killian and Kevin. I do, too. Alex tries, but he's not as good at working out as the rest of us. His dad didn't allow it when he was at home with him."
"His dad is a piece of work," she said.
"Yes," Dustin said. "I've met the man a time or two. He has funny ideas about the world."
After dinner she took us to the video store. It wasn't a rental store though. This was in the mall, and you bought movies from this place. We bought six movies. Some I hadn't seen and some I had. When we got back to the house with the movies, she told Richard that he wasn't to destroy a single one of them. She was firm on this. He put his head down. We went to the basement and put in "Back to the Future". The movie was so good that I didn't care that I'd seen it a few times. We had popcorn and juice while we were watching the movies. Richard came downstairs with his own popcorn and juice. He didn't say anything to us. He just watched the movie.
When it was over we put in "Firestarter". It was an older movie, but I really liked it. We sat through it and then I decided it was time for bed. It was ten o'clock. April was tired, and so was Dustin. We went upstairs and put our popcorn bowls in the dishwasher. We used the bathroom, and then Dustin and I went into the room I shared with Kevin. We changed into sleep shorts and t-shirts and climbed into bed. Dustin put his arm over me and I spooned into him. He kissed my neck and then went to sleep. I was asleep a few minutes later.
The next morning I talked to Robby on the phone. He and Pug were coming for New Years. I told him that Dustin, Alex, Kevin, and I were going to the Family Fun Center in Janus for New Year lock in. He said they'd go to that, too. His cousin wouldn't be home in time for him to see him, so he was just coming to see me. I liked that. He talked to Dustin for a few minutes, and then the call ended. We went back to watching movies. This time it was a movie about a robot doll that wanted to take over the family. It was a thriller. We liked it, but April didn't. I suppose it was out of her wheelhouse. We watched a movie about a dog who saved a boy, and April was happy.
Then we were upstairs for lunch. Richard was there, and he kept looking at me. He finally asked if we could have a private word when lunch was over. I said we could. I wondered if he was finally going to admit what he hated about me. I wanted to know what it was. It couldn't be that I had gotten Hank out of our lives when he had a plan. He moved too slow. I told Dustin that I'd leave him in April's hands for a bit after lunch. He seemed happy enough.
Richard and I went out to the picnic table and sat down. It was cold, so I hoped he'd get it off his chest quickly. He looked at me for a long moment and then sighed. "I hate that we don't have the relationship that we used to," he said.
"That's not my fault," I said. "You went off the deep end, and then you told me that there's something about me that you hate. I want to know what it is."
"It's God," he said. "I wanted to find God so badly. You didn't even try and he sent you back in time to fix your life and save us. I'm jealous."
"That's all it is?" I asked. "Richard, we don't know for sure that it was God who sent me back. It could have been a random convergence of electricity and light. I don't know that it was God. April thinks so, and Kevin thinks so. Apparently, you think so. We can get past this though. I was afraid that you hated me because I came back in time."
"No," he said. "I love that you came back in time and saved me from being a vegetable. I think the changes that you've made are favorable. I love you like crazy, and I'm so damned proud of you that I can't see straight. I think Dustin is a keeper, too. The boy loves you. I can see it when he looks at you. You finally found love, Killian. Real love. That makes me happy."
"Rich, you and I can go back to the way we were," I said. "You've just got to let go of what you're jealous of. You know, if it was God then he stepped in to allow me to save you and Kevin."
"I'll think of it like that," he said. "I'm sorry for everything, Killian. I'm your big brother, and I let you down big time."
"Like I said when you first came out of the religion rabbit hole, we're brothers and we don't always have to get along all of the time," I said. "And you wouldn't be a Flynn if you didn't show your ass at least once in you life."
"Thanks, Killian," he said. "Can you get Kevin to talk to me?"
"I'll do my best," I said. "They should be over here soon."
"Well, I'm glad that I fixed my relationship with you," he said. "Don't get me wrong I know it's going to take time, but I'm happy that you're open to it."
"I'm open to it," I said. "Just hang out with us. When do you start the community college?"
"In January," he said. "I'm taking business courses."
"Good," I said. "If you want, I'll add you to my business plan."
"Your business plan?" he asked.
"I want an electronic store that sells only products that are made by my company," I said. "I'm going to use future technology to make amazing things and we'll sell them at Flynn Electronics."
"That's amazing," he said. "You really are thinking ahead."
"Of course I am," I said. "I'm done with major changes, Richard. Now it's time to secure my future."
We went back into the house. Kevin and Alex were there. Kevin asked me what I was doing with Richard, and I said forgiving him. He nodded. Then we were all downstairs. April loved that Alex and Dustin were among us. I told Alex that Robby and Pug were coming to spend New Years with us. He liked that idea. The Five would be at the Family Fun Center for the new year. We watched movies, and Binx came down and jumped on the couch to lay in my lap. Dustin and I petted him.
"So you and Killian had your talk," Kevin said to Richard when the movie was over.
"Yes, and he's decided to forgive me," Richard said. "We're going to work on getting our relationship back to what it was."
"Okay," he said. "We can do that, too."
"Thank you," he said. "What I really want to know is how is life for both of you at Maxwell Academy?"
"For me, it's great," Kevin said. "I have friends, I'm challenged in classes, and I'm doing really well."
"For me it's perfect," I said. "I have friends, a boyfriend, I work out and run, I go to the Phoenix Club on Saturday evenings and hang out with Thalia. She's the girl in my pictures. She and I are getting to be pretty good friends. Plus I'm going to play baseball in the spring."
"That's great," Richard said with a smile. "If Jason comes to watch you play, I'll come with him."
"So will I," April said.
"Thanks guys," I said with a smile.
We put in the next movie. This one was about a woman desperately trying to find her daughter in a foreign country. It was a good movie but heartbreaking. Then we were upstairs for dinner. Mary had made a feat of roast pork loin, mashed and gravy, fried corn, and bread rolls. She put it on the table and then left for the day. We were on our own. Grandma said that she was happy that we were all getting along again. I told her that Richard was more jealous than hateful. She laughed.
"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve," she said. "You guys'll be at the Family Fun Center all night, right?"
"Yes," I said.
"April are you going with your brothers?" Grandma asked.
"Yes," she said. "Jesse will be there, too."
"That's nice, dear," she said. "Richard, are you going?"
"I might," he said. "It'll be my last chance to hang out with the twins before they go back to school."
"That's right," she said. "They're leaving the third."
"We're taking the train," I said. "Jason has to work."
"Okay," she said. "You have train tickets?"
"Yes, Ma'am," I said. "They're in my bag. I even have one for Dustin."
"And I have one for Alex," Kevin said.
"Good," she said. "As long as you're prepared."
After dinner I took the dog outside to do his business and then went to the basement for more movies. We only had two more of the new movies. Grandma said she'd have bought more if we'd have asked for more. I told her this was fine. We watched the movie about mutants from another planet who came to take over ours only to be fought by mutants from Earth that no one had known about. It was a great movie, and we liked it a lot. Even April liked it.
The second move was about a woman who was stalked but it turned out that the stalker was her husband, and he was trying to have her committed. It was a good movie, but April had many questions when it was over. She said she liked it, but she didn't understand why he did it. We talked about the movie for a while after it was over. Then we just sat and talked. There were no more movies to watch. That night, Dustin and I decided to have a little fun. We had oral sex in my room that night, and Kevin was downstairs on the other bed. We had a great time. We did it twice. Of course after the first time it took longer. He told me that he loved me. I told him that I loved him. Then we went to sleep.
The next morning we had breakfast in the dining room. It was the only place with a big enough table and enough seating for everyone. We used to have holidays in the dining room until Nick stopped coming to visit for Christmas. We had breakfast on the dining room table. Grandma asked us if we would sleep today to so that we could be up all night. I told her no, we'd sleep tomorrow. She laughed at that. We hung out at the house until Robby and Pug arrived.
Robby was a hit with Grandma. She told him he was a good looking boy. He thanked her and asked about how things were going here. She told him that things were fine. She welcomed him and Pug to her home. She said that Pug was a good looking boy, too. She didn't bat and eye when she learned that they were in a relationship with each other. She told them they made a cute couple. They were there for lunch, and we had it in the dining room again. Mary was thrilled to have so many to cook for.
"Tell me," Grandma said to Pug. "What kind of name is Pug?"
"It's a name that stuck with me all of my life," he said. "My grandfather on my mother's side had the last name of Pugsworth. He called me his little pug. It stuck."
"That's sweet," she said. "I'm glad that you kept the name. He obviously loved you very much."
"He did," Pug said. "He loved me so very much until the day he died."
"I'm sorry," Grandma said. "What about your folks?"
"They don't have much to do with me or my sister," he said. "They did when we were little, but once we grew enough to have opinions that didn't match theirs, they were pretty much done. They give us money from our trust funds every month. It's in the bank at school. When I graduate from Maxwell, the trust will open. It's the money my grandfather gave me."
"That's amazing," she said. "You know, I put money aside in trust funds for all four of these children. They just have to go to college to open them. The loophole that I'd hoped that they'd not think of was that they don't have to finish to get the money. They just have to be enrolled in a school."
"Well, Killian will finish college," Pug said. "Don't you worry. That boy loves to learn."
"He sure does," Grandma said with a smile. "Kevin is much like him in that regard."
"We don't know Kevin that well," Pug said. "Robby does, but that's because he works out with the twins and Dustin three times a week. I run with them, but we don't talk much while we run."
"No, I don't imagine you would," she said. "So, you're a runner?"
"Yes," he said. "I play baseball and I run to keep in shape for the team."
"That's right," she said. "Killian said that The Five were all baseball players."
"Yes," he said. "This spring we will be, Killian and Kevin have made the team with Dustin and Alex."
"That's great," she said. "When you have home games, Jason says he's taking the other two to Chicago to see you boys play."
"That would be great," he said. "I can kind of pretend that they're there to see me play, too."
"Well, of course they would be," Grandma said. "You just know that you have a place to go if things get bad. You can come here."
"Thank you, Mrs. Patterson," he said.
"It's Grandma to all of you," she said. "Robby, do you have a bad home life, too?"
"I can never go home," he said. "My parents threw me out two years ago. I live with my uncle in Michigan. My parents live in Wisconsin. My uncle is the one that pays my tuition and makes sure that I have what I need. So, when my parents threw me out, he came to get me."
"Well, then you're one of my boys now, too," she said. "We'll just call you grandchildren like you're their brothers."
"Thank you, Ma'am," he said. "I've pretty much adopted Killian as my little brother. I'm getting to know Kevin, too."
"Yeah, you can't have one without the other," she said. "They're so close it's maddening."
"Well, they're twins, Ma'am," he said with a smile.
"That they are," she said. "You know they didn't have a good home life either."
"I know all about their home life, Ma'am," he said. "That's part of the reason that I adopted Killian. I don't know Kevin that well, but I suspect that if he's like his twin, then I'll have two little brothers before too long."
"That's wonderful," she said. "Welcome to the family, all of you."
"Thank you, Ma'am," Robby said. He was putting on the charm for my grandmother. I loved it.
"So, what are you all going to do before the lock in?" Grandma asked.
"We're going to the gym to do some batting practice," I said. "They just put in the batting cages indoors, so it won't be cold."
"All right," she said. "You boys have fun. I'll see you later."
"Yes," I said.
We went out and piled into the cars. Then they followed Richard to the gym. We paid our money and went to the batting cages. There were twelve of them, so we could all bat at the same time. We had a good time there. We went for ice cream just like an outing for The Five. We had fun there, too. When we got back to the house, Mary had put dinner on the table. We filed into the dining room and took seats. She'd made a roast beef with potatoes and carrots. There were homemade noodles and bread rolls, too. We had a feast. After dinner we helped Grandma load the dishwasher. Then we all took turns taking showers. That hot water heater that Grandma put in by the bathroom made sure that he had hot water for everyone. Then we changed clothes and headed for the Family Fun Center. We paid and entered.
The place was awesome. It had black steel walls with indoor outdoor black carpet on the floor. There were dart boards, pool tables, air hockey, racing games and a wall of video games. They also had movies and a snack bar. We played darts for a while, but they quickly saw that I was very good at darts, and then we switched to pool. Kevin ran the table on them pretty quickly, so they moved to air hockey. There were three of them, so six of us played while two stood and watched. They played the winners. Then we played video games and munch pizza.
The movies they had were "Teen Wolf" and "The Goonies." We watched both and had a great time. Of course I'd seen both a time or two but at least the second one was worth watching again. We played more darts and pool. This time I didn't play against anyone but Dustin who gave me a run for my money. Kevin played with Robby, because he was good at pool, too. Alex and Dustin played air hockey, and April hung out with her friends and Jesse. Richard just sort of hung around us. We sat in the snack bar and had two whole pizzas with two pitchers of soda. One was Dr. Pepper and the other was Root Beer.
"So, you forgave your brother?" Robby asked as we sat there. Richard was talking to some guys he knew from school.
"Yes," I said. "He told me what it was that he hates about me, and it's more a jealousy thing than anything else."
"That's good," he said. "You told me that you guys were all very close before he went off the deep end."
"We were," I said. "We'll get there again. We just have to spend some time together with no fights."
"That should be easy," he said. "You'll be here for summer."
"Yeah," I said. "Dustin is coming for two weeks out of the summer. He's coming for ours and his birthdays."
"We'll be in town for those," Robby said. "I'm happy to see that you're happy at home. I'm sorry about your grandfather."
"Thank you," I said. "He isn't suffering now, though."
"That's a good way to think about it," he said. "That's the way I tried to think about my own grandfather when he died."
"I'm sorry for your loss," I said.
"Well, we're in the same boat now," he said.
"I don't have any grandfathers left," I said. "My grandfather on my dad's side was dead before I was born. My grandmother on my dad's side died of a heart attack last year. It's sad but we didn't know her."
"That is sad," he said. "But you have your grandmother."
"We have Jason, too," I said. "He's Kevin and my guardian."
"Why?" he asked.
"So he can come and get us at school and take us out to eat and shopping," I said. "They won't let anyone who isn't a parent or legal guardian do that."
"That's true," he said. "It's good that you have him then."
"We're happy with him," I said. "He's a good guy. He's getting married in August and I'm the best man."
"That's great," he said. "You'll have fun that day."
"Yes," I said. "It's going to be a great day. Sarah is such a sweet woman."
"That's good that you like her," he said.
"Well, if anything happens to my grandmother, we'll live with Jason and Sarah," I said. "So, it's good that we like her."
"Yes," he said.
Our conversation ended after that, because Richard came to the table. He talked about the classes he'd signed up for at the community college. I noticed that he talked a great deal to a girl. I commented on it. He blushed and said her name was Cheryl, and she liked him. He said they were going on a date next week. I congratulated him. At least she wasn't religious. I didn't know her, but she had a Madonna sweatshirt on. That told me all I needed to know.
Later on, they had donuts and chocolate milk and hot chocolate for everyone. You had to pay for them, but they were good. I got three donuts and a hot chocolate. Dustin did the same. I noticed that Kevin and Alex had plates of donuts in front of them as well. April was sitting with Jesse and some of her friends. Richard was with Cheryl and his friends. Robby and Pug joined us with their own donuts and hot chocolate.
"This has been great," Robby said. "We don't have anything like it where I live in Michigan."
"Well, we can do this again this summer," I said. "Kevin and I are having our birthday party here, and I'm throwing Dustin's birthday party here."
"You are?" Dustin asked.
"You're going to be here," I said. "I'll throw your birthday party."
"Thank you," he said, smiling. "My mom and uncle will be here for the party. Mom already took the three days off to be here."
"That's great," I said. "Tell her she doesn't have to do anything but show up."
"I'll tell her," he said.
"You guys are good together," Robby said. "I was shocked when you decided to be an item. Killian, you're only thirteen."
"I've heard all of this from Grandma and Richard," I said. "I'm mature for my age, and I don't look thirteen."
"No, you don't," he said. "You look about fifteen. I wasn't trying to say you were too young. I know you're mature for your age. It's one of the things that I like about you. Alex is his age, if you know what I mean."
"I do," I said. "He's a good guy, but he does act fourteen."
"You don't, Dustin," he said. "You're kind of quiet."
"Always have been," he said. "Killian draws me out, and I'm talkative with you and Pug. I don't know Alex that well. I mean, other than The Five and the outings. He's a good enough guy. I just don't know him the way that I know you and Pug. We work out together, Robby. I know you pretty well. Pug you run with us. Alex doesn't do that as often as you do. And we do talk while we run."
"That's true," Robby said. "You and Killian are the closest things I've had to brothers. I have a sister, but she wants nothing to do with me. She's older than me and didn't take my coming out very well. You know how my parents took it."
"Yes, and I'm sorry that you had to go through that," I said. "It must have hurt."
"It did and still does," he said. "I love my parents. I wish they'd come around, but I don't see it happening."
"I'm sorry," I said. "You can be part of my family. You know in the setting we're in we can build our families. You and Pug are brothers as far as I'm concerned. I love you both."
"We love you, too," Pug said. "We've been trying to get to know Kevin, but he wants very little to do with us."
"That'll change," I said. "He's kicking himself because of it. He thought you were only interested in being my friend because of The Five. I told him that you have friends outside of The Five."
"We sure do," he said. "We're closer to those in The Five, but that doesn't mean that we can't get close with Kevin if he just opens up to us."
"I'll talk to him," I said. "He thinks it's too late."
"It's not," Robby said. "I've got one more year of school. Pug's got two. You've got three. Tell him to open up before it's too late."
We went back home and to sleep. Robby slept on the couch in the basement, and Pug slept on the floor in a sleeping bag beside him. Dustin and I were in my room, and Alex and Kevin were on the bed in the basement. They'd moved it to the other side of the basement and set up a sort of bedroom there. I wondered about that but didn't say anything. Dustin and I showed our love and went to sleep. I loved holding him in my arms.
Later that day, Grandma woke us up. She fed us dinner and then we said goodbye to Robby and Pug. They were driving to Chicago to go back to school. We were taking the train in two days. Dustin was sad to see them go as well. Grandma talked about how good looking Robby was, and I smiled. Richard asked how we'd become friends, and I told him that Alex, Dustin, Pug, and Robby were the other members of The Five. I'd explained that to him a long time ago.
"Okay," he said. "I just couldn't figure out how you found a seventeen year old that wanted to be friends with a thirteen year old."
"That's how it started," I said. I was getting very tired of being reminded that I was only thirteen.
We went to bed that night on time. We slept until morning, and then we were up for breakfast. Mary commented on it. We told her that Grandma hadn't let us sleep all day. She nodded. Then we were in the basement playing a board game. We all got in on it. Richard even played, but he had to excuse himself to take a call from Cheryl. She was a pretty girl with shoulder length blond hair and blue eyes. She was curvy, too. Very voluptuous.
The day that we left, Richard told me he was going to miss us. I told him we would miss him, too. I wished him luck with his classes and Cheryl. He hugged me at the train station. Grandma did as well. We boarded the train and quickly went back to sleep. When I woke up we were in Chicago. We got off the train and found Professor Grant. He drove us to Maxwell. There was a building being constructed on the other side of the athletic field. I asked him about it.
"Athens House," he said. "It's where the athletes will be housed."
"So, if we play baseball we'll be in Athens House?" I asked.
"Yes," he said. "It's all in the packet that they'll be handing out soon."
"We got one of those already for baseball," I said. "Our permission slips were in there."
"This is a different packet," he said. "This one is all about Athens House."
"Okay," I said. "Let us drop this stuff off and I'll come get our packets."
"Sure thing," he said. "Welcome back, boys."
We dropped our stuff off in our room and went to his office. He gave us the packets and I looked mine over. We'd be in Athens House with Coach Dave as our Head of House starting in March. I was sad to leave Durant House, but we wanted to play baseball. I told him so. He told me that he'd always be here for us. We thanked him and went to our room. We put our clothes away and headed for the cafeteria. It was dinner time. I reconnected with my boyfriend and the boys from The Five when I got to the table with my pizza burger fries and fruit juice.
"Did you get the packet about Athens House?" Dustin asked me.
"I did," I said. "We'll be living in it in March."
"Yes," he said. "Robby and Pug are already moving in."
"Are you?" I asked.
"We're on the baseball teams," Pug said.
"Teams?" I asked.
"Varsity and Junior Varsity," he said. "Robby is on varsity and I'm JV."
"We'll probably be JV," Dustin said. "Kevin is trying out, too, right?"
"Yeah," I said. "We were discussing Athens House and our moving in before we came to dinner."
"Well, at least we'll know most of the people on our floor," he said. "They're dividing us by sport."
"Yeah, I read that, too," I said. "Is the building finished?"
"The dorm is," Robby said. "They're working on the athletic center now."
"Why are they doing this?" I asked.
"They always wanted to do it but didn't have the money," Robby said. "A booster gave them a bunch of money to build the house and athletic center. We're getting a new field and everything. No other students will be allowed in our gym or on the field."
"Nice," I said. "What about a pool?"
"They're not putting a new one in," he said. "They use the same one they've been using forever."
"Okay," I said. "So, Athens House and Coach Dave as our Head of House?"
"Yep," Pug said. "At least Coach Dave is pretty nice."
"I've not met him, yet," I said.
"They're holding baseball tryouts March first," Robby said. "Freshman can't be athletes at the school. You have to be a sophomore to play a sport."
"Okay," I said. "We're not freshman."
"No, you're not," he said said with a smile.
Classes started on Monday, January sixth. My first class of the day was Spanish 3. I did very well there that day. Professor Rivera was happy with me. Then I went to History with Grant. He asked me how my day was going so far, and I told him great. He smiled. We sat in our seats and he passed out a packet on the Vietnam War. We were to review that, answer the questions at the end of it, and then he'd lecture on it. We spent the hour reading the packet. I learned a great deal of information about the Vietnam War from that packet. When the hour was over, I went to computer programming. I loved this class and I was good at it. If I didn't want to open an electronics store I'd have been a video game coder. The next class was Chemistry, and we were getting ready for an experiment. We had to study the ingredients and what they did. Then it was time for lunch. I sat at the table for The Five. Dustin joined me a minute later. Then Alex. Robby and Pug came a bit later. They'd been moving into Athens House today.
Back in classes I had Drafting and Electronics for two hours. Then I had Reading with Professor Watson. His son, Matt Watson went to the school, and was planning to try out for baseball. He'd told me that he loved to play, but he wasn't very good at it. I promised to help him. Then I was done for the day and went back to my room. Kevin was there already, bitching about Alex. I asked him what Alex had done, and he said that Alex had blown him off to spend time with his roommate. I told him to suck it up. He glared at me. I went and met the boys for our work out. Kevin came a minute later. He was in a foul mood the whole time, and everyone noticed. We worked our legs today, and I had a great workout. In the showers, Kevin was in and out. I took my time, shooting the shit with Dustin and Pug. Robby came in and took his shower, and I had to tease him about the weapon between his legs. He laughed like a loon. Pug told us that he rather liked it. I told him that was gross, and he laughed. We got out of there and went to dinner.
"What was Kevin's problem?" Robby asked when we all sat down at the table.
"Alex chose to spend time with his roommate, and Kevin didn't like it," I said.
"Well," Alex said. "My roommate just found out that his father isn't his father at all. He found out that his father is in prison for murder and the man he believed was his father was his father's best friend."
"That sucks," I said. "I'm not saying you made the wrong decision. Kevin just had plans for the two of you."
"Well, I'm sorry for upsetting those plans, but Aubrey needed me," he said. "We've gotten close over the years. I am his friend."
"You did the right thing," I said. "I'll handle my brother."
"Thanks," he said. "Aubrey and I are going to have Professor Grant take us into town to get ice cream."
"We need to go to town and get new uniforms," I said. "We've grown out of the ones we have."
"You boys are always growing," Robby said, shaking his head. "You must spend a fortune on clothes."
"Well, so far we haven't," I said. "We bought uniforms once already, but the only thing that we buy usually is jocks."
"Yeah, I wouldn't want my grandmother picking my jock for me either," he said. "So this is the second time this year that you've had to buy new uniforms?"
"Yeah," I said. "We grew a bit."
"You're what, five-ten?" Robby asked.
"About that," I said. "And we're not done."
"No, you're not," he said. "You're awful tall for a thirteen year old."
"Family trait," I said. "We grow fast and quickly."
"Well, you look about sixteen now," he said. "If I didn't know you, I'd think you were at least a junior."
"Thanks, Rob," I said. "It'll slow down when we reach full height. If we're anything like Richard, that'll be six feet."
"Cool," he said. "What about your dad?"
"He was six feet tall, too," I said. "He died last month. I read it in the paper in Janus."
"That's terrible," Pug said. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"It was no loss to me," I said. "He never wanted children anyway."
"That sucks," Pug said.
"The entire Flynn family is dead now," I said. "His brother died in prison at the beginning of last year."
"Damn," said Robby. "What's with your father's family?"
"He said they were cursed," I said. "Maybe they were."
"Sounds as if," Pug said. "One died from a brain tumor and the other was beaten to death in prison?"
"Yeah," I said. "I'd forgotten that I'd told you about that."
"You didn't tell me," said Robby.
"I just did," I laughed.
"I guess you did," he laughed as well.
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