Chapter 4 - Only Room For One Boy

Now that everything was out in the open between David and me, our friendship grew even stronger. He seemed to feel proud that he was privy and I never once felt like his mind could even consider betraying my trust in him; not once. Not even when his young cousin Gregory started vying for my affection, and I gave in to him.

I can’t recall when I first met Gregory, but it must have been around the time David started hanging out with his little girlfriend more, at around 12. He wouldn’t come over directly after school, but would instead lay with her on the trampoline behind his house. It was cute. Since he was going through a period of exploring that part of himself, I needed a little buddy to spoil – enter Gregory.

Oh wait! I can recall when I first met Gregory! David and I were walking to his aunt’s house and when we arrived, I was shot at by some cheeky little 6 year old boy, sitting behind the front tire of a 4x4 truck. He reloaded his pop gun and shot me again, this time I fell down and so did David, in the middle of the street, playing dead.

“Ah ha!” he exclaimed. Got ya’ll!”

He was a country boy through and through. Padded and stocky – when a six year old can fill a pair of jeans like that…well, it should be illegal, really. I saw a picture of him recently and he turned into an overweight teen, but back then his shape was just something to behold, or hold, if you were so lucky.

I was lucky.

He would come over after school, when David was with his girlfriend and we’d play video games. I’d make him call me before coming, so that I could help him across the street. He’d sit on my lap and I’d bounce him up and down. The bouncing, not the proudest thing I’ve ever done, was still something he asked for and seemed to enjoy, if one could but examine the evidence.

Gregory was a different animal. His mother was going through a divorce and she adored Gregory, watched him like a hawk, too. But I was so smitten with this little bear cub; I had to do something about it.

Eventually, I convinced his mother that she needed to give her husband another chance. Some quiet nights alone, maybe a vacation to get that spark back,

“Hell, I’ll even watch Gregory for you guys, for free, just to help out.” I told her. I’m so nice…

She bought it and planned an evening out, just her and her husband. The doorbell rang and my roommate opened it and called for me. It was her, dropping Gregory off, for the night.

“BLues.!” He shrieked and came running, barreling through the living room and hugging my trunk – already dressed in his pee jays.

“Hey bear cub! You’re staying with me tonight?” I asked, like I didn’t know.

“Yep! Woo hoo!” he hollered.

“You guys have fun and don’t worry about Gregger here, I’ll take good care of him.” I told her.

“Oh I know. You can bring him home, tomorrow. Bye!” she said and left.

“You hungry, bud?” I asked.

“Nope, I had squished taters for dinner!” He replied, overly excited, as usual.

I carried him into the bedroom (he loved being carried like a baby…) and we started playing some xbox games, on the floor. Oblivion was his favorite and though I wouldn’t have guessed it, he caught on quickly.

He tuckered out fast and decided he just wanted to lie on the floor and watch cartoons. Eventually, we were lying in “T” position, with his feet by the television and his head on my stomach pillow. I started tapping on his cheek with my finger. Making some circles and whatnot when he turned his head and grabbed my finger in his teeth!

“Ow!” I let out.

He giggled and released the pressure, but didn’t let go of the finger. Instead, he sucked on it. He sucked that finger for I know at least a half hour. Boys are so funny. Probably some carry over habit from infancy breast feeding – not that I minded, mind you.

“I’m sleepy, night.” He finally said around 9pm and I scooped him up and put him into my bed. Left the room and turned off the light.

“You have to sleep in here with me!” he cried out as I was leaving.

“Bear cub, it’s only 9 and I’m not tired yet.” I pleaded.

“So, please?” he begged, crushing any chance I had at leaving the room, at that moment.

So I lied down beside him. He sucked on his left thumb and with his right hand, stroked my right cheek. Stroking up and down with his fingers. I think it was because his father never shaved his beard and it was new to him to be able to touch a man’s face without a beard-barrier.

He fell asleep quickly and I left the room, afterwards and once again, as usual, relegated to the couch.

The reason, and I say this with no shame, I couldn’t sleep in the same bed with Gregory, was because I honestly don’t think I could control myself. He didn’t wet the bed or hog the covers (okay, I slept in the same bed with him, ONCE) but there was only one lever that he had access to, with me. My emotions were tied up with David and though I cared for Gregory as well, it just wasn’t the same. And he was just too damn hot; and too cuddly; too soft; too everything. So anyway, to the couch!

Around 1am, I hadn’t fallen asleep yet and was working towards a release that might allow me to, when I heard my bedroom door open, and pitter patters coming down the hallway, towards me.

“Why’d you leave me?” Gregory asked, as I got myself put away.

“Aw bear cub, I’m just comfortable on the couch.” I told him, lying.

“I want to sleep with you.” He moaned, and lifted up the covers. He crawled in and spooned. I gave up and put my arm down around him; he grabbed it tight and started in on one of my fingers, again.

Eventually, he fell asleep again. And as gently and quietly as I could, I got up from the couch and returned to my bedroom. About 2am, I would guess. I fell onto the bed, worn out, and fell asleep.

When I woke up the next morning, Gregory was in my arms, lightly snoring.

Saved by the rising sun, I went to go make breakfast so I could feed this evil creature and take him home. I just wanted no part of this madness. In a perfect world of my design, there wouldn’t have been any problems. In a perfect world of my design, this was my perfect boy. Perfectly padded in the places I like, Nordic-skinned, white haired and greened eyed little boy god, but in the real world, he was trouble. And I don’t have perfect will.

“Ready to go home, bear cub?” I asked, before he was even finished munching on his pancakes or as he called them, “pandycakes”.

“Yep!” He chirped and wiped a syrupy mouth with his shirt sleeve.

“Alright! Let’s get ya home!” I exclaimed.

I walked him home and was pleased to see his parents already up and swinging on their front porch swing, holding hands.

I waved and Gregory broke free of my hand and ran towards them, hugging them both.

“Thanks! We owe you one!” His father hollered.

“No problem!” I said with a smile and walked back home.

Whew…

David was in the yard when I returned, ready to get our weekend started.

“Hey bud!” I said.

“Hey! Did you two have fun last night? Hmm?.....” He teased.

“Don’t even go there.” I told him. “I can’t be around him anymore David. I like him way too much.”

“Ha ha. Don’t worry about that. His mother called mine last night and said they’re moving back home next week.” He said. Home was about 5 hours away. Far enough.

I saw Gregory, once more time before they left. He showed up at my door and told me it was his birthday. Lucky 7, he was. I didn’t have a gift for him handy, but he said he just wanted a hug, before he left, as his present. I easily managed that and he walked back home, only looking over his shoulder once.

Gregory was an important teaching tool for David. From then on, he would give me a nudge whenever he saw a boy that he thought was for me, then act like he was jealous, when I ogled them.

And when he mentioned a new girlfriend, I’d always ask for her address, while taking out my knife…

I learned during the Gregory phase, that there is really only room for one boy at a time, in my heart. Any more than that, and things spill, for me anyway.