Camping in the Backyard:Going Forward

Chapter 5\ \ Jonathan was crushed that Michael didn't forgive him. He sat alone in the box at the opera house. The house lights dimmed. Michael had not come. Jonathan felt disoriented and alone. The music and performance distracted him from his thoughts and annoyed him. That fuckin' Gary. I'll kick his ass one day. Fuckin' troublemaker, if there ever was one. Why the fuck would he go to visit 'his best friend' at six o'clock in the morning? Did he call first? Did he find out I wasn't home? Son-of-a-bitch, because of him I'm punishing Michael, and I'm torturing myself. And I don't want to do either of those. Maybe I could find some way to get Gary out of the picture. Son-of-a-bitch, cock-sucking, motherfucker. Polack-Asshole!\ The opera went on, and on, and on. He knew Dame Theofanus was singing majestically, but the noise of her voice was irritating him, nonetheless. It seemed like an eternity in hell sitting in that box waiting for Michael to show up, or for the damn thing to be over. When the curtain finally fell, so did his last hope. Michael hadn't shown.\ He knew the other board members would be expecting him backstage, but he just couldn't go. Feeling down was a mild description of how he felt at that moment. He was not aware that Lillian and Pasquale Boterri were seated in the orchestra.\ He walked home in the cold drizzle. He wasn't able to hail a taxi, and he had always considered himself an expert at getting cabs. His self-esteem was at an all-time low. Michael's favorable opinion of him was very important, and somehow he had lost that.\ He finally walked into the apartment and it was quiet. No one seemed to be home. Lillian was out. Missy wasn't there either. He went into his room and undressed in the dark, dropping his clothes on the floor. He put his jewelry and wallet on the bureau and crawled into bed under the covers. The joy he felt at the moment he realized that Michael was sleeping in the bed overcame him. He started to sob and then cry out loud. Michael woke up and looked at Jonathan and began to cry as well. Michael kissed away Jonathan's salty tears and held him close. They made love passionately. No words were spoken. Afterward, they lay holding hands.\ "I'm sorry, Jonathan."\ "Me, too, Precious. I'm sorry you missed the performance."\ "I didn't miss it."\ "You didn't?"\ "Nope. I exchanged my ticket for one in the balcony, and as you know, the house keeps the difference as a donation when you downgrade. I didn't want to sit with you. After the performance, before the curtain calls, I ran out and got a cab, came here and fell asleep waiting for you."\ They kissed. There was a commotion in the reception room.\ "Who is it?" Michael asked.\ "Let me find out." Jonathan put on his robe and left the room and walked into the dark corridor. He walked far enough down the hall so he could see. He rapidly walked back into the bedroom.\ "Michael, hurry up and get dressed. It's Lillian and Helene and Pasquale Boterri and several others. Lillian and Pasquale must have been at the performance, too. They must have come back for a night-cap."\ "Oh, shit!" Michael exclaimed. "I can't find my underwear."\ "Forget your underwear. Hurry up."\ "Jonathan, what should we tell them?"\ "I don't know. Let's just go in. Leave it to me. I'll think of something."\ "Okay. Let's go."\ In two minutes they were dressed, and they entered the music room where the group had gathered.\ "Hi, everybody. Madame Theofanus, you were superb. The music made the evening fly by too quickly," Jonathan said as he kissed her hand. "We had a wonderful time."\ "Thank you, Jonathan, darling. Why didn't you come backstage?"\ "Honestly we were too tired. All day long we were working on our Seaside Heights house tearing down a wall. Michael's making me very blue-collar. We were so exhausted after we finished, you wouldn't believe, but we rushed up from the Jersey shore, sliding all over the Turnpike in the snow, so we wouldn't miss your performance. We are so glad that you all came back here. Welcome."\ "Well, I'm happy to be here, too. And, hello, Michael. You're looking well," Mrs. Theofanus said.\ "Thank you, Mrs. Theofanus, as do you."\ Jonathan turned to Michael. Jonathan asked the group, "Does everyone know Michael?"\ He made introductions as necessary with Mrs. Theofanus assisting. She gave anyone who was interested, and they all were, a description of Michael's musical talent. She actually made Michael blush.\ Michael and Jonathan slowly made their way to the back of the room and separated themselves from the others. They sat on a small antique loveseat with their knees touching.\ "Jonathan, by looking at them standing together, I think Lillian and Pasquale are on a date."\ "No. You think?"\ "Yeah. Look, he just put his hand on her waist."\ "Damn. You're right."\ Missy came in just then and walked into the music room. She went unnoticed. She saw Jonathan and Michael in the rear of the room. She walked to them and pulled up a chair.\ "Mom, you look radiant," Jonathan told her.\ "Thank you. That's how I feel. Hi, Michael."\ "Were you at the performance?"\ "No. I spoke for the first time at an AA meeting tonight. I just recently had my 90-day anniversary sober."\ "Congratulations, Mom. Congratulations!"\ "That's great, Mrs. Taylor."\ "Well, thank you. But I told you to call me Missy."\ "Of course, Missy. I'm happy for you."\ Missy kissed them both on the lips and took off for the other group. She must have told them about her meeting because they were all hugging and kissing her and shaking her hand.\ "Jonathan, do you think we could say goodnight to everyone and hit the sack. I want to make love again."\ "Well, then let's do it, Precious."\ It wasn't long before they were in bed again. The sheets were still damp from before. This time there was laughter. Jonathan held Michael tightly in his arms.\ "Michael, you smell like we had sex already."\ "So do you, because we did. It's a little raunchy, don't you think?' Michael laughed.\ "I do. Michael, you're so hard."\ "And what's this thing?"\ Michael's mouth eagerly received Jonathan's exploring tongue. He lay on his back and closed his eyes for a minute or two. He loved the smell of Jonathan's breath. He moved so he could pull Jonathan on top of himself. Jonathan must really have been upset before. Michael could always detect the change in the smell of his perspiration when something really bothered him. For the moment, though, to Michael it was an aphrodisiac.\ Jonathan held Michael's hands above his head as he kissed him over and over again. He realized that Michael was still wearing the ring he had given him. He had been afraid that Michael might have removed it in anger.\ "Did you lock the door, Jonathan?"\ "Yep."\ "Then, do you know what I want?"\ "Do you want me inside you?"\ "Yes. Very slowly. Very deeply."\ Jonathan lifted Michael legs and placed Michael's ankles on his shoulders and began entry. How nice it was to feel the warmth inside this man's body as he proceeded slowly. He loved Michael very much. When he was fully entered, he leaned down and kissed Michael. "I'm sorry for today, I really am. I love you."\ "I know, Jonathan. I feel so connected to you now. I forgive you. Don't stop loving me, Jonathan. Not now, not ever. Please."\ "Does that feel good, Michael?"\ "Yes. Don't stop. I love that."\ "I will never stop loving you. I promise. Never, Precious."\ They moved together in perfect rhythm until Jonathan exploded, releasing his semen into his beloved. He lay still for a moment and then withdrew. Michael was moaning softly as Jonathan took Michael's pulsating penis into his mouth and skillfully brought Michael to the crest of his passion, and Michael filled Jonathan's mouth with spurts of warm, thick fluid, which Jonathan felt honored to swallow.\ They kissed for a few minutes under the covers until they fell asleep in their usual position, in each other's arms.\  \ Chapter 5\ \ Jonathan was crushed that Michael didn't forgive him. He sat alone in the box at the opera house. The house lights dimmed. Michael had not come. Jonathan felt disoriented and alone. The music and performance distracted him from his thoughts and annoyed him. That fuckin' Gary. I'll kick his ass one day. Fuckin' troublemaker, if there ever was one. Why the fuck would he go to visit 'his best friend' at six o'clock in the morning? Did he call first? Did he find out I wasn't home? Son-of-a-bitch, because of him I'm punishing Michael, and I'm torturing myself. And I don't want to do either of those. Maybe I could find some way to get Gary out of the picture. Son-of-a-bitch, cock-sucking, motherfucker. Polack-Asshole!\ The opera went on, and on, and on. He knew Dame Theofanus was singing majestically, but the noise of her voice was irritating him, nonetheless. It seemed like an eternity in hell sitting in that box waiting for Michael to show up, or for the damn thing to be over. When the curtain finally fell, so did his last hope. Michael hadn't shown.\ He knew the other board members would be expecting him backstage, but he just couldn't go. Feeling down was a mild description of how he felt at that moment. He was not aware that Lillian and Pasquale Boterri were seated in the orchestra.\ He walked home in the cold drizzle. He wasn't able to hail a taxi, and he had always considered himself an expert at getting cabs. His self-esteem was at an all-time low. Michael's favorable opinion of him was very important, and somehow he had lost that.\ He finally walked into the apartment and it was quiet. No one seemed to be home. Lillian was out. Missy wasn't there either. He went into his room and undressed in the dark, dropping his clothes on the floor. He put his jewelry and wallet on the bureau and crawled into bed under the covers. The joy he felt at the moment he realized that Michael was sleeping in the bed overcame him. He started to sob and then cry out loud. Michael woke up and looked at Jonathan and began to cry as well. Michael kissed away Jonathan's salty tears and held him close. They made love passionately. No words were spoken. Afterward, they lay holding hands.\ "I'm sorry, Jonathan."\ "Me, too, Precious. I'm sorry you missed the performance."\ "I didn't miss it."\ "You didn't?"\ "Nope. I exchanged my ticket for one in the balcony, and as you know, the house keeps the difference as a donation when you downgrade. I didn't want to sit with you. After the performance, before the curtain calls, I ran out and got a cab, came here and fell asleep waiting for you."\ They kissed. There was a commotion in the reception room.\ "Who is it?" Michael asked.\ "Let me find out." Jonathan put on his robe and left the room and walked into the dark corridor. He walked far enough down the hall so he could see. He rapidly walked back into the bedroom.\ "Michael, hurry up and get dressed. It's Lillian and Helene and Pasquale Boterri and several others. Lillian and Pasquale must have been at the performance, too. They must have come back for a night-cap."\ "Oh, shit!" Michael exclaimed. "I can't find my underwear."\ "Forget your underwear. Hurry up."\ "Jonathan, what should we tell them?"\ "I don't know. Let's just go in. Leave it to me. I'll think of something."\ "Okay. Let's go."\ In two minutes they were dressed, and they entered the music room where the group had gathered.\ "Hi, everybody. Madame Theofanus, you were superb. The music made the evening fly by too quickly," Jonathan said as he kissed her hand. "We had a wonderful time."\ "Thank you, Jonathan, darling. Why didn't you come backstage?"\ "Honestly we were too tired. All day long we were working on our Seaside Heights house tearing down a wall. Michael's making me very blue-collar. We were so exhausted after we finished, you wouldn't believe, but we rushed up from the Jersey shore, sliding all over the Turnpike in the snow, so we wouldn't miss your performance. We are so glad that you all came back here. Welcome."\ "Well, I'm happy to be here, too. And, hello, Michael. You're looking well," Mrs. Theofanus said.\ "Thank you, Mrs. Theofanus, as do you."\ Jonathan turned to Michael. Jonathan asked the group, "Does everyone know Michael?"\ He made introductions as necessary with Mrs. Theofanus assisting. She gave anyone who was interested, and they all were, a description of Michael's musical talent. She actually made Michael blush.\ Michael and Jonathan slowly made their way to the back of the room and separated themselves from the others. They sat on a small antique loveseat with their knees touching.\ "Jonathan, by looking at them standing together, I think Lillian and Pasquale are on a date."\ "No. You think?"\ "Yeah. Look, he just put his hand on her waist."\ "Damn. You're right."\ Missy came in just then and walked into the music room. She went unnoticed. She saw Jonathan and Michael in the rear of the room. She walked to them and pulled up a chair.\ "Mom, you look radiant," Jonathan told her.\ "Thank you. That's how I feel. Hi, Michael."\ "Were you at the performance?"\ "No. I spoke for the first time at an AA meeting tonight. I just recently had my 90-day anniversary sober."\ "Congratulations, Mom. Congratulations!"\ "That's great, Mrs. Taylor."\ "Well, thank you. But I told you to call me Missy."\ "Of course, Missy. I'm happy for you."\ Missy kissed them both on the lips and took off for the other group. She must have told them about her meeting because they were all hugging and kissing her and shaking her hand.\ "Jonathan, do you think we could say goodnight to everyone and hit the sack. I want to make love again."\ "Well, then let's do it, Precious."\ It wasn't long before they were in bed again. The sheets were still damp from before. This time there was laughter. Jonathan held Michael tightly in his arms.\ "Michael, you smell like we had sex already."\ "So do you, because we did. It's a little raunchy, don't you think?' Michael laughed.\ "I do. Michael, you're so hard."\ "And what's this thing?"\ Michael's mouth eagerly received Jonathan's exploring tongue. He lay on his back and closed his eyes for a minute or two. He loved the smell of Jonathan's breath. He moved so he could pull Jonathan on top of himself. Jonathan must really have been upset before. Michael could always detect the change in the smell of his perspiration when something really bothered him. For the moment, though, to Michael it was an aphrodisiac.\ Jonathan held Michael's hands above his head as he kissed him over and over again. He realized that Michael was still wearing the ring he had given him. He had been afraid that Michael might have removed it in anger.\ "Did you lock the door, Jonathan?"\ "Yep."\ "Then, do you know what I want?"\ "Do you want me inside you?"\ "Yes. Very slowly. Very deeply."\ Jonathan lifted Michael legs and placed Michael's ankles on his shoulders and began entry. How nice it was to feel the warmth inside this man's body as he proceeded slowly. He loved Michael very much. When he was fully entered, he leaned down and kissed Michael. "I'm sorry for today, I really am. I love you."\ "I know, Jonathan. I feel so connected to you now. I forgive you. Don't stop loving me, Jonathan. Not now, not ever. Please."\ "Does that feel good, Michael?"\ "Yes. Don't stop. I love that."\ "I will never stop loving you. I promise. Never, Precious."\ They moved together in perfect rhythm until Jonathan exploded, releasing his semen into his beloved. He lay still for a moment and then withdrew. Michael was moaning softly as Jonathan took Michael's pulsating penis into his mouth and skillfully brought Michael to the crest of his passion, and Michael filled Jonathan's mouth with spurts of warm, thick fluid, which Jonathan felt honored to swallow.\ They kissed for a few minutes under the covers until they fell asleep in their usual position, in each other's arms.\