Part XIV - 1: Boyfriend, Girlfriend, and the Sight

"Ahhhhhhh," I let out as I sat down into my bubble bath. "It's good to be home."

I was alone at my south mansion.

Quiet. Perfectly quiet. Nothing but the sound of my movements in the water.

So peaceful... So relaxing... So...

"Boring!" I yelled, listening to the echo with a grin.

"NICE AND BORING!" I screamed enthusiastically.

The phone rang. I didn't answer it.

Something made a noise in the other room.

I didn't care.

There was no one there, and I knew it.

It was probably just the house settling.

I fell asleep in my bath, and woke up all pruned up and a little cold.

"Well, enough of that shit," I said, having had my fill of what my mom called private time.

She had talked me into just taking a little time out and do something alone, something relaxing, something I couldn't get stressed about. But the truth was, I felt more stressed trying to relax than I did if I was out running from the devil himself.

So I got myself warmed back up in the shower real fast, then jumped into my clothes and took off for Joey's house.

"Hi," I said with a grin when Margaret answered the door. "Can Joey come out and play?"

"Shit," she said, letting me in. "Don't start pulling that on me again, Timmy. I thought I had you trained by now."

"Sorry, Mom Connor," I said over my shoulder. "I guess it's been so long that I forgot I could just walk in. I'll try and remember next time, 'kay?"

"That's fine. Tell that grandson of mine if he's going to lick the beaters, he better get his butt in the kitchen."

"Awe!" I whined. "That used to be Joey's and my job! What did you make?"

"Chocolate chip cookies. Sorry Timmy. Grandchildren first, sons and their best friends second."

"Shit. I bet he even gets to sit in the good chair, too."

"You know it, sonny," she said just as she re-entered the kitchen and I got to Joey's door.

"Hey Joey, what do you say we... " I said, stopping when I found the rest of the Harrisons had finally arrived.

Sarah, Joey, Tommy, Stan, Gina and Denise were all sitting on Joey's bed, looking at his photo album. Denise and Stan looked a little bored, but with Tommy on Stan's lap commenting on every page, I guess it couldn't be too boring, could it?

"Hey. I see you got here earlier than you thought," I said, standing by the door since the room was pretty full already.

"Richardson helped out a little," Stan said with a friendly nod.

"Shit, Tim," Joey said without looking up. "You know, I think you're in practically ever picture I've taken."

"You're the one who always wants to go to take pictures of places, then has to have someone in the picture that you know. Hey Sarah. Do you remember this?" I asked, pulling out the baseball card Joey had given me the previous Christmas.

"No... I don't think so... " Sarah said. "Why? Is it valuable?"

Joey was looking at her with a hurt expression, but everyone except me was looking at Tommy as he examined the slightly worn card.

"Well, to me and Joey, it's priceless," I said softly, more to Joey than her.

"You gave it to me right before you went away," Joey said calmly.

"Then why does Tim have it?" Sarah asked, glancing at me before noticing Joey wiping his eyes. "What's the matter, bro? Did I say something wrong?"

"Joey gave it to me last Christmas. It means a lot to him, and to me," I said, squeezing in next to Joey and the headboard.

"It's the only thing I had that you had given me," Joey said. "Its just a stupid card, but... "

"Oh, Joey," Sarah said, hugging him. "You know what? I had something of yours that I kept too. Do you want to see what it was?"

"Yeah," he said, straightening up after ending the hug.

"This," she said, taking off a locket from around her neck and handing it to him.

"I didn't give this to you... " Joey said, confused.

"Look inside, stupid," Sarah teased.

"What is it?" he asked, picking up the gray lump of... something.

"That is one of your baby teeth that I pulled from your mouth the day... "

"The day you LEFT! I remember that! You tricked me!"

"You were so gullible," she said, smiling. "That reminds me... Tommy, how's that tooth doing?"

"Don't listen to her Tommy. She stole my tooth and I never got my quarter from the tooth fairy. Do you have any idea how mad I was? A quarter was a lot of money back then."

"OH! Hey Tommy. I nearly forgot. Your Grandma said that if you're going to lick the beaters, to get your... " I said just before streak of blue and red flew out the door.

"DADDY! Those are MY BEATERS!" Tommy said running after Stan.

"Heh. Remember when we would fight over the beaters?" Joey asked, staring at the picture he had taken of his hand.

"Yeah," both Sarah and I said.

Joey chuckled, then sighed.

"Hey. You okay?" I said, feeling his heart sinking.

He look up from the photo album at me and said, "I used to dream about having Sarah here for Christmas. And now that she's here... Well, there's someone still missing, that's all. Mom, Dad, Sarah, you... "

"That's why I came over," I said, giving him a hug like Sarah had. "Let's go call and see if they're home."

"Who?" Sarah asked as Denise and Gina left the room without speaking a word.

"Suzi," we both said instantly.

"Timmy?" Joey said as he stood up after I got up to leave.

"What?" I said as I reached the doorway.

"Hey. Come 'ere," Joey said still standing next to the bed.

"What?" I said, confused as I went back over and sat back down.

"No, stand back up... That's better," he said before stepping into my space and planting his lips over mine.

That kiss would be the last Joey and I would share for a long time. I regretted that I had not allowed myself to enjoy it more, but after all the kissing and sex we had had the past few months, my response was less than adequate for someone who meant as much as Joey did to me.

"You're welcome," I said when he ended his gentle but long kiss.

I don't think Joey noticed the shocked look on Sarah's face as we left. I wondered what she thought the two of us had done while in Wally's suite if we hadn't at least been kissing. I let it go, and I had figured Sarah had too.

After we had called to find that Suzi was out with some school friends, Joey and I tried to find something to do while our hearts were sinking into our stomachs.

Luckily, Joey's dad arrived with the freshly cut Christmas tree, and while Joey went to help with that, Sarah asked me if she could have a word with me in private.

She felt disturbed with something, but I had no clue what about until she out right told me.

"You haven't been... messing with Joey's mind, have you?" she asked bluntly after locking Joey's door behind us.

"What?" I said, my face draining of color while I felt myself go cold.

"You have. Haven't you," she said, holding her temper in.

"What makes you think I've done anything to Joey?" I said, getting angry myself.

"Oh, like I'm supposed to believe that Joey, my little brother, actually wanted to kiss you? Look. I don't have a problem with you or anyone else being gay or bisexual. But I do have a problem with someone forcing my brother to be something he isn't, especially by someone who he thinks is his best friend."

"He thinks!? You think I? That he? That's bull shit, Sarah! That fucking BULL SHIT!"

"Don't lie to me, you little cock sucker," she said, poking my chest with her finger. "If I find one little thought altered in his head, one little hidden memory in his mind, I'll... I'll... "

"That's the thanks I get. After everything I did. Everything I went through! And YOU have the... the... FUCK YOU, Sarah!" I said, releasing a monstrous shock wave of rage that literally knocked her off her feet as I turned and almost ripped the door off its hinges.

"Tim! What's wrong!" Joey asked as I passed him in the hall while I headed straight for the front door.

"Ask your FUCKING SISTER!" I said, slamming their front door behind me.

I was angry. No. I was furious. But most of all, I was scared shitless. If Sarah found the rat... The rat I had made... The rat I put in Joey's head... Oh God... If she pulled the rat out and restored him...

<I would lose him forever... >

I ended up in a bar.

They gave me my drinks for free.

Jack, my old buddy, my only true friend was there.

He and I are very intimate, you know.

The bartender was all too happy to make sure I wouldn't go without Jack.

I made the bartender very happy.

I made everyone happy.

Everyone was happy at my bar.

Everyone but me.

<Everyone but me.>

This guy comes in off the street and sits down next to me.

He orders his whiskey, then says to me, "Girlfriend problems?"

"naw... boyfriend's sister problems."

"Ouch. Been there myself. Older or younger sister?"

"Older."

"So... She thinks you're the reason he's gay. She can't accept that her brother might actually have been the one who wanted to suck you first. Stupid bitch."

"Yeah, stupid bitch," I said nodding.

"You know what I do when that happens?"

"Wha'"

"I come here and get drunk," he said with a grin.

"Heh."

"Name's Zack."

"Tim."

"Hey, Tim. You know, I had a good friend named Tim when I was growing up."

"Did he have an older sister?"

"Yeah. Stupid bitch."

"Stupid bitch," I agreed.

"Thank God I only have two brothers."

"No sisters?" I asked, looking over at him for the first time. He was a thirty something looking skinny man, blonde headed, fair skin. He sort of looked like an older Joey but with brown eyes.

"Nope. You?"

"Nope," I echoed as I looked back down at my booze.

"Any brothers?"

"Yep. One."

"Oh yeah? How old?"

"Uhm... minus six months."

"Minus... Oh. The old lady got knocked up, eh? Who was he?"

"My pop."

"Whoa. Didn't see that one coming... You get along with him okay?"

"Yep. He let's me do my thing, I let him do his."

"That's cool... My pop threw me out of the house when I was sixteen."

"That sucks... Why?"

"He caught me fucking mom."

"Oh... My dad keeps trying to talk me into doing that."

"He does?"

"Yep."

"Whoa... Didn't see that one coming either."

"Nope."

"Have you done it?"

"Done what?"

"Fuck your mom?"

"Nope. Not gonna either."

"Why not, man?"

"Cause, it's wrong."

"Who the fuck says that?"

"I do."

"Oh."

"You ever have a girlfriend while you had a boyfriend?"

"Nope. You?"

"Yep. It was the besth thing that ever happened to me."

"Wow. Did she have an older brother?"

"Yep."

"He didn't like no fag fucking his sister, did he?"

"He was suckin' another guy off the lasth thime I saw him. I don'th think he cares."

"Whoa. Didn't see that one coming."

"Nope."

"You know what I do after I get drunk?"

"Wha'?"

"I find someone else who's drunk and ask 'em if they wanna fuck."

"Nope."

"Nope what?"

"Nope. I don't wanna fuck. I'm not drunk enough yeh."

"You know? Me neither... "

"Wha' his name?"

"Derek. What was yours?"

"Joey."

"Joey... I love you, Joey. Yeah. That's a good name."

"Yep."

"Fuck me, Joey... Suck me, Joey... Wow... That's a really good name."

"Yep. You know wha?"

"What?"

"I'm drunk enough now."

"I'm nawt."

"Here," I said, handing him my glass. "Twy thith," I muttered before letting my head plop down on the counter.

"Shit. Whaths in this?"

"Don' remember. Drink."

He drained it, then looked at me with a lusty grin on his face.

"You ever been drunk while another drunk blows ya before?"

"Nope-hh"

"Wanna?

"Yep-hh"

"Godda do it in the bathwoom. Too many people here."

"Nope-hh. Do it here. No one will see."

"You shuw?"

"Yep. Sure. Suck me, Joey."

"You jus' call me Joey."

"Yep. 'Cause you are. Your name is Joey," I commanded.

"My name is Joey," he echoed.

"Suck me Jo... "

"Timothy Jasper Brandton!" an all too familiar voice cried out from the door. "You're drunk again, aren't you!"

"YEP!" I said with false glee.

"Welp. Guess thath mean we won' be fucken," Zack/Joey said.

"NOPE!" I said painfully when my mother pulled me to my feet by my hair.

"YOU are SO GROUNDED, mister!" she spat as I struggled to stay on my feet. "Making your pregnant mother look all over town for... Wait a moment. Did you do anything to anyone in this bar?"

"Yep!" I said as she let go of my hair and I fell on my butt.

"Well? Get busy putting them back the... "

"Nope," I said as I happily, quite joyfully passed out.

"Shit, I'm nervous," Joey said, ringing the doorbell.

"Yep," I said without looking at him.

"What is with you and the yep nope shit?" Joey asked crossly.

"Don't know. Just picked it up somewhere," I said simply, rubbing my temples.

"Hello, boys," Suzi's mom said, opening the door. "She's in the living room with her brother. Tim, before you leave, I'd like to see you. It's about Jason."

"Uhm, okay. You might have to remind me though. I'm feeling a little under the weather... "

"So I heard," Betty said, letting me know she knew all about my night out with Jack.

Before we entered the living room, I said to Joey, "You never answered me. Are you going to do it or am I?"

"Well, you never answered me. Sarah told me what she did. I'm still really pissed at her, and you had every right to be mad. But... Why did you get drunk last night? You don't drink when you're angry. You drink when something is buggin' you. Something you don't know how to deal with."

I sighed. "I guess... I guess she's a threat to me. I'm afraid you'll... You'll want to spend more time with her than with me."

"What? That's it? That's what's bothering you? Shit, Tim. You think of the stupidest things to get all bent out of shape for. Sure I'm gonna want to spend time with her, but... She's my grown up sister. Not my brother that's my age. Sarah and I don't have than much in common anymore. She's a different person than she was, and so am I. Right now we're just... You know. Lost in our memories together. This morning she even pulled her "I'm not finished yet" shit in the bathroom. She was in there almost an hour!"