Drew Hunt Milton's Hero

Milton’s Hero

By Drew Hunt

Published by

Queerteen Press

Visit

queerteen-press.com

for more information.

ISBN 9781611523126

Cover Photo Credit:

hjalmeida

Used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.
Cover Design:

Written Ink Designs

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your

own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an
infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced

in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from
the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the
purposes of review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and

incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination
and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to
actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America. Queerteen

Press is an imprint of JMS Books LLC.

* * * *

Matthew, this one’s for you.

At every turn you’ve been there to suggest, support, and advise.

Thank you, I couldn’t have done it without you.

Read what happens next with Milton and Steve in

Milton’s Superhero, available November 2012.

* * * *

Milton’s Hero

By Drew Hunt

“So, want to come back to my place to…work on my

human biology homework?” JJ Brockwell waggled his eyebrows
at his girlfriend, Maggie Jones, as they walked the hallways of
Empire Preparatory after their final class of the day.

“Is that all you think about?” she replied.
“No, sometimes I think about chemistry. The chemistry

between you and me.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You
smell nice. New perfume?”

She batted him away. “You bought it for me last year. I’ve

worn it lots of times.”

JJ nodded to a couple of fellow baseball players as he

passed them. Turning back to Maggie, he asked, “So, my biology
homework?”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “You get all A’s in biology.”
“I want to keep my grade up.” He smirked.
Maggie shook her head, her auburn waves catching the

overhead lights. “Horndog.”

“It’s your fault.”
“Huh?”
JJ lifted Maggie’s hand and kissed it. “If you weren’t so

beautiful I wouldn’t get this fired up.”

A shrill call of, “Give it back!” plus accompanying laughter

caught JJ’s attention as he and Maggie rounded the corner
outside the boys’ gym.

A group of seniors on the basketball team was playing

Keep Away with a magazine. A shorter boy kept jumping up to
try and catch it, but failed each time.

“Milton!” Maggie yelled.
“Who?” JJ asked.
“Milton Katz. He’s in my art class. Everybody’s always

picking on him.” She let go of JJ’s hand and stepped forward.

“Maggie, no.” JJ took her arm to stop her. To the crowd he

yelled, “Hey!”

Two of the basketball players looked over at the

advancing JJ.

“Give it back!” JJ said.
“This ain’t anything to do with you, Brockwell.” Jerome

Prince glared at JJ.

“I’m making it something to do with me.”
Even though he was a grade below the point guard, the

two were about the same height, although JJ had a few pounds
on the basketball player. JJ had learned early on to stand his
ground and stare down his opponents. Either things would
escalate into a fight, or sense would prevail. With four against
one, the odds weren’t exactly in JJ’s favor, if this did turn into
something.

“Didn’t know you were friends with this dweeb,” one of the

players said, poking Milton in the arm.

“He’s a friend of Maggie’s, so that makes him a friend of

mine.” JJ knew this was a bit of a stretch—he didn’t know the
guy, but hoped it would get him in good with Maggie. Besides, JJ
was always a sucker for protecting the underdog—and from the
looks of Milton, he was a walking definition of underdogginess.

Milton’s gaze turned to JJ, hope, surprise, and something

JJ couldn’t identify shining in his big brown eyes.

“Jer, JJ’s cool. Give the fag back his comic,” Leroy,

another of the basketball jocks, said. He reached for the rolled
up comic in Jerome’s hand, but Jerome didn’t relinquish it.
“Come on, man, we’ll be late for practice!” Leroy urged.

Maggie put a hand on JJ’s back, but JJ’s stare didn’t

waver from Jerome’s face.

“Jer.” Leroy let go of the comic. “We need to get moving.”
A few tense seconds later Jerome ended the staring

match by dropping his gaze from JJ’s. He drew back his lips,
bared his white teeth, and snarled. “Shoulda known you’d be a
fag lover, Brockwell, you having two dads.”

Maggie removed her hand from JJ’s back and took a step

toward Jerome. JJ put an arm out to stop her.

Not looking at Milton, Jerome tossed the comic in his

direction. Milton fumbled the catch, the multi-colored pages

fanning out as the comic sailed to the floor.

This caused more laughter from the gang, who began to

move in the direction of the locker room.

Milton cried out, “You’re walking on it!” In a quieter voice

he added, “It’s a collector’s edition.”

Jerome, whose foot was on the comic, whirled to face

Milton. JJ managed to insert himself between the two.

Jerome drew back a fist, but his arm was stayed by one of

his buddies. “It’s not worth it, man.”

“Nah,” Jerome agreed. “Ain’t gonna have coach kick me

off the team for fighting. Beside, it’d hardly be a fair fight. One
man against three girls.”

JJ feared Maggie would lash out. He wasn’t disappointed.
“You think you’re a man?” She laughed. “Your last

girlfriend told me that when you asked her to give you a blowjob
she needed a magnifying glass and a pair of tweezers.”

Shit, JJ thought, way to defuse the situation.
Her comment drew laughs from the other three jocks,

although, judging by the look of fury on Jerome’s face, he didn’t
find it amusing.

“Good one,” Leroy said. “I’ll have to remember that.”
Jerome pushed the guy against the wall. “Yo, shut your

mouth.”

Judging it was better to get out of there before things got

even uglier, JJ bent down, scooped up the comic, put an arm
around Milton’s shoulders, and led him and Maggie down the
hallway.

The group of jocks seemed more interested in pushing

each other and horsing around than in the retreating threesome.

“Thanks,” Milton said when they’d gotten several yards

away.

“That’s okay.” JJ looked down at the smaller guy. That

odd look was on his face again. “Here’s your comic.” JJ dropped
his arm from Milton’s shoulders and with the other handed over
the comic.

Milton looked crestfallen. “Might as well toss it in the trash.”
JJ looked at the comic. “There’s only a slight tear at the

corner, and sure, the first few pages are a bit mashed up, but I’m
sure you can still read it okay.”

Maggie asked, “Do you need us to walk with you to the

subway or something?”

Milton bit his lip before nodding.
JJ knew his chances of getting any that evening had just

gone from zero to zilch.

* * * *

As he was dumping his books in his locker before heading

to lunch, JJ spotted Milton out of the corner of his eye. He’d seen
the kid a number of times the past few days. Milton was a junior,
but Maggie had said he’d skipped a couple of grades.
Previously, when he’d seen Milton hanging around, JJ hadn’t
said anything, but this time decided to call the guy over.

“Hey, Milton. You heading to lunch?”
The kid started in alarm.
JJ slammed his locker closed and approached Milton,

who shied away.

“You okay?” JJ asked.
“Uh, yeah. Doing good. Thanks.” He took a couple peeks

at JJ, but for the most part stared down at his own shoes.

“So, unless you’ve got other plans, you want to eat lunch

with me?” Normally JJ ate with the members of the baseball
team who shared his lunch period, but he guessed they wouldn’t
mind if he ducked out on them this once. He knew it wouldn’t go
down well if he took Milton to the jock table. No, I’m not ashamed
to be seen with him, JJ told himself and for the most part he
believed it.

“Really? Thanks!”
JJ shrugged, it was just lunch. Anyone would think the

way the kid’s face lit up he’d just been given box seats to a
Yankees’ game or something.

They got in line to purchase their lunch, but there was a

problem when Milton swiped his card at the register.

“You have too many items for the free meal,” the fat lunch

supervisor said, her grey curls spilling out from under her cap.
“You’ll have to put something back.”

JJ didn’t think many kids would qualify for free lunches,

their high school being private.

“Oh, uh,” Milton reached for his apple.
JJ remembered Maggie had said something a day or two

earlier about how Milton was able to go to Empire Preparatory on
a scholarship.

“It’s okay. I’ll have it.” JJ took the apple from Milton and

put it on his tray.

Milton was back to staring at his shoes.
As they carried their lunches across the room, Steve—

JJ’s best friend—caught JJ’s eye. JJ shook his head and nodded
in Milton’s direction. Steve looked confused, but was almost
immediately nudged by one of the other baseball players at their
table.

“It’s okay if you want to sit with your friends,” Milton said,

setting his tray down at an empty table.

“I’m eating with you.” JJ placed his tray next to Milton’s.
When Milton turned to remove his backpack, JJ put the

apple back on Milton’s tray.

“But I—”
“Don’t worry about it.” JJ had had the free state meals

back in Texas and it’d made him feel like a charity case. So he
was careful not to make a big thing of the apple.

“I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”
JJ shrugged. “If you want, but it’s no biggy.” Realizing he

needed to move the conversation on, JJ quickly tried to think
what he could talk about. “Did you replace that comic from the
other day?”

“Uh, no. It’s my birthday next week. I hope I’ll get some

money so I can buy another copy then.”

“Oh, right.” Jeez, this guy must be hard up. What do

comics cost, a couple of bucks?

They both started to eat. JJ felt uncomfortable with the

silence, although Milton seemed okay with it.

Swallowing a mouthful of chicken stew, JJ asked, “You

gonna wear anything special next Friday?”

The following Friday was Halloween and the school had

decided to have a non-uniform day. It was all some of the kids
had talked about for days.

Milton shook his head. “Probably just wear jeans and a

sweatshirt. What about you?”

“Maggie wants me to put on my western duds.”
Milton’s face lit up for a second time. “Cool!”
“Doesn’t really go with my New York look, but hey, what’s

a guy to do when his girlfriend insists?”

“Maggie says you’re from Texas. You don’t talk like a

Texan.”

JJ smiled. He’d tried to lose the hick image. For as long

as he could remember he’d been called Junior. He, his daddy,
and his granddaddy were all called John Brockwell. His
granddaddy was known as ‘John,’ everyone called his daddy
‘Brock,’ but ‘Junior’…no, it was too southern. Calvin had
suggested ‘JJ’ short for ‘John Junior.’ And JJ had liked it,
although his daddy often forgot.

“I can tell you’re from New Yawk.” JJ dragged out the final

word.

Milton giggled. “How could you tell?”
“It’s a gift.” JJ smiled.
Milton sighed. “Maggie’s a really lucky lady.”
“Huh?” That one sure came out of left field. “You don’t

have a girlfriend yourself?”

Milton shook his head. “It’s true what those goons said the

other day, I’m gay.”

“Oh.” JJ wasn’t exactly surprised.
“It’s okay, most of the time. Most people here in New York

City are pretty accepting.”

JJ nodded; he knew things were a lot easier for his daddy

now. Back in Parish Creek his daddy had pretty much been in
the closet and was miserable. Then Calvin came along and
offered them a new home and a new start in the Big Apple.
Although JJ had missed his friends back home, he’d soon made
new ones. And then there was Maggie. It hadn’t exactly been

love at first sight, but they had certainly liked each other from the
first time they’d met. JJ had been wearing a plaid shirt,
Wranglers, a pair of cowboy boots, and a hat. He smiled to
himself at how he’d laid on the southern charm and how Maggie
had eaten it up. It had the unfortunate consequence of her often
requesting that JJ “dress country.”

“Do you have a boyfriend then?” JJ asked.
Milton’s face fell. He shook his head. “Yeah, right. In case

you haven’t noticed I’m, like, a total geek. Heck, even my name
screams geekiness.”

JJ smiled. “Your folks into poetry?” They’d studied John

Milton in English the previous year.

Milton shook his head. “Nope. I was named after my

grandfather, who was named after Milton Berle.”

“Who?”
“Exactly.” Milton sighed. “And jocks don’t exactly line up to

date geeks who’re named after dead TV comedians.”

“You like jocks?”
Milton blushed and refused to meet JJ’s eyes.
JJ took a couple more bites of stew, but noticed Milton

had stopped eating. “So what if you’re a geek? You still got a lot
to offer the right guy.”

Milton snorted.
“I mean, I’m not gay, but even I can see you’ve got a great

little body. Trim, compact…” JJ realized he was digging himself
into a hole.

Milton looked up. “You really think so?”
“Yeah, ’course. I’ve heard a couple of girls say you got a

cute butt.”

“You’ve noticed my butt?”
JJ smiled. “I said I’d heard some girls say that. I’m

straight, remember?”

Milton sighed. “Yeah.”
Thinking he should move to safer ground, JJ said, “Calvin,

my other dad, once told me something interesting about when he
was at school.”

“Oh?”

JJ had finished the stew, and so moved onto dessert.

“Yeah, he was a geek back then and my daddy was a jock—”

Milton clasped his hands together. “And they fell in love in

high school.” He sighed.

“Uh, not exactly.” JJ had heard the stories so many times;

how his daddy had pretty much ignored Calvin back then and
Calvin had been resentful of the jocks because they teased and
bullied him. If JJ were totally honest, he wasn’t happy that his
daddy hadn’t defended Calvin back then, but he understood his
daddy was trying to fit in and stay under the radar. “No, Calvin
told me that it’s tough for gay kids, especially geeks, in high
school, but one thing that helped him survive was that in years to
come the geeks would be earning all the money and the jocks
would be on minimum wages, probably working for the geeks,
mowing their lawns and stuff like that.”

Milton laughed. “I like that. Calvin sounds smart.”
JJ nodded. Calvin had told him to make sure he studied

hard so he’d be able to get into a good college and therefore get
a good job. The fact was, however, he’d pretty much guaranteed
JJ a position in the advertising/PR firm he and Maggie’s dad
owned.

“Though the bit about mowing lawns doesn’t apply here in

New York.”

“No, but you get the point.”
Milton smiled.
JJ wondered if he should invite Milton home one evening

after school so he could meet his folks. They—Calvin in
particular—might be able to give Milton some advice. He’d mull it
over and maybe ask Calvin about it.

Their meals finished, the two took their trays to the

window.

“I’m surprised you don’t eat lunch with Maggie,” Milton

said as they made their way out of the lunchroom.

“Can’t, ’cause I’m in AP chemistry and I have to take the

late lunch period.”

“Both a jock and a brain.” Milton sighed. “Some people

have all the luck.”

“Yeah, right.”
JJ was a fair enough student, and Empire Prep’s baseball

team was nothing special. Basketball was king at their school,
and the basketball jocks made sure everyone knew it. JJ played
baseball because he liked the game. What talent he had was
because of his daddy, who had played in the minor leagues.

“You should try out for a sport, it’d help keep you in shape.”
Milton rolled his eyes.
Outside the lunchroom, they went their separate ways, JJ

immediately being hailed by one of his buddies.

“Out of my way, fag!”
JJ turned around to see that one of the basketball goons

had pushed Milton, almost knocking him to the floor.

“Hey, dumbass!” JJ sprinted down the hallway and got in

the guy’s face. “What are you doing pushing my friend?”

“I should ask what the fuck you’re doing standing up for a

queer? You one as well?”

JJ kept his cool. “The word is gay, and, no, I’m not. Milton

is my friend, and no one”—he pushed the guy—who was a
couple inches taller and about ten pounds heavier, against the
wall—“disses my friends.”

“It’s okay,” Milton said from a few feet away. He’d moved

back.

JJ, not letting go of the asshole or moving his eyes from

him, said to Milton, “No, it isn’t okay.” To the jock, he demanded,
“Now apologize,” while continuing to stare the guy down.

“Is there a problem here, gentlemen?”
JJ heard the teacher, but kept his gaze on the jock. “Do

we have a problem?” he asked quietly.

“Uh, no, no problem.”
JJ turned to face the teacher and nodded.
The teacher shook his head but moved on.
“Fag lover,” the jock muttered, causing JJ to tense his

muscles.

“JJ, don’t,” Milton said. “He’s not worth getting suspended

for.”

“I got a reputation at my last school,” JJ said quietly to the

basketball player. “Want to know what it was for?”

The guy shrugged, trying to affect an air of indifference.
“I was suspended, and later expelled, for beating up big

tough asshole jocks who picked on kids who were smaller than
them. ’Cause I figured these big macho guys should only pick on
people their own size.” JJ held his arms out. “Come on, gimme
your best shot. But be warned. I fight back and I always win.”

The guy just stood there.
“But, see, you’d have more to lose than me.” JJ smiled. “I

don’t give a shit if I get suspended, but if you need a sports
scholarship to get to college, then you’ll be shit out of luck if you
so much as look at Milton the wrong way. Sure, I might get
kicked out of here, but I’ll make damn certain I take you down
with me. You don’t want that, do you?” JJ made sure his speech
was quiet, slow, and outwardly friendly.

The guy shook his head ‘no.’
JJ smiled again. “So all you have to do is apologize to

Milton and leave him alone from now on. You can do that, can’t
you?”

The jock hesitated, then turned to Milton and said,

“Whatever. Sorry, man.”

JJ nodded. “Nice doing business with you.”
JJ walked with Milton down the hallway, Milton sticking to

JJ like glue.

“You were…awesome,” Milton whispered.
“I hate bullies. But once you stand up to them they usually

run away crying for their mommas.”

“Easy for you to say, you’ve got the size and the muscles

to defend yourself if you need to.”

JJ thought it was more a case of having the right frame of

mind, projecting a confident image.

“Did you really get expelled from your old school back in

Texas?”

JJ smiled. “Nah, just got an hour’s detention. The vice

principal understood what had gone down.”

“Which was?”
“This bigger kid on the football team was messing with a

small freshman. I asked him to stop. He didn’t, so we had a
problem…”

“Wow.”
JJ hated drawing attention to himself, but he hated bullies

even more. Shaking his head, he said, “What’s your next class?”

“Computer science.”
He nodded and decided to walk Milton to the computer

labs, just in case.

* * * *

“What was the title again?” JJ asked, staring at a long

rack of X-Men comics wrapped in clear plastic bags with a piece
of cardboard inside to keep everything flat. He was surprised
they took all that trouble for a comic book.

He and Maggie had talked, and they’d decided to buy

Milton a replacement of his torn comic as a birthday gift. Maggie
had kissed JJ and told him she always knew he was sweet and
thoughtful. JJ wasn’t sure about that, but, hey, it’d gotten him a
pretty hot kiss. But when he’d tried to steal second base Maggie
tagged him out, leaving him frustrated.

“Here it is,” Maggie said, plucking the comic wrapped in its

protective bag from the rack. “But.”

“What?”
“It’s thirty bucks.”
“Holy daylight robbery, Batman. We better tell

Commissioner Gordon.”

Maggie snickered. “Wrong comic, doofus.”
Maggie had warned him that some of the more collectable

back issues and special editions were kinda expensive, but thirty
bucks?

“I just got my allowance,” JJ said, scratching his head. “So

let’s get it.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet.” Maggie leaned in and kissed JJ’s

cheek. “Milton will be really pumped. He already thinks you walk
on water as it is.”

“Huh?”

But Maggie had turned the corner and JJ had to walk

quickly to catch up.

JJ saw his best buddy standing by the racks of new

releases.

“It’s okay, your secret’s safe with us,” JJ said, sneaking up

behind Steve and plucking the Batman comic out of his hand.

Steve jumped and turned around. “I, uh…what are you

two doing here?”

“Hi, Steve.” Maggie smiled.
“Hi, Maggie.”
“We were just passing.” JJ smirked.
It was true; the comic shop was next to his local subway

station.

“Never saw you read a comic before.” Steve shook his

head.

“Could say the same about you,” JJ said. “How long have

me and you been buds?”

“Since freshmen year when you moved to New York.”
He and Steve had connected almost instantly. Steve was

the catcher on the baseball team and JJ was one of the pitchers.

“And like I said.”—JJ stared at the comic—“I never knew

you were into Batman.”

“I prefer Superman.” Steve took the comic from JJ, put it

back on the rack, and picked up one with Superman on the
cover. “And what about you? X-Men?”

“It’s a birthday present. For Milton.”
Steve’s expression clouded.
“That kid I had lunch with today.”
Steve nodded.
“He got roughed up the other day and his comic got

ripped,” Maggie put in. “So we thought we’d replace it for him.”

“Right.”
“You okay, man?” JJ asked.
“Yeah.” But JJ wasn’t convinced. “You an’ me still on for

watching football Sunday?”

It had become their usual practice to go to one or the

other’s place to watch a pro game, no matter what sport was on

TV at the time.

“You boys,” Maggie said.
“Sure,” JJ put in. “Your turn.”
“Could I come to your place instead? Janet said she’d

invited her friends to come visit, and…” Steve shook his head.

JJ laughed. “You don’t want to be around a bunch of

twelve-year-old girls?”

“Hell, no.” Steve shuddered. “It’s all right for you, Janet

has a crush on you.”

It was true, Steve’s little sister seemed to really like him,

always asking him questions about Texas and how many bulls,
or horses, or whatever he’d ridden. JJ hated to disappoint her by
telling her he’d never been on an animal’s back, save for the
carousel horses at the county fair when he’d been real small.
And he wasn’t about to admit that.

“So it’s all right if I watch the game at your place?”
JJ shrugged, it didn’t bother him overmuch, but this was

the third time recently Steve had asked to watch the game at
JJ’s, when it was his turn to have JJ over. “But my dads will
probably want to watch with us.” Although what usually
happened was Calvin would soon get bored and would go off
and do some work in his home office.

“Great! Mr. B’s cool.” Steve smiled.
Maggie grinned and shook her head.
“What?” JJ asked her.
“Nothing. We going to go pay for this? I need to get home

and start on my homework.”

JJ looked at his wristwatch. “Aw, I was kinda hopin’ we’d

go back to my place, my dads are still at work and…”

“Nice try, hotshot.” Maggie grinned. “You’re working out

with your dad at the gym, and like I said, I’ve got homework. Mr.
Palmer said he was giving a test Monday morning and I’m still
not sure what all went on with the Roanoke colony.”

“They all disappeared,” Steve said, keeping a straight face.
Maggie shook her head. “Uh, yeah, thanks. I’ll try and

remember that.”

“Steven Morrison at your service, ma’am.” He sketched a

bow.

Despite the goofy image Steve put on, JJ knew his friend

was really smart. A good thing, because Steve’s folks expected
him to get an MBA and go into banking like his dad.

* * * *

The hallways of Empire Preparatory were teeming with

costumed students on the morning of Halloween. Because of his
admission at the comic shop, Steve’s outfit came as little
surprise to JJ. His friend was wearing a sensible pair of black
shoes, suit pants, a white shirt open to the navel revealing a T-
shirt with the superman shield on the chest.

“Faster than a speeding building, able to leap tall bullets in

a single…Ouch!” JJ’s teasing was cut short by a swipe to his left
ear that knocked the Stetson off his head. “What’d you do that
for?” He bent and picked up his hat then rubbed at his ear.

Steve grinned and held up his hands. “Please, Sheriff

Woody, don’t arrest me.”

“Huh?” JJ said, putting his hat back on.
Maggie got a shocked look on her face. “Oh, shit, I hadn’t

thought about that.”

Steve snickered. “It’s great you both came as characters

from Toy Story.”

“We didn’t,” Maggie protested. “I’m an Arcadian

shepherdess.” She waved her crook at Steve.

“A what?”
“I know, it’s a bit much, but that’s what they called it in the

costume store.”

“ Uh huh.” Steve smirked. “You keep telling yourself that,

but everyone’s still gonna think you’re Bo Peep.”

“Oh, God. I’m not going to live this down,” Maggie said,
fiddling with one of the many ruffles on her sleeve.
“Anyone who says anything, just hit ’em with your stick,”
Steve continued.
“Or I’ll hit ’em with my fists,” JJ said, looking at how much

leg Maggie was showing beneath the short skirt that billowed out

with layers of petticoats.

“Oh, my hero,” Maggie said, running a hand along JJ’s

shoulder.

JJ puffed out his chest. He had to admit there were

certain advantages in putting on his western duds. Maggie
couldn’t keep her hands off him.

JJ stuck out an elbow. “If’n Miss Bo wouldn’t mind, this ole

cowpoke would sure like to take a stroll, an’ maybe we kin find
us a hay loft or somethin’ where we kin git better acquainted.”

Maggie giggled. Normally, when he made such

suggestions, she’d give him a smack, but he’d realized some
time before that he could get away with far more when he was
dressed as a cowboy.

As they approached their lockers, JJ spotted Milton in the

crowd. Lately the kid seemed to be everywhere. Maggie had
warned JJ that Milton was developing a bit of a crush, but JJ
didn’t take her seriously. Milton knew JJ was straight.

“Hey, bud!” JJ beckoned to Milton, who reluctantly

stepped forward. “Me and Maggie got you something for your
birthday. Want to meet me here before lunch?”

“Me?” Milton’s eyes went wide. “Oh, uh, thanks. You

shouldn’t have.”

“Of course we should,” Maggie said, giving Milton a hug.

“What did you come as?”

“A geek,” he laughed nervously.
JJ saw that Milton was wearing coke bottle glasses and

he had a pocket protector in his shirt pocket.

“Cool, bud,” JJ said.
Milton blushed. “Thanks. But how did you know it was my

birthday tomorrow?”

“A cowboy has his ways.” JJ smiled and touched the brim

of his hat.

Milton’s blush increased. He lowered his book bag to in

front of his waist. The guy always seemed to be carrying his stuff
around with him; JJ kept meaning to ask why he didn’t put it in
his locker.

It’d been easy for JJ to get the date of Milton’s birthday.

He’d asked the student volunteer in the front office to look it up.
She’d been reluctant at first, but JJ had turned on his southern
charm and that, combined with his reassurance that he wanted
to get Milton a gift, had her eating out of the palm of his hand.
Things had gone a little too far however, because the piece of
paper the girl gave him also had her phone number on it. Being a
good boyfriend, and valuing his family jewels, JJ had
immediately confessed what he’d done to Maggie. She’d smiled,
given him a kiss and held her hand out for the piece of paper,
which she’d ripped up into tiny pieces.

“Can I take your picture?” Milton asked, getting out his cell

phone.

“Uh, I guess.” JJ shrugged.
Steve snickered, but Maggie threatened him with her

shepherd’s stick.

JJ put his arm around Maggie’s waist, pulled her in close,

and smiled for the camera.

“Thanks,” Milton said once the phone had flashed.
He looked at the image and pressed a button on his

phone before slipping it back into his pocket. He then treated JJ
to a shy smile before heading off in the direction of the bathroom.

“I bet I wasn’t in the frame,” Maggie said, kissing JJ’s cheek.
“Why?”
She shook her head. “If you remember he didn’t ask for

my picture.”

“Oh.”
“Thanks for agreeing. I bet it took a lot of guts for him to

ask.”

“He’s probably gone to the bathroom, phone in one hand

and dick in the other,” Steve laughed.

JJ rounded on him. “I didn’t think you were a homophobe.

I…” Steve got on great with his dads, especially his dad Brock.

“Relax, man.” Steve held up his hands. “I don’t hate gays.

I was just…uh, making a joke.”

“It wasn’t funny,” Maggie said.
“Sorry. It’s just he…well, you seem to be spending a lot of

time with him lately, buying birthday presents for him and…”

“Jealous?” Maggie asked.
Just then the warning bell rang and everyone moved off to

their homerooms. Maggie caught JJ around the neck with her
crook. “Time for class, cowboy.”

* * * *

“Oh, God!” Milton gasped. “It’s too much, you shouldn’t

have.” He blinked up at JJ through his glasses.

“You’re welcome. Like I said, the comic’s from me and

Maggie. To replace the one that got torn up.”

“But, it’s, like, expensive. Thank you, JJ. Thank you.”

Milton stroked the comic lovingly through its protective covering.

“Aren’t you going to open it and see if it’s all right?”
“Uh, I don’t want to get it damaged.” He handed the comic

back to JJ. “Would you keep it for me until after school?

“I guess, but why don’t you put it in your locker?”
Milton shook his head. “Can’t.”
JJ didn’t understand. “Have you forgotten the combination

or something?”

“No, it’s just, I don’t like to keep stuff in there.” He looked

down the hallway presumably to where his locker was located.

“Are you still getting hassled by those meatheads? Are

they messing with your locker?”

Milton’s head dropped. “Not them.”
The hallway was beginning to empty as students went

outside, to the lunchroom, or to their next class.

“What’s going on?” JJ asked.
Milton didn’t say anything.
“Milton?” JJ put a hand on Milton’s shoulder. The guy was

trembling. He remembered Calvin talking about his school days,
how he’d get stuffed into his locker or his head flushed down the
john. But that was Texas and twenty years ago. This was twenty-
first century New York. Surely Milton wasn’t being tormented like
that?

“Come on, let’s go in here.” JJ put an arm around Milton

and led him into an empty classroom. Closing the door, in the

most sympathetic voice he could muster, he said, “Talk to me.”

Milton let out a long breath, but refused to meet JJ’s eyes.

“Things are a lot better since you…”

Whenever their schedules allowed, JJ had made sure he

was around when Milton changed classes. He’d had to face off
against a handful of the more stupid members of the basketball
team, but things seemed to have settled down okay, or at least
JJ thought they had.

Milton’s shaking got worse.
“Hey,” JJ put his arm back around Milton, who shrugged

out of the embrace.

“No, don’t. It’s…cruel.”
“Huh?” JJ took a step back, arms at his sides, looking as

non-threatening as he could.

Milton looked up at JJ and stared, his continued silence

making JJ fidget.

“You’re the most awesome, wonderful, and perfect man

I’ve ever met.”

JJ opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of anything to say.
“I wish with all my heart that you were gay and my

boyfriend. But then, even if you were gay, you wouldn’t want a
dweeb like me.”

“I…”
“Everything about you is perfect. Your blond hair, your

eyes, your face, your wide shoulders, your broad chest, your
muscles. And your specialness isn’t just skin deep. You care.
You’re a good person.” Milton’s voice was starting to crack.
“You’re, like, World Series, and I’m not even Little League.”

“No, c’mon now.” JJ shook his head.
“Yes.” Milton sniffed and wiped at his eyes. “I’ve tried to

hate Maggie, ’cause she has what I want, but I can’t hate her.
She’s a great person, kind, friendly.” Milton’s gaze locked on JJ’s
once again. “I bet she doesn’t realize how lucky she is to have
someone as…as awesome as you.” He laughed. “I’m making a
complete fool of myself. You won’t want to have anything to do
with me now.”

Milton turned for the door, but JJ stopped him by putting a

hand on his shoulder.

“Of course I still want to hang with you. You’re cool.”
Milton shook his head. “No I’m not. I’m a brain, a freak,

a…” Milton closed his eyes, no doubt to ward off tears.

JJ pulled Milton into a hug. No, he didn’t have any sexual

feelings for the boy—any boy—but Milton was so clearly hurting.

Milton put up a struggle at first, but soon went boneless in

JJ’s embrace.

“It isn’t fair.” He kept repeating softly. JJ didn’t need to ask

what he meant. “I’ve tried to put myself in your shoes, tried to
imagine a girl coming onto me and how that’d make me feel. I
couldn’t be what she’d want me to be. So,” Milton took a deep
breath, “I understand, and I’m sorry for all of this. I’m not usually
such an emotional mess.”

“Nothing to be sorry for. Even though I’m straight, I think I

understand a bit of what you’re going through.”

“Thanks.”
They stood in silence for a few moments, the only sounds

coming from the schoolyard and the distant noise of the school
orchestra practicing.

“Shit,” Milton eventually said.
“What?”
“We’re crushing the comic.”
JJ separated from Milton and looked down. Fortunately

the cardboard behind the comic had kept the pages flat.

“I’ll keep it in my locker until this afternoon. Then you and

me’s going to talk about why you can’t use your own locker. We’ll
go to the office and see if they can reassign you a new one.
Maybe close to mine.”

Milton sighed. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any

more awesome.”

JJ shook his head. “Nope, I’m just a plain, ordinary cowboy.”
Milton let out another breath. “I’m sorry.”
Before JJ knew what was happening Milton stood on

tiptoe, put a hand on the back of JJ’s neck and gave him a brief
but firm kiss on the lips.

* * * *

“He did what?” Maggie asked.
“I know, surprised the shit out of me.”
JJ and Maggie were at her place, doing homework.
JJ expected Maggie to be mad with him for leading Milton

on, or maybe mad at Milton for kissing JJ. Instead she smiled.

“Didn’t I say Milton has the hots for you?”
JJ nodded, embarrassed.
Maggie leaned over and kissed JJ’s cheek. “You’re a fag

stag.”

“Huh?”
“You’ve heard of a fag hag?”
“Yeah.”
The lady across the hallway fit that bill. She was often

throwing parties, to which JJ was never allowed because he was
too young, but from what Calvin and his daddy had said,
everyone who attended was gay.

“Yeah, but—”
“The male equivalent is a fag stag.” Maggie started to run

her hands along his shoulders and down his chest. “You’re a
magnet for gay men, and although you’re straight, you’re totally
comfortable in their presence.”

JJ thought about it. Sure, he had no problem with gays,

heck, his daddy and his daddy’s lover were gay, and so was
Milton.

“Yeah.”
Maggie was now petting his chest, causing a reaction to

occur below his belt line.

“Like you said, I’m straight, and I got, uh, certain needs, if

you know what I mean.” He waggled his eyebrows.

“If you need it, you know where the bathroom is.”
“You gonna come with?”
She smiled. “I’m sure you can handle things just fine by

yourself.”

JJ banged his head against the wall and let out a groan of

frustration.

* * * *

“You thought any more about going out for a sport next

semester?” JJ asked Milton during lunch on Monday.

Milton shook his head no. “I don’t think I’d be any good.”
JJ didn’t think it was a case of being good or bad; it would

give Milton another outlet, maybe help build up some confidence
and some muscles so he could better defend himself.

“Competitive sports aren’t my thing.”
“You could do weightlifting, that doesn’t have to be

competitive.”

Milton, who had just put a forkful of pasta into his mouth,

coughed.

JJ stood and moved to behind Milton’s chair. “You okay?”
“I’m okay,” Milton said through his coughs.
JJ resumed his seat. “What’s wrong with lifting weights?”
Milton dropped his fork, held his arms out, and did a

double biceps pose. “Puny, aren’t they?”

“You’d start out with light weights.”
“That’s me, a lightweight.”
JJ determined to revisit the subject later, as Milton clearly

wasn’t receptive at the moment. He was surprised Milton was
still talking to him after Friday and the kiss.

The conversation at the lunch table, such as it was,

moved on to that weekend’s celebrations. “Me and Maggie went
to the Halloween parade in The Village, then we went on to a
party.”

Milton nodded. “Nice.”
“You do anything?” JJ asked when it seemed Milton

wasn’t going to add anything else.

Milton shook his head. “Just watched a couple of scary

movies on TV.”

JJ was about to ask if he’d invited some friends to watch

with him, but realized in time that Milton probably didn’t have that
many friends. “What did you watch?”

“You’ll think I’m a loser,” Milton smiled, “but then you

probably do anyway.”

“Milton,” JJ sighed. They’d had this discussion more than

once.

“Okay, sorry. I watched a couple of British classic horror

movies, you probably won’t have heard of them.”

“Try me,” JJ said just before pushing a forkful of chicken

salad into his mouth.

“Well, first I watched The Creeping Experiment.”
JJ chewed.
“See, I knew you wouldn’t have heard of it.”
JJ held up a hand, swallowed, then said, “Hold your

horses, man. It was the first of the Hammer Horror movies,
released in England as The Quatermass Xperiment and starred
Brian Donlevy.”

Milton’s face reflected his shock.
“See, I’m not a dumb jock.”
“That’s something I’ve never accused you of,” Milton

gushed.

Before Milton could embarrass him by singing his praises

any further, JJ asked, “What other movie did you watch?”

“X the Unknown.”
“Sounds like my algebra homework.”
“So you haven’t heard of that movie then,” Milton said,

almost sounding triumphal.

Back up came JJ’s hand and he spent the next five

minutes describing the radioactive plot and asking Milton how
believable he thought it was. Milton was impressed.

“Maybe I should come clean. Calvin likes classic horror

and sometimes we watch one together when my daddy’s asleep
or working or something.”

“Cool.” Then Milton’s face fell.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
JJ rolled his eyes. He hated when Milton closed up on him

like that. “Come on, what?”

Milton sighed. “You’re so lucky, having someone who’ll

watch horror movies with you. My mom won’t. Heck, she even
cries at Bambi.”

JJ snickered but didn’t tell Milton how Calvin did the same

thing. “You’ll have to come over to my place sometime and meet
Calvin. You’ve got a lot in common.”

“Yeah. Sounds good.” Milton nodded.
JJ realized Milton thought it was an empty promise, so he

was determined to prove otherwise.

Taking out his phone, JJ called Calvin’s private line.
“What’s up, bud?”
JJ explained about Milton, and Calvin said he was

welcome to come any time. JJ asked Milton if he was free that
night, figuring the less time he gave the guy, the less chance
he’d have to think up an excuse.

Milton nodded to say he was free, so the arrangements

were made and JJ hung up.

“There, all set. Now all we gotta do is get you a new

locker,” JJ said, remembering they hadn’t done that Friday.

“It’s okay, you don’t have—”
Up came JJ’s hand once again. “It isn’t negotiable.”
Milton shook his head and let out a long breath.

* * * *

Milton was quiet on the elevator ride. JJ took this to be

nerves, but didn’t know what the guy could be nervous about.

The doors slid open and JJ stepped into the hallway,

closely followed by Milton.

“Wow.”
JJ looked around, but couldn’t see what had Milton so

awed. It was just a hallway.

“This must be the original 1920’s molding,” Milton said,

touching the wall.

“Uh, I guess.” JJ hadn’t taken any notice of it before.
Unlocking his front door, JJ explained that it’d be another

hour before Calvin got home, then maybe another hour after that
before his dad showed up.

“Wow, it’s so big.”
“Don’t start that again,” JJ smirked.

“Huh? I was meaning your apartment. It looks pre-war.

Just look at those high ceilings.” Milton craned his neck upward.
“You’re so lucky.”

JJ told Milton to make himself comfortable before he went

into his bedroom to change out of his school uniform. He knew
how lucky he was. If it hadn’t been for Calvin, JJ thought,
shuddering, he and his daddy would still be in Texas in that shitty
house that was falling down around them.

After pulling off his sweater and shirt, he saw Milton

coming into the room.

“You got a king-sized bed. Awesome.”
“Uh, yeah.” JJ hoped Milton wasn’t getting any ideas. Just

in case, JJ put his shirt back on. He’d change later, in the
bathroom.

“Those your baseball trophies? Wow, there’s a lot.”
“No, almost all of them are my dad’s. He used to play in

the minor leagues.”

“Awesome! Can I have a closer look at them?”
JJ shrugged. “Sure.”
He lost count of the number of times Milton said, “Wow” or

“Oh, God” as he was shown the medals, plaques, trophies, and
press cuttings that charted John Brockwell’s career in the minor
leagues.

Milton paused on one press clipping that showed JJ’s

daddy in full stretch just after pitching. “He’s hot!”

JJ rolled his eyes.
“Why isn’t he still playing?” Milton asked when JJ handed

him the last scrapbook.

“He injured his arm.” JJ turned to the pages that

documented the injury. “And he’d be too old to be playing now
anyway.”

“He looks just like you, or I should say, you look just like him.”
JJ smiled. “A lot of people say that. Guess it’s the blond hair.”
“And the eyes, and the face, and the wide shoulders, and

the…” Milton shook himself. “Sorry.”

Just then they heard a key turn in the lock. Milton started

and JJ placed a hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

“Come on and meet Calvin. You two’ve got a lot in

common.”

“Don’t think so,” Milton mumbled, “He’s got a hot jock for a

boyfriend…and I haven’t.”

But JJ’s prediction was proved correct—Calvin and Milton

hit it off immediately. JJ had never seen Milton open up so much
and so quickly.

“So, you’re named after John Milton. I remember reading

Paradise Lost in English class. The teacher, Miss Aldridge, you
remember her, JJ, the old librarian back in Parish Creek?”

JJ nodded.
“She was a stern task master, uh, mistress.”
Milton squirmed and lost much of his previous confidence.

“No, uh, I’m named after my grandfather, who was named after
Milton Berle. I know, dorky or what? I mean, I’ve seen pictures,
the guy was pretty ugly.”

Calvin laughed, which immediately put JJ on the

defensive.

“Sorry, I wasn’t laughing at you.” Calvin touched Milton’s

hand. “I grant you Milton Berle wasn’t the most handsome of
men, but legend has it that he, uh,” Calvin moved his palms
apart, “was blessed in the dick department.”

Milton laughed and started to relax. “I hadn’t heard that.”
The conversation moved on to Calvin telling stories about

his time in high school, Milton nodding in understanding and
sharing a few experiences of his own. JJ had to concentrate on
not getting angry at what had gone on, both in his own school
and back in Texas twenty some years earlier.

Calvin was able to get Milton to talk about why he hadn’t

used his old locker. “It was next to a girl, and she would squirt
stuff through the vents, first it was perfume, then paint. Once I
think it was urine. How she got that in there I don’t know.”

“You say a girl did this shit?” JJ asked.
Milton nodded, looking ashamed. “A group of them.

Pathetic, aren’t I?”

Calvin reached over and gave Milton a hug. “Sometimes

girls can be even crueler than boys.”

“Why didn’t you report it?” JJ asked. “The school’s got a

zero-tolerance policy about bullying.”

Milton didn’t say anything.
“Shame,” Calvin said on Milton’s behalf. “It isn’t easy,

being a geek, not able to fight back, and when girls are doing the
bullying, that’s even worse. And if you tell, then you’d get a
reputation as a snitch, which only adds to the problem.”

Milton nodded.
Calvin tried to lighten the mood by telling them of the

times when he’d had his head pushed down the toilet. “They
were called Swirlies.”

Milton nodded. “They still are.”
“And if someone had taken a crap first, they were called

Chunky Swirlies.”

Both Milton and JJ grimaced.
“Heavens, is that the time?” Calvin stood. “I better start

supper. My man likes me barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen
when he gets home.”

Milton’s eyes got big.
Calvin laughed. “That was a joke.”
Milton asked if he could help, At first Calvin declined, but

Milton insisted. This surprised JJ, as he’d never seen his friend
assert himself before.

Calvin and Milton bonded further as they chopped and

sliced, broiled and boiled.

“You’ve got great culinary skills. Could be quite valuable—

you know what they say about the way to a man’s heart,” Calvin
said when Milton presented him with a board of chopped veggies.

“Mom works two jobs, so I like to have a meal ready for

her when she gets home.”

They heard the front door close and Brock called out,

“Something smells good.”

“I had help,” Calvin shouted back.
“Oh?” Then JJ realized his daddy probably wouldn’t know

that he’d invited Milton over. “Just let me wash up and I’ll be
there in a minute.”

“No need, I like your man smell,” Calvin said, making for

the hallway. Obviously he’d forgotten about Milton.

The next few minutes were embarrassing. Despite having

been a couple for over three years, Calvin and Brock behaved
like love-starved teenagers whenever they met up after being
apart for a few hours.

JJ turned to Milton to apologize for the face sucking that

was going on in the hallway, but he immediately realized
apologies weren’t necessary. Milton was glued to the action, his
mouth agape. JJ wouldn’t have been surprised if there had been
a line of drool hanging off Milton’s chin.

“So hot!” Milton whispered.
Finally having had enough, JJ turned back to his dads and

cleared his throat. “Knock it off you two. We have a visitor.”

The men parted.
JJ did the introductions. “This is Milton Katz, he’s in my

grade, shares a couple of classes with Maggie. Milton, this is my
dad.”

“Howdy,” Brock said, touching the brim of the Stetson he

hadn’t yet taken off.

“Uh, hi,” Milton squeaked. “JJ showed me your baseball

trophies. You’re awesome!”

Oh brother. JJ rolled his eyes.
“That old crap, I don’t know why he keeps it.”
“It isn’t crap,” both JJ and Calvin said at the same time.
Brock took off his hat and approached, holding out his

hand. “Glad to finally meet you, uh…”

“Milton,” Milton reminded.
“Paradise Lost.” Brock shuddered. Turning to Calvin, he

said, “Miss Aldridge, God she was a total bit—”

“Milton Berle,” Calvin cut in. “You remember me

mentioning him.” He repeated the gesture with his hands.

“Jeez!” JJ moaned.
Milton laughed.
“Junior’s told us a lot about you.” Brock slapped Milton on

the shoulder.

“He has?” Milton was back to squeaking.
“Yeah, says you can draw really well.”

JJ was thankful his daddy didn’t elaborate. He’d told his

dads a few days ago about what Maggie had said about the new
projects the art class had started. Milton had decided to design a
comic strip and, according to Maggie, Milton’s superhero bore a
striking resemblance to JJ.

“I enjoy drawing, but I don’t think I could make a career

out of it, though.”

“I don’t know,” Calvin said. “Good graphic artists are hard

to find. Just like good contractors.” He turned back to Brock and
the two began kissing again.

“Uh, excuse me, I need the bathroom,” Milton said, darting

past the two men.

JJ let out an exasperated breath. He had a fair idea what

Milton was about to get up to.

“Dads! Get a room!”
They had the decency to look sheepish.
“You’re only jealous that Maggie doesn’t let you get hot

and heavy with her,” Calvin said.

JJ closed his eyes, knowing there was more than a grain

of truth in that.

* * * *

Dinner went well, although it was obvious to everyone

except Brock that Milton was smitten with the elder Brockwell. In
some ways JJ found it a relief that Milton’s attention had shifted
away from him, but to have him focus on his daddy instead, that
was all kinds of awkward.

“How did you two meet?” Milton asked the older men once

Calvin had served the apple pie and ice cream.

JJ thought he’d told Milton the story, but obviously the guy

wanted to hear it again.

“It wasn’t exactly love at first sight.” Calvin laid down his

spoon. “In fact, back in high school I thought he,” he pointed a
thumb at Brock, “was a total asshole.”

Brock laughed. “I can’t deny it. I was so deep in the closet

I had wood splinters in my ass.”

“Gross, dad,” JJ groaned.
Milton snickered. “So when did you two fall in love?”
JJ rolled his eyes. His friend was such a sap.
The older men spent the next few minutes explaining how

Calvin had gone back to Texas to sell his parents’ house
because they’d retired to Florida, and how, after seeing the
painted sign on the side of Brock’s truck he remembered that
John Brockwell Sr. ran a construction business in the area, so
called to get an estimate for fixing up the place.

“But instead of John Brockwell, Senior,” Calvin explained,

“a total stud dressed in fancy cowboy gear showed up on my
folks’ front porch and I knew, whatever price he asked, I’d give
him the job.”

“I didn’t know that,” Brock admitted.
“It was then,” Calvin looked from JJ’s daddy to Milton,

“that I began to fall in love with him.”

“I didn’t know that either,” Brock said.
“So romantic, finding each other after so long apart,”

Milton sighed.

“Oh, brother.” JJ rolled his eyes. “Cue the violins.”
“Shush, I think it’s wonderful,” Milton told him.
“…and when the old Hamilton place was fixed up and

ready to sell,” Brock concluded, “and Calvin was getting ready to
go back to New York, I decided me and Junior should go with
him…for a vacation. And, well, we kinda never left.”

“Perfect.” Milton clapped his hands together.
“Yeah,” Calvin sighed, looking sweetly at his partner.
JJ cleared his throat, sure the two older men were about

to start sucking face again. “Is there any pie left?”

* * * *

“It started out okay, but pretty soon got embarrassing,” JJ

told Maggie over the phone later that night.

“Oh?”
“My dads were all kissy-kissy. God, at their age, it’s

gross.”

“You’re just jealous.”
Calvin had said the exact same thing. “And whose fault is

that?”

“You know what they say, treat ’em mean and keep ’em

keen.”

“That’s your wicked plan.” He groaned.
“Oh, poor baby,” she soothed. “So, what happened,

besides your dads making out at the dinner table?”

JJ rolled his eyes. “Not just at the table, but in the hallway,

in the middle of the kitchen, and—”

Maggie moaned. She’d told JJ a number of times how hot

she thought two men making out were.

“Am I turning you on?” JJ asked. If so, he’d continue. He

was becoming desperate, he’d try anything to convince Maggie
to go to third base…and beyond. He loved her so much and
wanted to give physical expression to those feelings.

“Back to Milton. How did he get on with your dads?”
JJ sighed, thwarted again. “Great. He told Calvin about

why he wouldn’t use his locker.” JJ explained about the girl
who’d poured crap through the vents. “But he didn’t say which
girls had done it.”

“I bet I know.”
“Who?”
“I’m not saying. You just leave ’em to me.”
“Be careful, I don’t want to make things worse for Milton.

We probably solved the problem anyway, by moving his locker
closer to ours.”

“Okay,” Maggie conceded. “You’re probably right.”
In his darkened bedroom JJ snuggled under the covers.

“I’m always right,” he said, trying for seductive.

“Don’t push it, buster,” she threatened. “You said Milton

got on all right with Calvin. That was pretty much a given. But
what about your dad?”

JJ sighed. “Oh, God, that’s the really embarrassing part.”
“Why, did Milton melt into a puddle of goo or something at

his feet?”

JJ shook his head. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“Like I keep telling you, your dad’s, like, a total stud.”
“Gross!” JJ screwed up his face. Then he got an idea. “I’m

supposed to look like a younger version of my dad, so that must
make me a stud, too, huh?”

Maggie laughed. “Maybe, in a few years.”
“A few years? Oh, man!” JJ banged his head against the

headboard a couple of times.

“Poor baby. But getting back to Milton’s visit, you think it

helped him?”

“I guess. But he got upset when he left. We needed a few

groceries from the bodega so I rode the elevator with him. Milton
was quiet.”

“He usually is.”
“I know, but with my dads, especially Calvin, I couldn’t

shut him up. So I asked him what was wrong. He said, ‘Would it
ruin your straight jock rep to give me a hug?’”

“Oh?”
“I shrugged, you know I don’t care about that shit.

Anyway, the dude was shaking. The elevator stopped on the
ground floor, but Milton didn’t make a move to get out, so I didn’t
either.

“Eventually Milton said, ‘It’s not fair.’ I asked him what he

meant but he didn’t say anything.”

“I’d have thought it was obvious what he meant.”
“Yeah,” JJ conceded. “So we stepped off the elevator and

went through the lobby. Milton’s shivering increased and he
wasn’t wearing a jacket, so I took mine off and laid it over his
shoulders.”

Maggie sighed.
“What?”
“Oh, JJ, you just don’t get it, do you?”
“What?” JJ repeated.
“That will have made Milton feel worse.”
“How did you know that’s what happened?”
Milton had reacted badly to the offer of the jacket. Milton

told JJ he was being cruel, letting him see what it could be like
having a boyfriend, but all the while knowing JJ couldn’t be that

boyfriend. JJ had stood unmoving as Milton raced down the
subway steps, confused as to what he’d done wrong.

“I know you were only trying to do the right thing, and I

love you for it,” Maggie said, interrupting JJ’s thoughts. “But look
at it from Milton’s point of view for a minute. This really hot jock
comes along and is nice to him.”

“You think I’m hot?”
“I’m putting myself in Milton’s position. Don’t interrupt.”
JJ smiled, but was glad Maggie couldn’t see it.
“This hot stud takes Milton under his wing, protects him,

walks him to his classes, carries his books for him.”

“I’ve never carried his books for him.”
Maggie let out a breath. “No, but you organized a new

locker for him so he wouldn’t have to carry all his books. And
then this guy takes him home to meet his parents, his gay
parents. And if all that wasn’t enough, this guy, who Milton
already thinks is a superhero, takes off his cape and lays it on
the sidewalk so Milton doesn’t have to step into a puddle.

“I didn’t—”
“Shut up. You know what I meant. JJ, as far as Milton is

concerned, you are the absolute most amazing man in his world.
Of course he’s going to get upset because he knows you can’t
be what he needs.”

“Shit, what should I have done different?”
“Nothing. You wouldn’t be you if you hadn’t done those

things.”

“But what can I do to fix it? Milton is hurting.”
“Oh, JJ It isn’t your job to fix it.”
“I know, but I feel kinda responsible. If I hadn’t stepped in

and—”

“Then Milton wouldn’t have had that comic, would have had

had one fewer friend, and would still be getting picked on all the
time at school. You’ve made a huge difference to that guy’s life.”

JJ let out a breath. He knew what Maggie was saying was

true, but even so, he still felt responsible and wanted to do
something to help Milton.

They talked for a few more minutes, Maggie trying to

make JJ feel better. Her offer to have phone sex with him
helped, but for once JJ wasn’t in the mood.

They made kissing noises over the phone at each other

and promised to meet up the next morning before homeroom.

* * * *

After a more passionate than usual good morning kiss in

the middle of the schoolyard that drew wolf-whistles and calls of
“get a room” from fellow students, JJ took Maggie’s hand and
they went in search of somewhere more private to talk. There
weren’t many options. Eventually they found a sheltered spot
between two buildings. The number of cigarette butts testified to
the location’s popularity, but at that time in the morning it was
unoccupied by students who needed one last fix of nicotine
before classes started.

“You sleep okay?” Maggie asked, working an arm

between JJ’s jacket and his uniform sweater.

JJ kissed her cheek. “Nope, I got this pain,” he pointed to

between his legs, “and didn’t have anyone to relieve it for me.”

“Oh, poor baby.” She returned the kiss, with interest.
“And that isn’t helping.”
Maggie smirked. “Ever heard of cold showers?”
JJ shuddered. “I’d rather have a warm hand.”
“Well,” she squeezed his right hand, “you’ve got two of

your own.”

JJ sighed. “I totally get that you want to wait, but, it’s

hard…pretty much all of the time.”

Maggie giggled. “I know, and I’m sorry. Would it help if we

changed the subject?”

JJ knew what would help more, but Maggie wouldn’t go

for it, especially in the schoolyard.

“What do you want to talk about? And please don’t say

algebra. That shit we got yesterday afternoon just about killed me.”

“You should have asked Milton for help.”
JJ nodded, although Milton had been up and down

emotionally so much that night, he doubted he could have gotten

the guy focused enough to concentrate on differential equations.

“We need to find Milton a boyfriend,” JJ suddenly said.
“I know, but that’s easier said than done.”
“True.” JJ shuddered at the thought of asking around to

try and find someone; that’d be all kinds of weird. But would
Milton find anyone on his own? Would he have the courage? The
guy hardly ever spoke to anyone. He sighed. “How long before
homeroom?” JJ asked.

Maggie looked at her wristwatch. “Just over twenty

minutes. Did you forget your watch?”

“Needs a new battery. Didn’t have time to buy one this

morning ’cause I wanted to get to you.”

That earned him another kiss.
“So you think I did the right thing by taking Milton home

with me?”

“Definitely, don’t you?”
JJ shrugged. “I guess.” Although the last image he had of

Milton, upset and running away, was hard to get out of his mind.
“I think Calvin talking about his own problems at school helped.
God, some kids can be total assholes.”

Calvin wasn’t out in high school, but he was still perceived

as gay and was picked on all the time. JJ marveled at how well
the guy had coped.

“They say some of those who’re the most homophobic are

closet cases.”

JJ pulled a face. “I don’t buy that. It’s like saying a racist is

secretly black.”

“Why’re people homophobic or racist?” Maggie continued

before JJ could form an answer. “Because they’re insecure. You,
my sexy fag stag, on the other hand,” she ran a hand down JJ’s
chest, “aren’t bothered what a person’s sexuality is because
you’re secure in your own.”

Trying to get the conversation back on track, which wasn’t

easy with Maggie’s wandering hands, JJ said, “I hope you don’t
want to test your theory by having me go up to the most asshole
of jocks and asking if they’re secretly queer.”

Maggie smacked his shoulder. “The word is gay, like

you’ve told plenty of others.”

“Whatever word I chose, I’d get my face rearranged if I

used it on most of the jocks.”

Maggie laughed.
“Would you still love me if my nose was on the side of my

face?”

Maggie leaned up and kissed JJ’s nose. “I like it just

where it is, thank you.”

“So do I.” JJ put his arms around Maggie and she

snuggled up against him. JJ bent his head and buried his nose in
her hair.

“Milton’s right, you are awesome. Who else would worry

about trying to find him a boyfriend? But your mission, should
you choose to accept, will require a lot of skill and cunning.
Definitely a job for Super J.”

“Who?”
“That’s what I thought when I saw Milton’s cartoon strip. It

has to be you he drew; the figure even has a big letter J on his
chest.”

“Oh God,” JJ groaned. He was glad Maggie couldn’t see

his face, because he knew he was blushing.

“Like I said, he’s got one hell of a crush on you.”
“All the more reason to find him a boyfriend so he can

channel his, uh, urges somewhere more useful.”

Milton had so much to offer the right guy. Being with

Maggie was wonderful, she was the best thing that’d ever
happened to him, and he wanted Milton to be able to have the
same level of comfort and security.

“We know Milton likes jocks. Which jocks do you know

who’re into the stuff he’s into?” Maggie asked.

JJ grimaced, the mental image of going around the

baseball and basketball teams in search of a boyfriend for Milton
making an unwelcome reappearance.

“Come on, you know what Milton’s into, and you know

most of the jocks and what they like.”

JJ wasn’t sure what all Milton was into, except for

computers, old British horror movies, and comics. “Comics. No,

Steve isn’t gay.”

“Maybe not, but as you know, my frustrated cowboy, it’s

not just about having sex. Milton also needs friends.” She
smirked.

“Comics. Hmm.”

* * * *

It was three days later and JJ still hadn’t approached the

subject of Milton with Steve.

Tired of what she saw as procrastination, Maggie took

matters into her own hands, almost literally.

Patting Steve’s stomach, she asked, “Have you put on a

couple of pounds lately?

“No,” Steve replied, rubbing his perfectly flat stomach.
Maggie tilted her head to one side and pursed her lips.

“You sure? Did you eat a lot of candy at Halloween?”

“What? No. Why this sudden interest in my body? JJ not

enough anymore? You want a real man?” He grinned and puffed
out his chest.

“Yeah, right,” she smirked. Walking over to JJ, she put an

arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a long kiss.
Breaking away, she smiled at Steve. “He’s all the man I need.”

JJ returned the kiss, his unease at the direction Maggie

had taken the conversation reducing.

But Maggie hadn’t finished her little plan. She felt JJ’s

right arm and said, “You need to work on your pitching arm for
the upcoming season.”

“It’s November, baseball isn’t for months,” JJ protested.
But it hadn’t done any good, and off to the school gym he

and Steve had gone.

* * * *

“You doing okay?” JJ looked over at Steve. They were

doing bicep curls. “Looking pumped there, man.”

“You think?” Steve looked down at his arm. “Got a ways to

go before I get as big as your dad.”

That was true, but JJ knew his daddy worked hard on his

arms because Calvin really got off on his guns.

Maggie liked big arms, too. She said they made her feel

safe. JJ grinned to himself; his girlfriend was perfectly capable of
taking care of herself in any situation without any help from him.

As if Steve could read JJ’s thoughts, he said, “It was odd,

Maggie telling us to come to the gym like this. Any idea why?”

JJ hoped his non-committal grunt would suffice as an

answer.

“Really odd.”
“Yeah,” JJ relaxed his arm, maybe he should have used a

lighter weight.

“Probably wants us to do some male bonding or some shit

like that.”

“Wanna work on triceps?” JJ asked, changing the subject.
“Gotta get your pitching arm ready for the season, right?”

Steve smirked.

JJ shook his head and bit his lip.
“Shoulder press next?” JJ suggested a while later, still

feeling uncomfortable about getting his friend to the gym under
false pretenses.

“Sure.”
JJ watched Steve take the dumbbells back to the rack and

walk over to the next machine. JJ soon followed him, deep in
thought.

Steve wasn’t gay. He wouldn’t be interested in dating

Milton. Hell, the guy played baseball.

So did your daddy, an unhelpful mind voice announced.
No, Steve can’t be gay, if he was, he’d have said

something to my dads by now. JJ thought to himself. But he’s
totally cool being around my dads, he added.

That doesn’t make him gay, too, dumbass, another voice

perked up.

“Earth to JJ, are you receiving me?” Steve clicked his

fingers in JJ’s face. “You with us today?”

“Uh, sorry. Got a lot on my plate.”

They worked on their shoulders; their breathing plus the

regular clicks from the machines the only noises in the room.

Steve can’t be gay, he’s had girlfriends, JJ told himself.
But he’s never stuck with one girl for long, another voice

reminded him.

He was playing the field.
Yeah, right,
“Lats next?” Steve asked, making JJ jump. “Jeez, man,

something’s really eating at you. Want to tell Uncle Steve about it?”

JJ let out a breath and stood to go to the next station. “Uh,

yeah, I suppose. It’s not easy though.”

“You can tell me anything, bud, you know that.” Steve

came up behind JJ and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“Thanks. I know I can.” But JJ continued to work out in

silence, with Steve letting him think in peace.

It wasn’t until they were at the weight bench—Steve

spotting JJ—that he decided he needed to bite the bullet. If he
didn’t, he knew Maggie would do something painful to his balls.

“Hey, take it easy, bud. Don’t overdo it,” Steve’s

concerned face looked down at him.

JJ had been so focused on the Milton situation that he’d

lost count of reps. Along with Steve’s help, he set the bar back in
its rest.

“Here, use this fresh towel.” Instead of just dropping the

towel on him, Steve began to mop JJ’s chest.

“You really went at it today. Something’s definitely on your

mind.”

“Yeah.” JJ let out a long breath.
“Water?”
“Thanks.” JJ sat up and accepted the bottle, taking

several large gulps of the cold liquid. Capping the bottle, JJ
turned to his best friend.

“You’re comfortable with gay people, right?
“Well, uh, sure.” Steve’s face was a mix of puzzlement

and anxiety.

“Okay, that’s good.” He settled back on the bench. “Can

you put on a couple extra pounds on each side?”

“Huh?” But after a moment, Steve shook his head and did

as asked.

JJ lifted the bar, he could definitely feel the extra weight.
“You were saying?” Steve eventually asked.
“I know someone,” JJ began. “He’s uh…” he paused, his

arms extended. “This guy, he’s—” he briefly met Steve’s eyes
before looking away and doing another rep. “Shit, this is frickin’
awkward.” He panted and did another rep. “This friend, he’s
kinda dealing with a lot of heavy shit at the minute.” Another rep.
“And I was kinda hoping…thinking you might be able to, like,
help him out.”

“Uh, okay,” Steve said quietly.
JJ’s arms started to wobble. Steve grabbed the bar and

set it back in its rest.

“Thanks. You and this guy have things in common.” Shit!”

This wasn’t coming out right.

“JJ?”
JJ shut his eyes. “You can help this guy, only I don’t think

you like him, at least not like, like him.” Damn! JJ opened his
eyes again. “Look, Steve, what I’m saying is I’m—”

The rest of JJ’s words were cut off by Steve’s mouth

descending on his and delivering a passionate upside down kiss.
JJ was so surprised, he opened his mouth wider, Steve taking
that as his cue to stick his tongue in JJ’s mouth.

* * * *

“He did what?” Maggie asked through her laughter.
“Kissed me. Jeez, what is it with the guys at our school?

Is everyone frickin’ gay?”

“Oh, God.” Maggie pulled a scatter cushion from the sofa

and bent forward, laughter bubbling forth. “You really are a fag
stag.”

JJ paced Maggie’s living room. “I’m gonna get T-shirts

printed with JJ IS NOT GAY in big bold capitals across the front.”

Maggie shook her head. “Oh, God. It could only happen to

you.”

“If you get any more matchmaking ideas,” JJ stopped

pacing, turned to face Maggie, and put his fists on his hips, “keep
’em to yourself. I’m through sticking my nose into other people’s
love lives.”

Maggie stopped laughing. “It was actually your idea if you

remember.”

“Yeah,” JJ eventually conceded, “but I’d kinda changed

my mind and wouldn’t have said anything if you hadn’t insisted
me and Steve go to the gym. ‘You’ve put on a couple extra
pounds.’ And, ‘You need to get your pitching arm in shape,’” JJ
mimicked her.

“It wasn’t one of my most subtle moves.” Maggie dipped

her head. “But at least you know now that Steve is gay.”

JJ stared at his girlfriend. “What do you mean, I know now?”
Maggie shrugged. “I’ve known for years, or at least

strongly suspected.”

“Huh?”
“Come on. It’s obvious. At least to me. You haven’t seen

the longing looks Steve sends your way when he thinks no one is
looking. And the number of times he checks out your ass when—”

“My ass?”
Maggie giggled. “It’s a fine ass.”
“Huh. But that isn’t the point. We shouldn’t have forced

Steve out of the closet like that.”

“We didn’t force him. He kissed you, remember?”
JJ had to admit that Steve had pretty much outed himself.
“So what do we do now?” Maggie asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Milton. Can we rely on Steve to make friends with him, or

better still, make mad, passionate, sweaty, man-on-man love to
him?”

JJ shook his head.
“You did mention Milton to Steve, right? Or were you too

busy swapping spit?”

“Ha, ha, very funny. Yes, eventually I did get around to

telling Steve why you were so keen on the two of us visiting the
gym.”

“And?”
“I don’t know. He’s scared of anyone else finding out he’s

gay. We’ll have to take it real slow. He’s agreed to come over to
my place Sunday as usual. Hopefully he’ll be comfortable
enough to talk to my dads about it.”

“It’ll be just like you taking Milton home.”
JJ nodded. He’d seen the similarities, too.
“Need me to kiss you some more to take away the taste of

boy cooties?” Maggie teased.

JJ grinned. “Please.”
The two spent a few minutes kissing, touching, and JJ just

had his hand inside Maggie’s blouse when his cell rang. It was
his dad’s ringtone, and as he didn’t get calls from him very often,
he felt compelled to answer.

Though it turned out his dad had just called to ask him if

he wanted to have dinner at their favorite Thai place because
Calvin had been unexpectedly drafted into a series of meetings
that were expected to run into the evening. Calvin didn’t like
Thai, so Brock and JJ rarely had it.

“Uh, sure, dad. When?” JJ looked over at Maggie, who

had buttoned her blouse and was straightening her hair.
Obviously she’d decided they weren’t about to pick up where
they’d left off.

“Say about an hour? Give me a chance to get home, jump

in the shower, and put on a change of clothes.”

JJ thought about asking Maggie if she wanted to join

them, but he decided he needed some alone time with his dad.
Even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to talk to him about
Steve. “Okay, see you at home in an hour.”

Because he had the time, and he needed to mull over the

events of earlier, JJ decided to walk the ten blocks home.

As he walked, collar turned up against the wind that had

come up, he could see the funny side of things now, but at the
time it’d been embarrassing, awkward and painful. The last more
so for Steve, who’d been mortified when he’d realized JJ wasn’t
coming out…or on to him.

* * * *

It took JJ a good ten minutes to reassure his friend that he

wasn’t mad, but rather flattered, if anything. And, JJ added, as
far as he was concerned, Steve being gay didn’t change what he
felt, the guy was still his best friend.

Steve took some convincing, all the while apologizing, and

begging JJ not to say anything to anyone at school.

JJ said it would be their secret, except he’d have to tell

Maggie. But he assured Steve she’d be okay about it.

Steve eventually agreed, and they went to the locker room

to shower, JJ sensing a definite awkwardness from his friend.

“What the fuck you doing all the way over there?” JJ

asked when Steve started a showerhead at the other end of the
room. He reached two nozzles over from his own and turned it
on. “Get your butt over here. Like I said, nothing has changed.”

“You’re so frickin’ awesome. God, I’ve waited years to say

that.”

JJ chose to believe the water coursing down his friend’s

face was from the shower.

As they continued to shower, JJ explained that he’d been

trying to ask Steve to befriend Milton, because the guy needed
friends, and he was pretty amazing when you got to know him.

At first Steve rejected the idea, not wanting anyone else to

know he was gay.

“Just be his friend. Honestly, he’s a great guy, really funny.”
“But everyone’ll think I’m gay ’cause I’ll be hanging with

him.”

“Bullshit!” JJ threw the soap at Steve. “I hang with him and

people don’t think I’m gay. I’ve got two gay dads and people
don’t think I’m gay.”

“I did,” Steve said softly, “or at least that’s what I hoped.”
“How long you, uh…”
“Since the first time I saw you. God, JJ,” Steve turned

away. “Everything about you is perfect, amazing, sexy, and…”
His shoulders dropped and started to shake. “Sorry.”

“Don’t, man.” Despite the two of them being wet and

naked, JJ didn’t think twice about going over to his friend and
giving him a hug.

“You see?” Steve sniffed. “This is what I meant. Even

though you know I’m a fag, you ain’t afraid to hug me.”
JJ rubbed Steve’s back. “Don’t say that word. You’re gay, just
gay. But you’re still Steve, my best friend and the best catcher in
this school.”

Steve sniffed a couple more times before letting go of JJ.

“Shit, the first time I get to hug you naked has to be when I’m this
upset and can’t enjoy it properly.”

JJ smiled. “Come on, let’s get dressed. I said I’d meet

Maggie later. Her folks are out for the evening and…” He
waggled his eyebrows.

“You know,” Steve said, turning off his shower nozzle, “I’d

give anything to be in Maggie’s place. She’s one lucky lady.”

“Yeah,” JJ smirked, trying to lighten the mood, “That’s

what I keep telling her. But she doesn’t listen.”

“Well,” Steve attempted a smile, “If you ever need to, uh,

release some pressure, I’m here.”

JJ shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m just not made that

way. And you deserve someone who can return your feelings
and like you for the awesome guy you are.”

“Someone like Milton?”
JJ shrugged. “You could do worse.”
“I’m not ready.”
JJ nodded.
They got dressed and were about to head out when Steve

put a hand on JJ’s shoulder to stop him.

“I got one more confession to make.”
JJ raised his eyebrows.
“You probably don’t, but do you remember you once

owned a pair of black boxer briefs with white trim?”

“Huh?” Talk about coming out of left field. “I sort of

remember. I figured the laundromat had lost them or something.”

Steve dipped and shook his head. “Nope, they’re at the

bottom of my closet. I took them one night when I slept over at
your place.”

JJ opened his mouth to say something, but didn’t know

what.

“Sorry, I’ll give you them back if—”
“It’s okay, keep ’em.”
They shared a final hug before leaving the locker room.

* * * *

“Sit here next to me.” Maggie pulled JJ toward her.
“But that’ll mean Steve and Milton will have to sit together.”
“Exactly.”
“We shouldn’t match make. Or at least not more than we

have already. Steve says he isn’t ready for a boyfriend. And
Milton will get hurt if—”

“Sit down,” she pointed to the bench next to her, “and let

me do the talking when they get here.”

“Yes, dear.” JJ crossed his arms over his chest and

pretended to pout.

It had taken some arm twisting, but finally JJ had

convinced Steve and Milton to meet each other at JJ and
Maggie’s favorite diner. JJ had had to reassure Steve several
times that he hadn’t told Milton he was gay, nor had he
mentioned it to his dads either. However, when Steve had come
over the previous weekend for their usual pro game TV
afternoon, Calvin had sensed Steve’s anxiety and, after a small
amount of gentle probing, Steve had come out to JJ’s folks.

Three hours later Steve had left, feeling much happier

about himself, Calvin reminding him that the coming out process
was a gradual one, and Steve should take it at whatever pace he
needed to.

After Steve had left, Brock confessed he’d been surprised

at Steve’s news. Calvin had smiled and said he’d suspected all
along that Steve was “family.”

JJ had marveled that someone else had picked up on

Steve’s gayness, whereas he, Steve’s best friend, was clueless.

“That’s because you’re straight,” had been Calvin’s

immediate reply.

“Here’s Milton,” Maggie said, snapping JJ back to the

present. She stood and began to wave. “Over here.”

Milton approached their booth. “Hi. Sorry if I’m late.”
“You’re not late.” Maggie smiled and gestured to the

bench opposite. “And Steve isn’t here yet anyway.”

She smiled again at Milton, took a drink from her water

glass, and then picked up her menu and began to scan its
contents. JJ didn’t know why she was bothering because they’d
eaten at the Starlight many times, and the menu hadn’t changed.
And beside, she almost always ordered scrambled egg whites on
rye toast with a side order of turkey bacon.

“I’m sure Steve will be here soon.” JJ looked at his watch.

It was unusual for his friend to be late.

Milton smiled nervously and began to play with his napkin.
“Have you eaten here before?” Maggie asked, setting

down her menu.

Milton shook his head.
“Everything’s good.” She leaned forward and opened

Milton’s menu for him.

“I’ll, uh, just have a soda,” Milton said, closing the menu.
JJ wondered if Milton didn’t want anything because he

was nervous, not hungry, or because he didn’t have enough
cash. He worried about how to handle the situation without
hurting Milton’s pride. The day after they’d first eaten together in
the school lunchroom Milton had made a point of paying JJ back
for the apple he was unable to get on his lunch plan.

Maggie tapped Milton’s menu. “Order whatever you want.

He’s paying.” She pointed to JJ, who nodded and smiled.

“Oh, uh, thanks. But shouldn’t we wait for Steve?” Milton

asked.

“I’ll order him the breakfast special,” Maggie said.
JJ sent a sideways glance at his girlfriend, surprised at

how take-charge she was being. He had to admit, however, it
turned him on.

They chatted a few more minutes while Milton looked over

the menu. He eventually chose the scrambled egg white on rye,
but in a burst of independence that made JJ smile to himself,

asked for a side order of link sausage rather than the turkey
bacon that Maggie favored.

Once the waiter had taken their order, JJ looked at his

wristwatch yet again.

“Didn’t you replace the battery?” Maggie asked.
“Yeah. What time do you have?”
“Ten after ten.”
Milton confirmed that his watch said the same.
JJ looked up then and saw Steve coming through the

door. He was about to call to him when Maggie beat him to it.

“Sorry I’m late. My mom wanted me to clean my room

before the maid came.”

JJ snickered. Steve’s mom was a bit of a snob, she made

sure their apartment was clean before the maid arrived because
she didn’t want the maid to gossip about how untidy they were.

Steve regarded the seating arrangements before shooting

a look at Maggie, who just flipped her bangs out of her eyes and
ignored him.

Milton scooted over to allow Steve to sit down, Steve

nodding his thanks.

JJ hoped Steve would remember what he’d said about

how Milton was shy around people he didn’t know. This didn’t
prove to be an issue because Steve pretty much ignored Milton.

“I ordered you the special,” Maggie said.
Steve nodded his thanks, but hailed the waiter and asked

for a cup of coffee.

As they waited for their food to arrive, conversation was

stilted. Milton seemed intimidated by Steve’s size, Steve’s eyes
kept darting around, no doubt checking to see if there was
anyone present who knew him and would see him sitting next to
Milton.

JJ tried to get the two to talk, but the best he got was

single word answers. The only question Steve asked Milton
directly was about sports, and Milton admitted he didn’t play any.

It was a relief when the food arrived.
“So,” Maggie said to Steve after crunching on a piece of

bacon, “Milton likes comics.”

Steve shrugged. “Okay.”
JJ wanted to break in, but decided to let his girlfriend

handle it.

“You like comics, too,” she persisted.
“Some.” Steve forked half a link sausage to his mouth and

began to chew.

“What types of comics do you like, Milton?” Maggie asked.
“X-Men mainly, but I follow a few online comics, too.”
Steve continued to chew, his attention on his plate.
“Milton also draws his own comic strip,” Maggie persisted.
“Oh?” Steve looked briefly to his side before concentrating

on his plate once again.

It was obvious to JJ that Maggie’s attempts to get Milton

and Steve talking were just as unsuccessful as his had been.
And Milton was starting to get antsy.

“I haven’t seen any of your work,” JJ put in when the

conversation died yet again.

Milton looked alarmed, JJ could have kicked himself,

hadn’t Maggie said his superhero character was based on him?

“Is your comic based on the X-Men?” Steve asked Milton.
JJ hoped the ice was starting to thaw.
“Sort of.”
Steve cut into a pancake. “Does your hero have a mutant

power?”

Milton nodded, but didn’t answer.
Maggie asked, “What is it? You never said.”
“I haven’t fully worked it out yet, but he has this force field

of light that he can throw around people…it sort of protects them
and makes everybody feel happy and…” He dried up and found
something fascinating under one of the pieces of toast.

“Interesting,” Steve said.
Milton shook his head. “No it isn’t. It’s crap.” He laid down

his fork and crossed his arms over his chest. “Sorry, I’m not very
hungry.”

“It isn’t crap,” JJ said.
“Come on,” Maggie pointed her fork at Milton’s plate. “You

never eat enough.”

Milton blushed. “You sound like my aunt Miriam. She’s

always at me to clean my plate, because there are people
starving in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, or whatever third world country
the Discovery channel last visited.”

Steve laughed. “That’s funny.”
“Thanks,” Milton said quietly.
Maggie nodded at Milton’s plate. “Come on, try a bit more.”
Milton took hold of his fork and scooped up some eggs.
The fork was halfway to Milton’s mouth when Steve

asked, “So, your hero. Does he have a name? Did you base him
on anyone?”

The fork clattered back to the plate, spilling its contents on

the tabletop.

JJ winced.
“It’s okay.” Steve opened his napkin and wiped away the

mess. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that. Sometimes a little
mystery is a good thing.” He looked over at JJ.

The four ate in silence for a while, JJ sensing both Milton

and Steve had retreated back into themselves.

“Milton, would you draw a few cells of your cartoon strip? I

have paper and pencils in my purse.” Maggie unsnapped the
catch and delved inside.

Did she put drawing materials in there just in case? JJ

asked himself. He wouldn’t have put it past her.

“Let the guy finish his breakfast first,” Steve told her. “An

artist can’t work on an empty stomach, eh, Milton?”

The conversation flowed a little more freely, Maggie doing

her best to ensure both Steve and Milton participated. But once
they’d finished—except for Milton who still left half his eggs—
Maggie dug into her purse and produced a pad and pencils.

“Isn’t there a comic book convention thing going on this

weekend?” Maggie asked.

Steve nodded. “At the Javits Center. I thought I might

check it out tomorrow.”

JJ watched Milton pick up a pencil.
“Don’t people who go to these things go in costume?”

Maggie asked.

“Sometimes,” Steve admitted.
“You should go as Clark Kent. It was a hit at Halloween,”

Maggie said.

Steve shrugged. “It was all I could put together at the last

minute.”

“The costume store will probably have the full Superman

outfit now,” JJ put in.

“Yeah, probably.”
Milton looked over at Steve, but didn’t say anything.
“Milton, were you thinking of going to the convention,

too?” Maggie asked.

“Maybe.” He made to put the other end of the pencil in his

mouth, but seemed to change his mind at the last second.

“You two should go together,” Maggie announced.
“Mags!” JJ nudged his girlfriend under the table.
Steve rearranged the silverware on his empty plate.
“What should I draw?” Milton asked.
“Whatever you want,” JJ said. “Maybe something set in a

diner?”

“Okay.” Milton shrugged. “But I don’t have the right size

paper, and it won’t be very good because I’ll be rushing.”

“You’ll do just fine.” Maggie smiled over at him.
Milton started to draw, JJ noticing how the guy’s tongue

peeked from between his lips as he focused on his task.

“You’re really good,” Steve said a few moments later,

bending closer to get a better look.

“Uh, thanks.” Milton’s hand shook and he drew a ragged

line on the page.

“It’s okay.” Maggie delved back into her purse and pulled

out an eraser.

“Thanks.” Milton erased his mistake and carried on drawing.
“How did your guy get his powers?” Steve asked.
“Hadn’t really thought about it,” Milton admitted. “Like I

said, I haven’t fleshed him out fully yet.”

“He looks pretty fleshed out to me,” Maggie grinned.
Milton blushed.
Upside down JJ could see that Milton had drawn his

character with a defined chest and a pair of biceps any
bodybuilder would be proud of.

“Maybe,” Steve snickered, “he got bitten by a radioactive

mutant subway rat.”

Milton looked up and, to JJ’s surprise, smiled. “Yeah.” The

smile widened. “I like that.”

Steve held out his hand. “Would you let me draw

something?”

“Sure.” Milton gave him the pencil and slid the pad across

the table.

Steve began to sketch a rat standing on its hind legs, its

teeth dripping with saliva with sparks of electricity emerging from it.

“Wow, never knew you could draw,” JJ said.
“There’s a lot about me you didn’t know.” Turning to Milton

he added, “It’s a blond thing. The start of each baseball season
we have to remind him ‘this is a bat, and this is a ball. It’s your
job to throw—”

“Watch it!” JJ glowered.
Milton laughed.
“Most of last week he was wearing a wristwatch that had a

dead battery,” Maggie put in.

Steve snickered. “At least he’ll have had the right time

twice a day.”

“Hey, I’m here, you know,” JJ protested.
“Did you hear something?” Milton asked Steve.
Steve turned to Milton and they high fived each other.
Steve and Milton went back to their drawing, frequently

sliding the pad from one to the other as each added to the
storyline; JJ soon lost track of the details.

Their server came to the table a couple of times to inquire

if they needed anything, and JJ became conscious that they
were table hogging. But no way would he interrupt the budding
friendship between his two friends to tell them they needed to
leave. JJ mentally added a few extra dollars to the tip.

Eventually Steve stretched and announced he needed to

use the restroom. JJ noticed how Milton’s gaze followed Steve out
of the booth and toward the rear of the diner. JJ turned to Maggie

and shook his head when he saw that she was about to speak.

“Can I keep these?” Milton asked, flipping through the

sheets of paper he and Steve had drawn on. “I might be able to
use some of the ideas for my project.”

“Sure, keep the whole pad,” Maggie said, smiling and

taking JJ’s hand and giving it a squeeze.

“Thanks. I think the story has changed, developed. It’s too

early to tell for sure, though.”

Maggie nodded and bit her lip.
“We done here?” Steve asked once he’d returned to the

table.

“Think so,” Maggie said, gathering up her purse, coat, and

hat.

Steve shook his head.
“It’s a woman thing,” JJ mouthed silently.
Steve nodded and smiled.
They stood at the register, Steve putting up a protest

when JJ insisted it was his treat.

“I’ll buy next time,” Steve said.
Outside, as the foursome stood on the sidewalk, the

weather started to close in.

“A woman is always prepared,” Maggie said, wrapping the

scarf around her neck. “Unlike you.” She fingered JJ’s light
jacket.

“Yes, dear,” JJ said, taking her hand. “See you tomorrow

for football?” he asked Steve. “The Cowboys are playing the
Giants.”

“I think I might go to that comic convention tomorrow,”

Steve said. Turning to Milton, who’d placed his hands in his
armpits, he added, “Want to go with me? Might be fun.”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” Milton said in surprise.
“You should take your drawings and maybe you’ll be

discovered.”

“Yeah, right.” Milton chuckled.
“You never know, Neil Gaiman will be there.”
“Uh huh.” Milton smiled.
“Come on, we’ll walk to the subway together and hash out

the details. Jeeze, Milton, you look frozen. Here.” Steve
unzipped his quilted jacket and laid it over Milton’s shoulders.

“Well,” Maggie sighed, watching the two guys walk away,

“the rest is up to them.”

JJ nodded then turned to Maggie. “What do you want to

do now? We could hang out at my place, but my dads are home
and…”

“My folks are away all day.” Maggie smiled. “So I thought

you could come home with me…and collect your reward.”

“You mean…?” JJ asked, not daring to hope.
Maggie stood on tip-toe and kissed JJ on the mouth. “I

love you. It’s time.”

JJ pumped his fist in the air. “Yes!”

THE END

ABOUT DREW HUNT

Having read all the decent free fiction on the net Drew

could find, he set out to try his hand at writing something himself.
Fed up reading about characters who were super-wealthy,
impossibly handsome, and incredibly well-endowed, Drew
determined to make his characters real and believable.

Drew lives a quiet life in the north of England with his cat.

Someday he hopes to meet the kind of man he writes about. If
you’re that man, or even if you’re not, Drew would like to hear
from you—

drew@drew-hunt.co.uk

. Visit him online at

drew-

hunt.co.uk

ABOUT QUEERTEEN PRESS

Queerteen Press is the young adult imprint of JMS Books

LLC, a small press specializing in queer fiction, non-fiction, and
poetry owned and operated by author J.M. Snyder. Visit us at

queerteen-press.com

for our latest releases and submission

guidelines!

Wyszukiwarka

Podobne podstrony:
Drew Hunt Brett s New Game Plan
Drew Hunt Calvin s Cowboy
Drew Hunt Trapped Nerve
Drew Hunt Summers Lease(1)
Drew Hunt First Flames
Hunt Drew You Rock!
5 Shakespeare s Macbeth and classical tragedy, 6 Metaphysical poetry (John Donne),7 Milton s Satan
7 Milton s Satan as a romantic hero ( Paradise Lost)
Milton Friedman poglądy, szczególnie na temat polityki pienieznej
19 Utwierdzenie slupa, Budownictwo Politechnika Rzeszowska, Rok IV, Konstrukcje Drewniane, drewno ma
Heroizacja i?heroizacja postaci w literaturze wojennej i p
INSTRUKCJA GOPRO HD HERO
Referat Rola Miltona Friedmana w zarządzaniu gospodarką
Milton Erickson
BUDOWNICTWO ściaga!!, Bud. ogólne i konstr. drew
My hero
Hypnosis Milton H Erickson Hypnotic Realities v2
budownictwo, OG LNA CHARAK DREWNA I KONS, Ogólna charak drewna i konstr drew Drewno jest podstaw mat

więcej podobnych podstron