Published: 19 Dec 2016

The next day, the guys were up shortly after dawn. They grinned at each other remembering the fun from the night before. Their more laidback attitude was evident as they played a bit of grab-ass while preparing breakfast and packing up for the next leg of their journey down the river. Colt checked the weather channel on his tiny radio as he often did. This time, he was frowning as he listened.

“Guys, they’re predicting a big storm tomorrow and rain for several days after. It’s associated with a tropical depression in the Gulf Coast that is gaining strength. I think we’d be smart to change our plans and head for the pull-out site today. We can do it easily if we don’t mind pushing along faster and getting there around supper time. We’re down to canned stew since our fresh food is nearly used up anyway.”

After a short discussion, everyone agreed that Colt’s judgment was sound.

“I hate to cut our vacation short,” Jared lamented. “It’s the only time I’ve had off this summer. But it could give Dave and Dustin a couple of days off.”

“We can still be out as many days as we planned. Let’s take a different route home and go through Madison,” Dane suggested. “Colt’s mom is supposed to be giving birth to his baby brother any day now. The kid is overdue by nearly two weeks.”

“That would be cool,” Jared agreed. “How come you didn’t mention that, Colt?”

“I’ve really been worried about Mom, but I didn’t want to lay my troubles on the rest of you. This is supposed to be a carefree time before school starts.”

Trent walked over to Colton and embraced his long-time friend (and sometime nemesis).

“Bud, we love you like a brother. If you can’t share with us, who can you tell?”

The other guys agreed. Colton smiled at all of the love he was feeling.

“I hope you don’t mind going a little out of the way for your “brother” then. My step-dad, Dwayne, is a really cool guy. He’ll want me to be there when the baby arrives.”

“That may be,” Jerry said. “But is he going to be thrilled to see six extra guys besides you and Dane. Where would we all sleep?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Dane assured him. “There may not be enough beds to go around, but we have our sleeping bags and we can camp out in the family room if it’s too wet to put up the tents. If all else fails, Colt and I will pool our money to get a couple of motel rooms and we can double up.”

The boys who were not part of the extended family felt it would be best to phone Sharon and Dwayne to see if it was okay for them to come. Calling ahead was a great plan except for one thing. There was no cell phone tower close enough to pick up a signal. They might have to wait until they got to the public campground and use a land line.

Back on the river, the guys were treated to another morning of wildlife sightings. This time, there were ducks swimming around and a bald eagle perched on a high overhanging branch. Glimpses of numerous deer and one small black bear added to the excitement. Dane took several photos that he thought might be good enough to enter into the annual photography contest in the Cosgrove newspaper.

Lunch consisted of cheese sandwiches and fruit. They had put the few remaining pieces of ice in one cooler to keep the cheese fresh even though it wouldn’t spoil rapidly.

Around 3:30, they would have loved to have stopped for the night and have another afternoon to lie in the sun, but they figured they had about an hour of paddling ahead of them to make their destination in time to set up camp and make dinner while there was plenty of daylight. For the first time on their trip, they were moving at something more than a leisurely pace.

Their efforts paid off. The boys were actually surprised when they rounded a big bend and the campground suddenly came into view. They weren’t as pressed for time as they had feared.

The first thing Colt did was to try his cell phone again. This time, he got through. He spent a few minutes taking to Dwayne and then his mom before getting back to the other guys.

“It’s all set; they want us to come tomorrow and stay as long as we want. Mom’s going in the day after tomorrow for a C-section if little Aidan doesn’t make an appearance before that. You’d better all call home to tell everyone of our change of plans so they won’t worry. Dwayne says the storm has already caused some damage in the South and is in Illinois now – though it’s just heavy rain there. It could peter out before it hits Madison.”

The guys set up the tents in quick order and began packing all equipment into the vehicles that wouldn’t be immediately needed. They kept only a change of clothes, breakfast items, sleeping bags, and toiletries. It shouldn’t take them long to get organized in the morning.

Stew, bread, and the last of the fresh fruit made up their dinner menu. There were enough marshmallows, Hershey bars, and graham crackers to make s’mores for dessert.

They sat around their campfire talking until it got dark. Then they grabbed their towels and soap to go for the first hot showers they’d had in several days. It felt good, but it also made them sad, knowing they’d left primitive camping behind.

Dane and Colt settled down quickly that night because they wanted to get plenty of sleep and still be awake early. Dane spooned against the back of his lover because he knew that Colt needed him. He assured him that his mother would be fine.

Mike and Brent had intended to get lots of rest too, but they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. After licking and nibbling each other’s nipples, they quickly went for the main event, sucking each other to climax in a short period of time. Then they fell into a satisfied, if somewhat sticky, sleep.

Trent and Jerry talked for a short while, lamenting the fact that this wonderful journey would soon be over, but pleased about all the fun they’d shared with their buddies. They agreed these memories would last a lifetime.

The youngest pair didn’t go to sleep immediately either. Since neither would have to be alert to drive, they talked for quite a while. Both were horny, but neither wanted to be the one to initiate anything sexual.

“Uh, do you want to jerk off together again?” Jared eventually asked – his heart racing because of the risk he was taking.

“Yeah,” Logan answered more quickly than he had meant to. “Um, would you let me feel yours if I let you feel mine?”

“Okay,” Jared promptly agreed turning on his flashlight and getting up on his knees without his underwear.

The feeling of someone else’s hand on their virgin dicks put their libidos into overdrive. There was just enough light to see the excitement on their faces.

Logan started to move his hand up and down on Jared’s hot boner. Jared gasped.

“Do you want me to stop?” Logan asked fearing he had gone too far.

“Hell no!” Jared exclaimed as he slowly stroked Logan’s cock in return.

This was by far the hottest thing either of them had ever done up to that point in their young lives. Neither could have held back even if he had wanted to. Their loads were watery, but that didn’t diminish the intensity of their orgasms.

Afterward, Jared was feeling guilty about having made another boy cum.

“Are you mad at me, Logan?”

“No, why should I be?”

“Well, I started it.”

“If you hadn’t, I would have.”

“Really? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”

“No, I really enjoyed it. It was HOT!”

Jared giggled and then got serious again.

“Do you think we’re gay because we did it to each other?”

“If you had your choice, would you like to do it with another guy better than getting laid by a girl?”

“No,” Jared responded without hesitation.

“There’s your answer. From the way my dad talked about boys experimenting when they’re growing up, I’ll bet he did the same thing with his buddy. And, he’s certainly not gay!”

“Are we buds then?”

“Buds forever,” Logan assured him as they high-fived.

“Do you think we’ll ever help each other out again?”

“I certainly hope so!”

Morning dawned gray and chilly. Colton called for a quick meeting to plan their day.

“Guys, I have a bad feeling that we’re in for serious rain very soon. My advice is to pack up as quickly as possible and then go to brush our teeth and stuff. We could skip making breakfast and eat on the road. I was talking to a retired couple this morning who said there’s a mom and pop’s café about five miles from here and it’s in the direction we have to go. They said it’s inexpensive and has great breakfasts.”

“We’d better keep our rain jackets handy too,” Dane added

The others all agreed that Colt’s plan was a good one. No one wanted to chance having to pack up soggy tents and damp bedding. So, they quickly got their gear together and stashed in the vehicles before going to the bath house.

The guys had barely gotten into the van and SUV before the sky opened up. Dane led the way to the restaurant with Colt as his navigator. Within a few minutes, they were pulling up to the Sunrise Café which turned out to be as good as it was reputed to be.

After a hearty breakfast, the guys continued their drive toward Madison. It was raining steadily and showed no signs of easing up. The sky was a gloomy shade of pewter as far as the eye could see.

They stopped at a McDonald’s for lunch before heading to Dwayne and Sharon’s house because they didn’t want to arrive hungry. They knew Colt’s parents would feed them, but it wouldn’t be polite to expect it, especially with the birth happening so soon.

Colt’s cell phone began ringing as they were getting ready to start out again. It was Dwayne telling him that he had a perfectly healthy baby brother and that Sharon was doing well also. Colt had a few tears of joy which he did not try to hide from his buddies who were giving him high fives and shoulder squeezes.

Dwayne gave him directions to the hospital.

“Bring the rest of your friends with you for a few minutes to see my precious little son. Mom is too tired to have visitors for long, but she’s eager to see you and Dane. She wants to welcome the other guys also.”

If the hospital staff was surprised to see eight teenage boys heading en masse to the maternity ward, they didn’t show it. The policy was very open toward visitors as long as they didn’t wear out the new mothers. Some of the nurses shook their heads wondering which one of these young men was the father. Kids were having kids at too young an age these days.

Sharon was propped up in bed looking radiant. She was being treated like royalty by the staff who had done her hair and applied a bit of makeup. It was unbelievable that she’d given birth only a few hours before.

Aidan was asleep against his mother’s breast. The sight reminded the boys of pictures of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child that they had seen on Christmas cards. Colt used the digital camera to record the scene.

At Sharon’s request, Dwayne gently lifted the infant and placed him in Colton’s arms. The look on Colt’s face was priceless. He had the glow of a first-time father as he held the precious bundle. Dane had the presence of mind to capture that picture as well.

“He’s so tiny,” Colt said softly as he looked at the little hand which instinctively grasped his pinkie. “I can’t believe how perfect he is.”

Aidan yawned and opened his eyes, staring at his big brother. Colton’s heart melted instantly. His eyes met Dane’s for a second with the message that he wanted a family someday too. Dane smiled and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Dane was the next to hold the newest member of their extended family. He, like Colt, was comfortable in doing so because of their experiences with Dane’s twin siblings, Emma and EJ.

Each of the other guys had a turn at holding baby Aidan. It was almost comical to watch the younger boys tense up fearing that they would harm the infant if they moved a muscle. Sharon wanted to tell them that babies are more durable than some people realize, but she didn’t want to make them self-conscious. Colt and Dane took turns recording each guy with the tiny boy. They were going to make up photo disks for all of their friends as a souvenir of their trip.

Sensing that Sharon needed her rest and that Aidan would be hungry, Colt said that they should head out.

“We can go visit the Capitol building and look around town until later,” he offered.

“That’s okay if you want, but you may need to be at the house by 5:00. Here is a key and I have directions for you in case you’ve can’t figure out the route from here. Greta is arriving late this afternoon to help Sharon for a few days while she gets used to the routine. It’s been a few years since you were that small.”

“We can pick up stuff for dinner,” Dane offered.

“There’s lots of food in the house. I was planning to roast the three chickens you’ll find in the fridge for our meal tonight. That was before Aidan decided to arrive unassisted,” Sharon grinned. “As I recall, you and my son can whip up a great meal without supervision. If your friends are as good, you should eat very well tonight. There’s potatoes, lettuce, and zucchini that can be used. In fact, cook anything you want to.”

The guys thanked Sharon and Dwayne for their kindness and assured them they would be fine on their own.

Colt accepted the key and map, hugged his step-father and kissed his mother before leading the group back to the parking lot.

Dane called their grandmother’s cell number to see if he could get in touch. Greta answered after a number of rings apologizing for taking so long.

“I had to pull off so I could talk comfortably. Since I always complain about drivers and cell phones, I’d better set a good example,” she laughed.

When she told them where she was, the boys calculated it would take her until at least 5:30. That would give them time to visit the Statehouse and still get to Sharon and Dwayne’s house in time to get dinner started.

Greta arrived at 5:45 to a house filled with the aroma of home cooking. When she asked what she could do to assist, she was told to open a bottle of wine and put her feet up until called to the table. It pleased her to see that she had trained her grandsons well. Their friends also seemed to be working like a team in getting everything set up.

Dwayne arrived a few minutes later saying that he was letting Sharon sleep, but would be going back to the hospital after dinner. He was allowed to room in with his wife and baby and was going to take advantage of the opportunity to bond.

After dinner, Greta and Colt followed Dwayne back to the maternity ward, but Dane stayed behind. He felt Sharon had had enough company for one day. He found some old video games to help the boys while away the time until they went to sleep.

“It’s amazing that your grandmother would come to help someone who isn’t even related by blood,” Logan remarked.

“Not really,” Dane responded. “She’s always had a soft spot for others. After all, Sharon is almost like a daughter-in-law since she’s Colt’s mom. Grandma kind of adopted her once she found out.”

“Greta has a kind soul,” Jerry interjected. “She reminds me of Miss Charlotte in a number of ways.”

“By the way,” he continued, “Do you think that we should head out tomorrow after Sharon comes home?”

“Yeah, I do,” Dane agreed. “It looks like it may clear up. If it does, we could camp another night or two. I know a place that’s really great. We stayed there with Wade and Roger after Mom’s wedding; and again when that evil woman was threatening to kill Alex and Joel.”

“Is there anything to do?” Jared asked.

“There is a hiking trail and a nude beach not far away.”

Suddenly, all conversation ceased as the younger members of the group looked up in surprise.

“You mean a place where no one wears any suits?” Logan exclaimed.

“Yeah, that’s the general idea of a nude beach,” Dane grinned.

“Are there girls there?” Logan wanted to know.

“Sure,” Dane told him. “There are people of all ages from toddlers to grandparents.”

“And they’d all see my hardon?” Logan continued.

“They probably wouldn’t even notice that little weenie,” Brent teased.

Logan looked more upset over Brent’s comment than about the prospect of baring it all.

Mike spoke up: “He’s having fun with you, Logan. We’ve all seen it hard and you have nothing to be ashamed of, but I don’t think most people at a nude beach are going to be staring at you because they’re probably pretty cool if they go there in the first place.”

“Yeah, I’m just giving you crap, Logan. You’ll have to get used to some teasing if you’re going to start high school next week. I wouldn’t have said it if you weren’t well enough hung.”

Logan began to relax once he knew that Brent had meant no harm.

Colton and his grandmother arrived home a little after 8:00. Greta excused herself to head for the guest room.

Dane made a big batch of popcorn for the guys to eat as they watched TV. They stayed up long enough to check the weather forecast. It appeared that the storm was over and the next few days should be warm and sunny.

When it was time to bed down for the night, Colt zipped Dane’s sleeping bag and his together. Mike looked at Brent with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He zipped their bags together also. No one said anything, but Logan’s eyes widened at the revelation which suddenly hit him.

If you are enjoying this story, let David know: david.lee@castleroland.net