The Barbecue

By Timothy Lee

From the creator of the Billy and Lyle series of books. Lear Hughes is heading home for a family reunion after a seven year absence. Conveniently, this will also serve as the ideal time to announce his upcoming marriage to his lover, Matthew Shaw, where he can extend to the family invitations to attend the affair. Although his homophobic parents and five older brothers know that Lear is gay, their reaction to his future nuptials is in question so Lear has brought Matthew along for support (under the guise of being a neighbor until he can muster up the nerve to reveal their secret). What Lear does not know, however, is that his family has a few secrets of their own and these will threaten to stop Lear and Matthew from ever getting married.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Timothy Lee
• Release date: Dec 26, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311557872

Timothy Lee

Timothy Lee was born in Concord, California, and raised in South Lake Tahoe, California. Eventually he migrated northward and finally settled down in Olympia, Washington, where he now resides with his two cats, Kodora and Koji. Timothy takes his yearly vacation to the Disneyland Resort where he is allowed to wear silly mouse ears hats and act like a 10 year old.

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The Barbecue

Timothy Lee

Smashwords Edition

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Copyright 2013 Timothy Lee

Published by Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

About The Author

Other Titles

CHAPTER 1

Mom, dad, Caton, Pryce, Mull, Dobry, Rocco; I'm getting married in six months to my fiancé, Matthew, and I would like to invite you all to the wedding. It seemed to Lear Hughes to be such a simple invitation and yet so difficult was the prospect of actually delivering it, especially once in the company of those to whom the statement was to be directed. The coincidence of his father calling to invite him to a family get-together six months prior to the wedding was eerily convenient but Lear reasoned that telling his parents and brothers in person would be far more personal than merely sending them all invitations. Then again, he thought as the butterflies in his stomach multiplied, by doing this to their faces he was making himself vulnerable to their wrath; the consequences of which could very well include beatings, castration, humiliation, and quite possibly beheading as well.

They say that you can never go home again, and yet here he now was in his old bedroom staring at the same old Teddy bear wallpaper that had been a large part of his childhood. Logic would dictate that Lear's father and mother, Winston and Beverly, would have stripped the walls of all traces of his childhood and replaced it with something a bit more contemporary, but apparently there was some desire to hold onto the past.

The twin bed was the same, as was the wooden desk and chair still set beneath the upstairs window which was frighteningly familiar in that it now reminded him of the shackles binding him to the spot until he completed his homework night after night; weekends included. He smiled at the thought of actually being physically chained, and although this was an over-exaggeration, at times it sure felt as if the cold unyielding metal cuff had been secured around his ankles.

Even the colorful roadway carpet with its thoroughfares and side streets remained, and this, too, took him back to the hours spent running his own city upon the floor. At the time his Matchbox Cars collection had been pretty extensive, allowing him to create a never ending array of scenarios in which to exercise his imagination and keep him entertained. Those were memories that would serve him a lifetime, but like the cars, those days were long gone; ghosts of a more innocent time in his life.

That now seemed so long ago, and in retrospect, somewhat foreign. The last time that Lear had been in this room was his eighteenth birthday, some seven years ago. On that day he had left the household and headed off to college, though not entirely on the happiest of terms with his parents. With some pain Lear recalled his mother and father being rather happy, if not encouraging, to issue him out of the house, leaving the following four or five years to be rather dicey. Mental adjustments had to be made on both sides in order that a family relationship be resurrected and maintained, and although Lear felt there to have been minimal adjustments on the side of the opposition he did have to admit to himself that at least his parents had drawn the axe back somewhat. This allowed for the opening up of the channels of communication which, seven years later, were to lead to Lear being invited back home for the weekend for a family get together.

He reclined on the side of the bed and sighed, reliving the struggle that ensued over his open admission now so long in the past. Of course, he really could have expected nothing less from such conservative parents but it was hoped that they might have at least tried to understand his being different from that of his five older brothers. Granted, the years had softened the blow to a certain extent but the volatile undertow remained to this day and often Lear felt as if to be walking on eggshells with his mother and father; conscious and cautious of his every word.

If being tolerated was the best that he would be able to achieve then he would have to settle for that. They were who they were and Lear was who he was and neither side was going to change any minds or attitudes so best to accept what little progress had been made and leave it at that. He knew better than to speak of it in that they did not feel compelled to react in the usual negative manner, which, now that Lear thought about it, was not really fair to him. Still, in the interest of unity he kept his mouth closed in order to avoid the inevitable hellfire and damnation lectures that had so often been a part of his past. There was the probability of feathers being ruffled tomorrow when Lear's soon-to-be husband, Matthew Shaw, was picked up from the airport and presented to the family as such, but Lear had from now till then to soften the blow as much as he would be able. On the other hand, if the reaction to his admission of being gay those many years ago had caused such a furor then the presentation of his intended was bound to level the whole damned house, taking no prisoners. Time would tell.

The ride back from the airport with both his parents only an hour ago had been pleasant enough; both seeming to be genuinely glad to see him again... and yet their voices had contained an edge that might be capable of slicing Lear in half were he to speak in the wrong manner or engage in a taboo subject. When he felt the time to be right Lear would make the all-important announcement, but that had not been the time. In fact, upon further contemplation, he figured there not to appear to be any time good enough for such a shocking admission.

Lear rose from the bed and approached the window that looked out over the neatly manicured and sculpted front yard from his second floor room. Perfectly squared hedges lined the red brick walkway leading from the paved circular drive to the front porch. In-ground pathway lights gave the walkway a rather magical look in the dark of night; almost as if to be leading visitors to the portal where elves and ponies and rainbows exist rather than the proven gateway to Hell, itself. That assumption was provisional, of course, seeing as how his brothers would surely argue that analogy based upon their being on a much friendlier and loving basis with the parents than Lear.

Leafy trees blocked out any view beyond the driveway so aside from a couple street lamps leaking through the leaves nothing more could be seen from the window. That was fine, though, seeing as how Lear knew this neighborhood like the back of his hand. He had walked it, driven it, played in it, and lived in it for eighteen years so he figured himself able to navigate around blindfolded and never become lost.

Growing up in this rather affluent neighborhood, and more to the point; with parents of great means, Lear learned early on of the monetary perks associated with this societal standing. On his seventeenth birthday he had received a new car. That was fine, except for the fact that his brothers had each received powerful and expensive sports cars on their birthdays while Lear had been treated to a lower-end Volkswagen. Being that this had transpired before his coming out, Lear was left with the assumption that even back in those days he was having to assume an extra's roll while his starring siblings took all the lead parts, center stage and in the spotlight.

This taught him humility and grounded him and he was rather proud of the fact that he had not ended up being demanding and status-conscious. The other side of that coin was that he had been forced to strike out on his own, support himself and pay his own way through a community college and live the life of the starving student while his five brothers presumably attended prestigious colleges and were heavily financed by their parents. Lear was not bitter, however. Quite the contrary. He was quite glad not to have had the world handed to him on a silver platter for now he was a self-made man with the finger of success being pointed solely at himself.

Being a doctor before having retired several years back, their father was one to lavish Lear's brothers with cash; both then and (assumedly) now. Lear had received not one thin dime after his coming clean by coming out, but that was fine. Money did not buy happiness and from what he had observed over the course of his young life Lear saw nothing but misery, backstabbing, treachery and scandal within the walls of gold. This was not the life that he imagined for himself.

Turning at the sound of the bedroom door opening, Lear smiled at his mother as she stepped into the room, a half-filled martini glass grasped delicately in her right hand. Hi, he greeted with a smile.

You getting settled in? she asked, an almost pained smile upon her lips.

Yeah, more or less. I don't know, it feels kind of strange being back in my old room again. Everything is so familiar and yet so far removed at the same time, he admitted, his eyes scouring the area surrounding him.

It's been a long time, she said, her own eyes glancing about.

What's dad up to?

He had to go out, she said, pausing as if to be trying to remember the reason for his departure. He forgot to pick up the liquor for tomorrow's barbecue so he had to go get it. Stores are closed on Sunday's.

Yeah, I remember, Lear said, recalling his early but brief interest in alcohol at age sixteen. This curiosity was directly connected to his having grown up in a family whose median refreshment was bourbon, beer, vodka and/or tequila. So, is everybody going to be able to make it tomorrow?

I believe so, she said, sipping her drink. Not sure how many wives and girlfriends might be here, though. Nobody tells me anything so I got enough food for an army. Doesn't look like you've been eating much, she added, scanning his skinny frame with an almost disparaging eye.

Oh, I eat plenty, believe me, he assured her with a small laugh. I guess I just have an overactive metabolism and that keeps my weight down.

Mmm, she hummed, the glass again meeting her lips. I'm glad you came by yourself, otherwise your father might have... she began, leaving the sentence to hang in mid air, although nothing more needed to be said.

Had Lear brought his fiancé with him today the fireworks would have begun to fly at the airport. No, it was better to have Matthew arriving the next morning, that way Lear would have time to somehow soften the blow - although he had yet to come up with a plan on how to do so.

Well, I'm not exactly alone, he admitted. I have to pick Matthew up at the airport tomorrow morning.

She raised an eyebrow heavy with mascara, the eye beneath almost leaving its socket as it focused a death ray upon him. And who exactly is this Matthew? she asked, the contempt in her voice making it clear that she was not on her first martini. It seemed that the more she had to drink the less tolerant she became.

Thinking quickly, Lear explained, He lives in my apartment complex; my neighbor, actually. His wife is out of town visiting her family so I invited him to join me here tomorrow and meet my family.

She studied him briefly before replying, almost as if deciding whether or not to believe her own offspring. Neighbor, huh? she asked suspiciously, obviously not believing him.

Mom, would you rather I tell you that he's my boyfriend? he asked, purposely placing the ball in her court.

I would not, she replied curtly, and I don't think much of your tone, young man.

All right, I apologize, Lear said, now realizing that the announcement was going to be significantly more difficult than he first thought. So, how is everybody doing these days?

It wouldn't hurt you to pick up a phone and call your brothers once in awhile, she chastised. Ask them for yourself.

Lear chuckled. Yeah, well, you can imagine how me and the others don't really have much to talk about these days. The only one I ever really talked to was Pryce, he said of his thirty year old brother, but we haven't spoken for over a year.

He really did hold a special place in his heart for Pryce, who was the closest thing to a brother that Lear had known in his adult life and the only one with whom he kept in contact, though admittedly only in the loosest sense. Pryce was actually quite sympathetic to Lear's situation, accepting him and his boyfriends without condemnation or lecture and that was a breath of fresh air in this family culture of sentencing and conviction without benefit of a trial.

Again the woman sipped her martini. What time does your 'neighbor' get in tomorrow? she asked, placing a heavy emphasis on the noun for effect.

His plane arrives at nine-thirty so I should take off around eight-thirty.

If I were you - and thank God I'm not - I would mention right away to your father that he's your neighbor, that way you won't be stirring up a hornet's nest, she warned.

I had no intention of doing otherwise, he said, feeling the heat of rebellion beginning to raise up within him. He was absolutely certain that none of his siblings had received a similar warning (or a warning of any kind, for that matter) in order to not upset their dad and this again shoved the blatant unfairness of his family right up in his face.

Lear again questioned the wisdom of his having accepted the invitation to the family reunion in the first place, knowing damned well that it was going to turn out to be exactly what it was already turning out to be... and the get-together had not yet officially begun! Yes, this was going to be a trying weekend and one that Lear could have avoided if only he had listened to those tiny doubting voices in his head back home. The decision, however, had been made and followed through so it was up to him to somehow get through the affair and zip back home where he could try like crazy to forget that the whole thing had happened.

This visit, however, had a pretty damned important addendum and that had weighed heavily upon Lear's final decision to attend the barbecue, tipping the scales to the side of acceptance. At some point during the gathering tomorrow he was going to announce his upcoming marriage to Matthew, come hell or high water. The announcement was bound to create tension, if not become the basis for all-out war, but it was important to Lear that his family be extended the wedding invitations: whether or not they chose to accept was then their decision and out of Lear's hands.

I'll take that under advisement, Lear answered with a disarming smile. I noticed that you haven't changed anything in my room since I left seven years ago.

Waiting for grandchildren to come so that they can enjoy it, she said, adding maliciously, at least from your brothers.

Is somebody having a kid? Lear asked excitedly, ignoring the dig.

No, but I think Rocco and Tina might be getting close to wanting a family.

Well, that's great, Lear said, though harboring many reservations. Not quite sure what kind of a father he'd make, though.

Surprisingly, mother said nothing, leading Lear to believe that both of them shared the same concerns over Rocco's parenting abilities. Lear remembered his thirty-six year old brother to be more of the motorcycle gang type than a family man. Then again, people mellow over time so perhaps the wildcat within the oldest brother had been tamed by his wife, Tina. Lear would be able to better judge his brother's attitude tomorrow during the barbecue, but until then he could only go by what he knew of the man in the past - and that was anything other than settling down with kids.

Sounds like your father's home, she said with a glance toward the window. Dinner will be in about fifteen minutes.

Lear acknowledged this and waited for her to exit the room before heading to the window to catch his father coming up the walk. Although he had heard no noises that would have indicated his father's return, he assumed that his mother's ear was finely tuned, giving her infinite knowledge of his arrival (if not his whereabouts at all times).

As he stared down, Lear remembered one incident in particular and with this the memories rapidly expanded, bringing a smile to his face. It was on the walkway below that he first experienced his desire for another guy. He was in his teens, although not recalling the specific age, and returning home from school when he spotted Raul, the gardener, mowing the lawn.

Raul was new, working for a gardening and landscaping company that had serviced the Hughes' homestead for many years and Lear caught sight of the man and froze solid. With his shirt off and the sweat of his toils glistening off his tanned skin, Raul appeared larger than life and sexy as hell and because of this sight Lear had begun to feel something inside that was totally foreign to him. It was, in a word, wrong to be feeling such things and yet try as he might Lear was unable to take his eyes off the man as he covered the expansive lawn with the power mower. The laps took Raul incrementally farther and farther away and yet Lear felt as if the man were standing directly beside him.

At one point, the gardener spotted the young man staring at him and waved and at that moment Lear's heart jumped and he felt a surge of warmth overtake his entire system. With a weak return wave, he then rushed upstairs to his bedroom where he would be better able to study this man in total privacy and reason out the unaccustomed phenomenon that was taking place.

Myriad thoughts and explanations had consumed Lear's mind as he watched the well-built man push the mower back and forth, leaving a smooth path in his wake. The overwhelming conclusion was that Lear had a crush on this guy, which was totally out of character for him. Through school he had dated women, as that was what was expected of every school-age boy, and yet not once had he felt so strong a feeling for a single one of them that he did at that moment for the man behind the mower.

Lear still clearly recalled that, later that afternoon, he learned of the gardener's name and was able to place an identity upon he who had been responsible for one of Lear's greatest masturbatory releases. It was rockets in the air, runaway trains, and race cars crossing the finish line all simultaneously: a release that was definitely among the top ten ejaculations of all time and right then and there Lear learned of the new direction of his lust, love and life.

Raul had only worked the yard two more times after that before quitting or being fired or deported, leaving behind a young man who continued to pine over him, even to this very day. It was silly, of course, but being that a first love is always the most profound, Lear kept Raul's memory deeply locked in the recesses of his mind in order to document this important turning point in his life. Lear was both sorry and glad that he had not actually met the man, for to have done so might have not only given him that much more of a thrill but quite conceivably unleashed the lion within him, requiring several people with crowbars to pry Lear off the man.

From that point on, Lear was on the prowl for guys: the physical and mental rewards adding up to be more than all the money in the world. His awkward and troubling past with women was left to the junk pile, replaced with skyrockets, the electricity of being touched by another man and a sense of satisfaction and belonging that had been missing his whole life.

The image of his father approaching the house - empty-handed, no less - drew Lear back to the present. Being that this had allegedly been a booze run Lear had to wonder if the liquor been left behind in the car? More than likely its retrieval was better suited to a lower life form, such as Lear, and he would be instructed to go to the car and bring it all in.

Before then, however, he needed to wash up and then head downstairs for dinner. Tonight might be interesting in that he might find the ideal opportunity to divulge his next big secret. The biggest problem with that was that Lear really wanted the entire family to be present when he made the announcement so that he would not have to repeat himself, which would mean holding his tongue until tomorrow afternoon. Besides, if he waited until Matthew was actually standing beside him his task might be made a little easier in that his family would be denied the opportunity of killing him if only by virtue of there being a witness. Lear would have to play it by ear and see if luck and convenience was with him tonight. More than likely, though, he would face it tomorrow. Fortunately for Matthew, Leer's life insurance policy payments were current.

CHAPTER 2

Following his having to haul in no less than four boxes of booze from the car (as had been earlier suspected) Lear sat through dinner feeling as if he was dining behind enemy lines with land mines having been planted around him in every direction. His father kept what was nothing less than an iron fist on the conversation, directing and redirecting it at will, but all according to his rules. He expressed very little about Lear returning home for the weekend after all these years, but instead praised Lear's brothers for their abilities at carrying on the family name. This, of course, was interpreted as meaning that they were all straight and capable of multiplying whereas Lear had erected a solid brick wall that disallowed the creation of grandchildren.

Lear did find it rather amusing that none of his siblings had yet borne any children and he wondered if maybe he had not been the only one inheriting the gay gene, though certainly the only to admit it. It was an intriguing thought and certainly one that would have thrown a ripe cow pie directly in their father's face, but Lear knew that his brothers were all straight as arrows. They were just too involved in their own lives, careers, marriages and affairs to be bogged down by children at the moment.

Beverly was quiet over the course of the meal; a fork in one hand and her martini glass in the other. This was not unusual, however, seeing as how words at the table generally came only from one source: Winston, which left Lear's mother to eat without the threat of her meal growing cold if she had been allowed to chat. It was patently unfair of his father to allow only a single opinion to be expressed but Lear had grown to accept it, as had his mother.

Lear did find several openings in the conversation in which he might have brought up the subject of his upcoming nuptials but he quickly decided against it, seeing as how his father had also been drinking and was undoubtedly quite volatile. Cooling his jets until tomorrow, Lear would then find the time and means in which to drop his bomb and let the sparks fly where they may without the infusion of bourbon to feed the fire.

He wanted Matthew so badly he could taste it. If only his fiancé were seated beside him this evening Lear would feel one hundred percent better... even if their secret were to have remained such at this point. At least Lear would not feel so very alone, stuffed in a corner to defend himself with nothing more than a cloth napkin. Matthew was no fighter, by any means, but together the two stood a better chance of survival should the unthinkable happen - and with Winston, there were dozens of ways in which the unthinkable might happen.

Following the meal, Lear helped his mother clean off the dishes and then headed out into the night for some fresh air and a secret boost. His cell phone was retrieved, dialed and held to his ear in the hopes that Matthew had not accidentally left his own phone to ring to itself in the car, as had happened in the past.

Hey, baby, Matthew answered seductively. I'm going through withdrawal without you here.

Going through withdrawal, myself. No, I take that back: I'm actually going through hell.

That bad, eh?

Lear signed, leaning against a lamppost at the driveway. No, it's not that bad. How's everybody there?

We all wish you were here, Matthew confessed. Mom even asked me if making your favorite cake might lure you back home again.

Lear laughed. It wouldn't take much, that's for sure. God, I wish I was with my real family instead of my 'real' family. I miss you guys so much.

So, any luck letting our little secret out of its cage?

Not yet, Lear admitted with a sigh. I've had several opportunities but the timing wasn't right. They've both been hitting the bottle, as usual, so dropping that news on them tonight would only lead to World War 3.

Well, maybe it'll be easier once I'm there, tomorrow.

I'm counting on it. Besides, I would prefer to let the entire family know all at once; get it all out in the open and over with.

Of course, you don't have to tell them. I mean, they really don't include you in their lives so why should you include them in yours?

Because they're my family, Lear stated aloud, though not without quietly admitting that his fiancé was right. They have a right to know about our plans and I'm hoping that at least one member of this group of misfits would want to share in my finest moment.

So let's gang up on them tomorrow and if they can't accept us as a married couple then that's their loss... What? Oh, dad just said 'Fuck 'em', Matthew added, laughing.

Lear sighed, a growing smile upon his lips. I miss you guys so much, honey. Tell your dad that if I wasn't already engaged to his son, I'd propose to him.

Again Matthew laughed. Knowing dad, he just might accept your proposal. Oh, wait, here's mom...

Hey, dumpling.

Hey, Ida, Lear greeted, enjoying the satisfyingly comforting sound of her sweet voice.

Listen, we'll ship our son off to you tomorrow but if you're both not back by Monday morning we'll be sending out the dogs to find you.

Make them St. Bernard's with brandy kegs, Lear said, closing his eyes.

Ida chuckled. So, things going well there?

They're going as I expected they would, Lear admitted.

That bad, eh? Well, cheer up, honey, they just might surprise you and want to attend your wedding after all.

If only that were true, he said.

Now now now, let's not be like that. At least give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

Yeah, you're right, he said, tapping a walkway brick with his right foot.

You'll feel better once Matthew gets there tomorrow morning. And, honey, if you don't want to tell them about your upcoming wedding then don't. It'll be their loss that they chose not to be a vital part of your life. You've got a family who adores you right here, don't ever forget that. Oh, here, Prentice wants to talk to you. You take care of yourself, cupcake, and hurry back home.

Thank you, Lear said gratefully.

Hey there, stud, Matthew's father said cheerfully.

Hi, Prentice, Lear greeted while picturing the ever-present smile on his future father-in-law's face.

Have your planted your folks in the back yard yet?

No, still alive, Lear said while pondering the feasibility of Prentice's remark coming true.

Yeah, well, I suppose it's better that way. I don't think Matt could bear being away from you for ten to life.

You got that right, Matthew was heard to say in the distance.

Chuckling, Prentice said, "No, but seriously, Lear, you take good care of yourself until my son can do that for you tomorrow. I'll make sure he's at the airport on time. Oh, and here's a thought: when you introduce Matt to