Chapter 5-Helping Out
Rob led Thomas around the side of his house. The musician was trying not to think about the fact that he found his neighbor’s ‘gardening outfit’ to be rather cute. The tan shorts showed off legs that were well-formed, even if pretty white. And they were just tight enough to display a firm little ass to his eyes. Not that he was looking. No way. Nor was he eyeing the slim body in the t-shirt, or the cute pink toes shown off by the Birkenstock sandals. Rob didn’t have a foot fetish, but all of a sudden he was considering getting one. Damn it! Why this sudden attraction? He’d much rather have just gone on disliking or even outright ignoring Thomas Merriweather. This could complicate his life a lot – especially since he had no idea which way his neighbor swung. And who knew if Thomas would ever be attracted in return, even if he was gay or bi? The man didn’t like him very much, Rob knew that. Nor did he blame his neighbor for that dislike.
He sighed softly to himself as he led Thomas around the side of the house and into the overgrown, weedy backyard. Here he found Patrick and Jeff hard at work. Jeff was cleaning up a pile of junk that partygoers had created, when they’d tossed everything from empty cans of beer to ragged bits of clothing against the far fence. Patrick was busily moving the ratty furniture into a stack, so that he could cut the grass with a weedwhacker he’d brought with him. Both men paused when Rob entered the backyard with a stranger following him. There were questions in their eyes as they looked at Thomas. “Hey, guys,” Rob said. “This is my next door neighbor, Thomas Merriweather. Mr. Merriweather, I’d like you to meet my brothers-in-law, Patrick Voorhees and Jeff Stangerson.”
“Hello, Mr. Merriweather,” Patrick replied, his eyes darting from Rob’s face to Thomas’s swiftly. Clearly he wondered what had gone on over at the house next door after his brother-in-law had stormed off to confront Thomas.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you,” Thomas said quietly.
“Mr. Merriweather volunteered to help us out – so I thought I'd put him to work trimming the bushes and whatnot,” Rob said with a vague wave at the overgrown hedge growing on his side of the fence. “He’s pretty good with plants and things. If you would?” he asked Thomas.
The accountant nodded, producing a large pair of hedge clippers from the basket he’d brought along. “I can do that,” he remarked.
Patrick’s lips twitched a bit at the appearance of the clippers, and the way that Thomas very carefully pulled on a pair of leather gloves. He turned away to attend to the hedge, and Patrick touched Rob’s arm. “Come and help me,” he commanded, drawing his brother-in-law away toward the stack of furniture. “What happened?” he hissed when they were far enough away that his near-whisper couldn’t be heard by Thomas.
The rocker shrugged. “I went over there to break his limbs, but in the end I couldn’t do it after he nearly brained himself,” he explained. At Patrick’s baffled look, he grinned suddenly.
“I was shaking him and screaming at him, I was so pissed off,” he said. “Then he just keeled over. Passed out cold and fell. Hit his head on his wooden floor. He has a pretty big lump on the back. Scared the crap outta me – I thought that I’d killed him for a moment. That dumped cold water on my righteous wrath,” he said ruefully, making Patrick laugh a bit. “And I started thinking again. I know he did all of that stuff to me, but he really had a reason. I know that he loved those rosebushes with a passion. He was always fiddling around with them. I know how mad I’d have been if somebody destroyed the thing I loved most. Besides, you have to admit that the things he did were pretty clever,” he added.
Patrick nodded. “I agree,” he said. “And that most of them were pretty much harmless, as well – I confess that I’m very impressed. He’s smart. But if he got a lump on his head, why did he come over here to help us?”
“He offered when I casually told him that I had to get back because I didn’t want to leave you guys alone to do the work by yourself. I think that he kind of felt bad about turning me in to the city. Anyway, we came to a truce. He promised not to do anything else to me, and I promised not to have any more parties here or play loud music in the middle of the night.”
“That’s good. But if he has a concussion…” Patrick began in concern.
“He doesn’t. I checked his pupils and everything. And he doesn’t seem dizzy or anything. He just said his head hurts, which I can’t blame him for. I’m gonna keep an eye on him, though. I don’t want him to do too much and pass out again, or make himself sick.”
Patrick’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “So you’re playing nursemaid now? That’s not your usual role, Rob, especially with someone you were steaming mad at half-an-hour ago.”
The musician shrugged uncomfortably. “I just don’t want to be responsible for him ending up in the hospital, that’s all,” he replied.
“Uh-huh. And you’re sure that it’s nothing more than that?” Patrick asked shrewdly.
The rocker sighed. He could never hide anything from his brother-in-law. Not even his crush. Patrick had been aware that his fiancée’s brother had the hots for him, although that knowledge had amused him more than anything else. He was both pretty straight, and absolutely in love with Anne. Now Rob said reluctantly: “Well, I kinda find myself a bit attracted to him. I’m not sure why,” he went on hastily, “But I don’t know…he’s just kinda cute, I guess.”
Patrick’s brows shot up in astonishment. “I see,” he remarked. “So have you tried to make a move on him yet?”
“Hell, no!” Rob hissed. “I don’t know which way he swings, and even if he is gay the guy doesn’t exactly like me. I can’t just throw myself on him; he’d most likely call the cops and scream rape or something.”
Patrick chuckled. “That’s quite a dilemma you have,” he said. “It’s a Catch-22 situation, isn’t it? If you tell him you like him, he might not react well at all. But now that you have this truce, you’re both going to be friendlier toward one another – which means you’re going to go crazy being around him if you don’t tell him. That is hilarious, Rob,” he said.
“Says you,” his brother-in-law said sourly. “Geez, you’re a sympathetic ear, Patrick. I don’t know why I ever talk to you.”
“Because you need to talk to one person at least who has some common sense,” Patrick replied promptly. “Seeing as you don’t have any.”
Rob glowered at him. “That’s it. I’m gonna go help Jeff,” he muttered, stalking off indignantly.
Patrick watched his receding back, his lips twitching again. He was thoroughly enjoying this situation. Much as he liked Rob, seeing the musician squirm was pretty funny. He glanced over at Thomas, who was bent over the hedge industriously. Those clippers were flashing swiftly. Patrick pursed his lips thoughtfully, and then strolled over to the other man. “Hello, again,” he said to Thomas. “You’re doing a great job,” he added truthfully, looking the hedge over. It was already half-transformed.
Thomas blinked up at him. “Thank you,” he said, slowly straightening up. “Can I help you, Mr. Voorhees?”
Patrick smiled slightly. “I’m just taking a little break. It's hot today,” he noted. “So I thought I’d come and get acquainted, if you don’t mind. I’m curious to get to know something about the person who so cleverly drove Rob up the wall.”
Thomas stared at him uncertainly, but it was clear that Patrick meant what he said. “Erm…I didn’t have much of a choice,” he replied quietly. “I just couldn’t take any more.”
Patrick nodded sympathetically. “I can understand that. I’ve told Rob before this that he should try to act a bit different now that he was living in such a nice neighborhood, but he didn’t listen to me. He’s just used to life in a fleabag apartment, that’s all. He hasn’t gotten used to having a house yet.”
Thomas gave him a puzzled look. “Why isn’t he? Why did he buy a house in the first place, then?”
“Actually, he didn’t buy this house at all,” Patrick said.
“He didn’t?”
“No, that would be his Great Aunt Sylvia. She was a very wealthy old woman who hated most of her family. The only one she ever really liked was my wife’s father. She was devastated when he died, and I think that hastened her own end considerably. She decided to take care of his family and spite the rest of them – so she bought each of her nephew’s kids a nice house and put money in a trust to pay for fees and taxes for the next twenty years, then she left the rest of her money to charity. Her money-grubbing kids were livid, let me tell you. But there was nothing they could do – her will was iron-clad. So Rob found himself with a house free-and-clear. I think he was a bit shell-shocked about the whole thing. Not that Anne and I weren’t a bit, as well. But we’d always intended to buy a house eventually anyway, when we started a family. So getting a nice big house suited us down to the ground. Laurie and Jeff were happy because they already have two kids, and their house was rather small. Now they have a big place with a pool. But that’s why Rob still acts like he’s living in a grimy little apartment, not a nice house. Hopefully he’ll learn from this, and start treating this place a bit better than he has.”
“Oh, I see,” Thomas said, enlightened. This explained how Rob could afford to make mortgage payments on a house like this – he didn’t.
“Anyway, I hope that you’ll give him a chance to prove himself. Rob is a really nice guy; he just has some bad habits. I think he’ll clean up his act now,” Patrick remarked.
Thomas sighed. “I hope so,” he said.
Patrick glanced at him with a sly look in his eyes. “I bet that your poor wife was having a hard time of it, too,” he said sympathetically.
Thomas’s shoulders twitched. “I’m not married,” he said stiffly.
“Ahh. Still, your girlfriend must have been frustrated by Rob’s behavior, too,” Patrick went on relentlessly, watching Thomas’s face keenly.
Another twitch. “I don’t have a girlfriend, either,” he replied tightly.
“Oh. Sorry to hear that. I’m sure that you’ll meet someone nice soon. Especially now that your neighbor isn’t acting like a complete jackass any more. In fact…” Patrick went on musingly, “Anne and I know some very nice women we could introduce you to. We’d be happy to do that…”
“No!” Thomas exclaimed, then pulled himself up sharply. “That’s very kind of you, but you don’t need to do that for me,” he said swiftly.
“It’s no problem. We’d like to,” Patrick replied, his eyes fastened on Thomas’s face to see every expression that passed over it.
The accountant looked rather panicked now. “Really, don’t bother,” he said, sounding as though he were pleading with Patrick.
“It's no bother at all,” Patrick said easily. “Anne loves to get people together. It’ll make her day to match-make for you.”
A faint shudder passed through Thomas’s slim frame. He was definitely panicking by now. “I…I do not need to be set up with anyone,” he said desperately.
“Oh? But you said that you don’t have a girlfriend,” Patrick pointed out reasonably.
“Yes. I…err…I’m a…” Thomas took a deep breath and confessed something to Patrick that he’d never told anyone else before. But he needed to get this man off his back; he couldn’t stand having to go on blind dates with a bunch of strange women that would lead nowhere. “I’m…I prefer the company of men,” he told Patrick with as much dignity as he could muster.
“Oh, I see,” Patrick replied, feeling a great deal of satisfaction. He hid this well as he went on: “In that case, I won’t tell Anne at all. It isn’t that she’s homophobic or anything – far from it, in fact. It’s that she has a ton of gay friends. I’m afraid that she’d turn absolutely rabid on you and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She, like so many women, has this thing about two men together. You’d never get her off your back if I told her. So it’s our secret, never to be shared with my wife,” he added, raising a finger to his lips.
“Thank you, Mr. Voorhees,” Thomas breathed, feeling acute relief. His first ‘outing’ had actually gone quite well. He felt suddenly lighter and happier for some reason.
“Call me Patrick,” the other man said easily.
“Patrick,” Thomas said.
“Well, I should get back to work,” Patrick noted. “I’ll leave you to your hedge, Thomas. I can call you Thomas, can’t I?”
“Of course,” the accountant said.
With another friendly smile for him, Patrick wandered away and left him to his hedge clipping. He snipped away, feeling released in a way he never had before. He’d confessed his terrible, dirty secret – and his world hadn’t come to an end. Patrick hadn’t seemed to be upset or angry at all about his sexual orientation in fact. Thomas was beginning to feel that maybe it was all right to live a life of freedom. A small smile touched his lips at this thought, and he went to work with a will.
Patrick walked over to where Rob and Jeff were working away. “Hey, you two; how’s it going?”
“Not bad, but I swear this pile is endless,” Rob replied sourly.
Patrick chuckled. “You’ll get there. If I take over for you, could you go inside and get us something to drink, Jeff?” he asked his brother-in-law hopefully.
“Sure. It’s pretty hot out here. I’m thirsty,” Jeff replied, and left to go inside the house.
Patrick watched him go, an evil glint in his eye. After all, he’d only promised Thomas that he wouldn’t tell ANNE about their little secret. He hadn’t said anything about not telling Rob.
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Rob led Thomas around the side of his house. The musician was trying not to think about the fact that he found his neighbor’s ‘gardening outfit’ to be rather cute. The tan shorts showed off legs that were well-formed, even if pretty white. And they were just tight enough to display a firm little ass to his eyes. Not that he was looking. No way. Nor was he eyeing the slim body in the t-shirt, or the cute pink toes shown off by the Birkenstock sandals. Rob didn’t have a foot fetish, but all of a sudden he was considering getting one. Damn it! Why this sudden attraction? He’d much rather have just gone on disliking or even outright ignoring Thomas Merriweather. This could complicate his life a lot – especially since he had no idea which way his neighbor swung. And who knew if Thomas would ever be attracted in return, even if he was gay or bi? The man didn’t like him very much, Rob knew that. Nor did he blame his neighbor for that dislike.
He sighed softly to himself as he led Thomas around the side of the house and into the overgrown, weedy backyard. Here he found Patrick and Jeff hard at work. Jeff was cleaning up a pile of junk that partygoers had created, when they’d tossed everything from empty cans of beer to ragged bits of clothing against the far fence. Patrick was busily moving the ratty furniture into a stack, so that he could cut the grass with a weedwhacker he’d brought with him. Both men paused when Rob entered the backyard with a stranger following him. There were questions in their eyes as they looked at Thomas. “Hey, guys,” Rob said. “This is my next door neighbor, Thomas Merriweather. Mr. Merriweather, I’d like you to meet my brothers-in-law, Patrick Voorhees and Jeff Stangerson.”
“Hello, Mr. Merriweather,” Patrick replied, his eyes darting from Rob’s face to Thomas’s swiftly. Clearly he wondered what had gone on over at the house next door after his brother-in-law had stormed off to confront Thomas.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you,” Thomas said quietly.
“Mr. Merriweather volunteered to help us out – so I thought I'd put him to work trimming the bushes and whatnot,” Rob said with a vague wave at the overgrown hedge growing on his side of the fence. “He’s pretty good with plants and things. If you would?” he asked Thomas.
The accountant nodded, producing a large pair of hedge clippers from the basket he’d brought along. “I can do that,” he remarked.
Patrick’s lips twitched a bit at the appearance of the clippers, and the way that Thomas very carefully pulled on a pair of leather gloves. He turned away to attend to the hedge, and Patrick touched Rob’s arm. “Come and help me,” he commanded, drawing his brother-in-law away toward the stack of furniture. “What happened?” he hissed when they were far enough away that his near-whisper couldn’t be heard by Thomas.
The rocker shrugged. “I went over there to break his limbs, but in the end I couldn’t do it after he nearly brained himself,” he explained. At Patrick’s baffled look, he grinned suddenly.
“I was shaking him and screaming at him, I was so pissed off,” he said. “Then he just keeled over. Passed out cold and fell. Hit his head on his wooden floor. He has a pretty big lump on the back. Scared the crap outta me – I thought that I’d killed him for a moment. That dumped cold water on my righteous wrath,” he said ruefully, making Patrick laugh a bit. “And I started thinking again. I know he did all of that stuff to me, but he really had a reason. I know that he loved those rosebushes with a passion. He was always fiddling around with them. I know how mad I’d have been if somebody destroyed the thing I loved most. Besides, you have to admit that the things he did were pretty clever,” he added.
Patrick nodded. “I agree,” he said. “And that most of them were pretty much harmless, as well – I confess that I’m very impressed. He’s smart. But if he got a lump on his head, why did he come over here to help us?”
“He offered when I casually told him that I had to get back because I didn’t want to leave you guys alone to do the work by yourself. I think that he kind of felt bad about turning me in to the city. Anyway, we came to a truce. He promised not to do anything else to me, and I promised not to have any more parties here or play loud music in the middle of the night.”
“That’s good. But if he has a concussion…” Patrick began in concern.
“He doesn’t. I checked his pupils and everything. And he doesn’t seem dizzy or anything. He just said his head hurts, which I can’t blame him for. I’m gonna keep an eye on him, though. I don’t want him to do too much and pass out again, or make himself sick.”
Patrick’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “So you’re playing nursemaid now? That’s not your usual role, Rob, especially with someone you were steaming mad at half-an-hour ago.”
The musician shrugged uncomfortably. “I just don’t want to be responsible for him ending up in the hospital, that’s all,” he replied.
“Uh-huh. And you’re sure that it’s nothing more than that?” Patrick asked shrewdly.
The rocker sighed. He could never hide anything from his brother-in-law. Not even his crush. Patrick had been aware that his fiancée’s brother had the hots for him, although that knowledge had amused him more than anything else. He was both pretty straight, and absolutely in love with Anne. Now Rob said reluctantly: “Well, I kinda find myself a bit attracted to him. I’m not sure why,” he went on hastily, “But I don’t know…he’s just kinda cute, I guess.”
Patrick’s brows shot up in astonishment. “I see,” he remarked. “So have you tried to make a move on him yet?”
“Hell, no!” Rob hissed. “I don’t know which way he swings, and even if he is gay the guy doesn’t exactly like me. I can’t just throw myself on him; he’d most likely call the cops and scream rape or something.”
Patrick chuckled. “That’s quite a dilemma you have,” he said. “It’s a Catch-22 situation, isn’t it? If you tell him you like him, he might not react well at all. But now that you have this truce, you’re both going to be friendlier toward one another – which means you’re going to go crazy being around him if you don’t tell him. That is hilarious, Rob,” he said.
“Says you,” his brother-in-law said sourly. “Geez, you’re a sympathetic ear, Patrick. I don’t know why I ever talk to you.”
“Because you need to talk to one person at least who has some common sense,” Patrick replied promptly. “Seeing as you don’t have any.”
Rob glowered at him. “That’s it. I’m gonna go help Jeff,” he muttered, stalking off indignantly.
Patrick watched his receding back, his lips twitching again. He was thoroughly enjoying this situation. Much as he liked Rob, seeing the musician squirm was pretty funny. He glanced over at Thomas, who was bent over the hedge industriously. Those clippers were flashing swiftly. Patrick pursed his lips thoughtfully, and then strolled over to the other man. “Hello, again,” he said to Thomas. “You’re doing a great job,” he added truthfully, looking the hedge over. It was already half-transformed.
Thomas blinked up at him. “Thank you,” he said, slowly straightening up. “Can I help you, Mr. Voorhees?”
Patrick smiled slightly. “I’m just taking a little break. It's hot today,” he noted. “So I thought I’d come and get acquainted, if you don’t mind. I’m curious to get to know something about the person who so cleverly drove Rob up the wall.”
Thomas stared at him uncertainly, but it was clear that Patrick meant what he said. “Erm…I didn’t have much of a choice,” he replied quietly. “I just couldn’t take any more.”
Patrick nodded sympathetically. “I can understand that. I’ve told Rob before this that he should try to act a bit different now that he was living in such a nice neighborhood, but he didn’t listen to me. He’s just used to life in a fleabag apartment, that’s all. He hasn’t gotten used to having a house yet.”
Thomas gave him a puzzled look. “Why isn’t he? Why did he buy a house in the first place, then?”
“Actually, he didn’t buy this house at all,” Patrick said.
“He didn’t?”
“No, that would be his Great Aunt Sylvia. She was a very wealthy old woman who hated most of her family. The only one she ever really liked was my wife’s father. She was devastated when he died, and I think that hastened her own end considerably. She decided to take care of his family and spite the rest of them – so she bought each of her nephew’s kids a nice house and put money in a trust to pay for fees and taxes for the next twenty years, then she left the rest of her money to charity. Her money-grubbing kids were livid, let me tell you. But there was nothing they could do – her will was iron-clad. So Rob found himself with a house free-and-clear. I think he was a bit shell-shocked about the whole thing. Not that Anne and I weren’t a bit, as well. But we’d always intended to buy a house eventually anyway, when we started a family. So getting a nice big house suited us down to the ground. Laurie and Jeff were happy because they already have two kids, and their house was rather small. Now they have a big place with a pool. But that’s why Rob still acts like he’s living in a grimy little apartment, not a nice house. Hopefully he’ll learn from this, and start treating this place a bit better than he has.”
“Oh, I see,” Thomas said, enlightened. This explained how Rob could afford to make mortgage payments on a house like this – he didn’t.
“Anyway, I hope that you’ll give him a chance to prove himself. Rob is a really nice guy; he just has some bad habits. I think he’ll clean up his act now,” Patrick remarked.
Thomas sighed. “I hope so,” he said.
Patrick glanced at him with a sly look in his eyes. “I bet that your poor wife was having a hard time of it, too,” he said sympathetically.
Thomas’s shoulders twitched. “I’m not married,” he said stiffly.
“Ahh. Still, your girlfriend must have been frustrated by Rob’s behavior, too,” Patrick went on relentlessly, watching Thomas’s face keenly.
Another twitch. “I don’t have a girlfriend, either,” he replied tightly.
“Oh. Sorry to hear that. I’m sure that you’ll meet someone nice soon. Especially now that your neighbor isn’t acting like a complete jackass any more. In fact…” Patrick went on musingly, “Anne and I know some very nice women we could introduce you to. We’d be happy to do that…”
“No!” Thomas exclaimed, then pulled himself up sharply. “That’s very kind of you, but you don’t need to do that for me,” he said swiftly.
“It’s no problem. We’d like to,” Patrick replied, his eyes fastened on Thomas’s face to see every expression that passed over it.
The accountant looked rather panicked now. “Really, don’t bother,” he said, sounding as though he were pleading with Patrick.
“It's no bother at all,” Patrick said easily. “Anne loves to get people together. It’ll make her day to match-make for you.”
A faint shudder passed through Thomas’s slim frame. He was definitely panicking by now. “I…I do not need to be set up with anyone,” he said desperately.
“Oh? But you said that you don’t have a girlfriend,” Patrick pointed out reasonably.
“Yes. I…err…I’m a…” Thomas took a deep breath and confessed something to Patrick that he’d never told anyone else before. But he needed to get this man off his back; he couldn’t stand having to go on blind dates with a bunch of strange women that would lead nowhere. “I’m…I prefer the company of men,” he told Patrick with as much dignity as he could muster.
“Oh, I see,” Patrick replied, feeling a great deal of satisfaction. He hid this well as he went on: “In that case, I won’t tell Anne at all. It isn’t that she’s homophobic or anything – far from it, in fact. It’s that she has a ton of gay friends. I’m afraid that she’d turn absolutely rabid on you and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She, like so many women, has this thing about two men together. You’d never get her off your back if I told her. So it’s our secret, never to be shared with my wife,” he added, raising a finger to his lips.
“Thank you, Mr. Voorhees,” Thomas breathed, feeling acute relief. His first ‘outing’ had actually gone quite well. He felt suddenly lighter and happier for some reason.
“Call me Patrick,” the other man said easily.
“Patrick,” Thomas said.
“Well, I should get back to work,” Patrick noted. “I’ll leave you to your hedge, Thomas. I can call you Thomas, can’t I?”
“Of course,” the accountant said.
With another friendly smile for him, Patrick wandered away and left him to his hedge clipping. He snipped away, feeling released in a way he never had before. He’d confessed his terrible, dirty secret – and his world hadn’t come to an end. Patrick hadn’t seemed to be upset or angry at all about his sexual orientation in fact. Thomas was beginning to feel that maybe it was all right to live a life of freedom. A small smile touched his lips at this thought, and he went to work with a will.
Patrick walked over to where Rob and Jeff were working away. “Hey, you two; how’s it going?”
“Not bad, but I swear this pile is endless,” Rob replied sourly.
Patrick chuckled. “You’ll get there. If I take over for you, could you go inside and get us something to drink, Jeff?” he asked his brother-in-law hopefully.
“Sure. It’s pretty hot out here. I’m thirsty,” Jeff replied, and left to go inside the house.
Patrick watched him go, an evil glint in his eye. After all, he’d only promised Thomas that he wouldn’t tell ANNE about their little secret. He hadn’t said anything about not telling Rob.
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