Going Home
By SkippOtter
Chapter 1
Moving Out
Gray floated lazily in the dappled shade covering the swimming hole. This was the last chance the red fox would have to relax for a long time, and he was determined to make the most of it.
The pond was in a rare area; the kind that the parks department had overlooked, and no developer had turned into a subdivision. Yet. It was slated to be bulldozed next year, to make room for a new shopping center. That bothered him somehow. He didn’t know why, he wouldn’t be around to see it. It just seemed terribly wrong.
He was going to miss this place, he was sure of that. All the summer days, running through the woods and splashing into the pond with his friends. He remembered past years when this very pond had been the moat around a medieval castle, the Spanish Main, and the Atlantic Ocean. His friend Denzel had discovered a small rowboat in the woods when he and the badger were in 4th grade. It wasn’t a real rowboat, just a part of a plastic industrial storage tank. It hadn’t mattered to them. They had reenacted everything from Columbus discovering America to Pearl Harbor.
That’s why it bothered him, he decided. It wasn’t just land they would be destroying, they would be bulldozing memories.
He thought about old times. He thought about old friends that he was leaving. He was going to start his last year of highschool in a big city, hundreds of miles away, with no friends and no reassuring landmarks. In one week.
He sighed and climbed out of the water. This was too depressing to be thinking about alone, he needed to talk to Denzel. But Denzel wasn’t here. The badger had just left on a last-minute summer vacation with his family, and wouldn't be back for almost week.
Just in time to say goodbye, Gray thought bitterly.
He shook himself off, and tugged his shirt over his head. The Warren’s grass still needed to be checked before he went home. They were very particular about their lawn, but they paid well. He walked slowly through the woods to the south, savoring the last days of freedom until next summer.
When he broke out into a subdivision he turned and walked east for a block until he came to a small house set deeply back from the street and dwarfed by two humongous oak trees. It fit well with the wealthy neighborhood with its clean white paint, perfect red brick façade, and turned columns on the front porch.
It made him wonder what kind of house they would have in the city. His father had already found some houses that looked suitable, and was bringing pictures home this evening for his wife and Gray to look at. They would choose a house before they even arrived, and would begin moving in the very first day. Whatever they ended up with, Gray hoped that it would at least have trees; living in a maze of glass and steel would drive him absolutely nuts
The grass was not in need of mowing just yet so he picked up the paper and put it in the garage before turning for home.
The sun was beginning to sink, so he opted for following the road home rather than the winding path through the woods. Everything he passed brought back memories. Maybe this was what “memory lane” was like. He chuckled at that. Memory lane was for old people. All he knew was that he was going to miss everything about this town.
"So Granger, I hear you’re movin' to Holswell. I'm gonna miss kickin yer scraggly tail around, loser. Yer parents think yer too good fer this town?"
OK, not quite everything.
"Ah, go soak your head, Hank" Gray yelled back to the tiger. The tiger had been the school bully since the age of eight. In a town this small, that pretty much made him the town bully. Gray shook his head as he walked up the steps to his house. That was one thing he would definitely not miss about moving away.
* * *
Riiiing Riiiing
"Hello, Jensen residence."
"Hey Gray! How's it goin'?"
"Hi Denny, Everything is going fast, too fast if you ask me."
"I hear ya, bud. So, you need help with packing or something."
"Sure, I was planning on packing up all my stuff today and it would be great to see you.”
"I'll be right over."
"See ya."
Ten minutes later the badger and fox were sitting on the bed in Gary’s room. A stack of boxes and a pile of old newspapers sat beside them, waiting to be filled.
His room was small; there was hardly room for his bed, computer desk, drawers, and shelves for his models and board games. The whole house wasn't very large, but Gary never felt cramped. He didn’t even mind that his room was in the basement, along with the den. It was cozy and it was home. He and Denny had spent many rainy days in the den playing Scrabble or Sorry! More memories.
He shook his head and walked over to the low dresser, pulling out a drawer.
"I guess you could start putting my games and models in a box, while I pack up whatever clothes I don't need immediately."
"Sure, do you want them packed in any special way?"
"Not particularly, just wrap them in some newspaper so they don't rattle much."
"Gaaang-waaay!!" A female voice called down the stairs. There was a thump and a clatter as a roll of packing tape dropped down followed by a pair of scissors.
"I thought you might need those for closing up boxes."
"Thanks Mom." Gray called back.
Denny and Gray chatted about social gossip while they packed, with Denny doing most of the talking. Gray listened half-heartedly as Denny rambled on about the local soap opera.
"So Jake said Kyle and Amy are breaking up and I'm like, what the heck? They weren't even together yet! And Tina (you know her, she's the hot blond from English last semester,) anyway rumor has it that she has got like a major crush on you and is gonna ask YOU on a date if you don't get your own butt in gear and ask her soon!"
"Great" Gray muttered "How do you hear this stuff anyway?"
The badger smirked and waved his paws mystically.
"I have my sources. Actually I'm kind of surprised you don't pick up on most of it, dude. You hardly ever give most girls a second look, much less talk to 'em. Me, I can't keep my eyes off them, especially Jenna…" His voice trailed off, and he got a dreamy look in his eyes.
Gary shrugged. "I guess I just always have too much on my mind to be thinking about that sort of thing, especially recently. Oh, I did set up one of those dumb micro-blog thingies you wanted."
"Good. I expect regular updates, like, a couple times a day."
"What! That's ridiculous, you'll be lucky to get me to post on the stupid thing once a month."
"Twice a week then."
"Once."
"Deal."
They both went back to packing. Gray had mostly emptied the dresser and Denny was working on filling a second box of model airplanes. They worked in silence for a few moments before Denny spoke up.
"Soooo... Are you going to call her?"
"Huh? Call who? About what?"
"Tina!"
"Are you serious? Come on man, I'm leaving in just under a week!"
"So what, that’s longer than Kyle and Amy were 'together'" The badger said impudently.
Gray shrugged and shook his head. "I'm just not interested, not in her anyway."
Denny looked at him, exasperated. "Have you seen her boobs lately! I mean, if you’re not interested in a chick like Tina, who are you interested in."
"Well..." Gray said slowly, fiddling with his tail. "I'm, um, I'm not exactly interested in any of them."
"Them? Them who, the girls at school? That's cool dude, Brett can hook you up with some really hot college girls, if that's what you're into."
The fox shook his head glumly, his ears folded back. "No, not any girls."
"How can you not be interested in any girls?"
He sighed and looked up at Denny. "Can you keep a secret?"
"Yeah, but you’re kind of late asking. 'Cuz unless your about to tell me your a neuter or something I think you just told me you’re gay." He said slightly alarmed. His left ear was twitching. It always twitched when he was agitated.
"Well, yeah I guess so." Gary sighed. "It's about time somebody knew. Now is as good a time as any. Yeah, I am gay. I've known for about a year now, so you know I'm not a cross-dresser or anything weird like that. Please, I don't want this to change anything. I'm still the same old Granger Jensen and we can still be friends, right?"
He looked up at Denny as he finished, trying to discern what his best friend was thinking. Or at least, his used-to-be best friend. But now the badger was staring at the floor, twirling a claw in the soft carpet. After a long pause he looked up.
"Have you told your parents?"
"No, and hopefully I'll never have to tell them. My dad's pretty good, but he can get really mad sometimes; and if there's one thing that sets him off, it's homosexuals. What about you? How okay with it are you, really?"
"I-- I guess I'm OK with it. It'll just take me a little while to fully accept that my best friend is a f--, is..." He trailed off and looked at the floor again.
"Is gay?"
"Yeah" he said softly.
"It'll be okay. And you have to trust me; I will never, ever come on to you or do anything that would make you uncomfortable. I couldn't stand to alienate you, considering your going to be the only friend I'll have to talk to after I move."
"Thanks. That means a lot. Don't worry, I'm not gonna run out on you. We're best buds, right?"
"Right. Whew, that’s a load off my chest." Gray said standing slowly. He looked around, realizing that everything was already packed, taped, labeled and ready to ship. He held out a paw to Denny saying,
"Come on, Mom probably has some cookies for us before you head home."
Hesitantly, Denny accepted the proffered paw and rose to his feet. With an arm over each others shoulder they walked up the stairs. Gray was happy. He would remember this for a long time. It could have gone a lot worse; he didn't even want to imagine the things that could have gone wrong. Today was definitely a memory worth keeping.
Chapter 2
Holswell, Here I Come
Gray was in the moving van with his dad, lumbering down the highway on their way to Holswell. His dad was driving, and his mom was following in their SUV. He rode with his dad mainly because his mom always made him listen to Classic Strings, Volumes I through IIX, while his dad would probably let him choose the music.
He tuned the dial until he heard the familiar riff of a song by 3OtrRok, and cranked up the volume. Gray was able to carry a tune much better than his dad, but neither of them cared about that, it was just the two of them having fun.
Then the news came on at the bottom of the hour. Gary hated listening to the news with his dad. His dad had a habit of talking to the radio. A year or two ago that had been no problem, he would just listen to his dad make comments and agree or grin inwardly at his dad about over-occupied drivers in wrecks or a city politicians' pet project. Now he fidgeted uncomfortably, waiting for the anchor to bring up one of the dreaded stories.
***In a 3 to 2 vote, the state Supreme Court just threw out Nelson vs. Trinity on a constitutional technicality. This suit was intended to block homosexual couples from adopting or fostering children. Today's vote was much closer than the vote last fall allowing homosexuals to hold civil unions. For KFUR news, I'm Dave Dinkler ***
Mr. Jensen snorted and growled out. "I tell you, if I weren't such a law abiding citizen I wouldn't mind hearing that a few judges had been assassinated. I remember when I was in college, a few of my friends and I came up with a real good way to deal with furs like that." He smiled at the recollection. "We caught this rabbit trying to sneak out of the dorm to go meet some twink. We took him out behind the dumpster and gave him a lesson in being normal. I think he spent a night in the hospital, 'cuz he was a slow learner. I know at the very least he missed his date." His face hardened again. "Seriously now, while I wouldn't want to hear of you doing something like that, if you ever meet some fag you let 'em know what you think of them. You let 'em know how disgusting they are, understood?"
Gray had felt himself shrinking into his seat the whole time his father was talking. Now he mumbled something in the affirmative, wishing he could just disappear. His dad glanced over at him and asked if he was O.K. Gray made up an excuse about being carsick and was relieved immensely when his dad did not pursue the issue further. Neither of them said any more until they arrived in Holswell and pulled into the driveway of their new home.
It was an elegant two-story brick house at the end of a cul-de-sac. A wide porch covered the front of the house and two separate balconies looked out from the second story. Apparently, Dad's promotion had been a big one. But no trees.
They entered the house, Mrs. Jensen noting at once that the furniture would all have to be re-arranged. Gray and his dad roll their eyes knowingly, and all three burst out laughing. After looking around the inside of the house they walked through the sliding door onto a redwood veranda. Gray grinned when he saw the back yard. It had almost a full acre of trees surrounded by a board fence.
"Wow, Dad. It's great."
"Yes dear, it is wonderful." Mrs. Jensen said. "But I think we can get some unpacking done before the realtor gets here. Gray, help your dad carry in boxes while I decide where stuff goes."
The realtor arrived shortly, carrying a slick attaché case with the papers Mr. Jensen needed to sign. While the realtor and his dad talked, he helped his mom slide the couch left. Then right. Then back left again. Finally, just before the realtor left, he was able to get away to ask his question.
“Are there any kids my age in this neighborhood?”
“”Hmm. Not in any of these houses close by, but there is a fox living just down the way. I’ll guarantee you, if he saw the moving van; he’ll be here first thing in the morning. He's already been asking when the new family will be moving in.“
* * *
Sure enough, the next morning there was a knock at the door and Gray opened it to a red fox in a “Beatles” T-shirt.
“Hi, I’m Tim Wood. I thought I’d come by and see if you knew where the bus stop was.”
“Thanks just let me get my shoes. Oh uh, I’m Granger Jensen but most people just call me Gray.”
As they walked to the bus stop Gray commented on Tim's shirt, "So, you like the Beatles? Aren't they a little old for you?"
Tim grinned and replied, "Since when does rock music have an expiration date."
Gray shrugged. "I don't know. My dad still listens to them on some of his old LP's. Weren't most of their hits from the 60's?"
"Yeah, but their lyrics are still a lot better than most of the rock nowadays. What kind of music do you listen to?"
"This and that. I listen to rock with my dad, classical with my mom, and some metal when I'm alone. I've got some Southern Gospel albums, too"
"Do you go to church then?"
"We went now and again before we moved, but now I don't know. Do you go around here?"
Tim shifted his backpack uncomfortably. "No, Dad and I don't really get along with church people for… reasons. Oh, look here's the bus."
Tim cut off the conversation rather abruptly, boarding the bus and casting about for a pair of seats. The noise of thirty highschoolers made further conversation impossible; leaving Gray with his own thoughts. And his imagination was running wild. Maybe he's gay. Maybe his dad just doesn't let him. Maybe he's gay. He probably just doesn't believe in that stuff. Maybe he's gay. Stop it, he seems outgoing enough but I don't know him yet. No way am I going to make some jackass comment to him and have him blab it all over school. It's bad enough being the new fur without being labeled FAG the first day. I just have to listen and learn to see what Tim's attitude is towards gays, and go from there.
With that internal argument settled, he sat back and tried to enjoy the ride.
The first day of school was hectic as usual. Moreover, the layout of the school was unique and slightly disorienting. He almost passed by his English class and made a wrong turn on his way to Algebra, getting to class almost 5 minutes late.
He had two classes with Tim, Algebra and Biology. He was able to get a locker four doors down from Tim, but couldn't locate him at lunch. On the ride home Gray asked him about his teachers. Tim didn't know most of them, but warned Gray that, though Mr. McGee was one of the "nicest" English teachers, he would hand out absolutely killer homework assignments.
When Tim told him that there were usually some guys in the park playing ball, and he was welcome to join in, he knew they had hit it off. He had at least one new friend, and it was only his first day.
When he arrived at home he ran up the stairs like a streak of red lightning.
"Mom! Mom, can I go down to the park to play some basketball with Tim and some other guys before it gets dark, PLEEZ?" He gasped breathlessly.
"Not until you've done some unpacking, young fox." She said moving a box from one room to another.
Gray followed her. "But, Mo-"
"No but's, you're going to your room and unpacking your stuff right now. You'll have plenty of time for making friends later; it's only your first day after all. It's nice that you’ve found someone your age and I'm happy for you, but your father and I would like to meet them before you go becoming best friends. Now go on, most of your boxes are already in your room."
His new room was bigger, just like the rest of the house. It had a double bed and a bigger desk, as well as a full bookcase. It was almost like a small office, he mused. It had one of the balconies, but it only looked out over the subdivision. Not much of a view in the fox's opinion.
He set up his computer and looked under the desk for a place to plug it in. There was a LAN cable right beside the electrical outlet, he noted with satisfaction. Now he could surf on his own computer, instead of always using his dad's. He would hook it up later and tell Denny about the new school and meeting Tim. Maybe he could get his mom to let him play with Tim and the guys tomorrow.
But Gray had not yet learned that Mother Nature has a cruel sense of humor. The day turned out to be rainy and bleak. He watched the window all day, waiting for the weather to break, but no such luck. At lunch he was able to locate Tim, sitting alone at a small table in a corner of the lunchroom. As he walked over he noticed the fox's ears were sagging and he looked rather glum. He set his tray down and asked if he could sit there. Tim's face lit up and he gestured for him to sit down.
"So what's up? I noticed you were looking kind of blue."
"It’s nothing. Hey, I know it's rainy, but we could still do something. What kind of games do play?"
"I prefer first-person shooter type games. I've got several. Wolf Quest III, X-Jets: Revenge of Tygher, stuff like that."
"Me too, do you have about Smoking Gun? That game kicks ass."
"Yeah I have it, you want to play later?"
"How about 4:30?"
"Better make it 5, Mom wants some more help getting the kitchen unpacked this evening."
"That’s cool; give me a ring on X-Fire when you’re ready. I'll be waiting."
That evening after being vaporized, blasted, dematerialized, and generally splattered across the map, Gray realized that Tim had much more practice at this game than he did. Time for a switch, he thought. He shot off an e-mail to Denny asking if he was up for a few rounds of Fur Army. It was their rainy-day backup game that the two had played for hours and together they were an almost invincible team. Less than half a level of Smoking Gun later, he received a reply. Now he sent an X-Fire message to Tim, asking if he wanted to switch games. The tables had turned and it was the hunter who was now the hunted.
The next day at lunch, Tim commented on the game.
"You are really good at that game, you know. I could hardly get a shot off at you."
"Well, it wasn't exactly fair. I recruited an old friend to be on my team, and we've played so much we've got the game worked out to a science." He explained.
Tim chuckled, "That's okay, just warn me next time."
"You got it, but consider this time payback for using that planet disintegrator of yours on me in Smoking Gun."
"Deal."
Chapter 3
Coming Out
As the weather got colder, the two foxes got closer. The group playing basketball drifted inside to play warmer games. Gray had made friends with a couple of the other guys, but he always wanted to hang out more with Tim. Tim didn't seem to mind in the least, so they spent more and more time together. Sometimes at Gray's house playing board games, sometimes at Tim's house playing on the GameKiller Tim had gotten for his birthday last winter.
They would often go to the game store together and pool their money to buy the newest version of a game. It was all Gray could do to keep Tim from buying Smoking Gun II: Planet of the Daemon, without making him suspicious. Gray had plans for Christmas.
Christmas came and he got the GameKiller console he had been wanting. It was a good thing too; he had already bought himself a copy of Smoking Gun II.
He ran over to Tim's house to give him his gift, despite several inches of fresh snow on the ground. When Tim unwrapped the disc, Gray almost wished he had been given a camera instead of a game console. To say Tim was surprised would be an understatement; he was absolutely flabbergasted.
"Why... but... you! No wonder you didn't want me to get it. There weren't really Internet reviews that said it was crappy, were there."
He grinned. "Nope, but it worked didn't it?"
Tim was grinning too. He was cute when he smiled. That's why I like making him smile so much, thought Gary.
"You’re cute when you smile." Tim said. Could Tim read his mind?
"Uhh, er th-thanks. I'm gonna go, uh, get my GameKiller setup." Gary almost ran from the house. Really? Was it possible that Tim might like him that way?
* * *
"You know, I'm sure Mom would let you stay overnight at my house tonight." Gray said. It was the first day of school since Christmas break and the foxes were going through the lunch line together. "If you bring your GameKiller over we can hook it up with mine and play on the big screen dad gave himself."
"I'll have to ask my dad, but it should be okay; especially since my sister left for college again yesterday."
They were walking to their table when a dustup broke out a short distance away. They moved closer, trying to see who it was. An elk and a white tiger had knocked the tray out of a female skunk's paws, and tripped her when she tried to pick it up. Now they were knocking her around, not letting her get to her feet. Tim laid his ears back and approached the trio as the tiger snatched the skunk's glasses and was getting ready to fold them in half.
"Don't even try it, Drew." He said levelly, but with more danger in his voice than Gray had ever heard before. His ears were pinned flat. "Give her those glasses back right now."
The tiger did not put the glasses down, but he did take a step back. "It's none of your business what we do," He said sneering. "She's a dyke anyway."
"I don't care, give her back her glasses. I also don't want to do something I'll regret"
"Ooh, and is the little foxy twink stickin' up for girlies now.” The elk said, “What, get tired of being a fag?"
Tim growled under his breath, "Some butt-heads have really short memories."
He moved like summer lightning. With one paw he whisked the glasses away from Drew and tossed them safely onto a table. With the other paw he twisted the tiger’s wrist, forcing him to spin and lean against the table. Then, as the elk came up from behind he, spun the tiger back around and tripped him, sending him reeling to the floor. The elk swung at Tim, but the fox was faster. He ducked under the fist, and in the same movement he chopped up on the elk's elbow and drove a fist into his solar plexus, dropping him to the floor like a log.
"Don't ever call me that again." Tim spat, walking away. He helped the skunk up, brushing her off and offering to buy her a new lunch. She refused grabbing her glasses and walking towards the girl's bathroom.
Tim walked back to Gray, still breathing heavily. Gray had been standing watching the scene unfold, looking on with awe. The moment the two reached their table he began peppering him with questions.
"Why did you do that? How did you do that? He was twice your size, and there were two of him! Well, of them or- whatever! That was incredible!"
"Hold it, slow down. I think I ought to explain some stuff I should have explained a long time ago." He propped his elbows on the table and rubbed his muzzle. "What Drew said was true, in a way. But I did not step in just because she was a lesbian; I stepped in because she is a person, with feelings just like anyone else. That's just something 'normal' people can't understand," he said bitterly.
When Gray said nothing, he continued. "Last spring I took some tae-kwon-do self defense classes from a Marine here in town. Shortly thereafter I had my first run-in with Drew Inc. and just barely made it out alive. They had found out that I was gay somehow, but they didn't spread it around too much; it would have come out that a fag had gotten the best of them. People did find out though, slowly. That's how I got my reputation. Everyone pretty much just ignores me now. No one wants to be associated with me, but no one wants to piss me off, either."
At this point the bell rang and they had to hurry back to class. Tim seemed to avoid him the rest of the day. He even sat in a different seat on the bus. When they exited the bus at their stop, Tim immediately headed down his street without a word to Gray. Gray called after him.
"Remember to ask your dad about tonight!"
Tim was stopped, startled.
"You mean I'm still invited?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Because, you know, I'm gay."
"I'm cool with you being gay, why wouldn't I be? Anybody who isn't is just a loser."
"Wow, thanks!" The fox said, before he turned and walked home, a little extra bounce in his step. His butt wiggled when he was happy. He had a cute butt.
Later, the two friends were sitting in the living room at Gray's house.
"It's really great to have a friend like you, Gray. Some days I almost wish I was picked on like normal guys if at least it meant had friends. I mean, you’re the only real person I talk to besides family."
"What about the people you play with online, you haven't made friends with any of them?"
"It's not the same as having a real person to talk to. You could be dead and they'd just think 'Oh, he changed his screen name or something'. Nobody out there really cares about you for who you are."
"Well, you can talk to me as much as you want. You can even stay over at my house anytime you’re lonely as long as it's okay with your dad. Be careful about what you say in front of my parents though, they are nowhere near as cool with it as I am. What about your dad?"
"I know he's not okay with it at all, and I'm kinda afraid of what's going to happen when he finds out."
"Why does he have to find out?" Gray asked.
Tim shrugged. "I suppose it's just inevitable. All I can hope is that it doesn't happen when he's been drinking."
Gray had never seen Tim's dad drunk, but had sort of figured out that he was pretty bad. "Just be careful then. I don't want you getting hurt."
Tim nodded, "He's not a bad guy when he's sober, really." He put out a paw and took one of Gray's paws. "Thank you again. I couldn't ask for a better friend than you."
Gray looked around nervously. What would happen if his mom caught him holding hands with another guy? Why was it so hard to tell Tim that he himself was gay?
"Er, the game is all set up. You want the first turn with the console?" He said pulling his hand away.
Moments later they were heavily embroiled in a battle to save the universe, but Gray could hardly focus on the game. His mind was wandered, trying to figure out a way to tell Tim about himself. Finally, he hit on an idea he liked. He would have to wait a few weeks to execute his plan. His tail wagged as he thought of the look on Tim's face when he told him. His thoughts were jarred back to the present as he narrowly missed getting blown to smithereens by an alien. His ship careered through an asteroid field as he chased the alien down and vaporized it. Ah, yes. Life was good.
Chapter 4
Just Say Yes.
Gray was breathing hard as he trudged up the sidewalk he had just shoveled and rang the doorbell. "I finished the sidewalk, Mr. McGee."
"Why thank you, young fox. Here are your wages, and a supererogatory dollar for completing your task with such precipitation."
He blinked and accepted the proffered money. He knew he had eleven dollars rather than the expected ten, but for the life of him couldn't figure out why.
Mr. McGee must have seen the confusion on his face because he sighed and explained.
"That means you get an extra dollar for getting done so fast. You would have known that if you had completed the assignment I gave you Friday."
"Thank you Mr. McGee, I'll be sure to finish that assignment this evening." Gray said before turning to leave. He picked up his shovel and carefully made his way down the icy street. But instead of turning toward home, he headed for town. He had been planning this for weeks now, and had finally saved enough money to buy Tim a birthday present. He stopped in front of Zimmler's Gems and leaned the shovel beside the door. He had been looking at a certain ring since he had found out that Tim was gay and now, with the money he had just received, he had enough to buy it.
He hurried inside the store and went directly to the showcase containing the coveted merchandise. Catching the attention of a clerk he indicated a simple silver band with six small green stones set in it. They were the exact shade of Tim's eyes. The borzoi walked over and stood looking down her nose at him with arms crossed.
"I don't think you can afford that." She said stiffly.
"Oh, yes ma'am. See?" He pulled out a wad of bills and showed it to her. She sniffed, but relented and removed it from the display. He rolled it in his fingers, watching it scintillate in the light from a near-by lamp.
"It's perfect for my uh, girlfriend. How much would gold chain about this long cost?" He said handing the ring back to the clerk, and gesturing with his paws."
"With the purchase of the ring, it will cost about $12."
"Good, I'll take that too."
She looked at him dubiously as she measured and cut the chain, but when the time came to pay he had just enough to cover it. With a ring, a gold chain, $2.47, and a heart about to burst, he headed home. He was glad he had earned the money on time, tomorrow was Tim's birthday. Everything was finally ready to put his plan into action.
The next afternoon he made his way over to Tim's, telling his mom he'd be going to a movie with him and wouldn't be home for a while. At least it's only a partial lie, he thought. He got to the house and almost slipped on the ice in his hurry to ring the bell.
"Hi Tim, Happy Birthday!" He said when Tim answered the door. "I was wondering if you would be interested in a movie. It'll be my treat, being your birthday and all."
The movie they saw was some spoof of an old classic, but Gray wasn't paying much attention. All he could think of was that he was sitting next to a really cute fox, and that the fox might just be as interested in him as he was in the fox. When the movie got out, Tim headed for home, but Gray steered him onto a different street. Mystified, he followed him until they reached the city park.
They followed the jogging path for a while. There was nobody around, not in this cold. Gray could hardly keep from bouncing, as Tim watched him with some amusement. When they reached a small grove, Gray turned and took Tim's paw, kneeling as he did so. Tim's face turned from confusion to amazement as he withdrew a ring box from his pocket.
"I have one more present for you." He said, opening the box and presenting the ring. "Will you be my boyfriend?" He perked his ears forward hopefully.
Tim looked at him, muzzle hanging open. "I-I... I don't know what to say!"
"Just say yes." He said softly.
"Yes." He whispered, allowing Gray to slip the ring onto his finger. "Yes, I will."
Gray rose to his feet and embraced Tim, drawing the fox into his arms. The two foxes stood there; feeling the warmth and looking into each other eyes before their lips met, and they kissed. They stood there immune to the world, spirits soaring high as the clear sky above them. Surrounded by snow, crystalline trees, and sunshine; Gray was in a dream. The fox he hadn't dared hope he could love as a mate, actually loved him back.
The reverie was broken as several cubs ran into the park and began throwing snowballs. The couple walked towards home, hand in hand. Tim was the first to speak.
"You know, I can't wear the ring at home." He said apologetically. "My dad would fry me if he thought I was seeing another guy."
"I thought of that, so I got a chain for it. You can hang it around your neck and it will be hidden in your chestfur."
"Mm, that's a good idea. That way word won't get around to your parents, either."
Gray squeezed Tim's paw. "You’re so thoughtful. Here, let me see the ring." He took the ring and drew the gold chain from his pocket. He strung the ring onto the chain then draped it around his boyfriend's neck.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Be careful about your dad." Gray said with concern.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be alright. I just wish there was some way I could thank you." He said putting a paw to the ring around his neck.
"You already have, the moment you said yes." He said kissing him once more before they went down their separate streets. He was on cloud nine the rest of the evening, mystifying his parents. He could hardly sleep with the anticipation of seeing his fox the next day. "Mmm, My Fox," he murred, the memory of Tim's lips fresh in his dreams.
The rest of the week passed quickly, the two of them getting together almost every night. Tim called that Saturday to ask if he could spend the night. His dad was going to a party and would probably get home really drunk. Gray said it was fine but there was a catch: his own dad had found a church that he liked. That would mean Tim would be on his own Sunday morning.
"I could try to get out of it, but I don't think Dad will let me."
"Could I come with you?" Tim asked hopefully. "I've never been to church."
"Yeah, I'm sure it would be fine. Just bring some appropriate clothes; Dad says they dress kind of fancy there. Dress shirts and ties and all that nasty stuff."
"Okay, I think I have a set of clothes I usually wear to funerals and weddings."
"Perfect, see you in a few."
Gray's parents were delighted that Tim would be coming to church with them. Early the next morning they all piled into the SUV and headed for the church, which was only a short drive away. The building itself was rather unimposing, a rather generic looking suburban church. But it had a friendly atmosphere, and they were greeted by several different people as they found seats. When the sermon started, Gray was struck by how engaging the pastor was. This Labrador was quite a switch from the antiquated zebra at their old church. He glanced at Tim who was listening intently as he spoke about Old Testament Jews and prophecies concerning the Messiah.
After the sermon Gray's parents started talking to some furs, leaving Gray and Tim to fend for themselves. A younger copy of the pastor noticed the two new faces and walked over to greet them. He was only a few years older than them and had fur so black it shone with blue highlights. He approached with a friendly smile and stuck out a huge paw.
"Hi, I'm Cole. I haven't seen you around before, are you new in town?"
The two introduced themselves and explained that Gray's dad had just found the church.
"So, are you the pastor’s son?" Tim asked, "you look just like him.
The Lab laughed lightly and wagged his tail. "No, the guy that was speaking today is my dad, but he isn't a pastor. He is the youth leader, though."
"If he is the youth leader, then who is your pastor?" Gray asked, a bit confused.
"An old raccoon, but he was sick this week. By the way, since my dad is the youth leader and all, I ought to ask if you would like to come to the young men's group on Friday night."
"Young men's group? What's that all about?"
"A bunch of us highschool and college age guys get together here in the evening and have dinner. Afterwards Dad will talk for a while or we'll watch a movie and then we play basketball or indoor soccer for a while. Mostly it's just to hang out. It's really a blast, I think you should come."
Gray looked at Tim who just shrugged and nodded. "Sure, we'll be there."
Later that afternoon the two of them were back in Gray's bedroom talking about the church service. Tim had never been to church before so he had nothing to compare it to, though he had been expecting it to be much more boring.
"What did you think about the sermon the pas-, well Cole's dad. Anyway I thought it was kinda cool." Tim said, lying on the bed.
"Really? I didn't think it was that interesting. I guess I've heard it all my life and just take it for granted." Gray had pushed up Tim's shirt and was tracing patterns in the soft white belly fur.
"I've never heard any of that stuff before, and it made sense the way he explained it. I'm looking forward to Friday night. We may even meet some new friends that don't know about you or me."
Gray sighed heavily. "I wish we didn't have to hide like this. For a country that brags such tolerance, there's a lot of bigotry in unlikely places. I wish there was something we could do to make people understand us. But what can two boys like us do?"
"Not much." Tim said with a shake of his head. "Bigotry is rooted in distrust and fear. It's hard to get used to people that are different from you, just look at history. It took over a hundred years to get all the different species to get along together. And even then you didn't have people out there screaming that other species were dangerous or that de-segregation was sinful. They were just...different. Now you have the media reporting everything bad some gay guy does, not mentioning the fact that there are a lot more straight perverts than there are gay ones. Some times it feels like it's not possible for it to ever be normal."
Gray launched a pillow at him. "Well, aren't you Mr. Doom and Gloom today."
"I try!" Tim laughed.
Chapter 5
Together
A cottony wisp of a cloud scudded in front of the sun throwing a hint of a shadow racing across the ground. It was a beautiful summer day, not too hot with a few clouds to provide some shade. A few other furs were sitting on the benches as Tim and Gray strolled through the park. They had grown closer than ever and were having a hard time keeping their parents from suspecting anything. With few other friends, they did everything together. Last winter they had received a slew of college brochures and, after sifting, sorting and eliminating, they had settled on one they both liked. Gray had kept in contact with Denny a little and had been surprised to learn that Denny had selected the same college.
The pair of foxes stopped walking when they reached a secluded spot of the park. Gray barely recognized it as the place where he had proposed to Tim, it looked so much different without snow. As Gray looked around, Tim pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to him. Gray opened it and removed what looked like a business card. As he read it, his eyes got big and he read it again.
This card good for
ONE FREE
Rocky Mountain Backpacking Tour
Hosted by Tim Wood Tours
Tour to take place no more than two (2) weeks
From the 18th birthday of the bearer of this card.
He looked at the card and then at Tim and back at the card. A look of incredulity was on his face as he stuttered, trying to find the words to say.
"Its...you...how...? Are you serious? You're pulling my leg, how would we even get there? Wow, I haven't been hiking in forever."
"No, I'm not Serious, my name is Tim. But that card is as real as it gets. I would have given it to you on your birthday in two weeks, but this is going to take some planning. I'll have my car by then and we can share driving. "
"How did you come up with this? I never told you that backpacking in the Rockies was my favorite thing ever."
Tim grinned mischievously. "A little birdie. He flew right through the Instant Message window and told me all about it. Did you know that badgers can be very stubborn sometimes? So are we going to start planning or what?"
"We'll need to get some gear, so we should probably head over to the sports store. After I take you home and thank you, that is."
The next three weeks were just a blur to the excited foxes. They ordered some gear from an internet store and bought more from a local store. Maps were drawn and redrawn and they checked weather forecasts daily. Tips were gathered by chatting online with experienced backpackers, and they both took a short orienteering class. Gray was in charge of checking local regulations for the area they would be hiking while Tim made sure his car could make the trip.
The big day found the two doing their fourth "final check" of the assembled gear. After running through the checklist, Tim looked at the weather report one last time. There was nothing but blue skies. They high-fived and loaded all the packs into Tim's car. Gray jangled the keys as he walked to the driver’s side.
"I'll drive first shift. Do you have the tunes?"
"Right here." Tim said, waving a CD wallet. "Let's go."
Six hours later the mountains loomed into view. They groaned in unison when they saw the ominous gray clouds hanging low over the summit. An unexpected thunderstorm had sprung up over the day, but they drove on in hopes that it would pass quickly. They reached the trailhead and fairly jogged to the first checkpoint to set up camp. The tent was up and the rain flap secured mere seconds before the storm unleashed its fury. The wind howled through the pine trees and the thunder crashed loud enough to wake the dead. Tim and Gray lay in their sleeping bags listening to the storm, unable to sleep. Hours later it had passed on and they drifted to sleep listening to the susurrous sound of rain on the tent.
Morning dawned dark and overcast with a slight drizzle still coming down. The foxes ate a cold breakfast as they unfolded maps and revised their plans.
"Let's see what we can do. Ah, here is a likely spot." Gray said jabbing a finger at the map.
"Good. We can cut up and over the saddle rather than going all the way around. This little spur to the summit of Needle's Spike can be scrapped as well; it will be too slick to climb that steep of a slope safely."
"That will be enough for now. We can cut more off later if the weather doesn't clear."
They donned raingear and began the days hike. After a break for lunch they were able to pack in the raingear, but the sky remained overcast. The foxes stopped several times as the afternoon progressed, awestruck at the seduction of the mist shrouded slopes. By the time they reached that evening's campsite, dry firewood was in short supply. Once again dinner was a cold affair.
Spirits were much higher the last full day of hiking when the sun actually rose, but were quickly dampened as the clouds came back and actually began to rain by noon. They trudged on past outlooks that would have been truly majestic, had there not been a heavy fog obscuring the view. The fickle clouds were once again breaking as the saddle came into view.
"Let's try and get up there as fast as possible, Gray."
"Sure, but may I ask why?"
"Just a hunch."
When they reached the saddle a brilliant rainbow was to the east and a sunset in the west that turned the once nefarious clouds into a wall of flame. Gray put a paw around Tim's waist and leaned his head against his shoulder.
"It's beautiful." Gray whispered.
"Yeah. I'm sorry about everything; this trip hasn't been much fun has it?"
"Hey, it's not your fault. Besides, nothing can be that bad as long as I am with you."
"I love you." Gray said. "I wish this moment would never end."
"It's not over yet, let's sit here and make a memory."
The two sat, holding each other close, until the rainbow faded and the sun had set.
Chapter 6
Going Home
Back home, things were a little more stressful. Four days completely alone with each other had tempered the bond between them to the point it was almost impossible to hide. Anytime Gray looked and Tim, he could almost feel the sparks between them.
A few months before college started, Gray found an old motorcycle and bought it to fix up. He and Tim worked on it every evening for almost two week before it would run, but when they were finished it purred like a contented tiger.
"You want to try it out?" Gray asked.
"Sure, but let's not go farther than we can walk home."
"Why, don't you trust me?"
"I trust you; it's your creative wiring I don't trust."
"Oh fine, the theater is just down the street. We might be able to get tickets for the new movie 'Legend'. I just need to leave a note for my parents." His parents were out together on a date. They would not likely be home before him, but he didn't want to get his curfew reduced either.
"Shouldn't you call your dad?" Gray said as he came back to the garage. He grabbed two helmets from the wall and handed one to Tim.
"No, he's not home. He left for the bar before I came over, so he won't be back until at least midnight. I'll have plenty of time."
"If you’re sure." Gray kicked the starter and revved the engine. They made it to the theater without a mishap and bought the last two tickets available. It was a thriller featuring Bill Grith, lots of killer zombies, and explosions. When one of the zombies jumped out from a corner, Tim used the chance to put his paw into Gray's. Gray glanced over and smiled before giving the paw a light squeeze.
As they left the theater, Gray suggested that he drop Tim off at home. Tim was more than happy to accept.
"Thanks, I’ve got a job interview in the morning and ought to get as much rest as possible."
Gray pulled up in front of Tim's house and let the fox off the motorcycle. He dismounted as well and gave him a hug. "Good luck on that interview tomorrow. Call me when you’re done and tell me how it went."
"I will. C'mere."
Gray stepped up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, but Tim was not satisfied. He grabbed Gary around the shoulders and pulled him close. Gray relented and poured as much passion into that kiss as he ever had. Gray felt a hand grab his butt and it was with some regret when he finally pulled away.
As he drove away, something bothered him. His stomach dropped like a rock when it hit him. There was a car in the driveway. Tim's dad only had one car and it was a white Volvo, the same car that had been in the drive. It nagged at him all the way home. He battled with himself, whether or not he should go back and check on Tim. But what could he say that wouldn't just exacerbate the situation? There probably wouldn't even be a situation, his dad had just gotten back from the bar and would be drunk as a skunk. Tim's dad most likely wouldn't even register that he had come home.
His motorcycle sputtered and popped as he pulled into his own drive. He had to push it into the garage, muttering to himself. "Better here than on the road. The carburetor needs a little bit more work, I guess." He walked into the house, after noting that his parents were not yet home. He picked his message up and tossed it in the trash before heading upstairs to his room. He turned on his computer to check email, spending about fifteen minutes deleting spam and junk mail.
He was still nervous about Tim's dad, and didn't feel like sleeping. He needed a hot shower. That always helped him relax. He just stood in the spray, letting the scalding hot water run through his red fur. After several minutes he got out and dried off, went through his usual evening routine and headed for his room.
Just before he hit the switch and went to bed, the phone rang.
"Who's calling at this time of night?" He mumbled to himself. With a slight twinge of fear, he picked up the phone. A female voice introduced herself.
"I'm from St. Damien Emergency Hospital. We have a fox here name of Tim Wood? The man that called 911 said we should call this number to notify next of kin."
911? Next of kin? His gut wrenched as he asked the question he did not want answered. "Is he hurt bad?"
"I'm afraid so. You ought to come quickly."
"Thanks, I'll be right over." He clicked the phone off and slumped against the wall. It had to have been his dad. How bad was bad? Life threatening? How could a boy’s own father do something like that? He jumped up and jerked on a pair of pants. He snatched a jacket on his way out the door but did not take time to put on a helmet. He got on his motorcycle and kicked the starter. "Come on, come on", he coaxed, kicking repeatedly. It finally roared to life and he tore out of the garage.
He knew the hospital was downtown, but was not sure exactly where. Was it on Pine or Turod Street? He guessed Pine and turned left. He spotted the imposing structure about three blocks down and hit the accelerator. It that moment the bike sputtered, popped, and died. He coasted into a parking spot and jogged the rest of the way to the hospital. Breathlessly, he arrived at the front desk and asked where Tim was.
"741, ICU. The elevator is down the hall to the right."
Intensive Care Unit. He wasn't sure he would be allowed in, but he ran to the elevator anyway. He found the nurse's station on the seventh floor and asked the nurse on duty if Tim could take visitors.
"He is not yet in his room. The doctor is presently in the operating room with him." The mouse replied.
"Can you at least tell me how he's doing?" Gray pleaded.
"I'm sorry but you will have to wait for the doctor. You may wait over there if you wish. I will let you know when you may see him."
His shoulders slumped as he walked to the waiting area. For the next forty-five minutes he nervously thumbed through various health magazines and flipped channels on the television without ever seeing them. He slapped his forehead when he realized that his parents had no idea where he was. He glanced around and saw a courtesy phone on one of the tables. He dialed his number and his mom answered almost instantly.
"Hi, Mom. I'm at the hospital... No, I'm fine. Tim got hurt pretty bad, he's in intensive care... I don't know what happened yet... No, I'll be fine for now at least. He isn't even out of surgery, I guess... Thanks Mom, see you soon."
He put down the phone and jumped as someone tapped his shoulder. It was the mouse from the nurse’s station. She directed him down the hall and told him the doctor would be in soon. She also warned him that Tim was probably unconscious at the moment. Gray nodded silently, not trusting himself to speak. He found Room 741 and tentatively walked towards the bed. The figure lying on the bed looked pale and small with dozens of tubes and wires running from all parts of his body. A cast ran from his right toe to his hip and there were bandages on his arms and head. The most worrisome thing Gray noticed though was the brace immobilizing his head.
"Hey hon, you awake?" he said softly. He wondered if he could even be heard over the beeping and humming that pervaded the atmosphere. Iodine stung his nose as he looked around at the EKG's and oximeters surrounding the bed. He was surprised to hear Tim respond in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Not lookin' so good, am I."
"You sound okay," Gray said optimistically, putting a paw on top of Tim's. No response. "The nurse said you'd be out."
"I ought to be with all the junk they’re pumping into me. The needles are almost as annoying as this bump on my head. Did I ever tell you I hate needles?"
"How is your leg?"
Tim did not respond for a second. "I-I don't know. I can't feel it. Is my dad around?"
"No, he isn’t fortunately. Did he do this to you?"
"Yeah, I think he saw us kiss through the window. When I got in he started cussing at me and shoving me around. He was drunk and got himself all worked up. He started punching me, and knocked me down. I tried to stand up and get away, but he knocked me down again, the stairs I think. Next thing I know I wake up in the operating room."
"Has the doctor told you anything yet?"
There was an almost imperceptible shake of his head. He raised a paw and winced slightly. Gray took the paw gently in both of his. Tim looked into his eyes and began slowly.
"Gray, I did hear what the doctor said. He thought I was out, but I overheard him talking to a nurse. I'm not going to make it through the night."
Gray felt like a sledgehammer hit him in the stomach. "That's not possible, you must have misheard him. You're awake and talking, you can't be- be… dying. He was talking about another patient. You're gonna pull through this, you'll see. I'll help you, my parents will help."
Tim closed his eyes and breathed slowly for several moments before responding.
"Gray, listen to me. He wasn't talking about another patient, he was pointing at my leg and neck. He said my organs are shutting down because they aren't getting signals from my head. My neck is pretty messed up." He opened his eyes and looked hard at Gray. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes and ran down his cheek. "All I can feel is my body shutting down. I'm not gonna make it."
"I can’t go on without you; you're going to get better. There are things they can do." He reached a paw out and softly brushed the tears from his boyfriend's cheek.
Tim closed his eyes once more, his breathing shallow. For several minutes he just lay there. Gray pulled up a chair and sat with his head resting on the bed.
His thoughts ran to the good times he had had with Tim. The bright, eager young fox that had welcomed him to the neighborhood. The friend that stuck up for the ones that got picked on, putting himself at risk. The lover he had proposed to on a frigid January morning.
No! Tim wasn't going to die. They were going to go to college and get married and grow old and make more memories. This couldn't be the end.
He felt Tim's paw on his head and looked up.
"Do you remember a few months ago when we went to that thing at your church. That guy talked about seeing your friends and family after you die if you believe. I've been thinking about that a lot. I used to think that there is nothing afterwards, but what if I was wrong? What if I never saw you again?"
"I remember. Do you want me to call and have him or Cole come over?"
Tim shook his head again. "No, that night I prayed with him. But would you talk to him? I want to make sure you'll be there too."
"I will. I'll have him come over first thing tomorrow and we can talk about it together. Together, Tim. You can't go, I love you."
Tim closed his eyes for the last time, smiling peacefully. "I can go home now. I love you too, Gray."
He sat, holding Tim's paw for what felt like hours. He thought he heard the steady beeping slow, but pushed it away.
A few moments later one machine let out a long, dull beep, while another sounded a polite alarm. Doctors and nurses in scrubs flooded the room, ushering him out. The last thing he saw before he was pulled around the corner was the doctor pulling the sheet over his mate's face.
He turned and walked down the hall in a haze. His parents met him, coming from the other direction. His dad asked how Tim was doing, concerned at the look on his son's face.
"He's gone." He said dully. Tim had become his whole life, now he was gone. He had nothing left. Nothing but memories. It hit him like a truck and he broke down, sobbing over and over. "He's gone, he's gone, he's gone."
****************** The End *********************
