Three's The Cure

[Jimmi]

Really beautiful writing. Thanks.

[daddybear54]

Chapter 7:  Confessions

 

 

Markus sat with a smile on his face, remembering the pleasure of hearing Andrew’s voice again, and grateful that he had apparently calmed Andrew down and drawn the sting of his fears. He also felt deeply moved. Nothing Andrew had said or done before had equalled that moment when he cried aloud in sheer relief on realizing that Markus still loved him. Markus resolved to treasure that memory for any bleak day in the future when he might begin to wonder if Andrew still cared for him.

 

All of that, on the other hand, just made him feel worse still about the strange feelings that were attracting him to Henrik. He desperately wanted to tell Andrew the truth, but he couldn’t figure out a way to do it without pouring gasoline on the flames of Andrew’s already fragile trust in this marriage. In the end, he supposed he would be forced to give up his romantic attraction to Henrik as an impossible fantasy and turn his energy back to rebuilding his marriage in every way he could. Damn it, he thought, why did this have to happen when I’m already happily married and still in love with my husband?

 

Eventually, he saw the time, got up, and walked into the bedroom, noting Henrik already lying under a heap of covers, and well over on his side of the bed. He sighed, sat down on his own side, and started taking off his clothes. Just as he lay down and pulled up the sheet, he heard a rustling noise and saw Henrik, rolling over to face him with a curious gaze. Markus sighed again.

 

“I suppose you want to know how all that went.”

 

“Only if you want to talk about it, Markus.”

 

Markus thought for a minute, and then gave a shortened, simplified report. “Tommy told me that I should really talk to Andrew myself. He was right. Nothing else would have calmed Andrew down. I realized that when I heard how excited he got when I called him. We didn’t talk long, but he’s feeling a lot better now.”

 

“That’s good,” Henrik said, but the words lacked the ring of conviction.

 

“You don’t think so?” Markus picked up the note of hesitation right away.

 

“Sorry. No, just tired, that’s all. I guess I really need to get some sleep.” With that, Henrik rolled on his side again, facing away from Markus. Markus shrugged, rolled the opposite way, and soon the sound of two men breathing slowly and evenly filled the room as they both slept.

 

Andrew, too, slept peacefully, drifting off amid pleasant memories of wonderful times he had shared with Markus through the years. In his dreams, he then found himself with Markus, strolling hand-in-hand together on the beach at Bahía de la Paz in Alcantara. In the distance, near the hotel, he could see a lone man lying on the sand, wearing a blue speedo, and soaking up the sun. Markus pointed that way and said, “There he is.” At first, he’d thought it might be one of their uncles, but as they drew closer, he saw that this man was a blond-haired and much younger guy and looked like a real stud. Andrew felt sure in the dream that he should know this man, but his face refused to come clear – as if it were a photo which had been deliberately blurred.

 

Then the vision shifted, dissolving momentarily into fog before reforming clearly. Now they were soaking in the hot tub on his uncle’s terrace, and Uncle Tommy was in the water with them. Markus asked, “Where is he?” and Tommy replied, “He’ll be out in a minute.”

 

The sliding glass door from the living room slid open and another man started coming out, but before Andrew could make out who it was, he woke up. He lay awake a little while, wondering why he was dreaming about another man. Plainly, it couldn’t be his Uncle Rich as the three of them were all appearing in the dream at their current ages. It seemed odd, but he hadn’t felt that there was any tension between him and Markus over this mysterious stranger in the dream. The entire vision had felt positive and reassuring, not disruptive. Musing thus, he fell asleep again, and passed the rest of the night in a peaceful slumber with no further dreams – or, at least, none that he recalled in the morning.

 

The next morning, Andrew found that his positive mood from last night’s phone call had held strong through the night. The strange dream he filed away in a corner of his mind, unable to make anything clear out of it. When he got to work that day, all his coworkers noticed at once how bright and chipper he appeared, the old Andrew which they remembered from before the accident.

 

Markus was feeling better too. Having followed Tommy’s wise advice, he too was finding that the dam had broken and that he was feeling much more positive about his prospects going forward. Tommy’s suggestion that he get on with his life and worry about the rest of the pieces falling into place later now seemed remarkably on target. He resolved to do just that, as soon as he finished writing the segment of the journal which now occupied him, a segment connected with the fragmentary memories of his years with Andrew, and what pointers those memories now offered him as he moved on.

 

Henrik sensed the new peace in Markus as soon as he had gotten up and had some coffee. That made him happier, too, because it gave him hope that he might soon get his apartment back, and that the torture of treating the one husband in physiotherapy while simultaneously pining hopelessly for the other one would soon be over.

 

What Henrik wasn’t happy about was the realization that his friendship with these two men would also have to come to an end. He hadn’t told Andrew and Markus exactly what had happened to him a few months earlier and he didn’t intend to share it. Suffice it to say that he had finally struggled clear of a clinging relationship with a narcissistic, praise-hungry young guy who could never feel secure about anything no matter how often and forcefully Henrik affirmed it. His ex might have been sexy and muscular with a good big cock, but the size of his ego and insecurities overwhelmed any physical attraction. When he finally realized Henrik was serious about leaving, he threatened to kill himself if Henrik actually left. Henrik went, and his ex tried to make good on his threat (unsuccessfully) – and Henrik had been feeling guilty ever since.

 

Having a friendship with Andrew and Markus beyond the strict limits of his professional duty had done Henrik far more good than he’d ever anticipated. As the week went on, he found himself thinking more and more often that he didn’t want to burn his bridges with his friends, even if it meant he was going to have to go on hiding his true feelings for Andrew.

 

On Friday, Henrik surprised Markus with the announcement that this would be his final physiotherapy session since Dr. Peterson had confirmed that Markus had met or exceeded target ranges for mobility and function in all key areas required to qualify as a complete recovery. Henrik expected Markus to be happy at this news, and the quiet, subdued response he got surprised him.

 

“Well, I guess that’s that, then.”

 

“What do you mean, Markus?”

 

“I mean, I guess we won’t see you anymore.”

 

“Is it that important to you?”

 

“Henrik, you’ve become a good and valued friend these last few months – and I’m sure Andrew would say the same thing if he were. It goes much further than just the therapy. Or no. What I should really say is that the therapy you’ve given us both has gone far beyond anything in your purely professional role.”

 

“Meaning the sex, I suppose.”

 

“It was damn hot, you can’t deny that!”

 

Henrik laughed slightly at that.

 

“But I was actually thinking of how much your friendship has smoothed our way through this stressful time in our lives. Which is why I have to tell you this now. Look, Henrik, this is getting scary, but I’m going to put all my cards on the table. You know how much Andrew and I love each other, and that’s not changing. But now I’m finding myself falling in love with you as well as with Andrew. I don’t know what that’s all about, I have no idea how or why it happened, but there it is.”

 

Henrik had fallen silent. His eyes grew big and round, like saucers, and his mouth gaped open, but no sound came out. Plainly, he had neither suspected nor anticipated this announcement.

 

Markus went on. “I don’t blame you for being surprised. How do you think I feel? I can’t make any sense of it at all, and I sure as hell have no idea how I can possibly explain this to Andrew. All I know for sure is, I love you too, and I don’t want to lose you.”

 

 Henrik sighed deeply, as he struggled to find the right words. “Wow… Markus, you really floored me. I did not see that coming at all. Maybe I should have, but….” His voice trailed off into silence.

 

“Henrik? Are you mad at me or anything?”

 

“No. Just confused and puzzled, much the same way you are, I would guess. But you’ve been honest with me, and you deserve the same in return. Markus, I don’t share the same feelings towards you, and that’s not because you’re not a great guy and a good friend – you are. And on that level, I don’t want to lose you either. But romantic love – not really. There’s no sense in it at all. Remember the old saying: ‘The heart has its reasons, which reason can’t understand.’”

 

“I know.”

 

“Well, that’s all the explanation I can give for the fact that I don’t have romantic feelings towards you – but I definitely feel that way about Andrew.”

 

Now it was Markus’ turn to look completely astounded. He did a very creditable imitation of Henrik’s big round eyes and open mouth a moment earlier. They stared at each other in silence for at least a minute, maybe two.

 

Finally, Markus spoke. “Holy shit, what a mess this is!”

 

Henrik replied, “You got that fucking right.”

 

Suddenly, the ice cracked and the two of them began laughing, laughing, laughing as if they’d never laughed before and could never stop themselves now that they’d begun. Each time one of them paused to draw breath, and tried to quiet down, he’d look at the other’s face and that would set him off all over again. Eventually, they slowly quieted down as they simply ran out of energy and air. Then they sat there, looking at each other as if seeing each other for the first time, seeing each other with completely different eyes.

 

Markus was the first to break the silence again. “So now what do we do?”

 

Henrik pondered for a moment. “Well, for sure I need to come to your condo and pick up the therapy table that’s been sitting there unused ever since you landed yourself on me. And since we’re going there anyway, we’ll have to tell Andrew that your physiotherapy is officially completed.”

 

Markus intervened. “And since we’re going that far, we might as well drop the other shoe and tell him everything we’ve just told each other. We’re going to have to do it. He’s very sensitive to atmosphere, so he’s going to be able to feel right away that something weird has happened.”

 

“Do you want to try to get there before he comes home from work?”

 

“Yes. Although, these days, his schedule has become so freewheeling that I have no way of guessing if he’s doing a full day, a half day, working from home, or just going out for one or two key appointments. I’m going to guess a full day, which means we have about 90 minutes to get there ahead of him.”

 

“Well, let’s get this show on the road.”

 

***************

 

An hour later, Andrew was walking home from the bus stop. He’d had to go all the way out to Surrey to see a new client, but it had been a worthwhile meeting, and the commissions he’d earned from the deal would cover the travel cost several thousand times over. It made for a long afternoon, but at least he now had a quiet weekend to look forward to, and he planned to relax and unwind, now that he actually felt able to unwind for the first time in all the long months since the accident.

 

As he walked up the street, he was remembering another day when he’d walked home and straight into a huge shock – the letter. He hoped no such shock was waiting for him again this time. Hope springs eternal.

 

He rode up in the elevator, opened the door of the condo – and was greeted by the smiling face of Markus, leaning on the corner of the kitchen counter. Andrew froze for one split second, then he raced into his husband’s open arms, laughing and crying and yelling all at once.

 

“Markus! Markus!!! Ohmygod, Markus!!!!!”

 

In a moment, their arms were wrapped around each other while they hugged and cried and kissed nonstop. On the sofa, Henrik sat with the folded massage table next to him, watching the show with ironic interest. While he watched, the show rapidly became more interesting, as the kissing grew more intense, and the hands began roaming to some rather sensitive areas.

 

When the buttons began coming undone, Henrik cleared his throat. Andrew and Markus sprang apart, presenting a dishevelled, partially undone appearance to Henrik’s sardonic gaze.

 

“This kind of behaviour is rather inconsiderate in front of the third wheel.”

 

Andrew grinned at him. “Who told you that you had to be the third wheel? Get over here.”

 

Henrik laughed. “Well, since you asked so nicely….”

 

In moments the three of them were all entangled with each other, with buttons popping and shirts flying all over the place. Then it was shoes pulling loose, trousers dropping, underwear sliding off, until three happy men with three proud boners leading the way headed off to the master bedroom.

 

In seconds they were all lying on the bed in a triangle formation, with Andrew sucking Markus, while Markus licked at Henrik’s beautiful cock, and Henrik had his mouth wrapped around Andrew’s erect pole. The room filled with the sounds of moaning male voices as three mouths performed their magic on three hard dicks, the pace of the moaning rising in sync with the pace of the sucking.

 

Andrew pulled off for a moment and commented, “Damn, Henrik, you’re really good at sucking my cock like you mean it!”  Henrik replied with a congenial pat on Andrew’s ass and kept right on slurping away at his tool, so Andrew dived right back down onto Markus and resumed the mouth suction. At the same time, he began poking and prodding at that beautiful ass which he had missed so badly for the last week. In no time, Markus opened right up and let Andrew’s finger slide into him while at the same time not missing a beat on Henrik’s hard dick.

 

All three of them were now leaking pre-cum into each other’s mouths, and it was obvious from the tone of their sound effects that they were all going to cum soon into each other’s busy mouths. Andrew wanted to make sure Markus came first, so he redoubled both the mouth and the finger action. Suddenly, Markus pulled off Henrik’s cock and yelled, “Ohmigod!” as his cock convulsed and exploded into Andrew’s mouth, the busy finger inside his ass driving him to a frantic orgasm such as he’d rarely had from a blowjob.

 

Henrik grabbed his cock and began beating it, but Markus quickly recovered and said, “No!” and swallowed it again. In just a few more seconds, Henrik blew a huge squirt of cum into Markus’ mouth just as he went all the way to the bottom on Andrew, who blew his first big shot right down into Henrik’s throat. After the first explosions ended, they all pulled off and joined in a three-way kiss, exchanging all the cum with each other in a giant snowball, more than enough to go around.

 

Once they’d thoroughly mixed and swallowed all that cum, the three of them flopped down onto the bed, side by side. Markus rested his head on Andrew’s chest while Henrik, on the other side, stroked Andrew’s thigh muscles gently with his hand.

 

It didn’t take long before Henrik’s dick began stiffening up for more action. When he felt himself getting hard and aroused again, he shifted his hand from Andrew’s leg to his cock, which also responded quickly. Markus didn’t clue in right away, but when Henrik rolled over on top of Andrew, he certainly felt Henrik’s pec bumping against his head. Markus lifted his head and opened his eyes, just in time to see Henrik plunge his mouth down onto Andrew’s mouth and start making out. Further down, their now-rigid cocks were duelling with each other between their ab muscles.

 

Markus backed off a bit, and lay on his side, enjoying the sight of the two men he loved getting it on together with so much energy. Their hands were all over each other’s bodies, touching and squeezing and stroking. Henrik slid his hand in between their thighs and down into the gap to stroke Andrew’s taint, making Andrew moan loudly and shiver with the sensation. Then his finger dropped even lower, seeking the hole which he so badly wanted to enter and breed.

 

As Henrik began finger-fucking him, Andrew almost automatically lifted his legs up in the air, pulling them back on either side of Henrik until they were over his shoulders. Henrik then slid down the bed, and let his tongue follow his finger, down Andrew’s taint and then into his ass. Markus watched in delight as Henrik made love to his man’s ass, fingers and tongue sliding in and rotating around, flexing and twisting, loosening the hole, while Andrew’s entire body twisted around on the bed as he groaned in ecstasy from the skilful manipulation of his ass.

 

It was time. Henrik rose up on his knees and moved forward again, placing his cock right at the entrance and then slowly bearing down. It took only a moment, and the head of his dick popped inside Andrew’s tight butt. Then he kept the pressure on until he slowly sank all the way inside and came to rest with his hips against Andrew’s cheeks, and his mouth reaching for Andrew’s mouth to start kissing him again.

 

The whole scene was an incredible turn-on for Markus, as he watched these two men in the throes of a deep and meaningful sexual encounter. He gazed in awe as Henrik slowly pumped his cock out of Andrew’s body and then back in. He watched the play of the back and ass muscles as Henrik slowly worked Andrew over, rising and falling in a hypnotic rhythm, while they kept steadily kissing and swapping tongue.

 

Now Markus moved. Rising to his knees, which could now both carry his weight, he moved over until he could rest his hand on Henrik’s firm, round ass, and help him fuck Andrew by pushing down on each stroke. In a flash of insight, Markus realized exactly what Henrik was doing, and wondered if Andrew sensed as well that this sex session had shifted gears, and that Henrik was now making love to him. But Markus realized and, strangely enough, the realization didn’t bother him at all.

 

He had no time to ponder that odd lack of negative reaction, as Henrik was now slowly gaining speed under his hand. He moved around until he was between Henrik’s legs and then bent forward and plunged his face into the crack of the ass, slurping and digging at the hole with his tongue and getting Henrik ready for his cock. The hot tongue bath going on in his butt crack only drove Henrik’s passion faster towards its climax, and Andrew too could sense what was coming. As Henrik’s strokes moved into high gear, Markus pulled his face out but plunged his finger right inside the hole, and finger-fucked Henrik as Henrik cock-fucked Andrew. Markus felt around for the target, found the prostate, and began stroking it.

 

With a loud cry, Henrik moved right into overdrive, pounding down into Andrew’s ass while Andrew urged him on with a gasped, “Fuck, yeah! Give me your load! Breed my ass!” With that, Henrik cried out again and slammed right down into Andrew, feeling every spasm as his cock contracted over and over, forcing an epic load of sperm out of his body and deep inside Andrew’s hole. Markus kept fingering and teasing his gland, loving the feeling of Henrik’s asshole clamping down on him from the force of his explosion.

 

At last, the orgasmic contractions ended, and Henrik lay down again on top of Andrew, the two of them still kissing each other. Markus took that as his cue. He slid up between Henrik’s legs and slowly inserted his own rock-hard cock into Henrik’s ass, sliding farther in until his hips came up against the firm round ass cheeks. But, unlike Henrik earlier on, Markus was too close to his own climax to take his time for a leisurely fuck. He at once began pounding down into that tight hole while Henrik and Andrew both moaned with pleasure under him. He supported his weight on his arms, but he made sure that both of them felt part of his weight pressing down on top of them. It only took a minute or so of steady fucking, and then Markus speeded up, ramming forcefully inside Henrik’s tight hole until his cock exploded, spraying a gigantic load of his seed into that tight, athletic ass. As soon as he finished cumming, Markus pulled out, and flopped down on the bed beside the two of them. Then, as Henrik slowly pulled free from Andrew, Markus said, “Sit on my face, Henrik, and push my load out.”

 

Markus then proceeded to tongue and lick and slurp every bit of his load from Henrik’s hole as it came out in spurts, enjoying the feeling of sucking that tight, firm ass clean.

 

“Okay, I think you got it all,” Henrik said as he lifted off to lie down between them.

 

“I’ll say,” Andrew cut in with considerable feeling. “I’ve never had so much swimming around inside me from just one load. That was incredible!”

 

“Yeah, it was,” Markus and Henrik said in unison, almost as if they’d rehearsed it. Then all three of them laughed.

 

Eventually they all recovered enough to get off the bed, take turns cleaning up in the shower, and then get dressed some plain fish fillets in the freezer, plus boiled potatoes, fresh veggies, and some mysterious mix of seasonings and mayo that enhanced all the simple flavours beautifully.

 

After dinner, they poured another glass of wine and sat down in the living area. Markus and Henrik looked at each other, and they both knew that they were going to have to come clean.

 

Markus began. “Andrew, while I was away, I had a long talk with Uncle Tommy about the whole situation. He said two very important things during that call. The second one was when he told me to call you, and I did. But the first was when he said that we needed to fall in love again with each other, as we are now. Of course, that’s easy for me, because I still remember very little of what you were like when we first met. But I know it’s a lot harder for you, because you still imagine getting the old me back again. I’m beginning to think, though, that it won’t ever happen like that.

 

“If I’m right in thinking that I will never recover all of who and what I was before the accident, then Uncle Tommy’s advice becomes even more important for you to consider. And I’m going to tell you why.

 

“Falling in love with you just came so easily and naturally to me, even before I knew that I had fallen in love with you before. But something else happened, something I can’t either explain or understand. I found that I was getting the same kind of romantic feelings for Henrik. For a long time, I struggled with that because I love you so much, and because we live in a society where love is supposed to be with one partner. It seemed to me that I was weird, or messed up, because I loved two men. Anyway, today I finally got up the nerve to tell Henrik how I was feeling about him. And that’s when things got even more weird and complicated.’

 

He indicated Henrik with an “over to you” gesture, and Henrik carried on with the story. “When Markus told me about his feelings, I could sense right away that this could get really messy. And that’s not only for the reasons that he’s already mentioned. I knew that I also had to be honest with him, and the honest truth is that I don’t really have the same kind of feelings for Markus, much as I like him as a friend and enjoy his company. The person I do have romantic feelings for is you, Andrew.”

 

Markus picked up the imaginary speaking stick again. “So now you can see what I mean by complicated. Andrew, you love me. I love you, but I also love Henrik. And Henrik loves you. I knew he had been telling the truth when I saw the way he made love to you this afternoon. It was beautiful and powerful and intense, and a bit scary too, because it made me fear the way this messy situation could end up ruining all of our lives. So now you know all about it. The question is, what do we do about it now, because we have to do something. We can’t go on forever, trying to act as if it hasn’t happened – because it has.”

 

A long silence fell. All three of them looked at each other, searching faces for clues. Markus was relieved to see that Andrew didn’t look angry, which was what he had feared. He looked puzzled, yes, and confused, but he was plainly giving the situation some serious thought, and that, Markus thought. was a good thing. At last, he spoke.

 

“You weren’t kidding when you said it was messy. I have no idea what to say or do or think about it all right now. It’s probably going to take some time for me to process all of this and see what comes up. For sure, I want to call Uncle Tommy and get his advice. After that, I just want to go to bed and sleep on it. It’s okay if you want to join me, but I’m honestly not in the mood for any more playing around right now. Maybe I should just sleep in the guest room tonight.”

 

“If that’s how you feel, Andrew, that’s probably the best thing for you to do. I need to do a lot of thinking about it all, and I’d like to talk to Uncle Tommy too, but I’ll let you talk to him for now. I can wait till tomorrow.”

 

Henrik then spoke up. “When I took on this job, I had no idea it was going to get so complicated. You fellows have become such great friends, and I don’t want to lose that, but if that’s in the cards I can live with it. I’ll get on my way now and go and do my thinking and sorting out at my own place.

 

“Oh, and by the way, Andrew – because we didn’t get around to mentioning it before – Dr. Preston notified me that Markus has completed his physiotherapy and is now discharged from the program, so I’m taking the therapy table with me to return it to the clinic. Good night, Andrew. Good night, Markus. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I’ve messed your lives up so badly.”

 

Seeing that he was hurting, both Andrew and Markus got up and gave him a close hug and a kiss, and then he left them alone.

 

“I’m sorry too, Andrew.”

 

“No apology needed, Markus. I found myself falling for another guy, too, while you were still unconscious. I saw him again while you were away this last week. But there wasn’t anything in it, really. I was trying to convince myself that I actually liked him so I wouldn’t be left all alone if worst came to worst. But I can see that you and Henrik are both completely serious, so that puts this case on a totally separate level. I’m going to go call Uncle Tommy now and see what he has to say. Good night, Markus.”

 

With a simple kiss, they called it a night and Andrew disappeared into the guest room, closing the door quietly but firmly behind him.

 

Markus sad down again, and buried his face in his hands, silently weeping.

[negchaserlooking]

Holy fuck that was a lot to take in from those two chapters. A thrupple now? Can't wait for Uncle Tommy's words of wisdom and see how much further you take this

[daddybear54]

Chapter 8:  Outside the Box

 

Andrew sat on the bed, thinking. Back in the guest bedroom again. Didn’t we do this part already? Of course, he knew that he’d never been in a situation remotely like this in his entire life. Suddenly it seemed to him that the man he’d known and loved for twenty years was now a complete stranger, someone he’d never met before. It was a strange and disquieting feeling. Yes, Markus had affirmed more than once that he loved Andrew, and Andrew believed him. It wasn’t the fear of losing Markus that now obsessed him, but the fear of what he might be getting into, and how he might find himself in far over his head.

 

He knew that he needed to talk to Uncle Tommy right away, before he let his fears screw him up any further. Again, he hit the speed dial. Tommy picked up right on the first ring.

 

“Andrew! I was just about to send you a text. How are you doing?”

 

“Uncle Tommy, I’m feeling very disjointed and confused right now and I think you’re the only person who can help me sort myself out.”

 

“This sounds serious. What’s the word on Markus?”

 

“He came back. He was waiting for me when I came home from an afternoon appointment.”

 

“Well, that’s good news. Isn’t it? You don’t sound as excited as I’d expect you to be.”

 

“Don’t get me wrong, Uncle Tommy. It’s great that Markus is back. I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw him, I was in such a hurry to leap into his arms!”

 

Tommy chuckled. “That sounds more like what I’d expect. And how long did it take for kissing to evolve into… umm, let’s say, something more.”

 

Andrew now laughed too. “Oh, about ninety seconds, I think. Henrik got a real charge out of watching us getting all over each other A.S.A.P.”

 

“Is that all Henrik did, just watch?”

 

“Of course not. I invited him to join in,”

 

There’s just no nice word for it -- Tommy sniggered. “I’ll just bet you did. And I’ll bet the rest of the meeting unfolded along the usual lines: numerous positions, multiple loads, everyone switching up all over the place. Oh, to be young again!”

 

“Are we that predictable?”

 

“Andrew, you’re gay, and it’s obvious that you guys all enjoy each other’s company, so yes, you three are that predictable.” He let out another dirty laugh.

 

“Well, Uncle Tommy, you’re right – but it was what happened after we calmed down that really threw me for a loop. That part was so totally unpredictable.”

 

Tommy stopped laughing then, listening attentively as Andrew walked him through the true confessions that had followed after their hot sex: Markus stating that he now loved both Andrew and Henrik, and Henrik following on with his declaration that he didn’t love Markus but did love Andrew. Tommy’s face grew grave as he listened. As much as he loved cracking jokes, and always had (it was one of the key things Rich had loved so much about him), he could tell at once that this wasn’t a time for joking, but a time for careful, thoughtful consideration and well-chosen words of advice.

 

“So, Andrew, how is all of this making you feel? What’s your reaction?”

 

“Utterly confused. I have no idea what to say to whom, or what to do and when.”

 

“I can certainly understand why. I’m sure you had no idea of any of these feelings bubbling away under the surface, because both of them kept it all really quiet.”

 

“Uncle Tommy, how do you know that?”

 

“Simple. You certainly would have been on the phone to me a lot sooner if you had found out about how Markus was feeling before now.” Andrew laughed ruefully, shaking his head. His uncle really did know him from front cover to back pages, and there was no point protesting when his words were so on point. Tommy thought for another minute. “Andrew, like you I see a problem here, but unlike you I see a solution. It’s actually a simple solution, although some of the details may require more care and thought. In fact, I’d say that two-thirds of the solution is already in place. And you are just the man to figure out the missing pieces and put the whole picture together. All you need to do is think outside the box and consider the situation from a different angle. Clear?”

 

“Clear as mud, Uncle Tommy. I have no idea what you’re getting at.”

 

“You will, though. You’re a smart man. Just remember that you’re two-thirds of the way there already, and then think carefully about what I’m telling you. Go outside the box -- and look from a different angle. Think about that, and you’ll figure it out. Good luck! And keep me posted.”

 

He clicked off.

 

Andrew sighed. The one time he really needed some good advice from his Uncle Tommy, and all he got was a kind of cryptic riddle to puzzle out. He had no idea what Tommy meant by saying he was two-thirds of the way there, and as for going outside the box and looking from another angle, he was clueless.

 

He sighed again and checked the time on his phone. Nine-thirty – no wonder he was tired, it had been a very long day and a full one too. He opened the door. The lights were out, and the door of the master bedroom closed, so he knew that Markus had called it a night as well. He slipped quietly across the hall to the second bathroom, brushed his teeth and showered, and then headed back to the guest room naked, carrying his clothes which he then put down on the chair. He shook his head in frustration. He’d finally gotten Markus back – but on the other hand, he hadn’t. Right when they should have been celebrating their reunion, he’d tripped right over a huge, unexpected rock in the way, and the shock had caused him to detour back into the guest room. Life was so damned incomprehensible at times. Climbing into bed, he pulled up the duvet and lay there, pondering Tommy’s mysterious words. Somehow, neither the situation nor Tommy’s puzzling words seemed at all clear and straightforward.

 

Straightforward! Suddenly, as that word ran into his thoughts, Andrew felt as if all the hair on his head, no, his entire body, was standing on end. That was the key. He was too busy looking for a straightforward approach to the whole mess, when he really needed to be looking anywhere else but there. And that’s when another thought clicked in. A box is straightforward. But this isn’t. Get outside the box and look for a different angle… a different angle! Of course! Now I get what he meant with the two-thirds part of it as well. This is perfect!

 

Without conscious thought, he found himself leaping out of bed. He threw his briefs on and crossed the hall to the master bedroom. He eased the door open gently, but then found Markus sitting up in bed with the lamp on, studying something on his phone, and looking anything but happy.

 

“Markus.”

 

“Andrew? What’s got you looking so happy all of a sudden?”

 

“I think I’ve just figured out how to handle this whole messy situation.”

 

After a momentary silence, Markus prompted him. “Well?”

 

“Not yet. I need to think it through in detail, be more certain it’s workable, but I’m onto it – thanks to Uncle Tommy. I thought he was giving me some kind of bullshit mystery riddle, and then I figured out what he was actually saying – and it’s absolutely pure genius!”

 

“Isn’t this a bit unfair, you busily bubbling over with joyful energy, but you won’t tell me why?”

 

“I guess,” Andrew said slowly. “But would it be unfair for me to change my mind and come and cuddle up here and sleep with you like I’m supposed to?”

 

A smile spread slowly across Markus’ wan face. “I guess that would be fine. I’m going to have to trust you because it’s obvious that you’re not giving anything else away tonight.”

 

With that, Andrew turned down the duvet, crawled into bed next to Markus, and said, “I’m here now. Let’s snuggle in together.” Markus put his phone down, switched off the light, lying down and coming into Andrew’s embrace. “You know something, Andrew? I’m feeling better already.”

 

“So am I.” They lay quietly there, cuddling together and kissing each other gently until they drifted off to sleep.

 

On Saturday morning, as they drank their coffee, Markus asked, “So, do you still think you have it?”

 

“I think so. Some details I need to consider, and there’s something I want to run by Henrik as well. But I think I’m on the right track.”

 

And with that, Markus had to be satisfied. Andrew was playing the clam to perfection.

 

During the morning, on a break between internet searches, Andrew texted Henrik. “Got an idea to fix this, can u come to see us?”

 

“When and where?”

 

“Our place, 3 pm”

 

“OK”

 

While Andrew was busy on his computer, Markus went into the bedroom and closed the door. He needed to phone Tommy. He picked up on the second ring.

 

“Hello, Markus. I hear you’ve got a problem.”

 

“We sure do.”

 

“How’s Andrew this morning?”

 

“He’s being mysterious. He says he’s got a solution to our mess, but he won’t give any clues. The original human clam, just shutting right up.”

 

Tommy laughed. “Sounds like he figured out my little riddle.”

 

“So he says. It’s actually getting annoying. He’s humming away to himself like he’s right on top of the world, but I have no idea what there is for him to get so happy about.”

 

“Markus, do yourself a favour and stop worrying. Just go with the flow. If Andrew has arrived at the point where I think he has, it’ll be as close to a perfect fix as any of you could want. If I’m wrong, you can call me later and tell me off, but for now, trust me.”

 

“I guess I really don’t have any other choice.”

 

“That’s the spirit! By the way, on another note entirely, when am I going to see you fellows again? It’s been months since you were last here -- and I’d love to have some company.”

 

“I’d really like that too, Uncle Tommy. I only have a few scattered memories of Alcantara but they’re all the most beautiful images, and I’d love a chance to make some new memories there.”

 

“You will, Markus. It really is as close as I’ve ever seen to heaven on earth. Talk about it and let me know.”

 

“I’ll run it by Andrew in a little while, maybe over lunch.”

 

“Thanks, Markus. Hope you’ll be able to come and see me soon.”

 

Well, Markus thought, at least I tried. He’s being just as unhelpful as Andrew. Uncle and nephew, for sure – and then he pulled himself up short, remembering that Andrew and Tommy were only related by marriage. But still, the older man’s influence had plainly rubbed off. He chuckled ruefully, and then turned his attention to the idea of a trip to Alcantara and when it might be possible. The idea had certainly caught fire with him, and he hoped Andrew would be up for it as well.

 

Finding where to book a flight was the easy part. He decided to study the maps of Alcantara, figuring out where Tommy lived and what else was nearby. While he was looking over the map, he was also reading up about the country in online sources. In the course of an hour or so, he had learned much more about Alcantara, and triggered a few more memories, one of them being a crystal-clear mental image of a gorgeous curving crescent of sand framed by palm trees, with a picturesque little boutique hotel at one end.

 

Over lunch, Markus brought up the idea of a trip to Alcantara. Andrew caught on right away. “I guess I’m not the only one who’s been talking to Uncle Tommy,” he laughingly said.

 

Markus nodded. “That’s right. He’d really like to see us. I think he must be very lonely right now.”

 

“I’m sure he is. He and Rich were together for well over forty years, so I’ve no doubt Tommy feels lost without him. I kind of know how that feels.”

 

Markus patted his hand. “But I’m back now, Andrew. What do you say, would you like to go?”

 

“Definitely. We can talk about details later, Markus, okay?” Markus then told Andrew about his memory of a palm-fringed curve of sand, and a small hotel. Andrew recognized the description instantly. “That’s Bahía de la Paz – the Bay of Peace. Tommy told me that he met Rich there for the second time, and that’s when they fell in love. It was also the place where Rich’s mom, my grandma, grew up. She was Alcantaran. Her parents lived in a small house by the ocean, right where that hotel is now. It’s a really special place, very peaceful – just as the name says – and one that I always love visiting again. I can’t wait.”

 

“Sounds wonderful, Andrew.”

 

“It is. Something else I hope you’d enjoy is to visit the National Museums. That was Uncle Rich’s idea and pet project. It was all developed and construction got under way during the years when he was president, and he became the chair of the museum board after he stepped down from the presidency. One of the museums is named after him – Dunnatore Hall.”

 

“You know, Andrew, the more I hear and learn about Rich, the more I’m sure I would have enjoyed meeting him.”

 

“That’s an understatement. You certainly did! That guy loved both of us so much. I still remember him wiping tears out of his eyes when I told him on a video call that I had proposed to you, and you’d said yes. He thought you were the greatest. And you know something, Markus? He was right.”

 

That led to a serious bout of kissing that significantly interfered with the more routine business of cleaning up the lunch dishes and putting the leftover food away. At last, though, Andrew told Markus, “I texted Henrik and asked him to come over at three. Then I’ll be ready to share with both of you at once what’s in my mind.”

 

The next two hours crawled by at a speed that made the average garden snail seem like a hundred-metre sprinter by comparison. At last, though, the phone rang, and Markus picked up. “On the way up,” Henrik’s voice came through the phone, and Markus noted the time as he put the phone down. Three o’clock, exactly. Gotta hand it to him, he thought, he’s nothing if not punctual.

 

In another minute, he let Henrik in and the three of them sat down in the living room, with Henrik and Markus looking inquisitively, not to say inquisitorially, at Andrew.

 

“Well, Andrew,” Markus started, “I hope you’re finally ready to let us know what this is about. And I hope its going to be good.”

 

“It had better be,” Henrik added meaningly.

 

Andrew seemed completely unfazed by the implied tone of criticism in their voices. He began, simply and calmly.

 

“After we all said goodnight yesterday, I called my Uncle Tommy. I needed to talk to someone about what had happened, and he’s my first choice of an advisor whenever the going gets tough. What I got from him, after I told him the story, was not so much advice as a riddle. It went something like this: ‘Unlike you, I see a solution. You’re two-thirds of the way there already. What you have to do is get outside the box and look at the whole thing from a different angle.’

 

“I couldn’t make anything of that and said so to him. He repeated it, more or less word for word, and told me to just think about it and I’d figure out the solution to our problem.

 

“So I tried, but nothing came. Just as I was mentally cursing him for not giving me something straightforward, it hit me. Trying to be straightforward wasn’t the way. A box is straightforward, with its ninety-degree angles, but Tommy had said that I needed to get outside the box and look at things from a different angle. And then I had the second big ‘aha!’ moment. What if the angle were sixty degrees instead of ninety degrees?”

 

“Oh, God,” Henrik moaned, “I barely got good enough grades in math to qualify for therapy school and here I am, trying to do it again!”

 

“Henrik,” Andrew said calmly, “you work with angles all the time in your therapy as you measure the motion of the joints. Just try to visualize it as I did, because it was the visual image that settled the whole thing into place for me. Imagine drawing a straight line. Now, at one end, take a sixty-degree angle to the right, same distance. At the end of that line, take another sixty-degree angle to the right, same distance. And where are you?”

 

Henrik took a moment to picture it, and then he suddenly got the visual. “You’re back at your starting point.”

 

“And what have you just drawn?”

 

“A triangle.”

 

Markus’s face suddenly lit up. “Not just a triangle, an equilateral triangle!”

 

Andrew smiled. “That’s right,” he said. “Three equal sides, three equal angles. A perfect figure, balanced, complete, equal on all sides and equal on all corners. That’s what we need to be. A triangle. A triad. A throuple – although I absolutely hate that made-up word. That’s who we are, and that’s what we need to become.”

 

Suddenly, Henrik slapped his head with the palm of his hand. “Now I get it – and I get what your uncle meant when he said that you – we -- were two-thirds of the way there already!”

 

Markus came in, rather plaintively. “I don’t get that two-thirds bit at all.”

 

Henrik explained. “In a perfect triad relationship, there are two lines on each side, and two lines flowing out from each of the three members. What have we got? The two lines are there between you and Andrew. One line from you to me, and one line from me to Andrew. The two lines that aren’t there, not yet anyway, are the one from Andrew to me and the one from me to you.”

 

Markus looked at Andrew with a mixture of admiration and wariness. “Andrew, this all sounds great in theory, but are you sure it can actually work in practice?”

 

Andrew smiled. “That’s where the difficulties come in, no question. For one thing, there’s no legal mechanism in any country on the face of the planet to legally form a three-way relationship. But many people do, even if without legal sanction – and not just gay men, either. And there are ways to secure a legal cover even without a direct recognition of the relationship.”

 

Markus remained unconvinced. “Such as?”

 

“Wills and powers of attorney. If we’re going to do this, we all agree to redraw our wills and powers of attorney, mainly to have the executor of the will and the holder of the power of attorney be a member of the triad. Ideally, the alternate would also be a triad member, but that’s less important – except for the medical power of attorney, where I think it should be seen as essential.”

 

“Good thinking,” Markus admitted.

 

Henrik also professed admiration. “You have really been thinking this through, haven’t you?”

 

“Trying to. I know there are more issues, but they can be solved. If we have the courage to admit that we don’t want to lose what we already have, this is the best way to secure it all, and still have room to grow more into our future. That’s especially important for you, Markus, because as things stand, you’re the one who’s in love with both of us.”

 

“I know, Andrew. Yes, I think I’m ready to go with this. What about you, Henrik?”

 

Hesitation. The euphoric mood which had begun blossoming in the room dampened noticeably. Henrik was plainly unsure, hesitant, nervous even.

 

“I’m sorry to ruin the party, fellows. I just don’t know. It’s such a startling idea, and something I’d never imagined doing or even wanting to do. I need to think it through really carefully and try to be completely sure of whether this is truly what I want, or if I think I can commit to making it work. Because we all need to make that commitment. We all need to be ready to go all in or it’s no use.”

 

They nodded. They could see exactly what he meant, and they didn’t want to put any pressure on him.

 

Andrew spoke again. “Henrik, that’s perfect. You are one hundred percent right about committing, and you are absolutely smart for wanting to take time to think it all through before going ahead. We’re not going anywhere, and we’ll be right here. Just one request. If you decide that this isn’t for you, please let us know. Don’t just drift quietly away and leave us wondering.”

 

“That’s fair, Andrew, and I want to play fair with you after you’ve both been so good with me. I promise I will let you know my decision, either way. Gotta go now, gents. I’ll sleep on it for a while before deciding.”

 

They hugged and kissed him goodbye, and he left. Andrew and Markus were alone together again, but there was a palpable difference in the air.

 

“I really hope he comes around to the idea,” Markus said. “In some ways it’s completely different – but I love him just as much as I love you, and that’s a hell of a lot of love.”

 

“Markus, what I love most about you is how love just flows out of you to so many people. And what I love about this idea is that it can work. Despite what Henrik called the two missing lines, there’s more than enough love to go around for all three of us. Let’s see what he decides.”

 

“And if he says he can’t do it, we still have each other.”

 

 

[daddybear54]

Chapter 9:  The Perfect Sunrise

 

The aircraft flew low over the brilliant blue of the ocean, the wheels looking as if they were going to graze the wavetops as the plane skimmed close above the surface.

 

“Are you sure there’s actually something to land on out here?”

 

Andrew chuckled. “Yes, it’s just ahead of us. If you were looking out the other side, you’d be able to see all three of the islands, and the airport terminal. We’ll be down in less than a minute.”

 

Just then, a dark smudge slipped by below them, and the water changed colour to the most eye-popping greens and turquoises.

 

“Wow! What is that???” Wonderment and astonishment in equal measures filled his voice.

 

“That’s the coral reef. Inside the reef, the water’s a lot shallower and has a sandy bottom, and that’s where you’re seeing the greens. And any second now….”

 

“Land! Thank goodness!”

 

The artificial shoreline of the airport slid below them, the end of the runway followed moments later, and in a few more seconds the plane touched down smoothly, the reverse thrust fired up, and the aircraft slowed down, then turned off the runway to taxi up to the terminal.

 

“On behalf of Air Alcantara, your flight crew and cabin crew, and the 185,000 smiling people who live in our island home, welcome to Alcantara. Please remain seated with seatbelts fastened until the aircraft comes to a complete stop at the terminal….”

 

Andrew let the rest of the arrival announcement wash over him without listening. They were here. They were back. Was it really less than a year since he’d last landed in Alcantara? It seemed far longer, but then it had been such an eventful year. First there’d been the death of his Uncle Rich, who had for so long been such a key anchor point in his life. Then there’d been the horror show of the accident, the terrible weeks of sitting in the hospital day by day, waiting for Markus to come back to him. The shock when Markus finally awoke and didn’t remember Andrew at all – that had been the worst day of his entire life, no question. And then there’d been the whole wild emotional roller-coaster ride ever since then, as he and Markus navigated the challenge of learning how to fall in love all over again.

 

They gathered up their things, and Markus eyed him curiously. “Are you okay, Andrew?”

 

“Yes, I’m fine. Just remembering all the things that have happened since the last time I came here.”

 

As always, the moist tropical air hit them in the face with a damp heated towel as they stepped off the plane and walked down the stairs, then across the apron to the terminal entrance. Andrew chuckled, remembering when he’d first come to Alcantara as a boy six years of age, give or take, and that was exactly how it had felt – like his mom, slapping a warm wet cloth on his face to wash off the dirt of a busy afternoon playing in the muddy stream near their home in Toronto.

 

Once inside, Andrew steered towards the right-hand exit, where the sign displayed the baggage claim and customs inspection symbols and the words, “Exit: Alcantara Island & Portavedra.” They looked around with shining eyes at the sparkling-clean interior of the brand-new catamaran ferry, which Andrew guessed as being at least 50% bigger than the older vessel they’d crossed with on their last visit.

 

Once the ferry had whisked them at top speed across to land on the main island, they quickly cleared customs, picked up their bags, and steered out the door into the public area of the Portavedra terminal. The lean, tanned, ramrod-straight Asian man who walked briskly towards them could have passed for being in his mid-fifties in other circles. There was nothing to show that he was 72 unless you already knew that as an independent fact.

 

“Andrew!”

 

“Uncle Tommy!”

 

“It’s so good to see you here again, my boy!”

 

“It’s great to be back!”

 

They hugged and kissed then, still holding each other, and Tommy looked Andrew squarely in the eye. “You have no idea how much I’ve been looking forward to this visit. Life has been so quiet these last months.”

 

“And lonely too, I’m sure. I’m sorry we couldn’t arrange to come in time for your birthday last week.”

 

“That doesn’t matter. This is going to be a great birthday celebration for me!” Tommy then turned to Markus, giving him another kiss and a fierce hug. “Markus, it’s so good to see you again and to welcome you to Alcantara for the first time for the second time.” That made all of them laugh. But Tommy was moving right on. “And this is Henrik. Welcome to Alcantara, Henrik! Very glad to see you here at last.” Another kiss and hug, and then he continued. “Let’s get moving. We have to drive pretty small cars here because of the narrow, twisting roads, but these fellows will help.” He walked over to a counter with a sign which read “Alcantara Baggage Services.”

 

“Tommy!” the man behind the counter called out. “I haven’t seen you here in the terminal for ages!”

 

“Hi, Jackie. We’ve got some bags to send up.”

 

“No problem, I’ll put them right onto the first van. They should arrive just a few minutes behind you.”

 

Once the bags were tagged, Tommy led them outside to the parking area, and they saw exactly what he meant by small cars. Most of the tiny import cars would be mistaken for overgrown motor scooters in North America. “Tallest guy rides shotgun,” Tommy said, and Markus and Andrew automatically waved Henrik forward. Once all four of them squeezed into the little vehicle, Tommy fired it up and headed off along the shore road towards the miniature capital city of Portavedra. On the way, they drove by the towering cranes of the cargo port, and the cruise ship dock, where a giant white cruise liner was busily reboarding passengers for an imminent departure.

 

Henrik had to ask, “That man at the baggage counter – he knew who you were and where you live?”

 

Andrew laughed. “Get used to it, Henrik!”

 

Tommy supplied a slightly more helpful answer. “Henrik, in this country I actually became a celebrity without doing anything. Pretty much everyone in Alcantara knows who I am and where I live.”

 

Andrew laughed again. “Don’t be so modest, Uncle Tommy. What he really means, Henrik, is that he didn’t do anything except become the chair of the social sciences department and then the dean of students at the university, co-designed and curated the exhibits at the history museum and the museum of the people of Alcantara, wrote and published a 3-volume history of the country….”

 

“…and married the guy who ended up becoming the President for 15 years,” Markus put in.

 

Tommy laughed. “That last one was what really did the trick. I was actually pretty invisible except among the academics until Rich became so prominent.”

 

With that, they drove into the city, then Tommy turned up onto Hillward Street, pointing out the legislature, the cathedral, and the museum campus to them as the car mounted up the steep, twisting hill. They climbed higher and higher still into the residential district, and then Tommy turned off onto Suncrest Drive, and along the gently curving road before pulling into the driveway of a long, low bungalow, the sort of house that used to be called “ranch style.”

 

“Welcome home, fellows!”

 

They all got out. Tommy led them in through the front door – and Markus and Henrik stopped in amazement at the sheer size and crisp, elegant décor of the broad living-dining-kitchen area. Beyond the room, through the panoramic windows and sliding glass doors, they could see the huge pool. Farther beyond that, in the distance, were the hills on the far side of the city and the blue water of the ocean stretching off into infinity.

 

Tommy then took them down the hall and into the master bedroom suite. “I’m putting you gents in here,” he said.

 

Andrew immediately protested. “Uncle Tommy, you can’t do that! This is your room!”

 

Tommy chuckled. “Actually, I can. After all, I am the manager of this hotel.”  He laughed aloud. “I figured with three of you, you would need lots of space – and this room has the biggest closet. And the biggest bed.” He then favoured them with a wink and a dirty grin, before adding, “And the biggest shower!” They all laughed. “I don’t mind at all being in the guest room for a while. If I put you in there, you’d be having to draw straws every night to see which one would be having to sleep on the living room couch.”

 

The doorbell rang, and Tommy said, “That’ll be the bags.” Once he’d tipped the driver generously, over Andrew’s protests that he should be the one to do it, they brought all the bags in. And Tommy made an announcement. “Okay, fellows, the meeting will resume in the pool in ten minutes. Get going!”

 

Actually, it took only about seven minutes for the three of them to get their bags open, get out their swimsuits, and wash off the grime of the journey. Then they headed outside – to find Tommy already in the pool, busily grinding out some laps. They sat on the edge, their feet dangling in the water, and simply watched as Tommy swam back and forth, his elite swimming background and long years of regular lap swimming clearly evident in every stroke. Henrik was especially awed. “I’m not more than a third of his age and I can’t swim anything like that well.”

 

After they’d watched him for five minutes, Tommy stopped at the near end, took off his goggles, and said, “Well? Are you going to just sit there and stare at me all day? Get your asses in here with me!”

 

With that, Andrew stood up and dived neatly in. He had never been in Tommy’s league, but he had gotten some swimming lessons when he was young. Markus followed, also doing not too badly. Henrik stood up last and executed a perfect dive – if a perfectly graceless bellyflop could be counted as perfect. All three of them laughed at him. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I never had any swimming lessons.”

 

“Well, what do you expect?” Tommy replied. “Nobody can ever look graceful trying to dive into the water while wearing a pair of baggy board shorts two sizes too big for him. First thing tomorrow, we go shopping and get you a proper swimsuit.”

 

Henrik tried to demur, but Andrew just laughed louder. “Uncle Tommy, stop that! You know perfectly well that you’re trying to check him out, and you can’t see anything interesting when he’s wearing that big sack. I can read you like a book, and you’ve got ‘dirty mind’ shining out of your eyes like a pair of spotlights.”

 

“Damn, busted,” Tommy said, leading the laughter.

 

They swam around in the pool for half an hour, with Tommy giving Henrik a few simple swimming pointers to help him get more at home moving around in the water. Markus was the first one to get chilly, and he climbed out of the pool in his tight black speedo, walking over to the outsized hot tub. Andrew followed a moment later, his yellow speedo plainly see-through-when-wet – and Henrik was plainly seeing. Henrik, then, came over, hot on Andrew’s heels, and Markus said, “Hey, Henrik, just drop those heavy shorts before you climb in. I’m sure this hot tub has seen buck-ass-naked guys before tonight, right, Uncle Tommy?”

 

Henrik skinned down his shorts and got down into the hot tub beside the others. And then Tommy climbed out of the pool, to a chorus of wolf-whistles and cheers from his audience. It was quite obvious that his entire body had been kept just as youthful as his face, and he could definitely hold his own in speedos, too. He sat down in the hot tub with them, smiling complacently, and saying, “It’s amazing what five miles or so of swimming every week will do to keep you young and fit.”

 

After they’d soaked in the hot tub for a few minutes, Tommy asked, “Drinks out here in the hot tub, or go inside and get dressed first?” Everyone opted for getting dressed, as the sun was going down behind the hills and the breeze was feeling cooler. In another twenty minutes, they met back in the living room, and Tommy passed around the cocktail shaker, pouring margaritas for everyone. Then he raised a glass and toasted them: “To my guests, and a warm welcome to my home.”

 

They all drank to that, and then Andrew took his turn. “To my Uncle Tommy, the man who’s done so much to help us all throughout these last difficult months.” That toast was greeted and drunk with loud acclaim.

 

Conversation then revolved around first impressions of Alcantara from Henrik and Markus, until Tommy got up to go and get dinner ready. Then Andrew took the others outside to look at the view of the city and the harbour by night, all illuminated.

 

In time, Tommy called them to the table, and they sat down to a dinner of pan-seared local fish with fruit salsa and green salad. As they ate, they all complimented him on the meal, with Andrew telling the others that Tommy had done some professional chef training when he was younger.

 

Later that night, as they crawled into bed, Andrew asked Henrik if he was having a good time. His response, more serious than Andrew expected, was both insightful and thoughtful. “I really like your uncle. I can tell that he’s been lonely, because he’s making the absolute most of the together time with the three of us. He’s such a kind, thoughtful man, and I think he must have had an amazing life with your birth uncle. And this whole country – it’s not what I expected at all, so much more developed than I thought it would be, but still feeling a lot more European than North American. I can definitely sense why you love it here so much, Andrew.”

 

“They did have an amazing life together, Henrik. I’m glad you could pick up on that.”

 

The three of them settled down into the huge bed together, with Andrew taking the centre position this time. There was no sex play after the long travel day, but there was a fair bit of kissing before they dropped off to sleep.

 

In the morning, it was a different matter. Andrew awoke, as usual, to the sensation of a warm tongue and lips digging away into his ass crack. After a minute of lying there with eyes closed, enjoying the feelings, he snapped up abruptly when he heard Markus saying, “Hey, Henrik, that’s my job you’re doing!” Andrew squirmed around to find that it was Henrik who had been rimming him.

 

And Henrik laughed. “Well, Markus, if you’re looking for something to do, you can start working on my ass if you like. I know you want to.” Just like that, they formed into a three-man rimming chain, with Henrik in the middle, and getting the best of it both ways. Before long, all three of them were moaning audibly. Andrew muttered, “Keep it down, guys, it’s early and we don’t want to wake up Uncle Tommy.”

 

“Fuck,” Henrik chortled, “he’s probably listening in right now with a water glass pressed against the wall!” He then redoubled his assault on Andrew’s beautiful firm round butt, adding a prodding finger to the mix and slowly worming his way inside. Almost as soon as he did that, he felt Markus wiggling a finger into his own hole, and that’s when he realized that he might be getting to fuck Andrew, but he was going to get fucked by Markus at the same time.

 

Henrik was ready, and so was Andrew. He placed the head of his cock against Andrew’s hole, and the hole bloomed, opening up and swallowing him. As he sank in, he felt Markus’s cock prodding against his own ass and did his best to relax, as Andrew had done, and let Markus into him. Markus pushed a little harder, and then Henrik’s muscle gave way and Markus popped the head of his cock inside Henrik. Then he leaned down, and whispered into Henrik’s ear, “Okay, it’s all up to you. Start the train moving whenever you’re ready.”

 

After a moment, Henrik understood what he was saying, and began to pull slowly out of Andrew while Markus held steady behind him. As Henrik came back out of Andrew’s butt, Markus was sinking deep inside him. Once he established the rhythm, he moved easily back and forth between his two partners, diving into Andrew as he pulled away from Markus, and then fucking himself on Markus as he pulled back out of Andrew. Up and down Henrik moved, loving the whole sensation of fucking and being fucked at the same time. He’d never done this before, and the feelings he was getting from it were really intense.

 

Andrew was finding it intense, too. Not only was he feeling Henrik’s big cock probing deep inside him, but he also sensed the weight of the two men pressing down on his back, although neither one was letting his full weight bear down. Andrew felt almost as if both of them were fucking him at the same time. On that thought, and without even thinking about it, he gasped, “I want both of you inside me. Together. Now!”

 

Henrik stopped. Markus asked, “Andrew, are you sure?”

 

“Yes, I want both your cocks inside my ass, now, dammit. Come on! Double fuck me!!!”

 

Markus pulled out of Henrik. Henrik rolled sideways, onto his back, bringing Andrew up on top of him. Then he grabbed Andrew by the shoulders and pulled him down until he was lying on his back on Henrik’s chest, with his legs up and his hole wide open to Markus, even with Henrik’s cock inside him.

 

Markus grabbed the lube, spread it liberally over his cock, slapped some extra onto Andrew’s hole and Henrik’s cock, and then tossed the bottle aside. He moved the tip of his cockhead against Andrew, resting on top of the thick shaft already inside him. Once again, he asked if Andrew was sure, getting a frantic, “Fuck, yeah!” in return.

 

It took a bit of time. Markus had to keep up the pressure for a couple of minutes, but then Andrew’s hole slowly expanded, softened, and yielded to his assault. At last, the head slipped inside. The sensation of being jammed right inside along with Henrik was almost more than Markus could bear, but he slowly bore down until most of his cock was inside Andrew’s widely stretched hole.

 

Andrew himself was moaning and hissing and gasping for air as his ass struggled to come to terms with the massive invasion. Eventually he began to slide off and back on again, a little at a time, and then a little more. His face contorted with a mix of pain and concentration, he slowly fucked himself on the two big dicks inside his body. “Oh, God,” he gasped out, “that feels so fucking…. It hurts, but it’s incredible. Don’t stop! Fuck me, you two big studs, with those big hard dicks!”

 

It was Markus who began pumping first, and Andrew stopped moving, letting Markus do the work. Henrik, on the underside, was incredibly turned on by the feeling of Markus rubbing against his cock, and Andrew’s tightly stretched ass gripping both of them. After a minute, he began moving too, heaving his hips up and down to pump his cock in and out of Andrew’s hole.

 

It was more than any of them could stand for long. Henrik was hitting Andrew’s prostate on every stroke, and suddenly Andrew gasped, shouted, “Oh, fuck!” and began pumping streamers of cum all over Henrik’s ridged abs. A moment later, incredibly turned on by the spasms of Andrew’s hole as it tried to clench around him, Henrik suddenly convulsed, shooting his cum inside Andrew’s ravaged butt. The feeling of the hot cum sloshing around set Markus off, and he pumped another massive load inside Andrew seconds later, twisting and heaving in orgasm and feeling the huge, combined load of sperm leaking out around his tool and dripping slowly down onto Henrik’s balls and thighs.

 

Markus softened first and fell out. Henrik slid out right after him. Andrew held himself there, quivering and gasping as his hole gaped open, unable to shut itself properly after having those two big cocks in him at once. Then his elbows gave out and he collapsed onto Henrik, while Markus rolled aside and lay down next to them, their three dicks all dripping wet and sweat pouring off them.

 

Just then, there came a knock on the door, and before they could even think of what to do, Tommy opened it, eyed them with a knowing grin, winked, and asked, “Coffee or ice water for breakfast, you piggies?”

 

That day, Tommy made good on his word and went shopping, returning with a new bright-blue speedo for Henrik to wear. Henrik modelled it out at the pool, to loud approval from the other three. Tommy gave him some more little lessons in effective swimming, including getting him to put his face under the water, and looked very pleased as he said, “Henrik, you’re a natural! It’s a pity you didn’t get some good swimming training before you became a teenager, but you’re making up lost ground really quickly.”

 

All in all, it was a very relaxing time up there on the hill. The three younger fellows walked down the winding road into the city each day, early enough that the tropical heat and humidity didn’t become oppressive. Afternoons were devoted to the pool and hot tub, and evenings led to more long conversations, with Tommy telling all kinds of stories about his years with Rich. Andrew found himself learning things about his uncle that he had never suspected, all of which went to making him seem even more human and lovable.

 

On the fifth full day of their stay, Andrew and Markus wanted to take a tour through the three museums downtown. Henrik found that idea less interesting, and Tommy offered to take him on a driving tour around the island, a good choice since it was a brilliant sunny day and drier than it had been so far during their visit. Before they all left for the day, Tommy urged Andrew and Markus to meet them at Bahía de la Paz for a swim followed by dinner at the hotel. “Take the number 2 bus from the bus station. It’s just down the hill from the museums. If you catch the three o’clock bus, you’ll be in good time. Give me your towels and stuff, and I’ll bring those in the car, that way you can just wear swimsuits under your clothes.”

 

As the drove around the island, Henrik asked Tommy all kinds of questions about Alcantara. Since Tommy was the pre-eminent scholar of Alcantaran history and culture, Henrik got all kinds of details right from the source that he would only have found otherwise after tedious hours of research. He said as much, and Tommy laughed.

 

“I’ve always enjoyed teaching my students about this country. The only difference was that I used to get well-paid for the privilege of getting to do it.”

 

For lunch they stopped at a little roadside café on the point of land nearest to the neighbouring island of Isabella, and sat on the patio, enjoying the view of the towering peak across the water as they wolfed down some lightly battered amberjack bites with an incredible sweet and spicy chili dip, which Tommy highly recommended. While they were eating, Tommy explained all about the open-pit diamond mine on the slopes of that mountain – the main source of the country’s phenomenal prosperity.

 

After lunch he drove them up to the lookout on the crest of Saddle Mountain, the best spot on Alcantara from which to see both other islands at once: Isabella to the southwest and the coral atoll of Serafina, with the airport, to the northeast. Then Tommy looked at his watch, and said, “We’d better head for Bahía de la Paz now, so we don’t keep the others waiting.” Down the mountain road, back through the city and past the port area, and then they arrived at the beach parking lot at just about three o’clock.

 

Tommy urged Henrik to shed his clothes and catch some rays on the sand, while he went to sit on the terrace of the hotel. “When the others arrive, I’ll get a tray of drinks all around.”

 

Henrik peeled off his clothes, surprised to feel no self-consciousness on his first public outing in a speedo. He lay down on his back on a towel, popped his sunglasses back on, and just laid there with his eyes closed, thinking about what a beautiful day he’d had, not least about how much better he now understood the love that had held Tommy and Rich together for nearly half a century, and still guided all of Tommy’s dealings with his nephews. And I guess I have to consider myself a nephew now, too, he thought as he glanced up at Tommy, who was watching him with a reminiscent smile from the terrace.

 

Meanwhile, Andrew and Markus had bought a day pass for all three museums, visiting the history museum and the Museum of the People of Alcantara before lunch. They were intrigued to learn that the nineteenth-century mansion, Hillward Hall, which housed the history museum had been the Presidential Palace, until Rich had left it in favour of his own home which – truth be told – was both more palatial and more regally situated, high up on the hill. They then solemnly posed for pictures at the dedication plaque in the atrium of the Museum of the People, which commemorated the official naming of the museum building as Dunnatore Hall, in honour of Uncle Rich when he retired from the Museum Board. For lunch, they sat out at one of the outdoor cafés on the Cathedral Square, having croissant sandwiches with café au lait, and feeling more European than any other place west of the Atlantic that they’d ever seen. They then devoted a solid hour to the museum of the Alcantaran environment in Seaward Hall, a particular interest area for both of them.

 

It was about twenty after three when the bus stopped at the midpoint of the beach. Andrew and Markus jumped off, removed their shoes, and began walking out onto the sand. “I remember this beach perfectly. Most of what I’ve seen while I’m here has not turned up yet in my memories of the past, but this place looks exactly the way I pictured it,” Markus said wistfully.

 

They took each other’s hand and strolled down towards the edge of the water, where the gentle waves were washing hypnotically up onto the shore. “It’s not so placid when they get hit by a nor’easter storm,” Andrew said with a chuckle. “But right now it’s perfect.” They turned their steps towards the hotel, and Andrew said, “See them yet?”

 

Markus replied, “There he is,” gesturing at Henrik, and that’s when Andrew spotted the tall, lean man in a blue speedo stretched out on a towel. And then he stopped, gasping aloud.

 

“What’s wrong, Andrew?”

 

“Markus, I just remembered a dream I had. It was the night when you called me from wherever you were hiding out. I just realized what an idiot I was to not understand what that dream was trying to tell me. It wasn’t an ordinary dream; it was a prevision. What just happened now, that was exactly what happened in my dream, and you said the exact same words that you said just now as you pointed at Henrik.”

 

“Any thoughts?”

 

“Well, you know that this is a place which was so important to my Uncle Rich. I think he may have been trying to talk to me in my dreams, telling me that a triad was the way our lives were going to go.”

 

“Wow, Andrew that’s pretty weird – certainly something more than just coincidence. Look, there’s Tommy coming down from the hotel terrace and it looks like he’s bringing refreshments.”

 

“What are we waiting for, then?”

 

“I don’t know, you’re the one who stopped walking. Let’s move it, that pitcher – looks like sangria -- is just going to get warm if we don’t hurry up.”

 

Arriving by Henrik, they popped open a bag which Tommy had brought and hauled out more towels, then they peeled off their clothes too. In a few minutes, all of them were stretched out on the sand, enjoying the warmth of the tropical sun and hating the idea of going home to Vancouver’s notoriously rainy and windy winter.

 

A couple of rounds of sangria framed a leisurely swim in the ocean, one taken for pleasure rather than exercise.

 

As they were stretching out again after the swim, Tommy remarked, apropos nothing at all, “I should have gotten red instead.” The other three just looked at him. “Sorry, I was reminiscing again. If the turning point in a person’s life has a spot on the map, right here on the sand is where my ‘x’ would have to go. When I’d been in Alcantara for a year and a half, teaching at the university – I was still in my twenties – I came down to the beach here one day. As I was sunning, I saw a very good-looking young guy come down from the hotel terrace, spread out a towel, and then pull his clothes off, just as you fellows did. He laid down here to get some rays, and all I could think was, ‘I have to talk to him.’

 

“I picked up my stuff and walked over here to say hello, asking if we hadn’t met before. He said he couldn’t tell unless I took my sunglasses off, so I told him to do the same. Right away, I recognized him as the hot lawyer I’d met at an embassy reception in Ottawa twenty months earlier. We swam together, we talked, we had a killer dinner up there on the terrace, and he invited me back to his room – that night, and the next night, and for the whole rest of the week before his holidays ended. And I gave him a name. He introduced himself as Rick, telling me that his mom and grandma called him Ricky. I said I wouldn’t call him Rick or Ricky because it sounded too college-kid-jock. I said, ‘You’re Rich.’ From then on, he was -- and by the end of the week we were a couple.”

 

After a long silence, during which a few teary eyes got wiped dry, Andrew said, “So this is where you met. Wow.”

 

Henrik, ever practical, put in, “And the red? What about that?”

 

Tommy laughed. “Rich was wearing red speedos that day! You’d have looked even more like him, lying on the beach, if I’d bought you red instead of blue.” That made them all laugh.

 

After more conversation, and a long, leisurely dinner on the hotel terrace, they piled back into the car, with bags on laps a necessity, and drove home.

 

The beauty of a winter holiday in Alcantara, as Andrew had long known and the others were learning, was that you could do everything, or nothing, in whatever proportions and for as long as you felt like it. One thing the three younger men often felt like was some more energetic, not to say acrobatic, sex. They learned to put up with Tommy’s not-quite-subtle sarcasm and meaning expressions after they’d had one of their noisy fuck sessions.

 

As all good things must come to an end, the last day of their holiday drew near. On the final full day, Markus had dragged Andrew downtown for some shopping, but Henrik sat quietly in the living room, musing on the strange turn his life had taken. Tommy came in, bringing a pitcher of iced tea, which he’d learned Henrik liked, and asked, “Anything wrong? Want to talk?”

 

“I think I would. If that’s okay, Unc… I mean, Tommy.”

 

“Henrik, I’d be honoured if you would call me ‘Uncle Tommy’ as the others do.”

 

“Thanks, Uncle Tommy. Well, here it is. I’m still feeling a bit uncertain about this triad thing, if this is really the right thing for me to do. And I feel bad about that, because I was the one saying we all had to agree to go all in or it was no use. And now, I’m the one getting second thoughts and cold feet.”

 

Tommy pondered that. “What kinds of second thoughts?”

 

“Oh, things like what happens if one of us changes his mind, or what if one of us meets someone else, stuff like that. I guess it’s partly because I had one short relationship that cracked up after only a month or so, and then one really bad one that was complete hell to get out of.” He took a deep gulp of his iced tea. “And now, I begin to wonder if I’m even cut out to commit to something like this, or if I’ve been burned so badly that I can’t ever really commit again.”

 

“Henrik, those are perfectly reasonable doubts to have, and there’s nothing wrong with you because such thoughts float through your head – as long as you don’t let those negative ideas rule you. Look, I’m going to share something with you, and I hope nobody will get mad at me for spilling the beans. Rich and I each had two bad experiences before we met each other. Andrew had a couple of short but bad ones in college – Rich and I spent quite a few hours on the phone, talking him through those. Markus told me he’d had some bad experiences in Germany before he moved to Canada to escape the last one.

 

“I guess what I’m saying is that bad experiences and relationships that turn sour are part of life. Most people have them. It’s not good if you obsess over them, or if you let them cut you off from other possibilities, but just know that you aren’t alone in struggling with your past. But look at where it went. Rich and I committed to each other, then we married, and we were together for almost fifty years before he died – just about a year ago now. Andrew and Markus landed with the right pairing too, and married, and they’ve been together for over 20 years. And now, they’ve opened up their relationship to become a triad with you and done it quickly and willingly. You are now just as much a part of their lives as they are for each other, and I can see that what wasn’t there to begin with is starting to appear now – Andrew loving you, and you loving Markus.

 

“You can kill so much of the joy and excitement in your life by letting those awful doubts – those ‘but what if?’ thoughts – control you. Set them aside. If something does happen, time enough then to deal with it, but for now, take your life in all its richness and live it as fully and whole-heartedly as you can. There’s no substitute for that, and no better way to live.”

 

Henrik sat, quietly, absorbing what Tommy had said, and at last he spoke. “Thank you, Uncle Tommy. I guess I really knew all of that already, but I needed to hear you pull it up and put it into words so I couldn’t miss the significance of it all. And now I know exactly why Andrew and Markus always get that happy look on their faces when they talk about you. The way you always know just how to explain everything and clear the air – det er fedt!” Tommy’s look contained equal measures of pleasure and confusion. “Sorry, Tommy, I just slipped back into Danish. That means ‘it’s awesome’ – more or less.”

 

“Henrik, you three are going to be just fine, and I hope you’ll remain that way for many a year. Give me a hug to seal the deal.”

 

The two of them hugged strongly, whole-heartedly, sealing their new uncle-nephew relationship forever. As they held each other close, Henrik realized that he too had changed – he had finally found the courage to set aside all his doubts and, as he’d said weeks ago to the others, to go all in. Just then, Andrew and Markus walked in the door. “Well,” Andrew said, “what’s made you two go all emotional like that? Henrik, was he comforting you because I swiped the last two slices of pizza yesterday?”

 

Everyone laughed, and Tommy said, “Come on, boys, it’s getting on, and we need to squeeze in another swim before the sun goes down.” They dispersed to the rooms to get changed. Andrew and Markus got to the terrace first and started off in the hot tub. When Tommy arrived a minute later, he dived right into the pool and swam half a dozen quick laps before joining them in the hot tub. As they soaked peacefully in the bubbling water, Markus suddenly said, “Hey! We’re missing Henrik.”

 

Andrew asked, “Where is he?”

 

Tommy replied, “He had a phone call. He’ll be out in a minute.” Just then, Henrik slid open the glass door from the living room and stepped through – and Andrew gasped again.

 

“What, Andrew? Your dream again?” Markus asked.

 

“Yes, it was.” With that, Andrew proceeded to tell the three of them all about the dream he’d had, and how he now saw it was a prevision of their afternoon on the beach and this moment on the patio.

 

Tommy smiled. “Rich was talking to you again, Andrew. And this was before you called me to ask about how to handle the situation with Markus and Henrik’s true confessions, wasn’t it?” Andrew nodded. “That Rich. He’d figured out about this triad before any of the rest of us. Rich always seemed to catch on to everything before I did, and he’s still at it.” He shook his head slowly and reminiscently for a moment, and then snapped out of it. “One more swim, come on!”

 

They all climbed out of the tub and dived back into the pool and swam laps back and forth for another fifteen minutes. Even Henrik was now holding his own reasonably well. When Andrew complimented him on the improvement, he pointed to Tommy’s lessons, but Tommy scoffed at that. “Hah! You just needed to shed all that dead weight, ten kilos of wet cotton. You swim a lot better without those outsize baggy shorts. And you look a lot better without them, too – really sleek and sexy.”

 

Immediately, Markus and Andrew moved in on either side of Henrik. Andrew spoke for all of them. “Sorry, Uncle Tommy, you can’t have him. He’s taken.” Tommy laughed joyously, as the three younger guys kissed each other.

 

That night, as they lay together in bed, Henrik told Andrew and Markus briefly about his long conversation with Tommy. “I needed that chance to air my doubts, and for him to remind me that we all have shadows in our past, but we can still live and love fully in spite of those bad moments. And I really want to live, and love, with both of you, just as much as I possibly can.” And with that, he turned to Markus. “I love you, Markus.”

 

Markus’s eyes teared right up as Henrik said that to him for the first time ever. Andrew realized immediately what a significant moment this was, and he in turn spoke. “All of us want to live this life, fully, together. I love you, Henrik.” And with that, quietly and naturally, the two links missing from the triad were completed.

 

Now they were all kissing each other, murmuring their love to each other, and their cocks were filling rapidly -- but there was an unspoken agreement that they wanted to take plenty of time, to live fully in the moment, that tonight was more about affirming their mutual love than about getting their rocks off.

 

Henrik went first, slowly moving around until the was on top of Markus, Markus wrapped his arms and legs around Henrik, stroking his firm muscled body, feeling a strong rush of love and gratitude for this man who had worked so hard to bring his damaged limbs back to full life. Henrik moved his body slowly, sliding back and forth on top of Markus, their hard cocks rubbing against each other as they continued kissing. Andrew got down between Henrik’s legs and began tonguing Markus’ hole, guessing where their lovemaking would end up.

 

The combined effect of Henrik’s kisses and Andrew’s tongue soon had Markus gasping for air and writhing slowly on the bed, his hands now squeezing as well as stroking Henrik while Henrik kept sliding back and forth on top of him. Markus broke their kisses to look Henrik in the eye and say, “I want you now. I want to feel you inside me, like I’ve never felt you before.”

 

Andrew took the cue and backed off from the hole, then took Henrik’s cock, lubed it up with his spit, and placed the tip against Markus’ tight hole. Henrik leaned, and Markus immediately relaxed and opened, taking it in, wanting it, letting Henrik slowly sink all the way inside him. Andrew now pulled back, wanting to savour for the first time this rare experience of watching these two men that he loved so much making love together.

 

Henrik may have been young, but he certainly knew how to pace himself. He continued his slow, gentle fucking of Markus for twenty nonstop minutes, without any letup in the easy stroking of his body or the soft, loving kissing going on between them. Andrew was near to tears as he watched them bonding so firmly, knowing that his vision of the triad was at last coming to full flower and that these two were sharing the love between them in every way they knew how to do.

 

At last, Henrik could feel his orgasm approaching, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. Markus sensed it, and murmured, “Give it to me, Henrik. Give me all you have. Love me, Henrik, with all you have to give me.” Even then, Henrik didn’t speed up. He simply kept pumping slowly and gently in and out, until his cock convulsed, and the seed flowed out of him into Markus, filling him up.

 

At last Henrik let himself slip out of Markus, but they continued to embrace and hold each other close. Now, they each reached out an arm to draw Andrew to them as well, and the three-way kissing continued for some time.

 

Then Andrew felt his cock beginning to stiffen, and he knew just what to do. It was his turn to finish the triad, to make love to Henrik. And he wanted to. He needed to. His heart ached to finish what they had all started, to complete the bonds they had been building among themselves. Henrik knew it too. He rolled onto his back, lifting his legs, and said, “I’m ready now. I want you inside me, Andrew. I want you to love me and breed me.”

 

Markus passed Andrew the lube, and Andrew prepared his cock and Henrik’s hole. Then, it was time for Markus to watch as Andrew put the finishing touches on their masterpiece. With his cock deep inside Henrik, he covered his partner’s face with kisses, telling Henrik how much he loved him and how much he wanted Henrik to feel loved and needed, wanted and valued. As he spoke, he kept pumping slowly and steadily into Henrik’s muscled ass until he couldn’t hold it any longer, and let his sperm flow, coating Henrik’s tube with his seed. As he was cumming inside Henrik, Markus was busily working on Henrik’s cock with his mouth, drawing another load out of him and deep into his own throat.

 

Then they separated, but remained together, bodies touching bodies, lips pressed to lips, and arms draped over chests as they all fell asleep in an incredible unity.

 

In the morning, the boys awoke early. After that unforgettable round of intense, loving sex before falling asleep, they’d all slept deeply and contentedly, snuggled closely up against each other. Now, they headed out for an early quick dip in the pool, followed by a leisurely sit in the hot tub. It was quiet and peaceful. A few early trucks could be heard away down the hill on the main island road, and somewhere in the distance a rooster crowed, but otherwise there was no sound. As they sat there, arms around each other, the sky in the east was gradually colouring up more and more. With just enough clouds to spread the colour around, the show was spectacular, and especially when the sun lifted over the horizon.

 

Andrew sighed. “A perfect sunrise to end a perfect holiday.”

 

Markus added, “A perfect holiday with the two men I love.”

 

Henrik put in, “You fellows have been a true sunrise to me, showing me that I’m not a lost cause and I can live a full and happy life. I love you both so much.”

 

They all kissed each other as they sat there in the bubbling water. Tommy was watching them from inside, his face expressing real contentment and deep happiness for his family.

 

As they were eating breakfast an hour or so later, Tommy said, “The van will be here for your bags at ten o’clock. They’ll tag the bags right through to Vancouver for you. Then I need to get you down to the terminal by eleven, so you’ll get on the boat to the airport in time for your flight.” They all nodded. “It’s going to be very quiet here when you’ve gone,” he added sadly.

 

Henrik spoke up, “Uncle Tommy, it may be a while before all of us can get away to come down here again, but you know you’re always welcome to fly up and see us in Vancouver.” Andrew and Markus smiled broadly at hearing Henrik address him as “Uncle Tommy,” and Tommy himself smiled just as happily at the thought of seeing his three nephews sooner rather than later.

 

When the van driver arrived, Henrik’s bag was still missing. “Henrik, the van is here!”

 

“Be right out.” And a moment later out he came, bag in hand, and wearing a t-shirt none of them had seen before.

 

The pre-printed slogan read, “GO BIG OR GO HOME.” But Henrik had crossed out the “OR” and added, in black marker, “AND,” right above it. “GO BIG AND GO HOME.” Markus and Andrew had puzzled looks on their faces, but Tommy’s face split from ear to ear in a huge smile – he understood exactly what Henrik meant.

 

As the aircraft lifted away from the runway and soared into the sky, Henrik, now in the window seat on the right side, got a grandstand view of the steep hills of the island of Alcantara, and the beautiful city of Portavedra rising all around its harbour. He managed to pick out Tommy’s house, high up on the hillside. Straining his eyes, he made out the figure of a man – he knew it had to be Tommy -- standing on the terrace, waving farewell to them.

 

“Until the next time, Uncle Tommy,” he whispered – and he waved back.

 

 

Epilogue:  Nine Years Later

 

The Gang of Three, as they now jokingly called themselves, turned the key and walked into the house on Suncrest Drive. Everything looked the same, but it now felt empty and desolate.

 

Andrew spoke quietly. “It was a beautiful service. I have to write a letter of thanks to the Premier for arranging the honour guard, and to the President for deferring to her predecessor to give the eulogy. Mikael Groening had known both of them for years, and gave the eulogy at Rich’s funeral, so he was the perfect person to speak about Tommy, as well.”

 

Markus and Henrik hugged him, holding him close. They’d all loved Tommy, no question, but his presence in Andrew’s life went back the farthest, and it was not surprising that Andrew was feeling the loss most acutely. He’d been notified from the hospital in Portavedra that Tommy had died, swiftly and without pain. Fittingly, he had suffered a massive heart attack while doing what he had loved all his life grinding out laps in the community pool with his usual energy. The three of them all felt it was the most perfect end possible – quite literally, Tommy had died with his speedos on. And how many 81-year-old men could say as much?

 

A few hours later, there had come a second phone call from a lawyer, informing Andrew that he was designated as Tommy’s executor. He had packed a bag and flown to Alcantara the next day, while Markus and Henrik had followed a few days later, well in time for the funeral. They’d hugged and held each other through numerous bouts of tears, and through laughing reminiscences of their remarkable uncle.

 

On arriving in Portavedra, Andrew had wasted no time getting his status as executor certified. He was then able to claim Tommy’s personal belongings from the hospital, including the keys to the house. The lawyer had informed Andrew that a small note attached to the original of the will informed him that a longer personal letter would be found on the copy of the will in Tommy’s desk. The three of them decided to postpone visiting the house until after the funeral.

 

Now, they were here. Markus and Henrik headed for the kitchen and busied themselves whipping up an improvised meal out of the contents of the freezer, while Andrew headed into the study and began going into Tommy’s desk. It took him no time at all. The will, with the letter attached, was right in the centre drawer, resting on a padded brown paper envelope, thick and weighty.

 

He looked at the envelope first. On it were prominently printed these words:

 

This envelope is NOT to be opened. It is to be delivered intact to the administrative offices of the Alcantaran Museums, in Dunnatore Hall, and retained securely there. It is not to be opened under any circumstances until after the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of my death which occurred on _________________________.

 

Andrew filled in the date of Tommy’s death, “November 17, 2061.” Underneath it he added, “November 17, 2111.” He then set the envelope aside. He would deliver it to the museum offices later.

 

Now he took up the hand-written letter on the will. He read it through once, then again, and started a third time, when he realized that the writing was growing blurry. He dropped it and just sat there, the tears pouring freely down his face. Markus came in, found Andrew crying his eyes out, and knelt down, wrapping his arms around Andrew who dropped his head onto Markus’ shoulder. A moment later, Henrik joined them. He placed his arms across both of their shoulders, as they all wept for the loss of the kind man who had loved and encouraged them all, and who had helped them to find their way into the triad relationship which still nourished and sustained all three of them.

 

At last, Andrew cried himself out. Markus helped him up, and said, “Come on, let’s eat lunch. We can do this part later.”

 

Over lunch, the mood became positively hilarious as they popped open a bottle of champagne from the wine cellar, and reminisced about Tommy’s wicked sense of humour, his snarky remarks about their noisy sexual antics, and the way he’d bought Henrik his first speedo to save himself the hassle of trying to undress Henrik with his eyes through the baggy board shorts he used to wear.

 

After lunch, when they were all feeling better, Andrew got the papers from the study and sat down with Markus and Henrik, then read them the letter. It was dated barely a month earlier.

 

“My dear, dear Andrew, Markus, and Henrik,

 

“I know that my time is coming, although the doctor keeps hemming and hawing. I’m ready. I’m not afraid. I’ve had a long and full life, including all of my many years with Rich. Next to him, the biggest joy of my life has been the time I’ve been able to spend with the three of you, here or in Vancouver, over the last decade. I could have died of loneliness after Rich had gone, but there was no way you were going to let that happen. I am so grateful to you all.

 

“You three are the only family I have left. My parents are long gone, of course, and my younger brother died childless. In the old days, this would have been the tragedy of all tragedies to a Japanese man, to see the end of the family name, but I now know better. It’s the family heart that matters, and the heart and soul that Rich and I nurtured lives on strongly, in all of you.

 

“As always, the will is full to the brim with technical legalese crap (which Rich would have just loved, being a lawyer!). Put simply, there is a bequest of a million dollars to the university to establish the Tomoyoshi/Dunnatore Memorial Scholarships (Hah! Finally, I get to go before Rich!). The remainder of the estate, including the house, passes to Andrew, for legality and simplicity’s sake. This letter, though, is to make sure you all understand that it is a bequest to the three of you as a family unit.

 

“You may be shocked at the size of the estate, but you should know that your Uncle Rich was the son of a wealthy man, as well as being a substantial earner as a lawyer in his own right and a lifelong shrewd investor. My salary from the university and a bequest from my parents didn’t do any harm either.

 

“Along with the will, I am enclosing a two-month-old valuation of the house. This remains valid for twelve months as an estate document, so will hopefully serve you for that purpose too.

 

“I hope this bequest will allow you not only to live your lives as you wish, without money worries, but also to give substantial support to such community causes as you feel are important to you.

 

“With all my love to all three of you,

 

“Uncle Tommy.”

 

They sat in silence. Then Andrew picked up his champagne flute, which he’d brought from the lunch table. “Here’s to our Uncle Tommy, a man who gave us the best of himself every year while he was alive. He’s treated us royally in his will, but that is the least of the gifts he’s given us. To Uncle Tommy!”

 

They all drank the toast. Then Andrew, all business, gathered up the papers and said, “I’ll take this stuff down to the lawyer’s office tomorrow. I’m planning to appoint them as trustees to administer the estate, so I don’t have to stay here for weeks on end to do it myself. After that, I guess I should go to a realtor to start the process of selling the house for us. Any questions?”

 

Henrik asked simply, “Why?”

 

“Why what?”

 

“Why sell the house? Think about it, Andrew. We’re going to be very wealthy men, by any standard. You already own our condo in Vancouver outright. Once the estate is completed, you’re going to be a dual landowner. Why not take advantage of both? Think of the benefits: we can come and go as we please, no worries about hotel availability. We can stay here as long as we like, up to six months at a time. Summer in Vancouver, winter in Alcantara, friends and social life in both places. What’s not to like about that?”

 

Andrew looked thoughtful; it was plain that this possibility hadn’t occurred to him.

 

Markus, though, wasn’t quite so sure. “What about work for you, though, Henrik? It’s all very well for the two of us. Andrew is self-employed and works mostly online now, I’m working part-time, and we’re both getting closer to retirement age anyway, but you’ve got a while longer to go.”

 

Henrik chuckled. “I already covered that. The last time we were here, in February, I went one day to the hospital and talked my way through to the head of therapy services. She told me that they always have to scramble if one of their regulars gets injured or ill, or to cover holiday periods. They’ve sometimes had to fly in casual therapy workers from the U.S.A., from Canada, even from Europe. Having a qualified therapist here for months at a time, ready and willing to work on a short term or casual basis would be a godsend for them. And I’m sure I can do the same thing in Vancouver, using my time there to keep my qualifications current.”

 

Andrew slowly smiled. “I’m impressed, Henrik. You’re more foresighted than I am. It’s pretty obvious to see that you’re on board with the idea of keeping the house. Markus?”

 

“Oh, I am too. I just wondered how that would work for Henrik. I’d love to still have this place for us, with all of its special memories.”

 

“And new memories still to be made here, too,” Henrik added.

 

Andrew chuckled. “Okay, then. It’s unanimous. We keep the house – and the condo. And we commit to the life of three jet-setting gayboys, continually whipping back and forth without a care in the world.”

 

They all laughed and hugged each other happily. Then Henrik said, “Come on! Let’s seal the deal with a swim!”

 

Andrew intervened. “Henrik, for now the house is the property of the estate. It isn’t ours yet. Legally, we aren’t entitled to use it.”

 

Markus put in the last word. “Fuck legality! Let’s go for it! Skinny dip!!!” In no time, he tore off his clothes, dashed outside, and leaped into the pool with Henrik and Andrew hot on his heels, the three of them joyfully plunging naked into the water in broad daylight.

 

*************************

 

For anyone who's read and enjoyed this story, but missed the previous chapters, you can also find the story of Rich and Tommy in this forum. It's called "Affairs of State."

[negchaserlooking]

Thank you for this wonderful story @daddybear54. Loved it. Cannot remember if I have read "Affairs of State" but I must have a look. Awesome.

[daddybear54]

2 hours ago, negchaserlooking said:

Thank you for this wonderful story @daddybear54. Loved it. Cannot remember if I have read "Affairs of State" but I must have a look. Awesome.

@negchaserlooking Thank you so much for the compliment. I've really enjoyed writing these two interwoven stories. I'm glad you liked reading this one so much.

[PG1961Canada]

Another fine effort @daddybear54... a love story with plenty of hot sex..... and lots of twists and turns.  Nice job brother! Thanks

[daddybear54]

1 hour ago, PG1961Canada said:

Another fine effort @daddybear54... a love story with plenty of hot sex..... and lots of twists and turns.  Nice job brother! Thanks

Thanks very much, @PG1961Canada. That one was especially fun to write because I had no idea what all the twists and turns were going to be when I began. They just kept coming up out of nowhere by themselves!

[austin_submale]

Wow!  Nice story...  What a lot of great work!
 

[daddybear54]

1 hour ago, austin_submale said:

Wow!  Nice story...  What a lot of great work!
 

Thanks, @austin_submale -- appreciate the feedback!

[austin_submale]

2 minutes ago, daddybear54 said:

Thanks, @austin_submale -- appreciate the feedback!

No problem!  I struggle to put that much dialog and detail into a story.  I look at everything I've written and it's all so short.  I need to learn to develop more story line and depth.