It's a beautiful, warm, spring day, a huge relief from the rain-drenched winter. Will is in the park playing with his sons on a blanket spread on the grass. He is seated hunched over his denim clad legs crossed Indian-style so his open, pale blue shirt isn't noticeable.
"Hey, you! Aren't you Will—Will Horton?" Startled, Will looks up at the woman standing on the sidewalk nearby. "I knew it. You're Cry-Baby Horton. You someone's nanny now, taking care of their kids, or is your slut of a mother still pushing them out?" She cackles loudly.
Seared into his memories are the images and voices of his childhood bullies. All the slightly older kids who made his life wretched at Salem Elementary School. "Beverly Mason, who gleefully made fun of me on the bus to and from school." As a child, Beverly was chunky with short, curly, dung-brown hair. The adult Beverly is enormous with long, stringy hair dyed a bright olive-green. Will also spies the pale mark of a newly absent wedding ring.
He jumps up and his shirt-tail is caught up in a breeze, exposing his sculpted, masculine chest. Beverly's eyes bulge as her jaw drops. "Beverly Mason, I barely recognized you. No, I do have three siblings, but these two are mine. I'm married and we adopted them. You might remember my husband as a lot of you girls found him quite charming back then. I am William Horton-Kiriakis and my husband is Jackson. I am not a nanny but I've earned quite a bit as W. Robert Horton, the author of the Paranormal Detective book series."
A loud duet of "Daddy!" reminds Will of his priorities.
"Sorry, my children want me. Have a nice day, Beverly." He eagerly returns to his boys without looking back at Beverly trudging away.
"Got that paperwork done in record time. Maybe I should pick up lunch before going home to Will, Jeremy, and Jason."
He's turning toward the employee doors when he hears a cheerful voice. "Hey, Sonny! How are you doing, little bro?"
Both Sonny's eyes and smile sparkle brightly as he embraces his half-brother Alexander Kiriakis. "Alex, what brings you to Club Dionysus so early?"
"I need to talk to Dad and Adrienne tonight, but I really want to talk with you first."
"Uh-huh. Is this about your new modeling career?" He lifts his brother's chin to put more light on his face. "Or does it have something to do with the fact that you're wearing mascara and strawberry/watermelon lip gloss when not working?"
"Something related to both, actually. I should've known you'd know about my modeling. But how can you tell so easily about my make-up? I tried to be subtle."
"Seriously? I've been to drag shows all over the world. Before we talk, do you think you could talk to Vic? Joe and I are concerned about his drinking, but he doesn't respect us as much as he does you."
"Sure. Where can I find him?"
"He will be here any minute. I've got to go. Come on over to my house for that talk. Okay?"
"Okay."
Alex goes to the restroom and spots his brother Vic when he returns. He orders a Bloody Mary at the bar and strides for Vic's table. "Hey there. May I join you?"
"Alex, what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to have a discussion with Sonny before the family dinner tonight, but he was in a hurry."
Vic looks puzzled. "You want to talk with our baby brother Sonny?"
"Dude, our baby brother has it all together. Certainly better than you or I, although it seems Joe. isn't far behind him. Sonny has his own business. He's happily married and is a proud papa. He has everything he's always wanted. Even Joey has a fiancee now."
Vic responds sourly, "Yeah, that." He takes a sip from his glass.
"What are you drinking? You usually stick to the dark liquors."
Vic looks down at his glass. "Now, I know why you're talking to me before Sonny. This happens to be sparkling water with lime and mint."
"You don't really have a drinking problem, then?"
"No. I was using liquor to escape heartache. But when I realized it was taking a hold of me, I started changing."
"Vic, I think you and I should both talk to Sonny before having dinner with the family."
Opening the door, Sonny is surprised to see two brothers standing there. "Alex. Vic. Please come in."
In the great room, Will is on the floor with Jason and Jeremy. The twins giggle as their uncles take seats on a couch. Sonny serves the adults flavored, carbonated water, so they don't ruin their appetites.
Vic decides to divulge first. "I was dating a woman. I was falling fast, already planning to propose. Then I found out that she was still sleeping with her ex-husband. I called it off and started drinking to numb the pain and try to forget her. When I realized how much time I was spending on drinking, I decided to change."
"Yeah. While Vic and I were talking at the club, he only drank water with lime and mint."
Vic shrugs and looks away for a moment. "Truthfully, I did have a splash of Kahlua in my morning coffee."
Still on the floor, Will rests his back against the chair Sonny is sitting in. "You were simply nursing a broken heart and you let it get a little out of hand." Vic nods his head slowly. "Alex, I am impressed by how well you've applied your eyeshadow."
Sonny abruptly leans forward. "Eyeshadow? I didn't pick up on that."
"It nearly matches his skin tone and he's blended it masterfully."
"Okay. Sonny has seen a lot of drag shows. How can you tell so easily, Will?"
"Mom and EJ are executives of a cosmetics company, Alex. I've seen all kinds of make-up worn by all sorts of people."
Alex sits back and drinks some water, deep in thought. "I guess it is my time. I've had years to think about this and have only recently come to accept it. While I don't mind seeing women socially, I have no desire to go any further than that. And I have no interest in guys."
Sonny sits back in his chair. "You are Ace."
Alex looks baffled. "What?"
Will smiles and leans over to pat Alex's knee. "Acr is short for asexual. You have little or no desire for physical intimacy. I'd say you're ace with a touch of gender fluidity."
Alex presses his lips into a thin line as he thinks about that. "Gender fluid for a bit of make-up? That might be stretching it."
Vic grabs Alex's nearest shoulder. "Wait a minute! You've been engaged several times."
Alex rolls his eyes. "Did you ever meet any of them? All lies."
"Well. Since none of my brothers are involved with murder or are being blackmailed, I'd say it it was time to go to the mansion."
Vic chuckles wryly. "We'll have more to discuss than Joey's engagement."
~SCENE 2~
"It was so nice of Grandma Marlena to take the boys for a few hours. I can enjoy this fine weather, people watch here in the square, and work on my book. Now, back to Saundra the vampire betraying a coven of witches."
About twenty minutes later, Will hears a masculine, "Ahem." He looks up to see his in-laws observing him with concern in their eyes. "Will, we need to talk with you."
Will saves his work and closes his laptop. "Sure. Have a seat." He gestures to the settee opposite his. "Is there something wrong?"
Adrienne gazes at her fingernails before rubbing her left hand. "It's about dinner the other night. After what Alex told us, we thought we understood."
Justin rub his right temple. After that, the conversation turned into a discussion of all those terms we never knew existed. Let's see . . . cis, gender queer, heteronormative. We did look them up but we found ourselves wondering more about my eldest son."
"We want to understand who Alex is without being offensive."
"So, you came to your gay son's husband." Will smiles broadly. "All right. Alex doesn't mind dating women, but he has little inclination toward sex."
"So, Alex well never experience making love to somebody?" Justin leans in.
"He's had sex a couple of times. For him, it's not much different than what he can do by himself. Alex sees it as a task that must be done occasionally, like cleaning house just more pleasurable." Will looks at the odd expression on his father-in-law's face. "Justin, he's happy just the way he is. He came out to you the other night much the same way Sonny came out to you at fifteen. Right?"
Both look suddenly relieved as they both respond, "You're right. He's Alex."
Later on, the square begins to get a little busy, too much for Will to concentrate. He chooses to return home to use the sunny patio. Quickly undressing, Will pulls from the dresser an item of clothing he has yet to wear and Sonny doesn't know he bought. "Sonny looks so hot in those old speedos, I want to see how I look in a pair." He slips on the very brief garment which is white on the right and royal-blue on the left. Will does a cat-walk style turn in front of the full-length. closet mirror. "Huh. Really hugs my ass, but holds me pretty securely up front. I could actually go swimming in this." He adjusts the front of his speedos and does a stripper-like body roll. "I wonder what Sonny's reaction will be? I hope it's to take them off me." Will smiles mischievously.
Will settles in a lounge chair with a glass of iced tea and a cheese and fruit plate nearby. The coven of witches in his story have finally unleashed their curse on Saundra. Will's fingers pause when he hears a car-door slam shut on the other side of the house. Hearing Sonny call his name from the kitchen, Will shouts, "I'm on the patio. You're home early."
"The meeting was over more quickly than anticipated and the inspections were a total success." Will gets up from his chair to pour himself more tea. As he does so, he also pulls the speedo back around his butt-cheeks. When he turns back to Sonny, he takes a sip of tea while cold condensation from his glass drips down his torso making his stomach muscles contract in a gasp. "My god, Will. What are you wearing?"
Will makes a show of straddling the lounge chair before sitting down. "Your speedos looks so good on you, I thought I'd get a pair. How do I look, my heart?"
"You look incredibly hot, babe!" Sonny sits astride Will's thighs. Nearly of their volition, Sonny's hands start caressing Will's torso. Long, nimble fingers splay across the mounds of Will's pectoral muscles. Sonny massages them, making Will shudder. Sonny brushes across his husband's nipples which causes Will to whimper. Continuing down the torso, Sonny kneads the subtle contours of Will's abdominal muscles.
When Sonny's hands reach Will's waist, Will stops them and locks cobalt-blue eyes with espresso-brown eyes. Will's eyes briefly flicker to Sonny's chest and nods his head. Sonny smiles brightly as he crosses his arms in front of his chest and lifts off his club polo. The very sight of his bare-chested husband forces Will to moan deeply. Sonny looks down at Will's speedo and his eyes sparkle as his smile widens, The garment can no longer retain Will's swelling manhood. Gently leaning forward, Sonny kisses and licks his way down the center of Will's chest. This act has Will breathing heavily and whimpering often. When Sonny's tongue rasps along Will's thick length, Will moans out his husband's name. In one smooth action, Sonny stretches up to claim Will's lips in a double smooch. He whispers hoarsely, "Will, I need you to make love to me."
~SCENE 3~
Henderson leads Will to a large bay window overlooking the patio and pool. Adrienne has set up her office there since she and Jennifer are working on making The Salem Spectator a viable online newspaper.
"Hi, Adrienne. You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Will. Do you still do interview requests?"
"Yes, if the subject interests me enough."
"I think you'll be very interested in this. We have a gentleman who has been a career politician most notably vocal against LGBT Rights. Since his retirement however, he's done a one-eighty and is now speaking openly in support of LGBTQIA Rights. He wants to give us an interview and has specifically requested a gay reporter. Would you be interested?"
"Yes, very much."
The interview is set up for three days later in the politician's hometown and Will enters the designated meeting place, a country/western bar that is still quite empty since it's early afternoon. Will approaches an older man seated in a booth. "Hello. I am Will Horton-Kiriakis. Are you Patrick Harrison?" They shake hands and Will joins him in the booth and sets up his materials.
"Please call me Patrick. May I call you Will?" Will nods and smiles.
Holding up a small device, Will asks, "Do you mind if I record this? I don't want to lose any detail by writing out all my notes."
Patrick smiles. "You may. I recognize the Kiriakis name, of course, but the Horton seems familiar, too and recently."
"I also write under the name W. Robert Horton. Have you heard of the Paranormal Detective series?"
Patrick's smile grows wider. "Oh, yes. Your books have caused quite a stir around here with its gay romance and supernatural crime themes. Yes, Will, I definitely want to do this interview with you." Patrick speaks at length about his childhood and his career focus on being vehemently anti-LGBT.
"But you had no religious motivation?"
"No. I was taught at an early age that all that merely wasn't right. That all of you needed help of one kind or another."
"Okay. What's changed?"
"The changes made as time passes. My children grew up with gay friends and never understood my stance. I lost my wife to cancer twelve years ago and found out that she alone kept our family together. My kids have drifted away from me. My only granddaughter wants nothing to do with me. She says that the only trouble she had growing up gay was what she got from me. I thought I was trying to help her , but I was the only one doing her harm." Mr. Harrison takes a shaky breath and dabs at his eyes with a handkerchief. Will reaches across the table to grasp one of his forearms and nods in encouragement. Patrick bows his head to continue. "Three months ago, my granddaughter and her partner—no—wife had a child, my first great-grandchild. I am not allowed to see him. Will, it took losing my family to make me see how wrong I've been all along. I am about to start speaking engagements at high schools and colleges in support of Equal Rights for All."
They converse for a while longer before Mr. Harrison excuses himself to leave for another appointment. As Will begins to gather his stuff, he notices that Patrick has left his phone behind. Will picks it up and runs for the door.
Right as Will is about to call is name outside the door, two gunshots ring out from a passing car. Mr. Harrison is down on the sidewalk, bleeding from two chest wounds. After calling 911 for an ambulance, Will starts scrolling through Patrick's contact list.
Will spends hours in the waiting room, hoping a certain member of Patrick's family shows up. Sonny had felt Will's shock, fright, and worry over the shooting, so Will spent some time on the phone trying to calm his husband down. Next, Will worked on his article which is nearly finished save for whether or not Patrick Harrison lives.
"Excuse me. Are you Will Horton-Kiriakis?" Standing before him is a petite blonde, her hair caught up in a ponytail and wearing a white blouse with pale blue slacks. She's carrying an infant. Standing next to her is a taller brunette in a dark blue blouse and red capri pants.
"Yes, I am. Are you Audrey?"
"Yes, I am." She gestures to the other woman. "This is my wife Vicky. Thank you so much for calling me and explaining everything. I had no idea that Granddaddy had changed so much. Have you heard anything?"
Will shakes his head. "They can't tell me. I'm not family."
The two women inquire at the information desk. Audrey is given directions and leaves the Emergency Room. Vicky turns back to Will. "He'll recover. He's in a private room sleeping. We did call the rest of the family and they will all come when they can. Thank you, again." After a brief hug, Vicky leaves to join her wife.
Will returns to his laptop to finish his article. He sends it to Adrienne and leaves the hospital with a satisfied grin.
~SCENE 4~
Both Will and Sonny are striding through Horton Town Square. Will is wearing a lavender polo and gray slacks while Sonny wears a royal-blue polo and beige slacks.
"What do you suppose this Ferguson guy wants, Sonny?"
"You read the same letter I did. He wants to meet with both of us to extend an offer he thinks we'd both appreciate."
"There he is." Will points toward a man seated at a table near the decorative wall of flames. He's sitting with his back to them and is working on a Tablet.
They both address the man. "Mr. Ferguson?"
The man stands and turns around with a huge smile on his face. "Will. Sonny. I'm so happy to see you again."
The couple looks very surprised. Sonny looks the man over. He has short, curly, blond hair and slim, silver-framed glasses on his nose. He wears a blue dress-shirt, a blue and gold striped necktie and brown slacks. "I'm sorry. Do we know you?" Sonny stares suspiciously.
Mr Ferguson affects a pout. "Aw, I thought I made a greater impression on you. It was at Salem U." He turns his gaze on Will. "I came onto you a couple of times quite strongly. Shall I give you my number so you can put it in the fire?" He waves at the blue flames.
Will's grin stretches across his face. "Glen." The three men laugh and hug each other. Then, they all take a seat a Glen's table. "Well, guys. I work for the city and I'm on the Pride Festival Committee. At a recent meeting your names came up-"
"Our names? Why would our names come up?"
"Are you serious, Sonny? You are the first married gay couple in the county. You co-own a nightclub here in Salem and its counterpart in the city, as well as a string of coffeehouses across the state. Will is a best selling author of a book series that has crossed several genres. Will, you are also a major sponsor of what is now the Rainbow Retreat for Queer Youth. Not to mention that both your families are well connected. You two are a young, gay, Super Couple!" Will looks shocked and Sonny seems impressed. Sonny's right hand joins Will's left hand on the table. "I told the committee that I was . . . acquainted with you and I was asked to make the offer."
"What offer, Glen?"
"Would you and Sonny be willing to be our Grand Marshalls for Pride Fest?"
"Neither of us has attended a Pride Fest. What would we be doing?"
"Primarily, you two would ride lead car in the parade. You would also be interviewed by the local media and be judges in some events. Finally, you would be taken on a tour of the Rainbow Retreat house."
Sonny locks eyes with Will as smiles break out on their faces. Will shakes hands with Glen. "Sounds like fun. We'd be happy to be your Grand Marshalls."
TBC
