Pretend You're Someone Else (Chap. 10)

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ID: 1727540   (Rated: 18+) Pretend You're Someone Else  A man hides a secret from his family and has no clue that his son has the same secret. by KAT26/Adrian--Published!

The chapter you're about to read mentions in great detail m/m sex. If this bothers you please don't read it. Thank you.

Part One

Chapter Ten

May-1992

Avoy, Georgia

"It's like you never left me! I love you so much!"

         Peter opened his eyes to see the most unusual sight standing beside his bed. Believing himself to still be dreaming, he watched his best friend Robert twist open a bottle of medicine, shake out two pills, and then drop them on the bedside table next to a glass of water.

         "So, you're the one who has been taking care of me these past two days."

         Robert jumped in surprise; his hand on his chest in shock. "Peter," he gasped. "You scared me!"

         Still dazed, Peter blinked twice and croaked, "I found the food and medicine. I thought Erich was taking care of me."

         Laughing a little, Robert turned and headed towards the bedroom door. Peter rolled over so he could follow him. Once he got there, Robert paused and replied, "Erich and Paul are...I mean...they have been staying at my house since..." He trailed off, and looked over at Peter.

         Smiling in confusion, Peter found himself to be in complete disarray from being asleep for a long period of time. He didn't remember much from that night. After Robert broke the kiss, the two of them walked silently out of the hospital with their two kids following behind. From the exchange Erich gave to Paul, his son knew that it wasn't the first time their parents have kissed each other. So much passion was behind it, everyone could tell that the two men knew exactly what they were doing.

         Seeing Georgina laying so lifeless, so beaten-up in a coma, Peter knew he had been severely punished for the incident involving Stacey. Distraught, and beyond confused when Robert walked in his daughter's room, he saw Frankie; which happened to be the nickname Peter used for his boyfriend in high school...back when they didn't want anyone to know. Back when they were too ashamed to let anyone know.

         After the searing kiss, Robert whispered, "Let's go home...we all need to rest." He didn't recall the car ride home, or climbing into bed afterwards. The hours passed. The days consisted of sleep, eat, brush teeth, return to bed. Every time Peter awoke he found food waiting for him on the bedside table. He assumed Erich was taking care of him. It never crossed his mind that Robert would stay.

         Waking up to see his friend standing in his bedroom, felt like he had awoken from a deep sleep. The room seemed a little...brighter, crystal clear, and remarkable. He felt as if he had risen from a deep ocean. Peter knew he had been "asleep" for a long time. Kissing Robert in the hospital room, and then seeing him first thing when he opened his eyes somehow brought him to surface.

         Robert still stood by the door, one hand grasping the knob; he seemed to be studying his bare feet.

         "Where have you been sleeping?" Peter asked with a smile.

         Robert's face turned slightly red at the sudden realization. "U mm," he stammered. "The blue and white decorated bedroom."

         Peter burst out laughing, and pulled himself up onto the mountain of pillows. "You're staying in Joy's old room!"

         Robert's face seemed to brighten at this. He blinked his long black eyelashes in surprise. "The two of you never slept together?"

         Peter snorted. "Only once during our entire marriage," he answered with a stretch and a yawn, laughing to himself as Robert repeated the gesture. Feeling much better he continued, "Georgina came along nine months later. What can I say? I just returned from celebrating my birthday and I was extremely intoxicated."

         Peter watched as Robert giggled; a feeling of nostalgia coursed through his body. It had been a long time since the two of them laughed together in this way.

         Robert seemed to tighten his grip. "Well," he trailed off. "Since you're fully awake now, I guess I'll pack my stuff and head home."

         Peter bounced back into a sitting position. "No, stay!"

         He could see the look of surprise flash across his friend's face. "You want me to stay?"

         "Well, you have your stuff, why not?" Peter replied with a slight shrug, and then added. "I also want to know how Erich is doing."

         Robert slowly took his hand off the doorknob. "My stuff is here. The boys brought over a suitcase."

         "I guess I missed it," Peter muttered, his eyes still on Robert.

         His friend slowly traced the grain pattern on the door with his fingertips. He looked nervous.

         "Peter, I..."he stammered.

         "Go on, it's alright."

         "I'm sorry about what happened, I mean the hospital and all."

         Once Robert trailed off, Peter looked him over. His friend seemed nervous and slightly shaken.

         "Its fine. Georgina will recover. Her evil mother may have brainwashed her for fourteen-years, but she has the ability to survive in her blood. It comes from my side of the family. My father's parents were Irish immigrants, and my mother's relatives are Cherokee Indian. Erich and Georgina may have their mother's manipulative blood, but thankfully they also possess my family's gene.

         Robert looked as if he wanted to say something, but quickly changed his mind. A few seconds of silence passed. Peter watched his friend nervously brush a lock of hair from across his forehead, and moved to tuck it behind his ear. His hair looked to be full of knots, like it hadn't been brushed it days. It suddenly dawned on Peter that Robert had apologized about the kiss, and not Georgina's condition.

         A serene look passed over Robert's face. Peter knew he was thinking about Georgina. He knew his daughter would survive. She wanted her father to be happy, and the hug she gave him the night of the accident proved that. It had to be done, Peter deserved the right to be happy, even if he was being punished for all the horrible things he did as a teenager. He had to make right, Georgina's life depended on it.

         Glancing at the bedside clock, he saw that it was only eight. Turning back to Robert, he caught his friend staring at him; a look of worry in his eyes.

         "Come sit on the bed with me, and tell me how Erich is doing."

         Peter could see his friend's face light-up in surprise. Blinking several times, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard, Robert slowly walked over to the bed, smoothed out an invisible wrinkle, and sat down near the foot board.

         "Well," he said, raising his eyes to meet Peter's.

         "Go on."

         With a deep breath, Robert closed his eyes, and began. "The night of the...the night I took Erich home nothing was said during the car ride. The usual short distance felt ongoing. I remember glancing in the rear view mirror to check on the boys. Erich had fallen asleep on Paul's shoulder. It amazed me how open they were with each other, and then I understand they were always this close with one another. I just never noticed before."

         Peter swallowed a lump in his throat as Robert paused once again to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear; a nervous habit of his. His friend started damaging his hair back when they were around fourteen; the summer before their freshman year. Peter remembered the trauma that caused him to start pulling out his hair, but he was getting ahead of himself.

         "Do you want me to keep going?" Robert asked. "If this is too painful for you, I'll stop."

         "Only if you feel like you can't go on."

         Robert nodded, and continued. "When we arrived at my house, the boys went immediately up to Paul's room. I retired to the main living room and poured myself a glass of brandy. I knew sleep was far from happening. For about an hour I just sat there, my mind repeating the events on a continuous loop. History had repeated itself, and our past had come back at us through our children."

         Peter gasped in shock. It was the first time either one of them had announced the similarities between their childhood in the seventies, and the obvious fact that Erich and Paul were dating each other.

         Robert looked to be on the verge of crying. He kept twisting a lock of hair around his fingers, tugging it, and swirling it into knots. Peter had witnessed his friend in this state twice before. The first time happened to be the aftermath of a horrible experience he had with a friend of his father's during a vacation to Italy. The other was when Peter cruelly ended their relationship at May's Dinner, when he arrogantly told him about Joy. The Italy tragedy caused Robert's life-long obsession of playing with his hair when he became nervous. The more skittish he became, the more he damaged his hair. Funny, before this took place, his friend was obsessed with keeping his hair perfect.

         Robert seemed frozen in place at the end of the bed. His feet were drawn up to his chest; his long fingers already curled in his hair, twisting and pulling it into knots. There was no doubt in Peter's mind, his friend was reliving those two awful times in his life. He knew he had to do something. Pushing away every negative thought, he whispered, "Come over and sit down next to me."

         Without a pause, Robert uncrossed his legs and crawled over to Peter where he promptly laid down next to him, resting his head on the pillows.

         "Are you alright?" He watched his friend slowly shut his eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the flow of tears.

         "Give me a minute and I'll finish my story."

         "Don't worry about it, Erich will tell me if he desires. I should have never asked you."

         He could see Robert brushing away the water from his eyes. Cracking one open, he rested his gaze on the ceiling, and whispered, "Erich is doing wonderful and so is Paul, our children are much braver than us."

         "That's for sure."

         He watched Robert close his eyes and settle down into the feather pillows. Seventeen-years had slowly passed since his former boyfriend had fallen asleep next to him. When they were teenagers the two of them usually spent their nights at Robert's house. Peter's parents were always home, and ever since the Italy incident Robert's parents were off vacationing, leaving their son in the company of the housekeepers. The reason why his friend's parents vacationed all year long was quite simple; they were ashamed of what happened to their son in Italy. Being around Robert made them feel guilty. They couldn't exactly send their son off somewhere, and he was too young to live on his own, so they left him in care of the servants. His parents actually believed leaving their son would erase the horrible memories of what happened to him at that hotel in Rome when he was fourteen.

         Peter hated his friend's parents. How could they allow their only child to endure such pain and torture that night? There was never an apology; instead the two of them abandoned him in Avoy with an official housekeeper. They knew being around their son would cause too much guilt. What confused Peter the most? Robert did the exact same thing to his son. Thankfully, Paul never suffered anything as horrifying as what his father went through, but why was he left alone?

         When Peter and Robert were growing up they had each other for company, much like Paul had Erich. He took his friend in after finding out about the abuse in Rome, and up until their senior year in high school he never left him.

         Peter remembered that night all too well, when he had to break his boyfriend's heart by telling him that he had gotten Joy pregnant. Frankie responded much like anyone else would have by screaming, crying and pleading: "Please Peter make her get an abortion! Please! I can't leave you! I love you, I need you!"

         In response to his boyfriend's crying Peter covered up his own guilt much like what Robert's parents did. After making several sarcastic comments, Peter had to be the bigger man; he quietly stood up from his seat at the diner and walked out, never looking back.

         His own father had called him white-trash because of Joy's pregnancy, but Peter knew he was wrong. Joy's unplanned pregnancy didn't make him white-trash, it was the horrible way he ended his relationship with Frankie that made him exactly what his father always feared he would turn out to be.

         Glancing down at Robert he knew his friend was still awake, but pretending to sleep. He was obviously too afraid to talk.

         With the guilt of the way he treated Robert in the past still fresh in his mind, Peter now knew he had taken it out on his children. Blindly he ignored Erich and Paul's relationship, even when all the signs were there. Ashamed by his former-self, Peter hit his son upon discovering him in the middle of a make-out session with Paul. The entire scene had brought up too many painful memories of his own past with Robert.

         Then there was Georgina. Peter had to be honest with himself, he never wanted her the way he wanted Erich. He came home drunk the night she was conceived. Confused and totally bewildered, he jumped into bed with Joy, repeating Robert's name over, and over. The following day his wife knew his secret and the blackmail plot was instantly put into action.

         "I get to do whatever I want and sleep with whomever I please, or I will gladly tell everyone in town that my husband, Erich Anderson loves to fuck other men."

         Like the coward he was, Peter allowed her to do as she wished. Two months later Joy discovered she was pregnant, and the blackmail turned into public ridicule or she would get an abortion. Just like before he quietly stepped back, and agreed to her evil deeds. He refused to let anyone know his secret, and now he wouldn't allow her to have an abortion, even though he never wanted his daughter. After the recent events in his life, Peter came to the realization that he had been punished for thinking these thoughts.

         Erich turned out to be just like his father, and Georgina lay in a coma. God was punishing him through his children.

         "Robert," Peter whispered his voice full of concern.

         "H mm?"

         "Robert, was I a good father to my children?"

         Peter watched his friend blink his eyes in shock. "Are you serious?" Robert called back in disbelief. "You practically raised my son alongside yours while I left to do God knows what. If anyone is to blame, it's me. Do you want to know why I traveled so much? I missed you. I missed the times we use to have growing-up together, and I couldn't stand to see you trapped in a staged marriage, so I left. I knew Paul would be taken care of. I thought everything would turn out for the best. How could I have known that our children would fall in love with each other like we did?"

         Robert closed his eyes, and turned his back to Peter. Dead silence filled the room. Thinking over what his friend just said, he understood Robert's coming to terms about their kids, but the reason why he chose to travel three-to-five months out of the year was because the pain of being around Peter happened to be too much to handle. Did Peter really hurt his ex-boyfriend that much when he had no choice but to break-up with him? He figured Robert would eventually get-over the argument, after all they were seventeen when it happened.

         As if his friend could read his thoughts, Robert rolled back over. Licking his lips, he whispered, "I love you, Peter. I loved you then, and I still love you today. I know that the two of us will never be together again, but I still love you and I always will."

         Peter felt his throat close-up, he knew what was coming.

         "Remember when we were fourteen and you swore that you would never leave me?" Robert continued. "I was raped by a male friend of my parent's on a vacation in Rome. Once we returned to Avoy I tried desperately to hide it from you, but you discovered the bruises and vowed to one day hunt down, and kill the eighteen-year-old kid who attacked me. From that moment forward we fell in love and secretly dated. I told you my middle name was Francis and you referred to me as Frankie, so nobody would figure us out.

         One day your horrible father made a sarcastic comment about noticing that you were almost eighteen and still single. If only he knew that we had been dating since our freshman year.

         My God, Peter you were so upset that you immediately decided to create a list of the most vulnerable girls in school. At the top was Stacy; a girl nobody ever understood, or was too ashamed to get to know. She was perfect for our plan. You would use her and pretend to date her in hopes of fooling your father."

         Once again, Robert paused to shake his head. "I feel so bad about what we did. If we were anything like our children...we should have just told everyone...I mean..."

         Peter reached over to brush his friend's hair behind his ear before he could damage it. The nervous habit started the day they were fourteen and curled-up in bed. As Robert confessed to the rape, his fingers immediately tangled themselves up into his hair and from that day on, he noticed that Robert always played with his hair when he became emotionally upset. Sometimes it was so intense that he would accidently twist locks of it into knots and slowly pull out the damaged strands.

         Peter could sense a mini-breakdown coming from his friend. Slowly, he tucked Robert's hair behind his ear, while reaching down to kiss him on the lips. "Don't," he whispered as he watched Robert's fingers begin to tangle into hair.

         Taking his friend's hand, he weaved their fingers together. "I hate it when you destroy your beautiful hair."

         He felt Robert's lips curl-up into a smile as they continued to kiss.

         The bedroom grew darker by the minute. Peter kept kissing Robert harder, and faster, then without warning his friend seemed to pull away.

         Reaching up to brush away moisture from his lips, Robert sighed. "Peter, don't do this to me. I-I can't go through it again."

         Peter lay pondering in confusion. "I don't understand. I don't plan on hurting you again if that's what you believe."

         Robert sniffled a bit, and tried to turn away. Peter caught him, and slowly pulled him back. Running a finger down Frankie's face, he felt tiny droplets of water. Brushing them aside, he waited for his friend to speak.

         "I love you so much," Robert choked out, making no effort to hide the fact that he was crying. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment, or perhaps you do? All I know is that I can't stand to leave you again. If we have sex tonight, tomorrow morning we will be back like we were, and I can't go through it again. The first time it nearly killed me, and I know this time it will."

         "You think I want to leave you," Peter whispered, slowly moving closer. "I love you and I want us to get back together."

         The words hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. By now the room had completely succumbed to darkness. Peter wished he could see Robert's entire face, but all he saw were shapes.

         "You want to get back together?"

         "Yes, yes!" Peter grasped his friend's hand.

         By now the two of them were inched up so close to one another that Peter could feel Robert's breath against his throat. Just like old times. He watched him turn his head, give a small laugh and turn back.

         "Do you know how much you hurt me when we were seventeen? I became so emotionally upset that I traveled to Atlanta to kill myself in that hotel room."

         Peter sunk back into the pillows as Robert's confession seemed to pierce right through him. To his astonishment, his friend leaned forward to kiss him. The deep scent of coffee and sugar filled his nose. Funny how he didn't notice it before.

         As Robert slowly pulled away, Peter moved backwards so his friend could rest his head on his shoulder. It was awhile before he spoke.

         "I was going to drown myself in the bathtub. The whole day leading up to my death was carefully planned out. I went to a disco, but only stayed for thirty-minutes. My idea was to take someone back to the hotel with me for a few hours, but I just couldn't do it. You were the only person I ever loved.

         Finally, I left and my stomach literally saved my life," Robert laughed. "It gave a loud growl. If this ended up being my last night on earth, I might as well eat something before holding my head under water. Outside of the club stood one of those twenty-four hour diners. As I walked across the street, I noticed it looked to be empty inside. Very unusual for a diner this time at night. Once I got in there, I sat down at the barstool closest to the corner, and pretended to be invisible. Five minutes later my waitress arrived. She was young, and My God Peter it was like an angel came down to save me.

         After my order arrived, the two of us began to talk, and she listened to my problems. I told her everything about my break-up with you. She turned out to be a wonderful listener. I stayed until her shift ended, then asked if she wanted to spend the night with me. I wasn't asking for sex, I only wanted someone to talk to. Well, to make a long story short, nine months later Paul came along. I'm sure you always wondered why I named my child after my rapist? I did it as a way of saying I forgive you, and I'm moving on with my life. If I never forgave Paul for hurting me, then his name would haunt me for all eternity. I wanted to give that name to someone I loved, and would love me in return. I did it for the same reason you named Erich after your father--forgiveness."

         Without asking, Peter slid down so that the two men were face to face. Wrapping his arms around Robert's neck, he pressed his lips against his friend's. The all to familiar taste of coffee, and sugar sent shock waves of nostalgia through his body. Robert's tongue slid into Peter's mouth.

         They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. Memories swam through each other. Their bodies found one another--it was like they had never left. Robert finally broke the kiss, falling backwards, pulling Peter on top of him.

         "Dear God," he laughed. "What are Paul and Erich going to say?"

         Kissing his friend on the nose, Peter grabbed him and rolled over so that he was on bottom. If they were going to have sex tonight, he would allow his friend to be the dominate one...just this time.

         "I don't think there is much they can say." He paused, smiled and softly asked, "So, does this mean you want to get back together?"

         He could see his friend's face brighten in the dark. Without hesitation Robert blurred out,"I've been waiting for this moment for eighteen long years, but I sincerely hope that you're not doing this because of Georgina?"

         Trailing a finger down Frankie's unshaven face. Yes, Frankie! Peter whispered, "She wants me to be happy. I also know for a fact that she will wake-up soon."

         A look of sympathy washed over Robert's face. "I'm sure she will, dear."

         Ignoring the forced optimistic tone, Peter continued, "What about Stacey?"

         Robert frowned, settling his hands on each side of Peter's head, lowering himself down on top of him. "What about her?"

         "Do you think she ever forgave me?" He blew a few strands of hair out of Robert's face making him smile.

         "Sweetie," he seemed to purr. "Of course she forgives us. To be honest, Stacey is...I mean from what I remember, a very strong-willed person. Any other girl would have plotted revenge for the terrible prank we played on her, instead she acted like nothing happened and that's why I admire her. With that, I know she forgave us along time ago."

         Slipping his hands under Robert's shirt, Peter skimmed it off and reached up to kiss his boyfriend on the nose. "I hope so."

         They kissed until they couldn't wait anymore. Peter unsnapped Frankie's jeans and slowly pulled them down. Robert had to sit up to kick them, as well as his boxers off. Turning back around, Peter was astonished by how much hair had grown all over his body.

         "Don't get use to it. I may be only thirty-five but it's slowly turning grey."

         "When did you start to become so...hairy?" Peter asked as he reached down to untie his pajama bottoms.

         "Early twenties, I think. Good lord, Peter, I am Italian!"

         Sitting up in bed, he allowed Robert to start unbuttoning his shirt. "Well, I guess I missed out on a lot."

         Once Peter lay naked, his boyfriend had to laugh; his eyes sweeping in such a way that sent shivers down his spine.

         "You're not the only person who missed out. I see you've gained about twenty pounds since we last saw each other in this state."

         "Good," he ran his hands over Robert's chest feeling the goosebumps. "We can start burning calories. In the bottom drawer of my nightstand is some Vaseline."

         Robert burst out laughing, as he tumbled from the bed. "Peter, I love you so freaking much right now!"

         Smiling back in the darkness he watched his boyfriend open the drawer, locate the jar, pick it up, then reach over to hit the dim button on the lamp.

         "Now, I can see your pretty face!"

         "I love you even more for it," Peter replied, kissing Robert on the lips once he settled back on the bed.

         His boyfriend's eyes swept over the jar, studying it, "You do know there is such a thing as flavored lubricant? I have some at my house, I'll bring it tomorrow."

         Peter fell back onto the bed as he watched Robert kneel in front of him. Excitement blossomed in the air, it had been far too long. They could both sense the growing passion for one another.

         "Dear," he teased, running his fingers down Robert's incredibly soft, golden, arms. "Just who have you been sleeping with all these years?"

         Opening up the jar, he hissed in reply, "Only you, in my mind." Scooping out a glob of jelly he then snarled, "I'm not too keen about the taste of this."

         Peter threw his hands up in the air. "I get the hint! I'll go with you tomorrow to the store, we'll buy the flavored stuff."

         "Are you serious! The two of us are just going to walk into the pharmacy in Avoy and buy lubricant! People will talk."

         "Well," Peter slipped a foot over Robert's back, enjoying the feel of hair brushing over his toes. "Let them." He paused at the surprised look on his boyfriend's face, then continued, "I'm not seventeen anymore. I will gladly tell every hypocrite in this town that we are officially dating, and if you wish I'll tell them that we were also a couple back in high school. I'm not ashamed of it anymore, and you shouldn't be either. My son has made it perfectly clear that it's normal for a man to fall in love with another man."

         "So, you would write it across the sky?" Robert giggled, pulling Peter's legs around him.

         "If you wish, but seriously if people ask, I will honestly tell them."

         Peter studied his boyfriend's face in the dim light, he didn't know if the airplane remark was sarcastic, or not.

         Robert smeared the jelly, "I worry that the people of this town will only accept us because we're rich. Let's be honest for a minute, a lot of people pay rent to you, plus there is the fact that Georgina is in the hospital. I think we should brace ourselves for the rumors. People will accept our relationship, and let me tell you why. We have money. If we were two ordinary men, then I'm positive they will gang up on us, and force us to leave. It's the facts of life. The citizens of this town will fawn all over us, and say sugar-coated lies, but I know they will talk bad about us behind their backs. Money has power in small towns, and I'm sick of it."

         Peter lay back, as Robert brought himself up into a sitting position. "You have a point there, but I want to try to change that. If we can convince them that it's fine for a man to be in a relationship with another man, then I think I've served my life's purpose."

         "You honestly believe that is what you were put on this planet to do?" Robert asked with a kiss.

         "I've been hiding it for way too long."

         "Alright then. Tomorrow we shall hold hands, and walk into the pharmacy together!"

         Peter burst out laughing as his boyfriend grabbed his shoulders, pressing into him.

         "I'll try not to hurt you tonight. I make no promises for the next time," he said kissing Peter's ear.

         Peter replied by running his fingers down Robert's face. "I look forward to it, plus who said you're going to be on top next?"

         A soft gaze settled in his boyfriend's eyes. "If you wish. Now, say you will never leave me again."

         "I will never leave you again, and I'm glad you returned to me."

         Peter slowly closed his eyes, and allowed himself to be taken away.

*****

         Several hours later Peter groggily lay his head down on the feather pillows. Three hours of sex, followed by another in the shower, left both of the men exhausted. Robert settled into Peter's arms, his head on his chest. In a few short hours the sun would rise, and he was due back at the hospital. The doctors would find a way to save his daughter. After the miracle that just transpired, Peter believed everything would work itself out. Looking down at Robert, he thought to himself, "What could possibly go wrong?"

*Next Chapter*

ID: 1742883   (Rated: 18+) Pretend You're Someone Else (Chap. 11)  "You know you want this." (1972) by KAT26/Adrian--Published!