Brownsville Tales, Jayden & Cade, 11

Damm! He was beautiful. Big, wide and innocent blue eyes, sun-bleached blond hair and a golden tanned skin. The Australian sun had been good to Cade. Very, very good.

Jayden knew that Cade was never going to love him like he loved him but for now, he was just going to enjoy being with him. He was cashing-in on their old childhood friendship and their families' connections, but he didn't care – he had this weekend.

He did wish that Cade would stop looking at Karen Fairhall, up the aisle, but she'd soon be gone and he'd have him all to himself for two glorious days.

Damm. He was beautiful!

The bus stopped several times to disgorge kids, rushing away for their two days of freedom. They arrived, at last, and it was their turn to get off. Jayden alighted with Cade and the Caldwells and they walked in towards the house.

Cade was chattering excitedly. “The track to the beach is down there. We'll go there later. Usually I go to my room and get changed first, but we'll go in and tell Mum that you're here for the weekend.”

“She already knows, Cade. Her and my mum talked about it when she was out here the other day.”

“They did? She knew you were coming? Nobody told me.”

“No. Well, it was meant to be a surprise.”

“Yeah? That worked. A good one too! Come inside anyway and we'll tell her that you're here.”

“Mrs. Caldwell smiled when they walked in. “Jayden! Welcome. It's so good to see you in our home again.”

“Thanks. It's good to be back – wrong house but the right people. I've missed you all too.”

“And we've missed you, haven't we, Cade? Get yourselves a snack, if you want, but don't eat too much. I've got a roast for dinner tonight.”

Cade said, “Sit down, Jayden, and I'll get us something. You're the star guest today.”

Jayden sat at the table and Angel sat opposite him. “So, you're the famous Jayden. I don't remember you.”

“No? I remember you but you were just a little kid when I saw you last.”

“And now I'm not. Where's he going to sleep, Mum?”

“With me of course,” Cade answered. “Just like we always used to.”

(Jayden thought, 'Oh, Cade! I don't know if we should – I might get carried away, and then you'd hate me.')

“No, I don't think so,” the mother said. “I mean, you can if you must, but you're not little boys any more and it's not a big bed. I've made-up the bed in the spare room and Jayden will be much more comfortable in there.”

“Thanks, Mrs C. That sounds good to me.”

“No, dammit. It doesn't sound good to me!” Cade objected. “He came here to stay with me, Mum. How are we going to talk all night if we're in separate buildings? Okay, Jayden will sleep in the guestroom and I'm going in there with him. There's a decent-sized bed and there'll be plenty of room for the two of us.”

“Okay,” his mother sighed. “If that's what you want. But you two are not little kids now, you're growing up. It's normal for little boys to sleep in the same bed, but when they get to your age, not so much.”

“I don't care if it is or not. We're doing it. I've missed out on years of being with him and there's still heaps of catching-up to do.”

“If you're sure. Jayden, are you happy with that?”

('I'll manage. If we can sleep without touching.') “Yes, of course, Mrs. C. I'm happy with that.”

“Good. That's sorted then,” Cade nodded. “Eat up, and then we'll go and see my room.”

The father was late home from work – again. They didn't wait for him, there was no point in letting everyone's meals be ruined. Jayden, Cade and the rest of the family were almost done eating around the table when Ian came in.

“Evening all. Sorry I'm late – trouble at t'mine. And Jayden is sitting at our table! Now I really know we've come home. G'day, Boy. Nice to see you again.”

“Good to see you too, Mr. C.”

“Mr. C? Nah – call me 'Ian' – you're nearly a man now.”

“Of course he is,” Lance agreed. “He's older than me and I'm a man.”

“In your dreams, maybe. My dinner's in the microwave? Thanks.”

They all sat around talking until Ian had finished his meal. Most of the talk was reminiscences of the old days, before they went to Australia. Angel was impressed, she didn't know that Cade had so much mischief in him. Also, she was peeved because she couldn't remember anything from those days. She changed the subject.

“Dad, when will my pony be here? I've been waiting forever already.”

“Ah, yes. Good news and bad news on that front. Mrs. McGowan is delivering the pony on Sunday. She'll be here in the afternoon sometime.”

“That must be the good news, so what's the bad?”

“The bad news, as you well know, is that we haven't finished building the shelter-shed and that really should be done before she gets here.”

“That's not a problem, is it?” Mrs. Caldwell said. “Everyone can go down and help. We've got all day tomorrow and half of Sunday to get it done.”

“Yes, but I've got to go into work for a couple of hours tomorrow. Know anything about building sheds, Jayden?”

“Yeah, I do – a bit anyway. I've helped Dad and Granddad do some stuff out at our place.”

“Excellent! You can be our Foreman then. We'll make an early start and be in town by 8am tomorrow morning to pick-up some more timber from the Timber Yard, and call into the dump on the way back and get the iron I've ordered from the recycling centre. I'll drop you all back here, and then go to the mine.

You lot can unload the trailer and make a start before I get back.”

“That could work,” said Mrs. Caldwell. “Just make sure that you're not late home again.”

“I'll try not to.”

“Ian, it's Saturday, you won't be getting paid and you are the boss, after all. You can do what you like.”

“Within reason, I can.”

Lance said, “I was planning on going to see a girl, but that can wait, I guess. How much are we getting paid for our labours?”

“You'll be paid in love and kisses and our everlasting gratitude. We might even carry on feeding you for a bit longer. This is for your sister, Lance. The time will come when you need us to help you out. What goes around comes around.”

“Like 'Karma' and shit? Okay, fair enough.”

Mrs. Caldwell said, “Jayden, are you sure that you're happy to help? It's not your sister's pony.”

“No, but it's Cade's sister. Of course I'll help. I'm not sitting watching everyone else working.”

“That's good and thanks, but you make sure that you don't overdo it. Stop and rest if you have to.”

“I'll do that. I'm very good at stopping and resting,” Lance said. “You get fed tomorrow night if you work, Jayden.”

“Shut up, Lance,” Cade frowned. “Jayden won't be going hungry. He's the guest here. I wish we didn't have to work all weekend, Dad.”

“Yeah? I wish that too, but it's got to be done. That's settled then. Early night for everyone or you'll all be useless tomorrow.”

They were all in bed and the lights were off by 10 o'clock – unheard of on a Friday night! Cade and Jayden weren't sleeping, and probably wouldn't be for hours. They were both wide-awake, on opposite sides of the big bed in the guestroom, loving and hating it, and wishing that they were somewhere else.

Cade thought about going out to his own bed, to sleep by himself. But he couldn't do that, not after the big fuss he'd made about sleeping together again. It was funny how much he'd wanted it and now that they were in bed together – he hated it. It was too hard!

That's not all that was hard either. His mind knew that he daren't touch Jayden, but his body yearned to do just that. So he lay well separated and face-down with his boner hidden against the mattress and waiting for sleep to come. If it was ever going to come.

Jayden lay on his side of the bed, also with a stiff dick and wishing that he wasn't there. He was such an idiot! He should never have come out there. He should've know how hard it was going to be, being with the boy he loved and not being able to hold him like he dreamed of holding him.

It wouldn't happen again. He'd get through this weekend, somehow, and make sure that if he ever came back again that they had separate beds. Separate rooms would be even better. How was a body supposed to sleep when he could hear every breath that Cade breathed?

But, they were both still young and inexperienced enough that being in bed was for sleeping. Not only that, of course, but mostly for sleeping. So – they slept.

Six am Saturday morning, only just after daybreak and Ian was up and waking everyone in the house, including Lance out in the sleepout.

He had wondered what he'd find when he flicked on the light in the guestroom. He was not stupid and he'd seen the looks they were giving each other when they thought no-one was watching.

However, there were no problems or embarrassments. The covers had slid down in the night and the two pyjama-clad boys lay sleeping, facing away from each other and as far apart as it was possible to be in the big bed. Not that it would've worried him much if they weren't!

“Come on, Boys. Rise and shine. There's no time to waste if you want to eat before we go.”

“Ahh! Okay, okay. Damm, Dad, it's way too early!” Cade sat up, grumbling.

Jayden opened his eyes and stretched his limbs before he moved any further. “ 'Morning, Mr. C.”

“Good morning to you. Come on, move it, Boys. Breakfast is already cooking.” He closed the door and left them to it.

“You're right. It's so early!” Jayden swung his legs out and sat up on the edge of the bed.

“Way too early.” Cade did the same on the other side. “But we'll have to go.”

“Yeah. Do we shower now, or leave it until tonight?”

“Leave it, definitely. It's more important to eat and we'll be getting grubby if we're working all day.”

They dressed, shyly facing away from each other, and then staggered out to the kitchen to devour their cooked breakfasts.