Family
by Kit
When Kevin got out of bed on the first Saturday of the long summer holidays, he found himself alone in the house. As far as he could tell, his mother still hadn't returned from her night out with her latest man friend. That wasn't unusual, and he didn't really care. However, he'd rather not be there when she returned, so he decided to take advantage of the fine weather and explore the local countryside on his bike. Expecting to be out all day, he made some jam sandwiches to take with him.
When he returned late in the afternoon, his mother was in the bathroom, and he guessed that she was getting ready to go out again. He was very hungry and began to search the kitchen for something to eat, but there wasn't much to choose from among the meagre supplies. There was either frozen fish fingers with peas or baked beans on toast, and he chose the latter because that would take less time to prepare.
There was no need to consult with or inform his mother because on the rare occasions that they both ate at the same time, it was only by coincidence when their mealtimes just happened to overlap. He was just sprinkling the luxury of a little grated cheese onto the food when his mother, wearing her pink, frilly dressing gown, came into the kitchen.
"Money doesn't grow on trees," she scolded him. "Cheese is expensive, and remember, my wages pay for everything."
He didn't respond, and she would have been surprised if he had. However, if he had replied, he could have pointed out that she also got Child Benefit for him. She often complained that she couldn't claim child support from his father because he'd run off before Kevin was born. His grandmother had told him a different story: her teenaged daughter had gone to so many drunken parties that she probably had no idea who had impregnated her. She was also of the opinion that Kevin's small size and lack of coordination were the result of the fact that her daughter smoked and drank heavily throughout her pregnancy.
"You'll have to make yourself scarce tonight," his mother commanded.
Within days of coming to live with his mother, he'd learned that those words meant that she was going out and that she expected, or at least hoped, to be bringing someone home with her. Kevin thought it was likely, but by no means a certainty, that it would be the man with whom she'd spent the previous night. He nodded his acknowledgement, knowing that if he wasn't already in bed before she returned home, he was expected to go to his room as soon as she entered the house and to stay there at least until breakfast time.
She often demanded that he respect her and obey her because she was his mother, but she never required him to love her. After all, having dumped him on her own mother shortly after his birth and almost ignoring his existence ever since, she'd never shown any love for her son. Kevin fervently wished that his grandmother hadn't died, not only because he loved her but also because that left him with no choice but to live with his mother.
The only things that Kevin loved without reservation were his grandmother and the bicycle that she'd given him for his fourteenth birthday, just a couple of months before she died. He'd lived with her most of his life, and she'd been the only one who really cared for him. No one else, especially not his mother, had shown him such unfailing kindness and love. His mother now regarded him as a burden that she could no longer pass on to someone else.
The bicycle, though second-hand and slightly battered when he received it, was his most precious possession. Not only did it remind him of his beloved grandmother, but it gave him a huge sense of freedom. Bus fares were mostly an unaffordable luxury for him, so without the bike, he would be constrained to staying within walking distance of his mother's cramped and claustrophobic home.
The next morning, Kevin woke up relatively early, and as he crossed the hallway to the toilet, he could hear that his mother and her guest were still in her bedroom. In order to avoid encountering her friend, he grabbed a quick breakfast and immediately left the house. The weather wasn't ideal for a bike ride, but he preferred the risk of getting caught in a shower to the risk of meeting yet another strange man in his home.
One midweek day in the middle of the school holidays, Kevin decided to spend the afternoon in the local park. He sat on a bench under the shade of a sycamore tree and divided his attention between the fantasy novel he'd brought with him and the dozen or so teenage boys who were kicking a football about fifty metres away. As things turned out, the book became a way to hide his interest in the teens, a couple of whom he recognised as being students in his school.
When the game eventually finished and the boys began to disperse, he devoted his attention to the book, but just as he was getting back into the story, he was startled by the voice of someone who'd managed to approach without him noticing.
"Nice hat," the teenage male voice said sarcastically.
Accustomed to being on the receiving end of negative comments, Kevin adopted his usual response of ignoring it completely. Internally, he acknowledged that the khaki bush hat he wore was particularly unfashionable. However, combined with the sunscreen rubbed onto all exposed skin, it was essential protection against the August sun, which would otherwise quickly burn his extremely pale skin.
Over the years, one of the many insulting nicknames directed at him was 'Albi' because some of his less intelligent fellow students thought that he was albino. However, his grey eyes and the hint of gold in his almost-white hair proved them wrong. At least that nickname wasn't as bad as the one he hated most: 'Runt'.
"What're you reading?" the other boy asked in a less hostile tone.
Without a word, the seated boy lifted the book to show its front cover, at the same time looking up and recognising the owner of the voice, though not remembering his name. He was in the year below Kevin at school, so the boy was probably about fourteen. The black hair, tanned complexion, and stocky build contrasted sharply with Kevin's very pale skin and slim body.
Although he was only average height, the dark-haired boy was at least a head taller than Kevin, who had always been much shorter than other boys of similar age. That was why he'd been burdened with the odious nickname 'Runt', ever since he'd been in primary school. As far as he could recall, the standing boy was not one of the main bullies, though he probably occasionally joined in with the name-calling.
When he was a very young child, Kevin often cried when he was called names, and adults had sometimes scolded the children who used them. However, that merely caused those children to avoid taunting him when adults were in earshot. In any case, Kevin had long ago stopped crying about it, and eventually he began to accept it stoically.
"I've not read that," the boy said, "but I enjoyed some of his other books."
Unused to social interactions, especially with people of his own age, Kevin remained silent and turned his gaze back to the book. He became even more apprehensive when the other boy moved closer.
"You smell of coconut," the bigger boy commented.
"Sunscreen," Kevin said, still looking at the book.
Then, much to Kevin's surprise, the boy sat down next to him and said, "I'm Brian. We go to the same school. Your name's Kevin, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Kevin replied tentatively, looking at Brian but avoiding eye contact.
"I saw you watching me when we were playing footie," the bigger boy commented in a completely neutral tone.
In fact, most of Kevin's attention had been concentrated on a different boy, a skinny redhead, but of course he couldn't say that. He began to panic and considered making a run for home. However, he just froze with fear, his eyes staring blankly into the distance. Brian didn't move, and he spoke again only when it became clear that the smaller boy wasn't going to reply.
"Its okay. I don't mind," he said. Then, after a long pause, he added very quietly, "I've sometimes watched you at school."
Not knowing how to respond to that, Kevin remained silent and closed his eyes.
"I don't have much to do this afternoon," Brian continued in an almost friendly tone, "and I was wondering if you wanted to come to my house and play some games on my computer."
Kevin was neither stupid nor naive; he knew that in the context of what Brian had said previously, it was unlikely that computer games were the only things on the bigger boy's mind. He presumably suspected that Kevin was attracted to boys. Perhaps Brian was also interested in boys, but even if he were straight, he might be horny enough to want to experiment when no girls were available.
Despite that possibility, Kevin believed that it was unlikely that Brian would consider him to be attractive. He also believed that there was no chance of any real friendship. However, he speculated that perhaps Brian thought that the pale boy would be a safe person for experimentation. After all, if things went horribly wrong, no one would ever take the word of a weird little runt over the word of a well-liked football player.
Having considered why Brian had invited him, Kevin thought about whether or not he should accept. As there was no computer in Kevin's house, he'd never played computer games except for very rare occasions in an arcade. If he were wrong about the bigger boy's motivations, then at least he'd get to play on a computer. Also, Kevin had never had any real friends, so this would be an opportunity to get the positive attention he had long craved from another young person.
Besides all that, Brian was not unattractive, and Kevin was feeling horny, perhaps influenced by pheromones in the bigger boy's fresh teen sweat. Therefore, on balance, he decided that accepting Brian's invitation would potentially have more benefits than risks.
"Okay," he said. "Where do you live?"
"I'll show you now, if you want," Brian replied. Then, as if the information was inconsequential, he added, "We'll have the house to ourselves for at least two hours."
When they got to Brian's large, modern detached home, which was very different from Kevin's tiny two-bedroom Victorian terrace house, the bigger boy immediately led the way to his bedroom. The computer looked very new, and Brian took great pride in explaining all its features.
"What about that Millennium Bug thing they mentioned on the news? Aren't you afraid it'll affect your computer on New Year's Day?" Kevin asked, feeling the need to comment and wanting to show at least a little knowledge.
"No, I'm sure it won't. The computer and software are all new, so I'm not worried," the other boy replied with absolute confidence.
Brian sat in his computer chair and instructed Kevin to get the other chair from the other side of the room. Then, sitting side by side, Brian showed him a few games, and they tried playing a couple of them. However, everything was new to Kevin, and that combined with his lack of coordination to ensure that he quickly lost both games. Far from being annoyed at the smaller boy's ineptitude, Brian actually enjoyed showing his superiority.
After less than an hour of playing games, Brian confirmed what Kevin had suspected. The bigger boy pushed his chair away from the desk, leaned back, and began massaging the bulge in the front of his soccer shorts.
"From the way that you were looking at me in the park," he said with a smirk, "I guessed that you'd like to get a closer look at this."
Kevin realised that this was the point of no return; he could still deny everything and leave, or he could go along with what had obviously been Brian's plan.
"Seeing you around school," the bigger boy said, detecting Kevin's moment of indecision. "I could tell that you'd like cock."
Although Kevin felt insulted and embarrassed, he'd known that a situation like this was likely to happen. He wasn't surprised and was very tempted.
"If you suck my dick, I won't tell anyone," Brian said, his voice now husky with lust. "But if you don't, I could maybe tell people that you tried to molest me."
That was almost enough to make Kevin stand up and leave. Over the years, he'd learned to tolerate insults, but he wouldn't submit to blackmail. However, he guessed that the bigger boy was speaking out of horny desperation and didn't intend to carry out the threat. So, nodding his head, he decided to give in to temptation and reached out to touch the bulge in the other boy's shorts.
Brian got the blowjob that he wanted and very quickly reached orgasm, despite the smaller boy's total lack of experience. Apart from pushing down his shorts and underwear, the bigger boy remained clothed, and Kevin was told that he mustn't expose his own penis. Although Brian wasn't actually unkind, he certainly didn't show any hint of affection, and as soon as he'd recovered from the orgasm, he made it clear that the smaller boy should leave.
During the oral sex, Brian had been very vocal in his pleasure, which enhanced Kevin's own enjoyment of the experience. Of course, he would have preferred to have gained more pleasure for himself, but he hadn't expected it, and so he wasn't disappointed. Eager to achieve his own orgasm, he rushed home as quickly as possible.
Variations on that incident were repeated three times during the remainder of the school holidays, but apart from that, Brian made no attempts to interact with Kevin. When school restarted, the sexual meetings stopped, and Brian completely ignored him. However, shortly after the beginning of the new term, Kevin had acquired some even worse names than 'Runt'. Now there was also 'Queer' and 'Homo'.
Kevin usually liked being at school, and although he hated being bullied, he really loved being in the lessons. He enjoyed learning and was pretty good at his schoolwork. Also, the recent wintry weather had been limiting his opportunity for bike rides, and being in class was more interesting than being alone at home, reading or watching TV. Therefore, he often felt unhappy at the end of the school day, especially at weekends.
On one particular Friday in October, when the bell rang to signal the end of the school day, the students immediately stood up and started packing away their books. Before they started rushing for the door, the teacher called out to remind them about the homework he'd set. If any of them heard him over the general hubbub, they were too eager to get out of school to pay any attention. However, the man didn't care; he'd done his duty and could now concentrate on enjoying his own weekend.
As he gathered together his teaching materials, the man saw that the only student who didn't dash for the exit was Kevin Williams. That wasn't surprising, because he'd observed that the boy always hung back and allowed the other students to leave first. The teacher felt sorry for the boy, who he knew was often picked on. Although he was always clean and tidy, his clothes were mostly old and threadbare. Also, despite being one of the oldest students in his year, he was by far the smallest, both in height and in bulk.
Only when the classroom was almost empty did Kevin put his books in his backpack and set off for home, which was about twenty minutes walk from the school. He was almost halfway there when Brian came out of a side street. Having made sure that no one was near enough to notice him, he approached Kevin, who ignored him and carried on walking.
"Hi, Kevin," Brian said with saccharine sweetness and feigned friendliness.
At first, Kevin just quickened his pace and continued to ignore the other boy. However, the bigger boy kept up with him, moved closer, and repeated the greeting.
"What do you want?" Kevin asked, annoyed and frustrated.
"I wanted you to know that it wasn't me who started those rumours about you."
Of course, Kevin didn't believe him. After all, who else could it have been? However, he didn't want to get involved in an argument about it. He didn't want to have any sort of discussion with Brian, so he remained silent and carried on walking.
"Do you want to come to my house and play some games tomorrow?" the bigger boy asked. "My parents are in London for the weekend, and my sister's away at uni."
Had it not been for the new insulting nicknames that he'd been subjected to, Kevin might have been tempted to accept the invitation. However, now he felt betrayed and realised that the other boy couldn't be trusted.
"No," he replied.
"How about Sunday afternoon, then?"
"Never," Kevin said firmly, starting to walk even faster.
Brian grabbed his shoulder and forced him to remain still. Then, after looking around to make sure they weren't being observed, he leaned down and put his mouth close to Kevin's ear.
"I know you're almost sixteen," he hissed, "and I'm still only fourteen. What happens if everyone finds out you're a pedo?"
Shocked and fearful, Kevin pulled away and ran towards home as fast as he could. As he sped away from the other boy, he was relieved to find that he wasn't being followed. Fortunately, his mother was working an evening shift, so he didn't have to deal with her when he got into the house. He went straight upstairs to his bedroom, dropped his backpack on the floor, and threw himself onto the bed.
When he'd had time to calm down and think about the encounter, he concluded that it was very unlikely that Brian would carry out his 'pedo' threat. If any such rumour started, the authorities might get involved, and Brian must realise that his own name could be mentioned. Brian obviously couldn't be trusted, but surely, even he wouldn't want to risk becoming entangled in such a messy situation. Despite that conclusion, tiny seeds of doubt and concern remained at the back of Kevin's mind.
The following week at school was no different from usual, with Brian completely avoiding him. There were no new insulting names or rumours, and Kevin began to feel a little less concerned. On Friday, his mother stayed out all night and didn't return home until he was making himself a jam sandwich for his lunch.
"You'll be sixteen on Monday," she said without preamble as soon as she came into the tiny kitchen.
Of course, he already knew that, and he wondered why she should mention it. After all, she'd never given him a present and rarely even acknowledged his birthday in any way. Since his grandmother had died, there had been nothing to mark his birthday as different from any other day. That thought made him remember that when he was much younger, he sometimes liked to think that the public celebration of Halloween, the day before his birthday, was partly a celebration for him.
"Once you're sixteen," his mother continued, "you don't have to live with parents."
"Are you saying you want me to leave?" he asked, shocked that his mother, delinquent as she was, would suggest that.
"I'm saying that if you want to move out, I won't try to stop you," she replied as if it were a matter of no consequence. "In any case, you should think about getting a job."
At that point, it occurred to Kevin that his mother had begun this discussion because she was thinking about money; once he was sixteen, she'd no longer get Child Benefit.
"What about school?" he asked, frowning.
"I'm sure you can sort something out," she replied, shrugging her shoulders and clearly not caring. "Maybe you can get an evening job."
Her lack of maternal concern had already been proven on many occasions, and certainly, neither of them felt any mother-son bond. However, he'd never expected her to be so callous.
"I expect that Jamie will be coming around here a lot in future," she continued. "We may want to move in together. It probably won't be very comfortable with three of us in this little place."
Another motive beside money now became clear: her man friend probably didn't want a teenage boy sharing the house. While he was still trying to absorb all that, his mother went up to the bathroom. Although he'd now lost his appetite, he finished making the sandwich and, together with a glass of water, took it up to his bedroom. Sitting on his bed, he tried to sort out his thoughts.
In principle, he wasn't averse to the idea of getting a job or finding somewhere else to live, though he doubted that could be practical or financially feasible. However, he certainly wasn't going to give up his education and future prospects just to please his mother and her boyfriend. Various possibilities crossed his mind, including doing some research on a computer at school or at the public library. It also occurred to him that he could consult with someone on the staff at his school or maybe even contact Social Services.
He concluded that any of those options would be better left until Monday, by which time the tumult in his mind would possibly have calmed a little. Also, he didn't want to speak with his mother again until he could explore the possibilities and get more information. From that point of view, it was fortunate that she went out again late in the afternoon and still hadn't returned by the time he went to bed.
After a restless night, Kevin got up on the Sunday morning, Halloween, and found that the weather was unseasonably mild and pleasant for the end of October. He decided to go for a ride on his bike to help clear his head. He also wanted to stay out all day in order to minimise any possible contact with his mother or her boyfriend. With that in mind, he put a bottle of water and some jam sandwiches in his backpack, then added a waterproof coat and an extra jumper, just in case the weather deteriorated.
Although he rode in a direction he'd previously explored, he chose quieter roads so that his thoughts wouldn't be distracted by having to deal with traffic. About an hour after setting off, he found himself on a narrow country road that wound around some hills, and he started to look for a place to stop. He didn't particularly need to rest, but he thought that being stationary for awhile would help him to consider his future.
He pulled off the road at what at first had appeared to be a small layby in the grassy verge, but it turned out to be the entrance to a much smaller road. Then he noticed an upright stone set into the ground a couple of metres from the junction. It was square in cross-section and about waist height, and he could see the words 'Compton House' chiselled on three sides. From that, he deduced that the smaller road could actually be someone's driveway.
At first, he suppressed the urge to explore because he already had enough problems without adding the risk of being caught trespassing. However, the cracked tarmac, together with the overgrown and untidy verges, gave the impression that the driveway hadn't been used in some time and that there was probably no one around who might observe him. Also, the driveway passed through some trees, so he expected that he wouldn't be visible from any nearby dwelling.
He pushed his bike along, somehow feeling that any trespass would be regarded as less serious if he wasn't riding. When he exited from among trees, there was still no building to be seen, and the drive sloped upward until it curved around the side of a hill and disappeared from sight a couple of hundred metres ahead. He wondered if he'd been mistaken about it being a driveway and if it was indeed a small road.
As he approached the hill, he thought he could briefly detect the faint smell of wood smoke, but that quickly disappeared. When he went around the side of the hill, he saw a building about a hundred metres away, on a large, flat area that had been cut into the downward slope. It wasn't just an ordinary house but appeared to be a Tudor mansion, in front of which two teenage boys and a girl were playing with a frisbee on a large lawn.
Hoping to avoid being seen, Kevin started to make a hasty retreat, but it was too late. The smaller of the boys had already seen him and now stood frozen in surprise. The frisbee that had been thrown to the boy hit him in the chest, and then the girl and the other boy turned to look at Kevin.
"Sorry!" he shouted, preparing to get on his bike and make a quick escape.
"Come here!" the taller boy called out, beckoning him.
He didn't seem angry, and Kevin interpreted it as an invitation rather than a command, but he was still concerned enough to consider fleeing. However, after briefly hesitating, he pushed his bike down the driveway and towards the teenagers. As he got closer, it became clear from their appearance that they must be siblings.
"Sorry," Kevin repeated when he was close enough to speak normally. "I didn't mean to trespass on your property. I didn't know there was a house here."
"That's okay. Don't worry. We just didn't expect any visitors," the bigger boy said reassuringly while studying Kevin closely. "I'm Mark, by the way, and this is Luke and Ruth."
"Hi, I'm Kevin," he replied, blushing, partly out of embarrassment of being caught on private land but also because he was thinking about how handsome and attractive Mark was.
Kevin noticed that it felt warmer now than it was before he saw the house. Perhaps it was because of his blushes, or because the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, or because the hill provided some protection from the slight breeze. For a few seconds, no one spoke as the siblings assessed Kevin and he studied them.
The tall, slim boy, clearly the eldest of the three siblings, had short, dark brown hair and green eyes. He was wearing black trousers and a dark blue pullover, under which was an open-collared white shirt. Had he been wearing a tie, his clothing might have been mistaken for a school uniform. Luke and Ruth both had hazel eyes, and their hair was a lighter brown, the girl's hair being in a long ponytail. Both wore dark grey sweatshirts, though Luke wore blue jeans, whereas his sister wore black slacks.
Mark towered over Kevin, who guessed that the bigger boy was about sixteen, whereas the younger boy, Luke, was a similar height to Kevin. Ruth's age and height were somewhere between the two brothers.
Just as Kevin was considering how to make a dignified exit, three younger children came charging round from the far side of the house. They were shouting and laughing, and they were apparently playing some sort of chasing or 'tag' game. However, as soon as they saw Kevin, they fell silent and stood still, appearing to be very surprised.
"It's rude to stare," Mark gently chided the three children, whose appearance indicated that they were also his siblings.
The smallest one, a boy, suddenly ran up the three steps to the large front door, pushed it open, and went inside.
"That was John," Mark said affectionately. Then, indicating the identical twin girls who were still staring at Kevin, he added, "And these little terrors are Mary and Elizabeth."
The two little girls, both dressed in pin-striped dark blue overalls over pale green shirts, ran off after their little brother. They disappeared from view before Kevin could spot any differences that might enable him to distinguish between them. Kevin felt a need to break the ensuing silence and, having noticed that the boys' names were those of three of the four writers of the Gospels, said the first thing that came into his head.
"Where's Matthew?" he asked, intending it to be a joke.
"He's not with us," Mark said, frowning a little and sounding sad.
Kevin, thinking that maybe Matthew had died, felt embarrassed and a little guilty. Fortunately, as if coming to his rescue, but no doubt having been alerted by the youngest siblings, the parents of the children appeared in the doorway. The man, dressed in a pale blue casual shirt and dark grey trousers, was a taller, older version of Mark, except for the eyes, which were deep brown. The fair-haired woman, who wore a cream blouse and a medium-length black skirt, had clearly provided the genes for her son's green eyes.
Both the adults initially had expressions of puzzlement and mild surprise, but that was quickly replaced by welcoming smiles.
"Father, Mother," Mark said, "this is Kevin."
To Kevin, that seemed to be a strangely formal way for the boy to address his parents, but there wasn't even a hint of formality in his attitude or tone of voice.
"Well, Kevin, it's nice to see you," the woman said. Then, taking him completely by surprise, she added, "Will you be staying for lunch?"
He was at a loss for words, wondering what sort of people would offer lunch to a total stranger who turned up at their house, uninvited and unannounced. A gentle touch on his elbow brought him out of his stupor.
"You will, won't you?" Mark prompted him.
"Erm, yes, please," he said, stumbling over the words. "And thanks."
"Excellent," the man said, nodding his head. "It will be ready in about an hour."
"Would you like anything to drink before then?" the woman asked.
"No, thank you. I'm fine," Kevin replied. In fact, he was a little thirsty but didn't want to impose any further than he'd done already.
The two adults went back indoors, and the three youngest siblings, who'd apparently been hiding behind their parents, came out again and studied the strange new person.
"I told you once, already," Mark said in an amused tone, trying unsuccessfully to be stern, "it's rude to stare."
One of the twins sighed theatrically and announced that they were going to play in the garden. She then disappeared around the side of the house, closely followed by her twin and John.
"One of the ways to tell the twins apart is that Mary is the bossy one," Ruth said, smiling at Kevin.
Left alone with the three oldest siblings, Kevin felt a little awkward, especially as Mark appeared unable to take his eyes off their unexpected visitor. Kevin briefly considered pointing out that it was rude to stare, but thought better of it.
"Do you want to play frisbee with us?" Luke asked, getting bored with just standing around.
"I thought I might show him around the house," Mark said. "That is, if he wants."
"Yes, that would be nice," Kevin replied, then turned to Luke and added, "You'll just laugh at how clumsy I am if I try to play frisbee."
"We'd never laugh at anyone for something like that," Luke said, apparently shocked at the idea. Then he turned to his sister and added, "Come on, Sis, it's just us two."
As soon as the two boys entered the anteroom on the other side of the front door, Mark took off his shoes and put on a pair of slippers. Then he put the shoes on the low ledge where the slippers had been, while Kevin, uncertain about what he should do, remained standing hesitantly just inside the door.
"Socks are okay," the other boy assured him. "You can just take off your shoes."
When they left the anteroom and entered the main hall, Kevin was amazed at the size of the space, with its wood-panelled walls and decoratively carved wooden ceiling. He was later to discover that, apart from the kitchen and bathrooms, all the walls and ceilings in the house had wood panels. Mark went to the left of the grand, ornately carved stairway that dominated the centre of the hall.
Kevin followed him toward the rear of the house and into the kitchen, where they found both parents. Although they seemed a little puzzled by their son's request to show Kevin around, they gave their permission. Because Kevin desperately needed to pee, he overcame his embarrassment and whispered to Mark that he'd very much appreciate it if the tour would begin with the nearest toilet. So his guide showed him to the downstairs bathroom, which had a shower as well as a toilet and washbasin.
On the ground floor, the visitor was most impressed by the library. Not only was it physically very large, but it also contained a huge number and variety of books, ranging from encyclopaedias and reference books to relatively recent novels. Upstairs, Mark pointed out the girls' bathroom and the boys' bathroom, adding that his parents had their own en suite. Each of the siblings had their own bedroom, though the twins usually both slept in Mary's room.
Mark commented on what was behind every door, except for one that was in the hallway near his own room. Kevin noticed this obviously deliberate omission and wondered if it might have been the bedroom of the missing Matthew. Another memorable part of the tour was when he was led into a large bedroom immediately adjacent to Mark's.
"This is the main guest bedroom," his host announced.
With only a bed, desk, and a couple of chairs, it seemed very bare to Kevin, and normally he wouldn't have considered commenting on that in case it might be interpreted as a criticism. However, ever since he'd entered the house, and especially having spent time close to Mark, Kevin had started feeling more and more relaxed. In fact, he was more at ease than he'd been in any house before, even in his grandmother's home.
"It's bit bare, isn't it?" he said. "Where do your guests put their stuff?"
Mark smiled smugly and went around the room, pressing and sliding various wooden panels, revealing drawers, wardrobes, and other storage spaces.
"Ta-daa!" he said, as if he were a stage magician who'd just performed an especially clever trick.
"Okay, I'm impressed," Kevin admitted and smiled. "In fact, this whole house is pretty impressive, and it's in amazingly good condition for somewhere so old."
"Actually, it's not all that old. My great-grandfather had it built," Mark explained. "He was obsessed by the Tudors."
While they were going around the house, Kevin was told a little about the siblings, including the fact that their surname was Compton. Mark was sixteen, Ruth was fourteen, Luke was thirteen, the twins were eleven, and John was eight. As his guide gave that information, it was clear that he was expecting that his guest reveal his own age, so Kevin told him that the following day would be his sixteenth birthday. He braced himself for some comment about being small for his age, but Mark didn't say anything and didn't even seem surprised. Instead, he looked happy, as if he'd just received some good news.
As they were going back downstairs, Mr Compton banged on the gong in the hall, announcing that lunch was almost ready. When the children appeared, the man reminded them to wash their hands and to 'clean themselves up' before eating. Mark and Kevin went to the downstairs bathroom, and the other siblings went upstairs.
When they came back downstairs a couple of minutes later, Ruth wore a white blouse and black skirt, and Luke was wearing a pale blue formal shirt with black trousers. The three youngest had completely changed out of their play clothes and were now dressed in a semi-formal manner, similar to their older siblings. Kevin, in his old cycling clothes, felt like the odd one out, but no one made any comment, and he began to feel more comfortable.
They took their seats at the large dining table, which was already laden with platters and dishes of food. Mr Compton carved the roast beef, and only when he'd done that did they start putting food on their plates. There were roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, and gravy. It was the best food he'd ever eaten, even when he was living with his grandmother. The gravy was so delicious that Kevin felt it could be a meal in itself if served with a chunk of bread.
There was very little talking until everyone had food on their plates, but then the conversations started. After a few minutes, Mark announced that the following day would be Kevin's sixteenth birthday. Not a single person at the table commented or even seemed to notice the discrepancy between his size and his age. However, they did all wish him an early 'happy birthday'.
During the various conversations, the members of the family showed a lot of affection for one another, even when there were strong disagreements and differences of opinion. As the meal went on, Kevin continued to relax, and he felt almost lightheaded with all the friendliness they showed him. When he was asked about himself, he just let everything flow, the only omissions being anything related to Brian.
When he mentioned the death of his grandmother, everyone, even little John, expressed sympathy. Mark, who'd ensured that they were seated next to each other, put his hand on Kevin's arm and stroked it soothingly. For a moment, Kevin was scared of what the others, especially the parents, might think about such an intimate gesture. However, if anyone noticed, they didn't show any reaction.
He ended his story by surprising himself with the e=revelation that his mother had made it clear that she'd be happy if he moved out her house.
"Didn't you say that she's your only family?" Mrs Compton said, frowning in disbelief.
"Yes, unless my dad ever turns up," Kevin quipped and smiled, intending his words to be taken as humour.
"But family is the most important thing there is," she responded gravely. "It should never be split up."
"Not everyone's as lucky as we are," her husband pointed out to her. Then he turned to Kevin and added, "Have you contacted Social Services? They should find you a home, at least until you're eighteen."
"No, not yet. I only just found out that I might have to move out."
There was a brief silence, but then the family's jovial banter returned, like the sun reappearing from behind a passing cloud. After eating a delicious dessert, the family remained at the table and continued chatting for several minutes. Then the siblings started clearing away the dishes, and without thinking, Kevin helped them. When Mark suggested giving Kevin a tour of the grounds, the parents readily agreed.
At the rear of the house was a large, well-planted garden, and on the downslope side of the house was a meadow, from which a path led downwards and through a small copse. The two boys followed the path until it passed beyond the trees, and Kevin then saw that they were in a valley with a stream running through it. On the other side of the stream, the land rose up to the top of the valley, where more trees obscured the horizon.
"Does all this land belong to your house?" Kevin asked, amazed.
"Just this side of the stream. About a mile upstream and about three quarters of a mile downstream. And from here as far as the road." Mark replied with a hint of pride.
Kevin assumed that the road mentioned by the other boy was the one where the driveway started, and he was very impressed but couldn't think of a suitable comment. The taller boy led his guest a short way upstream until they reached a large sandstone rock, located where the bank of the stream appeared to have eroded, forming a small pool.
"This is my favourite place," Mark declared. "I come here when I want to be alone."
"I thought you enjoyed being with your family," the smaller boy joked.
"I do! And I love them more than anything," his host protested. "But sometimes I just like to have somewhere quiet to sit and think. I sit here and listen to the water, the birds, and the rustle of wind in the trees."
Mark climbed up to the top of the rock and sat down, looking expectantly at Kevin, who took it as an invitation to join him. They sat together for a few minutes in silence, looking down into the water. As it was the end of October, the smaller boy had expected the rock to be quite cold, but it wasn't too cold for comfort. He wondered if perhaps the stone still stored some of the heat of the summer sun.
"It's nice here, isn't it?" Mark asked, putting his hand on his visitor's and squeezing gently.
Kevin froze, not because he didn't want the touch but because it was so unexpected. In fact, he very much liked the warmth of the other boy's palm on the back of his hand, and he felt a pleasant tingle pass up his arm. However, he didn't know what the touch signified, and he was afraid to respond. Mark was by far the most attractive person that he'd ever met, and he was also incredibly kind and caring. Kevin didn't want to risk alienating a possible new friend, and he didn't want to risk the family finding out he was gay.
Looking up away from the water, he found himself gazing into Mark's beautiful green eyes, and he felt the gentle pressure on his hand increase slightly.
"Maybe I'm wrong," the bigger boy said, "but when we met, I got the impression that you liked me."
"Of course I like you."
"I mean, I thought you were attracted to me."
Now, Kevin was paralysed with fear and had no idea what to say. He was concerned that when they'd met, the other boy might have been able to detect his sexuality, perhaps seeing something in Kevin's body language that showed how attracted he was to Mark.
"Anyway," Mark said, a little sad and disappointed, "I thought you were the same as me."
"The same as you?" the smaller boy croaked.
"Yes. I thought you liked boys and that you're attracted to me like I'm attracted to you. I'm sorry if I made a mistake."
This all seemed like a dream to Kevin, but now he was also terrified that at any moment it was going to turn into a nightmare. He closed his eyes tightly and willed himself to wake up, but when he opened them again, those green eyes were still looking anxiously at him.
"It's not a mistake," he said so quietly that it was almost a whisper.
Mark smiled, and his face lit up with happiness.
"There you are then," he said as if speaking to himself, "I didn't believe it could be just coincidence that the only visitor we've had in ages turned out to be so cute."
"Cute?" Kevin said in disbelief.
"Yes, the sort of boy I've dreamed about for a long time."
"What if your parents find out?" the smaller boy said fearfully. "The might stop us being friends."
"My family knows I like boys," Mark reassured him.
"And they just accept it?"
"They're family," the bigger boy replied, apparently puzzled by the question. "We love and support one another. We're a unit and a team. It's all for one and one for all. We are what we are, and we accept one another as we are."
That didn't describe any family that Kevin knew, especially not his own, but he decided not to dispute the matter with his new friend.
"I've never had a boyfriend," Mark said as calmly as if he were merely commenting on the weather.
"Me neither," Kevin responded, certain that Brian didn't count.
"And I've never kissed a boy," the bigger boy said bashfully, blushing a little. "Well, not a proper kiss."
"Me neither," Kevin repeated, his pale skin making his own blush more obvious.
Mark looked down into the pool for almost a minute, then turned his gaze back to his guest.
"Do you want to try it?" he asked.
Kevin knew that the other boy was referring to kissing and began to wonder if he was being seduced. He also speculated that this possibility might have been on Mark's mind when he'd suggested giving a tour of the grounds. His new friend was making all the first moves a little faster than might be expected, but the smaller boy didn't mind. After all, he knew that there was no possibility that he'd initiate anything himself.
He was more than happy to be seduced and let his host take the lead, so he nodded his head in acquiescence. Mark leaned toward him, and the moment their lips touched, both boys felt a jolt of pleasure pass through their bodies. When the bigger boy's tongue brushed across his lips, Kevin felt his whole body tingle, and he decided that he'd mirror his friend's actions.
Neither of them were experienced with romantic kisses, and initially much of what they did was clumsy, but it never felt awkward. However, as they gradually became practiced, it all just began to happen naturally. As it went on, Kevin felt as if the pleasure was almost like a slow, gentle build-up to orgasm. Eventually, as if reading each other's minds, they slowly separated.
"Wow!" Mark breathed.
"Wow!" the smaller boy echoed.
As they hadn't kissed anyone before like that, they couldn't make any comparison, but they both realised that what they'd felt was extraordinary. They sat in silence for a few minutes as they processed that experience and the emotions that ensued.
"Let's go back to the house. I want to talk to my family," Mark said eventually.
Still feeling dazed, Kevin followed the other boy and got down from the rock. Then Mark grabbed his hand and led him back towards the house. When the building came into view, Kevin became fearful and embarrassed at the possibility of being seen hand-in-hand with the other boy, and he loosened his grip. However, Mark held on tightly and gave him a reassuring smile.
When the entered the house, they were seen holding hands by Luke, who was on his way down the staircase. However, his only reaction was to smile knowingly as he greeted them. Mark informed his brother that he was going to find their mother and father and request a family meeting. The younger brother nodded and volunteered to get the other children.
"What's going on?" Kevin asked, puzzled.
"I don't want to say just now, in case things don't work out," Mark replied. "We'll be getting together in the kitchen, but it's private, so maybe you can keep yourself entertained in the library. It shouldn't take long."
Despite a mild concern regarding the purpose of the family meeting, the idea of having time to explore the library was very appealing, so Kevin readily agreed. He was so engrossed in the fiction collection that it felt like only a very short time passed before Mark appeared and asked him to go to the kitchen. At first, he feared that he might have done something wrong and was being summoned for a scolding, or maybe even being asked to leave immediately. However, when he got there and found the family sitting around the big table, they all smiled and greeted him amicably.
"We'd like you to stay for tea," Mrs Compton said.
Kevin was taken by surprise, not so much by the invitation but by the fact that it appeared to have required a family meeting.
"It's my turn to choose the cake," John chipped in, wishing to make the invitation more tempting, "and it'll be chocolate with cherries and cream filling."
"It'll be getting dark soon, and the little local roads don't have lights, so maybe I should leave before teatime," Kevin replied, despite the strong temptation to stay.
"Well, we were thinking that you could stay overnight," Mr Compton said.
"I don't have a toothbrush or change of clothes," Kevin pointed out, unwilling to impose on their hospitality.
"There's no problem finding a spare toothbrush," Luke said, "and you can have some of my clothes."
Mark gently squeezed Kevin's arm and leaned in to say, "Please."
That broke through what little reluctance Kevin might have had left, and he gratefully accepted the invitation. The meeting broke up, and everyone left the kitchen, going their separate ways. As Kevin went out into the main hall, the three youngest children approached him.
"Will you play hide and seek with us in the garden before it gets too dark?" one of the twins asked.
"Don't you think that'd be unfair?" he asked jovially. "After all, you live here and know all the hiding places, but I don't."
"That's why we want you to play," John said with a cheeky smile. "Everyone else here knows where to find us when we hide, so we can never win."
Kevin cast a questioning look at Mark, who smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Go ahead if you want. I'll go and have a chat with Ruth and Luke."
"Okay, John, I'm used to losing games," Kevin said wryly.
In fact, Kevin very much enjoyed playing with the youngest siblings, though of course he didn't win. The children didn't limit themselves to the garden, where there were hedges and a couple of sheds, but they also hid around the sides of the house, where there was a garage and several clumps of trees and bushes. Kevin comforted himself by considering that at least it wasn't his lack of physical coordination that caused him to lose.
The three siblings were full of energy and fun to be with, making him wish that he'd been able to be like them when he was a child. Also, searching for them gave him an opportunity to explore the garden, which was beautiful, even deep into autumn. Eventually, the children got tired of winning so easily, and the air became chill as darkness began to fall, so they all went indoors.
Although Sunday lunch had been a semi-formal meal in the dining room, tea was much more casual and took place in the kitchen. However, the gong was still used to inform the scattered members of the family that the meal was ready.
"Just be yourself and be honest," Mark said quietly into Kevin's ear as they went to eat.
The fair-haired boy thought it was an odd thing to say when going to a meal, but he soon began to understand the significance of those words. As soon as food was on their plates and they began eating, the members of the family started asking him questions. It was all very friendly and congenial, and it certainly wasn't like an interrogation, but it was clear that the family wanted to get to know more about him.
They asked not only about his background, some details of which he'd already given them during lunch, but also about his opinions on various subjects. It seemed that they were particularly interested in how he felt about his upbringing and about families in general. The two adults also wanted to know what he might do in various hypothetical situations.
The questions from John were the simplest; at one point the boy asked how he'd feel if someone chose a cake for tea that Kevin didn't like. The reply was that it was a difficult question to answer because he'd never tasted a cake that he didn't like. The only person who didn't ask any questions was Mark, who for the most part remained silent, apart from occasionally giving a few words of encouragement. However, he paid great attention to everything that was said.
Under different circumstances, Kevin would have felt very stressed by all this attention, regardless of how amicably the questions were posed. However, even though it had been only a few hours since he'd met them, he felt very relaxed, especially with Mark close beside him. Also, it was clear that the family didn't regard any answer as 'right' or 'wrong', and they just wanted to get to know him. That was flattering, but Kevin thought that it usually took considerable time to get to know someone, and he wondered why they were trying to do it so quickly.
By the time that they'd all finished eating, the questioning had also ended, and Kevin accompanied them all to the large, opulently furnished living room. The three older siblings offered him a choice of card games or board games to play, and then they spent a couple of hours playing the ones he'd chosen. When a game required pairs, it was always Kevin and Mark versus Ruth and Luke.
When Mrs Compton said that it was getting close to John's bedtime, her husband used that as a cue to announce another family meeting. That seemed very strange to Kevin, though everyone else appeared to be expecting it.
"I hope this won't take long," Mark said to Kevin before going to join the others in the kitchen, "but you don't need to hang around here waiting. Feel free to look around the library again."
Kevin lost track of time in the library, but on checking his watch when Mark and his father came to find him, he found that it had been almost thirty minutes.
"First of all, I want to apologise for the inconvenience and for any discomfort you might have felt," Mr Compton said. "You must think we're very strange, especially having two family meetings in a day. In fact, we rarely have more than one per month."
"That's okay. No one's stranger than I am," Kevin replied, only half joking.
"You're not strange at all," Mark protested. "You're interesting."
"We understand that your current living circumstances are less than ideal and that you're considering looking for alternative accommodation," the man said. "Mark suggested that we invite you to live with us."
He paused and gave his son an affectionate and indulgent smile.
"As you will understand," Mr Compton continued, "this would be a very big decision for us and for you. It required the unanimous agreement of the whole family. The first meeting today was to put the suggestion to everyone and to work out how we should make the decision. The second meeting was to reach a conclusion, and now it's up to you to decide if you wish to stay with us."
Kevin was so surprised that at first he couldn't speak, and he wondered if this was all a dream. He looked at Mark, who was obviously proud of himself and happy with the family's decision, but he was also clearly anxious to hear the smaller boy's response.
"Wow, thanks!" Kevin said eventually.
"So, will you stay?" Mark asked.
"It's a big decision," his father chided him gently, "and we've had two meetings and several hours to consider it. You can't expect Kevin to answer immediately. He probably needs to sleep on it."
"Thanks, Mr Compton. Living here would be great, but there's a lot to think about, like school. Mine's at least an hour's bike ride from here. Where do your children go?"
"They're homeschooled, and if you live here, you could be, too," the man replied. "Anyway, I'm sure that any other details can be sorted out if you decide to stay. You can let us know in the morning."
The way Mr Compton said that gave Kevin the impression that the following morning might be some sort of deadline, but then he thought that perhaps he was reading too much into the man's words. In any case, although Kevin's thoughts were currently in disarray, he definitely knew what he wanted, and he didn't expect it to take too long for him to reach a final decision.
"Mark, remember what I told you," the man said as he turned to leave the room.
"What did he tell you?" Kevin asked when Mr Compton had gone.
"He said that I shouldn't say or do anything to pressure you or influence your decision."
"The fact that you're here now is already an influence on me," Kevin said, smiling.
"Do you want me to go?" Mark asked, not realising that the other boy was jesting.
"Of course not," the fair-haired boy said. Then, realising that there was no longer any need to hide his true feelings, he added, "I just meant that you don't need to say or do anything because I'm influenced just by you being here and by the idea of living with you."
Knowing that he had a lot of thinking to do, Kevin decided to go to bed relatively early, and just as he was about to get into bed, there was a gentle tap on the door.
"I just wanted to say goodnight," Mark said.
"You already did, just a few minutes ago."
"Well, I wanted to say it again so you can think of me as you go to sleep. Actually, I'd ask for a goodnight kiss, but Father would think I'm trying to influence you."
"It'll definitely do that, but I won't tell if you don't," Kevin replied, smiling warmly and stepping back from the door so that the other boy could fully enter the room.
Kevin couldn't believe his own daring behaviour and was amazed at himself for being so bold and acting so out of character. However, he desperately wanted another kiss, the effects of which turned out to be amazing, though initially perhaps not quite as intense as their first. Kevin's whole body tingled, and time seemed to stop. Suddenly, Mark stepped back.
"I'd better go now, before we get carried away," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."
When Kevin got into bed and began to consider the situation, it all seemed unbelievable. The rational part of him said that even if it were real, he would be crazy to agree to live with a group of people that he'd known only for a few hours. Besides that, there were practical matters, such as school, to consider. Of course, it was a wonderful house and luxurious lifestyle, but if anything went wrong, it could turn out to be a total disaster.
On the other hand, his mother had made it clear he should find somewhere else to live and get a job. He wondered where else he could go if he didn't accept the offer of staying with this family. The fact that these people had concluded that they wanted him to live with them made him feel special. His own mother had never wanted him, and although his grandmother had loved him, he'd been dumped on her, so she didn't really have any choice. Being positively wanted and not feeling like a burden was a totally new and wonderful feeling.
The strongest appeal to Kevin's emotional side was the prospect of being close to Mark. Just a few hours ago, he'd have scoffed at the concept of love at first sight, and he would even have been sceptical about the idea of ever being in love. He wouldn't have believed that anyone could love him or be attracted to him, but Mark gave all the signs of affection as well as desire. Kevin thought that if he could be with Mark, the house and lifestyle wouldn't matter, and he'd be happy living in a mud hut.
When he took everything into consideration, the decision wasn't difficult. The considerations of his heart easily outweighed any doubts raised by the rational part of his nature, and he quickly fell into a restful sleep.
"Are you Ms Williams?" the police constable asked the woman who opened the door.
"Yes," the dishevelled blonde woman answered, her eyes squinting with suspicion.
"Can we come in?" the policeman's female colleague asked. "It's about your son, Kevin."
"He doesn't live here anymore," the woman replied. "So there's no need for you to come in."
"Your son's school said that Kevin has been absent for more than two weeks," the WPC said. "You told them that Kev i n had run away, and they contacted us because they were concerned by the fact that apparently he hasn't been reported missing."
"I told them that he'd left home," Ms Williams said, apparently exasperated. "He's sixteen and can live where he wants."
"Do you know where he is now?" the WPC asked. "We just want to make sure he's okay."
"No, but I'm sure he'll get in touch if he wants something."
"It would really be helpful if we could come in and get more details on exactly how and when he left," the policeman said. "And maybe we could see his room."
The woman reluctantly allowed them into the house and then lied by telling them that after an argument, Kevin had said that he intended to leave home. She added that the next day, she found that he'd gone, along with his bike and his backpack. As far as she was concerned, he'd just gone away and wasn't actually missing, so there'd been no need to report it.
"Is there anyone else living here?" the policeman asked.
"No. Well, not at the moment, but a friend might be moving in soon."
The police constables found that there were very few clothes in the teenager's room, and there was nothing that he would be expected to have taken with him. They filed a report, and some checks were made to see if anyone fitting the boy's distinctive description might have turned up in a local hospital, possibly as a result of a road accident. However, those enquiries didn't produce any results.
The age of the boy and circumstances of his departure meant that no further action was taken. He was never seen or heard from again, and it was as if he'd simply disappeared into thin air.
As the fireworks lit up the sky, Matthew Compton stood with his wife among all the other people who were celebrating that special New Year. Her arm was around his waist, and his arm was draped over her shoulders as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. With the start of a new millennium and their first baby due soon, he decided it was time for a new beginning.
He was still haunted by the memory of that day at the beginning of November, early in this first year at university. That was when he learned that his parents, sisters, and brothers had all died in the house fire on Halloween night. The shock and initial disbelief had quickly turned to pain and then anger. For some time, the pain of loss was so great that he'd wished that he'd died with his family. He cursed his great-grandfather for building his stupid Tudor-style house, mostly of wood and located far away from any fire station.
Over the years, the pain had faded to a dull ache, but in all that time he'd never been able to bring himself to visit the site of this old home. The land was valuable, but he hadn't even considered selling it, especially when the rest of his inheritance and the insurance meant that he didn't need the money. However, it had been more than eleven years since the fire, and he was starting a new family, so it was time to move on.
"I've decided to sell the Compton House land," he announced to his wife when the fireworks ended.
"Are you sure?" she asked sympathetically. "I know what it means to you."
"I'm sure," he replied, knowing that his family would always live in his heart, no matter what might happen to that piece of land.
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