Second Chances Chapter Six
Harold Traxler
“My name is Harold Traxler; I was born on Sept 7, 1954, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My father was Charles and my mother was Muriel. She died when I was two. My father raised me alone until I turned 5 and he married my stepmother, Rachel. I had three older step brothers, Richard, Jack, and James. And I loved them all.”
As Harold slowly wrapped John’s ribs he continued. “I wasn’t much for farming, even at eight, I loved to tear things down and build them up. Richard was the farmer’s son; Jack wanted to be a doctor, and James, who knows what he is now. He left the day he turned 18, I was 14.”
“When I was 15, the computer age was just beginning, and I had to have one. Of course most then were humongous things taking up a whole floor in the building of whatever was using it. Banks, government agencies, you name it. I built one quite a bit smaller out of circuit boards and an old terminal the hospital in Cedar Rapids threw out.”
“I never realized what I was getting into when I ousted the Arpanet the government was trying to keep from the public. The government wanted my young head on a platter. To protect my family, I left when I was 16, changed my name, and entered MIT as Harold Wren; I think you know the rest, John.”
“I sent them my share after IFT made its first million, that’s when Nathan found out what I had done. Harold Wren was a lie; I was hiding from the government. I was 25 then. I never told him what my real name was though, about my real family and Nathan never asked to whom or where the money went, and he kept what he knew about me a secret until the day he was killed”.
“I paid off the farm’s mortgage, put money in the farm’s accounts for new equipment, and whatever was needed to run the farm efficiently. I think they knew it was me somehow. I paid for Jack’s medical schooling, even though Jack was already in his late twenties, and set up a college fund for Jack’s son, Ethan. Will and my step-nephew were even classmates in medical school.”
“I did visit my father once 30 years after I left home, he was dying, I think it gave him peace seeing that I was indeed alive, and he died holding my hand and my mother’s. She died not two weeks later, but she never told anyone about me ever being at my dad’s side.”
“Now you know about me. The rest is out there in the house, John, feel free to look, while I shower and change. I want you to see me, see what I am now, and decide if you really want me.” The last words were spoken as Harold’s voice trembled.
‘Oh God, Harold, I love you and want you, don’t you know that, after all we have been through, you are still afraid?’ John mentally tried to reassure him. John got up though and left the bath, giving Harold his personal space, for now.
John went to the living area, found pictures and plaques hanging on the walls, ones displaying IFT’s successes and accolades, Nathan being the face of IFT. There were photo albums amongst the tomes of Harold’s multiple floor-to-ceiling bookcases.
These contained pictures of a more personal nature, not meant for public eyes, Harold and Nathan at IFT working together, Harold attending the young Ingram family outings. There were then ones of Harold with Will at different ages. Will’s mother and father were no longer in the photos.
John saw pictures of an awkward nerdy teen with glasses with Nathan in their MIT years and in the rest, the progression as years past, IFT growing, Nathan, and Harold aging. Oh Harold, how can you ever think I wouldn’t want you? John wants him so badly now, the sweet, handsome man Harold had become.
John put the album back, walked back down the hall to an open bedroom door when he heard the sounds of the shower being turned off and moments later that door’s opening.
Harold, wearing a light blue robe, lightly tied at the waist, stood next to the king sized bed which he was eyeing nervously. He turned his head and smiled that crooked little upturn of lips as John knocked at the door frame. John’s heart did a flip at the unspoken invitation and went over to stand next to him.
“I’m afraid I’m at a loss what to do next, I know what I need but how to go about it, I….” Harold again turned his head to eye the bed.
“Shhh, Harold I know, I have, not with anyone I cared for before but I know”, John moved behind him and wrapped his arms around Harold and began nuzzling at and kissing his neck.
Harold pulled away and turned to face John. “Before this goes any farther you should see what you’re getting. I’m not…I’m not…”
“I know you have scars. I do too, you’ve seen them. Does that make you want me less? Will these make you want me less?” John undid the fly of his suit pants and pulled both pants and briefs down and off, then stood before Harold nude except for the bandaging around his waist.
What Harold saw, was a myriad of scarring on the other man’s hips, thighs and calves, jagged lines, surgical scars, divots, star bursts, and a particularly nasty one from hip to knee on Johns right outer thigh that looked to have been sewn up with a cobbler’s awl.
“Oh, John….no, never could I not want you.”
“Then trust me, let me see you.” John moved close to the shorter man, untied the robe, and slipped his arms under it and around Harold’s waist and pulled him closer. As John ran his hands up and down Harold’s sides, lightly skimming over the scars he felt there, he bent his head and kissed him.
It was tentative for both of them at first, then each opened up to the other, alternately tasting and being tasted, neither could get enough of the other. John finally had to pull away, breathlessly whispered, “Trust me” and slid the robe off Harold’s shoulders and away.
“I see you, all of you, I want you still. Can’t you see? “John pulled Harold back to him, bent in for another kiss, “Feel me, feel me wanting you” as both their now rigid cocks rubbed against each other.
After some much more hungrier kissing and hands desperately touching the other, they both were on the bed, Harold on his back, neck propped on his special pillow, John prone by his side. They kept kissing and touching each other everywhere until both were ready to explode. “John, I’m ready to…”
“In time, turn on your side and face me for now.” When they were lying face to face John reached between them, wrapped his hand around both their cocks and began stroking and pulling them both together. After a few of John’s strokes, Harold reached in and wrapped his hand around them too.
It only took a few heated strokes and rutting into each other to bring both men off, white strands of semen covering both their stomachs.
“John…I’ve…never…felt…so…good…I…love you.”
“Neither…have...I…Harold…I love you!”
Both men were lying on their backs, catching their breath, “John I still need to show you something.”
“Later.” John offered to and got off the bed and went into the bathroom to get something to clean them both up.
When he came out, Harold had his cellphone and was sitting on the edge of the bed.
“I think we have a number, John. I guess we should… we should…”
“Get dressed and go do our jobs. This will keep, Harold, don’t worry. We have the rest of our lives to discover everything about and love each other.”
It only took a few minutes for each man to clean up and dress and in ten, they were in the Lincoln backing out the drive and then heading towards the Library.
They were in the Town car, waiting at the red light, when the car was struck from behind. The force of the impact pushed the vehicle into the intersection, where it was struck again. John looked over at Harold; the other man's face was covered in blood. John tried to reach out a hand towards him before he succumbed to the darkness...
~*~
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen