Chapter 1
Mike woke early, remembering where he was. They’d stayed in a hotel last night as his mom had visitors from her family stopping over. They’d spent one night at his old family home, but in separate rooms as he didn’t want to push things too far with his mom. She’d taken the news of him and Pete as a couple better than he imagined she would. She seemed to like Pete and had loved the present of her favorite boxed chocolates that he’d gave her.
They’d had a good time there so far. The band at the club last night had let Mike get up and play guitar with them as the drummer was an old high school friend of his, and the hotel he’d booked them into was managed by Mike’s mom’s friend, so she’d got them a good room for a discounted price for two nights, which included breakfast.
He watched Pete as he slept, his chest rising with each breath. He was glad he’d brought Pete to Texas, and he was happy that Pete had bonded with his mom pretty easily, but Pete could win almost anyone over with his childlike ways. He’d helped her in the kitchen. She taken Mike to one side and told him she approved and liked Pete. She explained how she’d hoped for a reconciliation with Amy but understood and accepted that they wouldn’t progress to more than friends.
Pete had a knack of charming anyone with that dimpled smile that Mike loved so much. Micky or Davy had once said ‘how can anyone not like Pete—he’s like an adorable puppy’. He’d met some of Mike’s old friends and mixed well with them. His friends had even seemed to come around to the fact that Mike was in a relationship with a guy.
“Morning, Michael, did you sleep well? This bed’s quite comfy. It’s a nice hotel.” Pete smiled at Mike as he sat up at the side of him. “Have you any plans for us for today?”
“I’m not sure yet. We should go get some breakfast first and yes, I did sleep well, when somebody eventually let me get some sleep…a certain someone was in a playful mood last night, don’t you think?” Mike replied.
“Who? Me? Never! Stop looking at me like that, Michael. I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. Remember people think I’m sweet, naïve and innocent.” Pete laughed.
“They don’t know you as well as I do, do they, though?” Mike bent down and kissed him.
“Well let’s go get some food, see how it compares to that huge breakfast your mom made. Does she think we don’t eat well enough back home?”
“She always says I’m too skinny, babe, but she’s a good cook and loves to look after people. You still up for the family meal this evening, meeting my aunt and my cousins? They are friendly, you know.”
“I guess so. Come on, let’s get dressed and go get some coffee down you. I think you need some.”
Not much later, they were downstairs in the dining room, helping themselves to items from the breakfast buffet. Mike plated up bacon, ham, egg, tomato, biscuits and gravy. Pete just had egg, tomatoes and toast. “You hungry there. Michael?” Pete laughed.
“Might as well make the most of what’s on offer here. Sorry there’s not a lot of choice for you. There’s not too many vegetarians in Texas.”
“It’s okay. I loved the pancakes with maple syrup your mom made for me yesterday. Did she teach you to cook? Because yours do taste like the ones she made,” Pete asked picking up his toast.
“She did. I just had an idea. I’m gonna call one of the guys we met last night. He’s an old friend who I used to spend time with as a teenager on his family’s farm. I’ll see if he’ll come and pick us up, and we can show you an old-style Texas farm. They have horses, sheep, cows and even chickens.”
“Sounds good. I did spend time growing up on a farm, but it’s a maple tree farm—no animals around at all other than the usual wildlife.”
Thirty minutes later, they were on their way to the farm in Mike’s friend Tom’s truck. The farm was about a twenty-minute drive away. Tom had met Pete last night at the club and had been cool with Mike and Pete being together.
They soon arrived at the farm and Tom took them into the kitchen to get them a soda. He decided that they could use his and his brother’s dirt bikes to drive around the property. He knew Mike would know his way around the area. They were soon on their way. Mike spotted Tom’s dad and brother Daniel with some horses in a field. They pulled up so Mike could chat with them.
“Do you wanna have a go at riding a horse, Pete?” Mike asked him whilst he was stroking one that Daniel was saddling up for a ride.
“Go on. I’ll have a go.” Mike and Dan helped him up onto the horse and Mike mounted a slightly larger horse. They started off having a slow walk round the fields, going to trot when Pete looked like he was getting a little more confident riding. They rode side by side, Mike pointing and talking about some things they passed.
“Do you want to go back yet? Pull the reins and he’ll slow down to a walk again. You’re doing pretty well for your first time on horseback, Pete. Just say woah if you want him to go any slower.” They rode back to where they’d started, and after that made their way back to the farm, racing on the bikes, Mike beating Pete by about one minute.
Inside the farmhouse Tom’s mom gave them some of her homemade lemonade, which they were grateful for as it was hot outside. She and Mike had a chat about how things were going for him in California and he told her about the band. Afterward Mike asked Tom for a ride back into town in his truck.
Back in town about half an hour later, they decided to have a look around the local stores. “Do you think we should get something as a gift for Micky and Davy? Something typically Texan?”
“We could do. How about some candy? You know what those two are like.”
“Look at those, Mike, Slo-poke caramel candy bars.” Pete laughed, putting six into a basket, and a bag of pecan praline for the other two back at the pad. “You gonna get some hot sauce to take back?” Mike put a few bottles into the basket and they went to the cashier’s desk to pay.
As they came out, Mike pointed out a western wear shop next door. “Let’s go in here—they have some really cool items in here. I want to get you something, a present to remind you of this visit. What do you like the look of? How about matching Stetsons?”
Pete looked around and stopped by some leather belts, but paid more attention to the buckles. “Look at these, Mike. These are good. I like this one. What is it, a lone star? They’ve got another, as well. We could get each other one! It’d be groovy to match! We have the rings we exchanged but they aren’t the same—this way it’s like they’re a pair, like us. It’s meant to be.”
“Okay, babe, I’ll buy yours, and I’d love one too. That’s a nice thought.” Mike called over an assistant to get the buckles and wrap and pack them up. “I’m gonna get a couple of bandanas too…I’m sure we’ll find a use for them,” he whispered to Pete.
Pete just smiled back and winked at him. “I’ve no idea what you mean, Michael, I’m naïve and innocent in those kind of things.”
Mike just stared back him. “Peter, well, I don’t want you to change the way you are. You’re perfect in every way.”
“Why, thank you, Michael. You are too, you know, but I feel better being with you, we really do work well together.” Pete looked at his watch. “What time do we have to be at your mom’s for dinner? We okay to get a light lunch? That diner over there looks good.”
“Well it’s only one o’clock—I think we’ve got plenty of time to find something else to do, but lunch…okay, why not.”
They found a table in the diner easily as it wasn’t too busy and a waitress approached them. “Hey, it’s Robbie Nesmith, isn’t it?” the chick asked Mike.
“Yeah it is but I go by my middle name, Mike, now. Sandra Wilson, isn’t it? I can’t believe you still work here! Nice to see you again,” Mike replied to her.
“Well, I’m Sandra Mitchell now. I married Alan last year—he’s a mechanic at the local garage down the block. I’ll let him know you’re in town. You guys both want coffees, before you order?”
“Yes, please. I’m only in town for a few days to see my mom. We fly back home tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah, you moved out to live in LA, didn’t you? How’s life out there for you?” she asked, putting two cups on the table and filling them with coffee.
“Good, thanks. I’m in a band and things are going well for me,” he replied.
“Well, give me a shout when you’ve decided what you want, and I’ll come and take your order. We still do those pies you used to love—apple, cherry, pecan and banana cream pie.”
“We’ll have banana cream pie. Pete, you’ll love it. With some vanilla ice cream too, thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll go get you a slice each.”
“It sounds nice. This seems a friendly place to come, but we are getting a few stares,” Pete said, looking around at the other people sitting eating.
“It’ll be because you’re a stranger and dressed a little different, and of course, there’s the long hair.”
“I did have a trim not too long ago. I guess they think I’m a dirty young hippie. I guess we ought to be careful in here,” Pete whispered as quietly as he could, just before Sandra came over with their desserts.
“There you go guys, enjoy.” She out them on the table and went to serve someone else.
“Are you gonna be okay with meeting up with some of my family later at dinner? They might not be the type of people you’re used to…they can be a little small-minded.”
Pete put his spoon down. “I’ve dealt with my dad. He’s stubborn, as you well know, and we haven’t let him bother us. The main thing is that your mom is happy and accepts us.”
“Yeah, sure. We need to go back to the hotel, drop these bags off, have a shower and get changed. I can still smell the horse on my clothes a little. Have you had a good day so far?” Mike asked Pete.
“Yeah. I wonder how the others are getting on back at the pad with Coco there with them.”
“I hope she’s keeping them in line. At least the place shouldn’t be a mess.”
“How about we stop and get some flowers for your mom as a ‘thank-you for the meal’ present. That’ll be a nice thought. Most women like flowers. I always get my mom some when I visit back home.”
Back in the hotel, they packed away the gifts for the others, showered—separately as the cubicle was too small for two people—then changed into semi-formal clothes. Pete took the flowers and they called at Reception as Mikes mom’s friend was lending them her car to drive to Mike’s family home.
When Mike got out of the car outside his mom’s house, he double checked his hair in the wing mirror and gave Pete a once-over. “I think we’ll do. I’m not sure how many of the family will be here. I know Uncle Ron and Aunt Janet, and their kids, Samuel and Charlotte, are. Charlie’s the one getting married next month.” He stopped and took a deep breath. “You ready for this, Pete?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Michael. Surely they can’t be too bad?”
Mike knocked on the front door. His mom answered and let them in and he handed her the flowers. “Oh, thank you, son. They’re beautiful! How thoughtful. I’ll just go put them in a vase. Please go through—the others are in the living room.”
She came back in with the flowers and put them on a small table. “Why can’t you bring me flowers like that?” Mike’s aunt said to the young man and woman who was sitting down.
“Oh, hello Robert.” A tall man approached him.
“Hi, Uncle Ron. I go by Mike now.”
“What’s wrong with Robert? It’s the name your mother chose and gave you. And who’s this then? I presumed you’d be bringing a young lady when your mother said you were fetching a guest. Have you heard that Amy Miller moved out to near you?”
“Yes, Uncle Ron, I have, and this is Peter. We live together and we’re in a group together.”
“Oh yes, your musical group. How’s that going for you? We haven’t heard of The Monkees, is it? on the radio or newspapers like those Beatles from England.”
“We’re doing okay locally. We have a good fanbase, regular gigs at a club on the Sunset Strip.”
“So have you got back together with Amy? Your mom was hoping you would, now you’re both living in the same area?” Aunt Janet asked Mike.
“No, we’re just friends. We’ve played music together, but I’m already in a relationship with Pete.”
Mike’s uncle looked shocked and spurted out his beer “Pardon me…you and him, you’re together? you’re with a man, Robert?” he more or less shouted, staring between Mike and his mom.
“Yes, I am, Uncle Ron, and mom knows all about us before you ask her,” Mike answered.
Mike’s mom and his aunt came in with the food for dinner, putting plates of ham, brisket, potatoes, corn, bread and other vegetables on the dining table. “Please come and sit down everyone. There’s plenty of food for everyone—just make sure you leave some room for dessert,” she said.
Everyone sat and was quiet. Uncle Ron said Grace before everyone helped themselves to the food.
“Are you only having vegetables, Peter?” Aunt Janet asked him. “Don’t you want some meat?”
“No thanks, ma’am. I’m a vegetarian, so this is fine for me,” he replied to her, before he started to eat.
“We don’t get many of your sort around here in Texas,” Ron said staring at Pete.
“Dad!” Charlotte said, not looking too happy.
“What have I said wrong? We don’t get many vegetarians here—barbecued, smoked and grilled meat are part of our daily diet here.” He put his fork into the brisket. “Did you think I was going to call him a long-haired queer? Well, we don’t get any of them around these parts either.”
“I’m sorry about this, Bette,” Aunt Janet stated.
“Dad, you need to understand things are different these days. There’s a big world outside Texas and this small town. I can’t wait until I’m married and moved to Arizona.”
“Charlotte, can you please be quiet. Bette, are sure you’re happy with this? I said all along you shouldn’t let Robert move to California—he’ll be smoking drugs next! You should encourage him to be a normal man and find a nice girl, settle down and have a family, give up the stupid music idea, get a proper job.”
“Ron, it’s his life. If he’s happy, then so am I. Please can we talk about someone else, like Charlie’s wedding next month?”
“You’re really happy? You’ve only got Robert, and if he stays with this guy, you’ll never get the grandchildren that you always wanted. You can’t tell me that doesn’t bother you?”
“A little I suppose, but I’ll get used to it.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin.
“Now, Uncle Ron, can I have a say in this? After all, it’s my life y’all are discussing here—what about what I want? I might not even want children myself, and I like everything just the way it is! I’m happy and I’m not gonna be changing a darn thing, you hear.” Mike took Pete’s hand and held it up to show everyone.
“Look, we’re good together and we love each other, and there’s nothing you can do about it”
Peter was shocked at Mike's words. Why was he saying that? Maybe he was just trying to silence his uncle. Peter hoped so, because having children was something he planned on. If Mike had changed his mind, didn't want them…well, that could be a sticking point for them. His heart sank.