The Road Home Read Free Page B

bottle toppled sideways as he continued to pee. He attempted to grab at the bottle and hold on to his penis at the same time, but his left arm was useless, and he could accomplish only one of his goals. He clamped down, forcing the flow of urine to stop, but not before the hair on his legs was covered in drops of piss.
    Gregg, who had prevented the bottle from falling to the floor, repositioned it. “Hold it,” he ordered Burke, who placed his right hand on the bottle. Gregg took Burke’s cock in his hand and inserted it into the bottle’s mouth.
    â€œDon’t watch,” Burke said.
    Rolling his eyes, Gregg looked away. After a moment Burke was able to pee freely. He tried to ignore the fact that Gregg’s hand was holding his dick as he drained his bladder. He watched as the bottle filled up. For a moment he was afraid it might overflow, but then the stream slowed to a trickle. To his horror, Gregg milked the last few drops out before removing the bottle.
    â€œThanks,” Burke said.
    Gregg took the bottle into the bathroom and poured it into the toilet. When he returned, he had a washcloth in his hand, which he used to wipe the spilled piss from Burke’s legs.
    â€œI can do that,” Burke protested.
    â€œShut up,” said Gregg. “You don’t always have to be the big top, you know.”
    Burke grunted. He wasn’t going to get into that particular argument with Gregg.
    â€œThere,” Gregg said as he put Burke’s gown back into place and pulled the sheet and blanket up. “Feel better?”
    â€œNo,” said Burke. He was already worrying about what he would do when he had to pee and Gregg wasn’t there. He certainly wasn’t going to ask any of the nurses for help.
    â€œI had a thought,” Gregg said.
    â€œAbout what?” asked Burke.
    â€œAbout where you could stay.”
    â€œOh yeah?” Burke said hopefully. “Where?”
    Gregg paused for a long moment. “With your father,” he said.
    Burke laughed. “Right,” he said.
    â€œI’m serious,” Gregg told him. “He has the room. He’s home all the time. It’s perfect.”
    â€œExcept that it’s my father,” said Burke.
    Gregg looked him in the eyes. “You don’t have a lot of choices, Burke,” he said. “This is a good solution.”
    â€œI’m not staying with my father for six weeks,” Burke said. “I’m not staying in Vermont. ”
    â€œThere’s nothing wrong with Vermont,” Gregg argued. “It’s beautiful this time of year.”
    â€œNo,” Burke repeated. “End of discussion. I’d rather stay in this place than go there. I’ll think of something.”
    â€œOkay,” Gregg said. “Just keep your options open.”
    â€œDon’t try that on me,” said Burke.
    â€œTry what?”
    â€œThat thing you do,” Burke said. “Whenever you wanted me to do something and I said no, you would tell me to keep my options open. That always meant you thought I would come around and do what you had wanted to do in the first place.”
    â€œThat’s not true,” Gregg said.
    â€œNo?” said Burke. “Have you forgotten about the vacation in Provincetown? The tile in my bathroom? The Volvo station wagon?”
    â€œThat Volvo saved your life,” Gregg said. “And I didn’t make you do any of those things. I just suggested.”
    â€œWell, stop suggesting,” said Burke. “I’m not asking my father if I can stay with him.”
    Gregg nodded. “All right,” he said. He looked at his watch. “I should go.” He leaned down and kissed Burke on the forehead. “Just think about it.”
    â€œGet out,” Burke said, only half feigning irritation.
    â€œGood night,” Gregg said as he left. “Don’t stay up too late. It’s a school night.”

CHAPTER 3
    â€œW hy