And the story continues. I want to take some time in this entry to show some mucho support to all of the other blogs here on SON (or SONBC as some like to call it). I don't comment often (I'm working to change that lol) but that's because usually after catching on the stories, I am just in awe of the greatness and I promise to come back and comment later. Then I wondered, what else would be more encouraging than for someone to read EXACTLY how their writing made them feel? Some of you will think I'm crazy after receiving some of my comments about your work, but please no, I LOVE IT. I love all of the blogs here, though I do keep up with some more than others (and one, I've been following since it's early-early stages, back when it was a thread on the boards). Nevertheless, good job to all. I'm especially enjoying Steve's "From These Roots" at the moment.

But anyway, here's part 14 of our story. I went over it so many times and rewrote it a lot, so it changed a lot from what I originally intended, but this version feels right. I think it really highlights that I can be strong with dialog but lacking with descriptives, etc. There are some changes with the blog, as is probably obvious to you all. I changed the blog title to "The Stories" because it's shorter and easier to say than "The Various Soap Opera Fan Fiction Blog." And plus, it gives a shout out to all of the grandmothers out there who still refer to their favorite soap as "my story." The current story's title has been shortened to just "Luke & Kevin" because I think it sounds better than the original title. I added a small cast list on the right side of the screen. Whenever I get to doing the next story (another ATWT tale, focused on the Hughes family), I'll add a list of "past stories."

Feel free to comment!

AS THE WORLD TURNS

"Luke & Kevin" - Part 14

The sound of a vacuum cleaner whizzing across shag carpeting. The smell of lasagna baking in the oven. The sight of a perfectly organized, perfectly cleaned, perfectly beautiful apartment. Surely this was not the home of Nora Jean Larpenter. Of course not. She'd have the sink full of dishes, the linoleum floor would have waxy yellow buildup, and the odor of wine coolers would be in the air. She wasn't trash, but she had trouble keeping a clean home, despite the fact that she lived alone. It was strange, because a teenaged male moved in with her and suddenly the house became something out of "The Donna Reed Show."

But it was Nora's place, and Kevin did what he did best in his times of depression: he cooked and cleaned. The windows would have sparkled, but you could see right through them, so it was like they weren't even there.The floor was such a rich color of navy blue and it was without any dust particles. The pillows on the sofa were fluffed to their fluffy capacity. And Kevin probably emptied half the can of mountain valley-scented air freshener.

How did this strange habit come to be? What about death and devastation told him to just become a housewife? Maybe it started back in his childhood, when his father would make it a point to beat his mother at least once a week. After he'd leave to get drunk some more, she'd crawl into bed and cry herself to sleep. The young Kevin couldn't bear to see his mother in such pain and he did all he could to make her the least bit happy. And that meant learning how to do teenager chores at the age of 6.

Nevertheless, it was what calmed Kevin down and it was something he enjoyed to do. He was sure that Nora would be impressed by the job he had done. As a matter of fact, when the doorbell rang, he was sure it was his cousin, who had went out for her morning jog and coffee date with friends. He went to the door and was surprised to see his mother through the peephole. He stepped back for a second to collect his mood and took a deep breath before opening the door.

"Mom," he said.

"Hello, son," she said, giving him a big hug. "How are you today?"

Instead of replying, he suddenly resumed his vacuuming. The vacuum cleaner, a 1975 original, was too loud for conversation so Sheryl just stood there, watching her son. She tried to smile, but felt awkward.

"You wanna turn that thing off for a second? I'd really like to talk to you," she announced.

Kevin looked her in the eye before shutting off the vacuum cleaner. "Come in the kitchen," he said. "I made lemonade."

~~~~~~~~~

Luke dotted into the Oakdale public library with a stack of books under his arm. Truth be told, they weren't the average teenage boy fare. With titles ranging from "Midnight Trysts" and "Sinning with a Summer Stud," these were novels meant for mature audiences. Or were they? Perhaps the intent of the writer was for the spinster who lived alone to fantasize, make herself feel young again. Or maybe the writer wanted a suburban trophy wife to feel special and appreciated. Or maybe, just maybe, this writer, this Constance McLaughlin, wanted a 17-year-old guy from Oakdale, Illinois, to experience, for just a moment, what it felt like to be loved by a man.

Luke had absolutely no problems being gay. It took him no time to get used to it when he realized it, but for so many years, he wondered if he'd ever get the chance to have a real relationship. He never counted on coming out so soon, so he wondered how long he'd have to live alone, without a person to feel crazy about. He ached for love, and he needed it more and more as he grew older. But now, he thought, he had it, and with a person he didn't think would love him that way.

"Returning these?" Mrs. Stacell asked when she saw Luke standing at the counter.

"Uh...yes, ma'am," he said. "Yes, I'm returning these."

"Alrighty then," Mrs. Stacell said as she took the books from Luke. "How did I know that you'd be interested in these particular titles?"

Luke grinned. "Well, they keep my imagination stimulated whenever I'm babysitting the little sisters. I don't read them out aloud, of course."

"I would hope not!" Mrs. Stacell joked. "Have a nice day, Luke."

Mrs. Stacell put the books on a cart and proceeded to wheel it away. Luke looked forward to finding some more books, and maybe, he thought, he'd get something that Kevin would be interested in to cheer him up. Luke seriously worried about his boyfriend's well-being. He fully intended on dropping by Nora's to see him as soon as he left the library.

Suddenly, his plans changed when a group of boys from his school showed up at the library. They were the four guys who always seemed to cause Luke trouble at school. They always hassled him, heckled him, and outright bullied him. They didn't know that Luke was gay, but they knew that he was unlike all of the other guys at school. Luke preferred the company of girls, had great grades, and otherwise stayed out of trouble. Not a "real man" in the eyes of his tormenters. Luke, not being violent, didn't know how to respond to such terrorism. The only thing he could do was leave, and so he went straight for the door, but it was too late.

"Well, lookie here, boys. It's our girlfriend, Lucy Snyder," the lead jock, Jimmy, said to the others. "I wonder if he's in the mood for a date."

Luke was so annoyed by this that sometimes he wanted to cry, but he didn't. His mind wouldn't let him. Jimmy's idea of a "date" was pretty simple: he and his friends would torment him continuously until either he or they left. The sad thing was, before it all began, Luke would have died to have had a real date with Jimmy. Jimmy was, in Luke's eyes, the perfect male speciman, physically. He had everything that Luke liked, but those feelings died fast after their first "date."

"Look, Jimmy," Luke began, "I'm not in the mood for anything with you guys, okay? Now I know you get some kind of a kick out of my sexual orientation, but please, not today."

The jerks were shocked. "Your 'sexual orientation?' You finally admit it now?" Jimmy asked. "You're finally swinging open that closet door?"

"You know what? I'm just going to leave. How about that? That'll be fine for everyone. You don't mess with me, I don't mess with you, everybody's happy," Luke quickly decided. He turned around to walk out of the library, but Jimmy and his goons darted after him, grabbing him and holding him still.

"You act like you don't like getting this attention from us. We're the closest thing to getting some action that you'll ever see," Jimmy said through gritted teeth.

This had never happened before. All of the other times, there'd be a war of words and that'd be the end of it. Stupid, stupid, stupid, Luke called himself. I never should have told them that I'm gay, he thought. He didn't know what they were going to do, but it didn't look pretty. He only stared into Jimmy's eyes as he stood, pinned against the wall of the library. "What are you going to do?" he asked quietly.

"We're going to go all the way," Jimmy said. The look in his eyes, the fire, just evoked hate and violence. He seemed so hell-bent on making Luke's life a miserable hell, and Luke was scared. What in the hell were they going to do to him?!

~~~~~~~~~

Kevin just stood against the kitchen counter, drinking from a own paper cup and looking out the window across from him. He had nothing to say to this woman. He hoped that their conversation the day before didn't make her believe that he was over it all. He hoped that she knew that he was still upset with her and would probably be that way for the rest of his life.

Sheryl, on the other hand, wanted her son to know how much she loved and adored him. She wanted him to know how much it tore her up inside knowing what he had to spend the last couple of years doing: living with a father who didn't care. She wanted him to know that she was different now, much different. They had seen each other so little over the five years since the divorce that they both changed and, essentially, they stood as strangers in the room.

"I talked to Nora and we've decided to have you come stay with me whenever you're ready. We can't have you in her hair forever," Sheryl suddenly said, breaking the awkward silence.

Kevin was taken aback. "What do you mean, stay with you? As in living with you, full time?"

"Yea...I mean, you've spent so much time with your father and - "

"You didn't think that maybe I wanted a say in it. I mean, this is my own future you're talking about here," Kevin cut in. He was obviously upset and he felt betrayed. "But you know, I'm really not surprised that you're making decisions for me. It's the divorce all over again."

Sheryl stood up confidently and began to match his tone and pitch. "You wait just one minute. A lot has changed over the last five years, including me. I refuse to be spoken to in that manner."

"How do you seriously expect me to be? How should I react to you resurfacing after a year and a half of not seeing me? With hugs and kisses? Those are reserved for real mothers. Mothers who would protect their children from all harm!"

"Don't you dare put this on me, Kevin!" Sheryl screamed in defense of herself. "You had just as much right to come to see me as I did to see you."

"But I couldn't! You know I couldn't! You knew when you divorced him that he wouldn't let me see you! When you gave up all of your custody rights!" Kevin was no crying. "When you let him have me, knowing that he was sick, knowing that he wasn't fit to take care of himself, not to mention a son."

Sheryl's voice softened when she saw her son's tears. "You think I wanted leave you with him? Son, I wanted so much to keep you myself, but I couldn't. I needed help, probably more help that your father did. Can you imagine what kind of a woman would let herself be used a punching bag for years on top of years? I needed so much...so, so much, and I knew that me having you would not leave a good affect on you."

"But letting me stay with him would? Mom, do you realize how long and hard that was? He would get drunk two, three times a week. He'd heckle and attack me for trying to keep the house nice. The names he'd call me..."

"Names? Oh, Kevin, what names did he call you?" Sheryl walked to her son and tried to put her hand on his cheek, but he rejected her offer of comfort.

"What does it matter now? He's gone and he doesn't matter anymore. None of it matters."

Sheryl looked at her son as he faced away from her. An idea popped into her head and she went back to the kitchen table for something in her purse. She withdrew a card and held it out for Kevin to take. "This is my therapist's card. Kevin, if there's anything, anything at all that you need to sort out, please, don't hesitate to call her. She made such a difference in my life and I am no longer the woman I was back then, sweetheart. I've changed! I've changed! And so can you. You can learn to forgive your father and try to remember him for the good in him."

Kevin looked at the card with a tear in his eye. "You think that little card is going to change anything? You think your little shrink can get into my brain?"

"She won't try to get into your brain," Sheryl exclaimed softly. "She'll just listen while you talk and she'll try to help you, that's all."

"Well then," Kevin began slowly, building up to give his mother the shock of her life, "I'm sure that she won't be able to stop me from being me."

Sheryl was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I...I am gay."

The look of shock that Kevin wanted so much was there. Sheryl could hardly keep her breath. "What are trying to say?"

"I said exactly what I meant to say. I am gay and no therapy, no shrink, no little business card can change that at all, and that's all there is to it!"

And with that, Kevin left the kitchen and Sheryl could hear the front door slam. She rushed to the window and saw her son walking away down the road.

~~~~~~~~~

"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I don't have the time for any of this today," Luke pleaded with his attackers outside the Oakdale library. Inside, he quietly prayed for someone, anyone, to happen upon the scene and break up this blatant act of terrorism.

Suddenly, he got his wish, but when he realized who was coming along, he knew that this was a mixed blessing.

"What's going on here?" Lily asked when she appeared with her purse on her shoulder. She saw the boys huddle around in a circle, but could not see what they were holding up against the wall. A closer glance revealed to her that it was her son that was being victimized. "What the hell?!" she exclaimed, briskly pulling one of the kids off of Luke. "Get your damn hands off my son!"

"Mom!" Luke called back at her as she wrestled with one of the other boys. "I can handle it!"

Lily stopped her fighting and went for an easier option. She got her cell phone from her purse and dialed a number. "Hello, Oakdale Police Department? Yes, I'd like to report an incident at the Oakdale Public Library."

Suddenly, the gang disappeared at the sound of the word police. Lily closed her phone and walked to Luke. She ran her hands down the sides of his arms. "Are you okay? I mean, things looked pretty violent here."

"You didn't have to do that," Luke said, walking away from her and sitting down a park bench.

"What do you mean I didn't have to do that?! Luke, those jerks were attacking you! They should be lucky that I didn't do more than that!"

"What about the police? What are you going to tell them when they come here and they don't see anything?"

"The police won't be coming here because I called your cell phone, which was sitting on the kitchen counter at home when I just left from there. I thought I told you to keep your phone with you at all times? What would have happened if I didn't show up here just now? Why were those kids messing with you?"

Luke looked at her. "You know why."

Lily knew, but she didn't want to say it out loud. "You can't just let people do that to you, Luke."

"Well, I'm sorry, I didn't know that I appeared to be enjoying it."

"That's not what I mean. Was that the first time you had a run-in with them? Does it happen at school?"

Luke couldn't take it anymore. "Let's just not talk about it," he said, getting up and walking away.

Lily smiled because this is what happened everytime. She'd tried to show Luke that she cared about him, but he'd just brush her off again. "You know, Luke, I really really don't understand what it is you want from me. I'm trying to understand this thing between you and Kevin, and I've accepted that you are who you are."

"Since when are you trying to understand me and Kevin?" Luke asked, almost laughing. "If we broke up today, you'd be so happy."

"I would not be happy! Relieved, maybe, probably even thankful, but I wouldn't be happy. Not if my son is unhappy. Why can't you understand that? All I want is to see you happy, Luke, that's all. That's it. I don't care where you find it, who you find it with, how you find it, as long as you are happy. I love you, Luke. I love you so much that if I had to give my life for you, I would."

Luke almost cried. Never had anyone told him that before, not even Kevin. Sure, Lucinda probably said it once or twice, but it felt so different coming from Lily. He loved his mother to death, but he also felt that she seemed sort of self-centered, sort of pre-occupied. The statement that she had just made...it blew him away.

He walked to her and she put her arms around him. "It's almost everyday, Mom," he said through like tears. "Everyday they pick on me and they can't just grow up and leave me alone. And they never put their hands on me before...I didn't know that they were gonna do that. I'm scared."

Lily looked out into the distance as her son rested his head on her shoulder. She rubbed his back up and down and told him that it would all be okay. "Don't worry, Luke. Your father and I are going to take care of it."

TO BE CONTINUED...