Chapter 1: Family
Series: Lessons in Love
Altnernate Universe Into The Fold
Josiah could tell that JD was just itching to turn the channel so he could watch the game and he was just about to relent when the newscaster started talking about a big drug bust that had happened in Denver earlier that day. The report showed special agents and cops leading suspects away in handcuffs. If all the ambulances were any indication, it must have been a bad bust. Josiah found himself scanning those faces looking for a certain ATF agent, even though he knew he wouldn't find him. Not him, this particular agent knew how to become invisible. Knew how to blend in.
"Hey Josiah do you know any of those agents?" JD asked breaking him out of his thoughts.
"A couple," he absently said. Josiah has had many jobs in his lifetime, but the most recent and the most challenging was working as an instructor at a U.S. Government Agency training facility. He enjoyed his job. Loved it in fact. Josiah loved matching whits with the young cocky recruits and putting them in their place. Every once in a while someone would surprise him and would occasionally put him in his place. It never failed that there would be one recruit that would not only one-up-him, but get past his defenses as well. One agent in particular managed both with hardly any effort at all.
"Josiah," JD said for the third time then finally gave his older brother a shove in order to get his attention.
"What?"
"Can I turn it now?"
"Sure go ahead," he said as Vin flopped down on the sofa next to JD with a big sigh. "I thought you were going out tonight?"
"I was, but my plans changed," he told him with a shrug of his shoulders. "I give up on finding the perfect man. He's just not out there."
"Is that what you're doing? Looking for the perfect man?"
"That and having a little fun," Vin told him with that little half grin of his.
"Well, you're not going to find him in the group of men you bring home."
"Oh, really? And why's that?"
"Simply put, you're too damned good-looking for your on good. What you need is someone who'll make you earn his affections. Someone to challenge you. Someone that will keep you on your toes," Josiah said then got to his feet and heading for the study/office giving his brother something to think about. He could hardly believe it had only been a year since their brother had 'come out' to them. He had to smile as he remember just exactly how Vin told them . . .
~/~/~
They were just sitting down to supper one night when Buck started trying to set Vin up with someone his current girlfriend knew. He just kept going on and on about her. And about how in the last six-month Vin hadn't been out on one date. Had made a point to say that even Chris and Josiah had gone out a couple of times.
"Come on Vin," Buck whined. "Just one date," he pleaded.
"No," Vin said in a hard voice.
"Why not?!" he wanted to know. "You need to go out and get you a woman. If nothing else, it might help to relax you some."
"No."
"Don't worry, Vin if it's the one I think he's talking about she's really pretty," Chris added.
"I don't want to."
"What's the matter Junior . . . you still a virgin?" Buck asked in a stage whisper that got everyone's attention.
Vin threw his fork down his fork then looked at him and said, "Buck . . ."
The dark haired blue-eyed man looked at him in sympathy. "It's nothing to be . . . ashamed of," Buck told him, "I'm sure there are other men your age that are still . . . virgins. I don't know any, but I'm sure there are."
The younger man gripped his glass so hard they were surprised it didn't break. "I . . . am . . . not . . . a . . . virgin."
"Thank God," Buck dramatically sighed and flopped back in his chair. Then suddenly sat straight up and bellowed, "If that's true then what's the matter!"
"I don't like women!" Vin cried in frustration. They all heard him swear under his breath. "This wasn't exactly how I planned on telling ya."
"You mean you're . . . gay," Buck stated.
Vin just nodded his head.
"Are you sure?" Nathan asked.
"No, let me check my label," Vin quipped. "Of course, I'm sure."
"Sorry," Nathan mumbled and hung his head.
"No, Nathan, I am the one that's sorry. I should have told you sooner," Vin said. "It's just that . . . just," he trailed off. "Do you want me to leave?"
Five very definite "NO'S!" rang out.
"Look, Vin you'll have to give us time to adjust, but it doesn't change anything," Josiah assured him. "You're still our brother and we love you."
"Josiah's right Vin and the same rules apply to you," Chris told him. "You can bring . . . someone home so long as you show . . . him and us some respect."
"Thanks guys," Vin said.
"So do ya got a boyfriend?" JD asked. When Vin shook his head no the younger man continued, "Hey, maybe Buck's girlfriend has a brother." Which caused them all to laugh.
"No thank you. I prefer to get my own . . . friends."
"So what's your type?" Buck asked. "'Cause I think that guy at the bank is . . ."
"He is, but he's definitely not my type. There's gay and then there's gay," Vin told them. "I prefer someone who's more like me."
~/~/~
The five of them had gotten well acquainted with Vin's type over the last year. It was nothing to see a strange man leaving the house once the sun came up. At least, Vin didn't discriminate with his 'dates'. They came in all shapes and sizes.
Thoughts of his brothers always brought their father to mind and Josiah smiled. He often wondered if Thomas and Stacy Larabee had any idea what they were doing when they adopted five very different boys. In spite of the fact that not a one of them shared a drop of blood they were extremely close. Being adopted by the Larabees's was the best thing that had ever happened to any of them.
Two hours later Josiah sighed in frustration and threw his pencil on the desk. For some reason he couldn't concentrate tonight. Getting to his feet he threw open the door and walked past all five of his brothers who, by some miracle, were home tonight. Well, Nathan was just about to go to work, but he at least he was home. Ignoring them Josiah walked right out the front door and took a deep calming breath. Walking to the end of the porch he sit on the swing and rested his head on the back of the swing.
"Josiah?" Nathan called out. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," he replied not bothering to lift his head. "Just got something on my mind is all."
"You want to talk about it?"
Josiah didn't bother answering he merely got to his feet and disappeared into the darkness.
~/~/~
Nathan watched him go then turned and went back inside. "Trying to get that man to talk is like trying to . . ."
"Ta hammer a nail with a fly swatter," Vin said with a smile.
"Exactly," Nathan agreed with a smile on his face.
"Did he say anything?" Chris asked with a frown.
"No, just that he had something on his mind."
"He's was fine until we watched that news report about that drug bust in Denver," JD told them. "There were a lot of ambulances around. Said he knew a couple of the agents."
"Maybe he's worried about one of them," Buck added.
"Reckon he misses his job?" Vin asked.
"It's not the job he misses, but the agents," Chris told them. "That one agent in particular . . ."
"Yeah, Josiah used to talk about him all the time," Nathan said. "Said he drove him crazy."
"Damn, it's a shame Josiah never told us the guy's name," Vin added with a frown.
"If he had then maybe we could find him and bring him here so they could catch up with each other," JD said.
Continues in Helping Hands