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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
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Cards on the Table - 31. Chapter 31 Playing For The House

House rules. No more bets.

Cards on the Table

 

 

Chapter 31

 

 

Kendall kept a surreptitious eye on Michael as they both worked out. He understood the buzz the man was getting from pushing himself harder than he’d been able to, even a week ago, and he was happy for him. He was walking around the gym without his cane, and Kendall did his best not to worry, trusting Michael knew what he was doing. The flexibility had improved dramatically, and thoughts of last night’s talk about full-on lovemaking encouraged Kendall’s dick to swell in his shorts. It was just as well he was wearing a jock underneath as the memories of Michael’s cock sliding against him flooded his mind. It wouldn’t be long now, and Kendall was both nervous and excited. He needed to stop thinking about it… the constriction was going from uncomfortable to painful. Turning his attention away from Michael, he directed it towards Arron and Chet.

To an outsider they would just look like buddies working out together, but he had been witnessing the little looks and touches marking them as two men in love. Seeing the contented look on Chet’s face put a smile on Kendall’s. Arron appeared to be the ideal match for his friend from what he could tell. This was their first get-together since Wednesday night’s prank and the 'Lanny' parking lot drama. So much had gone down between then and now, he hadn’t really given a lot of thought to their pairing, but there was no doubting how happy and in sync they were. From the time they’d picked him and Michael up on this sunny Saturday morning, there hadn’t been a moment where they weren’t connected by touch during the drive to the gym.

Arron’s phone call to Michael had set up this impromptu workout, and it was a great way to start the day, and the weekend. It had followed on the heels of a call Michael had made to Janine to bring her up to date on the negotiation with Candy. It turned out she was in the middle of the breakfast Lanny had brought for them, so Michael had cut the call short with a promise to contact her later. Kendall had smiled at the news she was having breakfast with the big man, and Michael poked gentle fun at his obvious satisfaction.

The guys were eager to find out what happened after they left on Wednesday night, so they'd discussed the new developments with their friends on the way to the Spectrum. Arron and Chet seemed genuinely happy about the outcome, and congratulated them on impending fatherhood. Their wistful looks made him decide to talk to Michael later about maybe considering them for godparents.

“So what time are we checking out this house, Chet? Do we have a time frame?” Kendall’s question got Michael’s attention, and he stopped what he was doing to listen.

“I still have a set of keys, as the owner’s architect, so no worries. I called them Thursday morning after we saw you guys, and they said we could check it out anytime this weekend. The house is vacant and they’re anxious to have it sold. In fact, they called me last night to see if we were still going to see it and I could tell they’re nervous about no one living there. We can talk about it at breakfast if you guys are almost finished? Are we done, Wolf?”

“Yeah, I just want to do some stretches, work some of these damn kinks out, and then I’m done.” Arron wiggled his eyebrows at his partner.

Kendall, watching the exchange, assumed the stretching and kinks were alluding to something personal, judging by the blushing smile on Chet's face. He laughed at the pair, and Chet blushed a deeper shade. The Spectrum was quiet for a Saturday morning, but he kept his voice down to a whisper. “When you guys are done flirting with each other, we’ll meet you in the change-room.” He smirked as his friends exchanged red-faced grins, before turning to Michael. “What about you? You had enough yet?”

“Absolutely. I’ve had a great workout, but if I keep going, I’m gonna blow a tire. Let’s go shower this sweat off. We’ll see you guys in there.”

Ten minutes later, they were all in the shower room, having a friendly argument about where to go for breakfast. At Arron and Michael’s insistence, the Denny’s on Kingston Road won out. It was only ten or so minutes away. Kendall had never seen Arron naked before, and silently congratulated Chet on his choice of partner. The guy was every bit the work of art Chet was, although in Kendall’s mind, neither compared to his partner. Nobody ever could.

Denny’s was an indulgence he wouldn’t want to make a habit of, but Kendall enjoyed his ‘Big Slam’ breakfast. It was agreed by all that the line-up to get in was worth it. Houses were the topic of conversation as the guys picked at the food still left on their plates. Arron’s house sounded perfect, but, because of the neighborhood it was in, it was unattainable on their budget. With the money designated as the baby fund, they were left with about $130,000 as a down payment, but because they had another six months to save the money that was going Candy’s way, they could still swing $150,000, if need be. Even though their combined salaries topped $240,000 annually, they had set their maximum at $600,000, with Michael preferring to stay in the $500,000 range, if possible. If they saved for another year, they could substantially increase their down payment, but with a baby on the way, they needed to find a place soon. Arron’s house would likely top a million easily from the sounds of it. Chet literally glowed when he described the home to his friends, while Arron sat back looking pleased at his partner’s obvious infatuation with their house. Even though Chet still had his loft-style apartment, it was clear he no longer slept there. Kendall couldn’t imagine these two spending nights apart, and when he caught Michael’s eye while Chet was talking, the little knowing smile on his face told Kendall he was thinking much the same thing. What their friends had looked very solid.

“Okay, so are you gonna tell us about this mysterious house you want us to check out?” Michael asked.

“Well, there’s nothing mysterious about it, but I have to tell you it does have some restrictions.”

Kendall and Michael exchanged confused looks. “What do you mean by restrictions? What kind of restrictions would a house have?” Kendall was curious… they both were, and Chet had had their complete attention.

He took a deep breath. “Okay, first of all, before I get to that, it’s a great house. It’s in a great area, just a little northeast of Markham... kind of straight south of Stouffville. It would be about a half-hour commute for both of you, maybe longer in winter, and it’s on a little over three-quarters of an acre.”

“And we can afford it?” Kendall asked. “That’s a pricey area and you know our price range, right?” It occurred to Kendall that area would be about ten or so minutes from his pop’s business, which was on the eastern edge of Markham.

Chet stared from one to the other before answering. “The owners are asking $650,000, which is more than you’re looking to spend, I know, but I think this house is pretty special, and a real bargain. I also think they might be a little flexible on the price since they’ve already moved into a new house. I know they did have an offer of $620,000 which they turned down, but that was over a month ago.”

“Okay, what makes it so special? That’s a lot of money to us. I know the interest rates are down right now, but it’s still a scary price.”

“Let’s take a look at it, and you can see for yourself. The most special thing about it is that it’s built out of Black River limestone, which is quite rare for the area. The limestone was quarried in Kingston, Ontario, and that limestone is a thing of the past. The quarry has been shut down for a long time. The house was built in 1904, which makes her over a hundred years old.” Chet’s green eyes were sparkling with the passion he’d shown when he talked about Arron’s house, and Kendall could feel his admiration for this one as he talked. “It’s built to last forever… not like a lot of today’s construction. It’s a diamond of a house, although it does need some work on the back section. I know it would make a great home for you guys. I have no doubt, come spring, it’ll be snapped up by someone.”

Chet’s enthusiasm was contagious and Kendall could tell his partner was getting more interested in the house. He could feel his excitement through their clasped hands.“You’re sounding like a real estate agent,” Michael joked. “So what are these restrictions you mentioned?”

“They’re pretty straightforward. You can’t change the roof-lines of the existing house. You can change the interior, but the exterior pretty much has to be left alone. A new owner would be allowed to replace the front veranda that was torn off decades ago, and the back addition can be played with a bit, but the township won’t allow any changes to the main structure. The windows are newer, and in great shape, but if you ever had to replace them, they would have to match the existing ones. It’s registered as a heritage building because of the rare limestone, and its age. That’s why my clients gave up on it, and why it hasn’t sold as fast as it should. As soon as they see the restrictions on the listing, prospective buyers lose interest. It’s in an area of monster homes… some of them are ten thousand square feet or more. Everyone wants bigger and flashier,” he sighed. “My clients wanted to triple the house in size, but when we presented the plans, they were turned down, and to tell you the truth, I was happy about it. I designed this contemporary home for them, but I wasn’t pleased with what they wanted to do.”

“How big is the place? We don’t want something too small.” Kendall was envisioning something quite modest if the owners had wanted to triple it in size.

Chet laughed. “Guys, this house is plenty big enough. The main part is 2400 square feet, and the back part, the original summer kitchen, is 800 square feet, with a full walkout basement. Now, that back section has been gutted and needs to be finished. It’s a clean slate though, and you wouldn’t need it with the amount of room there is in the main house. You wouldn’t be allowed to tear it down, not that you’d want too. The owners had the place for a number of years, and did a lot of the basics. When the husband got promoted to CEO of his company, they decided they wanted to keep up with the neighbors, and went ahead with plans to expand. They were really upset when they found out they wouldn’t be allowed to do the expansion they wanted, so they up and bought a 1.6 million dollar monster home on five acres, just down the road a couple of miles. I’m drawing up some plans to update that one for them. Trust me, guys, it’s worth a look.”

“I’m game if you are, Ace? If Chet likes it, I say we go look at it and worry about the money later.”

“It sounds like a no-brainer to me. I’m excited about what we've been told, so let’s go check this rockin' house out,” Michael said with a grin, and everyone groaned at his lame attempt at a pun.

 

The house was captivating. Kendall was in love before they even pulled into the recently plowed driveway, and for a second he felt real disappointment because the price was out of their league. It was set back nicely, with mature trees scattered along what would be the front lawn. Leafed out, they would be beautiful in summer, and would provide some privacy on the quiet country road. What surprised Kendall, though, was the color of the stone. He’d expected a brown or dark grey, not the unusual silvery-white of this house. He thought it was stunning.

Michael had Chet stop the Jeep so he could hop out, and Kendall was quick to join him. They held hands as they walked slowly up the driveway, oblivious to the two men behind them. “What do you think of the color, Babe?”

“It’s amazing. I didn’t expect this.”

“Neither did I. There’s a bank in Toronto this color. It must be the same stone. What do you think about the way the house looks?”

“It looks so solid. Why would anyone want to change this house? That’s just crazy.”

“I’m with you. I love how balanced everything looks, with the door in the center, and the five windows all the same size. Those three big windows across the top must let a lot of light in. It would look good with a veranda though. It’s like there’s something missing, and you can see the marks where it used to be. The roof looks new, too.”

Kendall could hear in his voice, the same thing he felt when he looked at the house. The feeling of disappointment surged again, and this time it was almost searing in intensity. He was beginning to think this may not have been such a good idea.

The balanced look continued as they got to the side facing the driveway. There were four windows, the same generous size as the front ones, on each of the two levels. Farther down was a side entrance door, set back into an entry built of the same stone as the main structure. It appeared to span maybe a third of the back of the house, and separated the main building from the back addition. The design was very pleasing, although the yellow color of the addition's board and batten siding was quite jarring. Kendall took an instant dislike to it.

“The windows back here look new, Deuce, and they match the front part with the six-over-six panes. I like the way this section looks with the door in the middle, and the two windows on each side. It all looks so symmetrical, don’t you think?”

Kendall turned to see their friends standing back watching them, gripping each others hands in the cold air. “I agree… everything looks exactly right, well, except for that yellow color.” He made a face that had Michael laughing. “We shouldn’t get too carried away, though.”

Michael ignored his caution. “Yeah, that would have to go. It would look better if it was white, or a light gray."

"Or dark gray," Kendall mused.

"Yeah, that would work. Let’s check out the inside. Hey, Chet, which door do we go in?”

“Let’s go in this one,” he answered from behind them, pointing to the door between the two sections.

 

The entry had a big window on the back wall that looked out onto the far side of the property. The line of spruce trees blocked any neighbors from sight, which appealed greatly to Kendall. It was spacious and bright with a slightly rough but polished slate floor. As they entered, two doors flanked them. One led to the back ‘summer kitchen’, and the other led into the main house. Kendall ran his hand over the exposed stone wall and felt the roughness of it. Chet referred to it as rock-faced, even-coursed ashlar, but all that meant to Kendall was that it was beautiful. They all removed their footwear before proceeding further.

Upon entering the main house, they found themselves in a large central hallway running straight through to the front door. A large opening to the right led them into a huge kitchen that was a strange and wonderful mix of old and new. The cupboards, painted a subdued white, were original, and obviously built to last. They had a mission style look to them, and a number of the doors had leaded diamond-shaped glass panels. Overall, they were quite unique, and climbed almost the entire wall to just below the ten-foot ceilings. The black iron, vintage hardware set the multitude of cabinet doors and drawers off perfectly.

The rest of the woodwork was left in its original state. It was an interesting combination that worked. Another revelation, the ceilings were a classically-patterned tin, painted a creamy white that matched the cupboards. The appliances were stainless steel which greatly added to eclectic vibe of the kitchen. The fridge was huge and the stove was a gas range that used propane. The expansive counter-tops were a light colored granite that Chet described as white Kashmir. It was actually a gneiss granite which required yearly sealing, he explained. The mix of colors in it was astonishing. While basically a grayish white, it contained lots of speckles of brown and black, and shadings of pale greys and blues, with the occasional streak of black here and there. Kendall had never seen its like before. A white porcelain farm sink, centered under a large window, was the perfect complement to those counter-tops. On closer inspection, the substantial island proved to be movable, with cleverly-concealed locking wheels, and a stainless steel top that overhung one side, with matching stools under it. It was a close enough reproduction that it looked like it belonged to the bygone era the kitchen had been constructed in. Kendall turned his attention to Michael with a beaming smile on his face, and the man looked up from the lustrous hardwood floors to return it.

“I wouldn’t change a thing, Babe. This is an amazing kitchen. I can picture you cooking in here every night,” he said while grinning teasingly.

“Very funny. We’ll share the cooking, or you won’t be getting much to eat.” Kendall’s retort instigated a pout that made them all laugh. Realizing Chet and Arron were standing back and quietly watching them, he told Chet that so far, he’d done very well. Their friend, with his arm around his partner, looked pleased at their initial response to the house.

The tour continued with Chet now taking the lead. He informed them about the new wiring and electrical panel, and the new propane furnace, sized to heat both the main and back sections. The central air was only a couple of years old, and again, sized for the entire structure. The insulation had been updated by the previous owners and the walls had been re-plastered. The house was decidedly warm on such a cold day. Michael had been right. The shingled roof was only three years old. He also told them the drilled well was newer, and that the water pressure was phenomenal.

Upon leaving the kitchen, they discovered the rest of the woodwork all had its original varnish, now darkened with age to a lovely color, and a patina that comes from years of dedicated polishing. Kendall couldn’t find a blemish in it anywhere, so whoever'd touched it up had been masterful. The beams on all the ceilings were done in the same finish. All the floors were flat and level, indicating the superb craftsmanship and quality of materials that existed in the house. There were no rolling floors here.

The opening from the kitchen to the dining room was square and wide, with smooth-sliding pocket doors that resided within the wall when opened. It was bright and spacious with a second matching opening into the center hall. The front door to the right let in a lot of light, illuminating an incredible staircase that rose straight up before gently curving to the left. They could see abundant light streaming down the stairs, obviously coming from a window that wasn’t visible from the hallway.

Straight across from the dining room was another double width opening into what would have been the original front parlor. Its dimensions were ideal for a living room, with a fireplace perfectly centered between the two windows facing the driveway. Kendall was blown away by what they’d seen so far, and he could tell his partner was in a similar state of awe. They inspected the beautiful room, and its corner built-ins, hand-in-hand.

Down the hallway, they noticed the door to the basement was beneath the staircase, but left it for later inspection. Past the stairs was a full bathroom, with a claw-foot tub/shower combination that Kendall had only ever seen in magazines. As Michael crowded in behind him, they agreed the only element needing to be changed was the wallpaper above the gleaming white wainscoting. Kendall mentally winced at the garish flower pattern.

Further down, the hallway ended back where they’d started, with a regular sized door across from the kitchen entrance. This door led into a bedroom, as indicated by a decent sized closet with a built-in dresser inside it. Kendall however, immediately saw it as an office for him and Michael.

Michael sidled up beside him. “This would make a great office for you,” he said, his face glowing with excitement at what they’d seen so far.

Kendall looked around for their friends, and realized they had gone back to being inconspicuous. “For us. It would make a great office for us, and it’s big enough to double as a guest room if we needed it to… maybe a fold down Murphy bed would work well in here.” He realized he was doing what he warned Michael about earlier, but he couldn’t help it.

“Chet says there are four bedrooms upstairs, so maybe we wouldn’t need it for a guest room. You love it so far, don’t you?”

“Do you?”

Michael laughed. “Yes, I love it just as much as you do. I still don’t get why someone would want to fuck around with a house like this.”

“Me, neither. Let’s check the upstairs out.”

It was as impressive as the rest of the house, the big difference being the ceilings were only eight feet high. The four bedrooms copied the basic layout of the downstairs rooms, with the master over the living room. There was a fireplace in the same position in the room as the one downstairs. It had its own well-appointed bath with a spacious separate shower that suited the two men perfectly, obviously a later addition. Only the paint color of the master suite would require changing from the peachy-taupe color it was presently.

Another full bath across the hall divided the two bedrooms on that side. The hallway itself was well lit by the large windows situated at both ends. The back window was the source of the light that flooded down the beautiful oak stairway. It crossed Kendall’s mind this would be a very expensive house anywhere in the city. The price was looking more and more like a bargain as each minute went by… a bargain they couldn’t afford, he reminded himself.

The front basement was completely separate from the basement of the newer back section, with high ceilings, and decent-sized windows. It was quite impressive overall, the walls extremely thick, and in superb condition. It would be great for storage and working out, maybe even a pool table, Kendall thought. He watched his partner walk around inspecting everything, a pleased look on his face. Kendall had faith if there was something not right, Michael would find it, but only approval radiated from the man. All that was left to check out was the back section of the house.

Chet was right about it being gutted. It was more or less an empty shell. The walls and ceiling were newly insulated, and a bedroom at the far end had been framed in, along with a bathroom beside it. It was roughed in, and the toilet was in place, but there was no bathtub or vanity. The hardwood floors looked intact and level, but were badly in need of refinishing. Kendall could see that all the windows were indeed new, but that was small consolation when there wasn’t a bit of drywall anywhere. He felt a little deflated after seeing the main part of the house.

“What do you think?” Michael asked, not seeming at all fazed by the big empty space.

“This is a bit of a letdown. There’s a lot of money to be spent here. It needs floors, walls, ceilings. There isn’t even a railing on that staircase to the basement.” They took a quick run down to a big open basement with a cement block foundation. It had big windows, and a door that led straight out the far side of the house, but nothing had been done to it. It was an even blanker slate than the main level. They trudged back upstairs, and Kendall walked over to what was supposed to be the washroom. “All that’s here is a toilet. This will be expensive to finish, won’t it? There’s a lot of space in here.”

Michael walked over and wrapped his arms around him, staring him in the face. “Was there anything you didn’t like about the main house?” He was leading him somewhere, so Kendall let him.

“No, except for that wallpaper, and some of the paint, I love the entire place.”

“Then what’s the problem? We don’t need this space to be happy here, and we have our whole lives to finish it. At least we don’t have to tear anything out. All the rough stuff has been done. You know dad and I are good at this kind of work, right?”

“Yeah, I do know that. I’m just worried about the money. It’s already a lot more than we agreed to spend, and I don’t want to put us under that kind of pressure.”

“You mean me, don’t you? You’re worried about me here, and you don’t want to put me under any pressure. Am I right?”

Kendall was uncertain about what to say. Finally he dove in. “We have a new baby on the way, and you and I have gone through a lot. You’ve had a serious injury to deal with, and you said we should try to keep our budget at $500,000. This is already a lot more than that, and with what this back part needs and the work that’s required… I think it may be too much. I don’t want our first house to be a burden, okay? I want you… us to be happy wherever we end up. I don’t want us to be stressed.”

“So, you don’t want this house?”

Kendall sighed. He couldn’t lie to Michael. “Yes, I want this house, but I don’t think it’s the right one for us. It’s just too much. It’s nice to dream, but we have to be sensible.” He noticed that again, Chet and Arron were nowhere to be seen.

Michael actually looked amused as he said, “Well, we have a problem then, because I really want this house.”

“You do?” He tried to keep the hopeful note out of his voice, but something told him he wasn’t successful, because Michael’s amused look had gone to a smirk. “What about staying on budget?”

“Babe, when I talked about budget, I was just getting used to the idea of spending that amount of money, and sure, it was nice to hope we could get something in that price range, but I’ve been checking listings on-line, and that budget would only get us a decent-sized townhouse, or a very small bungalow where we live now. I knew we’d have to spend at least $600,000 to get something half-way decent. Seriously, this is a perfect house for us, the perfect home for us, and I know you feel the same way. Besides, there’s a four bay drive-shed out there.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down, and Kendall laughed.

“Yeah, I wondered if you’d noticed that.”

“First thing, Babe, and it beats a puny three car garage which we could never afford in the city, right?"

"True."

"So what are you thinking now?”

“Fuck, Ace, this house is the definition of a dream house to me. It’s the very first house we’ve looked at, though.”

“Not really. I told you I’ve been checking listings, and I know you have too, haven't you?”

Kendall nodded. “I've been checking every day."

“So did you find anything you wanted to look at?”

“There were a few maybes, but nothing even close to this place.”

Michael, looking smug, said, “I rest my case,” and chuckled at his partner. “I know you want this, so stop worrying about me. I’m fine with the money part, and I promise you it won’t stress me out. What do you say?” The look in his eyes made Kendall’s hope flare up and explode.

“Oh God. I say yes. I want this house. I really want this house. I really, fucking want this house,” he shouted, bringing their friends running from the entry.

“Did I hear right?” Chet asked.

“If you heard us say we want to buy this house, then you heard fucking right!” Michael was shouting too, and laughing at the same time. He pulled his partner back in close as he settled down. “We did it. We found our house,” he said softly into Kendall’s ear.

“Oh God, we really have, haven’t we? I’m so glad you want this house. It makes me so happy.”

“That’s my job, to always make you happy. Now let’s go look at the drive-shed.” He pulled on Kendall’s hand and tried to drag him towards the summer kitchen door.

“Hey, we need our boots.”

“Oh yeah,” Michael said sheepishly before he turned and hurried to the entry as fast as his cane would let him. He managed to get his boots on quickly, and called to his partner, “Let’s go out this way.”

Kendall, with another quick look around, joined him, pulled his own boots on, and followed the ‘little boy’ Michael outside, grinning all the way. Looking back, he saw Chet and Arron watching them from the doorway and gestured for them to join him and Michael… so they did. They were still holding hands and laughing as they watched Michael clomping around like a little kid, with Kendall doing his best to keep up. He was filled with such joy as it sunk in this was where they would raise their family.

Thirty minutes later, after taking pictures of the inside and outside for their parents and themselves, and checking out what they could of the snow covered grounds, they were ready to head home. They needed start the ball rolling on making this home theirs for real. Standing in the driveway while Chet and Arron checked over the house before locking it back up, Kendall stared up at the upper windows of what would be the master bedroom. Michael walked up behind him and engulfed him with his arms.

“What are you overthinking about now?” he asked while nuzzling his face into Kendall’s neck and breathing deeply.

“I was just thinking about where to put the bed and how to set up the nursery.”

“What do you mean, how to set up the nursery. Where is it going to go?”

“That’s an easy question to answer. It has to go in the room across the hall from us. It’s the closest room to ours, and the door openings line up so we can leave them open and be able to hear into his… or her room.”

“Okay, that makes sense, but why the concern for where our bed goes?”

Kendall squirmed around until they were facing one another. “Because we need to be able to see the crib from our bed. I’ll sleep easier if I can wake up and see it… otherwise I’ll be getting up a lot to check on him.” He hesitated at Michael’s expression, but carried on. “I think we can put our bed where it should go, against the wall facing the road, but we’ll need to sleep with our heads at the end of the bed so we can see into the nursery. We could even turn the bed around so the foot-board is against the wall, at least temporarily, if that would be alright with you?” Kendall paused. “I know it probably sounds silly, but we’re going to be responsible for this tiny little newborn baby, and it’s kind of scary.”

“Wow, you’re amazing. You truly are. It’s not silly at all, and I’m scared too, but not as much as I was. You just took a lot of it away… you’re already figuring out stuff like this, and that proves to me you’ll never let us screw up. I’ve been able to count on you from the first day we met, and so will our kid. You’re the best partner, the best friend, and you’re going to be the best dad. I love you so fucking much.” Michael’s eyes shone as he leaned in for a kiss.

Kendall obliged him. “I think the exact same thing about you, and I love you so fucking much too. Now let’s get going so we can make some phone calls.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Organized,” Michael teased. “Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you realize you’re starting to refer to the baby as ‘he?' Do you think it’s a boy?”

“I don’t know why, but yeah, more and more, I feel like it’s a boy.”

“That’s funny, cause more and more, I feel like it’s a girl.”

“Well, you know I’m almost always right,” Kendall winked at Michael.

“Yes, you are. You picked me, didn’t you?” Michael winked back.

“I rest my case, Sunshine.”

Many thanks to Editor Tim, and all the faithful readers and reviewers. Please feel free to join us in the COTT forum:
www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/39932-cards-on-the-table-by-headstall/
Copyright © 2017 Headstall; All Rights Reserved.
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The house sounds phenomenal. I love the look of a refurbished older home. The home you described would be an amazing place to raise a family. Knowing the prices in that area - it would also be an amazing deal for Michael and Kendall. I can understand Kendall's fear about the cost though. No matter how good of a deal the house is - that is a lot of money. Even with the cost - I think it's too good of a deal for them to pass up. Kendall's worry about where the baby would sleep and being able to hear and see him or her at night brought back memories. I changed the location of my son's crib and my bed a couple of times before I was happy that I would hear him if he woke up in the middle of the night :*)

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On 07/06/2015 01:39 PM, EagleIsaac said:

The house sounds phenomenal. I love the look of a refurbished older home. The home you described would be an amazing place to raise a family. Knowing the prices in that area - it would also be an amazing deal for Michael and Kendall. I can understand Kendall's fear about the cost though. No matter how good of a deal the house is - that is a lot of money. Even with the cost - I think it's too good of a deal for them to pass up. Kendall's worry about where the baby would sleep and being able to hear and see him or her at night brought back memories. I changed the location of my son's crib and my bed a couple of times before I was happy that I would hear him if he woke up in the middle of the night :*)

Thanks for reviewing, Eagle. I held off posting this chapter, and even wrote something a little different because I was and am worried that readers would find the detail of the house boring... but the guys kept telling me it was going to be a very important part of their lives... in the end, I went with it, and just tried to make it as interesting as I could. I'm not the greatest judge, because I love houses, particularly old ones. I knew you would understand the baby crib thing. It's really scary when you first bring them home... we had our babies in the room with us... pathetic, maybe... but wouldn't have slept otherwise...Kendall's parental instincts have kicked in already... thanks again... cheers...

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Personally, I loved all the details of "their" house and the enthusiasm expressed by both Kendall and Michael regarding the architectural details. Both of my siblings live in century homes but unfortunely, neither of their homes were kept up as beautifully as the house in your story. On the other hand, during the restoration phase they and their partners got to have the joy of discovering hidden treasures like covered up pocket doors and a fireplace
I also like Kendall's Papa Bear behaviour as he is already fussing over how best to watch over the baby. It's very endearing and is another indicator of the good man that he is. Though, I think someone will have to clue him in regarding a handy dandy little gadget known as a baby monitor. And it is totally okay for the baby to be in their room when the baby is very young.
I have some ideas percolating in my brain as to where you might take their lives in upcoming chapters, but I'm going to keep mum on my musings because I'd like to see how close (or not) my imagination is to the reality you create for K & D.

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That was an amazingly detailed walk through. Any chance I can put in an offer?! Their house sounds great. Even though they're worried about budget, and being really responsible, but sometimes you do spend a little more when you weigh cost against things that will really matter in the long run. If they're in a nice area with good schools, it would make sense to jump on this house rather than pay close to the same thing for a lesser house that they didn't love as much.
Best part is that they're already thinking like parents. Definitely will be doting dads. Love it.

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Great chapter, G-Man, Kendall is all set to be a dad, and I hope his 'feeling' about it being a boy is right; I'd be afraid that a girl might be too much like Candy, and it will be easier for them to raise a boy since they were ones themselves. :) God forbid the bitch should have twins!
Michael is right about the house--the addition is completely unneeded space, and the basics are done there, so it can all be done later as time and money allow...but you missed what I think is a big selling point: the house fits all their wishes--so it can easily be their permanent home, and not just a first one. If a place is right, and you love it, why search for another down the road? Kendall runs his own company, and if needs be, Michael can join the local police force, or work for Kendall!
New wiring--sigh. My house is 107 this year, and has all original woodwork unpainted, original lightng fixtures and floorplan, but the only wiring replaced was in the exposed basement--in the walls is all older stuff--but at least I have circuit breakers!
They are so lucky to get the first house they liked--I saw one perfect for me, bigger, older, and fancier than the one I have now, and it would have only cost 4k more--but I wasn't told it was shown to another person the day before--if I'd known, I'd have offered then, and gotten it rather than be a back-up offer. Oh well.
Work them a deal to get more off due to the addition's being gutted. :)

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The house sounds wonderful, I can't imagine what it would be like to own your own home I've been renting with my husband since we married.

 

Can't wait to see how they decorate the nursery and of course they'll have to have a house warming party :wizard: .

 

Hmm, anything I've forgotten :unsure: ...Oh yeah, Gary you're a God of Writers :joe: ...I did get that right didn't I?? 0:)

 

Will look forward to the next chapter and see you in the forum :P

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I could picture the house as they walked through. We have alot if old houses, many dating to the early 1700's, in this area and I much prefer them to newer ones. The back portion reminds me of what we call a grandparents house. Among the plain folk elderly parents remain a part of the family but often move into a small cottage attached to the main house where the eldest son and his family live. Having a bit of ground means a yard for kids to run and play.
I understand Kendall's need to be able to see and hear the baby. For the first six months my son slept in a bassinet beside our bed, made for a slightly crowded room. That was tradition in our extented family. The bassinet was stored at my grandparents' and was loaned out as each baby arrived. I slept in it as had my older cousins, I remember my sister sleeping in it. I think part of four generations shared sleeping in it.
I sense we might be drawing near the stopping point, not end, of this story. I am wistful as I want an ongoing saga sharing in the lives of this family but also understand we owe them some privacy to live and raise their children. Thank you for a shared journey ... now get on with the next 30+ chapters you bloody author.

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Gary is a God of writing :P
It was interesting to read your comments to Eagle about the details of the house. I guess you did put a lot in there but for me it was more like kids unwrapping a Chirstmas present and going "wow" and then opening the next. It was more about their excitement than a real estate agent telling us about the house.
And of course Kendall would be planning the layout of the bed and crib :rolleyes: now he just needs to work on Jeremy and his work will be done :P

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On 07/06/2015 02:48 PM, Reader1810 said:

Personally, I loved all the details of "their" house and the enthusiasm expressed by both Kendall and Michael regarding the architectural details. Both of my siblings live in century homes but unfortunely, neither of their homes were kept up as beautifully as the house in your story. On the other hand, during the restoration phase they and their partners got to have the joy of discovering hidden treasures like covered up pocket doors and a fireplace

I also like Kendall's Papa Bear behaviour as he is already fussing over how best to watch over the baby. It's very endearing and is another indicator of the good man that he is. Though, I think someone will have to clue him in regarding a handy dandy little gadget known as a baby monitor. And it is totally okay for the baby to be in their room when the baby is very young.

I have some ideas percolating in my brain as to where you might take their lives in upcoming chapters, but I'm going to keep mum on my musings because I'd like to see how close (or not) my imagination is to the reality you create for K & D.

Thank you, Reader. I am relieved the house description went over well. I love old houses, and the outside of this one exists. The interior is from a combination of two different houses, and the granite is my own :) . The awakening of the parental instinct is a powerful thing, and it's happening for Kendall in a big way. Michael is following suit, but I think he will rely on Kendall's skills a lot. They will be great dads. And yeah, Baby monitors are lifesavers lol. Thanks for a wonderful review... Cheers... Gary

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On 07/06/2015 02:59 PM, Defiance19 said:

That was an amazingly detailed walk through. Any chance I can put in an offer?! Their house sounds great. Even though they're worried about budget, and being really responsible, but sometimes you do spend a little more when you weigh cost against things that will really matter in the long run. If they're in a nice area with good schools, it would make sense to jump on this house rather than pay close to the same thing for a lesser house that they didn't love as much.

Best part is that they're already thinking like parents. Definitely will be doting dads. Love it.

LOL, I would like that house for myself. Unfortunately, neither of us can have it because if all goes well, it's Michael and Kendall's home. I think it's a big adjustment to wrap your head around the kind of money it costs for what you want, but really, they can afford it. Besides, Michael gets something better than a three-car garage :) . I thought the scene where Kendall is looking up at the master bedroom window was an important one in showing where they were as parents. Kendall is going to be that parent that covers all the bases, and Michael feels lucky to have a partner like that. Thanks for a great review, Defiance... Cheers...

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On 07/06/2015 03:51 PM, ColumbusGuy said:

Great chapter, G-Man, Kendall is all set to be a dad, and I hope his 'feeling' about it being a boy is right; I'd be afraid that a girl might be too much like Candy, and it will be easier for them to raise a boy since they were ones themselves. :) God forbid the bitch should have twins!

Michael is right about the house--the addition is completely unneeded space, and the basics are done there, so it can all be done later as time and money allow...but you missed what I think is a big selling point: the house fits all their wishes--so it can easily be their permanent home, and not just a first one. If a place is right, and you love it, why search for another down the road? Kendall runs his own company, and if needs be, Michael can join the local police force, or work for Kendall!

New wiring--sigh. My house is 107 this year, and has all original woodwork unpainted, original lightng fixtures and floorplan, but the only wiring replaced was in the exposed basement--in the walls is all older stuff--but at least I have circuit breakers!

They are so lucky to get the first house they liked--I saw one perfect for me, bigger, older, and fancier than the one I have now, and it would have only cost 4k more--but I wasn't told it was shown to another person the day before--if I'd known, I'd have offered then, and gotten it rather than be a back-up offer. Oh well.

Work them a deal to get more off due to the addition's being gutted. :)

Thanks, CG, for another well-thought-out review. Kendall is a litter farther along in the dad thing, but that's who he is... Mr. Organized. Truth be told, early on, my daughters were the easiest... later, a different story :) . The house is ideal for them. It is close to both of their workplaces, and they do consider it their lifetime home. As Michael said, they have a lifetime to finish the back part, and Kendall was filled with joy at knowing this was were they would raise their family. This is no temporary home, and I'll see what I can do about getting them a deal lol. Thanks again, CG... cheers... G-man

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On 07/06/2015 08:29 PM, Caz Pedroso said:

The house sounds wonderful, I can't imagine what it would be like to own your own home I've been renting with my husband since we married.

 

Can't wait to see how they decorate the nursery and of course they'll have to have a house warming party :wizard: .

 

Hmm, anything I've forgotten :unsure: ...Oh yeah, Gary you're a God of Writers :joe: ...I did get that right didn't I?? 0:)

 

Will look forward to the next chapter and see you in the forum :P

LOL... I knew that was coming. Thanks for reviewing, Caz. Yeah, they are fortunate to be able to buy their own home... they both have well-paying careers. I'm glad you liked the house... I wanted them to have something really special...Thanks again, Caz... cheers... Gary

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On 07/06/2015 10:59 PM, dughlas said:

I could picture the house as they walked through. We have alot if old houses, many dating to the early 1700's, in this area and I much prefer them to newer ones. The back portion reminds me of what we call a grandparents house. Among the plain folk elderly parents remain a part of the family but often move into a small cottage attached to the main house where the eldest son and his family live. Having a bit of ground means a yard for kids to run and play.

I understand Kendall's need to be able to see and hear the baby. For the first six months my son slept in a bassinet beside our bed, made for a slightly crowded room. That was tradition in our extented family. The bassinet was stored at my grandparents' and was loaned out as each baby arrived. I slept in it as had my older cousins, I remember my sister sleeping in it. I think part of four generations shared sleeping in it.

I sense we might be drawing near the stopping point, not end, of this story. I am wistful as I want an ongoing saga sharing in the lives of this family but also understand we owe them some privacy to live and raise their children. Thank you for a shared journey ... now get on with the next 30+ chapters you bloody author.

LOL My mind changes like the wind, but I think we'll be wrapping up soon. In Canada the back part was always called the 'summer kitchen' because that was where you cooked in the heat of the summer... it kept the main house cooler. Now they are often in-law suites, or family rooms. The bassinet tradition was in our family as well. Thanks for a great review, dugh... I'll get back to being a bloody author in the next day or two... cheers... Gary

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On 07/06/2015 11:23 PM, Bucket1 said:

Gary is a God of writing :P

It was interesting to read your comments to Eagle about the details of the house. I guess you did put a lot in there but for me it was more like kids unwrapping a Chirstmas present and going "wow" and then opening the next. It was more about their excitement than a real estate agent telling us about the house.

And of course Kendall would be planning the layout of the bed and crib :rolleyes: now he just needs to work on Jeremy and his work will be done :P

Yes, I am... as Michael would say :) . I love how you saw the unfolding of the chapter... 'unwrapping a Christmas present' is perfect. I guess I did good after all. And how did we get back to Jeremy? Yup, Kendall was being Kendall. Great review, Bucket... thank you... cheers... Gary...

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Gary is a God....of Writers!! :worship:

 

Seriously I really enjoyed this chapter. The house sounds absolutely beautiful. I want to be invited there for the housewarming party :) The details you described made me feel as I was taking a guided tour. I can see in my minds eye M & K and their baby sitting by a Christmas tree by the light on the fireplace as they open presents, or playing the backyard.

 

By the way....my baby pool vote is for twins :*)

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On 07/07/2015 02:27 AM, LitLover said:

Gary is a God....of Writers!! :worship:

 

Seriously I really enjoyed this chapter. The house sounds absolutely beautiful. I want to be invited there for the housewarming party :) The details you described made me feel as I was taking a guided tour. I can see in my minds eye M & K and their baby sitting by a Christmas tree by the light on the fireplace as they open presents, or playing the backyard.

 

By the way....my baby pool vote is for twins :*)

I guess I asked for that, didn't I? LOL. I'm so glad you enjoyed the tour of the house. I could picture every detail as I wrote it, but I worried it was too much. I finally ended up going with it because this house will play such an important part of their lives. Twins? that's twice I've heard that. The poor guys will have enough on their plate with just one, at first. Thanks for another great review, Lit... cheers... Gary...

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Kendall's over thinking is adorable! They're both going to be lovely dads -- in the perfect house!

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On 07/07/2015 04:08 AM, Kalandor said:

Kendall's over thinking is adorable! They're both going to be lovely dads -- in the perfect house!

Thank you, Kalandor. Michael thinks it's adorable too. And it gives him confidence in what lays ahead for them. Being a good father means putting your kids first, and they'll certainly do that. I loved walking through that house and describing it as I went. Thank you so much for reviewing... cheers... Gary

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Perfect house, and I'm thrilled Chet was the one to find it for them. I hope M&K make them godparents, too. I'm in favor of Michael begetting a son and Kendall a daughter. I have the feeling Kendall will be the anxious, overprotective Dad and I hope Michael can counteract that.
I loved the title of course, they may have started out playing with looking at the house, but it soon became serious. No more bets about where they are going to live or how committed they are to the family they are building. Plus once they get the back done, it will be perfect for Kendall's parents visiting. And later it's probably good for a teen residence.
Plus I bet the neighborhood likes the idea of having a cop in residence, and another visiting regularly. Because those four friends will be at each other's houses often is my prediction. Kendall Giftekniv can be proud of his match-making skills. Wonder what he'll find for Jeremy :lol:

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Glad our heroes have found a great house--and glad to see the friendship building with Chet and his partner. Remarkably, Chet's relationship seems to be growing as fast as K&M's did; I'm hoping maybe a chapter in the future to show just HOW they built it so quickly! A case of the right guys at the right time?
And, despite it wasn't in this particular chapter, think the drama with the pregnancy is far from over, and figure more shennigans are ahead from "the bitch".
Nicely descriptive chapter, and necessary nesting for the guys' ongoing lives. Good job!

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On 07/07/2015 07:45 PM, Timothy M. said:

Perfect house, and I'm thrilled Chet was the one to find it for them. I hope M&K make them godparents, too. I'm in favor of Michael begetting a son and Kendall a daughter. I have the feeling Kendall will be the anxious, overprotective Dad and I hope Michael can counteract that.

I loved the title of course, they may have started out playing with looking at the house, but it soon became serious. No more bets about where they are going to live or how committed they are to the family they are building. Plus once they get the back done, it will be perfect for Kendall's parents visiting. And later it's probably good for a teen residence.

Plus I bet the neighborhood likes the idea of having a cop in residence, and another visiting regularly. Because those four friends will be at each other's houses often is my prediction. Kendall Giftekniv can be proud of his match-making skills. Wonder what he'll find for Jeremy :lol:

Thanks for the great review, Tim. I wanted them to have that 'dream house'. I also wanted Chet and Arron to be a part of such a big event. It's fitting that Chet, with his love for quality houses, would find them theirs. All four now have their dream homes. Thanks for liking the title, and the back part does open up all sorts of possibilities for a growing family. A part of being a parent is the worry. It comes to stay. I think that worry has awakened in Kendall, and its natural, but your right... he may need the balance of Michael to keep him from being overprotective. It gets easier the more kids you add lol. As far as Jeremy... we'll see... cheers... Gary

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On 07/07/2015 11:11 PM, Robert Rex said:

Glad our heroes have found a great house--and glad to see the friendship building with Chet and his partner. Remarkably, Chet's relationship seems to be growing as fast as K&M's did; I'm hoping maybe a chapter in the future to show just HOW they built it so quickly! A case of the right guys at the right time?

And, despite it wasn't in this particular chapter, think the drama with the pregnancy is far from over, and figure more shennigans are ahead from "the bitch".

Nicely descriptive chapter, and necessary nesting for the guys' ongoing lives. Good job!

Hey, Rex. Thanks for the review. I think the solid friendship between the four has already begun. You are right about Chet and Arron's relationship building quickly... I thought I already showed the whys of that in 'Song and Dance'. Theirs was a case of love at first sight...but you've given me food for thought... maybe I need to revisit that. Candy will always be an unknown quantity, but at least there is a bit of a leash on her now... we'll see... thanks, my friend, for all your support, and the kind words... cheers... Gary

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Very nice chapter!!! I'm always in awe of how you can describe a room or depict a characters' facial expressions(blushes) and emotions(anger, jealousy,etc) so vividly and with such clarity...that we are right there with them!! :worship: Another amazing chapter...another thank you for sharing the brilliance! :thumbup: So...2 more days...no rush!! 0:):)

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On 07/09/2015 08:23 AM, Onim said:

Very nice chapter!!! I'm always in awe of how you can describe a room or depict a characters' facial expressions(blushes) and emotions(anger, jealousy,etc) so vividly and with such clarity...that we are right there with them!! :worship: Another amazing chapter...another thank you for sharing the brilliance! :thumbup: So...2 more days...no rush!! 0:):)

Hey, Onim. I wondered where you went to. Thanks for another great review... it is very welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. I was worried about spending so much time in the house, but I felt it was important so I went with it. I posted on Sunday, so I think it will be more than two days LOL... I'll take you at your word that there's no rush :) . Cheers... Gary

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I'm finally caught up......I've enjoyed the faceoff with "the bitch" Arron & Chett"s payback and profession of love love for each other, Lanny's confession and steps toward redemption and possible connection to Janine. All in all, this has been beautifully written and a joy to read,,,even the difficult parts......Great job Gary...the problem now is.....where's the next chapter? lol...........:)Mike

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