Chris Bottoms is glad to be home from undergoing the first of two surgeries that will free him from the ostomy bag he’s been wearing for more than a year. He’s anxious about the upcoming second surgery, but life is keeping him on his toes.<br><br>The bank hierarchy is clearly grooming Chris’s partner, Mickey O’Donovan, vice president of a megabank, for a promotion. That doesn’t help reconcile the family who turned their backs on Mickey for not going into the family business. To make matters worse, Chris's little brother's abusers are still out there, and that makes Chris angry. He and Mickey are raising Ted now. Between dealing with spiteful relatives and doing their best by a hurt ten-year-old boy, Chris and Mickey wonder how much more reality they can take.<br><br>Chris's second and final surgery can't come soon enough. Both men are looking forward its most important side-effect -- Chris will once again be able to enjoy prostate massage, but not until three months after the surgery.

Bottoms Away

“So, we’ll have to go downstairs to the library.”


Chris extricated himself from Mickey’s arms, stood, and headed for the door.


“Aren’t you going to get dressed?”


“Ted was in bed asleep two hours ago.”


“So what if he does? This is an all male household, and we haven’t got anything he hasn’t seen.”


“Okay,” Mickey said, and followed Chris downstairs.


IT WAS TWO WEEKS after his surgery, and Chris was on his way home from a follow-up visit with Dr. Banzhof at the Mayo Clinic.


“I’m glad you insisted on driving me to the appointment, Mick,” he said.


“He did some poking around in my nether regions, and it was no picnic. Things are still pretty sensitive down there.”


“Yeah, but it wasn’t as bad as I’d expected.”


“Do we need to get you one of those doughnut shaped cushions?” Mickey said.


Chapter 7