Task Number 6(1)

Lake Tahoe spread beneath them like the wonderland resort town that it was. The weather was clear and crisp and no one talked much, lost in their own thoughts and the beauty of the scenery.

James sat in an aisle seat with Beverly on the inside, allowing her to have the view, but she wasn't enjoying it. In fact, the whole flight, she'd been quiet, pensive. He'd wanted to ask her what was wrong but he didn't want to intrude. He just wanted the happy Beverly back again. He reached over and touched her doughy arm and she looked over at him with sad eyes.

"What's wrong, beautiful?"

Her big dark eyes welled with tears at his heartfelt words. "Nothing."

"Then why is nothing causing you to cry?"

Beverly sniffled, trying to maintain her control. "I'm sorry, James."

"Don't be sorry. Just let me help."

Her smile was fleeting. "I don't know that there's anything that you can help with." She looked down at her hands, twisting them together. "I kinda told my mother to fuck off."

"What?" James couldn't help but laugh. Those words sounded strange coming from her. "What did she say?"

"Well, I didn't exactly use those words."

He smiled. "I thought not."

"I don't usually cuss."

"I know."

"How do you know?"

"Because ladies don't usually cuss." She gave him a shy smile. "So why is it making you so sad?"

In a halting voice, Beverly told him the whole sad story about her life and her mother, amazed that someone would want to listen to her troubles. When she finished, he just sat back in his seat, looking at her.

"Geez, Beverly. I thought I had it bad."

"You? How could you have it bad?"

"Do you have any idea what it's like to be famous?" She nodded. "Believe me, it's not all it's cracked up to be."

"Really? I always thought it'd be a lot of fun. All the parties … "

James shook his head. "The parties are filled with air-headed bimbos or prostitutes and they are almost never any fun." He grinned at her look of confusion. "The best time I ever had was at a party I attended last year for the Pediatric Aids Foundation. I got my face painted and played a clown in the dunking booth."

"What did you like more, having your face painted or getting dunked?"

"Having my face painted." Beverly nearly laughed at the look of absolute glee on his face. "It made me think about being a child again."

"And having one of your own?"

He hated that she was so perceptive. "Yeah."

"Why haven't you gotten married?"

"Never found the right girl. Came close a few times but I found out, just in time, that they were more interested in my money." He paused. "And the one that I thought would be the love of my life ended up screwing everything in sight."

"That sucks."

"You bet it does." James looked over her shoulder at the pristine lake and surrounding development. "So I've just been coasting along, hoping that I'll find someone before it gets too late."

"Too late?"

"Yeah." This time, his smile was fleeting. "Too late to have a life."

Nathan came into the passenger area from the cockpit. "Buckle up. We'll be landing in five minutes."

Kevin was sleeping so Ashley leaned over and slung the belt across his lap and was digging around his hip for the other one when he awoke. "Oh, sorry. I was just trying to buckle you in."

"Are we here?"

"Yep. Nathan said we're landing in five minutes."

"Good." He smiled and she shyly looked away. "Ashley, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Is all that stuff Kelly Jo told me about … the stuff that happened to you … is it true?"

The saliva dried in Ashley's mouth. "S-She told you?"

"Yes. She's my sister."

"I asked her not to tell anyone."

"Well, I'm not just anyone, Ash. Kelly Jo and I have been inseparable for all our lives. We're siblings and we're twins and we have a unique connection. She told me because she's falling in love with you and she wants to make sure that I'm okay with you."

"And are you okay?"

"Absolutely. I mean, it's not easy thinking about your sister being taken, but I'm okay."

"It's not easy, especially when you love her as much as you do."

Kevin's eyes connected with hers. "Especially so."

"You know, Kevin, we canboth love her." Ashley's eyes darkened. "Together."

Before he had a chance to reply, Kelly Jo awoke, stretching and yawning loudly. She grinned at both of them. "Are we there yet?"

"Just about to land, hon. Put your seat belt back on."

"Why don't you put it on for me?"

Ashley leaned across Kelly Jo and buckled the seat belt as Kelly Jo's tongue slipped into her mouth and her thumb encircled a nipple, drawing it into a hard bud. "Safe now?"

Kelly Jo grinned, moving back in for another kiss. "Yes, and hornier than hell!"

The plane landed at the Lake Tahoe Airport and they were met by a stretch limousine, Nathan taking the wheel and driving them to an opulent cabin resort high in the mountains. Beverly and Ashley were the first to enter the lobby, looking at the other residents.

"I sure hope we don't have to go naked again." Beverly whispered. "It's much colder here."

Ashley burst into laughter. James, Kevin and Kelly Jo came next and the five some grouped together in the lobby area. Shane lagged behind, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Nathan, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Mr. Kingsley. What can I do for you?"

"I want to know why I'm here."

"The reason that you were selected has not been shared with me. My employer simply requested me to deliver the invitations and await your arrivals at the airport."

"You delivered the invites? Then tell me. How'd you get in my room?"

"Key."

"From where?"

"I am not at liberty to divulge that information to you."

"Why the hell not? If you could get into my room, maybe someone else can!"

"Not the way I did, so you have anything to worry about."

"That's not fair."

"No, it isn't but that's the best I can do." Nathan watched as the bellman loaded their luggage onto a trolley. "What is it that you really want to know, Mr. Kingsley?"

Shane stared at the black man for a moment, his tongue tied in a knot. "I – I … I don't feel like I belong here."

"Why is that? Is anyone mistreating you?"

"Oh, no. No, not at all. Everyone's been great! It's just that … well, James obviously has a thing for Beverly and Ashley and Kelly Jo are together. And Kevin's Kelly Jo's brother, so … that leaves me."

"Feeling lonely?"

"A bit, yeah."

"Bet you're never lonely at school."

Shane laughed easily. "No, I'm never alone at school. If it's not practice, it's classes. If it's not classes, it's tutoring."

"And if it's not tutoring, it's keg parties, busty cheerleaders, girls in goth tights … "

"Not always."

"You seem to make strange choices in your life, Mr. Kingsley. You choose to leave your wonderful, happy home to attend a college thousands of miles away when you could have attended a magnificent school close to home."

"I wanted to get away from home. Nothing strange with that decision."

"And what about Anna?"

Shane's face paled. "How … how did you know about her?"

"My employer did his homework, Mr. Kingsley." Nathan leaned a little closer. "She's due when?"

Shane just stared at him in disbelief.He couldn't know! "June."

"Two months from now." Nathan tipped his hat to the bellman in respect and slammed the trunk's lid shut. "What's so very strange is that you've told everyone that you're the father of her baby. And you aren't."

"Yes, I am!"

"In case you didn't know, Mr. Kingsley, in order to make a child, you have to have sex with a female. Something that you've never done." Nathan lowered his voice. "Because you're gay."

Shane suddenly felt light-headed. He groped for the car and instead felt Nathan's strong arm beneath his, leading him to a bench in the center of the drop-off area. He felt his body slam down onto the wood slats and closed his eyes, fighting the urge to vomit.Someone had found out his secret!"Oh, God." The boyish face of Bennett Sunderland swam before him and he remembered the first time his fingers had touched another man's flesh. The steel of muscle beneath the softness of skin. The musky scent of Aramis in his nostrils as he licked another man's nipples. The salty sweetness of cum, its warmth pooling in his ass …

"Your secret is safe with me." Nathan murmured, still standing and acting like the attentive driver he was. "If you haven't noticed, every one of you has a certain idea about sexuality and every one of you is being tested."

"And what do we get if we pass the test?"

"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information … just yet."

"That's not fair!"

Nathan leaned down and harshly spat the words in his ear. "Deal with it." Shane trembled, his innards shaking. "Now, are you ready to join the group?"

How could he face the group? "No. No, Nathan. I want to go home."

"You want to go home? Jesus, you're nothing but achild!"

"You don't understand!"

"No,you don't understand.Grow the fuck up!" Nathan hissed. "You are an adult! Live your life or be forced into someone else's idea of what your life should be."

Shane watched as Nathan left him on the bench, quivering with fear.Live your life. He suddenly realized that he wasn't just afraid that someone would learn his secret, but also that he had no idea on how to live his own life.