Page 5 of Room for Elijah

Elijah double-checked his answers to the employment application. The novel experience distracted him from his lingering guilt over not cleaning up after breakfast. Dermott had insisted that doing so was part of the other boys’ household chores. That was the word he’d used—chores—as if Rienk and Nico really were his kids. It was an interesting dynamic, one that Elijah had learned of in his furtive research on what being gay might mean for him. He wouldn’t have thought he’d be into the whole ‘Daddy’ fetish, but far from disgusting him, it was intriguing. Everyone seemed so happy.

He handed the clipboard over to Dermott. “I think that’s it.” He was excited and terrified in equal measure. He’d never had a real job before. “I really appreciate your giving me this opportunity, sir.”

Dermott eyed the paperwork before setting it aside. “You’re very welcome, Elijah. But you earned it. You really hustled last night. Everyone appreciated it.”

Elijah tried not to squirm at the compliment. He wasn’t used to people valuing him. “It’s how I was taught, to work hard. I used to help out at my aunt and uncle’s diner.”

Dermott leaned back in his chair, rocking it with his large frame. “Ah, that explains the delicious breakfast you served up this morning. You learned to cook there.”

“Yes, sir.” Elijah tried not to twist his clasped fingers. The man’s attention was still a bit overwhelming. “Nothing fancy, of course. Eggs are easy.”

“Lucky for me. I was looking for a full-time busboy and wait staff, but Frankie has been making the case for a sous chef for months now. He’s really elevated the pub food we serve, and he needs the help. Interested?”

Elijah sat straighter, his nerves overcome by this unexpected opportunity. “Yes, sir, I am. That would be amazing.”

Dermott smiled. “Excellent. I still need you to wait and bus, so until I get in another person for that, I’ll be asking you to spread your time between the two jobs.”

“I’m happy to do that. I was hoping for full-time anyway, and I’m more than willing to take on extra hours, too. I really need the money.” He tried not to be ashamed of that fact. It wasn’t his fault, given how his family had expected him to help out at the diner and at home without pay as a matter of duty.

“I am aware, and as finding a place to live is one of your priorities, I can help you with that tomorrow. We’re closed on Mondays, so we’ll both have the time. I don’t want you to land in a bad spot, and because you are new to the city, that’s a real concern of mine.”

“Thank you, but I’m going to need to find a place to stay tonight.” Elijah gnawed at his lower lip as he considered it.

With a burst of breath, Dermott leaned into his desk and put his elbows on it. “I’d rather you spend the few hours we have before opening up with Frankie. He’ll be very excited to have you and will want to start teaching you the ropes immediately.” He cocked his head. “You’re still welcome to my couch, you know.”

Elijah averted his gaze. “Um thanks, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” He remained mortified at his lack of control the previous night. He’d stuffed the bedding into the dryer first thing that morning. No one had said anything when he’d taken them out and carefully folded them. If the other boys knew about his dry-humping the sofa, they didn’t show it by so much as a single smirk.

“I understand. We’re a bit much, my boys and I…perhaps repellent?”

Elijah gasped and whipped his gaze back to Dermott. “No, not that!” God, he hadn’t meant to be insulting.

Dermott smiled knowingly. “Then maybe we’re too compelling? I understand that you’ve undoubtedly led a sheltered life. It’s scary to have to hide your true self while exploring what it means to grow up.”

Elijah slumped. The reality of what his life had been like was a difficult thing to discuss. He’d spent so much time and energy not talking about his sexuality that it was hard to accept he now could with both freedom and safety. “Yes, sir. It was… It is. I’m not sure what I want. I didn’t dare think too much about it before now.”

“Well, there’s no pressure for you to do it until you’re ready. That timetable is yours to make, Elijah. And I don’t want you to think I’m some gay Venus flytrap, waiting for pretty boys to fall into my clutches.”

Elijah couldn’t help smiling. He forced himself to stare directly at Dermott in order for the man to see his sincerity. “I don’t think that. You’ve been really kind. Rienk and Nico have, too. I didn’t once worry that you all were going to grab me and carry me into that enormous bed of yours.” While mostly true, it was also the case that the thought of it aroused him with a sudden force that had him hiding his fly behind his hands.

Dermott raised his eyebrows. “That’s my Alaskan king. I had to join the two existing bedrooms in order to make it fit.”

“The three of you sleep every night together?” He already knew the answer to that, because it was obvious. He couldn’t help asking, though. The image of the boys curled around Dermott’s large body sent a tingle up his spine, and his heart rate picked up.

“We do. It’s not a lifestyle for most people, but it suits us very well. I can honestly say I’ve never been happier, and I’ve been sexually active for longer than you’ve been alive.” The man shrugged. “If you’d have asked me ten years ago whether I’d be involved with even one twink—let alone a drag queen—I would have laughed in your face. I’d always sought out big, powerful men such as myself. Things changed, slowly. I began to appreciate how attractive I was to certain young men. It’s hard to reject that kind of adoration. Then I got out of the military, set up this place, and Rienk walked into my life—barged into it, really. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer, and I was putty in his beautiful, well-manicured hands.” Dermott sat backed and sighed. “I love that boy. And when Nico came tip-toeing in, I was equally lost.”

“Wasn’t Rienk jealous?” Elijah couldn’t imagine how the boys shared Dermott without it turning competitive.

“It was Rienk’s idea, actually, so no. I think he fell in love with Nico before I did. It wasn’t easy to figure out how three men could form a bond as we have. It works in part because we all really want it to, and the boys have ceded to my authority, which helps. I led a platoon of men through war zones, and this has proven to be only slightly harder,” he added with a quick smile before standing. “Please accept my offer of the sofa for one more night, no strings attached. We’ll all feel better knowing you’re safe.”

Because refusing seemed churlish and staying with them was very appealing, Elijah nodded. “Okay. And thanks.” He stood, as well.

“Let’s get you into the kitchen, shall we?” Dermott moved around his desk and headed for the door.

Following him was the easiest, most natural thing in the world.

Chapter Four

Elijah entered the queens’ dressing room and was immediately assaulted with a cacophony of voices and the scent of body spray. He took a moment to simply stare, if for no other reason than no one had noticed him. There was so much going on, men in various stages of dress, showing the transformation of them from male to female. It was amazing to watch. To his left, a queen was in the final stages of tucking, the dick disappearing to create the illusion of a vulva. Elijah had been raised with a very rigid view of the two sexes being polar opposite with an almost tangible gap between them. This moment more than anything demonstrated how little truth there was to that idea. There was no chasm, only a spectrum with many points between the extreme ends that were easily navigated.

---