Big Poppa ~ Part II

10.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty...”



Delwyn closed his eyes a bit firmer, not willing to let go of that wonderful dream. As the warm voice kept rumbling, the dream slipped from his mind, dissolving like fog. He could smell coffee and fresh croissants. Poppa knew how to lure him.

“I don’t wanna,” he muttered, turning his face into the pillow.



“But you gotta,” replied Poppa cheerfully. “You know the drill, pretty. Monday morning at the cabin is an early morning!” He kissed him warmly. “Got something for you. Look.”



Oh, alright... Delwyn opened one eye, suspiciously peeking at what his lover was holding up. “Neck chains?”



“Yes. We can’t work with rings. I still want to keep it on me, so I thought... Let’s buy neck chains. I bought them at the same time as the rings.” Poppa tapped a finger against the side of his head. “I’m clever, you know?”



Delwyn laughed, scrambling upright in the pillows. “Yes, Big Poppa, you are clever. And we can hide them, too.”



“Hide the rings?” Poppa put his ring on the chain, and hung it around his neck. Yes, he could hide it behind his shirt, and he probably would, but not to hide them from view. More so he wouldn’t lose it. Not that he would, because the chain was strong, but still. It was the most precious thing he ever possessed. “We’re not going to hide anything, pretty. We’re going to tell everyone the news. You can’t possibly think they don’t know we’re a couple. It’s obvious, by now.”



“Yes... Probably.” Delwyn put the chain on, but didn’t pull off his ring yet. He liked the weight of it around his finger. “By now, everybody knows we live together, don’t they?”



“And they know you take care of me, and that we take vacation together,” nodded Poppa. “Chapman isn’t particularly keeping it secret either.”



“No...” With another, softer laugh, Delwyn took his coffee. “I remember the looks he gave us after he’d seen the photos. Oh, okay, we’ll come out in the open completely. I don’t care, I think.”



“Of course you don’t. They won’t hurt you at all. They like and respect you, pretty. They’re scared of me, but they like you.”



*



“Next time, we’ll leave on Sunday evening,” Poppa said as he poked Delwyn to wake him up. “You always fall asleep in the car, pretty...”



“Mm... Are we there yet?” Delwyn stretched in his seat, looking outside. They were at the shop. It was still dark, and they were the first to arrive. “Your car is comfy,” he murmured, repressing a yawn. He smacked his lips and unbuckled. “Kiss...?”



“Any time. Come here.” Like every morning, Poppa pulled Delwyn close, and kissed him deeply. “I love you,” he stated firmly. “Now let’s go make some coffee.”



The shop was cold and dark until Poppa lit the lights and turned the thermostat to a more comfortable temperature. Delwyn walked straight to the canteen. He liked coffee in the morning. Gallons of it, especially on Monday morning.

Sleepy as he was, he didn’t see anything of the shop until Poppa uttered a cry. “What!” he said shocked, frozen to the spot.



“Look at the decorations! It’s Christmas!”



Delwyn looked up and around. The whole shop was decorated with colorful balls and fake pine branches, Christmas lights and garlands. He could see Santa Claus on a shelf, too. “What the... This has to be Mary’s work. It’s over a month before it’s Christmas!”



“They’re early, indeed,” laughed Poppa. “You know I dress up like Santa every year? Mary always throws a big party for the kids. You can be my elf!”



“Like hell I won’t...”



“Oh, yes, you will,” Poppa still laughed, following into the canteen. Even here there were decorations. “Gonna dress you up, pretty boy... I’m putting bells on you!”



“Say it louder,” Delwyn muttered. He began to make coffee. “I bet Mary can hear you in her sleep.” She probably already thought of it. He was going to be an elf, this year. “How will we spend the holidays, anyway? Do you spend it with your family?”



“I have no family.” Poppa’s voice suddenly dropped, as it always did when Delwyn asked about his relatives. “You know I don’t.”



“Sorry, Poppa... I just thought that... Christmas is always about forgiving and all.”



“I have nothing to forgive.” The bear sat down, putting his empty mug demonstratively in front of him. “I haven’t seen them for ten years, and this year will be the same.” After Poppa’s parents died, many years ago, his brothers had decided they no longer wanted to know him. At first, the bear had tried to contact them. It had taken a long time to accept the fact his family simply couldn’t live with his lifestyle. Now, he had peace with it. He had no family. He didn’t need them.



Delwyn didn’t push it. He didn’t need hatred in his life. If people couldn’t accept homosexuality, he was the last one to try and convince them. He leaned over Poppa, kissed him, and took the mug to fill it. “My family is always together at the first day,” he said. “I didn’t attend the meetings for a few years. I think they expect me to show up this year.”



“I’ll bring my Santa suit,” Poppa nodded, his cheerful self again. “And your elf suit, of course. We’ll have a good day, with plenty of food, right?”



“Oh, right...” Delwyn could just imagine the reactions of his brothers, if he would dress up like an elf. He almost groaned. “The kids will love to see you as Santa. They don’t believe he’s real anyway.”



“What? I bet that’s Harri, eh? He probably thought it would be good to tell them it’s all a lie. Typical.”



Siting down with the coffee, Delwyn nodded. “Yes. So, first day my family. And the second day? Jean?”



Poppa simply looked at him for a moment. He could see the eyes lighting up expectantly. It made him smile. “Second day we’ll go to the cabin, and invite Jean and Siarl,” he promised. “If they’re still together by then.”



“Why wouldn’t they be? I believe it clicks... You heard Jean’s happy stories, and Siarl already complaints about Jean, doesn’t he? They’re made for each other.”



Laughing, Poppa thought at his friend’s complaints. They weren’t real, as in ‘what the hell is he doing’, but they were like ‘what the hell is happening to me’. It was going fast. Siarl had a bit difficulty to adapt to his new feelings. But they would be fine. “Yes, they are made for each other. I knew it. The minute Siarl walked in, I could see Jean’s eyes. It’s good for them. Siarl needs a pretty boy to look after him.”



Delwyn loved to talk about his friend, but they would have to wait until they got home. Chapman walked in. Delwyn felt the urge to hide his ring immediately, but the man barely looked at him.



“Have you seen what Mary did to the shop?” Chapman asked, beaming like a Christmas tree. “Isn’t it beautiful?”



“Yes, we couldn’t really miss it, could we?” Poppa chuckled. “Have a coffee and tell me what else we missed, last week.”



The man sat down, taking the coffee Delwyn offered him. He began to tell his champion mechanic what they had done. His eyes dropped to the neck chain though, and his voice faded off. He turned his gaze to Delwyn, looking for the matching ring. “And what have you two done, last week...?”



“Got married,” Poppa said bluntly above his cup. “How did the paintwork turn out?”



“Forget the paintwork,” Chapman waved with his hand. “You two got married?! Boys! Congratulations! Mary will hate you for not telling her!”



Even Delwyn had to laugh. Mary, the mother of the shop, loved to know everything first-hand. She would smack Big Poppa in the face for telling her husband first. “Big Poppa dropped on his knees for me,” he said with a warm smile. “I couldn’t refuse.”



“It’s official,” nodded Poppa proudly. “We even have each other’s names. And we’ll tell the others, won’t we, pretty?”



“I’m afraid so,” sighed Delwyn.



“Oh, don’t worry so much,” Chapman said. Reaching over the table, he patted Delwyn’s hand. “Seriously. You don’t think it’s still a well-kept secret, do you? Everyone knows you and Big Poppa are lovers. They’re in awe, Llew.”



“Bowen-Llew,” Poppa corrected with another proud grin. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”



*



It was good to work again. Delwyn was wiring the car, while Poppa was screwing on the chrome bits and pieces. They liked working together. They both loved cars.



The morning passed without incidents. They didn’t inform their co-workers yet, so there were no awkward situations.

At the end of the morning, the door burst open, as if Big Poppa himself smashed it in. A large woman legged fiercely to the almost finished car, and she grabbed Poppa at his neck, yanking him off his stool. Delwyn nearly fell on his butt.



“Rick Bowen!” Mary boomed, placing her hands firmly on her broad hips. “What the hell have you been doing?”



Poppa repressed a grin. He tried to look humble. He failed, but at least he tried. “I’m sorry, Mary,” he said, having a hard time not to laugh. “I should’ve talked to you first.”



“Yes! You should have! Now I have to hear it from John! You should have told me when you made those plans, so I could arrange a party for you! And now what? You two got married without telling anyone! It’s an important event, that is!”



So far for telling the rest of the mechanics, thought Delwyn. He leaned forward, watching the amusing show. Both Mary and Poppa were huge. It was a funny sight.



“And you, young man!” Mary turned her fury to Delwyn, shaking her finger. “You never thought about telling me either, did you? You simply went on a honeymoon with your new husband! You should have had a party!”



“I’m sorry!” Delwyn quickly raised his hands. “It was a big surprise, and I couldn’t say no!”



“Of course not! Big Poppa is the greatest catch of them all! Oh, come here, you two, I want to kiss you.” She closed both men in a suffocating hug, kissing their cheeks. “Congratulations, darlings,” she said, sincerely now. “I wish you two all the best in the world. But next time you’ll tell me! You hear?”



They promised, laughing, and kissed her back at the same moment. The woman beamed happily, finally letting them go. “I brought a big cake,” she said. “Help me carry it inside, Poppa. You,” she pointed at one of the stunned mechanics, “Make coffee. We’re going to have a little party. Don’t just stand there like that, man! Move!”



As Poppa and Mary went outside to get the cake, one of the mechanics turned to Delwyn. “So those rubbers we found in the stockroom were yours after all,” he said.



“Yes,” Delwyn nodded, feeling a blush appear. “They had nothing to do with Mark.”



“So he got fired for nothing?”



“He got fired for stealing,” Delwyn said, defensively. He blinked. What now? He wouldn’t get blamed for that, would he? “And for your information...” he added, scowling, “Mark loves cock. That’s how he knew about me and Poppa like that.” There. Think about that, he thought, quickly walking to the door to keep it open for the cake. His heart was pounding. He just hated coming out.