Family Business - Chapter One (TEASER!)

Hey kids! I thought it might be fun to give you a bonus post this month to tease the beginning of the third and final book in the "Diapered Adventures of Maxwell Covington" series, which I'm going to call Family Business. It's just a little taste, but hopefully it'll set your appetite for the wild ride we're going on together as I wrap the story up.

<3 CK

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CHAPTER ONE

Max released a long, weary breath and tossed his phone down onto Stephen’s enormous unmade bed. “Well, fuck you too, Dad,” he muttered to the discarded device, his voice gravelly and tight. The much dreaded and highly one-sided conversation had gone about as poorly as he had anticipated from the beginning.

Max sat down on the foot of the bed and shook his head wearily, holding his face in his paws. Even though he had fully expected the hostile reaction he’d just gotten from his dad, a big part of him was disappointed and hurting. In spite of himself, Max had been hoping that his parents would have found a way to accept Max for who he was regardless of everything they now knew about him, but that sliver of hope had only led to crushing disappointment once more.

He could hear Stephen and Corey in the living room of the spacious apartment, laughing and talking. For a moment, he considered joining them, but his dad’s harsh words had gotten under his skin, and he wasn’t ready to explain to his best friend and his boyfriend how upset he was feeling right now.

Instead, the golden retriever felt around the folds of the bunched up comforter until he found the remote to Stephen’s enormous wall-mounted bedroom TV. He turned the device on and began scrolling through the movies and shows until he found something low-pressure enough to get his mind off his father. He finally settled on a favorite episode of Little Wonders that he had already seen a half dozen times before, the one where Wonder Pup and Power Pup saved Metropolitan City from the dastardly Mr. Minute, a super-villain equipped with a magical gauntlet possessing the extraordinary power to freeze anyone in place for exactly sixty seconds. Max settled in and began repeating all of Power Pup’s dialog in time with the animated superhero puppy, trying his best to distract himself from his heartache.

He failed to notice when Corey appeared at the open door to the bedroom several minutes later. “Ooooh, I love this one,” the cheetah said with a grin as he pulled the shoulder strap of his shortalls back up from where it had fallen down his arm. He enthusiastically hopped up on the bed next to Max. “The best part is when Wonder Pup sneaks into Mr. Minute’s clock tower and steals the Minute Hand glove, using his incredible acrobatic abilities to–” His voice trailed off as soon as he turned toward his friend. “Max? What’s wrong? You’ve got those little lines in your forehead that you always get when you’re upset.”

Max turned towards Corey. “It’s nothing. Well, it’s not nothing, but there’s nothing to be done about it. I just got off the phone with my dad.”

Corey frowned. “I guess it… didn’t go so well. I’m so sorry, Max. I know you’d said that might happen.” He gently took Max’s paw into his own, stroking Max’s fingers reassuringly.

Max shook his head slowly, blinking back tears. “He basically disowned me. He called me a sinner, a pervert and a faggot. He said I’m an embarrassment to my family. He told me not to call him again or to come home until I decide to ‘get help for my spiritual sickness’. Pretty much went down exactly how I figured it would.”

“Damn, dude,” Corey said as he pulled Max into a tight hug. “I’m so freaking sorry, Max. What can I do?”

“Nothing. It’s fine.” Max clenched his jaw. It wasn’t fine. It was the exact opposite of fine. Max could feel his throat growing tight, and he wasn’t sure if the source was suppressed tears or suppressed rage. He had to stifle the urge to throw his head back and scream at the top of his lungs.

“Daddy?” Corey called loudly toward the open door without loosening his concerned grip on the canine.

A moment later, Stephen entered the bedroom. As soon as the tall, handsome gray wolf saw the boys seated on the bed, the expression of concern on Corey’s face and the hurt on Max’s told him something was wrong. “What happened?” he asked, his voice thick with worry.

“Max just got off the phone with his dad,” Corey replied somberly, gesturing for Stephen to join the pair.

The wolf sat down on the bed on Max’s other side, drawing both boys into an embrace. “Oh pup,” he whispered. “No matter what, you have a family who loves you, right here. And Corey and I aren’t going anywhere.”

That moment of tenderness brought down the last of Max’s fragile defenses. He choked out a series of long, ragged breaths as he wept, his muzzle buried in the crook of Stephen’s neck while Corey rubbed his back in small, slow circles. He felt hurt, abandoned, humiliated by his father, and a torrent of emotions poured out of him as he cried.

Eventually, Max’s sorrow turned to anger, and the heat of that anger brought his body-shaking sobs to an end. “Three weeks. Three damn weeks. Three weeks of anxiety, of nightmares every night, of constant knots in my stomach. Three weeks of wondering how he would react to that voicemail, if he’d even call me back at all. I’d almost figured he wouldn’t, but then he finally did… only to tell me how awful I am and how ashamed he is of me.” Max’s voice was preternaturally calm, in strange contrast to the rivulets of salty tears still running through the fur of his face and muzzle.

“He’s wrong, Max,” Stephen said gently. “You aren’t awful. You are the most amazing, strong, courageous man I’ve ever known. Even if he doesn’t see it, it’s true. Everyone here sees it. And we are all so damn proud of you. Me especially.”

Max nodded slowly. “You know what? I’m proud of myself too. Honestly, I am. I don’t care what my parents think of me. My family is here. I meant what I said on stage that day; I don’t need nor want them to be part of my life if they can’t accept me for who I am. I don’t need them. I have you guys, and all my friends here in the manor. So fuck him. It’s his loss.”

“Hell yeah it is, mi hermanito,” Corey said. “You’re my best friend. My baby bro for life. This is our family, right here. And we’re gonna make sure you’re safe and happy and loved, me and Daddy and all our friends.” The cheetah looked up at Stephen, his dark eyes gleaming and his jaw set with determination.

“Exactly right,” Stephen replied. “This is your forever home, Max, for as long as you want it to be.”

Max nodded again, with more energy. “You guys are right,” he said with a sigh. “Nothing has changed except that I don’t have to keep secrets anymore. Dad never really accepted me, even before he knew about this part of my life. I dunno why I’m letting it get to me so much. I’m sorry.”

Corey shook his head. “No, that’s not what we’re saying at all, Max. You’re allowed to feel bad about it. But you absolutely have a family that loves and accepts you, no matter what. It still sucks. But we got your back, baby bro.” He leaned forward and kissed Max’s cheek.

I really am lucky, Max thought as he glanced between Corey and Stephen. It wasn’t that long ago that I felt completely alone in the world. But I’ve got my awesome life here. And my family. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Thanks in large part to Stephen, Corey, and all of Max’s other friends at StartAgain, the nineteen year-old felt at peace with his life. He nodded to himself, resolved not to let his conversation with his father bring his mood down.

“Well, enough about that,” Max said, flashing a big grin to let Stephen and Corey know that he was okay, or maybe just in an effort to convince himself of the fact. “Do you guys wanna head down to the dining hall? I’m starving.”

“Sure pup, but only if you’re feeling up to it,” Stephen said gently. “We could just have them send something up.”

Max shook his head. “I’m fine. Really. I knew my dad was going to blow a gasket. Nothing happened in that conversation that I wasn’t expecting. And I’m not going to let him hurt me again. I’m done with that. So, let’s go have dinner.”

“Fine,” Stephen nodded, “but I’m sitting next to you boys tonight.”

“You do that pretty much every night, Daddy,” Corey chirped, grinning. It was true; though the tradition was for senior management to dine at the big, elevated table at the head of the dining hall, Stephen had been joining Max and Corey at the kids’ table for most of his meals for the last few weeks, though not in one of the highchairs that Max and Corey favored. Since officially becoming a family a few weeks ago, the three had dined together every night that Stephen wasn’t traveling to meet potential new hires.

“It’s because I can’t bear to be apart from you boys,” Stephen grinned, trying his best to lighten the mood, “even just for dinner.” He stood and turned to Max and Corey. “Shall we make our way down?”

The three left Stephen’s apartment and began strolling towards the nearest elevator. They nodded cordially to the other residents they passed in the halls. As they walked in comfortable silence, Max made a surprising realization. We just passed a bison in a gimp mask and a rubber thong, and I barely noticed, he thought with a smile. Guess I’m finally starting to get used to StartAgain and all its quirks.

“What are you smilin’ about, Max?” Corey asked, noticing the amused expression on Max’s face.

“Just realizing how normal this is all becoming,” the canine answered happily. “I’ve come a long way in the couple months since that first day when I signed my employment contract.” He chuckled.

“You really have,” Stephen said, beaming with pride. “I knew from the very beginning that you’d love it here, and that you’d fit right in. But do you remember how confused you were at first?” The three companions had reached the elevator, and Stephen pressed the call button. “Remember when you saw Will Marsh in his statue that first day, and how upset you got?”

Max blushed a bit. “I didn’t even know being turned into a statue was a kink people could be into. I’ve learned a lot over the last couple months.”

Corey laughed as they boarded the elevator. “And I can honestly say I’ve known you since you were in diapers! You remember how hard you struggled to pee the first time we met? I totally had to coach you through it. Corey Lopez, Toddler Trainer. It has a nice ring to it!”

Max rolled his eyes. “More like Corey Lopez, Super Soaker. Your bladder should be studied by scientists.”

Stephen nodded emphatically, laughing. “Seriously, between the two of you I feel like all I do is change diapers!”

“–and have hot crinkly sex with your two favorite people,” Corey added, eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Well yes, that goes without saying,” Stephen chuckled. The doors opened, and the trio stepped out into the long, wide second-floor hall outside the manor’s enormous dining room. A number of people were standing around socializing, while others were entering or leaving the dining hall through the large, open double doors.

“Oh heck,” Max heard Corey mutter under his breath. Max glanced at the cheetah, then followed his gaze. Nate Nakamura, the tall, handsome wolf Corey had been seeing recently, was waiting just inside the dining hall. He was dressed in a plain gray t-shirt and a pair of well-worn jeans.

“Here we go,” Max silently mouthed to Stephen, nudging him and grinning.

“Nate!” Corey called, waving enthusiastically.

“Corey! And Mr. Andrews and Max, good to see you,” Nate replied, joining the three companions. “I was hoping to bump into you,” he said, directing that last remark squarely at Corey alone.

“You were?” Corey squeaked, eyes wide with that same mix of lust and panic that always overwhelmed him when Nate was around. He and Nate had been seeing each other fairly regularly over the last few weeks, and yet Corey still hadn’t yet figured out how not to behave awkwardly around the wolf. He knocked over drinking glasses, walked into walls, even tripped over his own shoes. It was an ongoing scenario that Max, Stephen, and everyone in their group of friends found endlessly entertaining.

“Yeah! I’ve been standing here for a little while, hoping I’d catch you,” Nate said excitedly. “Wanna eat together?” he asked, a hopeful smile spread broadly across his face.

“Well, I was gonna eat with Max and Daddy at the kids’ table tonight,” Corey said cautiously, worried about disappointing his crush.

“Cool cool, I’ve been wanting to try one of the highchairs out,” Nate said. “I even came prepared, see?” He lifted his shirt to reveal the unmistakable white ruffled plastic waistband of a disposable diaper. “If you guys don’t mind extra company, that is,” he said, lowering his shirt and nodding to Max and Stephen.

“More the merrier, Nate! You’re welcome to join us. In fact, I honestly insist,” Max said, flashing his most winning smile. “I’ll flag a server down and see if they can bring an extra highchair out for you.” This will be just the fun I need to take my mind off my dad, he thought, eyeing his squirmy cheetah brother with a mix of mirth and pity.

Max felt a finger poke his shoulder from behind. “Don’t pick on your brother,” Stephen’s hushed voice whispered close to his ear. Max could tell Stephen was just as amused as he was, however, by the way the corners of his eyes were wrinkling with delighted amusement.