Co-written by: Myst and LJ
Chandi Barrett sat in his garden with his feet resting on a small table. He leaned back and held his face up to the sun. Spring was almost here….a new beginning. He was nursing a cold lager and mulling over the events of the past several months. He’d learned a lot…most of it the hard way with the help of an abusive partner. But it was behind him now and he wanted to move on.
He had a better understanding of himself; of who and what he was, what he needed out of life…..now if he could just figure out a way to get it.
He’d put in a busy few weeks redecorating every room in his small house. Floors had been sanded and varnished, and every wall papered or painted, some both. A neighbour lady had kindly sewn new curtains for him, the sitting room sofa and chair had new slipcovers, and someone was stopping by soon to discuss having some of his furniture refinished.
All these changes had been necessary for him to put to rest the memories of a brief relationship that had ended so badly. About the only good thing to come out of it was Chandi coming to the realization that he actually craved the security to be had in a properly handled discipline relationship. One with a partner who loved and valued him, one with a partner he could trust explicitly, a partner he could respect and one he could love with all his heart and soul.
Chandi was abruptly roused from his daydreaming but the sound of a van pulling into the driveway. Pushing himself out of the chair, he sauntered around to the front of the house to greet the man whose arrival he had been anticipating, a Mr. Eric Patterson.
Once Eric pulled into the driveway and was out of the van, he checked out the charming yellow cottage. He’d seen it before while driving by, but never this close. It was a nice little house and one he hoped would bring him a few jobs from Officer Chandi Barrett.
He’d been doing furniture restoration and upholstery for a few years now but this last winter had been slow. So when Mr. Barrett called and said he had a few things that needed to be restored, Eric had jumped at the opportunity of more work.
Eric smiled as Chandi came around the corner. He had noticed him in town but had never met him. ‘Noticed might be too simple a word,’ he thought to himself. He’d liked the looks of Chandi from the first time he’d seen him but had been hesitant to approach him. ‘After all, how do you approach one of the town’s police officers?’
Pulling his thoughts back to his reason for being at Chandi's home, he strode towards him with an outstretched hand. “Mr. Barrett? Good afternoon, I’m Eric Patterson. I hope I can help you decide which pieces of your furniture will be worth restoring and which ones won’t be worth the expense.”
“Thank you for coming,” Chandi smiled and shook the offered hand. Hesitant as he was about having strangers in his home, he was eager to get this work done. “I don’t have too much in mind; just a rocking chair, a dining room set and a large bed.”
He led the way through the back door and pointed to the first items up for improvement; the eight-piece dining room set. “This old set has been around for a long time and has had a lot of use. It’s kind of scratched up and all six chairs are getting rather rickety.” He stood back and waited patiently while the other man inspected the furniture. While Eric looked over the articles to be refinished, Chandi was looking over him.
Eric was a big handsome man and Chandi found himself slightly intimidated by him. But the man’s quiet voice and easy-going mannerisms were putting him at ease.
Eric looked at the dining room set for a few moments before pulling out one of the chairs and turning it upside down to check for any major nicks or cracks. He then got down on his hands and knees and examined the underside of the table. Finally, he looked over the matching buffet.
Getting to his feet, he said, “This is a very nice set. Nothing is seriously wrong with it. I can sand down the table, the china cabinet and chairs and put a stain on them. I can also re-glue the chairs and reupholster them with any fabric you like. It should take approximately three weeks and you’ll have to either bring me the fabric you want or come to my shop and pick out something. Does that sound good to you?”
Chandi had stayed out of the way, letting the man do what was needed. “Sure,” he nodded. “I can drop by and choose something. Will the middle of next week suit you?”
“Sounds good to me; I should have everything sanded down by then. You can also decide on how dark a stain you want. Okay, what else do you want done?”
“I have two more pieces upstairs. Come and I’ll show you.” Chandi led the way upstairs and into the guest room. “This rocking chair was my mother’s,” he softly informed the other man. “I’d like it stripped down to the natural wood and just a clear satin finish put on, if that’s okay.”
Taking a quick look at the rocker, Eric said, “This shouldn’t be a problem; and a clear coat is your best choice. This is a beautiful rocking chair. I can do it first and have it done in a week, if you’d like that,” he added. It was obvious to him that Chandi had a strong attachment to the chair and he wanted to make a good impression on the man for more than one reason.
“Perfect!” Chandi smiled, his happiness evident. “The last item is over here in my bedroom.” He walked across the hall and into the larger room that was obviously the master bedroom. There in the middle was a large queen-size bed.
Eric took one look at the obviously all but new bed and exclaimed; “Whoa.” Turning red, he apologized. “I’m sorry about that. This is a beautiful bed and doesn’t appear to be….well, as old as some of the other pieces in here. What would you like done?”
“I would like the colour changed...ah, more to match the rest of the furniture.” Seeing the dumbfounded express on Eric’s face, Chandi thought maybe more of an explanation was in order. “Hmm, you see...it is a new bed but...ah...” Clearing his throat, he rushed on. “I just want it to look different than it does now.”
“That’s not a problem,” Eric replied understandingly. “Sometimes we buy something, like this bed and like it, but then realize the colour is not quite right. If I may make a suggestion, instead of me taking all three items at once and leaving this beautiful home looking a bit bare, what do you think if I take one thing at a time? That way you can see my finished work and then decided if you want to trust me with more items. I would hate for you to be committed to having me do all three, only to find out you don’t like my work and be tied to a contract for all of them. It would be very expensive.”
“Okay, that does make sense, I guess.” Chandi slowly nodded. “But I’d really appreciate it if you would do the bed first rather than the rocking chair.”
“Yes, I can do it first. What colour do you want it re-stained?”
“Much darker than it is; closer to matching the other pieces in the room.”
“Okay, that isn’t a problem. I should be able to do the head and footboards in a week. I can take it any time you’d like. When would you like me to pick it up?”
“Well, I can help you load it in the van right now if you like.” Chandi was eager to get all the redecorating completed. He’d been working at it for three months now.
A big grin split Eric’s face. “Well, that works for me. Let’s strip the bed and take it apart right now.” While the men stripped the bed, they discussed the price and came to an agreement. They soon found they thought alike on many matters and as they loaded the pieces of the bed into the van, were fast becoming friends.
******************
As Eric placed the refinished chair in the guest bedroom, he looked at Chandi and smiled at the soft expression on his face.
Chandi stepped up and gently ran his hand over the back of the rocker. “You did a great job,” he murmured. “In fact, you did a perfect job of both the bed and my mom’s rocking chair. I can hardly wait to see the dining room set back in its’ place.” He had mixed feelings; on one hand he was pleased to have the work done and over with, on the other he wasn’t too happy about not having an excuse to drop by Eric’s shop on almost a daily basis.
Eric had wanted to ask the man out sooner but held off. However, he now felt the time was right to do so. Taking in a deep breath of air, he ventured forth. “Chandi, I was wondering if you’d consider going to dinner with me tomorrow night. We could go some place where they serve a nice steak....if you like steak, that is.”
Chandi glanced up from his contemplation of the rocking chair and his eyes lit up. “I’d really like that. I work tomorrow but I’m off the next day so it won’t matter if we get back late. What time would you like to go?"
“What if I pick you up at five-thirty?”
“I’ll be waiting!” Chandi could hardly contain his excitement. He hadn’t been out since New Year’s and after four months was eager to try dating again. And besides he liked the man and his straightforward approach to things.
At the appointed time, Chandi was anxiously awaiting Eric’s arrival. He grinned at the beautiful car that pulled up and after securing his home, ran out to greet his date.
The drive was enjoyed by both men as they talked about things in general. Once at the restaurant, they settled into a booth and placed their orders.
The time quickly passed as they ate dinner. Eric was pleased that Chandi seemed to like the place. When the dessert cart was pushed by, he looked at Chandi and asked, “Would you like something?”
“I would but I don’t know if I have room for anything else,” Chandi replied reluctantly after eying the cart. “But I guess I can try.” He grinned impishly. “What would you suggest? It is so hard to make a choice from so many.”
“Well, I was going to have cheesecake; it’s one of my favourite desserts. Do you like it? We could split a piece.”
“Yeah, I like that idea,” Chandi merrily agreed. The idea of sharing appealed to him.
Once they were served with one plate and two forks, they stared at one another for a second and then both broke out laughing.
“Okay, dig in,” Eric said, trying to contain the last of his laughter. “I guess they thought a small piece wouldn’t feed two men,” he continued as he studied the very large portion they had been given.
“Well if it is as good as you say, we’ll probably be glad they gave us so much.” Chandi picked up his fork, helped himself to some and sat back to savour the treat. “Hmmm, this is delicious.”
“Yes, sweet, like you,” Eric softly mused.
Chandi felt his face heat up with the compliment. He tried to cover up his reaction by hiding behind the cup of coffee he’d hastily picked up.
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” Eric apologized, seeing Chandi flush. “You must know by now that I really like you.” After saying that, Eric very quietly finished off his portion of the dessert.
Chandi sat mulling over his feelings for the few minutes it took for them to clean the plate. “You didn’t so much embarrass me as surprise me. I mean, we don’t know all that much about each other; do we?”
Eric looked up, startled. “Actually, I think we know quite a bit about one another, even though this is our first date. We’ve spent a lot of time together talking at your house and at my shop. We probably know more about each other than most people do on their first date.” After a few seconds he added, “But, I don’t want to rush you or make you feel uncomfortable. However, I did want you to know how I felt about you.
“I don’t exactly feel rushed; honest I don’t. You do have a point and I guess we know enough to realize how well we get on together. I like spending time with you, Eric, and I really like you, too.” Chandi grinned now that it was his turn to make the other man blush.
Just then the waiter came up and laid the bill on the table, breaking the tension. As Eric glanced at it he pulled out his wallet and his credit card. Catching the waiter’s eye, he nodded.
Soon they were on their way out the door. Most the drive home was done in companionable silence with just some music playing. Arriving at Chandi's place, the younger man turned to the other and invited him in for a night cap.
Eric accepted and they walked into the house, talking amiably.
As they drank their coffee, the feelings of being drawn to one another strengthened. Eric put his cup down and took Chandi’s out of his hand. He pulled Chandi to him and kissed him gently but firmly.
The kiss was ardently returned. When it ended, the men gazed at one another but not another word was spoken as Chandi got to his feet. He enthusiastically pulled on Eric’s arm, inviting the other man to follow him upstairs.
Eric once again followed willingly.
*************************
Over the next several of weeks, the men saw each other as often as their schedules permitted. The dining room set had long been refinished and returned to its’ place in the yellow house. Gradually, more and more of Eric’s belongings were finding their way into the same homey little cottage. Finally the time came to seriously consider where they wanted to go with this relationship.
Eric was aware of how deeply he was in love with Chandi. It was as though they were more than just lovers. Although he’d only known Chandi a few weeks, Eric knew this handsome man was his perfect match. He realized he wanted to live with him and not just on a casual basis, but in a committed relationship.
Deciding that he needed to know, once and for all, he smiled at Chandi and made his move. “Chandi, I’d like to make our relationship permanent. I’d like for us to be a couple, with me living here every day. Doing everything with you, from having breakfast with you to doing yard work and watching TV. I want that more than I’ve wanted anything in my life. Would you like that as well?” When the other man didn’t respond right away, he asked worriedly, “Chandi, you don’t like the idea?”
Chandi was surprised at the depth of his feelings for Eric. However, he wondered if the older man would be willing to provide him with the structure he craved. Gazing into Eric’s eyes, he hesitantly responded. “I would like that very much, Eric.” He paused as he thought of how to word his request. “But there is something I want and need in a long-term relationship. I recently got out of a bad situation. One good thing to come of it though, is my learning a lot about myself.” Chandi shifted in his seat as he felt his face getting warmer. He sighed, frustrated at not being able to voice his feelings coherently. Decided to take a chance, he bravely plunged ahead. “Hmmm, have you ever heard of discipline relationships, Eric?”
“Yes, I know quite a bit about them. I was in one once before. I am a Top. However, I am not the kind of Top that believes I know all and am perfect. Are you interested in being part a discipline relationship?”
Chandi melted against the back of his chair in relief. Eric knew about the lifestyle, he wasn’t turned off by the idea. Nodding vigorously, Chandi smiled and answered. “Yes, I want and need the structure, Eric. I really, really want the security. I need to know I’m not alone anymore, having to make all the decisions and doing everything by myself.”
Eric smiled at the reply. He knew he could provide what Chandi needed. “I can be that for you. You won’t be alone and I will be able to give you that security you crave and help you with making decisions. But we would have to work out what you want and are willing to have me be in control of.”
“Yes, I understand. I’ve been doing a lot of research on the subject matter since I became aware of its’ existence. The Internet is a treasure chest of information.”
“Yes, it can be. However, some of what you read is just fiction, not real life. I won’t make all your decisions for you. I’ll help you make them. We will need to figure out together what will work best for both of us.”
“I trust you, Eric. I never would have brought the subject up if I didn’t. You, ah, don’t think I’m weak or less of a man for needing this, do you?”
“No, you are not weak. With everything you’ve gone through, you’ve become very strong. Look at all you have accomplished. There are just areas in your life you want and need help with. And, as your partner, helping you is my job.”
Now that Chandi had introduced the topic, he wasn’t sure just where they went from here, except to know he loved Eric and wanted him around forever. “Soo, when can you move in?” he asked, a happy grin spreading across his dark, handsome face and making his eyes sparkle.
Eric laughed at the question. “Lover, I am practically moved in! I think one more van load and the rest of my stuff will all be here.” He sighed contentedly. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” With that, Chandi jumped up, grabbed the bigger man’s arm and began hauling him towards the door.
And so, a new relationship was born.
The End
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