1. The Ugly Bear


    Date: 7/29/2024, Categories: Gay Male, Author: byWhiteBeard50

    ... compliments. I truly appreciate your extraordinary contribution to this little outfit. So, during the holidays, I'll be sending a note to all employees announcing your promotions. Mathieu, my great friend, you're the new director of our new technical drafting department. As for you, Karl, I promote you to Vice President of Operations. So, Karl, you'll be in charge of all construction sites, engineering, and technical drafting. You will have staff handling all the administrative stuff. Elena will head that department and will also remain my personal assistant. I'll manage the architecture and design department and a new research and development department. Mat will continue to help me with the design aspects of our future projects."
    
    Jules looks at both of them, who are dumbfounded, not knowing what to say. He smiles at their surprised faces.
    
    "You can say thank you."
    
    "Thank you, boss," they both answer.
    
    "Now, guys, vamoose."
    
    Jules walks away, whistling a Christmas carol, leaving the lovers alone.
    
    "I need to go home," Mat says after Jules has departed, "to wash, change, and wrap the gifts I bought for the kids."
    
    "I'm coming with you," Karl says, a dirty smile suddenly appearing on his face.
    
    Mat nods and grins with pleasure. He knows what Karl wants, and he wants it too. Karl takes his cell and calls his brother.
    
    "Hey, Xavier, I'll be home in an hour or two, if it's okay?"
    
    "Take all the time you need, big bro. It's still very early, and we got ...
    ... everything under control." Xavier sounds excited.
    
    After showering together and dancing under the hot spray, of course, they get dressed and hurry downstairs to give Jack a hand. He cooked a huge cake, which Mat frosts while Karl helps Jack wrap the gifts. They argue about hockey, drink beer, and laugh at their wrapping inabilities. Jack found a friend, and so did Karl — someone they can say anything to, talk about anything with, and joke about themselves both to I and I with. Jack loves fishing, and so does Karl. Mat's thrilled, because he's always hated it.
    
    *
    
    Thursday, 4 June 2026, Neurology Institute of Montréal, McGill University.
    
    Karl, eyes closed, lies in his bed at the hospital, waiting for the results of the numerous tests he has been subjected to for the past two days. Mathieu, tired and pale as a late winter's moon, holds Karl's trembling hand. Mat looks at the morphine drops slowly making their way through a long, transparent tube into Karl's body, hoping that it brings his lover a little bit of comfort.
    
    His headaches started just over a month ago and quickly got very strong. He also had equilibrium problems and suffered a seizure. He was immediately transported to the McGill Neurology Institute. They loaded him with drugs to help battle the pain while they performed several tests. Last night, the neurologist and Karl's doctor told him that they would see him this morning at 10 a.m.
    
    Jack just arrives; he, too, looks pale and nervous, but he keeps his ...