Justin walked into the kitchen and immediately slumped against the side wall and briefly closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. 

"What's wrong?"

He opened his eyes back up to see his best friend Daphne eyeing him with concern, a square, black, plastic tray clutched in her hands full of orders.  "Nothing."

"Bullshit," she replied instantly.  "Is someone giving you a hard time?"

Justin snorted.  "Well, ‘hard' is certainly the operative word."  Daphne frowned.  "Take a look at the guy sitting at Table #6 with the little boy." 

Daphne placed the food down temporarily under the warming lamp and did as Justin instructed, trying to look nonchalant as she peered around the door frame.  Fortunately, she picked the perfect time to take a peek, because Brian chose that exact moment to unravel his son's napkin and hand it to Gus to place it in his lap.  "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed with a shriek as Justin made a frantic attempt to shush her with his hands.  "He's hot!"  She grinned, but then furrowed her brow as she thought of something. "But he has that little boy with him.  You still think he's, you know...?"

"Will you keep it down?" Justin beseeched, his eyes wide with alarm. Down here in conservative, Southern Baptist territory, a gay lifestyle was definitely looked down upon, and even if he wasn't deliberately trying to hide his sexual orientation, he didn't think it was wise to flaunt it, either.  He needed the job he had to not only keep a roof over his and Daphne's heads (they shared an apartment to keep their expenses in line), but he also desperately needed it to help save up money to attend art school.  While being on his feet all day made his legs cramp up and ache at night sometimes, it still beat the lousy (or nonexistent) tips he received when he had been working in Gatlinburg before at one of the schmaltzy, tacky tourist shops.  "Yes, I do," he told her.  He grinned. "You should have seen the way he looked at me earlier.  You would have thought I was on the menu." 

Daphne giggled as she retrieved some more food from under the heat lamp.  "Well, I have to deliver this food to Table 10," she told him.  "I'll take the long way, though.  I want to get a better look at him."

Justin rolled his eyes as she grinned impishly back at him.  "Just don't make it obvious, okay?" he begged her as he admitted, "He...he makes me nervous."

She smirked.  "I'll bet he does...But don't worry; I'll play it cool.  Now be a good boy and go get their drinks."

Justin's eyes widened.  "Shit, I almost forgot! Thanks." Hurrying over to the drink station, he quickly dug the metal scoop into the ice bin and placed the cubes into a plastic glass before filling it with water.  Pouring some chocolate milk into a smaller glass and grabbing a small dish of lemons, he took a deep breath to steel himself before heading back over to the handsome man's table.  As he approached them from the little boy's side, he had to smile as he looked over the little boy's shoulder and noticed him using a crayon to draw a facsimile of what appeared to be a train. 

He placed the two glasses down onto the table as he asked Gus, "You like trains?"

Gus nodded vigorously.  "I have one at home."

His discomfort temporarily forgotten, Justin smiled.  "A toy train?"

"Uh, huh. With a track and tunnels and trees and people!  Daddy bought it for me." 

"Sounds great. We have a real train here that you can ride."

Gus's eyes grew big as saucers.  "You do?  Do you own it?"

Justin laughed and flashed him a big smile; an action that caused Brian to be astounded by its intensity.  "No, it doesn't belong to me. But it's about a mile down the road.  It's an old-fashioned steam engine train, and you can ride in the main car or the caboose."  He looked over at Brian to explain, "It doesn't travel very fast, and only goes about a few miles out and back.  But all the kids seem to love it."

"Big kids, too?" Brian asked, amused, noticing the animated look in Justin's eyes.

Justin blushed.  "I like to ride it," he admitted sheepishly, "because the scenery is always changing.  And it goes slow enough that I can draw as I go."

"Draw?"

Justin nodded.  "I like to sketch what I see."  He turned to Gus to tell him, "You might even see a bear or two while you're out there.  I've seen them a lot of times when I ride."

Gus's mouth gaped open in astonished delight.  "Bears?  Daddy, we have to ride it!  Please?"  His big, brown eyes peered longingly at Brian.

Brian sighed.  There was no way he could say no to THAT.  "Okay, Sonny Boy."  Gus clapped his hands as a delighted smile broke out on his face.  "But it will have to be tomorrow.  It's getting too late for that today."

"Yay!  Okay, Daddy! Can I wear my hat and scarf when we go?"

Justin looked over at Brian, a question in his eyes, as Brian explained, "He has an engineer's hat and a blue-and-white checkered scarf he takes with him wherever he goes."  Justin nodded with a smile as Brian told his son, "You sure can, Sonny Boy.  Now drink some of your milk, okay?" Gus nodded as he took hold of the glass with both hands and proceeded to take a big gulp. 

Justin smiled as someone nearby signaled for his attention.  "I'll have your orders out shortly," he told them as he hurried away to take care of another customer.

Twenty Minutes Later...

Justin had managed to deliver the handsome man's food to his table a few minutes ago, along with the little boy's, maintaining an admirable degree of composure, and was now busying himself with taking care of customers at his other assigned tables nearby.  He couldn't help glancing over occasionally in their direction, however, impressed with how attentive the man seemed to be toward his child.  He smiled when the little boy held a steak fry out to his father, and the man shook his head at first to tell him no, but then reluctantly opened up his mouth to allow Gus to push the ketchup-laden end into his mouth.  He grinned when he heard the little boy giggle in response as he plopped the other end into his mouth and ate it.

He was leaning over a nearby table a few minutes later, cleaning it off with a rag, when he glanced once more over at the little boy and blanched; the child had both hands up to his neck and was clearly in some type of distress. 

"Gus?" he heard the man say.  "Gus, what is it?  What's wrong?"  The child tried to answer, but clearly couldn't.  Justin suspected immediately what was happening as he shouted to Daphne, who was heading to the kitchen, "Call 911!" and rushed over to their table. 

"What's wrong with him?" Brian shouted in a panic as Justin hurried over to the little boy and pulled him out of his chair. 

"I think he's choking on something," Justin told him as Brian pushed back so quickly from his seat the chair fell back and crashed to the floor. By now, the room had grown completely silent as Justin got into position behind the child and locked his hands together around his waist, right under his breastbone. 

"Gus, can you say something? Can you talk?" Justin asked. The child opened his mouth in reaction, but nothing came out.  His eyes, however, immediately broadcast the fear he was currently experiencing as he looked over at his father in desperation.

Brian's face turned white as he stood there, frozen and uncertain what to do.  "Gus!" he cried out in alarm as Justin pulled Gus tightly against his body and thrust upward with his hands: one, two, three times.  On the third effort, a large piece of a chicken finger flew out of the little boy's mouth, landing on top of the table, as Gus began to cough and gasp for air. 

"Breathe, Gus, breathe," Justin told him calmly as he walked around to stare up at him, slowly rubbing the boy's back reassuringly. Brian rushed over and knelt in front of him to grasp him by the arms to examine him.  Justin stood up and stepped back slightly as the manager, Don Kennedy, rushed over to them.

"Is he okay?" he asked with concern.  "The paramedics are on their way."

"I think so," Justin told him, noticing Gus coughing now and his breathing evening out as Brian continued to study his son intently, the worry clearly etched in his eyes.  "But it wouldn't hurt to have him checked out.  He almost choked on a piece of a chicken nugget, but it's out of his windpipe now." 

"Are you sure he's okay?" Brian whispered, his hands gripping his son's shoulders as he continued to check for signs of trouble. 

Justin nodded with a reassuring smile.  "Well, I'm not an expert. But I think he'll be fine."

Brian nodded in relief.  "Gus, are you okay?  You scared me to death," Brian admitted to his son.  Gus sniffled and coughed again, still breathing a little heavily, before he finally nodded.  Brian pulled him into an embrace then, his body trembling over the thought of how close he could have come to losing the boy he dearly loved. 

The room slowly reverted back to normal - and his world righted again - as Brian loosened his hold slightly on his son.  "Want to sit down, Gus?" he asked as the little boy nodded. 

"Justin, maybe you should get him some water to drink," the manager suggested as Justin nodded and hurried away to comply. 

Returning a minute later, Justin noticed the boy's color was much better.  "Feeling better now?" he asked softly; the boy's father was sitting next to him as if he were afraid something else would happen, slowly rubbing circles on his back like Justin had been doing earlier.  His own meal had been totally forgotten in light of what had happened.

Gus nodded as Justin placed a glass of water with no ice down in front of him.  "I brought you one of the silly straws," he told him.  "Take a couple of sips, okay?  Don't gulp too much down at once."  He was pleased to see that Gus complied, taking a couple of tentative sips and apparently seeming none the worse for wear now.  "Good," he told him with a smile as his and Brian's eyes locked.

"I...want to...Thank you," Brian told him simply, at a loss almost for the right words.  "I think you saved his life. I...I was so fucking scared," he admitted.  "I just froze."

"It's understandable," Justin told him, a little embarrassed.  "But he should be fine now," he assured him.

Brian nodded, feeling more reassured.  "Careful, Sonny Boy," he cautioned his child as Gus reached to snag another steak fry. "Should he be eating?" he asked Justin as he watched Gus reach for the food, seemingly unaffected by what had happened.

Justin smiled with a nod.  "Just make sure he takes SMALL bites."

Brian shuddered as he watched his son carefully.  "Don't worry," he told him tersely.  "You can count on it."

Fifteen minutes later, the paramedics had come and gone, assuring Brian that his son was going to be fine and did not need further medical attention, and Justin reappeared soon afterward at their table, noticing that while the boy's plate was relatively empty, the father's was not.  He frowned.  "Was there something wrong with your meal?" he asked Brian politely. 

Brian shook his head as he watched Gus coloring some more on his disposable placemat.  "No, it was fine," he told him.  "I just didn't have much of an appetite after; well, you know..."

Justin nodded.  "Yeah, that's understandable."  Brian nodded, his eyes studying Justin so intensely that the blond had to avert his eyes momentarily.  "Then...I can't get you anything else?"

Yeah...Your phone number, Brian almost said aloud, wondering how it would feel to be ramming into the man's perky, not-so-little ass that he had ogled earlier. But as he glanced over at his son now busily coloring his menu page, he knew there was no way he could entertain such a fantasy. His son had to come first, especially after what had happened earlier.  So with some disappointment, he shook his head and replied, "No, thanks.  Just the check."

"No coffee with cream?" Justin pressed, both of them knowing exactly what he was implying.

Brian smiled wistfully at him.  "No, not this time.  Maybe some other time." 

Justin nodded his head. 

"Oh, and Justin?"

"Yeah?"

"For the record, I take my coffee black."

Justin smiled.  "I'll keep that in mind if you ever come back for another meal," he responded with a smile of his own.  He flipped open his order pad to locate their bill before ripping it from the paper and placing it down next to Brian's plate.  "Before you go..."

Brian lifted an eyebrow to peer up at him, not sure what he was expecting. But he found that he didn't want to say goodbye just yet to this man, either.  "Yes?"  Brian watched as Justin reached inside his apron pocket and produced a long, wood, cylindrically shaped object that had holes in the top of it; a thin cord was attached to one end.

"Uh...I picked this up for Gus in the gift shop," he told him, as the little boy looked up curiously.  Justin turned to smile at Gus as he handed him the wooden, rectangular-shaped object.  "It's a whistle that sounds like a train," he told him with a smile.  "Go ahead; give it a try," he encouraged him.

Gus's eyes lit up with excitement as he put the flat end of the whistle up to his lips and blew vigorously into the instrument, making a loud, low whistle burst forth that sounded just like a locomotive's. His face broke out into a delighted smile as he gave it another toot before Brian reached over to gently pull it away from his lips, all of the nearby patrons peering over at them in surprise. 

"I think that's enough for now, Sonny Boy," Brian told his son with a chuckle.  "I'm glad you're feeling so good, but we've caused enough melodrama here today already."

"Daddy, what's melon'rama?" Gus asked, his face scrunched up with confusion.

The two men exchanged an amused look between them as Brian explained, "It's another name for little boys who somehow seem to generate excitement wherever they go - like you."

"Oh.  That's a good thing, then, isn't it?" Gus asked, his face scrunched up thoughtfully. 

Brian grinned as he reached in his pocket for his wallet to locate his credit card.  "Sonny Boy, with you everything is good," he assured him tenderly.  His smile slowly dissolved as he glanced over at Justin.  "Well...I guess we'll be going now," he told him as he stood up, check and credit card in hand.  "How much do I owe you for the whistle?"  He smirked.  "Although...maybe you should pay ME, instead, considering how someone will be playing with that whistle nonstop, no doubt, and driving me nuts until his bedtime tonight."

Justin grinned as he shook his head.  "You don't owe me anything; it was a gift."

"That's where you're wrong," he told Justin solemnly as he walked over to place his hand on his son's shoulder; his very much alive son's shoulder.  "I owe you a great deal after what you did."

Justin blushed, embarrassed.  "I did what anyone would have done in my position," he insisted.  "I was just in the right place at the right time."

"Maybe."  Brian opened his wallet and pulled out a five $20 bills, holding them out toward the other man.  "But what you did is priceless to me, just like my son.  Take this."

Justin shook his head in shock.  "No....No, I couldn't.  That's way too much." 

One brow lifted in question, Brian asked, "What, you're independently wealthy, then, and just working at this dive to learn more about the local yokels?" 

Justin grinned.  "Something like that."  He smiled down at Gus.  "Just knowing he's okay is good enough for me.  Keep your money, and use it to take him on the train ride tomorrow."

"Okay...But only if you come with us," Brian blurted out before he could stop himself.  Now that it was out in the open, though, it somehow seemed right.  "We could use a tour guide to escort us around," he offered by way of explanation, although that was not his motive.

"What?"  Justin replied in shock, not sure he had heard him right.  He turned his head as he heard a nearby male patron calling for his attention.  "Look," he began regretfully.  "I have to go..."

"Fine. Then we'll see you at the train station tomorrow at 10.  You're not working then, are you?"  Brian hoped that since he was here for the lunch shift that maybe he started later in the day. 

"Well...no..."

Brian smiled, pleased, as he grasped his son's hand.  "Well, then you have no excuse.  You wouldn't want to disappoint my son, would you?  Would you like for Justin to come with us, Sonny Boy?" 

Gus nodded his head vigorously. 

Justin huffed, knowing full well what this man was doing. He had to admit, though, he found it flattering in a way, even if he WAS using his son as blackmail.  He sighed.  "I have to work the dinner shift tomorrow...but I guess I would have enough time," he finally admitted.

Brian smiled.  "Good.  Where shall we meet you?  Give me your address.  I'll pick you up." 

"Uh, no, that's not necessary," Justin hedged, somehow feeling just a bit intimidated by this forceful man.  "I'll meet you there about 9:45."  He was too embarrassed to admit he would have to take the bus there after walking about a mile from his and Daphne's apartment. 

"It's no bother." Brian insisted.

Justin shook his head.  "No, it's fine," he answered, not realizing Daphne was nearby wiping down a table and hearing every word.  She couldn't prevent the grin that appeared on her face as she overheard the handsome man in essence asking her friend out on a date.  "I'll just meet you there." 

Brian studied him, wanting to know more about this young man.  He certainly didn't appear to be an easy conquest.  He actually liked that, oddly enough.  He nodded finally.  "Okay.  Promise, though." 

"Pinkie promise," Gus added solemnly.  "That way you can't back out." 

Justin laughed as Brian nodded in agreement, holding his right pinkie finger out toward the blond expectantly.  Justin smiled amicably as he crooked his pinkie finger around the other man's and pulled slightly, his eyes widening over how such a simple type of contact made his heart race.  How was that possible?  He quickly freed his finger as his and Brian's eyes locked, seeing much the same surprised reaction on the other man's face.  "I...I pinkie promise," he whispered as Gus nodded in satisfaction.  He cleared his throat.  "So...I'll see you tomorrow, then."  He suddenly realized something as they turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Brian lifted an eyebrow in question, hoping his little blond fantasy wasn't yet going to back out. 

"I don't even know your name," Justin explained sheepishly.  "And I need to give you the address where we need to meet."

"Well, I guess "God" is a little too formal after everything we've been through," he replied, rolling his tongue into his cheek as Justin snorted.  He smiled.  "So you can just call me Brian." 

Justin nodded.   Brian.  He thought that name suited him.  Well, a lot of other names did, too...Stud.  Hot.  Gorgeous.  King.  But yes, that seemed to fit him, too.  "Here's the address," he told him, as he tore off a page from his order pad and hurriedly jotted down where Brian needed to go tomorrow morning.  "I'll meet you at the front gate."  He had to keep from smiling as he thought about what the man's reaction would be when he found out where it was located, but he suspected by then it would be too late for him to back out...

Brian nodded as he reached over to take the paper, his hand lingering just a little too longer than necessary as it brushed against Justin's.  He smirked over the blond's reaction to his touch before finally letting go to grasp his son's hand.  "Let's go, Sonny Boy," he told Gus.

"Don't forget, Justin!" Gus called out as he and his father turned around and headed toward the cashier station.  Brian turned his head to stare over at him for just a moment before they were lost in the lunch-time crowd. 

Justin sighed as he turned back to his duties, jumping as Daphne grabbed his arm from behind.  "Break time!" she chirped as she yelled over to their manager to let him know they needed their tables covered.  Two minutes later, they were sitting outside near the back door at the employees' picnic tables.  "Okay, out with it."

"Huh?" 

"You're going on a date with that man?"

Justin peeled off a sliver of curled up, painted wood from the weathered table as he replied, "How did you know that? And it's not a date; his son is going to be there, too, you know."

"Doesn't matter.  Oh, and I overheard you when I was cleaning off one of my tables.  I got a better look at him, too. He is SO sexy!  What are you going to wear?"

Justin rolled his eyes.  "It's a train ride, Daphne; not dinner at some five-star restaurant. We're in the tourist mecca of the world, remember?  Here, cutoff jeans and a polo shirt are considered evening wear. What do you think I'm going to wear?  I'll wear what I normally wear when I'm riding the train."

Daphne looked at him aghast.  "Are you kidding me?  Did you see what that man was wearing? Even his kid had on designer duds!  You'll have to do better than that if you want to get laid, Justin."

Justin barked out a laugh, his face growing hot.  "Who says that's what I want?" he protested.  "And even if I did, just where do you think that would happen on a train - in the dining car?  And as you may recall, there is a kid involved here, too.  You saw how attentive he was to him during lunch; there's no way, especially after his son almost choked to death, that he's going to leave his side, anyway."  He silently had to confess that he had been daydreaming about that very thing, though.  How it would feel to be touched, kissed, and possessed by such a man?   Shit.

"I don't mean on the train, you idiot!" Daphne scolded him as he turned his attention back to her.  "I mean later, after you get off; you can go out to eat or...better yet, go back to HIS place.   Then you can really get off."  She winked at him and smiled, then, a twinkle in her eye. 

"Daphne...!"  Justin exclaimed, rolling his eyes in exasperation, not especially liking where this conversation was heading.  "I have to work later, remember?"

She smirked.  "If I have to, I'll work your shift.  I feel it's my civic duty."

Justin snorted.  "You really ARE trying to get me laid, aren't you?" He knew Daphne would have to work a double shift in order to work for him tomorrow. 

"How long has it been?" she asked him pointedly, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I don't know," Justin grumbled awkwardly.  "It's not like I've been marking it off on the calendar."

"Well, you should be," she told him pointedly.  "But if would be easier if you had a monthly calendar."  She shook her head.  "You work way too hard, Justin.  You know what they say about all work and no play.  You need to loosen up. And I can't think of a better guy to loosen you up than this one.  You're the one who went out of your way to show him to me," she pointed out, one brow quirked upward.  "And you saved his son's life!  He's going to want to express his appreciation somehow." 

"He already thanked me," Justin protested.  He sighed.  "Okay, okay...the thought did cross my mind," he admitted as Daphne grinned.  He had to return her grin with one of his own as he added, "But I don't really know anything about him.  I mean, I'm pretty sure he's gay...but he has that little boy." 

"Well, little boys go to bed early - and if you play your cards right, the big boys can, too.  But first we have to do something about your clothes."

"Daphne, you just don't quit, do you?" 

She grinned again.  "There's still hope for you, Justin.  Even though you dress like a refuge."

"You know I can't afford new clothes!" he protested.  Daphne, of all people, knew all too well his financial plight, and just why he had to work as much as he did.  He didn't like it, but if he ever hoped to attain his dream of an art career, he had to find a way to afford it first. That did not leave much time for pursing more pleasurable matters.  But perhaps she was right; he did need a break, even if it was only for a brief moment of time while this man and his boy were here.  Because he knew without a doubt that it was only temporary; almost everyone who passed through here was a tourist, and from the looks of the guy, there was certainly no way he was employed here.  Besides, he didn't know anything about him; for all HE knew, he could be married and just on the hunt while his wife was none the wiser.  It wouldn't be the first time someone who was gay tried to disguise his true sexuality.  Somehow, though, this man appeared far too confident to be the type of person who hid from anything.

"Justin, are you even listening to me?"

Justin blinked.  Had Daphne been talking to him? "What did you say?"

Daphne shook her head.  "I said...Let's stop at that consignment store down the street. They usually have some trendy clothes in your size."

Justin smiled.  "You mean in between the See Rock City and the Fanny Farkle tee-shirts?" he asked, referring to one of the local theater productions created exclusively for the hordes of tourists that transcended upon the area on a yearly basis like a hive of bees.  While they all tended to blend in at some point into one, big, glob, he had to admit it paid his expenses.   

Daphne laughed.  "Yeah...We'll avoid the clearance section."

"I don't know, Daph...it's just a train ride."

"A train ride that could develop into another sort of ride, if you handle things correctly."

Justin's face reddened at the thought of just what sort of ‘ride' he had been fantasizing about.  He sighed.  What did he have to lose, except another boring night of a movie rental and popcorn?  "Okay, okay," he finally agreed.  "I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what they have."

"That's the spirit!" she exclaimed with a smile.  She glanced down at her watch; it was one of the quirky things Justin loved about his long-time friend. She was probably one of the few human beings left on earth - at least their age - that actually liked to wear a watch to tell time, rather than referring to her cellphone.  She groaned.  "Only four more hours to go."  She stood up, stretching backward to loosen her muscles.  Sighing, she held her hand out to her friend.  "Come on.  Time to go serve up more hash to the opera patrons inside." 

Justin chuckled as he accepted her hand.  He impulsively kissed his friend on the cheek as she pulled back, a little surprised.

"What was THAT for?" she asked curiously as he let go of her hand.

Justin smiled.  "Just for being you," he told her as she nodded, pleased.  Pulling his apron back over his head and tying it behind his back, he added, "After you," as the two friends reentered the restaurant.