The Marvelous Lives of The Beach Boys

Chapter Seven: Traces

Disclaimer: None of the events featured are true, nor will they ever be in this lifetime.

Brian Wilson's home: March 16, 1967

"I can't take it," Brian whined, cranking up the air conditioning, "It's not summer yet, but it's scorching out."

Bruce fanned himself with his newest issue of 16 Magazine, watching the eldest Wilson brother place a heaping amount of ice cubes into a glass. Dennis soon emerged from the kitchen with a turkey sandwich and settled onto the couch. He wore nothing but a pair of shorts and appeared to be unbothered by the weather. Al, who was quietly watching a newly released television program based around practical jokes, raised a brow at the drummer. Carl, seated beside the rhythm guitarist, simply shrugged his shoulders.

Dennis- I don't know, I feel a bit more free lately. I haven't worried over the fact that they're starting to draft folks in California to the Vietnam War. I know I won't be one of those unlucky people, I'll be legally tied to a wonderful woman soon and will no longer waste my time thinking about the misfortune of death.

Bruce- I got a draft notice in the mail a few days ago, but I'm not really concerned. I came up with a great plan that doesn't require marriage or jail time, but it'll probably turn me into a laughing stock for a while. Anyway, it involves me pretending to be a flamboyant, gay man. It isn't necessarily welcomed in any rank of the army and that's exactly why my plan is bound to work, I know it.

As soon as the rest of the group settled into the living room, Brian decided to discuss private matters with Bruce in the empty kitchen. He knew the other man had been acting unusually and it raised a few questions in his mind. He was desperate to get the truth out of Bruce, even if it took a bit of work.

He asked, "Bruce, are you gay?"

Bruce shook his head, "No, but I've asked myself the same question multiple times."

The eldest Wilson brother nodded his head, a bit confused. He added, "There's something odd about you recently, but I can't put my finger on it."

Bruce scratched his neck, "I honestly haven't been normal since joing this band."

"Okay, uh..." Brian blinked, "Have you kept the secret about you know what?"

"No," Bruce confessed weakly, "I tried to keep my draft notice a secret, but you somehow ratted it out of me. Also, I forgot Dennis and Michelle were even engaged... And, one more thing while I'm at it: I feel quite certain I'm starting to dig guys and not only girls."

Brian's jaw dropped quickly in shock, he didn't expect Bruce to reveal so much about himself. He said in a soft tone, after a moment of silence, "Wow... I didn't know you were holding back all of that."

Bruce- Life is quite complicated for certain people, there's not a doubt about that. However, I take stride in my hardships and come up with efficient ways to make myself happy. I often wear a smile on my face to express my happiness in life, I don't fake it and pretend that I'm struggling. I'm not struggling at all, I got it good in this world.

Brian- I don't like keeping secrets, although that's all I've been doing recently. It gives people one less reason to worry about me, especially since I had my nervous breakdown a few years ago. It also keeps Mike off my back, so it's good enough for me.

Brian prepared peanut butter sandwiches for himself and Bruce, with the other man spilling all sorts of details he had hidden in fear. To say he was proud of the younger man was a bit of an understatement, the feeling was far more than that. He was fairly amazed by Bruce's sudden confession, but was especially afraid of the potential consequences. Receiving a draft notice in the mail was a huge deal, it was seen as something horrific by teenagers and grown men alike.