Bernard Crossing Shores

A Journey of Gay Love and Self-Discovery
1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-3-7583-3645-4
Verlag: BoD - Books on Demand
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, Band 3, 316 Seiten

Reihe: Crossing Lines, Fates and Shores

Fifteen-year-old Jack embarks on a life-changing journey when his family spends the holidays in Martinique. Amid the island's stunning beauty, Jack is drawn into transformative experiences that challenge his understanding of himself and the world around him. As he forges unexpected friendships with the owners of a nearby plantation, their wisdom and stories inspire him to explore deeper questions: What is true love? Who am I? And can I accept myself for who I am? Through moments of joy, self-doubt, and revelation, Jack confronts the complexities of relationships and the meaning of genuine connection. A fateful misstep with his best friend forces him to reevaluate his desires and identity, setting him on a path toward self-awareness and the courage to embrace his truth. In this poignant coming-of-age tale, Jacks journey is a powerful exploration of self-discovery, love, and acceptance. It reminds us that the road to understanding ourselves is often paved with vulnerability, but it leads to profound growth and lasting transformation. Der fünfzehnjährige Jack verbringt die Weihnachtsferien mit seiner Familie auf Martinique eine Zeit, die sein Leben für immer verändern wird. Umgeben von der tropischen Schönheit der Insel und inspiriert von den ungewöhnlichen Freundschaften mit den älteren Herren einer benachbarten Plantage, stellt Jack sich existenziellen Fragen: Was bedeutet wahre Liebe? Wer bin ich wirklich? Und wie lerne ich, mich selbst zu akzeptieren? Während er die Herausforderungen von Beziehungen, die Erwartungen seiner Familie und die eigenen inneren Konflikte meistert, wird Jack mit seiner Identität und seinen Gefühlen konfrontiert. Ein schmerzhafter Konflikt mit seinem besten Freund zwingt ihn, sich selbst ehrlich zu hinterfragen und den Mut zu finden, seine Wahrheit anzunehmen. Diese gefühlvolle Coming-of-Age-Geschichte erzählt von Selbstfindung, Liebe und Akzeptanz. Sie zeigt, dass der Weg zu einem erfüllten Leben oft durch Zweifel und Verletzlichkeit führt aber am Ende zu tiefem Wachstum und einem echten Verständnis für sich selbst.

Olivier Bernard, a Canadian author, crafted this sensual and heartfelt erotic novel as a tribute to the vibrant life of a close friend. With profound sensitivity and a deep understanding of human relationships, Bernard weaves a story of passion, friendship, and self-discovery. The novel is a celebration of life and love in all its forms, brimming with emotions, intense moments, and reflective insights. Through his compassionate writing style, the author takes readers on a journey into the depths of the human heart, inspired by real events and the deep bond he shared with his friend. This work is not just a sensual adventure but also a literary monument to the power of love, acceptance, and the beauty of life. Bernard masterfully shows how the stories we live become the stories that shape us. Olivier Bernard, ein kanadischer Autor, hat diesen sinnlichen und berührenden Erotikroman als Hommage an das bewegte Leben eines engen Freundes geschrieben. Mit großer Sensibilität und einem tiefen Verständnis für menschliche Beziehungen erzählt Bernard eine Geschichte von Leidenschaft, Freundschaft und Selbstentdeckung. Der Roman ist eine Feier des Lebens und der Liebe in all ihren Facetten, voller Emotionen, intensiver Momente und nachdenklicher Reflexionen. Durch seinen einfühlsamen Schreibstil nimmt der Autor die Leser mit auf eine Reise in die Tiefen des menschlichen Herzens, inspiriert von realen Ereignissen und der tiefen Verbundenheit, die er zu seinem Freund empfand. Dieses Werk ist nicht nur ein sinnliches Abenteuer, sondern auch ein literarisches Denkmal für die Kraft von Liebe, Akzeptanz und der Schönheit des Lebens. Bernard zeigt eindrucksvoll, wie die Geschichten, die wir erleben, zu den Geschichten werden, die uns formen.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Bernard, Olivier

Leseproben

ONE
I was alone, sitting on the beach in front of the new vacation house my dad had recently bought in the Southern part of the island of Martinique. It was very early in the morning and my parents as well as my older brother were still sleeping. We had flown from Montréal the day before, to spend the Christmas holiday there and since we didn’t have to go back to Montréal before January 10, that meant we would be spending four weeks in Martinique, away from winter! Thank God! I hate winter! In November of that year, I had turned fifteen and was rather happy with my life. I mean... I had an easy life, nice parents, a nice brother (well... not all the time!). I had all the money I wanted, had good friends... and I had just made a new girlfriend. She was a nice, good-looking girl... but from a very, very Catholic family. From the very start, she had warned me she wanted to remain a virgin until marriage and that if it was sex I wanted from her, well... it would be better for me to look for someone else! Of course, I assured her that that was not what I had in mind... and that, as a good Catholic, I respected her decision to remain a virgin. Totally! She was most happy with my answer! Of course I’m a Catholic... I mean, I was baptized after all! But... well... I must say I don’t give a damn about that. In my family, we all believe in God, but we don’t go to Church. And we don’t give a damn about the Pope. Oh, we respect him of course... but we think we can make our own judgment, and that we don’t need him to tell us what to think or do! We also believe we don’t need to go to Church to talk to God. And I don’t care whether you call Him Jesus, Buddha, Allah ... whatever you want! We’re all talking about the same God! Of course I didn’t tell her that! Shit no! Why shoot myself in the foot, huh? I just told her I respected her, and that if I wanted to go out with her, it’s because she’s a nice girl and because I like her very much. Nothing sexual! And indeed, that was the truth. Anyway, I was just fifteen... and to tell the truth, the fact she didn’t want to have sex with me suited me just fine. At the time, I didn’t spend much time asking myself why that suited me except that, anyway, I wasn’t ready to have sex. Period! I had a nice and very good-looking girlfriend to show around like a trophy. What more could I ask? I had all the fun and was under no obligation to „perform”. My pride and my ego were buying high, and I knew many of my friends were looking at me with envy. To them, I was the „lucky dude” ... Were they under the impression that we were having sex? I don’t know. Maybe. But I never said anything that could lead them to believe so. And I had an answer ready, should one of my friends ask me that question: „It’s none of your business pal!” So, as I said, at the time... I was rather happy with my life and as I was sitting on the beach that morning, staring at the beautiful Caribbean Sea right at my feet, enjoying my coffee... I felt I was quite privileged. A light, warm breeze was caressing my body, and since I was only wearing a pair of shorts, it felt really good... I was lost into my thoughts when a nice dog came from nowhere, running towards me with a long stick clenched between his jaws, waving his tail... I turned my head to look at the dog and, with a big smile on my face, I said to him: „Salut toi... d’où tu viens, hein?” The dog sat right in front of me and let go of his stick at my feet. Then, he stared at me, probably hoping I was going to throw his stick away so he could run to fetch it... Instead, I looked at him and began patting him... and before long... he sat on the beach and looked at me, offering me his paw as if he wanted to shake hands with me! „Bon chien...” (good dog), I said to him, grinning... And then I heard a voice from the distance, telling me: „...Don’t be afraid... He’s goodtempered...” I turned to see who was talking to me, and saw four old gentlemen walking on the beach towards me... „Oh, I’m not afraid of him... I love dogs!”, I answered, with a big smile on my face. As the four gentlemen got nearer to where I was sitting, I stood up, looked at them and said: „Nice dog you have here...” „Yes... We love him very much!”, one of the gentlemen answered, with a nice smile on his face. „Would you happen to be one of our new neighbors?” „I don’t know if we’re neighbors... but I live there...”, I answered, pointing to our house... „My Dad recently bought that house...” „Oh you’re one of our new neighbors alright... The four of us live over there...”, one of the gentlemen answered, laughing... „You mean... the Bagatelle Plantation?” „Yes... We’re the owners of Bagatelle”, one of them said... „I’m Paul de Brion. Nice to meet you, young man...” he added, offering me his hand... Of course, we shook hand, and I politely answered: „I’m Jack Poitras...” „Welcome to Martinique Jack! And this is Will... Lutz and his brother Hans...”, the man said, introducing me to his friends as I was shaking hands with them... „Nice to meet you gentlemen...”, I respectfully answered. „Just call me Paul, will you?”, monsieur de Brion said... „Oh Sir... I could never do that... I mean...” „Why?”, he answered to me, smiling... „Just because we are old gentlemen? We like to think of ourselves as young at heart, so please... do me a favor and just call me Paul, will you?” „Okay then... I guess...“ – „Same for us, huh!”, Will added... „And do you know what?”, Hans asked me... „I’m the one who sold your new vacation house to your dad... I used to live there...” „Oh?” „Yes...”, he replied, smiling at me... „My wife died a few years ago and since most of my children are now living in Fort-de-France, I felt a bit lonely living alone in that house... so I sold it to your dad, and I moved back into the mansion with my brother Lutz and my friends here...” „... Sorry to hear your wife has died...”, I answered... „Yes”, Hans answered with a sad smile on his face... „That’s life...” Since Hans was wearing a pair of shorts, I couldn’t help but to look at his scarred legs... and when he saw I was looking at them he said: „...Shrapnel wounds... from the war!”, he told me... „Oh you were in Vietnam?”, I asked him... At the time I was only fifteen... and I didn’t know much about wars of the past... But I had heard a lot on TV about the Vietnam war... which had ended long before I was even born. So, to me, if someone was talking about „the war”, he was necessarily referring to the Vietnam war... „God no!” Hans answered, laughing... „Look at me my friend... I’m eighty-two years old... I would have been too old to fight during the war in Vietnam... and anyway, I’m not American. No... I’m talking about the Second World War... „Oh... yes, I’ve heard a bit about that war... I know it was in Europe huh?”, I answered, not knowing what else to say... and not wanting to show my ignorance... „You were in Europe during that war?” „The four of us were all living there at that time... but that’s old history... Let’s not talk about the past, and let’s talk about you, young man...”, Hans answered, laughing... „... Not much to say about me you know...” „...I understand you live in Montréal?”, Lutz asked, smiling at me... „Yes. But I was born in Paris, as were my parents and my brother.... We moved to Canada when I was about ten...” „...I suppose that’s why you still have the French accent... not the French-Canadian accent...”, Will said... „Yeah!”, I answered, grinning... „If I remember correctly, your father told me he’s a doctor in Montréal, isn’t he?”, Hans said... „...Yes. A few years ago, my dad was working as a surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Paris... Then he received an offer from a large hospital in Montréal to work there... As he says, it was an offer he just couldn’t refuse... So, he accepted it and we moved to Montréal. But except for the four of us, all the rest of our family is still living in France...”, I answered. „Yes... I remember now... That’s what your father told me when he bought your house from me...”, Hans answered. „Yes...”, I simply answered, smiling at him... „Well... I guess we’ll see you again soon, since we’ve invited your family to spend Christmas Eve with us at the mansion... so we can introduce you to the other neighbors...”, Paul said, smiling at me... „Cool... So, I’ll see your Plantation...”, I answered, with a big smile on my face... „Do you make rum there?” „Sure do! Would you like to visit the distillery?”, Paul asked me... „Yesssssss... I would love that! I’m so curious to see how you make rum...” „No problem”, Will answered, laughing... „Feel free to knock on our door, and we’ll take you on a tour of the Plantation...“ – „...Are you serious?” „Sure! Just don’t knock on our door between two and three in the afternoon... cause that's when we usually take our nap”,...