Read Goldilocks and His Three Bears for Free Online

the gods who punished Twinkie overindulgence.
    First there was Jim still searching for his keys, buried at the bottom of his knapsack. Then there was Paul's Harley roaring into the driveway.
    “Well, hello, stranger!” Paul unstrapped his helmet and covered the lawn with those long strides.
    Jim grinned, big as the moon, and they exchanged mutual claps on the back and nodding appraisals of each other's general health and well-being.
    “Looking good.”
    “Thanks. Feeling good,” said Jim.
    “Yeah? Me too. Glad to be home.”
    Jim nodded his head, smiling. “You know, funny thing, so am I. You're early, aren't you?”
    “Yeah, maybe I did wrap it up a little quicker than usual. Had something to come back to this time.”
    “Yeah?” Jim fitted the key into the lock and held the door open as Paul strode in. “What would that be?”
    Paul stood in the living room, head cocked to one side, staring at a jacket and backpack where they lay on the sofa. “Somebody I met,” he said, puzzled.
    He strolled over and picked up the backpack as Jim went to the kitchen to deposit a couple of things. “Somebody who was sitting on my couch,” declared Paul as Jim came back into the room. “We have company?”
    “It seems so,” said Jim, scratching his head. “One who particularly likes sweets. There's an empty box of Oreos and a carton of fudge ripple melting all over the counter in there.”
    Paul frowned thoughtfully.
    Jim went into his bedroom and came out again. “Well, the plants have been watered.”
    Paul's eyebrows raised. “You actually found someone to do that?” He still held the backpack aloft, his head swiveling, gaze sweeping the house as if searching for something.
    “Yeah. I met someone too.” Now Jim seemed to see the item hanging from Paul's fist for the first time. “Who has a backpack that looks a lot like that one.”
    Paul's eyes narrowed. He hefted the backpack. “Not that usual an item.”
    “The Nine Inch Nails buttons are pretty memorable.”
    “Yes,” said Paul, turning the backpack around. “And the hole in the back... ”
    “Patched with electrical tape,” added Jim.
    They looked at each other.
    A cursory search didn't take long.
    “Not in here,” said Paul, from his bedroom door.
    Jim came wandering back from his own room. “He's not in my bed.”
    There was a thump and a sigh, and they both saw Scott's open bedroom door.
    “You don't think... ”
    “I have no idea.”
    Jim and Paul walked into Scott's room.
    And that, Brian reasoned later, is how it had happened.
    “So I'm sensing that introductions aren't necessary?” Paul's voice was all steely, his eyes cool.
    “Well, Goldilocks and I have met,” said Scott, eyes merry. He slid those thick thighs off the mattress and stood to put on his boxers. Three sets of eyes slid over to check out what was dangling there and then slid back.
    “Goldilocks?” Jim chuckled. “That's good.”
    Paul was still giving Brian a speculative look. Not angry or anything, just... deep. It made Brian suddenly feel really bad.
    “I'll go home now,” he said. He felt like crying, for Christ's sake.
    “Have you had dinner?” asked Jim, voice all simple and quiet.
    Brian shook his sorry head.
    “No man leaves my house hungry,” said his Momma Bear. “Well, roomies, let's see what Goldilocks has left us to eat.”
    So that's how he found himself sitting at the kitchen table with his Daddy, his Momma Bear, and Scott, fork making patterns in the food that he couldn't bring himself to swallow.
    They were all so fucking calm. It made the hair stand up at his nape. And every time he looked at Daddy, he could feel those prickly tears starting up in his eyes again, and what the hell was that about?
    “I said, would you pass the bread, please, Brian?”
    Brian started and saw Jim's kindly eyes looking at him. He handed the plate of bread over wordlessly.
    “Thank you. Paul,” said Jim, “I think Brian feels a little uncomfortable.”
    “Maybe we